Just then, Minji's name flashed across the screen. His call had come through almost immediately after, as if he'd been waiting. I hesitated, staring at his name for a moment, wondering if picking up was the right move.
Maybe hearing his needy voice would ground me, remind me that I had control over something—someone. That thought alone pushed me to answer.
"Hey," I said, keeping my tone neutral.
"Jihoon! You finally answered," Minji's voice was breathless, almost too eager, like he had been on edge waiting for me. "I've been calling, I—I just wanted to check on you."
I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes. His voice was exactly what I expected—so desperate for attention, for approval. It was flattering in a way, how much he seemed to need me, but also tiring.
"I'm fine," I replied, keeping it short.
There was a pause on the other end, and I could almost picture him nervously shifting, searching for the right thing to say next. "I—I know you're not here right now but… I miss you when are you coming back to Korea I want to see you." he said, his voice filled with anticipation.
I scoffed softly, rolling my eyes even though he couldn't see. It was always the same with him—this needy, clinging tone like he couldn't stand a second without my attention. It made me feel powerful, but also annoyed.
"Minji, we've talked about this," I said, my voice cold. "I'm not sure when I'll be back."
He hesitated for a moment. "I just... I hate not seeing you. It feels like something's missing."
"Maybe you should find something else to fill that space," I replied, the sharpness in my tone making it clear I was done with the conversation.
There was a silence on the other end, and I knew he was scrambling for something to say to change my mood, to keep me engaged.
"Jihoon, I—"
"Minji," I interrupted, my patience wearing thin. "Stop. I'll come back when I come back. I'm busy right now."
I could hear the disappointment in his breath, the quiet exhale of defeat. He wouldn't push back. He never did. And in that moment, I realized just how easy it was to pull him in, make him wait, make him want more. But it wasn't satisfying. Not really.
"Okay," he whispered finally. "I'll wait. Just... let me know when you're back."
"Yeah," I muttered. "Bye, Minji."
I hung up without waiting for his response, the silence of the room suddenly feeling heavier than before. Even though I had the control, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. As much as I liked having him wrapped around my finger, it wasn't enough to fill the emptiness that had been growing inside of me.
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After spending our entire birthday week in Canada with family and friends, it was finally time for us to head back to Korea. It was a bittersweet moment, walking through the house one last time, saying goodbye to Quinn, Mike, and the others. We'd spent so much time laughing, sharing stories, and celebrating that it felt strange to leave it all behind.
I hugged Lola and Fefe tightly, trying to ignore the lump forming in my throat. "We'll see you again soon," I promised, even though I wasn't sure when that would actually be.
Lola smiled, her wrinkled hands gripping mine gently. "Don't let too much time pass before your next visit, okay? You're growing up too fast, Jihoon. I want to see you while I still can."
I nodded, not trusting my voice. Beside me, BaekHyeon was already hugging Fefe, trying to play it cool, but I could tell he was feeling the weight of the moment too. Leaving them was always the hardest part.
As we packed our bags into the car and got ready for the drive to the airport, Quinn ran out onto the porch, waving frantically. "Don't forget to text me when you land!" she called out. "And send pictures! I want to know everything!"
"Don't worry, we will!" BaekHyeon yelled back, grinning.
The car ride was quiet, the mood a little more solemn than usual. I stared out the window, watching the familiar streets fade into the distance, knowing that the next chapter was waiting for us back in Korea. Even though I was looking forward to going back, a part of me wasn't ready to leave this chapter behind.
"Ready for reality?" BaekHyeon asked, breaking the silence, his tone light but carrying the same bittersweet feeling I had.
I sighed, leaning my head back against the seat. "I wish."
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Once we landed and got home, I went straight to bed. I couldn't stand another minute of pretending to be excited when all I wanted was to be alone. The exhaustion from the trip, the lingering thoughts of everything that had happened, and the uncertainty of what was coming next weighed heavily on me.
As soon as my head hit the pillow, I felt the familiar comfort of my own bed, but my mind was still racing. Thoughts of Minji, TaeHyun, and the party swirled together, creating a confusing mess that I couldn't untangle.
I turned over, pulling the blankets tighter around me, hoping sleep would come quickly. But as tired as I was, it seemed like my brain wasn't ready to let me rest.
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Later the next morning when I woke up, I found Hyeon in the kitchen eating breakfast. Mom and dad were nowhere to be seen, I guess after a whole week off work they will have so much paperwork to do.
"You look beat up." He pointed out, "I am, I just want to sleep the whole week. But I'm not because I have business to handle." I said.
