A few minutes later, Seolhyun reached for her phone on impulse and dialed Mina’s number.

“Hello? Seolhyun!  How’d the appointment go?”

“Do you like noodles?" Seolhyun asked rather than answering.

“Is that some kind of euphuism?” Her friend had a smile in her voice.

“The black bean kind. Come join us.”

“Us?”

“Yuna stopped by. I’m heating up my leftovers from when I ordered takeout 2 nights ago. If you have real food, bring it with you.”

“Yuna’s there? Your sister?”

“No my childhood fiancée whom I'm getting married to tomorrow. Of course, my sister! Are you coming or not?”

“I’m on my way, and I’ve got fried chicken," Mina said, “but when I get there, I want details about the meeting with Dr. Shin.”

Yuna grabbed an napkin and wiped gently, thanking the gods silently that she was being fed leftovers instead of Seolhyun's attempts at cooking. "How’s Mina these days?”

“You know Mina. She’s always in a good mood.”

Her sister murmured. “Well…it’ll be nice to see her again.”

Seolhyun nodded absently as she began to microwave the noodles. By the time Mina arrived, Seolhyun had the black been noodles heated and was switched to microwaving leftover pizza.

Yuna was setting the table. Mina brightened the moment she walked into the room. “Yuna, it's great to see you!”

“You, too.” Yuna set the plates down long enough to give her a brief hug. Seolhyun always forgot how tiny her friend was until Mina stood in between the two sisters. While Seolhyun got out a bag of chips and assembled the rest of the food, Mina set the box of fried chicken she brought on the table and Yuna filled their water glasses.

“Sorry I don’t have any other drinks,” Seolhyun said as she carried the noodles and pizza to the table.

“The looks great,” Yuna told her.

“Allow me.” Mina pulled out Yuna's chair. Then she hurried around to the other side of the table to sit across from the girl.

"Yah, but you don't pull out my chair for me? I'm never going to feed you ever again," Seolhyun threatened her tiny friend.

"Seolhyun, you say the nicest things to me. Now I can live past my twenties."

Seolhyun face flushed red as her sister giggled at Mina's response.

“I’m dying to hear how everything went the afternoon,” Mina said, her chopsticks hovering over the noodles. “How was the meeting with…Dr. Shin?” She glanced toward Yuna as if she wasn’t sure she should say any more. “It’s okay.” Seolhyun nodded. “She knows all about it.”

Yuna rolled her eyes. “I think she’s crazy. What happened to you and the matchmaker?”

Mina ignored the question and returned her attention to Seolhyun. “Don’t keep me in suspense. What was your impression when you met her?”

“She’s abrupt and rude, don’t you agree?”

“That’s putting it nicely.” She turned to Yuna. “Dr. Shin rejected me. I didn’t make it past the initial interview.”

“I can’t believe she’d reject you.” Yuna looked genuinely upset on Mina’s behalf. “I don’t understand why either of you would have any interest in someone who seems to like insulting you.”

“Why?” Seolhyun answered. “We’re desperate, that’s why. It’s not easy to meet decent people, you know!”

“Though she isn't one to talk, twenty one is practically still a baby,” Mina added.

“See that picture of Choa and Jimin?" Seolhyun said, pointing to her refrigerator. “She has the perfect life, the perfect family and is about to have the perfect Christmas. I want all that.”

“Me, too,” Mina murmured fervently.

“And so far I haven’t even come close.”

Yuna blinked. “Are you two actually serious?”

“Serious enough to pay thirty thousand bucks to find the right person.”

Yuna’s eyebrows shot up. “How much?”

Seolhyun didn’t feel like repeating it. “You heard me.”

Shaking her head, Yuna muttered something about being in the wrong business.

Mina sighed. “It’s a ridiculous amount of money, I know, but from what I understand, it’s worth every penny—if you’re accepted. Anyway, Seolhyun, tell me about your meeting with Dr. Shin.”

Mentally reviewing the appointment, Seolhyun suffered more than a few doubts. “I don’t think I did so well.”

“But you have a second appointment, right?”

“Maybe.” Seolhyun shrugged. “She said she'd call….”

“Seolhyun, that’s great! Dr. Shin read my application, took one look at me and said she didn’t have anyone who’d suit me.”

That wasn’t precisely what Mina had told her earlier. Hyejeong had apparently said she already held feelings for someone. If that was the case, Seolhyun didn’t have any idea who it might be. She wished she’d questioned her further, but at the time she’d been too interested in hearing about the matchmaker and now didn’t seem appropriate. Especially since Mina was obviously reluctant to talk about her own situation.

The person in question must’ve been someone she’d met years ago, which was what Mina had implied. It certainly wasn’t anyone Seolhyun knew, and they’d worked together for almost two years.

“Tell us what she sai