𝑴𝒊𝒏-𝒆 || Min Ho x Reader

✧˖° 2 | 13

Sunlight filtered through the clouds as I stood beyond the gates of the amusement park, watching everyone trickle through security one by one. I'd planned this day down to the last detail; I'd printed out the tickets, arranged the group chat, made a few calls...

Bonding. That was the goal. A fresh start for the friend group. Something to remind everyone of how it used to be, before the letters and lies and blizzards.

But now that we were actually here, all standing awkwardly, I couldn't ignore the nervousness in my chest.

Kitty was pretending to read a map of the park, but her eyes kept drifting over to Yuri, who made sure to continuously stay as far away from her as possible. Stella was practically glowing, attempting to tug Min Ho towards cotton candy stands. Min Ho had his hands shoved in his pockets, boredom clear in his expression.

The sight of them was enough to wake me up.

Madison, in contrast, was bouncing on her feet, already planning the ride order out loud to Q and Eunice. Q was nodding along, and Eunice gave me little smiles when she caught my eye. Mihee stood beside them, fanning herself wearily. Dae looked rather tired to me, though his eyes were on Kitty when he thought no one was looking (I was looking).

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I sighed, trying to push away the worry clawing up my throat. 

Get a grip, __. This is supposed to be fun. 

But when Juliana and Praveena texted this morning to say they weren't coming, I stared at their messages longer than I should have. One had been vague, and the other blunt. Either way, their absences had left a dent in the atmosphere.

I wondered, absentmindedly, if the two of them were together right now. Sitting across from each other at a quiet coffee shop, maybe. Talking about what happened. All the things we weren't doing.

Perhaps they would be friends after all of this.

"How are you and Min Ho?" Kitty whispered to me when everyone else was chatting excitedly about the ride.

"Good, I guess," I muttered. "Not sure what we are right now. It's kind of giving me flashbacks to last semester."

"I remember that," Kitty said with a shudder.

"We did go out to dinner last Friday and he held my hand under the table because I can't stand PDA."

Kitty clicked her tongue with fake disapproval. " Wow. Imagine being with a man who loves you."

"UM..." I instantly tried to change the subject, clapping my hands together to get everyone's attention. "Okay!" I yelled over Kitty's laughter. "Let's head to Twisted Cyclone first, before the lines get crazy, and then we'll go on the one next to it."

Madison cheered and darted forward, dragging Mihee and Eunice with her.

"What are you people waiting for?" she called back. "I paid to be here!"

I was grateful for her, because it was like a spell had broken. My friends all began to move. Laughter rose, conversations started, and we filed toward the rides like I'd planned.

I took a breath, painted on a smile, and followed them.

The line we were in was for one of those coasters that twisted upside down at least four times and rattled your soul. The excitement wasn't what had my heart pounding, though.

She was plastered to Min Ho's side like a sticker, her sharp laugh piercing my ears every few seconds. I watched her snake her arm around his as we got closer to the carts. As the ride attendant lifted the gate, she grabbed Min Ho to lead him toward an empty cart. Kitty and Madison trailed right behind them.