T H I R T Y T W O

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M I N J I


I've been staring at an email for about thirty minutes now.

My eyes are about to turn into squares from how much I've been staring at my phone. Texts come and go, but I can't open a single one. I just keep reading, over and over again, that email. It's from Professor Lee, arrived three hours ago, but I was in the middle of my shift, and now I'm sitting in a booth at a coffee shop, waiting for Dani, and just staring and reading that email.

I've ordered a vanilla latte, and when the waitress asked if I wanted some food, I told her I was waiting for someone and that we'd order something then. I asked Dani to meet me here. I barely see her outside our classes together. I would've invited Haerin, too, but things are awkward and weird between us. Or maybe it's just me, avoiding the entire world because I'm too stressed to handle a simple conversation, and I know if I talk to Haerin, she's going to ask about the showcase.

I don't have answers to those questions. Hence why I've been staring at my phone for—thirty-five minutes now. My mind is completely blank, having no clue how to respond.

The only thing that makes me look up is the sudden movement in front of me. Dani sits in the chair opposite me, leaving her bag on the floor with a loud thud, and without saying anything, she groans into her hands, rubbing them softly before running them through her hair.

"Someone's in a good mood," I tease, immediately regretting it when she shoots me a glare. "Okay, geez. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, I'm just—ugh!" she groans again, then locks her eyes on me. "My dad has been so fucking insufferable these days."

"What'd he do?" I lift the latte to my lips as I watch her. Her dad is one of our teachers, and he's practically forcing her to study something she absolutely hates. She's so stressed that I'm scared she'll be bald by the age of twenty-five.

"I told him I wanted to drop out, y'know," she says. "I told him I wanted to focus on something I actually enjoy, like marketing. He said I should be grateful he's paying for my Uni, because I'd be living on the street if it weren't for him."

I gasp. "What?"

She nods, her eyes flickering with hurt. "I am grateful he's helping me. I could pay for everything myself. My grandparents left me money when they died, but I can only access it when I turn twenty-one. That's two years from now."

"I'm sorry, Dani," I say, placing my hand over hers and giving it a soft squeeze. "I hope everything works out for you."

"Thank you, Minji," she smiles, pulling out her phone. "Should we order something?"

"I got a latte. I was waiting for you so we could order some food."

The waitress comes back when she sees I have company. Dani orders a black coffee and a cupcake, and I go with a piece of cheesecake.

Fifteen minutes later, we have our food on the table, and we eat while Dani tells me about her day. I try to pay attention to her, but there's a reason I asked her to meet me, and the question is burning inside my mind. I space out most of the time, feeling like a terrible friend.

My foot taps on the floor constantly, and it doesn't stop.

Dani goes on about how her little puppy ran away, and she had to chase him for four blocks nonstop. I laugh, just to be polite. Then she goes on to tell me about the baby she has hidden in—

"Wait. What?"

Heads turn our way when she laughs loudly, throwing her whole body back and clapping her hands. My cheeks turn red at the sudden attention. "I just wanted to see if you were listening to me," she says after a few moments, catching her breath. "And you clearly weren't."

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