Minjin stood first in line at the cashier while Im Sung-ae pulled Minjun to stand behind her.
Minjun frowned, but Im Sung-ae signaled for him to stay behind her.
When it was Minjin's turn to order, Minjun scanned the menu board above, searching for a caramel-flavored drink that Minjin liked. Behind him, Im Sung-ae inquired of the women behind them what they wanted to order, but they all responded with "Iced Americano."
"I would like a venti iced matcha latte, please."
Minjun lowered his head when he heard her order.
After that, Minjin went to the waiting area for her drink. Minjun then turned his attention to the counter to place an order. Before he could speak, Im Sung-ae suddenly said, "Five iced Americanos, venti. He'll pay for all of us and put it under Im Sung-ae, please."
Minjun turned and frowned at him, but he hesitantly picked up his wallet and handed over his credit card.
After completing the payment, the cashier gestured for them to wait to the side. Minjun approached the spot where Minjin was standing but kept his distance. She stepped forward to pick up her drink when her name was called. Just as she was about to turn to Minjun, her phone vibrated. She couldn't hide her expression upon seeing the name on the screen. Minjun noticed her reaction as she lifted her head to look at him, and he quickly looked away.
"I'll go first, seonsaengnim," Minjin said as she politely bowed her head to them.
Im Sung-ae slightly nodded in response. "Okay, you may go ahead, Minjin-shi."
Minjin started to walk away from them when Heo Yeong-hwan stepped through the door. She quickly returned to Minjun's side to hide. Minjun was taken aback by her sudden closeness. Minjin tried to peek over his shoulder to glimpse Heo Yeong-hwan. Minjun followed her gaze, and his eyes widened when he saw Heo Yeong-hwan standing in line with his phone pressed to his ear. Suddenly, Minjun heard a vibration, and when he looked at Minjin, he realized it was her phone.
He couldn't help but smirk and said formally, "You're hiding from him."
"Shh! You know why." Minjin said to him casually.
Minjin watched Heo Yeong-hwan as it was his turn to order at the counter.
"Ya, Minjun-ah, don't let him see you either," Minjin suddenly whispered.
When Minjin saw him approaching, she quickly grabbed Minjun's arm. He was startled as she turned his back to Heo Yeong-hwan while she was trying to watch him over his shoulder. However, he caught a familiar scent from her hair and stared at her loose, blue-dyed hair adorned with a sunflower side clip.
"Five iced coffee for Im Sung-ae." The barista had called them.
Im Sung-ae went to pick up their orders and noticed that Minjin quickly grabbed Minjun's arm and rushed outside the coffee shop. The remaining women watched them with confusion.
Han Aera frowned and asked, "Does she know Minjun-oppa?"
Im Sung-ae distributed the drinks to the group and smiled awkwardly. "They were high school friends."
"Really?" Han Aera asked.
"But I don't recognize her," Song Hyein suddenly said.
"Ah, well, she was abroad," Im Sung-ae explained.
Heo Yeong-hwan was called to get his drink and was the first to leave the coffee shop. Im Sung-ae noticed him and remarked, "Ya, isn't that Heo Yeong-hwan, the lawyer?"
They followed his gaze and turned to look at Heo Yeong-hwan.
Minjin rushed outside, pulling Minjun's arm, and entered the nearest convenience store. She hid him behind the rows of ramyeon and peeked through the glass wall to see Heo Yeong-hwan walking toward the hospital. Minjun watched her closely as he felt her hand on his arm. His focus shifted to the phone in her hand, which vibrated again until he realized that Minjin had released his arm.
"Why are you hiding from him, Minjin-ah?" Minjun suddenly asked as she ignored her phone.
"You know he's always been a jerk. I don't want to associate with him again," Minjin replied.
Minjun smirked. "Why did you even give him your number?"
"Do you think I'm that stupid? Kim-saem gave him my number," Minjin retorted.
"Then block him."
Minjin stared at him as if his suggestion was absurd. "If I could, I would have done that."
Minjun couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Did Eun-kyung-ah warn you about him?"
Minjin quickly frowned. "Eun-kyung-ah? No." She shook her head in confusion.
