CHAPTER TWO
the purposive
misunderstanding
of a certain schemer

His first task was to introduce people, which had been an issue with Goo at first as most people he knew were either models or devastatingly good-looking fellas.

As his eyes scanned his contact list with accompanied pictures, he felt frustration fill him.

"Crap!" He drew out, getting agitated. "Where are the ugly motherfuckers when you need them?!"

"What the hell's your problem?" His colleague and sworn nemesis asked with an annoyed arch of a brow, also getting agitated with Goo's obnoxiously loud yelling.

"None of your business, chopping board."

Park Jong Gun peered from his shoulder anyway despite being told off. Of course he'd naturally feel inclined to be nosy, Goo was rarely this openly secretive. If he had intended for this to be a real secret, he wouldn't be off yelling profanities in the middle of the parking lot.

"Why're you searching for runway models?"

Goo elbowed him but it barely did any effect.

"I'm searching for hideous people, mind you." The blonde scoffed, scrolling down further. "But fuck! How am I supposed to convince M/n when I'll bring in a literal model?" He can't bring someone who looks better than him, that was Goo's thinking.

Because what if he just happens to bring in someone who's exactly his type? What then? Compatibility won't even matter if M/n falls for their looks.

"What's up with your rich friend?" Gun asked out of curiosity, having known about Goo's closest friend who's also the son of a wealthy businessman on par with Chairman Choi.

"I'm tasked with setting him up with a person. I'm his wingman."

"Then why're you searching for hideous people?" Gun arched a brow. "Normally, you set them up with conventionally attractive people for it to be a success, especially when he's not hideous himself and has loaded pockets."

"That's the thing!" Goo's voice was perhaps naturally loud and hysterical. "I don't want it to be a success!" He cried out.

The scarred male quickly became amused as he realized the blonde's predicament.

"Don't tell me you want to keep M/n all to yourself?"

"That's none of your business!" Goo severely denied, he would rather die than confess it all to Gun. He then resumed to scrolling down his phone.

"I feel ridiculously bad for him." Gun mused, thinking about how unfortunate M/n was that Goo was purposely sabotaging his love life so that he could end up with the blonde—what kind of death sentence was that? Sounds like M/n must have really burned an orphanage in his past life to be this unfortunate.

Goo ignored him.

"You don't reckon you know anyone horribly ugly or disfigured like Quasimodo from Notre Dame, do you?" The blonde asked hopefully.

"I don't associate myself with anyone I don't like the look of." Gun casually informed before saying, "I think with your friend, looks will hardly matter since they do hang out with you. Just find someone with a terrible personality."

"I can't risk bringing in someone who looks better than me!"

"Mission: impossible. Anyone looks better than you."

"You're such a Santa's little helper, aren't you." Goo scowled before realizing he did have a certain secret friend who might be willing to play both parts. Ugly and bad personality. "Never mind, I think I've found someone." An evil grin makes its way to his face.

"Huh?" Logan sticks his hand inside his pants as he walks in a usual slump manner, acting like he owns the entire place.

"You've just gotta be on your best behavior." Goo told as they walked towards the meeting place. He then side-eyed the male. "And can you not act that disgusting?"

"What? I'm supposed to be revolting to a rich kid friend of yours, right?"

"You're doing too much."

Goo just remembered how he didn't like hanging out with Logan at all. He somewhat disdained hanging out like this especially one-on-one, he didn't know if it was just his cacophobia acting up.

But then again, it was he who recruited him in the first place so he didn't really have the right to complain.

"Goo!"

And immediately upon hearing such familiar voice that graced his senses, his mood flunctuates significantly from down to absolutely uplifted. His chest blooms with warmth and delight as he spots M/n's familiar figure from a distane, eyes lighting up as he waved enthusiastically towards the male.

"M/n!" The blonde nearly runs Logan over as he jogs toward his best friend.

"Is this your friend?" M/n gestures towards Logan who took his leisure time to reach them.

"Somewhat, his name's Logan." Goo grinned.

The male turned towards the tatted high schooler(?), offering a tight-lipped smile as he evaluates the guy in his head.

"Nice to meet you." M/n greeted politely anyway, reaching out a hand for him to shake.

Logan stared at it skeptically before also about to reach a hand.

Midway, Goo smacks Logan away and instead holds M/n's hand into his—swifly leading the male into the local restaurant and away from the complaining tatted male.

There was no way he would let someone as dirty as Logan hold M/n pristine clean hands. Especially not when he just witnessed moments ago Logan sticking his hand inside his pants. Goo didn't want the unhygienic male to taint someone as precious as M/n.

