In the morning, I woke up earlier than Minji, though I wasn't sure how. Not wanting to disturb her delicate sleep, I quietly slipped out from under the warm blanket and made my way to the kitchen. Trying to be as silent as possible, which is usually a challenging task, I put the kettle on. "What should I prepare?" was the only thought occupying my mind at that moment. I wanted to surprise Minji with a delightful breakfast. Settling on pancakes as the right choice, I started searching for a deep bowl and the required ingredients, which thankfully didn't demand much.
I began cooking, and the result pleased me. Hot and visually appealing pancakes adorned the plate, with a bowl of jam beside it, while the coffee waited in the cups. Placing everything on a tray, I made my way to the bedroom, allowing myself to create some noise this time.
As soon as I entered, Minji reached out and said in her sleepy voice, "Where did you go?" Her sleepy voice amused me.
I sat on the edge of the bed, leaving the tray on the nightstand, and replied, "I was hungry," stretching my hands towards her under the blanket.
"I can cook something," Minji responded with a slightly more cheerful tone, shaking off her sleepiness.
"I have a better idea," I said playfully, gesturing towards the tray.
"Oh wow! Someone knows how to cook!" She exclaimed happily, unable to hide her smile, as she sat up.
"Coffee?" I asked, holding out a cup and trying to maintain a serious face.
"Look, if I like it, someone will have to cook quite often in the morning," she teased, taking a cup of coffee.
"For your smile, I would even agree to such sacrifices," I replied with a grin, and we proceeded to have breakfast in bed.
Our morning began beautifully. Delicious breakfast and jokes lifted our spirits. Minji laughed at my cooking skills, or rather, the aftermath of my efforts. Of course, in my haste to please her, I had left all the dishes unwashed, and the stove and table still bore the consequences of my cooking adventure. But her jokes about it were lighthearted and not offensive. Together, we quickly cleaned up her place, which was a common occurrence for her, and then we retreated to the living room to lie on the couch and talk.
"What are your plans for today, puppy?" Minji probed.
"I want to be with you all day!" I declared, not hiding my intentions.
"That sounds great, but I need to work on a project today, so don't be too disappointed, but I'll have to dive into the computer for a while," she replied with a slightly more serious tone.
"Whose project?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"It's for a graduate student," Minji answered, carefully observing my reaction. But then she grinned, apparently noticing my attempt to suppress the childish hints of jealousy.
"I'm not jealous," I grumbled, furrowing my brow.
"I can tell, kid," she replied, her grin still plastered on her face.
I sulked and moved away from her, maintaining my frown. Minji couldn't help but smile and said, unable to hide her amusement, "Trust me, Yoohyeon. You are my first and only student who has become the meaning of life for me," her confident voice transitioning into a soft and gentle one. It felt like she was sharing something with me that she wouldn't reveal to anyone else, because at the university, she was an entirely different person: distant and unforgiving of mistakes.
I couldn't help but smile, and I nestled into her arms, whispering, "Never let me go."
"I promise, I won't," she reassured me.
Unfortunately, our respite on the couch didn't last long as Minji's phone interrupted us. Answering the call, she sat up straight and spoke in a serious voice, which made me quiet.
"Yes, Ryujin, I'm listening," she said, catching my gaze. After a brief conversation, she hung up and sank back onto the couch, asking, "Well, another student, are you convinced it was purely business communication?" with a hint of irony.
"Very funny," I replied, but my discontent was interrupted by a message on my phone. Hmm, interesting. Moreover, it seemed to pique Minji's curiosity as well.
"Now home! Where are you?!"
Yes, it was my mom. Should I respond? No, thank you. I didn't see the point in doing so.
"Parents?" Minji asked, sensing everything from my expression.
"Yes," I replied, confirming her suspicions.
"You're not going to answer?" I detected uneasiness in her voice.
"No, and I won't go back there," I said, tossing the phone aside.
"I won't push you, baby, but I'm ready to talk to your mother," she said with a serious and emotional tone, never taking her eyes off me.
"Let's not talk about parents? Let's go have some tea. I'm hungry," I suggested, getting up from the couch.
"We just had breakfast?" Minji expressed surprise but followed me into the kitchen.
"I'm a student, and students are supposed to be hungry all the time," I said contentedly.
