The entire journey passed in silence.
Minji remained busy on her phone, switching between calls with Hana and Sophia. From the way she spoke, anyone would have thought she was negotiating a multimillion-dollar business deal. Her expression changed with every conversation, and occasionally she smiled to herself while typing on her screen.
Jeon J, however, remained unusually quiet.
His hands rested on the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road, but his mind was far from where it should have been.
Zoya.....
Her name appeared in his thoughts again, uninvited.
Their first meeting. Their unexpected encounters. The moments when she had looked at him, spoken to him, or simply existed in the same space as him.
Every little detail replayed in his mind like a film he had watched too many times but somehow couldn't stop watching.
Why am I thinking about her again?
His jaw tightened.
She's just another person. People come into your life, and people leave. Not everyone has to mean something.
He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel.
Then why does she keep finding her way into my thoughts?
A horn sounded behind him.
Jeon J blinked, realising the traffic signal had turned green. He started the car and continued driving, pushing the thoughts away with an irritation he couldn't quite explain.
Beside him, Minji was still talking to Sophia.
"...No, listen to me. I'm telling you, we need to finalise everything before the festival. Otherwise, the entire plan will be delayed."
Jeon J glanced at her.
Does she ever run out of things to talk about?
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Strangely, he didn't mind her chatter. Her presence made the silence less heavy, even when his mind was occupied with things he didn't want to acknowledge.
The restaurant was only five minutes away.
Eventually, Minji ended her call and placed her phone in her lap. Turning towards him, she studied his face for a few seconds.
"Why are you so quiet today?"
"I'm not."
"Really?"
"Really."
Minji narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Then why do you look like you're attending a funeral?"
Jeon J turned his head and looked at her.
For a moment, he simply stared.
Then he laughed softly.
"You're busy handling your business deals over the phone. What am I supposed to do if I don't stay quiet?"
At Jeon J's remark, Minji burst into laughter.
"Business deals? No, nothing like that. We were just finalising today's meal arrangements. I'll go and see what those three have actually managed to do. Honestly, they've been driving me crazy with their calls! I want everything to be perfect. I just don't want Zoya to feel embarrassed in front of anyone because of us."
Jeon J glanced at her.
Minji was looking straight ahead, a smile still lingering on her face as she spoke. There was a genuine concern behind her words, one that made him smile as he watched her.
As the car came to a stop outside the restaurant, Jeon J turned towards her.
"Minji, you're already good the way you are. You don't need to be perfect."
She looked at him.
"No matter how carefully you plan something, nothing ever turns out absolutely perfect. There will always be something missing somewhere. That's just how things are."
His expression softened.
"All you need to do is give it your best. That's enough."
For a moment, Minji simply looked at him.
His words seemed to ease something inside her, as though the pressure she had been carrying throughout those calls had finally begun to lift.
A gentle smile spread across her face.
And for the first time that evening, she felt a little more relaxed.
"Why are you paying too much attention to me?"
Minji raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe you're giving me too many reasons to."
His answer caught her off guard.
Their eyes met.
Watching her, he found himself comparing her with someone else, almost involuntarily.
Minji was a confident, outspoken Korean girl. Lively, expressive, and never hesitant to say what was on her mind.
She knew how to handle people, take charge of things, and move through life with the confidence of someone who knew exactly where she belonged.
This is your world, something inside him seemed to whisper.
Then what path are you trying to become a traveller of? Can she walk beside you, shoulder to shoulder?
The thought came and disappeared almost as quickly as it had arrived.
Jeon J remained lost in his thoughts, his eyes still resting on Minji.
Suddenly, Minji noticed him staring.
She turned towards him, narrowed her eyes playfully, and puffed a breath towards his face.
"Poof! Hello? Where have you disappeared?"
Jeon J blinked, caught off guard.
Minji burst into laughter.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
He shook his head, a faint smile returning to his lips.
"Nothing."
"Then stop looking at me like that!"
She laughed again, while Jeon J finally looked away.
Minji reached for the door, but before she could open it, something made her pause.
She turned back towards him.
Jeon J was still looking at her.
Her playful smile gradually softened. She remained where she was, watching him for a moment, as if trying to figure out what had caught his attention so completely.
Jeon J met her gaze, but something in his expression made her pause.
A small smile touched her lips. Her eyes wandered briefly across his face, lingering on his eyes before dipping towards his lips. It wasn't a deliberate invitation, nor did she seem in any hurry to do anything. It was simply the quiet closeness she had always been comfortable sharing with him.
But Jeon J had gone unusually still.
