Chapter Text
Slapping the grungy mop down onto the bathroom floor, Min-Gi began absentmindedly going about the usual closing routine. Every night starting at nine-thirty P.M. Dumpty’s was bereft of customers, everyone else working in the back. It left Min-Gi with a suffocated feeling almost. The quiet and the emptiness of the dining room felt somehow so...gut-wrenching.
But even still, it gave him the excuse to begin closing. Cleaning the bathrooms weren’t fun, but it got him away from his coworkers. All middle-aged or younger teens. None of whom he talked more than the occasional conversation with. None of which he ever initiated.
As he pushed the mop through one section of tile repeatedly, not paying attention as it dragged a torn and soaked square of paper towel through the grout and back again.
Min-Gi stopped mopping for a moment, taking a moment to reflect on his life. Up for shift manager at a crummy Dumpty’s Diner in Powell Lake. Going to Haldouside University in a little over a month for finance and…ugh...risk assessment.
Meanwhile Ryan, ah, Ryan must’ve been having so much fun.
Min set aside the mop, nearly kicking his bucket of discoloured, murky mop-water over as he stumbled over to the bathroom mirror. It was speckled with dried water and soap and some stains in the corner that Min-Gi would prefer to not think about.
He could see it so clearly. ‘Ryan’s probably having such a great time. With his stupid, perfect little demo cassette. His little tour with real gigs…’ Min-Gi thought enviously, sadly to himself. ‘I wonder if he’s thinking about me.’ He shook his head. ‘Probably not. That’s such a stupid, self-centered thing to think. God, I’m such an idiot.’ He sighed, resting his elbows on the edge of the sink.
What if Ryan was out with a girlfriend? He’d dedicated My Oeuvre to that one girl. Stacey or Sandy or something. Whatever, Min-Gi didn’t care. ‘What if he’s already replaced me in Chicken Choice Judy?’ A rather unpleasant thought sat in Min-Gi’s head. Something he’d been thinking about more and more lately. Not just as some stupid person in Ryan’s band. But, what if it was someone Ryan hung out with a lot? Someone he joked around with?
He could picture it. Ryan and some random guy palling around. He and Ryan are hanging out after a gig, drinking and chatting...Something happens and they look at each other. There’s something there and they both know it. They stare at each other before he cups Ryan’s face in his hands, leaning in to–”No!”
Min-Gi’s face is red. He nearly startles himself with how loud his own voice is, briefly covering his mouth in embarrassment as he turns to the door, hoping nobody had heard him. He just couldn’t wait to be home. To be doing something more with himself before he fell asleep. To get his mind off of Ryan and whatever it is he's up to.
“Over here in Manitoba, we should be seeing some showers to cool some things down, of course. Not a lot of course but there will be some cloudy periods. And when that passes we should be seeing some…”
The well-dressed weatherman droned on and on. The blue hue of the light from the television enveloped Min-Gi as he sat on the couch. The wall-mounted clock ticked and ticked and ticked, creating a near calming atmosphere. It was fifteen ‘til midnight; Min-Gi had his dirtied work apron hanging on the coat rack, shoes and socks at the front door. His feet ached. But at least he was off the clock and certainly not thinking about—
“Min-Gi? What are you still doing awake?”
Snapped out of his bogged-down thoughts, Min-Gi looked over his shoulder. His father was standing in the doorway of the living room and hallway in his pyjamas. ‘Why are you awake?’ Min-Gi thought. But he just shook his head.
“I was just going to sleep,” Min-Gi assured as he reached for the remote. “I’m sorry, I’ll turn off the T.V.”
As he did, his father frowned, slowly nodding his head. Before Min-Gi headed off to his room, however, he asked:
“Are you,” There was a small pause. “Okay?” The tone of his voice suggested genuine concern, though it was coupled with the sense that he’d rather not discuss anything like this so late.
Min-Gi just nodded.
“I’m alright. Goodnight.” He mumbled as he passed him, headed off to his bedroom. ‘I’m stuck here at home while he’s probably out having the time of his life.’ Min-Gi closed his bedroom door behind him, sucking in a breath before letting out a strained sigh. “I bet he’s already forgotten about me.”
‘I miss him, I miss him, I miss him, I miss him,’ those words and images of Min-Gi all floated in Ryan’s head as he stumbled out of a house party in Churchill, Manitoba. It was 1 A.M. and he had just finished a gig that’d gone on a bit longer than he’d expected; and he’d only got paid half of what he’d been promised, too. A measly ten bucks.
“Fuck this place, fuck this place,” Ryan grumbled to himself, stepping over a couple pieces of trash strewn about the yard that’d gotten tossed out by drunk party-goers. He came up to a plastic cup and reared his foot back, kicking it as hard as he could. Ryan couldn’t quite see exactly where it landed. He only had the moonlight shining down on him for light.
Pocketing his hands, he made it down to the street where he’d parked his van.
“Hey, R-Ryan,”
A blonde girl waved him over as she stumbled down the driveway, pitching over to the right a bit much to the point where Ryan was afraid she’d fall. But she caught herself and continued heading down to meet him. “Ryan, Ryan,” She smiled. “You should stay. C’mon, it’ll be fun.” This was some lady from the party (obviously), though Ryan couldn’t recall her name.
“Ah, I dunno.” Ryan looked over at his van. “I should really get going, ah, I’ve got a gig all the way in tomorrow. I should hit the road.”
“What? Noo, stay!” The girl insisted, a bit of a plea to her words. She reached for Ryan, tripping before catching herself on his right arm. She let out a whoop, giggling as she held onto his sleeve, steadying herself. “Come on, please, please. You’re such a nice guy, and I really want to spend some more time with you.”
Ryan simply forced out a faux laugh in lieu of any actual reply. He didn't really know what the hell to say to this random girl he probably met no more than four hours ago. ‘When the hell did I talk to her again? Who is she? Is she hitting on me?’ Ryan’s mind began to swirl a bit as he looked away once more, letting out a small:
“Ah, well,”
He carefully began to pull his arm away from the girl. “I-I really have to get going.” He mumbled, reaching for his car keys in his front pocket. The girl pouted off to the side in the way that only a drunk person did when they thought they were being treated unfairly.
“Oh fine,” The girl huffed in a whiny voice. “You’re no fun anyways; and your music is shit.”
Ouch
As she left, Ryan set his guitar case into the passenger seat, climbing over into the driver’s seat before he turned on the van. He stopped for a moment, running a hand through his hair, mussing up his slicked-back bangs. “What a wonderful night for you, Ryan.” He told himself in a chipper tone as he stared at his reflection in his mirror. “Stuck in Manitoba alone with weird drunk people and a weird drunk girl who tried to come onto you, and told you your music sucked...in a really bitchy way!”
He groaned, slamming his head down onto the steering wheel. Hard enough that he ended up honking his van’s horn unintentionally. “God damn it, everything fucking sucks.” He moaned. “Min’s probably—” He scoffed, picking his head back up, bringing his glasses up ever so slightly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Probably having a fun time. Going off to some fancy university.” He shook his head, furrowing his brows. “Some big, fancy-schmancy university...where he’ll forget all about me. He’ll make new friends, and…”
‘I wonder if he ever thinks about me.’ A pause as Ryan sighed, rubbing his eyes. ‘No, Ryan, that’s stupid. Stupid thought.’
He’s probably forgotten all about you by now…