RAPUNMIN

Onew pressed the bell for the penthouse and waited for the door to open. He checked the address slip in his hand to confirm he was at the right place – No. 29. His agent had handed it to him as he was dressing. He had rung the right bell. Why was no one answering? And why was it so silent? According to his information it was a coming of age party of a business tycoon’s son.

Onew was a professional exotic stripper who had been hired for a special performance by the boy’s friends. Onew selected his clients very carefully and his services did not include anything other than a performance. His exclusive services were beyond the means of ordinary people.

As he waited, he quickly checked his attire for perfection. He was dressed in a smart pilot’s uniform, complete with the hat and shoes. Anyone looking at him would assume that he was an air force pilot with his dress uniform, wings and stripes. He brushed off imaginary lint from his jacket sleeve.  

The door finally clicked opened on the fifth bell ring. After waiting a minute, Onew pushed the door open to be greeted by a sight that left him gaping. He had always prided himself on keeping his composure even in the toughest and funniest of situations, but the scene in front of him took the cake.

Onew stood staring at the man in front of him.

Rich people had strange habits, according to him, but he had never come across anyone opening their door stark .

The man was a beauty. Sheer poetry in human body. If he had a body like this, even he wouldn’t mind going all the time. He stared at the perfection in front of him. Long hair tied up in a pony tail. Small beautiful face with big round eyes, red pouty lips and a determined chin. Swan neck with two adam’s apples. Strong wide shoulders. Chiseled chest with six-pack abs. Long, never ending legs. A perfect, just-the-right-size . Manly arms and hands. A sheen of sweat covering his body making him shine and shimmer.

The long-haired, shining beauty in front of Onew huffed out a deep breath. “What do you want? Why did you disturb me in the middle of my exercise?”

Hypnotized, Onew watched the lips move enticingly as they pouted even more. He wondered what they would feel like wrapped around that suddenly hard part of his body that no client had ever woken up before. A part of his mind briefly wondered how he was going to perform with a hard on.

“I am Lee Jinki. I am here on request of your friends.” Onew mentally face palmed himself for blurting out his real name. He had a strict policy of not using his real name for performances. Even his agent did not know his real name.

“I am Choi Minho and I don’t have any friends,” the beauty answered.

“Is this apartment 29? Can I come in?” He continued.

“Yes, its 29. But no one ever comes here. You can come in if you want, but I have one condition.” Minho ran his long fingers through his hair, undoing his pony tail in the process. Those silky-looking strands now falling in long waves made Onew catch his breath once again.

“What condition?”

“The clothes must go. I am getting jitters seeing you all dressed up like that. If you want to come in you must promise to get rid of your clothes.”

Onew stared at Minho in shock. What kind of a condition was that? Did this Adonis want a show right at the door?

“Alright, I understand that you don’t want to. Nice meeting you. Bye!” The Greek god of beauty began to close the door.

Onew came out of his trance and jammed his foot in the door to keep it open. Thankfully the-perfect-specimen-of-handsomeness stopped before hurting Onew’s foot. Handsome actually jumped away from the door.

“Do you have a music system?” Onew asked.

The super-model nodded, beginning to perspire all over his body. ‘That must have been some workout he was doing to make him sweat so much’, Onew thought handing him a CD from his jacket pocket and asked him to play it. Onew entered and closed the door behind him. He heard the clock click on.

As the music filled the room, Onew asked Minho to sit on the leather couch and enjoy. Minho looked perplexed but followed the request. His hands were trembling. Onew gave him a reassuring smile to put him at ease, but it didn’t work.  

Onew closed his eyes to concentrate on the music and get into the groove. As the music pulsed on, his body gyrated and moved with it. Okay, now Adonis looked shocked, his eyes bulged out.

Onew started by removing his hat and throwing it at Minho who moved swiftly to the side and the hat hit the wall behind him. One by one Onew’s clothes came off till only a pair of red briefs remained, covering his essentials.

Music ended and Minho clapped. Then pointed towards Onew’s briefs, “They must also go.”

“Oh no, I don’t do full monty. This is as far as I go. I hope you had fun,” Onew immediately protested.

“I told you the condition. The clothes must go. Including that red thing you are wearing.” Minho took a long stick from a closet and began picking up Onew’s clothes with it to pile them in a corner near the door.

“No, I am not taking my briefs off. That’s not part of the show. I wish you all the best for your coming of age. Hope you have a good life.” Onew walked towards his clothes.

“Uh, what are you talking about? My coming of age was celebrated alone by me four years ago.”

Onew stopped in his tracks and turned. His phone rang and he quickly searched his clothes for it. Minho watched him from the other end of the room.

“Onew, where the hell are you? Why are you not at the party? I have received ten calls from them asking about you.” He heard loud screaming and put the phone six inches away from his ear.

“But I am there already Key. Actually, I am only my way out. And they fooled you, there is no party here. It was a show for a single person only.”

“No you are not there Onew. Where the hell did you end up this time?”

“Exactly where you sent me Key, No. 29, the penthouse, the only apartment on the top floor of the Park Apartment Complex.”

“Idiot, I sent you to No. 24.”

“No the slip you gave me read 29. I have just completed my dance routine in 29.”

“Go down to 24 right now, they are waiting for you. We will discuss this later.” Key ended the call. As usual there was no hello, no goodbye. ‘Stuck up Diva!’ Onew thought sourly.

