Rivalry Rewritten: Enmity to Intimacy ( Volume: 2)

Fourty Two

Minji was practically buzzing with excitement as she finished getting ready, her movements quick and eager. A maid approached her, saying, "Miss Minji, Mr. Song has arrived to see you."

Minji's smile widened. "Thank you!" She quickly made her way to the entrance, where Mingi was waiting. As soon as she saw him, she noticed something different about him—he seemed unusually shy and blushy.

"Hey, Mingi!" Minji greeted, her voice bright. "Come on in!"

Mingi smiled, a bit nervously, and stepped inside. Minji started talking animatedly about their plans for the day. "I can't wait to meet up with Wooyoung, Risa, and Yunho for the movies. It's going to be so much fun! Have you seen how excited Risa gets about everything? It's infectious!"

Mingi nodded, his usual confident demeanor slightly subdued. "Yeah, she's definitely a ball of energy," he said, his voice soft.

Minji paused for a moment, noticing his unusual behavior. "Are you okay, Mingi? You seem a bit... different today."

Mingi's cheeks reddened a bit more as he fidgeted. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Just... I guess I'm a bit nervous."

Minji tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "Nervous? About what?"

Mingi glanced around, avoiding her gaze. "I don't know, just... it's been a while since we've all hung out like this. And I guess I wanted to... um, make sure I didn't mess anything up."

Minji's eyes softened, and she placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "You could never mess anything up, Mingi. We're just going to have a good time. Plus, I'm really glad you're here. And by the way, where's Yeosang?"

Mingi finally looked up, meeting her gaze with a small, grateful smile. "Thanks, Minji. That means a lot. And Yeosang had to meet his grandparents so he's out of town. He's gonna miss out on movies I guess."

Minji nodded in approval before turning to add finishing touches to her makeup.

She was applying lipstick in front of the mirror when she suddenly turned around to say something to Mingi. The lipstick in her hand brushed against his shirt, leaving a noticeable stain. Her eyes widened in horror as she immediately apologized.

"Oh my gosh, Mingi, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, grabbing some wipes to clean the stain. "Let me fix that for you."

Mingi stood still, feeling his face heat up as Minji dabbed at the stain on his shirt. He was a shy and blushing mess, not quite knowing where to look or what to say.

"Really, it's okay," he managed to mumble, though Minji was already offering to get him a new shirt.

"No, it's not okay. I can't let you go out like this. I'll get you a clean shirt," she insisted, still wiping at the stain.

As she finished, she sat down, and Mingi noticed a smudge of lipstick near her cheek. Without thinking, he reached out to wipe it away with his thumb.

"Um, you have a little... right here," he said softly.

Minji's eyes immediately met Mingi's, and she blushed slightly at the unexpected touch. There was a brief moment of silence between them, charged with an unspoken connection.

"Thanks," she murmured, feeling a flutter in her chest.

Mingi pulled his hand back, his own cheeks still red. "No problem. And, uh, Minji... you're looking really gorgeous today."

Minji's heart skipped a beat at the compliment. She turned around shyly, her cheeks matching the color of her lipstick. "Thank you, Mingi. That means a lot."

They both smiled, the moment adding a new layer to their friendship, one filled with budding feelings and shared warmth.

Minji's phone buzzed, and she saw Wooyoung's name flashing on the screen. She answered with a laugh, "Hey, Wooyoung!"