“Someone special.” Gahyeon added, trying to imply and put hints for her sister to be aware. She was liking how Handong was playing with her hair in a motion that’s making her feel sleepy. 

 

“Play nice.” Gahyeon muttered softly, so soft that most of the sound got lost. “Sure,” she whispered, knowing well enough she wouldn’t follow whatever the munchkin said and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead. Her movements were swift and careful, making sure Gahyeon’s head was comfortably positioned above the pillows and the blanket covered her. 

 

Gahyeon has been nothing but the best little sister anyone could give her. Now that most of her inheritance has been passed to her, she can care for her. No one can tell her she hasn’t proven anything and cannot be a guardian. This is partly why she’s training her, to introduce her in the field and for her own future, since Gahyeon’s background can be a source of discrimination for other people. It’s not anyone’s fault. Neither Handong’s nor Gahyeon’s. But Handong feels she needs to protect her even more, she can shield her from everything as long as her power allows her to. So while Gahyeon is beside her, she will make her feel loved.

 

-

 

The following day came, this matter has been bothering her more than it should. She needs to put an end to it. She knows just the way.

 

Handong: Hey, Yoohyeon. I’m aware it’s your day off and I’d be a bother but I’m just curious about something. Is it okay to ask a question? Nothing too complicated or work related.

Yoohyeon: Miss Han, of course!

Yoohyeon: Ask away.

Handong: Did you notice anything odd in my breakfast order?

Handong: I got a note last time. It said they deliver now.

Yoohyeon: I can confirm that these past few days, someone had been slipping them inside the bag. 

Yoohyeon: I thought it was best to not bother you with the matter. I’m deeply sorry for not saying anything, Miss Han. 

Handong: Show them to me this Monday. 

 

With how slow everything is happening, Yoohyeon was so close to just giving Minji her boss’ number to see where this leads but Gahyeon said she had another plan. She didn’t want to overstep and she trusts the kid to do this on her own, she’s one of the brightest kids out here. It was her idea to set them up. She wishes her luck though, seeing as all they ever do is fight, according to the couple from the diner.

 

“Yooh! What are you doing here?” 

 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a woman with shoulder length hair, a stethoscope decorating her neck, slender figure and God’s best art work — her hands. The junior doctor greeted Yoohyeon as she sat on the waiting room. “Yubin! I’m here for my yearly check up. Aren’t you off yet?” The taller woman wondered yet gave the person a hug. “I am. Just doing my last rounds before I finally finish today’s shift,” Yubin replied.

 

“Where’s Minji?”

 

“Here!” A woman with red hair raised her hand, already changed into her regular clothes. She joined her friends and chatted a bit. 

 

“Kim Minji? Patient on room 113 is looking for you.” One of the staff said, ending her conversation with her friends. She gave a sweet apologetic smile on her way back to the ward. 

 

This specific patient has only been in there for two weeks. She had a surgery and is on the process of recovery. Minji’s head popped inside the room, flashing a playful grin. 

 

“Good morning, Jeonghwa. How are you feeling?”

 

“Kim Minji. I needed to see your smile one last time!” The woman laughed, gesturing for the nurse to come in.

 

“I’d be discharged today. Just wanted to say goodbye,” the patient sighed then Minji initiated the hug. “Come and visit us! But not as patient, okay?” Minji replied, patting her back. 

 

Jeonghwa has been admitted numerous of times due to her health complications. Surgery here, surgery there. Not that they were tired of seeing her but Minji felt genuine concern towards her patients. She never want to see them as patients ever again because that meant something was wrong. 

 

“Oh! It’s time. Go, meet your crush.” Jeonghwa interrupts their short chat, laughing at how the red haired nurse panicked. They’ve gotten quite close during the patient’s stay. “Get her number this time. Fighting!” 

 

“Fine. I’m going!” Minji just shook her head, laughing with the lass. 

 

-

 

The smell of delicious food being cooked welcomes you as soon as you step in. This is what keeps the customers coming back but not the reason why she’s here today. Her palms had been sweaty for a while now, she had quite a fuzz on the way here. 

 

“Hey, Doc!” Minji nudged the woman who was completely distracted. She saw the woman pacing back and forth before finally coming into the diner and didn’t want to miss the chance to ask why. 

 

“O-oh! Minji!” Yubin was astonished but managed to reply while rubbing her nape. 

 

“Yubin! Here!” Gahyeon waved her hand from a table near the bar. Both healthcare workers’ attention were caught, Minji instantly smiled the cute 19 year old while Yubin said her goodbyes to her friend and rushed towards them. 

