2 years later...

In a quiet living room where no one dares to speak, a family of three were having their dinner.

Minhyun picks up an omelette roll, placing it on his mother's plate.

"When are you going to let me meet this girlfriend of yours?" His father suddenly spoke, sharp gaze pinned on his only son.

Minhyun hated times when he brings this up. "Soon," he said.

"Do I know her from anywhere?"

"No." His replies were short as his appetite dies down. "Can we not talk about this now?"

"Right, right. Honey, don't stress him out."

"He needs to learn how to handle stress. I'm only asking to see this girl he has been dating for two years. If you can't handle this much, how do I trust the business with you?" He starts to get irritated. "You're at the age of marriage. If you don't bring her to me, I'll set you up myself."

Minhyun takes in a deep breath, reaching for some side dishes. "I'll talk to her," he says and shot a glare at his father. "Don't try to do anything funny to her."

The lady felt the tension and cleared . "Eat." She demands, ending the staring contest between those two.

His father picks up the chopsticks just to set them down forcefully when he didn't like the tone Minhyun uses. "You—"

"Minhyun-ah, do you not want to stay in the villa we got you? It's near your school." His mother prevents a war at the dinner table.

Minhyun shakes his head and smiles. "The place we have now is nearer to her school. I'm okay."

His mother understood his reasons. Being in different schools, nighttime was probably the only time he gets to see this girlfriend of his.

—

"Where's your boyfriend? I thought he lives with you." Kim Minjeong, a friend Minju made when she entered the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts). She's in the Performing Arts department.

Minju sits up from her bed with her eyes on her phone. "Family dinner," she said.

"Why aren't you there? You've been dating since your high school days...that's about three years." Minjeong did the math.

"Ya, it's out." Minju gasps as she refreshes the page for the last time. Semester results.

Minjeong quickly grabs her phone and checks. "Assa! I went up by 0.2!" She shrieks, looking at Minju. "You?"

"I think I went to the wrong course. Why is it so hard to push the cumulative up?"

Minjeong goes to her and sees what she's looking at. "Ya, why are you sulking over a 3.7? It's better than mine."

Minju sighs. "You don't get it." She turns off her phone and swings it to the other end of the bed. "Who knew the art department was this competitive? If only I knew we were competing with international students."

"What else did you expect? A class full of kids?" Minjeong scoffs, lying on the pillow.

Minju goes to her desk and opens her laptop. This apartment is small, enough for two people. Minhyun does share the rent because he didn't want to live the life he's been given.

This small part made him appreciate things more.

Minjeong watched her do her thing. She always comes over because her dorm gets chaotic when she rooms with two other girls.

Minju's apartment is the only place she finds peace.

Deciding to pester her, Minjeong sits on the other swivel chair and rolls towards Minju. "Come to think of it, I've only ever seen him and her." She points at the photo Minju framed up on the shelf of her table at the start of this year after her spring cleaning.

That one ice skating date two years ago.

Minjeong points at the girl beside Wonyoung. "Who's this?"

Minju looks to see her pointing at Yujin who had the brightest smile that day. She pivots her gaze back to her laptop.

"She's pretty—you're all pretty. Is she in our school?" Her eyes were glued on the brunette who sighs.

"Are you not leaving yet?"

Minjeong was disappointed. "I will," she said with a rising grin. "Only if you tell me who she is."

"No."

"Why? She's totally my style."

"I don't know." Minju shoves her face away when she got too close. "Stop asking."

"How can you not know your friend? That doesn't make sense. Are you hiding something from me?"

Minju faces her and gives her a cold gaze. "I'll make you leave if I have to." She grabs her phone and goes to her contacts.

Minjeong stops her in time before she calls someone. Her girlfriend; the person she's most afraid of. "Okay, okay. I'll not ask anymore. But don't call her. I'll be in big trouble." She wasn't supposed to be here.

The door beeps, signalling someone coming in. Minhyun steps in, placing a plastic bag on the little chair beside the shoe rack.

He looks up to see Minjeong waving as he briefly nods his head.

"Hi, Minju's boyfriend." She smiles, earning a push to her head from Minju. Embarrassing.

"Hello." Minhyun chuckles lightly, always seeing her around. Minjeong should be the one paying rent.

Minju watched him go to the kitchen. "You're back early." She expected him to be back later because he hasn't seen his family for a month or two.

He sighs, putting some canned drinks into the fridge. Beer to be exact. "I missed you, that's why."

Minjeong started slapping Minju's shoulder. "I guess you guys are still in your honeymoon phase." She giggles, witnessing his sweetness filling the air.

