Salmon Bagel and a Hot Chocolate

16 - Shifting Dynamics

Minjeong did not manage to push her talk with Jihyo all the way until the evening, so she went back home to see if she could stall her visit to the café in any way possible.

"You're back early." Taeyeon said as Minjeong walked in.

"Work finished pretty quick today," Minjeong told, taking a seat next to her mother. "Then I went to see Jihyo for a bit."

"Did you?" Taeyeon raised her eyebrows, in obvious surprise about it.

"Yeah, I just wanted to chat." Minjeong shrugged, trying to change the topic before she was asked about it any further. She didn't really wanna talk about Karina to anyone else ever again.

"Did something happen?"

"No, nothing," Minjeong quickly shook her head. "Just had some extra time."

"Well, that's good progress," Taeyeon smiled, Minjeong nodding softly. "Anyways, you clearly don't wanna talk about that, so I'll tell you the good news to get your mind off things."

"Good news?"

"I'll be leaving on Tuesday!"

Minjeong looked at her mother in question, "Why- why would that be good news?"

"I'll be out of your hair." Taeyeon said.

"I feel like you're trying to bait me into saying I'm happy about that..." Minjeong narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"I'm not!" Taeyeon laughed. "But, yeah, I mean... I gotta get back. I think my plants are dying."

"I'll miss you," Minjeong pouted, resting her head on Taeyeon's shoulder. "Come visit more often."

"You come visit me," Taeyeon scoffed playfully. "I'll be back again in no time."

"You better," Minjeong hummed. "I can't raise Yizhuo on my own."

"She's got her betrothed now, she'll be alright," Taeyeon chuckled. "Will you be okay?"

"Of course I will be," Minjeong furrowed her eyebrows as she lifted her head. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Just making sure," Taeyeon said. "In this trip, you've talked to Jihyo, made two new friends, and spent an entire night in a club. This wasn't my usual stay at all."

"Succumbing to normality," Minjeong shrugged. "The next time you're back, I'll have four new friends."

"I'm coming back in less than three years, Minjeong."

"I can make friends in less time than that!" Minjeong feigned hurt. "By the time you're back, I'll be better friends with Karina."

Taeyeon nodded at that, holding back any sort of reaction, "I'd love to see that happen."

"It will," Minjeong smiled. "What do you wanna do in your last two days here?"

"I've actually really been craving a coffee from Vivid." Taeyeon told, Minjeong taking a deep breath in after hearing that. The one thing she wanted to not do...

"Vivid it is," Minjeong hummed and got up. "We have to leave now, though, because if I lie down within the next few minutes, I will be falling asleep."

"Let's go then," Taeyeon chuckled. "No surprise, but Yizhuo is already there. Has been for the past two hours."

"That's why she's not been bugging me about meeting her after work," Minjeong figured. "Poor Giselle."

"Oh, you know she loves it," Taeyeon shook her head in amusement. "Have you seen the way she looks at her?"

"Sickeningly sweet," Minjeong said. "I'm glad she found her. They're perfect for each other."