 

“Am I late? I’m sorry,” Yubin bowed and sat across Gahyeon. “Unnie, meet Yubin, Yubin, meet my sister Handong.” 

 

The two exchanged greetings but Handong kept a straight face, making Yubin even more nervous. “I’m Gahyeon’s...”

 

“I know. For how long now?”

 

Gahyeon cleared , trying to give Yubin some time to think before answering. “A few months,” Yubin shyly answered. Gahyeon clung onto Handong and pouted. “Don’t be too mean, unnie. I like her a lot.” 

 

“It’s okay, Gahyeon. Your unnie can ask as many questions as she wants.” Yubin waved her hands, trying to signal that she’s not bothered by it. Handong nodded, continued interrogating the woman in her little sister’s life. As much as Gahyeon tried to help, Handong was a bit indifferent and put the junior doctor in the hot seat.

 

To her, knowing more about who her sister is seeing would give her an insight to what kind of person she is. It’s not that she doesn’t trust her sister’s taste, Gahyeon is only sister so she’s tends to be overprotective. She needs to get a feel of Yubin before she approves. After all, she is a good judge of character. 

 

She remembers when she first met Gahyeon. A curious and adorable kid, still is, and now she’s all grown up. Even in a relationship before her older sister.

 

Relationship. 

 

Did she ever want to be in one? 

 

At the moment, what she wants to treasure is being with Gahyeon. She’ll be sending her abroad once she’s done getting all the knowledge she can in the company. It’ll help her in the long run, although she’ll miss her. She’ll just have to be alone again for a while. 

 

She sighed, reminiscing of the times, just a few years back, of how she met her little sister. She always wanted one and fortunately, the little munchkin showed herself. Now she has someone to be with, nurture and share everything with. It was hard to relate even if there is only a small gap between their age, but both parties try their best. Sadly, their personality differences are too strong.

 

Handong prefers the quiet. She talks and speak her mind, her observations, but would keep it to herself because she had been told, the weight of her words are heavy. But she never really noticed when and where, how and why. She needs someone to tell her. 

 

“Hey, can I borrow your sister for one second?”

 

“Minji! Sure, please take her away. She’s stressing Yubin out.” Gahyeon laughed, her laugh that is close to the way Spongebob laughs. It brought Handong back to reality, being dragged towards the same corner they had a conversation with. 

 

It’s her again. 

 

She’s not ready for another fight. It’s getting really old. When will she stop with all these nonsense?

 

“You still don’t deserve my number.” Handong coldly said, seeing the red haired lady is making her blood boil instantly for some reason. Maybe seeing red is annoying her. Or the fact that she can’t have a decent conversation without feeling the need to prove herself. She’s a challenge one for Handong. 

 

“Look.” Minji cupped the woman’s cheek, making her see how Yubin and Gahyeon are now that Handong is sort of out of sight. But as soon as Handong realised what the woman was doing, she softly moved them away. 

 

“Don’t touch me,” she said, moving inches away from the woman. Her heart beating a bit faster because she felt invaded. 

 

Kim Minji has no manners. I’ll just have to put her in line.

 

“I’m— I’m sorry,” Minji turned pink, not realising how much her actions could’ve been. Specially towards a stranger. 

 

Stranger. 

 

Does Handong still think of her as a stranger who banters with her?

 

God. She’s dying to get into her head and know.

 

“Would you like to join me for breakfast instead? And please, no fights. It’s a Sunday.” She cordially invited the lass, getting her back to the situation they’re in.  Handong gestured for her to sit on the seat across her. 

 

Minji was about to feel offended by Handong’s words but she stopped herself. Instead, she just nodded, delighted at the invite. Hey. She’s been trying to get some alone time with Handong and this is her chance. Her pride can bother her next time. So she hurriedly took a seat and held out her phone. “Number please.”

 

Handong ignored Minji and called for Siyeon, telling them their order. Minji stayed silent after not being acknowledged, allowing the other woman to order as she knows Siyeon would bring her something good. It was getting in her nerves. It reminds her why she wants to keep bickering with the woman, she’s rude and only does what she likes. 

 

Siyeon was so thrilled about what’s happening in front of her. Since they’re the only customer around, apart from Yubin and Gahyeon, she had a bit of time to relay this new information to her girlfriend in the kitchen. Due to the amazing news, Bora couldn’t keep it down, her squeal was heard in the whole diner. 

 

As expected of Kim Bora, her megaphone-like voice never fails to surprise Minji. She was certain she’s being clowned as they speak. The amount of stress this is giving her outweighs the benefit. But she’s desperate. 

