One More Thing You Should Know

God you're handsome.


I sit across from Yeong-rae at some hole in the wall bar. Even under the dim overhead light somehow he looks like a movie star. It's insane. I watch him finish his last gulp of beer just entranced by his existence.  Rae snaps his fingers and I realize I have literally been staring like some drooling weirdo this whole time.


Way to look totally cool and chill Jin. Really killing this first actual date.


Min-jun: Yes! Hi! Sorry!

Yeong-rae: I guess I was boring you.

Min-jun: No! Don't even try that. No. I was.... well I'll be honest I was staring at your face.


I see Rae instintfully reach to see if there's something on his face to no success.


Min-jun: No... your face is fine. It's more than fine. It's pretty great actually. So I was staring and I wasn't paying attention. Not that you're boring! I just sometimes get distracted by pretty things. And by pretty I mean hot. Your face is hot. And. Yeah. I'll uhhhh stop now.


He laughs as I start to withdraw. Like if I could hide my head into my neck like a human turtle I would. But the smile he flashes while chuckling is more than enough reason not to hide. Rae reaches across and grabs my hands in his and I immediately feel warmth through my body.


Yeong-rae: I'm so glad we met Minnie. You're such a light in my life. The way you carry your whole community on your back is just... inspiring. You're really incredible. And I've felt so honored getting to know you more than just as the guy that walked out of the support group.


Wow. I've... wow I'm speechless.


To hear someone speak to spoitively of me it's jarring... almost uncomfortable. Usually I'd brush it off with a joke.. just try to change the subject because I hate compliments. Not like the "you're hot" sorta compliments, but the ones that go beyond the surface. The real shit. But something about Rae's energy just makes me want to accept it. But something he says makes me realize something.


Min-jun: Thank you Rae. You know... whenever we're together we usually talk about me.. or the community... but we never really go indepth about you.


Once I say it I can see something change in his face. He looks down and away like he's ashamed... or trying to hide something.


Min-jun: You put so much focus on me... and don't get me wrong I appreciate the support, but why don't we focus on you? Are you afraid to open up?


He sighs heavily and it hangs over the conversation like a spectre. Like some bad omen. He even pulls his hands away.


Shit I said the wrong thing.


Yeong-rae: Look. Minnie. I'll be honest that yeah there's a part of me that's afraid to open up. But.. go for it. What do you want to know.


Oh god. What is this 20 questions?


Min-jun: Well. When did you move to New York?

Yeong-rae: I was two when we moved.

Min-jun: About the same age as me! That's cool! What do your parents do?

Yeong-rae: Dad passed away years ago. Just my mom and I now. She works at a bank.


This time it's me that reaches out. I rub my thumb on the top of his hand. He looks up and smiles softly in appreciation.


Yeong-rae: Don't worry I'm pretty at peace with it. I've had a lot of time to grieve.

Min-jun: I'm glad. You're so emotionally put together. I'm so jealous. Does your mom know that you're... you know?

Yeong-rae: Korean? Yeah I'm pretty sure.


Rae laughs at his own joke lightening the mood a bit.


Yeong-rae: Does she know I'm gay? Yeah. It was a struggle at first, but we've gotten to a good place.


We talk long into the night and it's so enlightening. Months of mystery of what lies beyond the surface of Rae starts to solve itself. Having someone to be vulnerable with like this... it's like Tae's with me again. We stay there as everyone else trickles out throughout the night. We stay until the kitchen shuts down and last call it made.

Rae and I just unload every question can we can think of about each other. The mundane musings like favourite colour or best Hallowe'en costume, the hypothetical like what super power or which Pokemon would you want, but more importantly the heavy shit. Fears. Trauma. Goals. The stuff that really matters. The stuff that really links people. The things you don't talk about with your friend from work or the acquaintance from that one night out. The stuff you only share with the people who you can trust to hold your vulnerability in their hands as carefully as possible.

The line of conversation doesn't end after he chivalrously helps me put my jacket on and holds the door for me when we leave. I'm so lost in conversation that it doesn't even occur to me when we turn down a hauntingly familiar road. A road I've avoided since the panic started last summer. It isn't the road itself that makes me pay attention to where we are, but the sound of chain link fences clinking.

When it hits me it's like a cannonball. I stop in my tracks causing Rae to turn around. His hand goes to my shoulder as he starts to notice me spacing out while my breathing picks up pace. The world starts spinning and everything becomes blurry. My vision, but somehow even my hearing.


