Elevator Love

Chapter 9

+++ Warning of dirty language including curses, insulting, mentioning sex, sexualizing characters and sexual tension in some parts that might be disturbing to some readers +++

Irene and Mino met at the bank of a park near Irene's building. "I'm here." She said to Mino who was already sitting on the bank. He looked very stressed. "So, what do you want to tell me?" Irene asked him, taking a seat next to him. Mino repeatedly moved his feet and stroked his hair before turning his body to Irene. "I know this might sound crazy right now, but- Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Irene heard his question, but she couldn't progress it in her mind. That's why she just looked at him with a blank expression. Seeing her face like her soul left her body, Mino got slightly worried and neared to her face. "Are you okay? Did you hear me?" He asked carefully. Irene slightly shook her head, she wanted to make sure he was asking her the same question she heard few seconds ago. "I asked, if you would like to be my girlfriend?" He asked again. The moment he did that, Irene burst into laughter until she couldn't breathe properly, leaving Mino totally dumbfounded.

"You- you can't be serious, can you?" She asked in between her laughs. "Me? Your girlfriend? And you are my boyfriend?" She asked and continued laughing. Mino's face twisted, he turned his head to his front and lowered his gaze. "I'm totally serious." He pointed out. "But if you want to make fun of it, go ahead." He said before he put the top of his drink into his mouth. Irene's laughter slowly faded, and she looked at him with a more serious expression. "But why? Why would you want to ask me something like that? I mean, we barely know each other. In fact, we don't know each other at all." She tried to find logical reasons against his request. "I know you. I know that you are different from other girls. I know that you hate crowded places, that you have a special love for cakes and cats, that you love marvel movies, that you live alone and work in a bakery shop. You want me to continue?" He asked with a slight smile. Irene closed her eyes and sighed "These are not enough information to date someone." She pointed. Mino looked at her as if he was offended "Is there any special formula to date someone?" He asked, leaving her speechless.

Irene shook her head "Look, I don't know anything about you. Maybe that you are different than other people, you have a crazy personality. Gosh, even the fact that you're asking me this makes you crazy as hell." She said and grabbed the drink out of his hand and gulped it out of stress as if it was nothing. Mino stared at her behaviour with raised eyebrows and a slight smirk "And you are normal?" He asked. Irene realized what she was doing and put the drink to the side in a harsh move. "I know that it's an overwhelming question, but I don't even want to have an answer as fast as possible. Because, I- I- I need you to be my girlfriend for one night." He let out. Irene widened her eyes and looked at him as if he was a monster. Knowing that she totally misunderstood her, Mino repeatedly shook his hands and chuckled "Not in that way. There's a family dinner in a few days and I need someone to accompany me. To be exact, to be next to me as my girlfriend, so I can show my brother that he is not the only one able to have a serious relationship." He explained. "So you're just using me." Irene pointed out. "We can truly date afterwards, if you want. That way, I wouldn't be using you." Mino smirked. Irene rolled her eyes "I don't know." She said. "Why do you want to show off to your family members? Aren't you on good terms with them?" She wanted to know but wondered if she asked the wrong question since his face fell. "You don't want to know, Irene." He simply answered without looking at her.

His answer didn't satisfy her, but she didn't insist on it and sighed hard "I really don't know, and I need time. Time to think about it." She told him as she faced him. Mino nodded "It's okay, I just wanted you to know." He softly said. Irene scanned his face if he was being sincere since she still couldn't calculate him well. "Good night, Mino."

"Good night, beautiful." Mino smiled at her and watched her leaving. He hoped from the deepest of his heart that she would agree to his request. The family dinner was very important for him and his mother. He needed to be present with a trophy next to her and in his eyes, Irene was the perfect trophy to play against his brother.