Minji hesitated for a moment, the smile faltering slightly as he glanced at my outstretched hand. He handed me a small bag with a box and envelope in it, "this is for Hyeon." He said.
"So where's mine?" I asked, "It's not something you can just hand over," he said, pulling out two small envelopes from his bag.
"I thought it'd be more personal."
I raised an eyebrow. "Personal? You're giving me a letter?"
He laughed softly, shaking his head. "Not exactly. Inside are tickets—to this weekend's music festival. I thought it'd be fun for the two of us to go together."
I stared at him, my mind spinning. A music festival? That was the last thing I'd expected.
Minji must've noticed my surprise because he quickly added, "I know it's a bit random, but I thought it'd be a nice break. You've been stressed lately, and I figured we could both use a little fun."
I glanced down at the envelope in my hand, feeling a mix of emotions. On one hand, the idea of spending the weekend at a festival with Minji sounded… well, it sounded like a nightmare. Crowds, noise, and—most of all—being stuck with him for hours. But on the other hand, there was a tiny part of me that couldn't shake the curiosity.
"Why are you asking me?" I finally asked, looking up at him. "You could've invited anyone."
Minji's smile softened, and for a moment, his usual playful demeanor faded. "Because I wanted to spend time with you, Jihoon. Just us. Away from everything else. I thought it might be… different."
There was something in his tone, something sincere, that caught me off guard. I wasn't used to people wanting to spend time with me, especially not one-on-one. And especially not someone like Minji, who should've been running the other way after everything I'd put him through.
"I don't know, Minji," I said, my voice uncertain. "I'm not exactly the music festival type."
He chuckled, leaning back against the counter. "I know. But maybe that's why it could be fun. No expectations, no pressure. Just music and… well, us."
I couldn't figure him out. He always seemed so unaffected by my attitude, so persistent in trying to break through whatever walls I had. And now he was inviting me to spend a whole weekend with him like it was no big deal.
"I'll think about it," I muttered, tucking the envelope into my jacket.
Minji's smile widened, as if he'd already won. "That's all I'm asking."
"If that's all then we can leave, I don't think my uncle will appreciate that I'm here without telling him." I said.
"Are we not going to do anything?" He asked scratching his hand, "I'm not in the mood, now let's get out of here. I want to go home." I replied garbing the key and walked towards the door.
"Before you leave, can we at least get something to eat I want to spend more time with you." He admitted.
The constant begging just irritated me, why couldn't just back off for once. I was getting tired hearing his little needy voice, "I told you I'm not in the mood, so please just go your way and I'll go my way." I told him.
Minji's expression faltered, his smile fading slightly. For a moment, he looked like he was about to say something else, but then he just nodded. "Alright," he mumbled, stepping aside as I grabbed my bag.
The tension in the air was thick, and I could feel his disappointment even without looking at him. Part of me wanted to ignore it, to brush him off like I always did. But another part, the one I hated acknowledging, felt a twinge of guilt.
As we walked out of the building, Minji trailed behind me in silence. The usual lighthearted banter that always came so easily between us was gone, replaced by this awkward distance. I told myself it was better this way. He needed to understand that sometimes I just didn't want to deal with anyone—especially him.
We reached my car, I turned to face him. "Look, just... go do your thing, alright? I'll talk to you later."
Minji looked up at me, his eyes a little more guarded than usual. "Yeah... sure," he said quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'll see you around, I guess."
I watched him turn and walk away, that familiar unease creeping into my chest again. As much as I tried to shake it off, it lingered, gnawing at me. I wasn't used to this—feeling bad about pushing someone away. Usually, I was good at making people leave before they could get too close.
But with Minji, it felt different.
As he disappeared down the street, I let out a frustrated sigh. Why did he have to make things so complicated? Why couldn't he just take a hint and stop trying so hard to be a part of my life?
Shaking my head, I started walking in the opposite direction, my mind still spinning. I didn't owe him anything. He wasn't my responsibility. But even as I tried to convince myself of that, I couldn't ignore the small voice in the back of my head whispering that maybe, just maybe, I was pushing away the one person who actually gave a damn about me.
And for once, I wasn't sure if I wanted him to go.
———————
Minji's pov:
As I stood on the sidewalk, waiting for the light to change, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling in my chest. I had been looking forward to seeing Jihoon after two weeks, imagining we'd spend the day together, catching up. But the moment I saw him, it was clear he wasn't in the mood. He barely even looked at me.
What did I do wrong? I wondered. It wasn't like I was expecting much, just... something. A conversation, a chance to reconnect, to remind him I was still here, still trying. But instead, he shut me down before we even had a chance to do anything.
The walk sign flashed, and I crossed the street, my thoughts swirling. Was Jihoon getting tired of me? Bored, maybe? I couldn't help but feel like I was being too much for him. I knew he didn't like it when people pushed, and maybe I'd been pushing too hard lately. But I couldn't help it—I just wanted to be close to him, to break through whatever walls he had put up.
I sighed, kicking a small pebble on the sidewalk as I walked. The tickets for the festival were supposed to be something fun, something that could help us forget all the awkwardness for a bit. Now, I wasn't even sure if he'd show up.
Please just agree to the festival, I thought, clenching the envelope in my pocket. It wasn't just about the music—it was about spending time with him, away from everything else. I wanted to prove that I wasn't just another annoyance in his life. That I actually cared about him, even if he never believed it.
But then again, maybe that was the problem. Maybe Jihoon didn't want anyone to care.
Maybe I was trying too hard to make something happen that was never meant to be.
I stopped walking, staring down at the pavement, feeling defeated. I wasn't sure what more I could do. I wanted to be there for him, to break through all the defenses he built around himself, but I was starting to wonder if I was fighting a losing battle.
What if he never lets me in? The thought made my chest tighten.
I exhaled sharply and glanced around, feeling the city move on around me, as if my worries didn't exist. Maybe I was just overthinking everything. Maybe Jihoon would come around—he always did, in his own time. I just had to be patient, even if it was hard.
TBC