Autumn Calculus

Ch.21.

The days following Min-jun’s arrival were a whirlwind of activity. Eun-ji had forgotten how infectious her cousin’s energy could be. He seemed to instantly get along with everyone, including Ji-hoon, who now spent more time at her house than ever before.

The three of them had formed a comfortable trio, though Eun-ji couldn’t help but notice the occasional flicker of tension between Ji-hoon and Min-jun.

---
“Eun-ji, come on!” Min-jun called, tugging on her arm as they navigated through the bustling streets of the winter festival. “I heard there’s a stall with tteokbokki so spicy, they make you sign a waiver!”

“Why do you sound so excited about that?” Eun-ji laughed, shaking her head.

Ji-hoon trailed behind them, his hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. He had been quieter than usual all day, his gaze darting between Eun-ji and Min-jun as they joked and teased each other.

Min-jun finally stopped in front of the infamous tteokbokki stall, his grin widening as he gestured to the menu. “Two orders of the extra spicy, please!”

Eun-ji raised an eyebrow. “You can’t possibly think I’m eating that.”

“Of course not,” Min-jun said with a smirk. “This is all for me.”

As Min-jun waited for his order, Eun-ji turned to Ji-hoon. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Everything okay?”

Ji-hoon hesitated, then shrugged. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

Before Ji-hoon could answer, Min-jun returned with his tray of fiery red tteokbokki. The steam alone was enough to make Eun-ji’s eyes water.

“Alright, let’s see if I survive this,” Min-jun declared, picking up a piece with his chopsticks.

The first bite had him coughing and gasping for air, his face turning red as Eun-ji doubled over with laughter.

“Water! Water!” Min-jun croaked, reaching for a nearby bottle.

Ji-hoon finally cracked a smile, shaking his head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“That’s part of my charm,” Min-jun replied, grinning despite the tears streaming down his face.

---

Later that evening, as they walked home under a canopy of twinkling fairy lights, Min-jun fell back to give Eun-ji and Ji-hoon some space.

“You two go ahead,” he said with a knowing smile. “I’ll catch up.”

Eun-ji glanced at him suspiciously but didn’t argue. She and Ji-hoon walked in silence for a while, the soft crunch of snow underfoot filling the quiet.

“Eun-ji,” Ji-hoon said suddenly, stopping in his tracks.

She turned to face him, her breath visible in the cold air. “What is it?”

He hesitated, his expression serious. “Do you ever wonder... how things would change if we weren’t just friends?”

The question hung in the air between them, heavy and unexpected.

Eun-ji’s heart skipped a beat, her mind racing. “Ji-hoon, where is this coming from?”

He ran a hand through his hair, his usual confidence faltering. “I don’t know. Seeing you with Min-jun, I guess it made me realize how much I don’t want to lose what we have. But I also... want more.”

Her cheeks burned, though she couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or his words. “Ji-hoon...”

Before she could say more, Min-jun’s voice broke the moment. “Hey! Are you two coming or what?”

Ji-hoon took a step back, forcing a smile. “Never mind. Let’s just go.”

Eun-ji stared after him, her heart pounding as she tried to process what had just happened.

---
That night, Eun-ji lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as Ji-hoon’s words replayed in her mind. She had always known their friendship was special, but hearing him express his feelings so openly had thrown her off balance.

The sound of her phone buzzing snapped her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Min-jun.

Min-jun: Hey, I didn’t mean to interrupt earlier. I figured you two needed some space.

Eun-ji sighed, typing back quickly.

Eun-ji: It’s fine. Thanks for giving us a moment.

A reply came almost instantly.

Min-jun: For what it’s worth, I think Ji-hoon’s a good guy. But you should figure out what you want, Eun-ji. Don’t leave him hanging.

She set the phone down, Min-jun’s words lingering in her mind. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was time to stop hiding behind the safety of “just friends” and take a leap of faith.

As sleep finally claimed her, Eun-ji resolved to face her feelings head-on, no matter how scary the prospect might be.