PART 2 : The punishment of doom

"Hmmm..." Minhyuk leaned back in his chair, pressing a finger to his chin like a cartoon genius. The light above their table glinted off the round glasses perched on his nose, purely for fashion, of course. He'd never needed them, but he loved the way they made him look like a scheming professor about to announce a master plan.

The other three watched warily. Hyungwon, especially, had the sinking feeling that whatever came next would ruin his life.

Then-ding!

"Eureka!" Minhyuk slapped the table so hard the Jenga blocks jumped. A grin split across his face, sharp and mischievous.

"I've got it!"

His sudden shout startled half the café. Several customers looked over in alarm. One mother actually pulled her toddler closer, as if shielding the child from secondhand chaos.

Changkyun, used to this kind of embarrassment, immediately got up, bowed politely to the staring crowd, and made the universal, he's crazy gesture with his finger to his temple. Then he sat back down, smirking.

Jooheon leaned forward, his eyes glittering with anticipation. "What is it? Tell us."

"There!" Minhyuk stabbed a dramatic finger toward the café door, voice dropping to an ominous whisper. "Whoever walks through that door next... Hyungwon must confess his undying love and ask them to marry him."

Hyungwon's jaw dropped. "No! Absolutely not!" He flailed, his long arms almost knocking over a glass of iced americano. "That's-that's insane!"

Minhyuk's grin only widened. "It's perfect."

"What if-what if it's an old man? Or an old lady?" Hyungwon groaned, tugging at his hoodie strings. "Do you want me to go to jail for giving a senior citizen a heart attack?"

His pout deepened, lips pushing out in a way that could disarm nations. His big eyes glistened with dramatic despair, lashes fluttering as he slumped back in his chair like the tragic hero of a K-drama.

The effect was immediate. All three of his so-called friends went momentarily silent, not from guilt, but because Hyungwon, even when whining, was unfairly beautiful.

Jooheon coughed into his hand to hide the tiny smile tugging at his lips. Changkyun muttered, "Cute," under his breath before pretending to sip his drink. Even Minhyuk felt his heart squeeze, though he quickly shook it off, fanning himself theatrically.

"Aigoo, look at our Wonnie, pouting like a porcelain doll," Minhyuk teased, pressing a hand to his chest. "If I didn't already know you, I'd say you were proposing to me."

Hyungwon smacked the table lightly with both palms. "I'm serious! This is too much!"

"Alright, alright," Minhyuk said, pretending to think again. Then his grin turned sly. "How about this, you confess, you ask them to marry you, and then..." He snapped his fingers.

"You run. No explanations, no apologies. Just bolt out of here like your life depends on it."

Hyungwon stared at him, horrified.

"That's not a punishment, that's social suicide."

"Exactly." Minhyuk's glasses slipped a little down his nose as he smirked. "Where's the fun without risk?"

Jooheon and Changkyun both burst into laughter, clapping their hands like an audience at a comedy show.

"Come on, Hyungwon," Jooheon urged, nudging him with his elbow. "Think of it as... performance art."

"Yeah," Changkyun added, already fishing his phone out of his pocket. "I'll even film it. For... memories." His grin suggested blackmail material.

Hyungwon groaned again, burying his face in his hands. He stayed like that for a long beat, long legs folded awkwardly under the small café table, every bone in his body screaming don't do it.

But when he peeked out from between his fingers, Minhyuk was still grinning, Jooheon was still nudging, and Changkyun was already opening his camera app.

Hyungwon knew then... there was no escape.

"Fine," he muttered, glaring half-heartedly at them all. "But if I die of embarrassment, I'm haunting this café forever."

"Deal," Minhyuk said, eyes sparkling like he'd just won the lottery.

And so the stage was set. All that was left was to wait for fate, or misfortune to walk through the café door.

Tbc ✨

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***