Since that day, there was awkward silence for a while, but
from some point on, it gradually faded
The only thing that changed was Minho's expression
Unlike before, when his emotions showed plainly on his face
he started showing strange expressions
That expression wasn't sadness, nor tiredness
It was a face I'd never seen before
Whenever Minho sometimes gave me that look
I would be left speechless
"Thanks for your hard work~"
Today had been especially busy,
I headed to the changing room, rolling my stiff shoulders
my sweat-soaked uniformI roughly stuffed it into a shopping bag
and changed into a clean set of casual clothes
When I came out of the changing room, through the slightly open crack of the office door
I caught sight of a black lump
It was Minho, asleep with his head against the wall
I pushed at the door, which was half open, half closed, as if it might shut
He quickly opened his closed eyes and sprang up from his seat
"Ended early.."
He cleared his crackling voice a few times
He groped alternately through his back pocket and hoodie pocket
and soon had his car keys in hand
Minho, who had been yawning lazily as if he still hadn't fully woken up
spoke in a voice sunk deep with sleep
"Were you busy today?"
"Yeah, crazy busy"
He nodded silently at my words
The parking lot we arrived at soon felt especially chilly
I briskly rubbed my goosebumped arms
"Hey"
Minho, who had been watching me like that
took off the hoodie he was wearingand flung it at me
"Get out here at the intersection today, I need to put gas in the car"
"Yes, yes, I'll be especially gracious and do that~"
I had no choice but to get out at the intersection
It would take about five minutes to walk home, but
I put my earphones in so the walk wouldn't be boring
It was a dark alley, but the streetlights installed here and there
lit the way in yellow
"Excuse me"
While I was walking and humming, someone grabbed my wrist
I took out one earbud and looked back
A large, unfamiliar man was sweating
"I called you from behind, but you didn't hear me?"
"Ah, yes.. I had earphones in..."
"It's nothing, but could you give me your number?"
A narrow, dark alley
In this alley, there was no one but me and this man
The hand clutching my poor wrist
showed no sign of letting go
For a moment I got scared and yanked hard to shake it off, but
the big grip didn't budge at all
"No, I have a boyfriend"
"Still, can't you give me your number?
Having a goalkeeper doesn't mean the ball won't go in, right?"
As I tried harder and harder to get away, the grip tightened
Without meaning to, my face twisted into a frown
"Let go and talk"
When I heard a familiar voice
the heavy pressure squeezing my wrist loosened at once
The man froze for a moment, looking flustered
but soon put on a brazen attitude
"And who are you?"
"I'm her boyfriend"
