After the noraebang party ended, the group was still brimming with energy as they chatted excitedly on their way to the parking lot. Before Lee Deji could open her car door, Minjin hurried over to her.
"Unnie…" Minjin called from behind.
Lee Deji turned to face her. "Yeah, Minjin-ah?"
"We need to talk."
Lee Deji's expression shifted with concern. "Why? What's wrong?"
Before Minjin could respond, Kim Aecha rushed toward them. "Let's go home together, Minjin-ah."
"I'll take Minjin home. Eun-Kyung-ah, take Aecha with you," Lee Deji instructed.
"Why me?" Bang Eun-Kyung protested, pointing at himself.
Lee Deji let out a sigh. "Just do it."
Bang Eun-Kyung approached Kim Aecha with a shrug and took hold of her arm. "Let's go."
"Unnie…" Kim Aecha pouted.
Lee Deji exhaled impatiently. "Just go, Aecha-ah. You'll see Minjin again tomorrow."
"Araso, good night, jagiya," Kim Aecha said, waving at Minjin.
Minjin smiled and waved back. "Good night, Aecha-ah."
With that, Bang Eun-Kyung quietly pulled Kim Aecha away.
Turning back to Minjin, Lee Deji asked, "What's going on, Minjin-ah? Do you want to talk somewhere else?"
Minjin sighed. "Let's just stand over there." She motioned toward the front of Lee Deji's car.
Once they were in place, Minjin took a deep breath, a moment that Lee Deji noticed.
"What's wrong, Minjin-ah?"
Minjin turned to face her. "Unnie, you haven't been honest with me."
Lee Deji frowned. "What do you mean?"
Letting out another sigh, Minjin said, "You didn't mention Han Aera to me."
Lee Deji's eyes widened in shock. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out. After briefly hesitating, she finally admitted, "How did you find out about her?"
Minjin exhaled sharply. "She came to me, unnie."
Lee Deji's expression immediately darkened. "Bo? She did what?"
"She knows who I am."
"Why would she come to you? What did she say?"
Minjin met her gaze. "She doesn't want me around Minjun."
Lee Deji let out an incredulous laugh, her voice rising with anger. "Bo? That btch. She's already married!"
Minjin's eyes widened. "Bo? She's married?!"
Lee Deji scoffed in disbelief. "Unbelievable. That woman… No way." Her expression suddenly shifted as a realization hit her. "Wait—"
Minjin frowned. "What is it, unnie?"
"Don't tell me Minjun is her lover?"
Minjin's expression twisted in shock. "Ya, unnie. Minjun wouldn't do that."
Lee Deji smirked, placing a hand on her hip. "Ya, Minjun is a man. They had a physical relationship, Minjin-ah. She was his rebound."
Minjin barely whispered, "Bo?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if Minjun was involved with her, even though she's married."
Minjin stood frozen, her mind blank. Sensing her reaction, Lee Deji placed her hands on Minjin's shoulders. "Minjin-ah, whatever they're doing now has nothing to do with you. Do you really think Minjun wouldn't act on instinct as a man?"
Minjin finally sighed. "Araso."
Lee Deji dropped her hands. "But… if Minjun really is her lover, he must know something."
Minjin's brows knitted together. "Know what?"
"I confronted Chen Zheyuan at SNU because of what he did to Minjun. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it earlier."
Minjin smirked. "I already know what he did, unnie. I met him in China two years ago."
Lee Deji's eyes widened. "You did? What did he say?"
Minjin's voice carried a sharp edge. "That he and Minjun had a huge fight. Minjun's father found out and had him deported back to China." She smirked. "Serves him right. I knew he would act once Minjun and I were apart. If I had been there, I would've fought alongside Minjun."
Lee Deji rubbed her temples. "Did he say why Minjun fought him?"
Minjin chuckled bitterly. "Unnie, knowing the young Minjun, I already knew why. But when Chen Zheyuan told me, I thought Minjun was reckless. Then I realized… Minjun wasn't just fighting for himself. He was fighting for both of us."
She then paused. "What were you going to tell me?"
Lee Deji sighed. "Chen Zheyuan was allowed to graduate before being deported. But I saw him with Han Aera. My curiosity got the best of me, so I followed them. Minjin-ah… they went to a motel."
Minjin's jaw dropped. "Bo?!"
"I was furious but waited at least thirty minutes before barging in. I told the motel staff that my younger sister was inside with a man. I pleaded with the manager, saying she needed to be saved. The manager called the police, and when we finally entered their room… we caught them, Minjin-ah."
Lee Deji let out a breath. "I lost control. I stormed in and hit them with a pillow. At the precinct, I asked the officers to give us privacy. They confessed that Chen Zheyuan had arranged for Han Aera to meet him."
Minjin let out a humorless chuckle, struggling to process the information. "Did Minjun know?"
Lee Deji shook her head. "No. I never told him."
Minjin scoffed in disbelief. "And yet she had the audacity to tell me to stay away from Minjun after everything she's done?"
