Remy and I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold not far from us. The man with Mina refused persistently, while my roommate remained stubborn.
"Let's just leave it," I said quietly.
"Huh? Why?" Remy asked, confused.
"That's Mina's business. We shouldn't interfere," I replied, trying to remain calm.
"But she's your roommate."
"Other people's romantic affairs aren't our concern," I asserted. "Even if she's a roommate, there are limits."
I moved forward, attempting to ignore the situation. But when I saw Mina being pushed to the ground, my steps halted immediately. A problem I thought could be resolved quickly had now spiraled out of control.
"What exactly is going on?" Remy asked, anxious. "Sorry, Ian, but I think I need to help Mina."
I stepped ahead of him, moving quickly toward the two at the center of attention. Mina looked surprised to see me. Without hesitation, I reached out to help her up, and she accepted my hand.
"Who the hell is this kid?" the man who had shoved Mina spat with hatred.
His eyes turned toward Mina with a wide, sinister grin. "Mina, is he your new boyfriend? Already got someone new after we broke up yesterday? What a shameless woman!"
Those words sparked something inside me, as if the insult wasn't just toward Mina. For the first time in my life, I punched someone's face. My mind was consumed by nothing but boiling rage.
The man stepped back, shocked by my strike, his face now contorted with anger. I hid my hand behind me, rubbing it slowly.
The punch… hurt more than I expected. Yet I tried not to show it, restraining myself from whining or grimacing, maintaining my dignity.
"What the hell?! Are you looking for death?!" the man shouted. "Mina, tell me, who is he?"
Mina looked at me hesitantly. "He... he is—"
"They're a couple," Remy suddenly interjected, catching us all off guard. "They even live together."
"What?!" Mina, her ex, and I were all stunned.
"That's right, isn't it? You've been living together for over a week," Remy continued unabashedly.
The man's eyes widened, then darted sharply to Mina. "Mina, were you cheating on me?"
"What he said is true, we live together, but we're not cheating," Mina explained firmly, her voice trembling slightly.
"Are you explaining or defending your affair?" the man exploded.
"I told you, I'm not cheating!"
Soon after, Mina's ex ended their relationship publicly. I could see Mina's expression, normally strong, faltering. Even with all her strength, she could have shattered his bones, but she didn't. Why not?
The three of us eventually moved to a café. Mina looked completely disheveled, like the Ugly Ghost figure I had once misunderstood.
"I just want to go home," Mina said weakly, sensing the curious eyes of others around us.
"No, we'll stay here," I replied. "If you go home, you'll just shut yourself in like last time."
"But what will we do here?" Mina asked, hesitant and listless.
Shortly after, a waiter brought a pile of dishes I had ordered. The table was nearly overflowing. Remy and Mina stared in shock at the spread.
"Are you throwing a party or something?" Remy asked, bewildered.
"This is a party for Mina."
Mina blinked. "A party… for me?"
"Yes, exactly. To celebrate the end of your relationship with your ex."
Mina frowned. "Have you lost your mind? Celebrating someone else's sadness?"
She rose to leave, but I quickly grabbed her hand, stopping her.
"I'm not doing this to enjoy myself," I said gently, trying to calm her. "I told you, this is your party, not mine. You've just been through a rough day, and I think it's okay to have a little celebration for you."
Mina finally returned to her seat after my explanation. As I scanned the café, I realized Remy was no longer at the table. My eyes searched until I spotted him strolling toward the restroom, leaving the two of us alone.
At that moment, two men passing nearby spoke loudly enough to catch my attention. They seemed to slow down on purpose.
"Hey, check out that woman! Slim and athletic," one of them commented exaggeratedly.
I glanced at Mina, who was focused on her phone. I couldn't deny their observation, she moved with such grace that even I found myself captivated, whether walking or stretching in the backyard.
"Must be nice to lie on her lap."
I frowned at the vulgar turn in their conversation. Unease crept into me.
"Especially touching... both—"
Before the sentence finished, I shot them a sharp look that silenced them instantly. Their leering faces went pale, and without a word, they left.
I exhaled. Honestly, I couldn't fully deny that I was a man with occasional wandering thoughts. Living with Mina, an attractive woman with such a body, wasn't easy. And yes, I sometimes wondered what it would feel like to actually touch her.
But that thought always vanished whenever Jia appeared in my mind. To me, she was a goddess who could control my desires. Until now, I had believed the only person I wanted to touch was someone I truly loved—Jia.
I removed my shirt, leaving only a plain tee underneath, and without hesitation, handed it to Mina. Confused, she accepted it, eyes questioning.
"Why are you giving me your shirt?"
"I just don't want you drawing too much attention with your appearance… dressing like that. Besides, we might go home late. Don't want you catching a chill."
Mina raised an eyebrow, about to argue, but I added, "Don't worry about me. Compared to you, I think you need it more. We can't let my training schedule get delayed if my coach gets sick, right?"
She glanced at me, then finally smiled faintly. "Thank you, Ian."
"Make sure you button it up properly," I said, trying to sound casual.
I turned my attention to my food. At that moment, a question came to mind, and I couldn't resist asking.
"By the way, why didn't you retaliate against your ex? He clearly isn't a handsome guy. Or… is he secretly rich?"
Mina paused in her buttoning, looking at me as if weighing whether I was serious or joking.
"So, you think you're handsome?" she teased.
"At least, I'm fairly handsome," I replied, recalling Jia's words earlier that made me smile unconsciously.
Mina exhaled. "I didn't expect you to have that much confidence."
I chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "So, about your ex… you said he works as a bouncer?"
Mina nodded slightly. "Yeah, probably surprised you, huh?"
I forced a laugh, avoiding sounding mocking. "I just… didn't expect it. That's all."
"He was a good person at first. Never treated me badly. But before everything ended, he changed. I don't know why, and it made me curious. So today, I went to his workplace."
I nodded, trying to understand her thought process. "Was that the first time you met him at the nightclub?"
Mina shook her head. "No."
"Then where?" I asked, curious.
She took a deep breath. "I met him one night on the way home. A group of men tried to bother me, and he appeared out of nowhere. Like a hero. He protected me, beat them all… it was so sweet."
"Exactly the kind of guy you like," I commented, tilting my head. "I can even see the light in your eyes as you tell your story. So why did you think to check his workplace?"
Mina sighed, her expression turning serious. "Because he never let me come to his workplace. That raised questions. Every time I tried, he pushed me away. His attitude… made me more curious. What is he really hiding from me?"
I rubbed my chin, contemplating her explanation. "That is strange," I muttered, narrowing my eyes as I analyzed the situation.
Before I could speak further, a familiar voice cut in.
"Then why don't we try going there together?"
Mina and I turned almost simultaneously. Remy had returned, looking slightly pale. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he said, sounding tired. "My stomach really wasn't cooperating earlier."
We stared at him, each lost in thought. Somehow, Remy's words triggered an idea in my mind.
"What is it? Why are you both staring at me like that?" he asked, frowning.
"There it is!" Mina and I shouted in unison, making Remy even more startled.
"What are you talking about? I really don't understand."
I grinned, full of excitement as a wild plan formed. "We just need to get inside that bar to see what's really going on. And to do that…" I paused for dramatic effect. "We need disguises."