Accidental Rental

One Message

Despite the earlier misstep with the brother, Minhyun was now by the sister and trying to calm her down. Tears had stained her mascara down her cheeks and her outfit had a bit of tear in it so Minhyun placed his coat over her. He didn't dare hug her as a way to comfort her so he could only pat her shoulder as gently as he could muster.

"What happened?" he asked softly. She sniffled and blew her nose into the handkerchief he had offered her as well.

"I was... Going to hang out with my f-friends today and this group of guys c-came. They tried to-," she sobbed and choked on her words, rubbing her already tear stained cheeks. Minhyun felt anger then.

"They attacked you guys?" he asked, trying to stay calm and collected. Anger led him nowhere after all. She nodded and Minhyun breathed in deeply. "Who were they? Do you know? Where was this?"

"I don't know. They were just waiting outside the karaoke center that we frequent a-and tried to pick us up but we all refused. We managed to run away in the end."

Minhyun bit his lower lip. "Then why call me and not your brother?"

"Because if he saw me like this, he would throw a fit and probably find them and beat them up," she replied and pulled the coat closer to her body. Minhyun sighed and nodded. That was true. Baekho would most likely do that. "I couldn't think of anyone else I could trust. My friends were all afraid too but they have boyfriends to lean on. I..."

Minhyun understood her predicament now and why she chose to call him even if she had to pay for it. He felt bad. Horrible. He wished she had just called him as a friend instead of using the application. He would have come too. He gently patted her back. "I'll send you home."

She looked at him with wild eyes and shook her head. "No, please don't. Not when I still look like this. C-could you send me to a hotel or some other place where I can clean up first?"

"Me? Bring you to a hotel?" Minhyun was a little bewildered by the suggestion. There was no way he was going to step into a hotel with her while she looked like that. People might think he was the cause of it. He frowned and sighed. "I'll bring you to my place then. If you trust me enough."

She nodded and although Minhyun would very much prefer to bring her straight home, decided to respect her decision.

###

He stared at his phone and bit his lower lip. He should call Baekho, shouldn't he? Tell him to come get his sister. Wait. How did Baekho even go home? Did he take the taxi? No, Minhyun, Baekho is a grown up. He can take care of himself... Right?

"Minhyun oppa?"

Minhyun flinched and turned to find Naeun in his sweater and the smallest size pants he could find for her. "Ah... You're done. How are you feeling?"

She sat down on the couch and smiled, looking much calmer than before. "Much better. Thank you for letting me use your shower."

"No problem. Ready to go home now?" He asked but she seemed reluctant to leave as she grabbed a pillow to hug and curl up instead.

"Can't I stay here for the night?" she asked and Minhyun stiffened.

"No, you shouldn't. You'll make Baekho worried if you don't go back," He said, knowing how much the other truly cares for his sister even if he was too stubborn to say it out.

"But I'm scared of how he will react if he found out."

Minhyun rubbed his hands and sighed. "Naeun.. Your brother and I..."

"The one he likes is you, right? I know. I'm not trying to make any advances on you. I just don't want to worry him if he saw me all teary eyed and stuff. If he tells my parents, they might ask me to go back and I don't want that," she cut in and Minhyun froze, eyes going wide.

"I'm sorry... What did you just say?"

"Huh? I don't want to worry?"

"No. Before that."

"That he likes you?"

"You... You knew?"

"Well, he was agonising over a hangout with some supermodel and uh... There's practically no one else I could think of except you and judging by the magazines on the table, you are a supermodel, aren't you?"

Minhyun had forgotten about the magazines and hurriedly tried to keep them but Naeun snatched one up.

"Did you quit?" she asked and he shut his eyes, biting his lips as he forced himself to sit down on the couch. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Private life and work is two different things, right?"

"I... I'm really sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry. But I don't see my brother around so... What happened with the date?" she questioned, making herself comfortable on his couch.

"I messed up..."

"You're not gonna date him?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, I know your job doesn't allow you to actually date but if you went back to being a model... You wouldn't need the rental job."

Minhyun stared at Naeun who just flipped through the magazine before she slowly glanced up at him.

"Oppa?"

"Uh... Well. I did think about that," He blurted out and went back to fiddling with his fingers. She sat up and grinned.

"So you'll really date him then? My mum is like crazy worried that my brother will end up single forever but if someone like you is with him, we won't have to worry about a thing."

"Wait. I haven't said I would," Minhyun gasped. "It's not that easy...."

Naeun sighed and leaned back again. "Is it really because of the job? What's stopping you?"

Minhyun knew. He knew what was stopping him from quitting this job and running to Baekho's side. He knew but he also knew to do those things, he needed to step up for himself and that wasn't easy. He could go without Baekho even if the other made him feel like he could be a better version of himself. He could live without him. He has and had. So would he really want to risk everything he had now for one person?