As Minjin and Mun Sara stepped out of the eatery, Minjin was still frowning. Mun Sara noticed and chuckled as they paused a few meters from the entrance.
"You and Minjun-ah still know exactly how to push each other's buttons," Mun Sara said with amusement.
Minjin turned to her. "You knew about that too?"
Mun Sara laughed. "Yeah, I found out when I got back from vacation during college."
Minjin let out an exasperated sigh, placing her hand on her waist. "Haist, he's so stupid."
Mun Sara teasingly smiled. "Did you do that on purpose?"
Minjin frowned in confusion. "Do what?"
"Act like you weren't sure if you were his first love."
Minjin's eyes widened briefly before she huffed out a small laugh. "Sara-ah, Millennials have woken up. Some terms might mean one thing, but every relationship is different. I could have been his first girlfriend, but that doesn't necessarily mean I was his first love."
Mun Sara shook her head with a chuckle. "That logic of yours really got to him."
Minjin smirked. "He's the one who pissed me off first. Introducing me as just the younger sister of his patient? And then casually talking to oppa like that?" She let out a scoff. "If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have even met oppa."
Mun Sara teasingly smiled. "Why does that bother you so much, Minjin-ah?"
Minjin's smile widened. "I actually find it funny. But after today, I realized we can annoy each other even worse than before because of our past."
Mun Sara softly sighed and shook her head. "Just don't overdo it, Minjin-ah."
Minjin tilted her head thoughtfully. "But now that I think about it… has he become even more avoidant? I remember him being friendly with everyone."
Mun Sara's expression softened. "People change, Minjin-ah. He's matured."
Minjin faintly smiled and shook her head. "Ani, Minjun-ah was always like this, even when we were kids. He was distant with his girlfriend, too. I saw them the other day."
Mun Sara frowned. "He has a new girlfriend?"
Minjin raised an eyebrow. "I don't think she's new, do you?" She pulled out her phone, searched for something, and held it up. "This is her, right?"
Mun Sara glanced at the photo and then at Minjin. "Yeah, she was… but they broke up."
Minjin's lips parted slightly. "Really?" She looked at the picture again. "Well, she called him oppa so sweetly, so I assumed."
Mun Sara chuckled, watching Minjin still staring at the photo. "Why do you even have that picture?"
Minjin turned to her with a playful smile, wrinkling her nose. "I enjoy gossip more now that I'm older."
Mun Sara shook her head, smiling. "Ya, don't fall back for Minjun-ah."
Minjin suddenly burst into laughter, catching Mun Sara off guard. "Ya, do you really think he'd want me back? Sara-ah, I broke his heart terribly. The way he treats me like a total stranger now… it's clear he hates me."
She shook her head and started walking. "Let's move along."
For a moment, Mun Sara stood there watching her, frowning slightly. It was rare to see Minjin laugh like that—she had always known her to be so nonchalant.
Then, a small smile formed on her lips.
"She seems the same… but she's changed too."
###
Inside the restaurant, Minjun and Im Sung-ae's orders arrived. Minjun's gaze lingered on the empty bowl of samgyetang that Minjin had finished.
"Ya, you hate Park Minjin because you lied to us," Im Sung-ae said with a smirk.
Minjun simply picked up his spoon. "Just eat."
But Im Sung-ae wasn't letting it go. "What did she do to make you lie to us and get irritated?"
Minjun sighed, keeping his eyes on his food. "Just eat."
Im Sung-ae started eating. "You haven't dated in a while. What's going on with you? If you still have feelings for Hyein, go to her. You know she wants you back."
Minjun faintly smiled and shook his head, continuing his meal. "We're completely different. Our families, too."
Im Sung-ae swallowed his bite before speaking again. "Then why haven't you dated anyone since your breakup?"
Minjun let out a deep sigh, still focused on his food. "I don't have time."
Im Sung-ae turned to him after swallowing. "Ya, you've always been popular with women. It should be easy for you to find someone. The problem is you. Aren't you being a little too picky?" He then resumed eating.
Minjun paused, his spoon stopping mid-air. He turned to Im Sung-ae. "Would you date just any woman to make her your wife?"
Im Sung-ae met his gaze. "Ya, if a woman wants me, I'd give it a try. They say you should choose the one who loves you instead of the one you love."
Minjun smirked slightly in disbelief. "And you think that would work? A relationship isn't just about the couple. Families are involved, too. One of the biggest reasons for divorce, aside from adultery, is in-law issues—mistreatment from the spouse's family."
Im Sung-ae chuckled, glancing at Minjun. "Fine, don't get mad at me. It sounds like you've seen that firsthand."
Minjun sighed deeply, his gaze lowering to his meal. "Hawoon-noona went through that before my father passed. She pushed herself to meet her in-laws' expectations, but it only got worse after she had her daughters. She almost filed for divorce… but then my father died."
Im Sung-ae nodded, taking another bite. "Doesn't your mother pressure you to get married?"
Minjun smiled faintly as he resumed eating. "She's been setting me up on blind dates. She knows what kind of woman I like, but… I'd rather not."
Im Sung-ae scoffed. "Anyway, you have weird taste in women."
Minjun shrugged. "I've tried dating women who wanted me, but it never worked out. I just ended up hurting them."
Im Sung-ae nodded while chewing. "Right… you already did. But I'm curious about something."
Minjun glanced at him. "About what?"
"Did your first love want you the way these women did?"
Minjun's eyes widened briefly, but then a subtle smile appeared. "Ani. I was the one who wanted her."
Im Sung-ae nodded. "So, you pursued her?"
Minjun chuckled slightly. "I was like a gum stuck to her, and she hated it."
Im Sung-ae's mouth fell slightly open. "You were that in love with her?"
Minjun faintly smiled, lowering his head. "When I was a student studying brain chemistry, I realized she was like a drug to me. She heightened those chemicals, but everything felt right."
"Ya, now that she's back, you know how the first love imprint works in our brains. The brain can be tricky—it doesn't always get it right."
Minjun let out a faint smile as his mind drifted back to his earlier encounter with Minjin. He lifted his head to stare back at the empty bowl across from him. Her teasing smirk, the irritation in her eyes, and her bold attitude toward him—his brain had already tricked him by bringing up that image of her from his memories.
He sighed and returned to his meal. "You don't have to worry about that."