#taofil

The loudspeakers in the banquet hall crackled with feedback. Everyone’s heads turned toward the podium where Jaehee tapped on the microphone. Once she made sure it was working, she spoke into it, announcing that the party was coming to an end. She thanked everyone for coming on behalf of the RFA and wished them all a lovely evening ahead.

Jumin stood beside Jihyun as they listened to the announcement. Jihyun was comforted at how naturally they seemed to fall back in line with one another. Of course, he imagined Jumin must have been frustrated over his absence for the past two years—the prolonged gaps between phone calls, the rare postcard every few months. He would have to make up for it somehow, and seeing Jumin being so accepting of his return was enough for him to know that resuming their friendship could be possible.

“Does Jaehee still work for you?” he said.

“Of course.”

“Still working her to the bone?”

Jumin glanced at him askew. “If you mean to ask whether I continue to expect nothing less than her hardest work and effort, then yes. She’s an ideal assistant in that regard.”

Jihyun sighed. “I admire her work effort, but you need to give that woman a break.”

“That’s what I keep saying,” Mirae said as she stepped between them. Jihyun bowed his head to look at her, since she was so much shorter than either him or Jumin. “He doesn’t listen to me, of course.”

“Jumin doesn’t listen to anyone. I see he hasn’t changed at all.” Jihyun couldn’t help but smile fondly at that. “Though, he really ought to listen to you, Mirae, more so than anyone.”

“I do listen to MC, in fact,” Jumin said. “I respect her opinions and thoughts more than most people’s… You’re rolling your eyes at me, MC. Does that mean you don’t take me seriously?”

“You say you listen to me, but then you go on to do whatever you were going to do despite of it. I’m not upset, I’m just saying.”

“People don’t say something for the sake of saying something. There’s always an intention behind it.”

“If you say so. I see you’ve masterfully diverted the topic away from the fact that you need to give Jaehee a break, so I won’t entertain this conversation anymore.” Mirae looked at Jihyun. “You guys have been friends since childhood, right?”

Jihyun nodded, curious at her behavior toward Jumin. They seemed close, close enough that Jumin let her speak to him like that with little retaliation. Jumin almost seemed to enjoy the banter.

“How did you put up with him?” she said.

Jihyun chuckled. “Well, you know, our personalities used to be a lot more alike when we were younger.”

“Really? I don’t believe that,” she said, surprised. “I don’t know if I could deal with two Jumin Hans in the world. One is enough.” She gave Jumin a side-eye when he wasn’t looking. “More than enough.”

Jihyun bit back a laugh at her sass. At the same time, however, he couldn’t deny the small pang of jealousy he felt at seeing how Mirae and Jumin interacted with one another. He wasn’t entirely sure where the feeling came from, or why. He would have thought he’d be glad that his best friend had taken a liking toward her, especially considering the strange circumstances surrounding their initial meeting. Jumin must have liked her so much to keep her within RFA’s tight-knit circle. Jihyun should be grateful.

But right now…Jihyun wanted her to talk to only him. He was glad to see Jumin, of course, but part of him wished he hadn’t interrupted his moment with Mirae. He wished he could have a little more time alone with her. That wasn’t possible now. As the party guests slowly filed out of the banquet hall, the rest of the RFA members took notice of his very unexpected presence and started joining the group.

Jaehee approached them once she was finished with her announcement. She greeted Jihyun politely, though the shock of seeing him was apparent in her eyes. As they shook hands, she expressed that she was glad he was safe. Jihyun had always liked Jaehee. She was one of the most responsible and level-headed members of the bunch, and he’d always seen an underlying potential in her that begged to be realized.

Zen joined the group next. In a moment rare for Zen’s energetic personality, as soon as he realized who he was seeing, he froze mid-stride, speechless. But then, without warning, he stepped forward and pulled Jihyun in for a hug. Jihyun welcomed it.

“How’s the acting career?” said Jihyun when they pulled away from each other.

“Fantastic. I’m the lead in a musical currently. I’ll get you tickets! I’m so happy you could make it to the party.”

“I’m happy I could make it too. And thank you, I would love to see your show.”

“It’s one of the biggest hits in recent memory,” Jaehee commented enthusiastically. Jihyun couldn’t have felt happier for Zen.

