RUNITUP

〝 i don't know which is worse: that being part of the same species is the best defense you have for her — or that your standards are truly so low. 〞 she contemplates minkyu's position as her favorite brother. ( inhye only has one brother. ) 〝 all i'm saying is that you should look out for yourself, if you are pretty much done. are you really sure she has good intentions towards you? 〞 there's a barely detectable softening of her tone. 〝 dad isn't here to protect us anymore. 〞

he frowned. her severity always managed to make any moral morsel in his body feel appreciated. " hey – she's employed at the very least. do you know how easy it would be for me to date an INSTAGRAM MODEL ? " the unsaid being: 'suvi has brains, at the very least.' it was the bare minimum amount of defense he could provide without inhye completely overreacting. " well, if she was a gold digger she would have agreed to getting married. but ... " his lips pressed together and he shrugged. " it's fine. " now he wanted the conversation to move anywhere else. " why – is there anyone who would make the 'inhye-approved' list ?? "

〝 don't tell me you still have feelings for suvanant. you're a lee — and she's what? founder of a startup? did you get so upset over that award show loss that you're trying to win the charitable contribution category now? 〞

" she's a HUMAN too. " he would not confirm or deny the former statement. " does it even matter ? we're pretty much done. " knowing inhye, 'pretty much' would not be good enough.

❝ do you ever wonder how lawrence fairchild must feel seeing everyone say his award should've gone to someone else ? ❞ not that it made a difference, céline was just deep in thought while skimming through several new sites and reading just about the exact same thing. ❝ i had fomo not being at the ceremony to see it happen. was the public reaction as bad as it's written here ? ❞ long nail taps on her phone screen a couple times.

he stared blankly at her. what a darling display of empathy ! it was a trait he frequently didn't appreciate. for other people, that is. " it was GREATLY exaggerated. on my part, at least. " so what he pouted and cursed a little ? was he not human ? " i think it's telling when an entire audience's reaction is to gasp instead of clap. he must know it was a snub. " it was audacious of the man to not even act shocked. " criterion better not run any stories with my photo. seriously. "

" just give me a ride home! we don't even have to talk! "

" i don't feel like doing this right now. you can APOLOGIZE and ask nicely, or figure it out by yourself. "

" give me a ride home. i'm not paying this uber surge price. " ( @leeminkyu )

he was already in a pissy mood. " ask nicely. "

❝ aside from the fact that i already do, that's just not something someone with your family name can accomplish in a room like this. ❞ with recent events, no lee could go unnoticed anywhere. especially not in a media-centered event. ❝ oh, i'd have to repay you somehow. ❞ for nothing. ❝ a whiskey and coke, please. ❞

he chuckled lowly to the ground, a feigned display of humbleness. so he did know who he was ! " no need. " he waves him off with one hand while the other tucks a few bills into the tip jar, convinced it will hasten the bartender. " just REMIND me, who you are again ? "

❝ so is mine, it will take even less time. ❞ not much goes into a whiskey and coke. ❝ in fact, i think the entire queue is made of simple orders. ❞ he did not know what any of those people wanted. ❝ it will move quickly. ❞

" no, really, you WON'T even know i was here ! " he doubted his jesting would work on the man but minkyu would try anyways. his eyes searched to make eye contact with the bartender. if the waiters were competent he wouldn't even be here. " it's on me. " it was an open bar. " a whiskey neat and a ... ? " he looked to the man to finish the order.

" so i see suvi is nominated. " she appeared to be nonchalant, fingers fiddling with the stem of her champagne flute. " have you gone over to congratulate her? " ( @leeminkyu )

" I KNOW. " he had known weeks ago, in a brief his assistant knew to put on the top of his stack. " she doesn't need me to say it. and she'll bite my head off. "

" your conversational skills are dog shit. " she's nearly about to walk away, but of course he has to continue! " hello?! i fucking breathed and you're acting like i pissed on your father's grave. " she looks around at the others seated at the table — " of course i didn't because that's fucking crazy. "

slowly, the corners of his lips turn down. luckily his sisters were far too important chattering away from the table. out of his periphery, he saw his mother approaching, surely to nose her way into their conversation. so ill-y timed. " there's two more categories. " with a more solemn look, he nods his head behind him to the tables. " you should probably sit before they start announcing them. "

" obviously i don't NEED to but i WANT to know? are you going to tell me or are you going to continue asking the dumbest fucking questions. i thought out of all nights you'd at least pretend to be the intellect you claim to be. " maybe he's extra bitter because she's wearing a white dress and he failed to take her down the aisle!

" just conversating. " he sucks air through his teeth. " how is it MY fault you don't pay attention ? " he is treading a thin line and he knows it. if he goes on any longer he risks causing a scene, but he can't help the adrenaline rush from pushing her buttons.

" so are you going to tell me? " she wanted to kick the legs of his chair and have him fall on his ass.

" do you NEED to know ? " he pressed his lips together, the natural instinct to hold his tongue, only realizing he didn't really have to, did he ? delivered with a tantalizing grin, " are you expecting one ? "

" please tell me i missed the award announcements. " she spent the last thirty minutes vaping outside. she didn't care to pretend to be happy for the bulletin another year. she swears these events only happen for them.

he didn't need to turn his head. suvi had a way of wafting into an area. " you're at the WRONG table. "