Minhyun goes to Minju and kisses the top of her head. "I heard your results are in. How was it?" His hand caresses the back of her head as he looks at the laptop. "Good or bad?"

Minju was organizing her digital portfolio. "Bad," she said.

"You always say bad but end up acing everything." Minhyun rubs her head, seeing her results.

"Aigoo," Minjeong realises. "I suddenly miss my minmin."

She quickly bids her goodbye and flew out the door in a matter of seconds, leaving the two alone.

Minju sinks into the chair, letting out a deep sigh. "You should go shower."

He nods. "I need to talk to you after. It's important."

Whatever it was, Minju acknowledged as he goes to the bathroom.

She glances at the group photo above as flashes of memory enter her mind. It was the day she got together with Minhyun.

Her eyes shifted towards Yujin. The last memory of her was at the airport, sending her off. She could never forget the only day she was true to herself.

For the past two years, there was no news of Yujin. Like those six months she disappeared, the last two years were pretty much the same.

Minju does wonder how she was doing from time to time when something reminds her of Yujin. Usually when she heads home to see JJ.

The girl got rid of her Korean number and practically vanished from everyone's lives.

But this time, Minju knew where she went. At least she knew the girl was alive. The only thing she wishes Yujin did was to be active on social media.

Unfortunately, the girl isn't.

Tired, Minju turns off the table lamp and lies on the bed. All she hears was the sounds of water from the shower and cars that were still driving around close to midnight.

Before she knew it, her eyes closed, sending her to dreamland.

Minhyun finishes his shower after a while. He steps out to see her comfortably in bed, already sleeping. A little smile greets his lips as he ruffles his hair dry.

He made sure his hair was dry enough before slipping under the covers. Minhyun lies on his side and admires her. "You must be so tired from doing nothing today." He shifts a strand of baby hair from her face.

It was the weekend and he knew she had no plans other than waiting for her results.

Minju slowly opens her eyes when the scent of Minhyun's shampoo greeted her nose. It was too strong for her to sleep on it. "You're fast," she said, not feeling that nap at all.

"And you're fast asleep." He teases her and makes her stay where she was when she was about to sit up.

"You said you have something to talk about."

"We can do it like this." He smiles gently.

"You sounded serious." Minju rubs her eye before looking at him. "What is it?"

He hesitates, knowing it has been a topic they've talked about before. "My dad wants to meet you."

Minju sits up carefully and hears a soft sigh. "I know you're not ready. I know," he said. "But it's been three years Minju-ah. Are you going to keep avoiding it? Don't you see me in your future to at least meet my family?"

"Why are you putting it like that?"

"Because I've met yours. We can't keep staying like this. To be honest, we didn't even change since high school. It has always been the same. Don't you think it's time for us to take a step further? Just meet my parents. That's all I'm asking for."

Minju always had this fear whenever he brings up his family. She admits to avoiding this topic for the past two years but she wasn't ready.

Loving Minhyun has been tough. Minju likes to think of it as them coming from different worlds.

She always has concerns about meeting his parents. What if they didn't like her because she was just an ordinary girl? What if they wanted more but she has nothing to give? What if they had someone else in mind when they heard of her?

Minju doesn't even know if Minhyun talks about her at home.

She'll be lying to say this relationship was perfect. Everyone sees it that way but none of it was. They've met with a few rocky bumps along the way and even took short breaks.

As time goes by, she was afraid the guy would lose his patience with her.

Minhyun was greeted with silence once again. He knows his family can be intimidating to everyone, especially Minju. He doesn't like pressuring her. "Come here." He gently grasps the girl's forearm, bringing her closer.

Lying on his arm, Minju fails to avoid his gaze. "What are you afraid of, hm?" Minhyun ran his thumb across her cheek. "My dad?" He asks.

"Everyone's afraid of your dad. Who wouldn't if he's the next assemblyman?"

"That's why you don't wanna meet him?" Minhyun chuckles lightly, seeing Minju tilt her head in uncertainty.

"It's not that I don't wanna meet him. It's just, what if he doesn't like me?"

"He will."

"What if he finds out I was a troublemaker back in high school?"

"You were just late for class. How does that make you a troublemaker?" He couldn't keep his smile to himself, watching how the girl's imagination work.

Minju slaps the blanket. "That's the thing. No one likes late people. What if one day he has some event and expects his whole family there and you see me running as if it's my last day on earth?"

"You want to be my family?" Minhyun ceased her little blabbers, looking into her eyes.

Minju opens halfway and says, "That's not what I meant."

"You don't want to be a part of my family?"

"That's not what I meant either. It's just what if—"

"You have many what-ifs, Minju-ssi.