Minji smiled as she went to the stove to put the kettle on, and I wasted no time in walking up to her, hugging her and placing my hands on her stomach. Once she finished with the kettle, she turned to face me and returned the embrace. It felt so nice and warm with her. I could feel her hands resting on my lower back, causing goosebumps to rise, which one might think would diminish since we were almost always together, but apparently, I was insatiable when it came to her.
"I want to go with you to a desert island, so that it's just you and me," I whispered.
"I'm afraid we won't have time to go to a desert island, but we can go somewhere closer," Minji said, gently pushing me so she could look into my eyes.
"Are you serious?" I asked, my voice filled with worry.
"More than serious. You passed your exams, you have a week of vacation, and I can rearrange my schedule. The only thing that could go wrong is the tickets," Minji explained.
"So, are you suggesting we leave tomorrow?" I asked, finding it hard to believe my luck.
"Sometimes it's not so crazy, puppy!" Minji chuckled.
"Where are we going?" I couldn't hide my excitement, and Minji smiled back at me.
"You can choose," she said.
"Well, since a desert island is out of the question, how about a place where we can get lost in each other's company?" I mused aloud.
"Then let's go. I'll show you Seoul from the inside," Minji suggested.
"By the way, I haven't been to Seoul yet," I said, my smile refusing to fade away.
"Then we'll go, but for now, I'm going to read Ryujin's article. You can look for train tickets and make the purchase. Okay?"
After happily kissing Minji, I rushed to the bedroom where I spotted a netbook.
I achieved my goal: I booked two round-trip tickets, ensuring that they were side by side, which was important.
"Minji, check my choice," I ran to her room, trying to distract her.
"You're such a kid," she replied, ignoring me.
"Well, take a look," I pouted.
Minji simply clicked her tongue and turned her attention to the netbook. She said, "We're not the only ones deciding on a trip to Seoul."
"What do I do next? I've never bought tickets online before," I admitted.
"I see, I'm going to Seoul with a child," she grinned, taking the netbook from my hands.
She quickly filled in all the required fields, returned the netbook to me, and said, "Enter your passport details. I've entered mine and provided the payment card information. Check everything again and make the purchase. Can you handle it? Or do you need me to come running and distract you again?"
"I won't come running," I muttered, heading back to the bedroom.
"I'm not a child. I just don't usually buy things online," I thought to myself. I understood that she was busy and had other tasks to attend to before our departure, but it still felt a bit hurtful.
An hour later, during which I immersed myself in the world of the internet, Minji entered the bedroom and stood in the doorway. I could feel her presence, feel her gaze on me, but I pretended not to notice. Minji grinned and left, closing the bedroom door, which undoubtedly disappointed me. However, after about ten minutes, Minji returned. She quietly entered, placed cups of latte on the nightstand beside the bed, and sat down next to me. I continued pretending to be busy, aimlessly scrolling through Instagram news. Minji took the netbook from me, closed it, and set it aside. Then she took my hand in hers, kissed it, and said:
"Yooh, I'm sorry. When I'm focused on my work, I really don't like being distracted. I didn't mean to ruin your excitement."
Her hands were warm. I looked up into her eyes, involuntarily smiling. Minji responded by embracing my waist and asked, "Latte? It seems someone managed to freeze."
"It's cold without you," I replied, taking a cup.
"Well, puppy, shall we start packing?"
For the next couple of hours, we busied ourselves with packing, attempting to bring only the essentials. However, as it usually happens, choosing what's essential and not forgetting anything proved to be incredibly challenging. During this time, I received a message from my mother: "Where are you?" I had no intention of responding. Yes, I know I'm a bad child! But she brought this upon herself. It hurt me, not just physically, but emotionally as well. So, I couldn't easily retreat. Leaving for a few days without a word, maybe that would be for the best. And when we returned, perhaps we could have a conversation in a more civilized manner.
Monday night arrived inconspicuously, aided by a plethora of tasks. In the morning, I hurried over to Siyeon's to clarify the details of my previous message. Meanwhile, Minji was finishing up some work tasks or rescheduling them for a later date. Siyeon and Bora were overjoyed to see me. They were surprised that I was hesitant about confronting my mother, although they supported me in light of her explosive reaction.
"Why doesn't Minji talk to your mother?" Bora asked when our discussion inevitably turned to my challenging situation.
