Act A Fool

Min-a lingered on the sidelines, exchanging pleasantries and snapping photos with familiar faces, but his attention kept gravitating back to his art coach.

Seung-ho effortlessly navigated the flurry of lights and cameras, exuding a natural charisma that caught Min-a off guard. Perhaps he had underestimated him.

Lost in his thoughts, Min-a didn't notice they had moved on to greet the next while he was discreetly observing Seung-ho.

“You can’t seem to keep your eyes off me, Min-a.” Seung-ho murmured smoothly into Min-a's ear, his arm snaking around Min-a’s waist with a graceful smile.

“Don’t flatter yourself, your cloth tag was stealing all the spotlight if you ask me..” Min-a mirrored his moves, subtly moving his hand under his blazer and gently pulling the tag off.

As his hand connected with Seung-ho’s skin, he felt a sudden warmth, contrasting with the cool air around them.

Min-a hesitated, allowing his hand to linger, feeling the tantalizing warmth of his skin through the sheer fabric of his shirt.

They shared the same confident smile before Seung-ho slipped his hand away from Min-a’s back, grazing the top of his butt cheeks in the process.

A shiver ran down Min-a’s spine, his trousers tightening once more at the fleeting touch.

“Fuck..” he hissed out loud, catching Seung-ho's attention.

Before anyone could find out what brought the bright blush to his face, Min-a already walked away towards the exit door that led into Velvet Club.

He knew his friends, Inn Woo, and Ji Won would be waiting for him.

They had known each other since they were younger. Their fathers did business together which turned them into best of friends.

Min-a had only been to the building twice. Once, when they bought it and began renovation, and second when he had to work with the interior designer on art to decorate with.

Looking at it now, it was a four-story, marble wall fortress and he owned 40%.

It was the first grown-up thing he had done in his life.

Min-a breathed out heavily. He was glad to have finally put some space between himself and the weird artist. He strayed farther into the club till he found the open floor base and music booming. The neon lights were a mixture of purple and blue.

“Min-a!” Inn Woo jumped onto Min-a's back in excitement. He was the shorter of the trio so it was easy for Min-a to catch his balance.

“Get off me, can’t you see you’re huge?” Min-a teased, shoving him off his back.

“You’re just a weakling,” Inn Woo chuckled, sticking his tongue out like a child.

“Where is Ji Won?” I swear that bastard better be doing coke..” Min-a grunted in displeasure, scanning the area, waiting to spot the sly motherfucker with some random chick.

“What’s got you all worked up?” Inn Woo chuckled, giving his shoulders a reassuring massage.

“A man,” Min-a muttered absentmindedly before his eyes widened in realization.

“What?” Inn Woo looked confused.

“A man with no se-control…” Min-a finished his sentence. His subconscious was already messing up and he wasn’t even drunk yet.

That only meant one thing...he needed to get drunk. Now.

“Min-a.” Inn Woo patted him on the arm. “It’s you guys’ night, you brought this dream to life.” He chuckled excitedly.

“I know, Inn Woo. It’s not up to 9 yet, but this place is already buzzing, do you wanna have a drink?” Min-a asked Inn Woo, knowing the short nutcracker would never turn down alcohol even when he had a hangover.

“You know I’m always up for liquid ecstasy, but let’s go soft first. Some tequilas and negroni? Dry martini?” He listed their best top starters for the night.

“Yes, I’m so eager to get drunk!” Inn Woo exclaimed, pushing Min-a in the direction of the bar, his buzz cut bouncing around his head as he hoped excitedly.

On their way, Min-a had to make small conversations with some actresses he worked with on a movie show.

But one particular girl among the cast, Yu-jun kept her arms around him as they went to the bar, claiming she also wanted a drink.

“So, this place is really a no-phones policy ground..” Yu-jun brought up in an attempt to strike up a conversation with Min-a, even though there was a huge sign over the bar that indicated no devices with cameras were allowed inside.

Only the blind could miss it.

After downing three shots of negronis, Inn Woo excused himself, mentioning that he wanted to introduce Min-a to someone.

Min-a on the other hand thought about several ways to dispose of Yu-jun's hand without being rude. She had a huge following on social media that battled him on equal grounds, she was also a nepotistic baby which meant any bad thing he did to her, she could easily land a scratch back on him.

