It's Just A Picture (BL)
Chapter 298: Is it because I’m Italian? Is that why I look like a Mafia to you?

Chapter 298: Is it because I’m Italian? Is that why I look like a Mafia to you?

Minwoo stared at this Italian man who had suddenly approached him for God knows what.

He said his name was Alejandro Barone. Who was that?

He wasn’t sure he had any Italian friends who went by that name.

But that aside, he wasn’t in his age range either.

He looked like he could be in his middle forties. Forty-five, by chance? But whatever the case, he had a great form, even if he was in his mid or late forties.

The line moved and he pushed his cart forward.

Alejandro followed him and stopped once Minwoo stopped.

"Alejandro Barone, how do you know me?" Minwoo asked. "And... Why did you approach me?"

"First off, won’t you come with me? We can’t exactly talk here." He said, still flashing that cool smile of his but Minwoo was not buying it.

"’First off’, I believe this is the right place for us to talk, where it’s crowded. After all, you’re a stranger and who knows, the moment I step out of here, I might suddenly get thrown in a van."

"Do I look like a gangster to you?" Alejandro asked but Minwoo gave him a blank stare, probably saying yes. "Oh shit, for real?" He suddenly checked his arms.

They weren’t fully covered with his sleeve as he had pulled up the sleeves a while back, since it was so hot.

His back wasn’t ripped either, so he said,

"My tattoos aren’t showing, so how exactly do I look like a gangster?"

’Ah, so he even has tattoos.’ Minwoo thought and shook his head. "You don’t have to have tattoos to look like a gangster. And honestly..." His eyes peered into Alejandro. "... You look like a Mafia."

As soon as he said this, Alejandro’s eyes blazed and his lips curled up in a bone-chilling grin.

"How perceptive you are." He said. "But it’s just a guess, right?" He walked closer to Minwoo. "Is it because I’m Italian? Is that why I look like a Mafia to you?"

’The hell? Is he really in the Mafia?’ Minwoo thought but he kept a straight face. ’Doesn’t this mean he’s dangerous? How did he know me then?’

The line moved once more and Minwoo moved his cart but Alejandro suddenly grabbed his hand and said,

"I’ll wait." Minwoo looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "I’ll wait till you’re done here. So, hurry it up. My time is precious."

Minwoo was annoyed. Why was he trying to be assertive to someone he was meeting for the first time?

And why the hell was he so strong?

He looked at his hand that he was trying to yank out of his hold but it wouldn’t even budge.

Alejandro let go of him, tucked his hands in his pocket, and took a few steps back.

"Hurry it up."

He was smiling yet even that smile was threatening.

Minwoo wasn’t happy with this.

He still asked himself. Who was Alejandro and what business did he have with him?

And then he paused.

Wait, he was looking for Lee Dongwoo. It couldn’t be that he was looking for the other Dongwoo, right?

He clenched the handle of the cart tightly.

Ah, no. That couldn’t be it. What would this sort of person have with Dongwoo?

But that smug on his face, as well as that hair was awfully familiar. It looked so much like...

It finally got to his turn at the register and secretly, he hoped that Dongwoo would not come out any time soon.

Should he message him?

But what if Alejandro thought he was being suspicious and did something unimaginable?

He looked like the type that would act based on his own judgment and not even investigate.

He glanced back at Alejandro who was keeping his eyes on him. And he was even smiling on top of the pressure he was making Minwoo feel.

’Should I just call the police?’ he thought.

He settled the bills but the girl at the cash register glanced at Alejandro who was keeping an eye on Minwoo and then to Minwoo who was keeping a straight face, not showing that he was distressed at all.

Minwoo decided to use another way so he took out his phone and said,

"I’ll pay with my phone since my card declined."

But his card did not decline. The sales girl wondered what he was on about.

"Please scan this." He said with a smile and the sales girl picked up the URCode scanner but then she looked at his phone, only to see a text that said,

’Please, help me call the police.’

As soon as she saw that, she almost panicked but he asked,

"What’s the matter? Is this not working as well?"

"Oh, uh... Just a moment." She said, sweat slowly dripping down her forehead as she felt that man may be dangerous and she would be in trouble if she got caught. "It must be the scanner. I... I’ll go get another one." But before she could even turn, Alejandro had gotten to where Minwoo was.

"What’s the delay?" He asked, and the girl froze. "I told you I don’t have time on my hands."

"That... My payment isn’t working." Minwoo said, looking away and acting completely natural. The only problem was the sales girl who was already panicking.

"Hm, then do you want me to pay for you?" He asked, leaning his head closer to Minwoo. He raised his hand and grabbed Minwoo’s waist, calling out softly, "Hm, honey?"

Alejandro suddenly spoke in Korean and he was quite fluent in it too. He had just been speaking English for his own convenience.

"Honey?" Minwoo was flabbergasted at his sudden words and the sales girl got lost.

Wait, was this a gay lover’s quarrel all along?

"What are you talking about? Get your hands off me." Minwoo said, trying to push his hand down but his grip was hard and the more Minwoo tried to struggle, the harder he gripped.

"What’s wrong, honey? Are you still mad at me?" He asked like a sweet lover. "I already apologized, didn’t I?"

Minwoo was seriously short of words. What in the world was he talking about?

Wait, did he catch on to him? Was that why he was trying to humiliate him?

If this went on, people would start taking pictures.

"Please, let go," Minwoo said,

"Huh? Do you finally want to behave?" Alejandro asked, whispering in his ear. "I know all the hacks, so I know you were trying to call the police. Don’t test me like that and just come with me quietly."

Minwoo gritted his teeth. So, he caught on after all.

Alejandro released his grip and stepped away but something felt odd. His scent...

Just when Minwoo thought he had loosened up, Alejandro suddenly buried his head in Minwoo’s neck, tying his arms around him.

This scent... It was so sweet. Was it Cherry? Why in the world did he carry a cherry scent? Was it a cologne? But it smelled so natural.

It was... Intoxicating?

Minwoo, who was uncomfortable with what was going on, tried to push Alejandro away but his grip was too tight.

"Hey, let go. Let go, I say."

"Minwoo?" Minwoo heard Dongwoo’s voice and he paused. He managed to turn his head and his eyes shrunk in seeing Sungho with him and he was looking at him in confusion.

Just what in the world was going on?

’No, no. It’s not what you think.’ Minwoo thought, shaking his head. The words wouldn’t leave his lips.

For some reason, the fact that Sungho saw him in the arms of another man, made him uneasy. His throat went dry and his heart started beating fast.

He was... Scared.

"Let me go." Minwoo said, and Alejandro raised his head. He saw the two that arrived and was a bit confused seeing another one that looked like the picture he had been given.

"Hm, who’s that then?" He wondered out loud.

Other than those two, two other people walked up to them and paused. Seojin and Seojun. They looked at Alejandro and their faces contorted as they both called out simultaneously,

"Uncle?"

(This last place was supposed to be ’Ziu?’ Cause that’s what they refer to Uncle in Italy but I guess it’s better to just leave it as ’Uncle?’)