"I'm not sure if that would be the right move," I admitted.
"Why not? Minji is a confident and mature woman. She's the one who can find a way to connect with your mother better than anyone else," Bora explained.
"My mother threatened Minji's career, and I'm afraid of taking risks," I continued, feeling uncertain.
"Yoohyeon, is going to Seoul and practically running away from the problem really the solution?" Siyeon asked.
"We're going to Seoul not to run away from the problem, but to relax and be together," I replied.
"Then why not let your mom know? She usually understands you, and it's unusual for her to react so harshly," Siyeon reasoned.
"Siyeon, you must understand, I was hurt and offended. She never apologized or wrote something normal in all her messages that pestered me, like 'Now home, where are you?' So why should I give in to this situation? Why should I take any steps while ignoring her threats and insults? If she is truly worried, she will call you. I'm not asking you to hide the truth, just tell her that we will be back at the weekend," I replied, trying to speak as calmly as possible.
"So she's right," the blonde supported me.
Time flew by quickly, and the evening train didn't allow me to stay with the girls for long. Gathering up and saying goodbye, I left. On the way, I popped into the store to buy something for the train ride.
When I returned, I found that Minji hadn't moved from her position. She continued to work at her desk, periodically making calls, even though I had been away for about four hours.
Changing into comfortable home clothes, I went to the kitchen, trying not to distract Minji. After glancing at the refrigerator shelves, I decided to cook something simple. Unfortunately, cooking is not my strong point, but I managed to make some rice with meat.
Approaching Minji, I started massaging her shoulders with my fingers, which elicited a grateful hum from her.
"Come on, let's eat. I cooked what I am capable of," I said.
"Just a couple more minutes," she replied, enjoying the sensation of my fingers.
"Do you know that spending so much time in one position, especially on an empty stomach, is harmful?" I asked ironically.
"Do you know that you have incredible fingers?" she retorted, continuing her work.
"Did you just notice that now?" I grinned, unable to hide my good mood.
"And where did my shy puppy go?" She responded, melting under my hands.
"And where did my strict and domineering teacher go?" I answered in her manner.
"Okay, my naughty girl, you're right. Let's go eat," Minji said, turning with a grin on her face. Unwittingly, my cheeks turned red at her words.
In the kitchen, sitting down at the table, Minji commented, "Well, what are you capable of? It smells quite edible."
"Everything is banal and simple. Rice with meat. Here," I replied, placing the plate next to her.
"And you're right, I managed to get hungry and pretty tired," she said, smiling tenderly at me and picking up a fork.
"While we rest in Seoul, by the way, how long will it take to get to the station?" Minji changed the conversation.
"I think it will take about an hour. How is Siyeon?" I asked.
"Everything is as usual with them. They quarrel, reconcile, but they are happy. I am happy for them," I replied, enjoying my dinner.
"What were you talking about with them?"
"Various things. I told them about Seoul, about my parents. They already knew that if my mother looks for me, Siyeon would tell her where her daughter had gone and when she would return," I answered honestly, realizing that this was what worried Minji.
"Even if that's the case, it's okay. Since you're not ready to talk to your parents," Minji replied.
When the time was right, we called a taxi and began to get dressed. Ten minutes later, the car arrived, and we went downstairs and sat in the back seat, specifying our route in advance.
We arrived at the station.
Taking our seats in the third compartment, one on top and the other below, we removed our outerwear and placed unnecessary bags aside. People started filling the carriage, but the two remaining seats and the two side seats opposite us were still unoccupied, even though I remembered that they were reserved. It was a little disheartening and caused some hidden worry, which Minji could sense.
"Is everything all right, Yooh?" she gently stroked my back and asked.
"Yes, I'm just worried," I admitted.
"Everything will be fine. Why are you worried, puppy?"
"I don't know. I wonder who will be next to us?" I asked, realizing that we would only know the answer when someone finally takes the seat.
Minji didn't answer. She just smiled at me, reassuring me that the worry was unwarranted. Then a woman, around forty years old, took a nearby seat and greeted us.
"Hello," she said.