By the time Yoosung came along, Zen was in the middle of describing his musical. He approached tentatively, and Jihyun noticed him from the corner of his eye. He didn’t want to interrupt Zen, so he looked over to Yoosung, locked eyes with him, and nodded. Yoosung did the same, and he punctuated it with a genuine smile. After all the disagreements they’d had with each other in the past, Jihyun finally felt like they had found common ground.

Luciel was the last to see him. He’d joined the group in the same manner as Yoosung, quietly and unassuming, but when Jihyun looked at him, he found amber eyes full of emotion, as if Luciel couldn’t believe what, or who, he was seeing. A ghost from the past. Everyone fell quiet as the two men stared at each other.

“V…” Luciel’s voice was hardly a whisper. “You’re… What are you doing here?”

“I’m back, Luciel,” Jihyun said, almost tentatively. Out of everyone, Luciel was the one he was most anxious to see. He knew leaving to find himself meant leaving Luciel behind. He’d agonized over the decision, knowing how unfair and cruel it would be to just abandon him for selfish reasons, even though Luciel himself had given him his blessing. There was so much Jihyun wanted to tell him, so much that the old version of himself had left unsaid. He owed it to Luciel. He owed it to their relationship, as fragile as it was now. He just needed to find the strength to do it.

“I hope you’re well,” he said. “We have a lot to catch up on, I think.”

Jihyun extended his right hand, not entirely expecting what Luciel would do with the offering. Luciel’s eyes dropped and examined it. Jihyun could imagine the wires firing in his mind. Would he reject him? Pull him into a hug? Whatever the response, Jihyun was prepared to accept it.

Finally, Luciel extended his own arm and shook his hand. Not firm, but not delicate either. “We do. I’m…glad you’re back.”

Relief washed through him. Perhaps he could dare to hope after all.

There was an unbearable silence among the group now, and he wasn’t sure if he should be the one to break it. Thankfully, however, Yoosung took the opportunity to call over a server to bring them glasses of champagne. That lightened the mood considerably.

“To our first successful party as the new and improved RFA,” Yoosung said, raising his glass. Everyone raised theirs in turn.

“And to many more in the future,” said Jumin.

“And to our incredible guest coordinator,” said Zen, flashing a pearly grin at Mirae, “without whom none of this would be possible at all.”

“Here, here!” everyone agreed in unison.

Mirae smiled bashfully at Zen’s praise, and the sight almost took Jihyun’s breath away. It wasn’t the first time that day she’d elicited such a reaction from him. He’d dreamed of reuniting with her for so long, but even dreams were nothing compared to the reality, and he was entirely unprepared for it.

Most impressive of all, he realized as he stood among all his old friends, she really had found a place with RFA. It was hard to believe she hadn’t always been there from the start. Jihyun may have been the organization’s founder, but Mirae was the glue that kept them together, the one who inspired them to rebuild from the ground up. He would be forever grateful to her for that.

They all clinked their glasses together. When Jihyun’s glass touched hers, their eyes met. He continued to watch her as they both took a sip of their drinks. Her cheeks flushed and she shifted her gaze away from him, but she stole furtive glances back to him every now and then as if to check if he was looking at her. And he was. Like she was the only person in the room.

In truth, he was grateful to her for a whole lot more than just keeping RFA together. More than she could ever know.

“Do you remember what else I told you I wanted to be able to do someday?” he had asked her.

He hadn’t had the chance to finish.

I want to be able to love someone again, he would have said.

I want to love you.

His heart twisted in his chest as the unspoken words made rounds in his head, intensified by her presence right in front of him. It was a quiet hope that he’d held fast to from the moment he let her go in the airport all those years ago. He had never presumed that she would wait for him; he’d even told her not to wait, whether for him or for some other future. He had wanted her to live her life on her own terms, seizing every moment and opportunity. Just as he did.

But secretly, in the back of his mind, when he lay awake after a full day’s adventures and slowly peeled back his superficial layers to reveal his true self, he hoped his path would one day cross hers again. He hoped when they did that it would be the right time.

If he could ever be so lucky as to love someone—truly and wholly—he would have wanted it to be her.

He ached to tell her, just to let her know.

His thoughts were interrupted when Luciel forcibly cleared his throat.

“Since we’re all here,” he said, almost glaring in frustrated anticipation at Mirae, “I think now is the perfect time to hear some news. Of the good or bad kind. Eh, MC?”

Everyone’s head turned in Mirae’s direction. Her eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights, and her cheeks flushed the faintest shade of pink.

