7 years later

“congrats on your promotion!”

minjoo laughs lightly at her friends’ boisterous congratulations. she was glad to have them here, though. afterall, she had just gotten promoted at her job.

“wow, i can’t believe i’m friends with the assistant marketing director of the hangsang company!” sakura gushes dramatically.

minjoo slaps her lightly and rolls her eyes at the scene. four of her friends insisted on treating her to dinner after her sudden promotion, one that minjoo had only dreamed of since graduating college. her boss had said that she saw a certain fire in her eyes, one determined to flicker and burn through the very end.

“i think, from now on, minjoo should pay for all of us when we go out!” eunbi exclaims with a toast of her drink.

“great idea!”

“that’s the best idea you’ve ever had!”

“hey! you two aren’t even broke!” minjoo whines back.

yuri and yujin shrug their shoulders.

“you can never have too many free things.”

“geez, everyone has a well-paying job that they kinda like--pay for yourselves!”

they laugh together, content and happy.

even so, even in the brightest of times, minjoo can’t help but picture chaewon’s face in the back of her mind. well, it starts out there, and then it feels like she’s here, staring at her from across the room with those sad, broken eyes. it hasn’t gotten any better over the years, but she’s getting by well enough.

she looks around the table at her bickering friends and thinks about her job, her life.

she looks across the room as though she were meeting chaewon’s gaze and smiles sadly.

i hope you’re proud, chaewon-ah.

i hope you’re doing just fine and not being sad and silly like i am right now.

she won’t admit it, but at the back of her mind she always secretly wishes to meet chaewon again.

maybe someday.

~~~

“whoa! are you alright?” minjoo asks in surprise as her coworker, goeun, almost crashes into her.

“ah, minjoo! just the person i need!”

minjoo’s eyebrows shoot up as goeun grabs both of her hands and gives her a pleading look.

“remember the new store we’re trying to build? the one close to that really good ice cream shop?”

minjoo nods slowly, prompting goeun to continue.

“well, the head architect of the company we’re working with is here to talk about the project, and, well, i’m the one that’s supposed to meet with them.”

“okay, so what do you want me to do then?”

“something really, really urgent just came up! do you think you could take my spot since you know exactly what we need and you’re super good at everything you do?” goeun begs while shaking minjoo’s hands.

“well--”

“PLEASE.”

“okay! okay, i got it, don’t worry.”

minjoo winces slightly at the girl’s high-pitched scream of thanks. she embraces minjoo quickly and bolts off again with a loud “thank you”!

she sighs to herself, shaking her head but smiling slightly. goeun was amazing, and minjoo was glad to have a sweet coworker like her.

minjoo goes to her office to retrieve a few things before meeting the architect; she had at least twenty minutes before the scheduled meeting time anyways. her office is fairly clean, just a few scattered papers here and there; granted, she had just gotten this new office. the wall across from the door is completely glass, giving her a clear view of the city below. her company, a large fashion brand, invested well in their office space. on the window sill is a single plant, some sort of pink flower she doesn’t know the name of. she has some pictures here and there, mostly of her and her friends.

before she leaves, she sneaks a peek into the top drawer of her desk. pushing aside a few stray notes and pens, she takes a long look at the picture underneath.

that sad smile again.

okay, time to go.

she closes the drawer and heads out to the assigned meeting room, wiping that secret smile off her face.

~~~

when she gets to the room, it seems that the architect had already been here for a bit despite minjoo herself being approximately seven minutes early.

it’s a woman who looks to be around the same height as minjoo, probably shorter. she has long, dark brown hair that ends at the middle of her back. she’s wearing a black suit with black heels, her posture perfect and her aura one of confidence. even from behind, minjoo can feel it.

although, for some reason, she feels a bit of familiarity too.

a sudden memory flashes across her eyes.

the smell of burnt pancakes and spilled flour all around them--

--the consequence of chaewon trying to make chocolate chip pancakes.

“cooking is stupid!” chaewon sulks with her arms crossed like a big baby, her pouting face now turned away from the stove.

minjoo laughs at the grumbling girl and laughs even harder looking at the flecks of flour all over chaewon’s hair and back.

she comes closer and wraps her arms around her waist from behind and smiles into her back.

“maybe you can just set the table while i cook next time?”

all she gets in return is another grumble, but it makes her laugh even harder than before.

she shakes it off.

“hello,” she starts, closing the door behind her. she doesn’t notice the woman stiffen at the sound of her voice.

“sorry to have kept you waiting. i’m--”

“minjoo?”