Minjin then noticed Minjun's colleagues through the glass walls. "Your friends are coming back to the hospital," Then she turned to Minjun and playfully warned him with her finger, "You... don't do anything stupid to Heo Yeong-hwan, araso?"
Minjun smiled at her and nodded. "Araso."
Minjin frowned suddenly, looking at him in confusion. "Boya? Are you speaking casually to me now?"
Minjun smirked. "You were the one who spoke to me casually first."
Minjin paused, staring at him for a moment. "I'll go first."
"Where are you going?"
"I can't go back to the hospital. He might be waiting for me there," Minjin said before she walked toward the door.
Minjun watched her, and he was unable to suppress a smile. He shook his head and said, "She's still the same."
As he stepped outside the convenience store, a sudden realization struck him. He turned his head to follow Minjin with his eyes as she continued on her path.
It was clear... she still cared for him.
###
Han Aera wondered as she walked behind her colleagues, clutching her iced Americano in the hospital lobby. She turned to glance at Im Sung-ae and quickly made her way to his side.
"Oppa, what's her name again?" Han Aera asked.
Im Sung-ae paused to glance at her but sensed something was off. "You don't need to know, Aera-ah," he said, shaking his head and walking.
Han Aera stopped in her tracks, a frown on her face as she stared at him. From a distance, Song Hyein observed their conversation. Walking past Han Aera, she averted her gaze and followed Im Sung-ae.
Song Hyein then rushed to catch up with Im Sung-ae. "Oppa, I don't know that woman. I've met Minjun-oppa's high school friends," she said.
Im Sung-ae sighed. "Just ask Minjun if you're curious," he replied, sipping through the straw of his iced Americano.
Han Aera turned to Jang Harin, who was standing behind her. "You seem to know her too?" she asked.
"Sorry, I can't tell you, even though you're my friend. I'll head out first," Jang Harin said as she walked to her right.
Han Aera chuckled in disbelief as she watched Jang Harin walk away. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed Minjun walking in. She remained standing, waiting for him to come closer. He saw her as he slipped his hands into his pockets but kept walking toward her.
"Oppa," Han Aera called out, turning to face him.
Minjun stopped in his tracks.
"Do you have time?" Han Aera asked.
Minjun looked at her. "Sorry, I still have to attend to my patients."
"Oppa, aren't we friends?" Han Aera pressed.
Minjun sighed deeply, looking at her with frustration. "Aera-ah, I've tried. But it feels like you're acting as if you're not married."
"But you are friends with Hyein-ah." Han Aera said.
"Did you just hear what I said?" Minjun asked, clearly frustrated.
"So, are you drawing a line between us?" Han Aera inquired.
Minjun let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Aera-ah, I don't tolerate cheating. Why would I ever trust you if you can do that to your husband?"
He shook his head and turned his back to her.
Han Aera clenched her fists and glared at him in anger. As Minjun's figure diminished in the distance, she turned around and returned to the exit. Strolling along the side road, she scanned the area before returning to the coffee shop. Once inside, she began searching the place.
In the far right corner of the coffee shop, she noticed a woman with blue-dyed hair sitting with her back to the entrance.
Han Aera slowly approached her. "Excuse me?" She stood beside Minjin, who was scrolling through her phone.
Minjin lifted her head and immediately stood from her seat to greet her politely. "Annyeong haseyo, seonsaengnim," she said.
Han Aera returned the gesture with a smile. "Annyeong haseyo. May I sit with you?"
"Ne, seonsaengnim," Minjin replied, respectfully gesturing for her to sit.
Han Aera then sat across from Minjin, who also took a seat. She placed her iced Americano on the table and observed Minjin closely.
As she studied her face, Han Aera noted that Minjin appeared younger than her actual age. She noticed Minjin's loose, blue-dyed hair, adorned with a sunflower hair clip, and the floral tattoo on her forearm.
Minjin noticed that Han Aera seemed to be staring at her. "Do you need something from me, seonsaengnim?" she suddenly asked.
Han Aera forced a smile. "I heard you are Minjun-oppa's high school friend."
Minjin smiled awkwardly. "Yes, I was."
Han Aera's expression suddenly changed as she frowned. "You were? Why are you speaking in the past tense?"
"Sorry, but may I ask your name?" Minjin inquired politely.