 

It didn’t take long for their food to arrive. They both stayed quiet, observing Gahyeon and Yubin from afar. 

 

Thankfully, Minji knows that even if distracted, Bora can still cook as well as when she is focused. She truly has a gift. It’s a good conversation starter, to remove the heavy atmosphere between them. 

 

“Is the food goo—“ Minji started but Handong shushed her. With every attempt that Minji would take to talk, Handong tried to stop the sentence out of her. 

 

“Is Handong—“

 

Handong was losing her patience. Manners matter. She heaved a deep sigh to prepare her sentence without sounding extremely pissed off. 

 

“Can we talk after the food is finished?” Her tone was expressing her emotions, showing that she feels annoyed.

 

Minji was starting to feel offended. She’s not petty at all. But talking while eating is the best part of going to a diner. Instead of talking, she just stuffed herself with some good food, trying to control her temper. The nurse took her time to eat, only because she had a lot to consume. 

 

Handong is even clowning her. Great. The lass still thinks Minji is a glutton. But she was relieved though, being promised a conversation after the meal. At least this would give her time to use her convincing powers on Handong. 

 

“Here. Is this you?” Handong asked, sliding a paper on the table after she took her last bite. She sipped her water from the straw, waiting for a reply. This is how Handong works, she gains your trust and does her promises, it’s an important trait of her that makes her an amazing businesswoman. 

 

Minji stared at the piece of paper with her number on it. She shook her head. “T-that’s my number.... not my penmanship!” Her heart started to pick up the pace. 

 

What is that?

 

Why did Handong have it?

 

“I was suspecting it was from you.”

 

“I said I didn’t write it!” Minji was defensive. It was a fact that she didn’t do it. 

 

“Anyway, thank you for the lovely company today.” Handong let out a small smile, ignoring the other woman’s retorts but instead offering a hand towards Minji, which the latter took some time to accept. 

 

It would be rude not to. Missing a chance to hold her crush’s hand isn’t something Minji would do. However, it put her in deep thought, trying to read Handong, still holding onto her hand, firmly squeezing it. Their eyes met, Handong meaning to tell Minji to let go of her hand, while Minji wanting her to stay for a while. 

 

She froze. Right at that moment, the world probably stopped. It took her a few seconds to recover. Minji realised her hold on Handong and released it instantly, somewhat embarrassed at her own action. 

 

“I—“ Minji stammered, trying to come up with an excuse. 

 

“I’ll contact you when you deserve it.” Handong left shortly after that. She was quick to leave, trying to avoid the situation and followed Gahyeon and Yubin. 

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Handong.” Minji whispered to herself, trying to narrow down who would do such thing. Handong must think she’s some kind of stalker who’s desperate for her number. This is a mess. If Handong thinks badly of her, her chances are slimming down. 

 

WHO’S THE IDIOT THAT DID HER DIRTY?

 

Yoohyeon? She shook her head. The woman wouldn’t even give her the last 3 digits. 

 

Siyeon? She was thinking deeply. Why would someone like Siyeon do something like that? It’s out of character. 

 

That only leaves one person. She’s right in front of the kitchen door at this point. 

 

“KIM BORA! COME OUT!”

 

With her strong approach, Siyeon tried to hold her back. Looks like the couple had caught up to why she was here. 

 

“Siyeon. Get out of my way.” Minji said, breathing hardly because she can’t contain her emotions. Afraid, Siyeon, hesitating moved, texting Bora that Minji is about to beat her silly. 

 

“Why?”

 

“Minji, let me explain.” Bora put her spatula in front of her, using it as a shield from the clearly furious best friend of hers. She was moving backwards, slowly, trying to stay on guard.

 

“It better be good.” Minji’s glare is cutting through Bora and all Siyeon could do is watch. She wants to meddle since she’s also part of it but she knows her girlfriend could handle this best. 

 

“I wanted to help. You’re Siyeon and I’s kid.” Bora explained, trying to come close to Minji this time to console her. She was on the verge of tears, embarrassment filling her system. 

 

Will she ever get a chance to even know Handong better when all of her advancements are failing?

 

-

 

Unknown: Breakfast delivery needed tomorrow morning before 8:30am at Han Inc headquarters. 

Unknown: Don’t be late.

Minji: Hi! I’m sorry. I think you have the wrong number. 

 

Unknown calling...

 

“Hello? Who’s this?”

 

“Kim Minji. Do you want to go hang out one of these days?”

 

“Handong?!”