"Good evening," Minji responded, and I mumbled a greeting as well. The woman smiled sweetly at us and began to put her huge suitcase under the seat. Just as she was about to ask something, a guy appeared. And you know what? I almost choked. It was Woodz. How is this possible? Why today, why to Seoul, and why did he choose the seat next to us? I think he was just as shocked as I was, but luckily, Minji didn't hesitate and noticed in time.
"How small the world is," Minji said, expressing a range of emotions in her voice, not only her own.
"Hello, Miss Minji, hello Yoohyeon. Is this fate?" he asked after sitting down.
The woman still hadn't realized the significance of the situation but decided not to ask, realizing that we would explain everything. I sat in silence, dumbfounded. But why? Only Minji answered him.
"Hi Woodz, first Kim Yoohyeon," she looked at me, "now you too," she said, narrowing her eyes in his direction.
"A strange coincidence," Woodz remarked incredulously.
"Keep in mind that pursuing me during the holidays won't help you pass the exam," Minji tried to play it cool with her confident and ironic manner. And I remained silent, watching the scene unfold, unsure of what to do or how to behave.
"Where are you going, Yoohyeon?" Woodz asked, carefully looking at me.
"Um, to Seoul," I said uncertainly.
"Me too. I decided to visit my brother. And what about you?" he asked, looking at both me and Minji.
"I'm going for business," I replied, offering the only response my imagination could come up with in such a situation. It was awkward and unsure, which caught his attention, but that's just who I am. Minji grinned, took out her phone, and started doing something on it.
"Miss Minji, are you also here on business?" the guy asked with an insolent grin. Minji looked up from her phone, meeting his gaze with confidence. She responded in her characteristic manner:
"Woodz, remind me, who are you to me? Do I owe you any explanations? Or should I provide you with a complete list of my affairs in Seoul?"
"I may be a student, like Yoohyeon, but I don't sense any interest coming from her direction. However, I'm not one to believe in coincidences. I have my arrogance and self-confidence," I retorted, emphasizing my lack of interest.
"Just so you know, Woodz, unlike you, she doesn't come to me with questions," Minji added, joining the conversation.
At that moment, the train started moving, causing everyone to jump slightly and look out the window involuntarily. I gradually recovered from my initial shock, while Woodz took the opportunity to make a phone call, giving Minji a chance to continue her activities on her own phone. Shortly after, I received a message. Although I assumed it was from my mother, I decided to double-check. It turned out to be a message from Minji.
"Relax. Everything is fine. Let's just act out a little scene to make it more believable."
"Yoohyeon, are you on the top shelf?" Woodz resumed his attempt at conversation after ending his call.
"Yes, why?" I gathered myself and responded, prompting a grin from Minji.
"So, Woodz, did you want to send me upstairs?" Minji asked in her usual style.
"I would even help you," he insolently replied.
"Fortunately, luck is on my side," Minji replied indifferently.
"Miss Minji, can we switch seats temporarily?" Woodz got up and asked, to which Minji raised an eyebrow and questioned, surprising both me and Woodz.
"What should I agree to?" Minji asked, expressing her skepticism, while I remained equally astonished.
"Well, of course, there's no peace anywhere with us, right? Didn't you mention that recently? And I would like to talk to Yoohyeon," Woodz explained, wearing an irritatingly smug smile. Minji stood up and gave him her seat, taking the one opposite me.
"Yoohyeon, I know you don't have a boyfriend," he stated, more like an affirmation than a question. I sensed Minji tense slightly, but she tried not to show it, pretending to be engrossed in the conversation with the woman who had now joined us.
"No, and what does that have to do with anything?" I responded, trying to sound confident.
"Kai and I were talking about you the other day. He told me that you rejected him when he made a public display of his affections, claiming it would interfere with your 'half-finished' relationship. He insisted that you two were the only ones in a relationship within the group. So, I thought I'd give it a try," Woodz confidently and contentedly explained his motives.
As Woodz spoke, I could feel Minji listening intently, aware of my emotions as well. Woodz's smug expression was so repulsive that it's hard to put into words. Was he really that clueless? But initially, it seemed otherwise to me.
"Don't talk nonsense. We were only friends, if you can even call it that," I restrainedly replied, not wanting to reveal my complete disdain for this guy. Minji smiled sweetly at me, while Woodz began to puff up.