“I have to go, I will be back later to discuss the payment terms.” Onew quickly donned his clothes back again as Minho watched from the farthest end of the room and put the CD on the table for Onew to pick up. Onew left with a quick wave of his hand.

True to Key’s words, there was a rowdy party in progress in 24-B. Onew finished his performance, picked up a huge tip and left as quickly as possible. He back tracked to 29, really curious by now as to why Minho had wanted him to take off his clothes.

It took many bell rings for Minho to open the door.

“What? You again? What do you want now? I am meditating and you are disturbing.”

“Can I come in?”

“Only if you take off all your clothes. Even the red thing.”

Onew nodded. Minho turned and went inside, leaving Onew to close the door on his own like before. Onew took off his clothes near the door, neatly folding the tools of his trade. Hesitating a few moments, he took off his briefs also. He needed answers and if is how he got them, he was willing to try it.

Minho was sitting on the couch with his eyes closed. He looked deep in thought. ‘Must have returned to his meditation,’ Onew thought and cleared his throat to gain Minho’s attention. Minho opened his eyes only a little at first and when he saw that Onew was playing Adam like him, he opened them fully. He smiled for the first time since their meeting.

Onew’s world shifted focus. It looked as if his world consisted of only one person now. Minho.

Minho patted the seat beside him. Onew sat down, trying not to feel self conscious about his and tried not to stare at the smile.

“Thank you for following my request. No one has till now. It is nice to be able to talk to someone face to face.” Minho beamed his thousand-watt smile again.

“Why?”

“Huh?”

“I mean why did you request to remove my clothes?”

“Oh! You don’t know about me? I thought you did, otherwise why would you come here.”

“It was by accident. I was supposed to go to 24.”

Minho’s face fell immediately. He looked very disappointed.

“But I came back because I wanted to know more about you.”

Minho smiled again. Onew knew then. He would do anything to keep him smiling like this.

“I am Choi Minho. The third heir of Choi Globals. I live here alone.”

“I am Lee Jinki. Professional exotic dancer and stripper.”

“You dance very well. Thank you for giving me a show, even if it was by mistake. How much do I owe you for it?”

“Nothing if you answer some questions for me.”

“Shoot.”

“Why did you ask me to take off my clothes?”

“Because I cannot bear to see clothes of any type. They give me jitters.”

 “Why?”

“Do you know what is vestiphobia?”

“No.”

“I suffer from vestiphobia. I am afraid of clothes.”

Onew looked at him in shock.

“I know there is nothing to fear about clothes, but I have it. When I see clothes, I panic and have to get away or the clothes have to go. Thank you for letting the clothes go.”

“How do you manage your life then? Do you go out without clothes? Do you work, meet people without clothes?”

“I don’t go out. I have not left this penthouse in at least a dozen years. Whatever I need is left outside the door. I work through computer and internet. I was twelve when I refused to wear clothes and would panic on seeing anyone wearing clothes. My parents thought it safest to put me in this penthouse on my own so no one would mind my .”

“You have not left this penthouse in 12 years?”

“No.”

“Not even for a hair cut?”

“No. When it gets too long, I cut it myself.”

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.”

“Huh?”

“It’s the famous quote from the fairy tale Rapunzel of a princess locked away from the world in a high tower rescued by a prince who accidentally stumbles upon her tower.”

“Oh!”

“Don’t you ever want to leave this tower of your house and meet the world?”

“It is not possible for me. I cannot tolerate clothes and the world cannot tolerate .”

“Then how do I play prince to your Rapunzel? I want a happily ever after with you.”

“Huh?”

“You have not read fairy tales? Happily ever after?”

“No I have not. What does it mean?”

“Nothing I was just shooting off my mouth. I should get going now.”

“Thank you for coming by, even if it was accidentally. Please do not mind if I do not come to the door to see you off. I cannot see you in clothes. Good bye!”

Minho closed his eyes to shut off the sight of Onew re-donning his clothes. Onew now guessed the reason behind the meditation, to keep calm at the sight of clothes. He left with a loud bye and Minho waved him off without opening his eyes.

Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong.

“Oh it’s you again? Want to come in?”

“Yes I do,” Onew said as Minho left the door for him to close after entering the penthouse. Onew had waited a day before visiting again. He quickly took off his clothes and went to sit beside Minho on the couch.

Minho was eating ice cream and offered it to Onew who accepted. They shared the spoon Minho was using.

Onew offered him the flowers he had brought. Minho was surprised but happy. They talked for a long time and even shared dinner before Onew said bye.

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

“Come in.”

Onew followed and quickly divested himself of his clothes before sitting besides Minho on the couch. He offered the present he had brought, a small book titled Rapunzel. Minho offered him his coffee. He accepted. They shared a cup and talked even more. Onew prepared dinner for them that night.

Ding-dong.

“It’s open.”

Onew entered the apartment and removed his clothes. There were two cups of coffee on the table this time. Minho smiled and offered him one. Onew beamed and offered him the macaroons he’d bought. They shared the sweet treat.

“I read the fairy tale.”

“Good.”

“Why do you want to play prince for me?”

“Well, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you, or at least explore the possibility of it.”

“You know I cannot leave this penthouse.”

“I know. If you could, would you for me?”

“Yes. But I can’t”

“Do you want to share the rest of your life with me?”

“Yes I do.”

“Then ask me.”

“Jinki, do you want to share your life with me and live in this house with me for the rest of our lives?”

“Yes I do.”

And they lived happily ever after in the penthouse.

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