Raincheck

Mina had never been more overdressed for instant noodles in her life.

She stood in front of her mirror, fiddling with her earrings for the third time. The dress was cute. Not too cute. The eyeliner was even. The panic? High.

This was different.

This wasn't a family event. Or a pretend engagement. Or an accidental kiss behind a buffet table.

This was… a real date.

A date she wanted.

A knock at the door.

She opened it to find Minseo holding a paper bag, wearing a slightly wrinkled button-down and sneakers. His hair was still damp from the shower.

"You look amazing," he said before she even said hello.

"I look like I'm trying too hard."

"I love it."

Mina blinked. "You're just saying that because you're not getting paid anymore."

He grinned. "Nope. Now I compliment you for free."

She rolled her eyes but let him in.

---

Dinner was ramyeon.

Not fancy fusion ramyeon. Not from a trendy restaurant.

Just instant noodles, cooked in her kitchen, eaten on her tiny floor table, with mandu on the side and banana milk from the fridge.

They sat cross-legged, knees bumping, slurping quietly until Mina finally muttered:

"This is weird, right?"

Minseo looked up. "What is?"

"This. You. Here. Us. Being normal."

He tilted his head. "You think this is normal?"

She smirked. "Okay, no. We faked an entire relationship to trick my extended family and then accidentally caught feelings and now you've quit your job and I'm feeding you three-minute noodles."

"I'd say that's a pretty traditional modern love story."

Mina snorted.

Then, quieter: "You really quit?"

"Yup."

"No backup plan?"

"Nope."

"Not even… a rice cake truck?"

He smiled. "Not yet."

Silence.

Then she said, "Why?"

He didn't hesitate. "Because I didn't want to love you halfway."

Her breath caught.

And suddenly, all the ridiculous moments—the meet-cute, the fake backstories, the matching rings, the fake kisses—faded behind something still and quiet and true.

"You're not good at chill relationships, are you?" she asked.

"Not even a little," he admitted.

She reached across the table and took his hand.

"No more scripts," she said.

"No more pretending."

"No more surprise family events. Please."

Minseo laughed. "Deal."

---

Later, they lay on the couch in a tangle of limbs and blankets, watching some cheesy drama neither of them paid attention to.

Mina's head rested on his chest.

"Hey," Minseo whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Want to do this again tomorrow?"

"This exact moment?"

"This exact everything."

Mina smiled into his shirt.

"Yeah," she said. "Raincheck accepted."