"Why do you always put yourself in situations that stress you out?" He questioned, i shrugged my shoulders. He did have a point, why did I envole myself with Minji?
"Life is boring, I want some entertainment." I responded, he smiled and shook his head. "I feel so bad for poor Minji,"
"It's not my problem, he wanted this."
Hyeon raised an eyebrow, chewing thoughtfully before responding. "He wanted it? Are you sure? I mean, from what I've heard, he's been pretty miserable since you came into the picture."
I rolled my eyes and leaned against the counter, crossing my arms. "It's not like I'm out here ruining his life on purpose. Besides, it's not my fault he's so... sensitive."
"Sensitive, or maybe just trying to help you while you're on your last chaotic spree?" Hyeon countered with a smirk. "You're not exactly easy to ignore."
I scoffed, shaking my head. "Help me? Yeah, right. Minji's only been a pain since day one."
Hyeon's smirk didn't waver. "Then why are you keeping him around, knowing you he would've been out of your life in a snap of a finger."
"I can't just throw him away, I'm still having a little fun with him."
Hyeon raised an eyebrow, folding his arms. "Fun, huh? You sure that's all it is? Because from where I'm standing, it seems like there's something more going on here."
I glared at him, trying to brush off the rising unease in my chest. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Come on, Jihoon," he said, leaning forward with that same annoying smirk. "If Minji was just some random guy you were 'having fun' with, you'd have gotten bored by now. But you haven't. And you keep finding reasons to talk about him."
I opened my mouth to protest, but nothing came out. Why didn't I just drop Minji? Why was I keeping him around when, normally, anyone else who got on my nerves would've been cut off by now?
"I don't know," I finally muttered, more to myself than to Hyeon. "Maybe... maybe he's just different. There's something about him that's not like the others."
Hyeon grinned, clearly pleased that he'd gotten me to admit something. "Exactly. You can't figure him out, and it's driving you nuts."
I stayed quiet, swirling the water in my glass. Hyeon was right. Minji didn't react the way I expected him to. He didn't fight back or completely disappear—he just stayed there, taking everything in this weird calm way that made me feel like I was the one losing control.
"Look, I don't know what you're hoping to get out of this," Hyeon continued, "but if you're not careful, you might end up hurting someone who doesn't deserve it."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You think I'm just gonna break his heart or something?"
Hyeon shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe you're gonna end up in a mess you didn't see coming. Just... don't fool yourself into thinking this is all fun and games. It never is."
I scoffed, pushing past him to put my glass in the sink. "You sound like you've got this all figured out."
"I don't," Hyeon replied, grabbing his bag and heading for the door. "But I know one thing—you're not as detached as you pretend to be. Think about that."
He left, the door closing softly behind him, leaving me alone in the quiet kitchen.
I hated how much his words echoed in my
I stood there, staring at the closed door, Hyeon's words bouncing around in my mind. Not as detached as you pretend to be. What did he know? I wasn't getting attached to Minji. He was just... different. A little challenge, maybe. Something to keep me on my toes.
But as much as I tried to convince myself, something nagged at me. I didn't usually keep people around for this long if they annoyed me. So why was Minji still in the picture?
I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair in frustration. I couldn't keep thinking about him like this. It was getting in the way of everything else.
But as I looked over at the clock and it hit me, in a few minutes I was going to meet him.
My heart skipped a beat as I realized the time. I had agreed to meet Minji—why had I even done that? It wasn't like me to go out of my way for anyone, especially not someone who had been such a thorn in my side.
I stood there for a moment, debating whether I should just bail. I could come up with some excuse later, or maybe just ghost him. That would be the easiest route.
But something stopped me.
Part of me was curious, I guess. Why was Minji still pushing to talk, to figure things out? Most people would've backed off by now. And why couldn't I just let this go?
With a sigh, I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door. As much as I hated to admit it, I wasn't the type to run away from a confrontation.
As I got to the condo I Minji was already standing there waiting like a puppy, he had a bag in his hand and his legs were slightly shaking.
"Did you miss my that much?" I asked as I walked up to him.
He turned to me with that stupid smile he always wears whenever I come around, "you're here." He smiled.
"I told you noon, why are you here now?" I said.
"I wanted to see you, I also got a late birthday gift for you and Hyeon." He replied.
I opened the door and entered the condo, "our birthday was last week, why give us a present now?" I remarked.
"You know you weren't here last week, so I just waited until you got back." He added following behind me.
"Well thank you, I'll make sure Hyeon gets his gift." I said extending my hand to him.
TBC