He shifted his head slightly, as though trying to break free from the moment. Minji noticed. Instead of immediately pulling away, she gently brought her hand to the back of his neck, her fingers resting there while her thumb brushed his cheek.
The familiar tenderness of her touch made him draw a slow breath.
For a few seconds, he simply looked at her, caught somewhere between responding naturally and understanding why even this small gesture had suddenly left him so unsettled.
Minji held his gaze for a little while, but Jeon J couldn't seem to keep his eyes on hers for more than a second. His gaze wandered around the car, settling on anything that gave him an excuse not to look directly at her, as though a hundred things inside the car suddenly needed his attention.
Minji couldn't understand his strange behaviour. After all, when two people were dating, being close to each other was perfectly natural. Yet, looking at Jeon J now, she couldn't help feeling that he was somehow uncomfortable with her closeness.
And Minji noticed.
The slightest change in his expression was enough. Her hand paused against his cheek. Then, almost imperceptibly, her fingers loosened.
She began to draw back.
Jeon J felt the distance before it had even formed.
He didn't want her to mistake his hesitation for rejection.
Just as she started to move away, his hand rose to the back of her head. Gently but with sudden certainty, he drew her toward him, pulling her close against his chest.
Minji stopped.
For a brief moment, her hand remained suspended between them.
Jeon J lowered his head, his lips close to her ear.
"Thank you," he whispered.
His hand rested gently behind her head.
"Thank you for understanding me… even when I don't know how to explain myself."
Minji said nothing. She simply stayed there for a moment, letting his words settle between them.
When she finally stepped back, her eyes met his once more. There was no teasing in her expression now, only a quiet understanding.
She turned towards the door again.
"Wait."
Jeon J's voice stopped her once more.
Minji glanced towards the restaurant.
"Can I go now?"
Jeon J reluctantly released her hand.
"Go."
She opened the door.
He laughed under his breath.
He straightened in his seat, remembering what he had wanted to discuss.
"Those gift boxes you mentioned earlier. Whatever the expenses are, I'll cover them. Every single box for the festival. Consider it a gift from my side."
Minji's expression became thoughtful.
Before she could respond, her phone vibrated.
A new message appeared on the screen.
From Taehun.
She opened it and immediately burst out laughing.
Jeon J frowned.
"What?"
"Nothing. You need to read this."
She held the phone in front of him.
Jeon J took one look at the message and began reading.
Drama King's Message
"Whose message is this?" Jeon J asked, glancing at Minji's phone screen.
"Who is the Drama King?" Jeon J asked.
Minji looked at him with an amused smile. "Who do you think?
There may be plenty of drama kings among us, but there's only one king." Jeon J said.
"So, this is his message," Minji said playfully.
Jeon J chuckled. "You've actually saved his number under that name? If he ever finds out, he'll kill you!"
"Well, it used to be just Taehun," Minji replied with a laugh. "But after watching his dramatic performances with Zoya one day, I decided he deserved a more suitable name."
Jeon J's smile slowly faded at her words.
"What does Taehun have to do with Zoya?" he asked, casually changing the subject.
Minji opened Taehun's message and began reading it.
My dear friend Zoya, and all her companions who are currently with her in worship, will receive festival gifts from our side. In other words, the gifts will be from TBS.
And yes, I know this clever boy sitting with you probably wants to handle everything himself. But you can forget about him for a moment and focus on me, because this is about MY friend.
I know exactly what he's planning. Don't let him take all the credit. This is my friend's matter!
For a few seconds, Jeon J stared at the screen.
Then he burst out laughing.
"That idiot!"
Minji laughed along with him.
"He knows you so well!"
"Unfortunately."
"He even knows that you want to do everything yourself."
Jeon J handed the phone back, shaking his head.
"He should find something better to do with his time."
Minji narrowed her eyes playfully.
"Why? Are you jealous?"
Jeon J looked at her.
"Of Taehun?"
"Yes."
He scoffed.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Minji burst into another fit of laughter.
"Who said I'm flattering myself? I'm just asking a simple question."
"And I'm giving you a simple answer."
"Which is?"
"I'm not jealous."
Minji tilted her head, studying him.
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you want to snatch my phone and delete Taehun's number."
Jeon J looked away, trying to hide his smile.
"You're imagining things."
"Of course I am."
She shook her head and slipped her phone into her bag.
Then, with a deliberately innocent expression, she added, "Anyway, Taehun is such a sweetheart. He always thinks about Zoya. It's really lovely how much he cares about her."
Jeon J's smile disappeared.
Just slightly.
But Minji noticed.