What was this about?

Her shyness soon melted as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

“Well,” she said slowly. Her eyes fluttered momentarily to Jihyun’s before she looked back at everyone else. “I got an email back from the Global Children’s Alliance this morning, and they offered me a position.”

Every member of the RFA cheered at once.

“Really?!” said Yoosung, his jaw falling slack.

“No way! That’s awesome!” said Zen.

Luciel pumped a fist in the air and let out a whoop. “I knew it! What did I tell you? You should have told me first.”

“You wouldn’t have lasted the party without blowing the secret, Seven,” said Mirae.

“Not true! I’m good at keeping secrets.”

“Sure. I know how excited you get. You could’ve had grabbed the microphone in the middle of someone’s speech and announced it to the whole room.”

Luciel opened his mouth to retort, but paused in thought, then closed it. “Fair enough.”

“Congratulations, MC,” said Jumin. “The GCA are very lucky to have you.”

Jaehee grinned at Mirae and reached over to squeeze her arm in support. “I’m so happy for you.”

Mirae’s eyes twinkled. “Thanks, guys. I couldn’t have done it without all your help. Really.”

“It looks like I owe you a congratulations, too,” said Jihyun. The joy in the room was infectious. “What position have you accepted?”

Mirae snapped her gaze toward him, as if caught off guard. She hesitated. “Oh...well, um, V, I…”

“She’s going overseas to teach children in need!” Zen said. He pressed a hand to his chest and wiped the corner of his eye in a very convincing imitation of being overwhelmed to tears. “Our RFA angel is spreading her wings to see the world, and to help people, of course.”

Jihyun’s heart plummeted into his stomach. He could only gape at her, unable to respond. He could barely process what he’d just heard. Mirae was leaving? Just when he had finally returned home?

“Stop it, Zen,” Mirae begged with a laugh. “You’re embarrassing me.”

Luciel slipped an arm around Mirae’s shoulders and shook her. “Ooh, MC, but we’re so excited for you! Where are you going? I’ve studied abroad myself, remember? I can offer top quality advice in making a smooth transition. There’s a bunch of resources online–I can send you links, if you want.”

“Hold your horses, Seven,” Mirae said. She gracefully ducked under Luciel’s arm and freed herself. “They may have offered me a position, but it’s still not set in stone. I still have to complete the next semester tutoring my class and pass their teaching standards.”

Luciel waved a dismissive hand. “Oh whatever, you got this in the bag!”

“Haha, I guess so,” said Mirae, but Jihyun didn’t miss the uncertainty and the lack of confidence in her expression. It was a stark contrast to the excitement she’d had only a moment ago.

“Where will you be going?” Yoosung asked.

“Well, like I said, nothing is official yet, but they mentioned I could be in Thailand, Morocco, Ecuador, or Mozambique.”

“So it’s a mystery? That’s insane! The program starts in February, right? And you have no idea where you’ll be in”—Yoosung counted on his fingers—“six months!”

“It’s pretty wild. And exciting. But I can’t help but be a little nervous too.” She looked at Jihyun. “I bet you’re used to that by now, though, huh? Going where the wind takes you.”

Though only minutes before he had been brimming with words of everything he wanted to say to her, Jihyun suddenly forgot how to speak. Everything was happening so fast.

“Yeah,” he sputtered finally, trying to play it as cool as possible. “One week you’re in Barcelona, and the next you’re in an obscure town on the coast of Iceland somehow.”

“Wow,” she said, impressed. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”

He nodded. “We do.”

And I thought we would have so much more time.

By now the banquet hall was now entirely empty of party guests. Zen looked at his phone and announced that he had to leave.

“I have a show tonight,” he explained. “Congratulations, everyone, on a very successful party. We need to celebrate this in the near future.” He stepped toward Jihyun and clapped him on the back. “It’s so good to see you again, V.”

“It’s Jihyun. Please. Not V.”

Zen’s brows knit in confusion, as did everyone else except Mirae and Jumin. He expected to have this sort of reaction for the foreseeable future. It was an odd thing indeed, suddenly changing the name everyone knew you by, even if it was your given name. 

“Eh? Jihyun, hm? That’s going to take a while to get used to.”

As Zen went around the group saying his goodbyes, everyone started going their own separate ways as well. Yoosung had a LOLOL event with his gaming friends, and Jaehee was planning to watch Zen’s show (for the third time in two weeks) with someone named Soomi.

