Minjin's melancholy and Minjun's nosiness

The autumn breeze had frozen Minjin's heart to its core. She skipped the self-study session again, wandering along the pavement, her mind too clouded to focus on anything. Meanwhile, Kim Aecha quietly followed her at a distance, observing without saying a word. Minjin eventually stopped at the bus stop, joining other passengers who were waiting. Kim Aecha stood nearby in silence. When the bus arrived, Minjin boarded the vehicle absentmindedly, and Kim Aecha followed her from behind. 

Minjin searched for an empty seat and settled in near the window, while Kim Aecha took the seat next to her. Minjin put on her earphones and let her favorite songs play on her iPod, drowning out the world as she gazed out the window. Kim Aecha remained silent as the bus traveled through the streets of Seoul, passing one city after another while the sunset faded and night began to fall.

Kim Aecha silently watched Minjin, who seemed deep in thought, until her phone vibrated in her pocket. When she pulled it out, she saw a text message from Lee Deji asking where they were. Without letting Minjin know, she replied and informed him that Minjin wasn't in the mood. Later, out of concern, Lee Deji suggested that they meet up.

Kim Aecha removed Minjin's earphones. "Minjin-ah, let's meet Deji-unnie!" she said, pulling her friend off the bus before Minjin could protest. 

Kim Aecha led her to an underground room beneath an old building. When they arrived, she knocked on a hidden door. Inside, Lee Deji, Choi Ye-joon, and an older man were already seated, a table full of side dishes and soju bottles in front of them. 

Kim Aecha pushed Minjin to sit down across from Lee Deji and Choi Ye-joon. 

"What's wrong, Minjin-ah?" Lee Deji asked, munching on a piece of radish.

Minjin frowned at her. "Aren't you minors drinking soju?" 

Lee Deji and Choi Ye-joon exchanged knowing glances and then chuckled. "Minjin-ah, we're already 19 years old," Choi Ye-joon said. 

"What's your name?" The older man suddenly asked. 

"I'm Park Minjin," she replied. 

"And I'm Kim Aecha."

"I'm Choi Ye-joon's older brother, Choi Ho-dong," he introduced himself. 

"Annyeong haseyo," Kim Aecha greeted with a respectful bow, and Minjin mirrored her with a bow of her own.

Lee Deji leaned forward. "You look down, Minjin-ah. What's wrong?" 

Minjin sighed and maintained her frown. "Why are you drinking during examination week?" 

Choi Ye-joon chuckled, "Hyung is heartbroken. His girlfriend just broke up with him." 

Kim Aecha then blurted out, "Minjin is heartbroken too!" 

Minjin turned to her friend and shot her a sharp look. 

"Why? Who broke your heart?" Choi Ye-joon teased.

Minjin sighed deeply, slumping her shoulders, and remained silent.

"If you want to feel better, this will temporarily relieve the pain," Lee Deji said as she poured soju into a small glass and placed it in front of Minjin.

Minjin hesitated, her eyes narrowing. "Do you want us to get expelled?" she asked.

"Come on! No one will see us down here!" Kim Aecha said confidently.

Minjin quickly grabbed Kim Aecha's hand before she could reach for the glass of soju. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you crazy?"

Choi Ho-dong poured another glass for Minjin. "Just try it," he urged.

Minjin glared at him and firmly replied, "No, we are not drinking."

"If I were you, I'd call my parents and tell them you're staying overnight at Aecha's house," Choi Ho-dong suggested with a grin.

Minjin frowned and asked, "Why?"

"Just do it," Lee Deji chimed in. 

"Are you seriously planning to drink all night?" Minjin asked, reaching for her phone but it was too slow—Kim Aecha had already grabbed it to make a call.

"Oppa, this is Kim Aecha. Is it okay if Minjin stays at my place tonight? We're planning to study together. Yes, I want Minjin to help me with math and science. Yes, Oppa. Yes, I understand. You don't have to worry. Thank you, Oppa!" Kim Aecha said with a bright smile before hanging up, leaving Minjin stunned as she returned her phone with a playful smile.

"Now, tell us what happened?" Choi Ye-joon nudged Minjin again.

"So, who broke your heart?" Choi Ho-dong asked before taking a drink from his shot glass.

"I'm not heartbroken. I'm just... sad," Minjin admitted with a sigh.

"Why?" Lee Deji inquired.

