𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝟏𝟎𝟏 ⁿᶜᵗ ᵈʳᵉᵃᵐ

✿ ONE ✿

Her lips displayed a small smile of delight when she saw a black car pulling up in front of her; her brother's. But she quickly went back to frowning, rehearsing the nagging speech she had prepared for his tardiness in her mind.

"Min—"

She cut him almost immediately, "Are you kidding me, Yeonjun? You're late by one hour!" She yelled.

"No," He responded, a cheeky grin on his face. "I was late for one hour and fifteen minutes."

She hit his arm playfully. "Start the car, dumbass."

"Don't be upset, at least, I showed up." He added.

CHOI MINRAE rolled her eyes at her brother's childish behavior. "But why do you want to go to the hospital? Are you hurt? Feeling sick? Is it you—?

She sighed. "Yes."

His worried glances made her uncomfortable, especially since he seemed to have understood that she didn't want to talk about it, yet he wanted to know.
Well... how could she possibly break it to him that she was never sick, but she wanted him to get a check-up because she noticed his red cheeks, runny nose, and tired eyes? If she ever told him she made an appointment for him, he would disregard it, lying through his teeth that he was fine.

Minrae wanted her brother to be fine. It was a simple wish that seemed hard to achieve, with her brother's stubbornness. Today was finally the day that she booked an appointment, and it was also the only day he was available. He was always booked, that he showed up was a miracle.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

"Who is it?"
The protectiveness in her brother's tone would've amused her if she didn't recognize her school's number.

Ignoring Yeonjun, Minrae picked up. "Hello?"

"Ms. Choi Minrae? It's Mrs. Jung speaking." The secretary's passive voice took her by surprise although Minrae's tone was as cold as hers. "It seems like you have left the university a while ago. Please, come back to campus."

"What the fuck?" Unintentional, but it came out louder than she thought, loud enough for her brother to hear above the raging sound of the engine and angry honks of the traffic, loud enough to make him chuckle.

"Excuse me, Ms. Choi?"

Did they get the wrong student? Was it even her school calling? Minrae is a college student, and college doesn't care about this. Yes, it affects attendance but Minrae wasn't one that skipped classes often. In fact, this was probably her first time this semester.

"I'm sorry, I have persona—"

"Dean Byun has asked for you in his office."

"What the fuck?"

"Ms. Choi!"

Ridiculous. She thought. Yet, incertitude got a hold of her stomach and tied a knot. Why would Dean Byun ask for her? Was she getting expulsed? Is it because she told Mr. Park the other day to get his internal misogyny level checked after he slut-shamed her on her "suggestive" and "revealing" dress? If it's for that, she's ready to accept it.