"Oh, and he even remembered everyone who is with her in worship. That's so thoughtful, isn't it?"
"Minji."
"What?"
"Do you ever stop talking?"
She laughed so hard that she had to hold the edge of the car door.
"You're definitely jealous!"
"I'm not jealous!"
"Then why are you getting defensive?"
"I'm not getting defensive!"
"You're practically arguing with me!"
Jeon J took a deep breath and looked towards the ceiling of the car.
Patience. Just patience.
Minji leaned closer to the window, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Fine. I'll stop teasing you."
"Thank you."
"After I tell Taehun how much you appreciated his message."
Jeon J immediately turned towards her.
"Don't you dare."
Minji burst out laughing.
And despite his irritation, Jeon J couldn't stop himself from smiling.
Because even when she was driving him absolutely crazy, he found himself wanting to keep her there a little longer.
After their laughter settled, Jeon J remembered the original reason for the conversation.
"So, it's settled, then? The gifts will be from TBS?"
Minji hesitated.
"Not yet."
His expression changed.
"What do you mean, not yet?"
"I'll ask Ji-ho first. Then I'll let you know."
The name struck him harder than it should have.
Ji-ho.
Just one name.
One simple name.
And suddenly, the warmth from their earlier conversation seemed to vanish from Jeon J's mind.
He looked at Minji.
"Why do you need to ask Ji-ho?"
Minji blinked.
"Because I want to discuss it with him."
"Discuss what? It's about the gifts. Taehun has already offered to cover everything through TBS, and I can take care of the expenses if necessary. What exactly is there to ask him?"
His voice remained controlled, but there was a new tension in his jaw.
Minji studied him carefully.
"Why are you getting angry?"
"I'm not."
"Then why are you speaking like that?"
Jeon J looked away for a moment.
He knew he was being unreasonable.
It wasn't his decision to make. Minji could ask whoever she wanted. Ji-ho had every right to be part of the conversation.
He knew all of that.
And yet, the thought of her turning to Ji-ho for an opinion irritated him in a way he couldn't explain.
Why him?
The question repeated itself in his mind.
Why does she need his opinion?
And why does it bother me so much?
He had spent the entire journey thinking about Zoya, only to find himself getting irritated over Ji-ho's name the moment Minji mentioned him.
His emotions made absolutely no sense.
And he hated that he couldn't control them.
"Jeon J?"
Her voice brought him back.
He looked at her.
Minji was no longer laughing. She was watching him with quiet curiosity.
"What is it?" she asked gently.
"Nothing."
She held his gaze for a moment longer.
Then she shook her head and stepped away from the car.
"Fine. I'll call you later."
She began walking towards the restaurant, but after a few steps, she turned back and leaned towards the open window.
"And for the record, you're being very strange today."
Jeon J forced a smile.
"Go inside before you get late."
Minji smiled and waved before disappearing through the restaurant entrance.
Jeon J watched until she was out of sight.
He remained there for a moment, his thoughts still caught on the name she had mentioned. Then he parked the car and made his way inside.
The restaurant was bustling with activity, but the dining area was still empty. Workers moved hurriedly from one place to another, carrying supplies and preparing everything for the evening.
Jeon J managed to slip inside without drawing much attention. Keeping his cap pulled low over his forehead, he avoided the workers' curious glances and headed straight towards the kitchen.
He was certain Minji and the others would be there.
And he was right.
Inside, the girls were busy packing iftar boxes, arranging dishes, and making sure everything was ready on time. No one had noticed him enter.
Jeon J stepped further inside, still keeping his cap low.
A helper was the first to spot him.
His eyes widened.
"JEON J!"
Jeon J immediately turned towards him and raised a finger to his lips.
"Shhh!"
The poor helper froze, his excitement disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.
Jeon J couldn't help laughing.
"At least keep your voice down. If you're going to announce my arrival that loudly, I'll have to leave. I came here to help, after all."
A voice whispered near his ear.
"Honestly, I think you should get yourself checked by a doctor."
Jeon J turned his head.
Minji was standing beside him, looking at him with an utterly unimpressed expression.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm perfectly fine. Worry about yourself."
He said it casually, then reached into the nearby glove box, pulled out a pair of gloves, and began putting them on.
"By the way, you must be very happy to see me, aren't you?"
Jeon J heard a familiar voice behind him.
He turned around.
Taehun stood there with a teasing smile already spread across his face.
"You?"
Jeon J looked at him in surprise, then glanced at Minji.
Minji merely shrugged.
"What can I do? I have no idea when he arrived. But when I came in, he was already here. And honestly, he seemed more interested in tasting the food than helping with the work."