"Minjun and I haven't been on good terms these past few weeks," Minjin explained.

Choi Ye-joon's eyes widened for a moment, then he chuckled to himself and took another shot of soju.

"Whoa, I never realized your relationship with Minjun was this complicated," Lee Deji remarked, taking a sip of her drink.

"So, why did you two fight?" Choi Ho-dong asked curiously. 

Minjin hesitated, glancing around them before finally confessing, "I asked him if he ever liked me, and he said I was stupid to believe he ever could." 

Everyone's eyes widened in shock, and a moment of silence followed until Kim Aecha spoke up. "Bo?! That's not your fault at all!" 

Minjin shook her head slowly. "It's partly my fault. I got mad and slapped him." 

They all fell into silence once more, exchanging surprised glances 

Choi Ho-dong chuckled softly. "Ah, young love. I remember those days."

"Then why is Mun Sara so defensive of Minjun if it's his fault?" Kim Aecha asked. 

Minjin looked at them again, observing their curious expressions as they waited for her response. She sighed deeply in exasperation. "She likes him," she revealed.

"Bo?!?" Everyone exclaimed in disbelief, except for Choi Ho-dong, who burst into laughter.

Choi Ye-joon silently smiled to himself while shaking his head in amusement.

Lee Deji also shook her head. "This is more complicated than I thought."

Minjin tried to force a smile. "Me too."

Choi Ho-dong poured another round of drinks, lifting his glass. "Come on, let's drink to this. Minjin-ah, this will pass. It's just a phase. You'll be okay soon. Cheers!"

Kim Aecha was about to pick up a shot glass filled with soju when Minjin grabbed her arm and shot her a warning glare. The others raised their glasses in unison and shouted, "Cheers!" before downing their drinks.

Kim Aecha playfully smiled at Minjin. "Just enjoy the night, Minjin-ah."

"Andwae," Minjin quickly replied, maintaining her frown.

As the night progressed, the adults continued to drink while Minjin and Kim Aecha discussed their academic pressures. The adults also shared their own feelings of tiredness from school. Conversations flowed freely until, one by one, everyone passed out in various positions on the floor, momentarily forgetting the weight of their emotions in a haze of exhaustion.

The next morning, Choi Ho-dong, Lee Deji, and Choi Ye-joon woke up feeling groggy from the previous night. They struggled to sit up, along with Minjin and Kim Aecha. 

"Ya, you all need to get ready for school," Choi Ho-dong said, sounding slightly more awake than the others. 

Lee Deji rubbed her temples and groaned, "My head aches."

"Come on, let's grab something to eat," suggested Choi Ho-dong.

They made their way to a nearby convenience store and each bought ramyeon. As they ate inside, the sound of loud slurping filled the air.

"The spice will help clear your hangover," Choi Ho-dong remarked.

Minjin savored each bite. "I don't think I'll be able to take the exams today, even though I didn't drink," she muttered between mouthfuls.

"Nado," Kim Aecha added.

"Hurry up and eat; we're going to be late," Lee Deji urged, already halfway through her cup of noodles.

As they finished their breakfast, the weight of the morning settled in. With exams approaching, Minjin and Kim Aecha knew they had to push through. The four of them sprinted to school, doing their best to outrun the looming tardy bell. Upon reaching the school gate, they waved goodbye and wished each other luck before splitting up.

Minjin arrived at her classroom just as the bell rang. She barely made it to her desk when Ms. Yun entered the room. Quickly, Minjin settled in and rummaged through her backpack.

Beside her, Minjun caught a strange scent and discreetly sniffed the air. He soon realized it was the smell of alcohol coming from Minjin, which made him frown. When Minjin turned her head, he quickly looked away, trying to conceal the fact that he had noticed.

As the exam began, Minjin struggled to stay awake. She hurried through the questions, answering them as quickly as she could. Once she finished, exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she rested her head on the desk, falling asleep almost instantly. Minjun, curious, watched her for a moment, wondering what she had been doing the night before.

Minjin was jolted awake when the student in front of her pulled the test paper from under her face. Realizing it was lunchtime, she decided to remain at her desk and get some more sleep instead.

When Minjun returned from lunch, he noticed that she was still asleep. He then approached Bang Eun-kyung's desk and asked quietly, "Were you with Minjin-ah last..." night?"

