During lunch, Minjin, Kim Aecha, and Heo Yeong-hwan were standing in line at the counter. A few people behind them, Mun Sara, Minjun, and Bang Eun-kyung were also in line. Minjun kept his eyes fixed on Heo Yeong-hwan, who was standing behind Kim Aecha. Bang Eun-kyung noticed that Minjun seemed to be staring at someone, and when he followed Minjun's gaze, he chuckled as he realized whom he was looking at.
Bang Eun-Kyung leaned over him. "Minjun-ah, it seems Minjin-ah is behaving indifferently towards you. No one dares to lay a finger on you." Minjun smirked.
"Yeah, I noticed that too."
"Are you alright with that?" Bang Eun-Kyung asked.
Minjun glanced over at the serving table filled with dishes. "My father knows her. If I told him she was physically hurting me, he would just think I deserved it."
Mun Sara, who was standing in front of him, overheard this and turned to him. "Your father knows Minjin too?" she asked.
Minjun replied, "Yeah, my father and Minjin's father were close colleagues."
Mun Sara's eyes widened in surprise at this revelation.
Bang Eun-Kyung chuckled. "Ah, that's why. You have no choice but to endure her."
Minjun smirked as he glanced at the array of dishes on the counter. "She also has no choice but to endure me."
Mun Sara's eyes widened at his reaction. Slowly, she turned her body on the counter and let out a deep sigh, feeling a pang in her chest.
While Minjin and her friends received their trays of food, they took a seat at the table where Lee Deji and Choi Ye-joon were already eating. Kim Aecha, along with Lee Deji and Choi Ye-joon, exchanged knowing glances. Lee Deji nodded towards Kim Aecha, who hesitated and shook her head. Then, Lee Deji turned to Choi Ye-joon, silently indicating Minjin.
Choi Ye-joon cleared his throat before addressing Minjin, who was sitting across from him. "Minjin-ah, it seems you and Kang Minjun knew each other before," he said cautiously.
Heo Yeong-hwan smirked while eating, observing the exchange.
Minjin swallowed her bite of food and nodded. "Yeah, we're childhood friends."
Everyone's eyes widened at the revelation, and they exchanged surprised glances. Heo Yeong-hwan, who was sitting next to her, turned towards her, astonished.
"Really?" he asked, unable to hide his shock.
"Yeah. Our fathers were close colleagues," Minjin replied casually as she continued eating.
"Ah, that explains why you were asking about him," Lee Deji observed.
"I actually wasn't aware that we were attending the same school. I only found out through Mun Sara," Minjin added while chewing her food.
"Ya, Kang Minjun is one of the most powerful boys in school. No one dares to mess with him because his father is influential," Kim Aecha said, her eyes wide with shock.
Minjin smirked. "I know that."
Lee Deji and Choi Ye-joon exchanged confused glances. Choi Ye-joon then turned to Minjin and smiled. "That explains why he tried to save you from expulsion."
Minjin snorted and looked at Choi Ye-joon. "Hyung, he was also the one who reported me."
Choi Ye-joon chuckled gently. "Because he knew all along that you could do better."
Heo Yeong-Hwan smirked as he continued to eat his meal, clearly not amused by the conversation.
"Why didn't you tell me that, Minjin-ah?" Kim Aecha asked.
"I wasn't planning to get close to him. I wanted to keep my distance, but still, he came to me," Minjin said as she continued to eat.
Upon hearing that, Choi Ye-joon couldn't help but grin. "I guess he wanted you back in his life."
This made Heo Yeong-hwan look up and glare at Choi Ye-joon. However, Lee Deji noticed and reacted. "What are you staring at, huh?" she asked him.
Heo Yeong-hwan smirked and turned back to his meal.
Kim Aecha smiled gently and playfully pointed her chopsticks at Minjin. "Don't you dare fall in love with him, araso?"
Minjin's eyes widened at this comment. She suddenly remembered that she had already confessed her feelings to him, and there was proof of it. A chill ran down her spine as she tried to hide her panic. Turning to Kim Aecha, she forced a smile and nodded. "Araso." She discreetly hid her hand behind her back and crossed her fingers.
Choi Ye-joon couldn't help but smile as he shook his head. "I don't think so," he muttered to himself while returning to his meal.
Meanwhile, Heo Yeong-hwan sat silently beside Minjin, smirking with his head lowered. However, inside, he was boiling with emotions that he struggled to conceal from everyone.
###
After their classes, it was time for the self-study session. Minjin tried to quietly grasp her backpack against her chest while Minjun focused on his notes. However, before she could even stand up from her seat, Minjun swiftly grabbed her backpack.
"You are not leaving," Minjun commanded, his voice firm.
Minjin reluctantly glared at him until her phone rang. She answered it with an irritated tone. On the other end was Kim Aecha. "Minjin-ah, let's play computer games with Heo Yeong-hwan."
Minjin frowned at Minjun. "I can't. I have to stay for self-study."
"Ya, you've been doing that for days! We only have time to hang out at night," Kim Aecha complained.
