"You look like such a baby when you eat," she teased, her voice sugary sweet. "Do you like it?"
Minsu only nodded, stuffing another bite into his mouth. I rolled my eyes.
"I told you, I'm eating with friends. Why'd you order so much? You're just wasting money," I grumbled.
"You should've said something earlier," Minsu retorted without looking up. "Now sit and eat first before it gets cold."
"I already brushed my teeth!" I huffed, slipping into my sneakers properly.
That got his attention.
He finally looked up, chopsticks hovering mid-air. "Who are you going with?"
I hesitated for half a second before answering casually, "Just… some friends."
His girlfriend tilted her head, smiling playfully. "Ah, friends… or a boyfriend?"
I nearly choked on my own spit. "What? No! Just friends!"
The air suddenly grew heavier. Minsu set his chopsticks down, his face darkening like a storm cloud. "You don't need a boyfriend. Focus on your studies." His voice dropped a tone lower, carrying that unshakable authority only an older brother could have.
"Yah, oppa…" I muttered under my breath, cheeks trembling from annoyance.
Still, I slipped past the door quickly before he could lecture me further, the sound of his girlfriend trying to lighten the mood fading as I shut the door
Cannoa Fresh Fruit Café buzzed with weekend chatter when Hyorim stomped in, cheeks still warm from flare of anger.
Irina looked up and saw Hyorim approaching."Hey, why are you always so late?" she called out.Park Dong snorted beside her. "Yeah, hurry up, dumbass."
Hyorim's glare could have cut glass. "Wanna die?" she snapped, voice low and sharp.
Without missing a beat, Irina and Park Dong answered together, laughing: "Nope."
Hyorim scanned the crowded table, lips pursed as she wondered where to sit. Her gaze landed on the vacant space beside Yang Jinsu.
Without hesitation, she sat down.
The effect was instant Jinsu's face turned red, and he nearly dropped his spoon.
Hyorim glanced at Park Dong's seat a flat wooden plank hanging from ropes on both sides."Why are you sitting like that? Looks uncomfortable."
Park Dong shrugged. "There weren't any seats left earlier." He pointed toward Yang Jinsu's table. "Hey, look, there's a spot next to Yangjin. Go sit there."
Hyorim sat down anyway, crossing her arms and legs with a sigh. "Ugh… what did you guys order?"
Yang Jinsu looked at her. "Just strawberry bingsu."
Hyorim, pretending not to notice, eyed the table. "...Just strawberry bingsu?" she muttered. Then she held out her hand. "Give me a spoon."
Jinsu shot up like he'd been electrocuted. "We dont have an extra. wait a sec I'll get it for you!"
She blinked at him. "I can get it myself."
"No, no just stay put," Jinsu insisted, puffing his chest in what he thought was an attractive, manly way. "Did you even eat before coming here?"
"No," Hyorim admitted flatly.
Jinsu leaned closer, lowering his voice in what he thought was suave. "Then just wait. I'll get you a ton of bread refills."
He strode to the counter, stopping midway to pose like some model, flashing a grin at the server. "Hey, my friend is hungry. Can I get a whole bread, please?"
From the table, Hyorim watched with an utterly bewildered expression. "...What is he even doing?"
Park Dong also seeing this clutched his stomach. 'Ugh, I'm going to puke.'
Meanwhile, Irina was hunched over a sheet of paper, scribbling. Hyorim tilted her head. "What's that?"
"A letter. For my oppa," Irina replied proudly.
That set Park Dong off. "Again, with your dumb letters? You think he even reads those?"
"What do you know?" Irina snapped back, waving her pen like a weapon. "Get lost. What, you like me or something?"
Park Dong leaned back with a smirk. "Keep running your mouth like that, one day you'll just disappear without a trace, Irina."
The two launched into their usual bickering.
At that moment, Jinsu returned triumphantly, balancing a plate stacked high with bread. He placed it right in front of Hyorim. "Here. Eat all you want."
Hyorim gave a small smile. "Thanks."
Park Dong rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn't get stuck. "Seriously, you look like a clown."
Hyorim seeing the letters, nibbling the bread. 'I'm jealous. I wish I had a boyfriend too,' Hyorim froze.
Her mind wandered without permission flashing to a certain someone's face.
Her cheeks turned pink immediately, and she ducked her head, muttering, "...Idiot."
Hyorim absentmindedly tore a piece of bread, still chewing when she glanced around the table. Something felt… off.
"Wait," she said suddenly, frowning. "Where's Seojin? He's not coming?"
Everyone paused for a moment. Park Dong shrugged first. "Don't know. He didn't say anything."
"Oh… is that so," Hyorim murmured, her voice softer than usual.
She tried to sound casual, but the slight downturn of her lips betrayed her.
Her gaze lingered on the door of the café for a beat too long, as if expecting him to walk in any second.
Jinsu noticed and tilted his head curiously, but didn't comment.