"Your friend's. . . Interesting."

"He is, isn't he?" Goo forced a smile. He was just prepared to get this done already. "What do you think of him?"

"Certainly not my type but I won't judge so early." M/n was awfully blunt and honest about his views. "You know my driver—Dave, was it? He told me that when he first met his wife, he didn't find her attractive either but, eventually, he realized she was the woman he wanted to marry when she cooked him stir fry. Hey, do you reckon Logan could cook me something similar?"

His innocence at the subject was certainly a curse and a blessing at the same time for Goo.

"He doesn't know how to cook." He said with a forming tick mark.

"Oh." His disappointment was palpable, which was good for the blonde.

As they were led to sit down in a table, Goo sat somewhere close by to keep a keen eye on the two. (By close, he sat directly in a chair behind Logan.)

"I'm M/n L/n, nice to meet you."

"Oh, shit. L/n as in the L/n enterprise?" Logan's mouth fell slightly open, even he knew about the company. Instantly, his initial disinterest morphed into something more closely related to money. "How're you doing?" He smoldered.

Goo roughly kicked the big guy's shin, growing in frustration as he mutters curses at his secret friend.

"Are you a high schooler?" M/n curiously asked while looking a the menu.

"Pfft, I don't believe in schools."

M/n glanced at him with uncertainty at this. Despite being loaded, he actually appreciates academic education. Still, he tried nonetheless.

"I'm 18 years old. How old are you?"

"Shit, I kinda forgot."

Conversations were going nowhere with Logan—and M/n collectively realizes this, immediately arriving in the conclusion that there was no way this guy was a potential romantic partner. Not that he ever consisdered it in the first place.

Goo was grinning at this point, knowing there was no way this date would be a success. In fact, he perhaps made the best decision in bringing in someone as repulsive as Logan to completely deter M/n away from any other ideas.

"Hey, you see that cute guy over there?"

"Oh, yeah! He's pretty damn cute. What's he doing with Fatso over there?"

"Have no idea. You think I should slip him my number?"

"Go for it, girl!"

Go for it, my ass! Goo glanced at the two waitresses giggling from a distance. With his impeccable hearing, he knew they were talking about none other than M/n. He agreed with their views, his friend was pretty damn cute—and attraction can only increase with the casual luxury he's tad in.

Not to mention, he must be shining in their eyes when seated in comparison with someone like Logan.

Goo grits his teeth, he didn't even know why M/n asked him to play wingman. Was he not aware that with his looks and riches alone—anyone would be willing to fall in bed with him? He needed a different approach.

First, he needs to deal with the giggling waitress. He needs to make sure M/n never discovers the possibility of finding a partner all on his own because that increases his chance in succeeding in finding a lover.

As the waitress approaches the table to take their order, Goo swiftly got up and calls M/n's attention; nudging his head towards the direction of the bathroom to supposedly speak in private.

Almost too eager, the male stood up and followed him.

"I appreciate your effort in bringing a friend in, Goo—but I don't think this is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with." M/n confessed with furrowed brows.

The blonde breathed in relief despite already knowing this

"Don't worry, M/n." Goo assured with a smile. "There's no rush. In fact, I think we should ditch this place and just hang out, yeah? We can discuss further about other dates while mulling over ice cream."

"Ice cream!" His eyes lit up in excitement, Goo really did know him too well.

But then, he frowned slightly in realization.

"What about your friend? It'd be rude to just ditch when he came all the way here. . ."

Goo snorted. "Don't worry about him." He then slung an arm around his shoulder to face them both in the direction of their table, watching as the waitress takes the order while Logan hits on her.

The blonde was fairly certain she was visibly repulsed, judging from body language alone. But M/n didn't have to know that, especially when her back was turned against them.

"You see that? I heard her talk with her colleague a while ago, she finds him cute!"

M/n blinked at that. "Cute?" He repeated.

He wasn't sure if the word 'cute' and 'Logan' could go hand in hand together.

"She said, 'Damn cute!' And I quote." Goo said with the utmost certainty. "She's gonna ask for his number, and from the looks of it, he's into her too! Isn't that just sweet?"

"I agree." M/n nodded profusely with furrowed brows of envy. "When's someone going to ask for my number too?" He sulked. "All these romantic displays are making me feel lonely."

The blonde glanced at him at the corner of his eyes, trying to stop the thumping of his own heart.

Goo swallowed the forming lump in his throat, fighting back a blush upon realizing their close proximity. It never bothered him before! Now, he feels as though his skin was lit on fire at the mere contact.

He quickly retracts his arm to change position. "Come on, let's just get ice cream!"