Therefore, he endured it. He kept up with her rambling by delivering one-word replies and small smiles.

Time slipped away, at least a couple of hours or more, during which he found himself dancing with various women until exhaustion set in, prompting him to retreat to the bar for more drinks.

Inn Woo was nowhere in sight, and Ji Won was also missing.

As luck would have it, Min-a finally caught a glimpse of Inn Woo amidst the throng, making his way through the crowd with someone in tow.

Without his glasses, all he could discern was a blurry figure illuminated by the pulsating LED lights, further obscured by the haze of alcohol clouding his vision.

Eventually, the energetic 23-year-old emerged from the mass of bodies, ascending the few steps that separated the dance floor from the bar area.

“Oh my god! Have you been here since I left?” Inn Woo exclaimed, his breath reeking of alcohol.

Min-a pushed him back so he could stand steady. “No, but it seems like you’ve had quite a ride since you left.” Min-a teased, pointing at the red lipstick stain on the side of his cheek.

Inn Woo wiped his cheeks with his hand quickly before grinning like a maniac. He came closer to whisper in Min-a’s ears. “She’s down for you, don’t fuck it up.” He pointed behind him to a tall slender girl in high boots and a short silver gown that barely reached her knees.

Inn Woo punched Min-a’s arm like he was expecting him to abandon the girl in front of him for the new one.

“Oh, I want you to meet Mr. Kwan Seung-ho, he is my older cousin.” He introduced.

At the mention of his art coach, Min-a found himself sitting up straight. If he was half sober before, the name brought him into a pure sober zone.

How could he not have realized that Inn Woo was Seung-ho’s younger cousin?

There was no way he could know anyway, they were nothing alike.

Seung-ho stood tall and imposing behind the two figures before him, casting a shadow over him.

Min-a rose to his feet, feeling pressure from how Seung-ho’s gaze was bearing down on him.

“Hello? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Seung-ho was audible and daunting as he stretched his hands for a handshake.

“Save the pleasantries. We are already acquainted,” Min-a answered back rudely. He left his hand hanging in the air and dauntlessly stared into his icy, blue eyes.

Inn Woo sensed the intense tension between them, so he quickly took Ji-ho and Yu-jun out of the scene and led them to the dance floor.

Min-a sat back on the comfy stole, sipping his drink and blatantly ignoring Kwan Seung-ho's presence.

The alcohol in his system was making him develop an attitude...or maybe it was just him, refusing to acknowledge his art coach and what he did to him earlier.

Seung-ho wordlessly settled beside Min-a, signaling the bartender for a dry Martini with a hint of lime mist.

As the time went by, a heavy silence settled between them.

He steadily consumed more than five glasses without uttering a single word.

Min-a seethed with frustration and angst, a storm brewing within him. He longed for Seung-ho to break the silence, to provoke him, to discuss the events of the car ride, but the older man remained stoically silent.

With each passing moment of Seung-ho's silence, Min-a's frustration bubbled over.

In response, he mirrored Seung-ho's actions, ordering glass after glass of dry Martini, using the alcohol to drown the rage simmering beneath the surface.

Seung-ho had loosened his blazer, exposing his full upper body through the net shirt.

He honestly wore it because he knew Min-a was going to be there, but what he didn't plan was that it was going to attract more women than he wished to count.

He had been fighting them off with a kind smile while searching for Min-a till his wild cousin did him a favor by bringing him to the angry boy.

Seung-ho could notice Min-a stealing glances at him every few minutes and he enjoyed that his presence caused the kid to be more self-aware. But he had no plans of pressuring him into doing anything more.

When Min-a felt himself coming to his peak and his ears buzzing, he shot to his feet, coming to stand before Seung-ho.

Min-a’s familiar scent drifted into Seung-ho’s nose, making him raise his head to find his slender figure staring down at him in distaste.

“What?” A small victory smirk played on Seung-ho’s lips as he stared back at him.

“Are you going to drink all night or come with me to the dance floor?” Min-a asked, hating the silence and how he had to pretend that he wasn’t affected by his presence.

“Why would I want to dance with you?” Seung-ho retorted, his voice dripped with disdain.

The smirk lingering on his lips ignited a burning rage within Min-a. Gritting his teeth, he stared at his denim boots, struggling to contain his rising anger.