The summer night was hot and humid. It was an ordinary evening for some, but Minjin felt an overwhelming need to drink. She sat in the far corner of a tent, where a few people were eating and others were drinking soju. Her hair was in a messy bun, and she wore a loose white shirt with short denim shorts.
When Lee Deji arrived, she didn't need to scan the area, as Minjin's blue-dyed hair was hard to miss. She walked slowly toward her and noticed Minjin looking depressed as she took a shot of soju.
Lee Deji quietly sat down across from her. "Minjin-ah…" she softly called.
Minjin turned to her with a faint smile. "Unnie…"
"What's wrong?" Lee Deji gently asked.
Minjin poured herself another shot of soju. "I missed drinking soju," she murmured.
"What's wrong, Minjin-ah?" Lee Deji asked again.
Minjin lifted her head, blinking back tears. She sighed deeply before she was able to speak.
"Unnie... I dedicated ten years of my life to studying quantum gravity. It was incredibly challenging, and I think I lost my confidence along the way. People discouraged and mocked me for my IQ; they didn't believe I could do it. But I pushed myself to prove them wrong. I stood on my own because… I left Minjun for physics."
Lee Deji's eyes widened with concern as she watched Minjin take another shot of soju, her hands shaking slightly.
"I met a lot of people who hate me."
Minjin's sobs grew louder as she wiped her tears with trembling hands. "I didn't even get a chance to tell Tae-sung oppa. I didn't know he was sick. I'm scared, unnie. I'm so scared. I tried to be strong before Bon-hwa unnie, but I'm terrified for oppa. Maybe the universe brought me back to Korea for him."
Minjin chuckled faintly and extended her forearm, revealing a floral tattoo. "I got shot, unnie. When they brought me to the hospital, the doctor stitched me up without anesthesia. For the first time in my life, when I was both emotionally broken and physically weak, I thought that the bullet should have killed me instead because I'm so tired of living."
Minjin paused, taking a shaky breath. "I didn't leave Minjun for this, unnie," she said, shaking her head. Now that I'm back in Korea, I feel so helpless. Despite everything I've achieved, I think... I think I'm a failure."
Lee Deji stood up from her seat and wrapped her arms around Minjin, gently patting her back as Minjin's sobs echoed in the night. She couldn't help but let her own tears fall as well.
"It's okay now, Minjin-ah. You still have us. We'll stay with you. We're here for you."
"Unnie... I didn't leave Minjun to come back as a failure," Minjin said, her voice trembling with sobs.
Lee Deji swallowed hard, her own tears streaming down her face. "No, you are not a failure. This is just another phase in your life. It will pass, and we'll be here with you until it fades."
She then bent down, gently holding Minjin's cheeks in her hands and looking her straight in the eyes. "Minjin-ah, you've always been amazing. You've always had that potential. Minjun knew that from the beginning. Recognition is just a bonus. We're all so proud of you. You are not a failure, Minjin-ah."
"I'm so sorry, unnie. I wasn't able to communicate with everyone. After I married my ex-husband, I decided to stop doing things for Minjun because I knew it wouldn't be right anymore. I didn't mean to cut ties with anyone, unnie. I feel guilty because they have been meeting with me and accepting me openly." Minjin paused as she sobbed while Lee Deji wiped her tears.
"I didn't just leave Minjun; I left everyone, especially Oppa," Minjin said, her voice trembling with sobs. "Oppa waited for me to come back to him, unnie. He prepared a room for me at his house and decorated it just like before."
"Now that you're back spend time with Tae-sung-oppa and his family. You also have us, your friends from high school. Even though we've all been busy, I..." Lee Deji cried. "I will make time for you, Minjin-ah."
Lee Deji held Minjin's face gently as she wiped away her tears. "You were the one who started this friendship among all of us. Even though you may have left each of us and Minjun, we found comfort in one another. We celebrated everyone's birthdays and every special occasion together. That's why everyone wants to see you again – because you made a lasting impact on all of us, not just on Minjun."
"When we were in high school, we felt that you truly cared for us and inspired us to reach our potential. You helped Minjun become a doctor and rescued Aecha and Sara from their abusers. You became a dependable friend to Eun-kyung, encouraged me to pursue Ye-joon, and were there for me when we broke up."
