Chapter 14: Meeting (2)
The male part-timer went over to the table and asked them about what they would like to order. Both of them answered the spicy rice cakes with a ramen set and three student lunch boxes for them to eat.
Mina grabbed the glass in front of her and the pitcher, but Jiwon beat her to it. She smiled as he saw Jiwon pour water into her glass. As she took a sip from the glass of water, she glanced at Jiwon, who was staring at her.
She felt burdened and overwhelmed that she choked on the water she was drinking.
"Why are you staring at me intently?" Mina asked, putting her glass on the table. "Do you have something to say?"
Jiwon opened his mouth and was about to say something, but he didn't when the male part-timer arrived to take their order.
When the part-timer jotted down their order and went away, Jiwon did not hesitate to ask what was on his mind. "Sunbae, are you single?"
Mina was so dumb-founded and found the question unexpected that she choked on nothing but her saliva. Weird, but it happens.
She stared at Jiwon; he looked pretty neat. His grey sweater suited his skin tone. She remembered that they were on good terms that people used to misunderstand them flirting towards each other. Well, it could be. They were flirting, but nothing more than that.
The moment their project ended, they lost contact, and both remained as an acquainted sunbae-hoobae relationship.
"Why do you ask?" Mina faked a smile; her usual smiley eyes were there when she feels awkward.
"Of course, someone as pretty as you," Jiwon scratched the back of his neck and shyly smiled. "It is impossible that you don't have a boyfriend."
Mina realized that Jiwon must still be interested in him, so her inner self commanded her to tell the truth, "No, Jiwon. Sunbae does not have a boyfriend."
"But why?" Jiwon asked. "It's impossible."
"It is possible," Mina slyly smiled as she crossed her legs, making sure that her toes touched Jiwon's shin. This old flirtatious trick never gets old. "I don't have a boyfriend currently."
"Why, sunbae?" Jiwon continued to ask as he leaned in. His whole attention was now on Mina. He always fancied her charming eyes, and it has always drawn him to her ever since he saw Mina for the first time. "Do you dislike dating?"
Shaking her head in response, Mina answered. "It's not like I dislike dating. I just think I do not have enough time to do my job as an actress. I've been to thousands of auditions just a few months after I graduated.
"Your dedication towards acting never failed to amaze me, sunbae," Jiwon said as it seemed like he was serious about what he said,
"But, you are dedicated and passionate with acting too," Mina replied, as her eyes twinkled.
"I have always heard from other hoobaes that you are the best in your batch." Jiwon interpolated his thoughts about Mina. "You have to know a lot of people look up to you a lot."
"You are lying," Mina squinted her eyes and joked around. Though, she really thought that they were just white lies made by Jiwon to cheer her up. "I never felt that you look up to me like that."
"No, really! I am not kidding,"
"Then, on the day that we did our small partner project," Mina looked at Jiwon's eyes as if he was staring at his soul, "I think you prioritized hanging out with your friends that day?"
"That was---"
"I had to wait for several hours," Mina exaggerated as she was having fun teasing Jiwon. "Is that really an act of looking up to me and respecting me as your sunbae?"
Jiwon felt like he was hit with a combination of jabs and a strong uppercut from her sunbae. But he realized that she was right, that day did not even end nicely, and all of them ended their relationship as acquaintances that day.
Actually, Jiwon felt embarrassed and did not have the courage to do it two years ago. And now, he had the courage to ask about Mina and her endeavors as if nothing happened. It was all a coincidence for him, a God-sent instance just for him.
He did not really have any business to eat lunch here and was just by the road waiting for his manager to come. But when he saw Mina, he ditched his manager and pretended as if he was there to eat lunch and just happened to bump with his former sunbae.
"Honestly, I have nothing to say." Jiwon accepted defeat as he frowned. Mina tried to keep herself calm and collected, but she has always been weak with soft and easily tamed guys. He looked like a dog who messed up his owner's shoes. "I have committed a great sin."
Mina eased the tension by giggling. She just found Jiwon too adorable to be true!
"I was just kidding," She tucked her hair behind her left ear. "It already happened years ago, and I knew you had reasons. We still got good grades from it."
"That's a relief," Jiwon sighed as he felt relieved about what Mina said but still felt sorry about it. So instead, he suggested. "How about I buy lunch for today, sunbae?"
"Is your girlfriend going to come?"
Jiwon denied and laughed awkwardly. "No girlfriend, sunbae. He is my manager-hyung," He pretended to look at his phone and continued, "He's not going to have lunch with us and will just meet with me after I eat here."
"Is that so?"
"Yes," Jiwon replied as the male part-timer put the three lunch boxes and tteokbokki with ramen set on the table. "Let's share everything."
They ate everything and finished their meal; Jiwon found Mina adorable eating the food with vigor, unlike other girls who tend to eat like a bird in front of a man.
And just when it was already time for them to pay for their meals, Jiwon forgot that he did not bring his wallet with him. They were already at the counter; Jiwon was trying to find something in his pocket but could not grab anything aside from his phone.
When he glanced at Mina, who was standing on his right side, she immediately spoke. "Did you forget your wallet?"
To which, Jiwon nodded in reply.
Mina smiled as she opened her bag, grabbed her credit card to pay, and handed it over to the owner who was at the counter.
"Do you want a receipt, ma'am?" The owner, who seemed like she in her late fifties, asked Mina, while she nodded in response. "Okay."
Mina received the receipt along with her card.
Jiwon looked extremely apologetic and said, "Sunbae, I will wire the payment to you--"
"No," Shaking her head in response, Mina charmingly smiled. "It's okay. I would prefer it if you can buy me food next time."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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Gifts
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received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone