Ahn Jaehyo handed Taeil’s phone back to him.  “Thanks, hyung.  I can’t believe that I left my phone at home.  I never leave without it.”

“What did you have to do?  I didn’t hear you call anyone…”

“I sent a text.  Do you mind?”

“Nah.  It’s great seeing you again, Jaehyo.  Two years is longer than you think.”

“I’m glad to be back.  Things are so different in the States…I’m just glad to be home.”

“Did you learn English?”

“Bits of it here and there, but never enough to hold a proper conversation.”

“Are you back for good?”

“Definitely.  I’m going back to school tomorrow.  The principal was kind enough to let me have one day off, and I asked him to do me a favor.”

“What was it?”

“I can’t tell you that, but I’ll tell you that I used your phone to text Minyoung.”

“Why?”

“I have to make up with her.  My feelings haven’t changed, and I hope her feelings haven’t either.”

“I don’t know, Jaehyo.  There’s this new kid she’s been talking about lately.”

“I know Minyoung.  Her feelings haven’t changed.”

Taeil just shook his head.  “So what made you come back now?  Didn’t you have another year or so in America?”

“I…don’t laugh at me, okay hyung?” Jaehyo took a deep breath.  “I was homesick.”

<:>

Minyoung walked off of the school campus.  She was honestly surprised that she made it that far without getting caught by the teachers.  Strangely enough, no one seemed to care about what she was doing.

Kids tried to sneak out of school all the time, but the teachers always caught them.  Minyoung became wary, wondering if she was going to get caught like the rest.

She opened her backpack and found a chocolate bar, partially melted.  She wondered if she could eat it but decided to just throw it away.  After all, she could just ask Taeil for a bowl of ramyun.

What Yukwon said earlier made Minyoung upset.  How did he know about Jaehyo?  He transferred in after Jaehyo left, so they should never have met.

She realized that she had been standing outside of Taeil’s ramyun shop for a while now.  “Taeil oppa, if you needed something from me, why didn’t you ask when I was here this morning?” Minyoung said as she walked through the door.

“What are you talking about, Minyoung-ah?” Taeil called from behind the counter.

“Your text.”

It was bad enough that Yukwon pissed her off, but Taeil claiming he didn’t know anything?  Minyoung was extremely upset.

“Oh, but there’s someone else who wants to talk to you.”

“Who?”

“Minyoung,” a voice called out from the table in the back.

She stiffened, having recognized the voice as soon as she heard it.  Slowly turning around, she stared at the boy sitting down with ramyun.

“Minyoung, it’s been a while,” Jaehyo said.

She turned around to leave, having heard enough.  Jaehyo was nothing more to her than a memory, and she would do all in her power to keep him as just a memory.

“Will you have lunch with me?”

“I’m busy.”

“With what?  School work?”

“No, it’s just—”

“It won’t take long,” Jaehyo said, “so why don’t you eat with me?”

“I don’t want to.”

“You’re as stubborn as ever,” Jaehyo said with a smile.  He stood up and grabbed Minyoung’s hand, leading her over to the table.  “See?  That wasn’t so difficult, now was it?”

“Why did you come back?” Minyoung said.

“I missed you.”

“I didn’t.”

Jaehyo chuckled.  “Are you sure you didn’t miss me?”

“Totally.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll change your mind.”

She rolled her eyes.  “You annoy me.”

“When I was in America, I began to think of the past.”

“Whatever.”

“Don’t you miss the times when we’d go out on dates?”

“No.”

“Remember when I told you that you were the most important person in my life?”

“Yeah, but life .” Minyoung rolled her eyes.  She stood up from the table abruptly.  “I would eat ramyun right now, but I’m too upset.”

“You don’t have to leave.”

He reached for her arm, but she moved too quickly.  She was already halfway across the room before Jaehyo found the right words.  “I’m going to make you mine again.”

“You annoy me.”

“Minyoung-ah.”

“Don’t act like we know each other.  We don’t.”

She walked toward the door and noticed that someone stood waiting outside.  He was pacing nervously, and Minyoung could tell that it was Yukwon. 

“Kim Yukwon, how long did you think you could stand there?” Minyoung asked.  She stepped outside the ramyun shop.

“H-How—”

“What are you doing here?”

“I shouldn’t have said—”

“What’s the point of apologizing?  We all mess up in life.”

“I said stuff without thinking.”

“Duh.”

“Minhyuk told me that I should leave you to yourself, but I couldn’t help but apologize.”

“Great.  Look, I’m in a bad mood right now, so you should go back to school.”

“Minyoung—”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Yukwon.”

“You aren’t going back?”

“I need some time to think.”

“Why don’t you talk to me?”

Minyoung stared him in the eye.  He looked like he was genuinely sorry about what he said earlier.  His eyes said it all.

“Fine.  Since you’re here, I’ll introduce you to Taeil oppa.”

Minyoung opened the door; Yukwon followed close behind.  Taeil stood behind the counter taking a napping, and Minyoung wondered how he could sleep so much and still be tired.  Jaehyo still sat in the corner, but he seemed to be off in his own world.

“Taeil oppa.” Minyoung poked his cheek.  “Meet Yukwon.”

Taeil stirred but didn’t open his eyes.  Minyoung poked his cheek again.  “If you don’t wake up now, I’m going to play with the fish in your fish tank.”

Taeil shot up, suddenly alert.  “Don’t touch my fish tank.”

“Wow, if I knew that was all it took to wake you up—”

“Who’s this?” Taeil gestured toward Yukwon.

“This is Kim Yukwon.  We met in the library.”

That caught Jaehyo’s attention.  He stood up and moved toward Yukwon.  “Kim Yukwon, huh?” Jaehyo muttered.  “Why are you hanging out with my Minyoung?”

“I’m not yours, Ahn Jaehyo.” Minyoung sighed.  “Why don’t you leave?”

Yukwon turned around to answer Jaehyo’s question.  “I’m actually—”

“Just ignore him, Kim Yukwon.  He’ll leave,” Minyoung said.

“I’m Minyoung’s boyfriend!” Yukwon exclaimed.

“What?” Jaehyo asked.

“Excuse me?” Minyoung added.

“That’s cute.” Taeil smiled.  “Congratulations, Minyoung!”

Yukwon put his arm around Minyoung’s shoulders.  “We’ve been dating since we met.  Love at first sight.”

“Kim Yukwon—” Minyoung started.

“Minyoung, you don’t have to be shy.” Yukwon smiled.  He grabbed her hand and held it tightly.

“I—” Minyoung looked away.  Strangely, this feels nice.  She let Yukwon hold her hand.

Yukwon understood that Minyoung would probably kill him later, but he convinced himself that it would be worth it.