Lee Deji finally managed to smile as she wiped away Minjin's tears. "You were perfect, and you still are, Minjin-ah." She then stood up to embrace her, laying Minjin's head against her stomach. "We will stay together again this time."
Minjin wrapped her arms around Lee Deji's waist and continued to cry. "Thank you, unnie. I appreciate it so much..."
###
The next day, Minjin woke up with a severe headache—an aftereffect of last night's emotional release and too much soju. She groaned as she tried to sit up on the edge of her bed. Her hand reached out to the side of her pillow, searching for her phone without looking.
When she found it, she grabbed it to check the time; it was almost 11 AM.
With her eyes barely open, she went to her cabinet to grab a towel and draped it over her shoulder. Then she walked to the kitchen, pausing for a moment to scan the entire ground floor, realizing that no one else was around.
She prepared a warm drink by stirring honey into some hot water and slowly sipped it, taking breaks to savor its warmth.
After finishing her drink, she went to the bathroom to take a shower. Once she finished, she wrapped her hair in a towel. Then, she rummaged through her wardrobe for something to wear. She chose a solid pink sleeveless cropped seamless top, which she paired with a printed short-sleeve shirt and a denim cargo mini skirt. After that, she dried her hair with a blow dryer.
As she gazed at herself in the mirror, she realized she needed something to accessorize her hair. She approached her desk and searched for a hair clip. She smiled when she opened the box where she kept all her hair clips. However, that smile quickly faded when she discovered three identical hair clips decorated with cherry blossoms.
She considered wearing one momentarily but quickly shook her head and opted for a hair clip with a sunflower design instead. After placing the box back in her drawer, she went to the mirror to secure the clip in her hair. Next, she grabbed her round vintage sunglasses and mini black backpack and slung them over her shoulder.
Standing at the doorway, she searched for a pair of shoes to wear. She noticed that all the options were Chuck Taylors in various colors and low-cut styles. She settled on the white pair and felt confident it wouldn't rain that day.
She headed to the convenience store and walked past the ramyeon section. It caught her attention, and she realized it had been years since she last had ramyeon. For a moment, she paused to consider which brand to choose. She frowned as all the packages looked similar, but eventually, she picked the one she recognized.
Unlike in the past, preparing ramyeon has become more convenient, with plenty of additional ingredients available to enhance the dish. Sitting at one of the small tables inside the store, she smiled to herself, enjoying a sense of nostalgia.
When she started eating the spicy ramyeon, the heat of the broth was almost overwhelming at first. However, as she continued, beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and gradually, she felt her hangover start to fade. After finishing the noodles, she hesitated before drinking the soup despite its increasing intensity. She quickly gulped down the bottled water and the hangover remedy she had bought.
As she reclined and gazed out the glass window, she observed the city continuing its rhythm.
###
When Minjin got off the bus and started walking along the side of the road, her phone vibrated in her hand. She glanced at the screen and saw the name Heo Yeong-hwan. Shaking her head and letting out a deep sigh, she chose to ignore the call once again.
She often dozed off during the bus ride, waking up worried that she had missed her destination. As she walked along the road, she closed her eyes momentarily.
###
Minjun was in his clinic when Im Sung-ae and Song Hyein arrived. They waited for him to finish with his last patient before entering his office.
"Minjun-ah, are you done?" Im Sung-ae asked.
Minjun stood up from his desk and said, "Yes, my next patient will arrive at 3 p.m."
"Let's eat together, then, oppa," suggested Song Hyein.
Minjun nodded and approached them. "Sure."
"Let's not eat at the cafeteria today. I'm craving cold noodles since it's summer," said Im Sung-ae.
"Is that okay with you, oppa?" Song Hyein asked Minjun.
As they walked together through the hallways, Minjun nodded. "Yeah, that's fine."
"You haven't been eating well, Minjun-ah. You might get sick if you don't care for yourself," warned Im Sung-ae.
Minjun frowned at him. "I'm going to eat now."
"Oppa, have you not been eating lately?" Song Hyein asked worriedly as she turned to him.
