I'm In Trouble

Clip 24

Baekho spent the afternoon away, looking up possible news article on the company for anything that he might be able to link back to his parents but when nothing came up, he decided to head to the tattoo shop again. He waited outside this time, looking around the area until he found something of interest. A CCTV above the door of the shop. He checked the angle and noticed that it was just a little off from the location of the accident judging from the picture taken. He wasn't sure if Aron kept the footages of the morning since it has been awhile. He wasn't even sure if the other would share it too. As he wandered around a little more, he accidentally bumped into someone who was walking towards the shop with his head down.

"Oh, sorry," Baekho apologised, hearing a faint metal sound. The other just shook his head and kept going. He entered the shop and immediately bawled his eyes.

"Aronnnnnn."

"Ah, Minki. You're here," Aron said and smiled. He realised he was starting to look forward to the younger male every now and then despite being a little cold to him at the beginning. He noticed Minki's red cheek and gasped. "What happened to your cheek?"

"My dad slapped me." Minki pouted and Aron hurriedly took ice from his fridge, stuffing them inside a cloth and placing it against his cheek. Minki flinched and moved away but Aron held his head. "Ow, Ow. Be gentler!"

"It's not me. The ice is just making it sting. It's barely even grazing your face," Aron sighed. "So what did you do to make your dad slap you?"

"I... I just asked him about the company. He got mad and slapped me. I got mad too so I ran here."

Aron frowned and sighed. "What did you ask him about?"

"Why have people been disappearing? Did he have anything to do with the death of his employees?"

"I can see why he got mad. His son accusing him of things," Aron replied and tilted Minki's cheek to see if there was any more redness.

"Ugh. But he doesn't even talk to me on a regular basis. He acts like my boss instead of my dad. It's hateful sometimes."

"Minki, why do you want to know so badly?" Aron asked while putting down the ice pack.

"Huh?"

"The truth. Why do you have to know it?"

"Because... Because people have gone missing...and if my father is really involved or by any chance orchestrating this whole thing, I want it to stop. I don't want to see innocent people suffer."

"Innocent people?"

"The people's families. The guy..."

"What guy?"

Minki pursed his lips and clenched his fists. "I attended one of the funerals of our employees. The parents died, leaving the guy all alone. I saw him briefly but the look on his face stuck with me. I can't forget it. The way he was so sad but so frustrated. I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. If your parents died, won't it be right to only feel sad? So why did he look like he wanted to kill someone?"

"Wait... You're talking about the two that died outside my shop?"

Minki nodded and pursed his lips. "I saw it on the news and came to check it out. I thought you might know something since it was just outside and you were a witness. That's why I kept asking you at first but you kept rejecting me and I ended up coming back because I think you're a genuinely nice person."

Aron grimaced and sat down. He rubbed his face and sighed. "I wish..."

"Huh?"

"I wish I was nice. I'm a terrible person. The son. That guy came to the shop too. Asked me about his parents' death too but I couldn't tell him either. He's probably seeking revenge too."

"Wait, you met him?"

"Yeah. You probably crossed paths him with once too at my shop. That day when you left, he came inside right after. The guy with the pink hair."

"Eh... Pink hair?"

"What's wrong?"

"I... He had brown hair when I saw him at the funeral but I think I bumped into someone with pink hair earlier too."

"Maybe he's loitering around the shop because I can't give him or you what you both want. The truth."

"You can't even tell me why you can't tell, can you?" Aron shook his head and Minki sighed but put on a smile again. "It's okay. I enjoy meeting you as a friend now anyways."

"I wish I could help. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. No point fretting about it if it'll just get you into trouble. You can't die on me now, Aron. You're my only friend left in this disastrous world."

Aron laughed at how dramatic Minki made it sound but nodded. "I promise I won't go anywhere."

"Good. I should get going. Have you eaten dinner?"

"No."

"Want me to cook something for you?" Minki joked and Aron paled.

"I think I'll be the chef between us. Its a miracle I didn't get food poisoning from your mayo mixed something ramen."

Minki laughed and nudged Aron. "Alright then. Is it okay for me to call delivery? I'll accompany you for dinner and then head home."

"Sure."

"Also how's your piece coming along?"

"Huh?" Minki called for delivery as he got up and headed towards Aron's workspace. The mermaid was still headless but everything else had been completed. A male torso with a fish tail. Aron stood beside Minki and shrugged. "I might leave it incomplete."

"Eh? Why?"

"It's just... I started this piece to get my mind off things but now all my thoughts are muddled up. The truth... Its all right here but..." Aron gripped his hand and tightened his jaw. Minki put his phone away after he was done with the ordering and held Aron's hand, causing him to flinch and look at him.

"Hey, Aron."

"Y-yeah?"

"Let's go on a date."