Accidental Rental

14th Time

"Minhyun, can you help me up?" The voice of his friend, Ren distracted him as he realised he had been zoning out while staring outside the window of the apartment his friend stayed in. He turned to Ren and shook his head.

"Why do you even want to go out when you're hurt?" Minhyun asked while getting up and helped Ren up to his feet. His friend had sprained his leg while walking down the stairs and had called him over to help him get to his date.

"I told you. It's a date and I'm not missing out on it," his friend scoffed and put an arm around his shoulder to heave himself up.

"Do you seriously think this American guy is into you?" Minhyun asked with a frown.

"Better than always switching boyfriends and girlfriends like a certain someone."

"It's a job."

"Whatever. I've already told you that this job is no good for you," Ren replied as he got his wallet and phone.

"Then why didn't you call him to come get you instead?" Minhyun asked while making sure he didn't leave anything behind before helping Ren get to the elevator of his apartment building.

"Because he's got work to do. And we are meeting up there so who better to ask than you? It's not like you have anything better to do except milk the pockets of poor single people."

"Will you stop talking about my job like that?" Minhyun sighed.

"I just don't get why you would want to take that job. Obviously there are better jobs that you could do with that face of yours. And you know you do." Minhyun didn't reply his friend since they had gone over this conversation more than once. He brought his friend to his car and helped him in, recalling the time he had helped Baekho into his car as well. He wondered how the other was doing. If he was still short on money. He forced himself to stop thinking about Baekho when he realised that he was. Baekho was just a client. Just like everyone else. Or at least he had to force himself to think that way so it wouldn't interfere with his work. So why did he say or do what he did last two weeks?

It didn't help that his performance had dropped ever since that day although most people who requested for him didn't really care as long as they could see his pretty face. It was all about his looks after all. They didn't care about anything else underneath it and although Minhyun was fine with that at first, what Baekho had said about it being lies had really left him feeling uneasy. It wasn't like he liked lying or anything which was why he preferred half truths but the fact that most people didn't even care had made him feel worse now. Baekho cared or at least the drunk version of him did. He hadn't had anyone care about him for a long while. Ren did care but he was also always somewhere in his own world that Minhyun didn't want to interfere. He kept a distance from his friend which explained why he wouldn't even tell Ren the actual reason behind him doing this job.

They made it to the restaurant and Minhyun was going to leave but seeing the line made him worry for Ren standing there alone with his messed up leg so he opted to hold him until they got a table instead. His hand was on Ren's slim waist since it was easy to keep him upright that way.

"Do you think he will confess to me today?" Ren asked with a bright smile. Minhyun was, of course, happy if his friend was happy. That was more than enough for him and how far his friendship went with Ren. He smiled back genuinely and nodded.

"He should. It would be a waste to let someone like you go. It's difficult to have a diva like you want to stay," Minhyun said and chuckled. Ren scoffed and nudged his side, causing him to bend down while still laughing.

"You did not just subtly compliment and insult me at the same time," Ren grumbled and Minhyun wheezed softly. He stood up properly and helped Ren enter their cafe when it was their turn. The table was quite far in so Minhyun walked him all the way there before leaving the restaurant. His phone vibrated and he pulled it out, somehow hoping to see a certain someone's name on it but when it was just another person, he sighed.

"Not a friend... just an acquaintance. Seriously, Minhyun. Just stop thinking about him. It's not worth it," Minhyun mumbled and went back to his car. Minhyun couldn't understand why he had even wanted to be friends with Baekho in the first place or why Baekho was constantly nudging his mind. It didn't make sense or at least he didn't want to make sense out of it.

Though that didn't stop Minhyun from actually driving pass the same street he had seen the other passed out drunk before for the 14th time in the 2 weeks they had not met just to make sure the other hadn't fallen asleep on one of the benches and possibly get mugged. Despite how much he told himself not to think about Baekho, he still found himself wishing every request had his name written on it or that he could see the other by chance and they could maybe just chat like friends without having to use the application as the reason to meet. He knew that he could always just drive up to Baekho's place but Baekho had already called him a creep, a weirdo and he didn't want to make the other show any other form of disgust towards him. Being called a stalker would probably be last thing he wanted Baekho to do. So he decided to just wait. Maybe that chance will come by someday. Maybe once Baekho had enough money or if they do meet randomly by chance.

Maybe.