Yeong-rae: Min^nie_What's wr^ong?


BANG!


I whip my head around looking for the source of the gunshot that apparently only I hear. The world start's turning red again and I clutch at my chest and neck in panic huddled over and inward. It's just like last time. Like every other time. No matter how often it happens I've never gotten used to the feeling of the world closing in on me.

But something cuts through the red.


Yeong-rae: Minnie. I need you to breath. Look at me and copy what I'm doing.


My eyes stop darting and focus. I watch him breath in counts of four. In four. Hold four. Out four. Hold four. Repeat.

The spinning slows and the blurriness leaves me. Once I'm back to reality I stand up and he pulls me into a tight hug. We stand in silence for minutes before he asks what I figured he would. One more question.


Yeong-rae: What triggered that Minnie?


I stare blankly. Barely keeping tears down.


Min-jun: This.... this is where Tae died.


When I look to see Rae's response there is no colour in his face. His eyes can't meet mine.


Yeong-rae: Min-jun.... there's.... there's one more thing I need to tell you about myself.

--------------------------------------------------


I told you I was here to make my own rules Revo. I was sick of sitting by and waiting. I was sick of wondering when a challenge would come my way. Maggie isn't coming back she ran off. Pettis? Who fuckin' knows. So I went out and took control. Now I get to be a fighting champ. Now I get to win Glory two years in a row. I get to do what no one else has done in this company. I can defend my championship in the Glory tournament. That's what... three championship defenses in one night? Three championship paydays in one night? Damn right fam. Ya boy is taking home ALL the coin. Puttin my neighborhood up in the Ritz with all that.

But before I can even think about meeting Jessie Lee in the finals of the Glory tourny.... because let's be real it's going to be Lee-Jin as the top two... I gotta knock down one last obstacle. The team-flipper Vespertine tryna square up with the Brooklyngun and take my prize. Nahhhhhhh fam. We know that ain't about ta happen. I ain't going to lose to some traitorous coward who never seems to know which match she's in... honestly sometimes what reality she's in.

Ves. Sis. I gotta be real with you. I have like zero respect for you. You are genuinely the WORST team member. First you up on Team Sin and you try to take all the credit when that new Skye clearly did most of the actual work. But then you have your chance to prove us all wrong. Show us we all wrong about you. Show us you can lead a team to victory. But instead you realized Talia had the stronger crew... and you jumped ship to save face and your ass. In the streets we don't play that shit at all Ves. We don't throw out crew under the bus. We're ride or die. We stand together and fall together. We have each other's backs even when it's not convenient. Look at my time here in Revo. I've never turned my back on my crew. Aph 9 and Sora? Nah. They left me. I never walked away from them. Jessie Lee? Fucking tightest bond in the game. A bond forged from respect. From being willing to throw down with each other and beside each other. Khaos and Cerise? Death Row is forever. No matter how far apart we are you bet your ass we always watching each other's backs.

But you're alone. Just you and your crazy ego. You have no one looking out for you. No one you can trust. No one to cover your vulnerabilities when you need a shield. That's what makes us different beasts Ves. You use people to get to the top. Used Team Sin to try and seem relevant. Used Team Talia to get this title shot. You ain't gonna be able to use anyone to beat me though. Just you and me out there. No team to hide behind. Just us.

That's where you're totally fucked out there Ves. You ain't ever faced a dog like me. You've faced a who's who of... who the fuck is that? Griffins? Sylk Michaels? Johnny Stylez? All sound like the sort of generic create-a-wrestlers kids make in wrestling video games. And none of 'em have done a damn thing of note in Revo. But now you stepping up to the big leagues. The heavy hitters. You're tryin' to do what I did one year ago. Show the world that you aren't some underdog in the company. Punch above your weight until you take over the weight class. But you ain't about to be this year's Asian Sensation. I'm keepin' that title two years running Ves.

When we get out there and you're standing across from the two-time champ your delusional ego isn't about to save you. I'm gonna knock your ass back into reality. You aren't about to add my name to your IMDB page of underwhelming victories you like to bring with you everywhere. I can pull that shit too. You've got your Griffins and Stylez? How about Jessie Lee. Sierra Silver. Aphrodite 9. XYZ. Maggie Lockheart. Sara Pettis. You've beaten world wide jobbers. I've beaten world champions. World class fighters. I may joke about sending Mags with her tail between her legs, but fact is Maggie Lockheart is one of the toughest mother fuckers I've seen and definitely one of the toughest I've ever thrown hands with. Jessie Lee is the baddest bish in the game. A one woman army who has yet to be stopped for more than a minute in Revo. Vespertine let me level with you. You're no Maggie Lockheart. You're no Jessie Lee. You're no challenge.

