Secretly, But Unable to Hide It

Your Unnie?

Minji doesn't continue pushing the topic and says calmly, "Later on, when you meet people you don't know, would you feel awkward?"

Hanni responds stiffly, "No."

Minji asks, "If you don't want to stay, just tell me."

Hanni replies, "Hmm."

Minji glances at Hanni and asks again, "Why are your responses so limited?"

Hanni continues to look out the window. "It's not that I'm complaining about you. I just want to remind you that you talk a lot."

"Huh?"

"I'm not really complaining," Hanni says, straightening her face. "You can keep talking, but I just wanted to remind you."

Minji plays dumb. "How can you say I talk too much?"

On the way, Hanni is asked many questions. Suddenly, she turns her head toward Minji and says, "Could you stop asking questions?"

Minji raises her eyebrow. "Why—"

Hanni looks at Minji, clearly annoyed. "Period."

The dinner party is held at a hotpot restaurant, where Hanni and Minji waited in a short line before the incident occurred. Everyone in Minji's group has arrived. Three square tables are arranged together, and the group sits side by side. Hanni counts roughly ten people.

There are two empty seats in the corner, which should be for them. Hanni recognizes a woman she met last time at the airport.

A man with a crew cut smiles and says, "Minji, you're late. We've already started eating."

Minji smiles and explains, "I went to pick someone up."

The crew-cut man teases, "Your girlfriend?"

Hearing this, Minji glances at Hanni before saying, "Friend."

Hanni is startled and greets everyone. Minji then leads her to sit in the corner. She feels at a loss. Minji unexpectedly called her a friend, not a little sister. She can't believe her ears.

Quickly, someone in front of Hanni passes her a menu. Minji sits beside her. "Take a look. Do you want to eat anything else?"

Hanni nods and looks at the menu. She casually adds something and passes it to Minji. "Minji unnie, I want to go to the restroom."

"Go outside the restaurant and turn left. Can you find it by yourself?"

"Yes."

"Then go."

Hanni heads toward the restroom, feeling a little nervous as she walks down the dimly lit hallway. As she pushes open the door and steps inside, she pauses when she sees a woman washing her hands at the sink, a woman she vaguely recalls as Minji's boss. Unsure of what to say, Hanni quietly moves to the sink next to her and starts washing her hands, offering a polite nod in greeting.

The woman finishes drying her hands with a tissue and turns to Hanni with a warm smile. "You're Hanni, right?"

Hanni nods and responds with a slight bow. "Yes."

"I'm Sullyoon," the woman says, her voice soft and kind. "I was the one who came with Minji before. Do you remember me?"

"Yes," Hanni replies quickly, her voice a bit stiffer than she intended.

Sullyoon smiles knowingly, giving a small nod. "And you're studying at Pohang University, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

As they exit the restroom together, Sullyoon glances at Hanni with a nostalgic look. "I remember when you were much younger. You've grown taller since then."