"Sorry, just wait for me a bit. I'll come later," Minjin said before abruptly ending the call.
She turned to Minjun with a frown. "Why are you so mean to me?"
Minjun smirked, still keeping his eyes on his notes. "I think I'm being nice to you."
"No! Ever since we met, you've been mean to me!" Minjin exclaimed, almost shouting, which drew the attention of nearby students.
Minjun turned to her, resting his chin on his palm as he smiled sarcastically. "You've been mean to me too."
"That's only because you were mean to me first!" Minjin replied, her frustration evident.
Bang Eun-Kyung glanced in their direction, shook his head disapprovingly, and then returned to his book.
"If you want me to be nice to you, then be a good girl," Minjun teased, lightly tapping her on the head.
Minjin immediately slapped his hand away and glared at him, but Minjun couldn't hide his amusement. Her frustration only deepened as he returned to his notes with a sideways grin.
"Why, I even asked. You were also mean to me when we were younger," Minjin said as she set her books and notes down on the desk.
Minjun's eyes widened, and his pen paused mid-air. He exhaled deeply and was about to turn toward her, but he hesitated.
After her comment, his first instinct was to defend himself and say that he had not been mean to her until she left. But he quickly dismissed his thoughts, swallowed hard, and sighed to himself before returning to his notes.
His concentration broke when a female classmate approached him.
"Minjun-ah, could you help us with geometry?" she asked.
Minjun looked up at her and nodded. "Sure."
"The girls are over there," their female classmate said, pointing to the desk where most of their female classmates were gathered in a circle, including Mun Sara.
Minjun turned toward them. "Sure."
The female classmate smiled with joy as Minjun searched his backpack for his geometry notes. He then stood up from his seat and walked over to where the girls were sitting. As he approached them, the girls eagerly made space for him and gestured for him to sit in the center of the desk. Minjun took a seat beside Mun Sara. He laid his notes on the table, held his pen, and began teaching the girls.
Minjin couldn't help but stare at them. She then noticed that Mun Sara was sitting next to him. Her eyes shifted to one of the girls in the circle got up and went back to her seat. She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a drink. With a smile on her face, she returned to where Minjun was sitting.
"Minjun-ah, you can drink this," the girl said, placing the bottle on the desk in front of him.
Minjun looked up and smiled. "Gomawo, Seol-ah," he replied, lowering his head again to continue teaching them.
The girl curled her lips, trying to suppress a giggle.
When Minjin noticed this and she couldn't help but to react silently to herself. "Whoa…" she chuckled in disbelief.
She then scanned the room and realized that most of the classmates surrounding Minjun were girls.
"Whoa…" she said, both amused and annoyed.
She knew he was popular, but this was the first time she had seen it in person. Her expression suddenly grew serious as she reconsidered her thoughts and she realized that he didn't need her anymore.
Quickly, she returned her books and notes to her backpack and zipped them shut, keeping her eyes on Minjun. Silently, she stood up from her seat, clutching her backpack tightly against her chest. Trying to stay unnoticed, she tiptoed toward the back of the room, her gaze still fixed on Minjun.
As Minjin turned her head towards the doorway, she caught sight of Bang Eun-Kyung, who was already grinning at her. She signaled for him to keep quiet, but he just smiled back.
"Minjin-ah, where are you going?!" Bang Eun-Kyung called out loudly, drawing everyone's attention to her.
Minjun, who had been seated, turned his head to see what was happening. Before he could react, Minjin quickly rushed out of the room. His eyes widened in surprise, and he instinctively stood up from his chair.
"Ya! Park Minjin!" he shouted angrily as she ran down the corridor.
Bang Eun-Kyung burst into laughter, prompting Minjun to shift his focus to him.
"Ya, you had the chance to block her way!" Minjun said irritably.
The girls surrounding him, including Mun Sara, had their eyes widened in shock. They exchanged glances, silently questioning each other about what was happening.
Bang Eun-Kyung stifled a laugh and shrugged his shoulders while raising his hands. "Hey, even though I'm sitting near the back door, she's not my responsibility," he remarked.
Minjun smirked and shook his head. "You're useless."
Heaving a deep sigh, Minjun sat down again, but the girls around him remained in shock, continuing to share confused glances.
"Minjun-ah, you and Park Minjin seem close," the other girl finally asked.
Minjun sighed again as he focused on his notes. "We were childhood friends."
The girls' eyes widened even more as they exchanged glances.
"We've also noticed that she is quite violent toward you, while you always seem angry with her," the other girl ventured cautiously. The girl beside her nudged her silently. "Never mind, ignore what I just said!" she quickly added.
Minjun let out an exasperated sigh. "It's fine. We've always been like this."
He kept his head low, tightly gripping his pen, because they used to be considerate and gentle with each other.
Mun Sara watched Minjun closely and noticed that he was trying to compose himself. She lowered her head and swallowed hard, realizing that she was mistaken; Minjin could easily affect Minjun, and she had the power to make him lose his temper.