"What do you want from me, Efetobo? I didn't ask to be one-of-a-kind." And what he couldn't bring himself to voice in words is that being dotted over or worried over now, after everything felt like shit. He knew everyone in his life was operating out of a place of love and genuine concern, but after he had waited for months and learned that, all that time, no one, not one person, had looked for him, the worry just felt a bit too late. Like it was to appease their own guilt than for him even if that wasn't actually the case. "Do I?" Because it certainty didn't feel like it. "Yeah, probably..." He muttered out. He didn't know what else to say, but when Efe said 'this sucks', all he could was nod. "Yeah, it fucking does." But, it seemed like that was the trend these days for all of the humans in town. Or at least, the trend that his life had been taking as of late.
The corner of his lips tilted ever so slightly up as he watched Efe glance over his shoulders as if making sure his mom wasn't rounding the corner before he clarified his own intentions. "It's settled then. So, when do we leave?" Song cocked his brow up in question. "Mouthy, huh?" His eyes widened at that. "I prefer the term sexy over cute, but carry on," She quipped, only for his brows to crease as Efe continued on. "The worst?" He asked after a prolonged beat, not entirely sure what Efe was eluding to. But, as he started to apologize, for what? He wasn't quite sure, he quickly butted in with a "Don't apologize. Though, are you sure? Because... because my life is fucking mess right now and I think we both know, so what I'm getting at is, I'm not going to be much of anything tonight outside of a distraction. If that is cool with you?"
"I don't think it was exactly meant to inspire confidence. Maybe illicit a smirk or a laugh. But, confidence, no. Confidence wasn't exactly in the cards and..." He let out a small sigh at the thought, as if mulling the idea over in his head. "I don't know. The last thing I need right now is the bar being flagged as a safety violation before I even have time to get it up to code. And," The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly at Efe's attempt at his kind of sarcasm, before they fell once more as he found himself saying after a prolonged pause, "... I'd rather not have to think about it right now. If we're being honest."
Efe grimaced. "I mean, I already got what I want. You're here and getting help, so...But alright. Heard. I'll drop it," he replied, giving a weak shrug of his shoulders. He did not want to push the other too strongly, but at the same time, he had always been an overly insistent helper. This character trait was one that had led him to his current vocation, and in truth, even he was aware he was griping in search of a way to maintain some semblance of control over the situation. "You matter to me. Can't argue with that. It's my opinion," he murmured, knitting his brow. And falling silent for a beat, he brought up his arms to hug himself, wishing he could cut some of the strange tension blanketing the room and the town beyond it in fog.
"Soon as you get the okay," he said. "That's a question for the staff, not me." Rolling his eyes, then, Efe allowed a flustered expression to play over his face before tucking it quickly back out of sight. He cleared his throat. "You know what I mean." Leaning in close again, he met Song's eye. "Fine. You're damn sexy. Fine as hell." The setting, the circumstances, and the proximity of his family members was making flirting difficult. But he tried. Efe let out a sigh. "I thought you ghosted me. I thought we were vibing and that you just didn't...want to do it anymore. Which, look, I broke up with my ex over video call. I probably would have had it coming. But I just...I was really mad at you and kind of coming off a weird rebound. And I didn't know you weren't okay. " He grit his teeth, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, I'm sure. Let's just be distractions tonight. If that works for you? I'll be whatever you want me to be."
Cocking his head to one side, Efe raised a tired eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever smirked in my life, Seo-Joon. Smile, sure. But smirk? I'm not going to shut you down or anything. But, like, the offer stands. If you want it. Or if you don't, then don't...but I will, like, legally probably have to come by once your operating, so." He smiled, bringing up an arm. "Think about what? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a distraction. A good-looking distraction with killer biceps."




