Jeon J ignored Taehun's amused expression and walked towards the counter, where the dishes for the iftar boxes had been laid out.
He picked up an empty box and joined the others, carefully placing the food inside.
Taehun watched him for a moment.
"You're ignoring me as though I'm your girlfriend and I've said something to upset you."
Jeon J slowly turned his head and gave him a long, unimpressed look.
Taehun took that as an invitation to continue.
"Anyway, how many days has it been since my friend was separated from me?"
Hana immediately looked up from her work.
"Why? Have you forgotten how many days your friend has been away from you?"
Taehun placed a hand over his chest.
"Actually, I would remember. But I'm in such deep sorrow these days that I can't keep track of anything."
He sighed dramatically.
"Whenever I try to remember, I start missing her again. And... Then he spent the entire night crying. I saw his pillow last night, too. It was completely wet!"
Yomin cut in before Taehun could continue his tragic performance.
Jeon J turned towards him, startled.
But his surprise didn't end there.
Standing beside Yomin were Minjo and Hosu as well.
"You guys…?"
He looked from one face to another, clearly trying to understand what was happening.
Minjo answered before he could ask anything else.
"Look, Taehun invited us. Now tell me, how did you manage to get here?"
Jeon J's eyes narrowed.
"Taehun invited you? Really?"
He clenched his teeth slightly and looked straight at Taehun.
"And who invited Taehun?"
Before Taehun could defend himself, Minjo had already answered for him.
"Well, who else? He invited himself!"
Jeon J stared at Taehun.
Taehun brought both hands together near his chest, putting on an expression of deep sorrow.
"Me? I invited myself because I miss my friend so much. That's why I've been visiting all the places where we used to spend time together, remembering all those precious moments."
He delivered the words with such exaggerated sadness that Minji had to suppress a laugh.
Before Jeon J could grab him, Hosu asked curiously,
"By the way, Taehun, what kind of memories are you talking about? What exactly did you two used to do together?"
Taehun opened his mouth to answer.
But Minji beat him to it.
"Oh, there was this one time… A boy made a bet, lost it, and ended up blind. Then he went stumbling around with his friend, trying to reach a place where he could get his favourite coffee."
She paused, looking around at the others with a mischievous smile.
"Unfortunately, he almost missed out on his favourite coffee because, well… he was blind. He couldn't see where he was going!"
The kitchen erupted in laughter.
Taehun put on an innocent, almost childlike expression, trying to win everyone's sympathy, while Hana shook her head, smiling at the memory. Minjo and Hosu exchanged amused looks, clearly entertained by the story.
But not everyone laughed.
Jeon J's expression changed the moment the memory came back to him. He looked away, trying to hide his reaction. That was one day he certainly hadn't wanted anyone to bring up—the day Zoya had left him stumbling around, unable to see a thing.
And beside him, another person had gone quiet too.
The laughter continued around them, but for those two, the memory had returned with a little more force than anyone else could have guessed.
"Whatever it is, she is a good girl," Taehun began, still wearing his innocent expression.
As everyone laughed, he fell quiet for a moment. His fingers brushed along the edge of the box in front of him before he spoke again.
"I sometimes wonder..." His voice grew unexpectedly serious. "When Zoya finishes her degree and leaves this place for good, I don't know what I'll do."
He gave a slight shrug, as if even he didn't know how to put that feeling into words.
For a moment, the others stopped laughing. The work was still waiting, the boxes still needed to be packed, and time was running short. Yet no one seemed particularly concerned about that anymore. They were all listening. Taehun rarely spoke so seriously, and when he did, everyone wanted to hear him out.
Jeon J, too, had gone still at his words.
But the serious expression on Taehun's face lasted only a little longer. He lifted his head, returned to his usual playful self, and turned towards Jeon J with a teasing smile.
"So, I've made up my mind. As soon as Zoya completes her degree, I won't let her leave. This time, I'll find a boy for her here and get her married. That way, my friend will stay right in front of my eyes!"
"Why do you need to find another boy?" Sophia asked thoughtfully. "Aren't you a boy yourself?"
Laughter burst through the kitchen.
Taehun immediately turned towards Jeon J.
Jeon J was staring back at him, his eyes practically shooting daggers.
Taehun's teasing smile widened as the others still laughed around them. He seemed to find Jeon J's expression far more entertaining than his own joke.
And just like that, the moment slipped back into laughter, even as Jeon J kept looking at Taehun like he wasn't going to let this one go so easily.
To be continued...
Regards,
ZK💌