MICHAENG : FAKE AND TRUE

36 - FORGIVE ME

Mina, with a heavy heart and puffy eyes from a night of tears, stirred from her sleep in the morning. The weight of the unresolved argument with Chaeyoung yesterday still hung in the air like an oppressive fog. She dragged herself out of bed, the memory of their heated words haunting her.

Her steps led her to the kitchen, where she hoped a glass of water might ease the tightness in her throat. As she approached the kitchen, she noticed a manly figure facing back from her. He looks like someone unfamiliar. Observing him from his back, the man was a bit taller, a bit slimmer, and his haircut is different from Chaeyoung which made Mina confirm that the man is not Son Chaeyoung.

Her heart skipped a beat, not recognizing the person she assumed to be a thief in the morning.
As Mina observed the mysterious man from behind, his actions triggered her anxiety.

Tiptoeing cautiously, Mina's hand gripped an umbrella nearby, her instincts preparing her to get the thief down. Without a second thought, she swung the umbrella fiercely on the man, catching the man off guard.

The echoing 'ouch' multiple times from the man can be heard through the penthouse due to non-stop attack from Mina. The man defend himself, his hand cover all over his body to avoid Mina's strike. Before Mina could swung another hit, Chaeyoung emerged from another room, surprise etched on his face. In an instant panick, he rushed towards Mina, holding her back.

"Yaa!! Mina-yaa, stop..stop..What are you doing?"Chaeyoung tried to stop the aggressive Mina from keep hitting the man.

Breathing heavily, Mina managed to utter, "Chaeyoung, he's a thief!" Her voice trembled with a mix of fear and adrenaline.

Ignoring Mina's accusation, Chaeyoung shook his head. Instead of confronting the man aggressively, he approached the guy with genuine concern. "Tzuyu-yaa, are you okay?" Chaeyoung's caring tone was in contrast to Mina's alarmed one.

As Chaeyoung checked on Tzuyu's condition, the supposed thief, Tzuyu, responded with a mixture of confusion and surprise. "I'm... I'm okay," Tzuyu stammered, rubbing the sore spot where Mina's umbrella had landed. His eyes darted between Chaeyoung and Mina, trying to make sense of the situation.

Still processing the unexpected twist, Mina stuttered, "You...you know him, Chaeng?" Her eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

With a calm smile, Chaeyoung nodded, "Yeah, he's a friend, Tzuyu. Not a thief." He chuckled, sensing Mina's bewilderment.

Caught off guard, Mina's face reddened. "Oh... I, uh, sorry about the umbrella, Tzuyu. I thought you were..." Her words trailed off awkwardly.

Tzuyu, finding the situation amusing, chimed in, "It's alright. It's Chaengie fault, he didn't tell me that he hired a guard for this house..A guard with an umbrealla." His playful remark only deepened Mina's embarrassment.

Chaeyoung, finding the whole situation quite humorous, couldn't help but tease Mina a bit. "Seems like you're ready to fight for our safety, huh?" He chuckled, enjoying the playful banter between Mina and Tzuyu.

As they settled in the living room, Chaeyoung took the lead, introducing Tzuyu to Mina. "Mina, this is Tzuyu, one of my best friends. Tzuyu, meet Mina, my girlfriend."

Tzuyu offered a warm smile and a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, Mina."

Mina, still feeling a bit embarrassed from the earlier incident, managed a shy smile in return. "Nice to meet you too, Tzuyu."

With a friendly atmosphere settling in, Chaeyoung continued, "Btw, Tzuyu is a pilot for a private company. He's in Seoul for a short break."

Tzuyu added, "Yeah, just taking a breather from the skies and decide to pay my best buddy a visit today... never know he now had a beautiful guard house" Tzuyu playfully teasing them