Minjun let out a deep sigh as he looked ahead. "I'm fine. You know I eat very little," he said. Just as they were about to walk toward the exit, Jang Harin and Han Aera approached from the other side. They were in mid-conversation when Jang Harin spotted them.
"Im Sung-ae!" Jang Harin called out.
Im Sung-ae paused and turned to see who was calling him. Minjun and Song Hyein stopped in their tracks as well.
Jang Harin and Han Aera approached the group. Song Hyein's eyes widened when she saw Han Aera while Han Aera tried to maintain her composure.
"Where are you all going?" Jang Harin asked.
Im Sung-ae glanced awkwardly at Minjun before turning to Jang Harin. "We're going to get iced coffee," he replied while Minjun tried avoiding eye contact with them.
"We're heading to the coffee shop too. How about we go together?" Jang Harin suggested.
Im Sung-ae quickly looked at Minjun again and responded, "Sure…"
"How are you, Minjun-oppa?" Han Aera suddenly inquired.
Minjun turned to her and forced a smile. "I'm fine," he said.
Im Sung-ae quickly interrupted, "Let's keep going."
He then grabbed Minjun's arm and pulled him away from them while Song Hyein followed them behind. As they continued walking along the side road, Im Sung-ae leaned toward Minjun and whispered, "Ya, I'm trying to save your dumb-ass."
Minjun simply smirked. "You don't need to do that."
"How are you, Hyein-ah?" Han Aera suddenly asked, even though Song Hyein was walking ahead of them.
Song Hyein turned her upper body slightly to respond. "I'm fine, Aera-ah."
"You always seem to be with Minjun-oppa," Han Aera commented.
"Of course, we're friends," Song Hyein replied awkwardly.
Jang Harin and Han Aera exchanged glances at each other behind Song Hyein.
Minjun and Im Sung-ae were approaching the entrance of the coffee shop when Minjun noticed the vibrant, loose, blue-dyed hair of Minjin in the distance. He was about to pause, but then he saw her walking with her eyes closed. A small smirk appeared on his face as he recalled that he would usually hold her hand and pull her along while she walked with her eyes shut.
Im Sung-ae then saw Minjin approaching them. "Minjin-shi!" he called out.
Minjun turned to him with a frown and nudged his arm.
As Minjin reached the front entrance of the coffee shop, she opened her eyes to see who had called her. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Minjun. She paused to bow her head in greeting.
"Annyeong haseyo, seonsaengnim," Minjin said.
Im Sung-ae and Minjun stopped to greet her as well.
"Are you going to see your brother?" Im Sung-ae asked.
"Ne, seonsaengnim," Minjin replied politely.
"Are you also going to get iced coffee?" Im Sung-ae inquired.
"Ne," Minjin said, nodding politely.
"Then you may go inside first," Im Sung-ae said, gesturing for her to enter the coffee shop.
Minjin awkwardly bowed her head and was about to open the door when Han Aera noticed her from behind and called out, "Aren't you the daehaksaeng from the other time?" She pointed at Minjin.
Minjin tried to stifle a laugh while Jang Harin nudged Han Aera. Im Sung-ae chuckled, and Minjun attempted to suppress his own. With an awkward smile, Minjin realized she was also wearing a white lab coat.
"Annyeong haseyo," she greeted.
Jang Harin then bowed to Minjin and replied, "Annyeong haseyo, Minjin-shi."
Im Sung-ae turned to Han Aera and said, "Aera-ah, Minjin-shi is the same age as me and Minjun-ah."
Han Aera's eyes widened as she looked at Minjin from head to toe, noticing her blue-dyed hair.
"Ah, really?" she exclaimed.
Minjin smiled awkwardly. "I apologize for not correcting you, seongsaengnim. I never meant to hide it."
Han Aera quickly bowed and apologized as well. "I'm so sorry."
"It's fine. At least I'll take that as a compliment." Minjin replied with a smile.
Jang Harin interrupted. "Let's continue inside. You may go in first, Minjin-shi," she said, gesturing for Minjin to enter.
Minjin thanked her with a polite bow.
Im Sung-ae leaned toward Minjun with a grin. "This is going to be fun," he said.
Minjun frowned at him, while Im Sung-ae just smiled and pulled him inside.