Lee Deji stepped closer, gripping Minjin's shoulders again. "Minjin-ah, I kept this from you because I knew you'd react like this. I know how much you still care for Minjun. Remember what you did in high school?"
Minjin took a deep breath, lifting her head. "Araso, unnie. I understand. But please… don't tell Minjun-ah."
Lee Deji let go of her shoulders and nodded. "Araso, if that's what you want."
She sighed. "Ya, Minjin-ah, don't do anything reckless. You have a reputation to protect now, okay?"
Minjin exhaled. "Araso, unnie."
The next day, Minjin went to the hospital and approached the front desk to inquire about Dr. Han Aera's room. The receptionist quickly located her clinic details and provided Minjin with the necessary information. Without hesitation, Minjin made her way to the elevator.
As she stood inside, she breathed through her mouth repeatedly, trying to steady herself. When she reached the designated floor, she walked at a normal pace, scanning the room numbers until she found the right clinic. She knocked gently and opened the door, politely bowing to the secretary.
"May I help you, Agassi?"
"Is Dr. Han available?" Minjin asked.
The secretary briefly glanced around as if expecting to see a child with her. "Ne, are you here with your child?"
Minjin smiled politely. "Aniyo, I just need to speak with her. Is she currently with a patient?"
"No, not at the moment. May I have your name so I can inform her?"
"Park Minjin. Please let her know I'm here."
The secretary nodded politely and went inside to inform Han Aera. "Seonsaengnim, a woman named Park Minjin wishes to speak with you. Should I let her in?"
Upon hearing the name, Han Aera's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, let her in."
The secretary returned and gestured for Minjin to enter. Minjin gave a respectful bow before stepping inside the room.
Han Aera stood up from her desk. "Annyeong haseyo, gyusonim."
Minjin politely returned the greeting. "I hope I'm not disturbing you, seonsaengnim."
"Aniyo, please have a seat." Han Aera gestured to the chair across from her. Once Minjin was seated, Han Aera asked, "What brings you here, gyusonim?"
Minjin hesitated for a moment. "Is it okay to talk here in your clinic, seonsaengnim? I think we should speak elsewhere."
Han Aera glanced at her wristwatch. "My next patient will be here soon, and I'm not allowed to leave the clinic. You can speak freely here, gyusonim."
"But what I need to say may seem unprofessional, seonsaengnim," Minjin pressed.
Han Aera's eyebrows lifted slightly at the statement, but she eventually nodded. "It's fine, gyusonim. I don't have much time anyway."
Minjin sighed and nodded. "Araso, if you say so."
"So, what do you need from me?" Han Aera asked.
Minjin's expression grew serious as she stared directly at her. "You… do you know Chen Zheyuan?"
Han Aera's eyes widened in shock at the mention of the name. Her lips parted slightly, but she couldn't find the words to respond.
Minjin observed her reaction and let out a quiet chuckle of disbelief. "Seonsaengnim, I know you weren't a doctor yet when you got involved with Chen Zheyuan and Minjun."
Han Aera's eyes widened further, this time fueled by anger. "Ya, gyusonim—"
Minjin cut her off sharply. "Ya, seonsaengnim!"
Han Aera flinched at Minjin's tone, taken aback by the intensity in her voice.
"You're already married, yet you still want Minjun. Are you enjoying those two men again?"
"Ya, Park Minjin, who gave you the right to say that to me?" Han Aera snapped.
"Ya, Han Aera!" Minjin suddenly shouted.
Han Aera trembled beneath the weight of Minjin's anger.
Minjin scoffed a smug. "I don't care if you and Minjun were involved physically back in college. I suspect you two are still doing it, even though you're married. But I know Minjun—he will never tolerate cheating."
Han Aera's breath hitched at those words that mirrored Minjun's conviction. Minjin noticed her reaction and smirked. "I'm right, aren't I? Minjun won't do it."
She leaned in slightly, a smirk playing on her lips. "You had the audacity to confront me yesterday when, in truth, you're the one at fault. I understand why Minjun beat him. Minjun and I may have ended things long ago, but… I'm still fiercely protective of him. If I wanted to, I could fly to China right now and teach that idiot a lesson. But I won't… if Minjun ever found out that I went after Chen Zheyuan, it would only set off an endless cycle, Aera-ah."
Han Aera remained frozen, her body trembling. She was still unable to respond.
Minjin observed her closely and smirked. "I could tell Minjun that you were used and manipulated by Chen Zheyuan, but I won't, Aera-ah. Tell me, what do you think will happen to you? Chen Zheyuan was already deported back to China."
She glanced around the clinic before turning back to Han Aera. "You're a doctor now, Aera-ah. You took an ethical oath. Maybe it's time you started living by it."
Minjin stood up. "I won't mention this to Minjun. Just act like yesterday and today never happened. But you should feel threatened by my presence, seonsaengnim, because I can have Minjun-ah back in my grasp if I want to." She bowed slightly before walking out.
As soon as Minjin left the room, Han Aera inhaled sharply, struggling to catch her breath. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she clutched it, trying to steady herself.