"No, why?" Bang Eun-kyung replied, looking confused. 

"Never mind," Minjun said while his curiosity grew stronger.

Throughout the day, Minjin kept dozing off during each exam. She would wake up at the beginning but inevitably fall asleep again by the end. By the time the last exam ended and self-study class began, Minjin was still sound asleep, her head resting on her desk. Minjun, unable to ignore his concern any longer, leaned over and sniffed the air around her. The faint smell of soju was unmistakable.

At that moment, Mun Sara approached Minjun. "Minjun-ah, can you help me with this problem?" she said.

Without directly answering her question, Minjun asked, "Sara-ah, were you with Minjin-ah last night?"

"No, I wasn't. Why do you ask?" Mun Sara responded.

"Do you know who she was with?" Minjun pressed further.

"I have no idea. What's going on, Minjun?" Mun Sara inquired.

"Nothing," he muttered while glancing back at the still-sleeping Minjin.

###

In section seven, where Kim Aecha and Heo Yeong-hwan were classmates, he approached her desk with his backpack slung over his shoulder. Kim Aecha was busy putting her pencil case into her backpack. 

"Aecha-ah, can I ask you something?" Heo Yeong-hwan inquired.

Kim Aecha zipped her backpack closed and turned to face him. "About what?" 

"Minjin-ah has been acting strangely lately. Is there something bothering her?" He asked.

Kim Aecha sighed deeply as she slung her backpack behind her and stood up from her seat. She leaned in closer to him. "You can't tell anyone, okay?" 

Heo Yeong-hwan frowned, confused. "Okay?"

Kim Aecha looked around to make sure no one was listening before she whispered to him, "Mun Sara confronted Minjin-ah yesterday."

Heo Yeong-hwan quickly frowned and reacted loudly, "Bo?!"

"Shh!" Kim Aecha replied, placing her finger on her lips.

"Why did she do that? What did Minjin do to her?" Heo Yeong-hwan asked, trying to lower his voice.

Kim Aecha glanced around before focusing back on him. "Minjin-ah and Kang Minjun haven't been getting along well these past few weeks. Mun Sara is more of a friend to Kang Minjun, isn't she? That's why she has sided with him."

Heo Yeong-hwan's eyes widened at an unexpected revelation. Now, everything made sense—he finally understood why Minjin had been feeling down for quite some time. A pang of pain struck his chest as he realized how much Kang Minjun had affected Minjin's mood lately.

He swallowed hard before bravely asking, despite the pain in his chest, "W-why did they fight?" 

Kim Aecha sighed deeply. "I don't have the right to tell anyone that. Just ask Minjin-ah," she said as she walked toward the back door. 

Heo Yeong-hwan stood still for a moment, his fist clenched tightly at his side.

###

The next day, Minjun continued to quietly observe Minjin, who was sitting next to him. This time, he subtly sniffed the air around her and noticed that she no longer smelled of soju. It was a small relief, but as the examination progressed, Minjin still struggled to stay awake. He saw her nodding off while answering questions, but he chose to focus on his own exam instead.

During the lunch break, Minjun couldn't help but watch Minjin's table. She was sitting with Kim Aecha, Heo Yeong-hwan, Lee Deji, and Choi Ye-joon. His suspicions grew as he observed their interactions, convinced that one of them might have been responsible for inviting Minjin to drink the other night. When they all stood up to leave after finishing their meals, Minjun quietly rose from his seat as well. 

Bang Eun-kyung and Mun Sara exchanged curious glances while observing him from a distance.

Minjun decided to confront Heo Yeong-hwan, who was walking alone down the hallway. 

"Ya, Heo Yeong-hwan!" Minjun called out. 

Heo Yeong-hwan turned around, his annoyance clearly visible on his face. "Ya?" He echoed in disbelief.

Minjun stepped closer. "Have you been teaching Minjin-ah to drink alcohol?" 

Heo Yeong-hwan let out a sarcastic laugh. "Do you think I'm insane? Why would I endanger Minjin-ah? I'm not like you," he retorted coldly.

His expression hardened as he continued, "Don't you dare come near me again. If Minjin hadn't told me not to hurt you, I would have done it by now." Heo Yeong-hwan turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Minjun standing alone in the hallway.

Minjun didn't realize that a girl with heavy makeup was observing the whole encounter from afar. She felt angry as she watched what transpired and became even more enraged.