The Secret
Last ChanceMino was feeling half apologetic, half anxious. The boy - what was his name again? Jinwoo? - seemed like a nice person. He helped Mino out although Mino ignored him when he was getting lost in the lobby earlier. And now he helped Mino asking the cashier for bandages and medications for sprained wrist using a mix of Japanese and sign language.
"Hanbinnie! They have bandages but there's only red colour left, is it okay?"
Mino's head snapped up. "Oh, yeah, sure, any colour's fine."
"Awesome!"
By now Mino felt like a total jerk. He even gave Jinwoo a fake name! But it's too risky to tell a stranger his real name and he did not want Jinwoo to recognize his celebrity status. He stared at his new friend, who by now was ogling the shelf full of milk and fruit juices.
"Hanbinnnn didn't you say you need to buy snacks too? What are you gonna buy? There are so many yummy-looking stuff hahaha!"
"Yeah I'm getting some stuff now," Mino said as he started filling his basket with chips and biscuits and various drinks.
Jinwoo gaped and said, "Are you sure you're buying those? They're quite expensive, you know..."
Mino smiled. "I'm always hungry at midnight. I'd rather spend money on this than starving to death."
They went back to the hotel, Jinwoo carrying all of Mino's shopping bags despite the latter's protests ("I still have one uninjured arm!").
When they reached the lobby, Jinwoo wrapped the bright-coloured bandages around Mino's left wrist and started making some small talk. "So what are you doing in Japan?"
Mino shifted uncomfortably in his seat and said, "Err, I came here with two friends. I've never been to Japan before." He was trying his best not to lie and quickly diverted the topic. "How about you, Jinwoo? Sightseeing?"
"Me? Noooo! I wish I was here for sightseeing. I'm here on a business trip with a sunbae." Then Jinwoo let out a bitter laugh, which did not escape Mino's notice.
"Why are you so unhappy about it then? Your sunbae bullying you?"
Jinwoo only smiled sadly. "He's not. It's just that my boss told me this would be my last chance. If I don't get things done, he will fire me." He tied the ends of the bandage and made sure that it was tight. "There, done! I think as long as you don't use it too much it should get better within a week or two!"
Feeling ridden by guilt, Mino continued to poke around. "What do you have to do anyway? Anything I can possibly help?"
Jinwoo shook his head. "Thanks a lot Hanbinnie, but it's okay. I have to get an interview with 2 very exclusive celebrities, but most likely they won't entertain our request. The least I can do now is just to help out my sunbae, probably take a few pictures of them, so that he has something to give our boss."
"Two celebrities?" Mino's heart lurched to his stomach. "Who? Korean? Are you a reporter?"
"Yeah, Mino and DJ Nam. I'm not sure if you've heard of them? They are very popular recently! And yeah, I'm a reporter who's soon going to be an ex-reporter, unfortunately." Jinwoo sighed. "Shall we go up now? It's almost 4AM and I need to wake up early tomorrow."
Mino stuttered, "Ah - o - okay. Let's go." His head started spinning.
***
Jinwoo kept yawning as they went up the elevator. The other man's face was almost entirely hidden by his cap and mask, but his eyes looked droopy and tired. He sheepishly asked Jinwoo to help him carry most of his shopping bags to his hotel room, so Jinwoo followed him out of the lift to room 2715.
The room was completely dark. Jinwoo placed the other's things near the room door and said, "Goodnight Hanbinnie! Nice meeting you and thanks a lot for accompanying me to the store."
Mino smiled, "I should be the one saying thank you. I will repay your kindness, Jinwoo-sshi."
Jinwoo hit the other's shoulder jokingly and said, "Why the formal tone, Hanbin-sshi? Haha anyway I'll see you around at breakfast hopefully and take care of your wrist!"
Before Jinwoo could close the door, Mino pulled it with his healthy arm. "Wait, wait, Jinwoo! What's your phone number? Just in case - I mean - if you get lost - ah, but you have your sunbae - but just in case - "
Jinwoo only laughed and handed over his phone. "Type yours here and I will text you my number later."
After typing his number in, Mino gave him back the phone and shoved three shopping bags full of snacks and milk cartons at Jinwoo. "And these are yours! Thanks so much and goodnight!"
He closed the door before Jinwoo could refuse. His brain warned him of the risks of this new friendship, but really, Jinwoo was different from the obsessive and obnoxious reporters that he usually dealt with. Now the only thing for him to figure out was whether he could do something to help Jinwoo keep his job without revealing his identity, at least for now.
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