Strictly Business / Minsung

eleven -

Awakening the next morning was something that, in hindsight, Minho wished he had never done. The word among the staff in the house was that there were to be visitors that night. Apparently the dinner had been arranged at very short notice and Minho took this as the reason that he hadn't been informed about it at all. The Lee heir didn't know whether it was his dad's way of trying to get back at him for having Jisung stay over or whether he was on to the fact that he didn't like girls at all but whatever it was, the plan wasn't going to work.

"We've invited the Shin family for dinner tonight, I expect you to use any charm you have to flatter their daughter, I understand you got along quite well before don't mess this up," his father had said after Minho had been sent to his office for a 'very important message.'

It was hard to fight back the urge to laugh but somehow Minho managed it and he only let out his amusement through text messages sent straight to Ryujin. They joked for a while about pretending to be in love with each other and Ryujin had said at one point that when she arrived she would give him 'the fattest cheek smooch she had ever seen.' Minho had actually laughed aloud at this and replied that he didn't doubt for a minute that she would keep her word.

Getting ready for the dinner that night took Minho no where near as much time as it did for the Hwang's dinner where he knew he would be seeing Jisung. Instead of applying makeup and perfectly styling his hair, the boy just threw on a suit and made sure his hair was vaguely following the same direction before walking down the stairs and laughing at a text from Ryujin claiming that she had 'almost arrived with his smooch.'

When she finally did arrive, however, they were so quickly whisked off to sit next to each other at the table that they didn't get chance to greet each other at all. Talk turned straight to business and the boredom was so evidently radiating from the two heirs that Minho's mother tried to step in to start a conversation.

"So Ryujin, how did you come to be friends with Minho?" she asked kindly and Minho just offered her a warm smile that told Ryujin there was no need to lie.

"Well we were kind of forced to dance together," she laughed, "and neither of us really wanted to I don't think and I noticed Jisung sat looking sad and lonely because Minho had left him so I suggested we all sit together, we bonded over things we have in common and now we're best friends," she laughed.

Mrs Lee smiled brightly, "I'm very glad that Minho's starting to make lots of friends, I was always so upset to see him so lonely, please look after him for me."

"I'm trying my very best," Ryujin giggled back and Minho just shook his head lightly.

Ryujin wasn't lying at all. Almost everytime she had messaged the 'rich and gay' group chat it was with intent to get him and Jisung together. Although none of her plans had ever actually worked, Minho was positively sure that at one point something would have to come from one of them. Yet, the idea that Jisung felt the same way and would actually want to pursue a relationship with him still felt like a far-fetched fantasy.

Thankfully, their dinner ended quickly with only the typical, 'what do you plan to do after your education?' questions being asked and Minho giving his scripted and rehearsed answer that was identical to the one he had offered Mr Hwang only two nights ago.

Ryujin have a similar answer and just from the slight sarcastic tone in her voice and her father's proud smile, Minho could tell that her answer was scripted too. Both sets of parents seemed quite happy that their otherwise 'rebellious' children had decided to behave for that particular occasion.

When they retired to the living room, however, the conversation had turned to relationships. Both couples gloated about how they had married for love rather than fortune and Minho almost scoffed and spoke about how they should treat their children the same way. He could see Ryujin almost glaring at her father from where she sat beside him.

"And you Ryujin, do you have a boyfriend?" Minho's dad asked and instantly silence swarmed the room.

Minho only just caught the short warning gaze that Ryujin's father threw her but it was obvious by the entire change in her demeanour that she was upset by the situation, "no I don't," she spoke. Both her and Minho knew that it wasn't a lie but it wasn't the entire truth either.

"Ah Minho is single too but I suppose you both already knew that," Mr Lee had chuckled and his son felt the anger bubbling in his chest. Minho knew his father well and he knew that his father was smart and could very easily tell what Minho really wanted. The boy knew that he would be surprised if his father hadn't realised his huge crush on Jisung by now and maybe the thought that he knew what Minho wanted but was still pushing something else made it feel so much worse.

The dancer looked to his side and saw a defeated looking Ryujin slumped into her chair. She swished the water around her glass and took a sip from it every now and then. To see someone so bold and powerful look so resigned struck Minho. Ryujin was the epitome of strong, she always stood for what she believed in but right now, even she was sat pretending that her father's words didn't exist.

Emotions swept over Minho like nothing he had ever felt before and as he caught his dad's eye he felt nothing but pure anger. This would have to be one of the last times he bowed to his father's wishes. He was an adult now, he was legally allowed to make his own choices, he was gay, he was harbouring a giant crush on the boy his father hated more than anything else in the world and he was ready to fight for what he wanted.

In that moment, Minho swore to himself that after that night, he would never lie for or to his father again. The man in front of him should have to face the truth, especially when it came to the wants of his own son. If Minho wanted to hug and kiss Han Jisung then so be it.

As the Shin family left that night, Minho pulled Ryujin in for a tight hug. Both of them knew that it was more for comfort than it was for show and when he pulled back and looked his friend in her eyes, he saw a renewed fire in them. Suddenly, it seemed that he was no longer the only one willingly to fight.

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thank you so much for reading this chapter!! i really apologise if i'm posting it a little late :((( i haven't been feeling too good but i'm really trying hard to stick to the update schedule but i'm also really sorry if some weeks i'm not able to )): but anyway i really really hope you enjoyed this part tysm for reading it !!

ily <33