"I'm so sorry; I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Han Aera." She reached out her hand and stood up from her seat.
Minjin stood as well to shake her hand. "I'm Park Minjin. Nice to meet you, seonsaengnim."
Han Aera's eyes widened upon hearing her name. "Sorry, what did you say your name is?"
"Park Minjin."
Han Aera's mouth fell open, and shock was evident in her eyes. "Are you… the physicist Park Minjin?"
Minjin awkwardly smiled and slightly bowed her head. "Yes."
"W-when did you return to Korea, gyusonim?" Han Aera suddenly asked.
"Months ago?" Minjin simply said.
"Please take a seat, Gyusonim," Han Aera said, gesturing for them to sit.
Han Aera looked at Minjin again, but this time with amazement. "Gyusonim… I didn't expect you to look so young and pretty in person."
Minjin awkwardly smiled and slightly bowed. "Gahamsamnida, Seonsaengnim."
Han Aera hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "That's how you know Minjun-oppa. You are Park Minjin."
Minjin looked slightly confused. "Do you happen to know me from before?"
"Ne, Gyusonim. You were his first love," Han Aera said almost in a whisper.
Minjin smiled slightly in disbelief. "Did he tell that to everyone?"
"Aniyo, I'm the only one who knew it was you."
Minjin blinked in curiosity. "Sorry, but are you also his ex?"
The question made Han Aera swallow hard. "No, I don't. But we were once friends with benefits."
Minjin's eyes widened in surprise, and she let out a small huff. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that."
Han Aera shook her head. "It's fine. I think you need to know."
Minjin's eyes widened again, but she tried to mask her disbelief with a calm tone. "Seonsaengnim, there are things I shouldn't know. I wasn't physically present for Minjun for 15 years. What happened between you two was private."
Han Aera felt a twinge of irritation. "Gyusonim, you may not have been with Minjun-oppa, but he always thought of you as if you had never left."
Minjin attempted a gentle smile. "Seongsaengnim, are you feeling threatened now that I am back?"
Han Aera's eyes widened at the sudden question. She struggled to find the right words but couldn't deny the truth. Straightening her back, she attempted to act composed.
"When you left him, I was there for him. I did everything I could and gave him my all while you pursued your dreams, gyusonim," she said.
Minjin smiled gently and nodded. "Yes, I understand because I did the same for him. But… seonsaengnim, Minjun-ah allowed me to leave despite his disapproval because he knew deep down that I would do better."
Han Aera's eyes widened once more as her mind went blank while she stared at Minjin's calm smile.
Minjin continued, maintaining her serene expression. "You don't need to feel threatened by my presence around Minjun. Since you know what happened between us, you also understand that he despises me. He wouldn't want me back, seonsaengnim."
Han Aera swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composure. "But... [please don't get too close to Minjun-oppa like you did earlier."
Minjin couldn't help but chuckle, and Han Aera found it amusing to see her reaction. Minjin then nodded with a smile. "He is my older brother's doctor, and we share the same circle of friends, seonsaengnim. I thought you should know that too."
Han Aera suddenly frowned at Minjin's statement. She was about to respond when Minjin's phone vibrated on the table.
"Excuse me, seonsaengnim," Minjin politely said as she excused herself.
"Hello?" Minjin answered in English. "Unnie? Bo? Why are you all there? Alright, I'll be there soon. Bye."
Minjin turned to Han Aera and bowed her head. "Seonsaengnim, I need to excuse myself. My friends are waiting for me." She then stood up from her seat, prompting Han Aera to stand as well. "Of course, gyusonim, you may go ahead."
"Seonsaengnim, I think I should let you know before I leave. Minjun-ah pursues the things he wants. You shouldn't have come to me if he isn't pursuing you. It's all on him, not on me."
Minjin then politely bowed her head. Han Aera was about to speak, but Minjin turned and walked away.
Han Aera followed her with her gaze until Minjin stepped out the door. Clenching her fist, Han Aera reflected on how, aside from being Kang Minjun's first love, Park Minjin also exuded a formidable presence that she sensed, despite maintaining a calm smile during their interaction.
Han Aera thought of Park Minjin as a tall, solid brick wall that would be difficult to break down.