The café near the economics building was full of second-years trying to look like they had their lives together. Ji-yeon sat by the window, stirring her iced vanilla latte while Minji demolished a chocolate scone like she hadn’t eaten in days.
“So,” Minji said between chews, “you’re really committing to the ribbon thing again, huh?”
Ji-yeon glanced at the pale red ribbon in her hair and gave a small shrug. “It’s cute. And it keeps my bangs out of my face.”
“I’m just glad to see you back to looking like a human and not a background character in a tragic drama.”
Ji-yeon snorted softly. “Thanks.”
They sipped their drinks in companionable silence for a moment, until Minji suddenly noticed the bandage on Ji-yeon’s right palm.
“Wait—what happened to your hand?”
Ji-yeon looked down at the bandage on her palm. “Oh. I tripped in the morning. Bumped into someone near the campus gates.”
“Bumped into—what, like a tackle?”
Ji-yeon hesitated, then sighed. “Hyun-il.”
Minji froze mid-sip. “Sunbae Hyun-il?”
“Is there another one?”
Minji leaned in. “You ran into him and fell?”
“Literally. I was late, half-asleep, and my shoelace was untied. It was a mess.”
Minji looked like she was trying very hard not to laugh. “Did he help you up like a lead in a webtoon?”
“No. I tried to bolt, but he noticed my hand was bleeding and made me sit on a bench like a kindergarten kid.”
Minji blinked. “Wait—he cleaned it?”
Ji-yeon shrugged. “Yeah. He went to the campus store, came back with a mini first-aid kit and patched me up.”
Minji dropped her scone. “You let him bandage your hand? That’s basically skinship.”
Ji-yeon rolled her eyes. “Please never say the word skinship again.”
“But still!”
“It’s not a big deal. It was partially his fault after all”
Minji leaned forward dramatically. “You’re telling me the same guy you couldn’t stand for a week ago cleaned your wound like a nurse in a romance drama and you’re just like, ‘meh’?”
“Yes.” Ji-yeon didn’t miss a beat. “Because I don’t like him.”
Minji narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. “Are you sure?”
Ji-yeon let out a sigh. “I don’t get why everyone thinks helping someone automatically means something romantic. He saw I was hurt and helped. That’s it.”
Minji tilted her head. “I mean, okay. But it’s kind of a shift, no? You used to call him annoying.”
“I still kind of think he is. He’s smug. Always has something smart to say. And he just shows up out of nowhere.”
Minji smirked. “But now you’re on a first-name basis.”
Ji-yeon leaned back in her seat. “He told me to drop the formalities, so I did. That’s all.”
Minji chuckled. “Right, right. Totally normal behavior for two people who definitely don’t have anything going on.”
“There’s nothing going on,” Ji-yeon said firmly, then added, “Seriously.”
Minji looked like she was about to say something else but stopped. She picked up her drink instead. “Alright. I’ll drop it. For now.”
They sat in silence again for a moment.
Ji-yeon stared out the window, watching a club dance performance start up in the courtyard, complete with speakers and confused freshmen.
“He’s just not that bad,” she muttered absently.
Minji turned slowly toward her. “What was that?”
“Nothing.”
Minji grinned. “Caught in 4K.”
♡~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~♡
Please don't forget to vote!!
“You're paying for the food, Minji.”
ESTÁS LEYENDO
No Strings Attached
RomanceWhat if your soulmate wasn't who you dreamed of... and what if someone without a thread could still make your heart race? Ji-yeon has spent her life waiting-following the red string only she can see, believing love is written in fate. But when dest...