You only have this title shot because other people did the work for you. You didn't earn it by being the best. At least everyone I end up facing in the Glory tourny will have earned a shot against me. That's partly why I need to end this with you real quick. Go onto the real challenges. The people I have real passion for facing.

So let me tell you how this is going to go down Ves. You're going to preen and peacock around like you've done this whole god-damned time here. You'll probably talk about companies and wrestlers no one has ever heard of like they're big deals. You'll maybe give me some credit, but you'll ultimately make the same mistake everyone else seems to make here. You'll underestimate me. You know since I've been here I've lost three matches. Three. In a year. And those three people who beat me have been the only three people who have been smart enough to see me as a credible threat. Jessie Lee. Khaos. Maggie Lockheart. And despite this people have still underestimated me as the perpetual underdog. Nah. Lee-Jin runs the yard. We've been beggin' you all to step up and be real challenges, but so far it's just a bunch of chihuahua's yapping loudly, but shakin' and runnin' when the big dogs growl.

And you're going to be more of the same. Another arrogant chihuahua barking loud, but running with your tail between your legs once I bark back. But if you manage to push away your cowardice for a few minutes you might stay with me long enough to realize that this dog... well my bite's way worse than my bark.

Ves I hope you really listen to what I've said here. Try not to get your hopes up too much because you simply aren't taking this prize from my hands. I'm not from the Griffin family of jobbers. I'm not some witless hack you can swerve and beat. I'm the best kept secret in wrestling. I'm the rumour people are just starting to whisper about in the halls. People like Denzel Porter be seeing how much of a credible fighter I am. This Is Awesome seeing how much of a star I can be. People like Maggie Lockheart seeing how tough I am to keep down. The world is starting to wake up. They've been hit with the truth. Jin Min-jun is the alpha in this pack.

I've kept my ass in the top of the card by kicking harder and surviving longer than everyone else. You can pull your tilt a whirls and your six thirties. Whip out whatever indy nightmare a shooting star corkscrew leg drop is. Waste your time trying to show boat. Add one more flip. Spin one more time. You're going to find that as flashy and exciting as those moves are... they're just pomp and circumstance. You're focused on style and not substance. The Shot of Jin is one of the deadliest finishers period. Not because I waste my time doing triple backflips. Not because I'm trying to put on some circus acrobatics. Because it's quick, unpredictable, and effective. My style is about grit. It's about refusing to pull punches or kicks. About using every part of my body as a living weapon. It's about being deadly. When you're in the streets springboard corkscrew bullshit doesn't win fights. But kicking a mother fucker straight in the temple? You live to fight another day. You walk away with your life. 

This attitude.. this style.. it's taken me far. It's kept me walking away from every fight. I put my body at risk... but it's calculated. I don't do a flip and hope for the best. I find an opportunity. I wait. And when the time is perfect.. I take my risk. And most of the time I don't crash and burn. But on the few occasions I do... well shit what's one more bruise? I been through worse. But there's one more thing you need to know about me Vespertine. Even though I wait for my opportunites. Even though I calculate my risks.... I have NO problem putting my body through hell to walk out with this title. I don't give a damn if you snap my arm with one of your little armbars. I don't care if you concuss me with a DDT. If you wanna put Jin Min-jun down long enough to walk away champion... well you better find some good bullets. BANG. 

So  Ves lemme level with you. Keep it one hundred. I won't be letting some punk ass bitch like you stop my hype. I'm not letting you pause the cash flow for me. I'm taking this title and this company to new heights with my best homie Jessie by my side. We running shit in Revo and I can promise it's not about to change Ves. I'm walking into Glory like no other competitor has. I'm holding the prize on my shoulder the whole way through. And who knows. Maybe I'll make a stop along the way. Look at expanding the turf. I know folks be wondering what I mean but y'all will see what I mean soon enough.

So here's one last piece of advice for you Ves. I hope you can handle your liquor. Because ain't nobody the same after a Shot. Of. Jin.