As days went by, Chaeyoung continued to ignore Mina at work. It wasn't just Mina's overthinking; even Momo noticed the tension and jokingly asked if they were in a silent war.
Mina wrestled with the desire to confront Chaeyoung about her behavior but hesitated, feeling like she wasn't in a position to do so. Plus, she didn't want to come across as too needy.
"Everything okay with you, lover?" Lisa asked, bringing Mina out of her own misery. "You seem a bit deep in your thoughts."
"Ah. Yeah, I'm fine, Lisa-ya." Mina shrugged. "Are you sure you don't want to take this reservation?"
"I'm good," Lisa grinned. "I heard it's for some rich birthday boy. Surprised they didn't request a specific dancer."
"True, it's quite unusual," Mina pondered. "And the pay seems exceptionally high."
It wasn't typical for reservations to occur without a specific dancer requested. Mina seized the opportunity after Lisa turned down Irene's offer. After all, she could use the extra cash.
As Mina made her way to the room where the birthday boy awaited her, memories of the first time she encountered Chaeyoung flooded her mind. Thinking about it, this reservation would be just like that night - she would be dancing for someone's birthday. Except the lerson waiting for her now is not Chaeyoung.
As Mina began her dance, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease as she noticed the man, who appeared to be around her age, showing no emotion or reaction. While he watched her attentively, unlike other patrons who typically reacted with excitement or awe, this man remained oddly composed.
This moment reminded Mina of Chaeyoung, how unlike others, she never seemed to view her as an object. Unconsciously, tears streamed down her face. What had she done? Why was Chaeyoung avoiding her as if she meant nothing?
Before long, tears blurred Mina's vision, and she cried uncontrollably. Then, she felt warm hands gently restraining her. "Please stop. Hey, are you okay?" The man's voice was filled with concern.
Mina observed the man searching for the remote and halting the music. Once more, he inquired, "Are you okay?"
Upon realizing her breakdown, Mina swiftly apologized to the man and attempted to rise to resume her performance.
"Please, stop," the man urged gently. "You don't have to." With a quick motion, he reached into his pocket and extended his handkerchief to Mina. "Here."
Initially hesitant, Mina accepted the handkerchief and gently wiped away her tears, loosening her mask in the process.
"You're prettier without your mask," the man remarked quietly.
Mina was taken aback. She had never removed her mask before, but now it was too late to hide.
"I'm Jeon Wonwoo," he introduced himself. "If you're worried because I've seen your face, don't be. Your secret's safe with me."
Mina felt a slight sense of comfort as she introduced herself, "I'm Sharon."
Despite knowing that it wasn't her true name, Wonwoo didn't press further. Instead, he asked "Are you okay?"
"I am," Mina smiled, trying to reassure him. "But I'm sorry for ruining your birthday."
"Are you serious?" Wonwoo chuckled. "I wasn't really into celebrating anyway. Just another reminder I'm getting old."
"Still, you paid for this," Mina insisted, feeling a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry."
"If you're really sorry, then just keep me company," Wonwoo suggested warmly. He then took off his coat and wrapped it around Mina. "You don't have to dance. We can just sit awkwardly in silence."
"Right," Mina smiled, feeling a bit lighter. "I can do that."
Chaeyoung's POV
Entering the familiar club, I spotted Chan and greeted him with a smile.
"Oh, my favorite client," he said, returning the smile. "I haven't seen you in a while, Ms. Son."
"Yeah, I missed you too," I chuckled. "Is... Sharon already reserved tonight?"
"I'm not sure, Ms. Son," he replied. "But wait here, I'll check."
As I waited for Chan, doubt crept in. What if my hunch was wrong? If I was mistaken, how could I face Mina after days of avoiding her? The memory of her flashed in my mind, and my heart ached. I questioned all the times I chose to ignore her. Did I even want to know the truth?
"Ms. Son." Chan called as he came back. "Sorry but she's not. She's booked for tonight."
"Right." I sighed, taking it as a sign not to pursue further. "Thank you, Chan."
With that, I made my way back to my car parked in front of the club. Sitting behind the wheel, I found myself lost in my thoughts. Despite my intention to leave, I couldn't bring myself to start the engine and drive off. Instead, I remained seated there, consumed by my thoughts, and reconsidering everything.
Just as I was about to leave, my gaze fell upon her. With my own eyes, I saw her. She was attempting to return the coat to a man who was shaking his head. Instead, he insisted she keep it, placing it back on her shoulders. Suddenly, everything went dark. In an instant, memories came flooding back to me. The night I first met Sharon. The night I got drunk. It was Mina all along. Betrayal gripped me, consuming me like a ravenous beast. My stomach churned in turmoil, and I felt as though I might vomit. This was too much to bear.
How could you do this to me, Minari? I whispered through tears, the weight of betrayal crushing my heart. Were your every word and gesture just a facade?
Was it all a game, Mina? Did your touch mean nothing, or was it just another deceitful act?
Was it all illusion? Damn it! Was there any truth in what we shared?
No one's POV
Chaeyoung watched Mina get in cab while waving the man goodbye. Her chest tightened with each painful breath and her heart heavy with anguish.
Chaeyoung struggled to wipe away the tears cascading down her cheeks, but they continued to stream uncontrollably, a relentless torrent of sorrow. She couldn't control her shaking and tears, overwhelmed by the realization that everything was a lie.
"Yah! Chaeyoung-ah! Why do you always call when Nayeon and I are having fun?" Jeongyeon complained, but her tone quickly shifted to concern when she heard Chaeyoung's sniffles. "Hey, are you okay? Where are you?"
"Please, just come get me," Chaeyoung managed to say between sobs.
***
EVERYBODY OKAY? 🫣
Also to anyone trading Oishi PCs, please PM me ✌🏽