Meanwhile, Irina smirked. "What, disappointed?"
Hyorim's eyes widened and she quickly glared at her. "Wanna die?"
But even as the table's noise picked up again, Hyorim stayed quieter than before her strawberry spoon slowly melting while her thoughts were elsewhere.
Yang Jinsu glanced over at Daegyu, who was slumped beside Park Dong."I'm still hungover. You okay, Daegyu?"
Daegyu groaned. "Not really… maybe because I passed out halfway through."
Irina looked at them, eyebrows raised. "Did you guys drink that much yesterday?"
Yang Jinsu let out a half-laugh. "Yeah, we drank a ton. Never that much before. I think I had like… three and a half bottles all by myself."
Irina's eyes widened. "Holy shit, that much?!"
Yang Jinsu threw his hands up. "These bastards puked all over my bathroom, and I had to clean it up alone. Good thing I was still sober, right?"
Jinkyung leaned in. "Did Seojin come with you guys too?"
Daegyu shook his head. "Nah. We invited him, but he refused. Tried to drag him out a bit, but we stopped when it looked like he was about to deck us."
Yang Jinsu scratched the back of his head. "Heh… guy's in high school and still doesn't drink. What's he pretending for, huh?"
He glanced at Hyorim, thinking smugly, Look at me mature, responsible, can drink and still take care of others. That's real adulthood right there.
But Seolhyo didn't even look up from her flip phone as she spoke flatly,"Why are you badmouthing Seojin? He's way better than you. He doesn't drink or smoke, but you do all that crappy stuff."
She flipped her phone shut and continued, "I see people acting tough when they're drunk at home all the time. Don't wanna see that outside too."
Yang Jinsu froze, scratching his cheek awkwardly as a faint blush crept up his face. "Ah… is that so?"
Hyorim blinked at him, watching his flustered reaction. …What the hell kind of reaction is that?
Irina's phone suddenly lit up on the table. She glanced at the screen, and in an instant, her cheeks flushed pink. She picked up quickly, voice sweet and flustered.
"Hello? …Y-yeah, oppa. Mm… babe? Honey? Mhm, got it."
The rest of the table froze. Park Dong nearly choked on his drink, Hyorim squinted in disbelief, and Yang Jinsu's spoon clattered against the bowl.
Irina hung up, her face still glowing. She pushed back her chair with a grin. "Alright guys, my boyfriend's here. Let's go!"
Hyorim stood too, adjusting her skirt. "Wow, he got here quick."
"Wait, where are you even going?" Jinsu asked, half-panic in his voice.
Before Irina could answer, Jinkyung clapped her hands with a bright smile. "Rina's boyfriend's treating us to dinner!"
"Just the three of us," Irina added smugly, holding up three fingers. "You guys aren't invited!"
She leaned closer with a playful wink. "We're going out~ You two can just go to a PC café or something."
Park Dong slammed his palm on the table. "What the f**k?! If he's buying food, he could've treated us too!"
Irina just laughed, linking arms with Hyorim and Jinkyung. "Sorry, boys~ better luck next time!"
The three girls swept out dramatically, leaving Park Dong fuming and Jinsu muttering to himself about fairness.
Sunday morning, I got a call from the driver telling me to prepare.
"Sir, Madam Han will be arriving at Incheon this afternoon. You'll need to meet her at the airport."
My chest tightened. It had been a while since I'd actually seen her in person. For a second, I found myself… nervous. Han Soyeon. My mother… or rather, the mother of this body.
By the time the limousine rolled up to the airport, my palms felt a little clammy. The driver guided me through the bustling terminal, bowing slightly as we waited near the VIP arrival section. My eyes kept darting toward the sliding glass doors, heart thudding harder than I expected.
And then she appeared.
Han Soyeon stepped out with her usual grace, a tailored cream-colored coat draped effortlessly over her shoulders, golden hairpins catching the airport lights. Even after a long flight, she looked like she had just stepped off a runway. But her eyes warm, tired, and searching landed on me instantly.
"Seojin!"
Before I could even move, she rushed forward. Her arms wrapped tightly around me, pulling me into a hug filled with warmth and perfume. The faint scent of roses and expensive cologne overwhelmed me as her voice trembled against my shoulder.
"I missed you so much, darling. You've grown again… why does it feel like I'm always gone when you change the most?"
For a second, I froze, unsure how to react. But slowly, almost awkwardly, I lifted my arms and hugged her back. Her embrace was soft yet desperate, as if she was trying to make up for all the months of absence in one moment.
"…Welcome back, Mom," I murmured, my voice quieter than I intended.
She pulled back slightly, cupping my face with both hands as if to memorize me again. Her smile wavered between joy and guilt. "Let's go have dinner first before going home. I also brought you something from Milan you'll love it."
And just like that, she slipped her arm around mine, guiding me toward the waiting car as though she couldn't bear to let go.