love againㅡ仁俊

22

"is it too tight?" chaeyoung asked as she adjusted the bandage on minji's left knee. minji smiled at her before muttering just a little, making chaeyoung smile before she put a tape on the plaster to keep it in place.

even though chaeyoung was already done dressing up minji's wounds, her head was still hung low, kneeling in front of the other girl. minji, on the other hand, was confused as to why she's still crouching so she decided to ask. "why are-"

"i'm sorry."

"what?"

chaeyoung let out a deep sigh before she continued, "chenle told me... about your family. about why you left the country. he has been trying to tell me that countless of times but i only listened to him the other day. you must have been through a lot... i'm sorry i believed in him more."

"when i dated youngho, i thought he'd change... or he'd finally learn that it was his mistake. i really liked him, he has been by my side since i pushed you all away. but when he knew about you coming back, i realized that he really hates you. and i'm never going to tolerate that so i tried to keep him away from you... i'm really sorry if-"

minji decided to cut off chaeyoung by asking her, "can we be friends... again?" she helped chaeyoung stand up and gave her a samgak kimbap and banana milk, "i mean if it's okay with you-"

"best friends," chaeyoung smiled at her. "let's be best friends again, minji-ah."

they began giggling while eating, just like the old times. minji found out that chaeyoung pursued her dream on becoming a celloist, a dream of hers since she was young. it felt good that there is no one who can stop them from reaching their goals. it seemed like the incident happened between the two of them happened to either break them or make them stronger, and they chose to view it as the latter.

"so your aunt owns this place and you're just doing her a favor? how about the cafe you told me you're working at? are you working there as a part timer or?" minji intently asked chaeyoung which made the girl feel moved. chaeyoung thought that minji didn't change at all. she's still the kind of friend who listens very well and makes you feel like she's interested in everything you say.

chaeyoung shook her head, "we own that cafe, mom invested a lot for it and luckily, it was successful."

"oh my god! really? your mom makes the best cakes, my mouth is watering just thinking about it," minji gulped as she reminisced the taste of mrs. choi's pastries whenever she comes by chaeyoung's place.

"we should really hang out there some time! let's go with chen-"

chaeyoung's enthusiasm was cut off when a customer opened the door harshly and made his way to the canned beers station. chaeyoung nodded at minji as a sign that she'll be back at the cash register.

on the other hand, minji continued to eat her cheese ramyeon as she scrolled through her sns, slightly lonely because she hasn't received any messages from jaemin, chenle, jisung, or even renjun. they must be really busy, she thought as she locked her phone to place it in her bag.

she was about to eat her ramyeon again when she heard a commotion on the counter. "can you please show your id?" minji heard chaeyoung asking the customer sternly so she craned her neck to get a better view.

"i'm going to be 20 next year, can't you just let it slide?" the customer was obviously upset since he thought that the worker wouldn't notice, he even changed his top because he was wearing a uniform earlier. "you're pissing me off-"

"ya."

chaeyoung and the customer immediately turned their heads towards minji's direction whose hands were in her overall dress pockets, walking towards them. the student was obviously checking her out, eyes on her exposed legs, making minji click her tongue, "my eyes are here, kid."

"you shouldn't have worn a skirt if you don't want people to look at you, you know. you look like you're asking for it," the student had the audacity to defend himself from his perverted acts, making minji let out a smirk. a smirk that chaeyoung knows that she's about to beat the shit out of this boy.

minji let out a chuckle, "well, can i punch you? because as you said... you look like you're asking for it."

"what did you say?"

"nothing, but since you're looking at my legs now, see this knee?" minji lifted her right knee a little, showing off her newly dressed wound. "as you can see, i'm wounded," the boy only stared at minji in confusion. yes, she is wounded... so what? the boy thought as he stepped back a little when minji stepped forward.

"but i'm not going to hesitate to knee your balls if you don't get out of here at the count of three."

the boy let out a dry chuckle, "you're threatening me? hey-"

"one," minji stepped forward, close enough to snatch away the beers that the boy was about to buy. she looked at him again and this time, her cold gaze sent shivers to the student's spine, "two."

the customer intentionally bumped his shoulders to minji before he ran away from the two, mumbling something incoherently but the girls don't give a damn on what he's saying. minji only sighed as she put the canned beers in their designated place.

"that's weird, the students actually stopped bullying the workers since two years ago? he must be new to this place," chaeyoung organized the gums near the counter.

"really?"

chaeyoung hummed in agreement, "there's a rumor that those students found a boss that taught them a lesson. then the boss asked them to stop harassing anyone."

after hearing an urban legend like story from chaeyoung, minji received a message that jaemin is on his way home so she bid goodbye to her friend and walked out of the convenience store. the moment she stepped outside of the store, she could feel someone staring at her but she just shrugged it off.

she was walking painfully slow, because her knees still kinda hurt, when she caught someone looking at her in her peripheral vision. as soon as she turned around, fists ready to punch, she saw no one. minji continued walking but this time, she heard footsteps and she was so sure that there isn't only one person after her.

minji decided to run as the footsteps sound became louder. everything was going well until someone pulled her in a narrow, dark alley.