Salmon Bagel and a Hot Chocolate

19 - Mother Knows Best

Minjeong was on the way to the airport, Yizhuo and her mother choosing to sit at the back, making her look like their chauffeur.

"I really don't appreciate being out of the loop." Minjeong told, looking at the pair through the rearview mirror.

"I'm talking loud enough so you can hear," Yizhuo shrugged. "Plus, I don't think you'd like to be involved in the discussion of you and Isa."

Minjeong groaned, "Why are you discussing that?"

"Because you never told any of us," Taeyeon chuckled. "This changes a lot."

"What does it change?" Minjeong furrowed her eyebrows. "We weren't even that serious. It was just a fling, if you think about it."

"A fling doesn't just last two years," Yizhuo pointed out. "And my God, the way you two act around each other... even Giselle could see the tension."

"There was no tension," Minjeong muttered. "It was just awkward."

"Alright." Yizhuo hummed and continued her conversation with Taeyeon, leaving Minjeong alone with her thoughts.

She couldn't really pinpoint what made things awkward. It wasn't like they were on bad terms at any given point in time, so calling the interaction awkward was not what Minjeong actually felt about it.

There was something, though. A feeling that she herself couldn't figure out. It wasn't awkwardness, she wasn't in love, she didn't miss her or long for her. If she had to name the feeling, the closest Minjeong could get to was actually tension– not the tension Yizhuo was suggesting, but just a tense, anxious feeling.

The funniest part about all of it? It wasn't even Isa making her feel that way, it was Karina.

Every time Minjeong would look up when Isa was there, Karina was looking right back at her, quickly looking away whenever she noticed she got caught. It wasn't like how they'd usually steal glances, there was nothing friendly about it and Minjeong could feel that.

It was tense. There was something off about Karina's behaviour that Minjeong noticed, but couldn't figure out what.

What would usually be a smile when their eyes met was replaced with a slight furrow of the brows, as if Karina was assessing something– as if she was trying to figure out what Isa was doing there. Minjeong would never say it out loud, but there was a small part of her that had started to gravitate towards Yizhuo's suspicions.

That begged the question; was Karina jealous? And if so, why?

Did the theories Yizhuo would always seem to have actually hold some truth to it? Even if they did, Minjeong didn't know why she cared so much.

She knows she's good looking, it was not surprising to her when people would tell her they're attracted to her, but why did it feel like it was something different when it may be Karina on the other end?

Minjeong didn't know if she liked the thought of it or not, but it was sure as hell stressing her out.

"Which door?" Minjeong asked as she drove into the airport.

"Five," Taeyeon told. "There's a spot there, quick."

Minjeong drove into the empty spot and alighted, helping Taeyeon with her bag while Yizhuo ran off to get a trolley. That had been their duties since they were kids.

"I might come visit soon," Yizhuo said as she gave Taeyeon a hug. "I'll bring Giselle along."

"Please bring my daughter first." Taeyeon chuckled, moving over to hug Minjeong.