Toward the Walk of Shame

14 {Suzy}

The night wind rustled through my hair as I leaned out the passenger window of Minho's car and pointed at Soyeon. "Are you sure you don't want us to stay? We could go to the party with you. We don't mind."

"Positive. How am I supposed to start my conversations if you guys are hanging around?" She slung her purse over her shoulder and winked at us. Her flowy green skirt swirled around her legs. "No offense."

"None taken," I said drily. I still wasn't sure about leaving Soyeon behind, but she wanted to join this theater group after graduation, and this party could be her way in. Besides, if there was anyone who could take care of herself, it was Soyeon.

"Speak for yourself. I"m very offended." Minho poked the button to roll up the window. "Let's go, Suzy, before she changes her mind."

I laughed as Soyeon  jumped back and stuck out her tongue at us before heading back into the theater. Minho pulled the car out of the parking lot and slowed down next to her. "Good luck. You'll knock them dead."

"I know. How could anyone resist me?"

Minho laughed and drove off once she got back inside. "Nice to see that she doesn't need any help in the confidence department."

"Yeah, but I like to think that she needed us for moral support." Without waiting for his answer, I held my thumb and index finger an inch apart. "Just a tad. No harm in taking a little bit of the credit."

"Well, she's not here. We could take all the credit."

I smiled and patted his shoulder. "You're right. It was all because of us. We're awesome!"

The car swerved the teeniest bit as Minho snickered into his fist. "As long as you don't let it get to your head."

"Too late. I do regret one thing." I let out a sigh and patted my stomach. "I shouldn't have skipped dinner."

Switching hands on the steering wheel, Minho opened the compartment between our seats and fumbled through the neatly wrapped wires for his cell phone charger and iPod. "Well, I don't have anything to fed you, but maybe this would help." He handed me a pack of minty gum.

I accepted the gum with a smile. "Thanks, do you want one?"

"No, I have my own." He patted the chest pocket of his button-down shirt. "I don't like mint."

"Oh, right." I forgot that he liked fruity bubble gum. I hated those. They were so sweet that I'd always end up swallowing them when I was younger. Eomma told me that since gum doesn't digest, sooner or later it would just build up and fill my entire stomach. Great thing to tell your daughter right before Halloween.

I popped two pieces in my mouth. "Why do you have this mint gum if you don't like it?"

"It's for you." He gave me a small smile. The streetlight flickered in his dark eyes. "I always buy some to have around in case you want it."

I blinked dumbly at him. "Me?"

His smile faded a little, and he looked away. "Well, you and anybody else that wants it. You know what I mean."

"Oh." For a split second, I thought he meant specifically me. Which made no sense. Why would he buy something just in case I would want it someday? It was crazy of me to even think that.

Still, something in the air was a little weird. I leaned forward to mess with his CDs in the compartment beneath the stereo. My fingers ran along the plastic covers. They were already perfectly lined up - according to specific genres - and facing the same direction.

In fact, everything in Minho's car was amazing. No dust or dirt on the carpet or dashboard. Windows were so squeaky clean that a bird could probably fly right through them. And it still had a new car smell, even though he had driven this car since he moved to Busan. This was exactly how I imagined my car would look if I had one.