"Oh, really? I give her flowers, take her to movies, and she thinks it's 'funny'! Well, you and..." Woodz started to get indignant, but Minji interrupted him, abruptly standing up, realizing that he was about to cross the line.
"Get back to your seat! You know, if you consider flowers and movies, as you put it, as sufficient effort, then you clearly don't deserve her! It should be a source of shame for you! And if my memory serves me right, Kim Yoohyeon has suffered a lot because of you, so don't go around shouting about your own grievances!" Minji firmly asserted, taking her place once again.
"Why do you even care?!" the guy grunted, his face showing a frown.
"Let's just say I don't want one hysterical young man drawing too much attention to our compartment. If you want to create scenes, do it somewhere else!" Minji responded, as composed as possible.
The woman who had been observing the situation decided it was time to intervene:
"Oh, girl, their hormones are acting up, that's why they're making a fuss now, isn't it?" she addressed Minji.
"Forgive me, but I would prefer not to witness such scenes from my students, especially when even I can see the absurdity of his words," Minji didn't back down, though it was questionable whether it was worth proving anything to a complete stranger.
"And what is absurd?" Woodz asked, pretending to be offended.
"Don't you know?" Minji smiled, raising an eyebrow in surprise. I sat there in silence, as if the conversation had nothing to do with me.
"Can you enlighten me?" the guy continued stubbornly.
"Should I remind you of the situation in the parking lot? You stood there and smiled while some guys beat her up. And in your interactions with her, as far as I recall, you allowed yourself to behave inappropriately. Those are the situations I personally witnessed," Minji confidently and seriously stated, making it difficult to gauge her emotions. But she made it clear that she was there for me by subtly squeezing my palm.
"And yet, this is none of your business," he replied, lacking any arguments, burying himself in his phone, unwilling to admit defeat. The woman, having seemingly found something to occupy herself, started reading a magazine, indicating that our conversation was over.
I longed to snuggle up to Minji, to feel her warmth and hear her voice, but alas, it was not something we could afford at the moment. Just as I couldn't afford it, neither could she. Alas. Minji gathered her belongings and headed towards the toilet, likely planning to change into a more comfortable and casual outfit, something I wished I could do as well. As soon as Minji left, Woodz sat down and asked:
"Why are you silent? Are you afraid of your boss?" he brazenly and confidently remarked, relishing his perceived victory in the absence of an experienced opponent.
"What do you expect me to say? She accurately echoed my thoughts," I replied, thankfully refraining from mentioning Minji's name. My brain worked fast.
"And where does the strictest and most principled teacher get so involved in your life?" he questioned, sharing his thoughts. He seemed to be onto something, and I felt lost.
"What are you talking about?" I responded uncertainly, failing to hide my unease.
"She has been quite involved in our conversations, intervened in the parking lot when it wasn't necessary. I would have handled everything myself; I just wanted to show you something. Is it really a coincidence that we met on this train?" he closely watched my reaction, probing.
"That sounds like paranoia, to be honest," I replied, feigning surprise. He grunted and walked towards the toilet area.
Meanwhile, Minji returned. The woman continued sitting and reading her magazine, occasionally glancing at us. I looked at her anxiously, to which she responded with a sad smile, sitting down next to me.
"Are you okay, puppy?" she asked softly, gazing intently at me.
"Yes, but I'm tired," I admitted, squeezing her hand under the table.
She tightened her grip on my fingers and said, "Go rest. We'll be in Seoul in the morning, and everything else will follow."
"You know, if I didn't know she was your student, I would have thought you were at least friends," the woman commented, continuing to read.
"Don't I have the right to be friends with my student?" Minji responded, seizing the opportunity in Woodz's absence.
"But the young man is better off not knowing about it, I suppose," our neighbor continued, observing us.
"You understand correctly," Minji confidently and warmly affirmed.
A couple of minutes later, Woodz returned and went back to his seat upstairs, occasionally shooting glances at both me and Minji. He suspects something, but it's nothing more than mere suspicion, which is just fine. The woman continued reading her magazine, and I followed Minji's suggestion, climbing up to sleep. I turned towards the wall, trying to avoid seeing Woodz, and slowly but surely drifted off to sleep, accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of the train.
Hi there!
I hope the story is still making sense, and your interest hasn't waned.
Thanks to those who are still reading and providing feedback.
(I edited the grammatical mistakes)