Is this enough?

Chapter 2

The sunlight beams through the window, and Minji squints her eyes and shuts them close as tight as possible, not wanting to wake up. She hasn't had a good night's sleep in a long time. It's not until she rolls over to her side and knocks her head on the hard edge of a nightstand (maybe) does she realize she doesn't know where she is. Rubbing her head, she sits up and takes in the new environment. Finding herself in a small bedroom with light green walls should be weird, but it's not. There's a set of neatly folded clothes on the chair by the vanity table. Minji gets up and checks herself in the mirror. She's still in her coat, and her makeup is a bit smudged, but other than that, she feels completely well-rested. Her hair's a mess, but that's one of her charms. Minji tidies it up anyway and puts it over to her right side.

There's a box of business cards on the table with her customer's name and position on it. Haerin, Junior Associate. Right. She was with Haerin. It's six in the morning when Minji checks her phone. She broke the rules about sleeping over. If she gets back to the massage parlor before seven, Madame Jennie wouldn't find out about it, and she'll be fine, she guesses. She should leave soon. Minji picks up one of the business cards and keeps it in her pocket. For future reference.

A photograph is tucked in between the mirror and the wooden frame. It's of Haerin with her parents and her sister, Minji assumes, in some woodsy place. A hiking trip perhaps? Her smile is so bright and wide that it reaches up to her eyes. Minji traces the edges of the photo with her fingertips with a smile. The girl looks adorable there. Must've been taken from a few years back.

It's a Saturday morning, so Haerin's probably at home. Minji takes one more look at her room. There's an adorable set of stuffed animals on the little sofa (that doesn't have enough sitting space for a human person because of said toys) next to her bed - a large frog, a cat, a tomato, among others. It's not abnormal to have these things, right? Minji doesn't keep things of sentimental value in her room above the massage parlor. She brushes her hand over the soft, furry material of the toys before leaving the room.

It's a seemingly familiar sight to have Haerin's back against her while she faces the stove. She's dressed in a comfortable gray sweater and black jogging pants. Minji feels somewhat confident that Haerin did nothing to her while she was asleep. She touches her stomach. All her internal organs are still intact. She even has her lingerie on (admittedly a bit disappointed). Even if Haerin did drug Minji's coffee, it was a damn good drug. She'd never felt so at peace before. Not in a long time at least.

"Hey," Minji greets, "did you carry me to the bed or something?" she notices a messy blanket on the couch and an extra pillow that wasn't there last night, "And did you sleep on the couch?"

"You were half awake when I told you to sleep on the bed. I think you kind of sleepwalked your way," Haerin says, "and yes, I slept on the couch. It's fine though. My feet don't dangle off the edge much anyway," she returns her focus on the dish she was preparing. Haerin seems to have her life together. Why does she need Minji though? And not even do anything to her? Haerin frowns when she notices Minji's still dressed in her coat, "You didn't change into the clothes I set out for you. Did you not like them?"

"Oh, I didn't know they were for me. You should've undressed me last night then," Minji teases, "I'd have put something else on this morning."

"Your clothes must be stinky now," Haerin ignores her comments and puts the fried rice in two small bowls and smiles at Minji, "Here, you can have breakfast if you want."

If you want.

Why does she keep saying things like that? What does it matter what Minji wants? She watches Haerin as she places the two bowls on the small dining table with two fried eggs on a small plate in the middle, sitting down to start her meal. She raises her chopsticks up but stops, looking back at Minji, probably wondering why she's just dumbly standing still.