"You can't make me go in there." Ghoon-Hahm muttered, puffing angrily on his soggy cigarette.
"You sound like a child." Que-Min folded her arms across her chest menacingly. They stood in front of Hakai's Pizza Place, not budging an inch.
"After you, thug-of-my-dreams…" Que-Min murmured. Ghoon-Hahm gritted his teeth and sauntered in, suddenly donning his gang face. The one where he made it look like he had nothing to lose.
Once inside, he scoured the restaurant for any sign of Ga-Woon Kim. When satisfied that he was safe, he slid into the nearest booth and ordered a coke and meat-lover's pizza.
"So why is the big bad carnivore afraid of Ga-Woon? Ga-Woon is into academics, now. He poses no real threat to anyone." Que-Min stirred her glass of water with her straw.
"Who said anything about being afraid?" Ghoon-Hahm mumbled, putting out his cigarette in the tacky pizza-shaped ashtray.
A tiny little bell indicated the presence of two new customers. Que-Min looked up and waved happily at the approaching couple.
"Sorry we're late. Ga-Woon had to get checked out by the nurse. Someone hit him in the head with a lead pipe." Tae slid into the other side of the booth with her boyfriend, Ga-Woon Kim.
Ga-Woon looked just as uncomfortable as Ghoon-Hahm felt.
"Hi, you must be Ghoon-Hahm Che. Nice to meet you. I'm Tae." Tae gave a small wave and immediately tore into the pizza. Que-Min followed suit, laughing and racing with Tae.
Their boyfriends did not notice. They were far too busy glaring at each other.
"Tell Dar Jay that the next time he wants to borrow my homework, all he has to do is ask." Ga-Woon mumbled, turning his words into a cleverly disguised metaphor.
"I'll pass on the message. By the way, I think our study group should meet again to study for that huge test we have." Ghoon-Hahm replied, picking up on the metaphor.
"Test?" Que-Min snapped to attention. She worriedly glanced from Ghoon-Hahm to Ga-Woon, silently seeking confirmation.
"It's an after-school thing, Que-Min. Don't worry about it." Ghoon-Hahm said, never taking his eyes away from Ga-Woon.
"Gosh, if I didn't know any better, I'd say there's a definite cloud of hostility in the air." Tae exclaimed with a bright smile. She noted that the boys didn't seem to contest this observation and once again, Tae realized she was out of the loop.
"Tae…shall we go to the bathroom?" Que-Min motioned for them to walk toward the ladies' room but Tae figured this was a rather bad idea. She followed Que-Min to the bathroom anyway.
The boys were left alone. To their own devices. Nothing between them except intense animosity. It made the air electric with tension.
"I care about my girl. That's the only reason why I'm not climbing over this table ripping you a new one right about now." Ghoon-Hahm said. He lit another cigarette, mildly surprised that Ga-Woon put a cigarette to his own lips.
"It's a ciggie, Ghoon. Yeah, I'm real hard-core. And even if you tried to climb over this table, I'd kick your ass before you laid one hand on me." Ga-Woon replied.
"Heh. I like your spunk. It's almost a shame you're in cahoots with that fag pretty boy from school…Otherwise I'd ask you to join my gang."
"Are you kidding me? My loyalty lies with Kun Kang." Ga-Woon said. Ghoon-Hahm rolled his eyes.
"Bullshit. You're a gaywad just like him. Tae's a pretty good cover for that, huh?"
"Is that true?" Tae came up to the table, her eyes shining with tears.
"What are you talking about?" Ga-Woon asked, shrugging off the question.
"I'm just a cover for you. You really love Kun Kang, don't you? The rumors…they're all true…" Tae's tears slipped out of her eyes, cascading down her pale cheeks.
Que-Min put her hand on her shoulder, squeezing reassuringly.
"Of course it is, Tae. Don't you know your own boyfriend?" Ghoon-Hahm blurted out. Tae ran out of the restaurant, unable to bear the thought of Ga-Woon not loving her anymore.
"How dare you, Ghoon-Hahm! She's my friend and you just broke her heart." Que-Min reared back and slapped Ghoon-Hahm in the face. She shuffled out of the Pizza Place behind Tae, racing to catch up to her.
Ga-Woon glowered at Ghoon-Hahm.
"Name the place, name the time…and I will kill you." Ga-Woon said at length.