“Who’s Soomi?” asked Jihyun.

Jaehee blushed as if she caught herself saying something she shouldn’t.

Mirae leaned toward Jihyun and whispered, “Soomi is Jaehee’s girlfriend. They’ve only been dating a few months, and Jaehee’s still shy about it.”

“I see,” he said, a bit surprised but pleasantly so. He decided not to prod Jaehee about it any further. He was glad Jaehee had found someone to share her Zen fanaticism with.

Luciel announced he had to get going as well, as he had some things to take care of, and that he’d see them all on the messenger.

Finally, Jihyun, Mirae, and Jumin were the only RFA members remaining in the hall. The party staff bustled through the room around them, wiping down tables and taking down decorations. Jihyun offered to help, but Jumin dismissed the notion, saying that it was the staff’s job to clean.

It was silent among the group, and Jihyun had the feeling that no one wanted to be the first to leave. At least, neither Jihyun nor Mirae wanted to. Jumin only stuck around, it seemed, for Jihyun’s sake.

While Mirae busied herself staring at one of the staff members who was climbing a ladder to pull down the party banner, Jihyun took a step toward her. He figured he had nothing to lose.

“I meant to ask you,” he said, and she turned to look at him, “would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I know it’s last minute, but I was hoping we could catch up sooner rather than later.”

Mirae smiled. “I’d love to.”

Jihyun’s heart fluttered with excitement. But his spirits were dampened when Mirae sighed dejectedly. “But I already have plans tonight,” she finished. “I’m meeting a friend.”

A friend? Who could that be? He had to stop himself from asking. It wasn’t any of his business, of course, but the selfish side of him wanted to know who she was seeing. Once more, a jealous feeling overcame him, raw and unfamiliar, but he stamped it down.

“Oh, that’s all right,” he said. “Don’t worry about it. Maybe some other time?”

“Yes. Definitely. Keep in touch, yeah? Don’t...disappear on me,” she said, her voice soft. Then she stammered, suddenly flustered. “I mean, that is—at least, not without me knowing first, okay?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

They stood staring at each other for a few silent seconds, and Jihyun desperately wished he knew what she was thinking. She said she missed him, but how much? Did she miss him as much as he missed her?

...Did he make her wait too long?

Mirae stepped forward awkwardly, gauging his reaction, unsure whether he’d be okay with it. She didn’t need to wonder, however, because Jihyun moved toward her instinctively and pulled her into his arms. He wrapped himself around her, and he felt her stiffen in surprise. He’d expected that—the few times they had ever hugged each other, she had initiated it and he’d been caught off guard by it.

This time, however, he wanted to be the one who held her. Not to comfort or console her, but to let her know that he had changed. That the person who returned was no longer the broken man she knew back then. Her arms finally find their way around him. She was warm in his embrace. The soft sweet scent of her hair filled his lungs. It had been so long since they were this close. 

She was the first one to pull away, and even though he wanted to pull her back and keep her there, he let her go. Her face was unreadable, save for the rosy tint in her cheeks.

“Bye, V,” she said. Then she turned to leave.

“It’s Jihyun,” he called after her.

She turned and sent him an apologetic look, then she smiled and tapped a finger to her temple. He watched her walk away until she was gone.

He needed more time.

Jumin spoke up from beside him, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Jihyun, since you’ve just arrived, why don’t you stay at my place tonight? You’re welcome to my penthouse until we can find you somewhere more permanent.”

“Oh, I couldn’t ask that of you. I can find a hotel or a room someplace. I’m not too picky.”

In the two years he’d spent traveling abroad, Jihyun had gotten used to having less than ideal living arrangements. He’d move from hostel to hostel, or couch to couch, wherever he could find a place to sleep. It was a far cry from how he was raised, living in a large private estate owned by his father, and it was much less picturesque than his old cliffside house. But eventually he learned to appreciate the simplicity of having nothing but a bed and a small suitcase of his belongings. He’d shed himself of all the excess baggage he’d carried with him throughout his life, and he learned what it meant to be free. When he finally returned to Korea, he figured, if nothing else, he could bunk in some hotel downtown until he got back into the rhythm of living in the city.

Jumin, however, looked at him as if he were insane.

“Nonsense,” he said. “I won’t take no for an answer. I can’t let you stay at a hotel when my residence is more spacious and more comfortable than even five-star hotels.”

“They’re not that bad,” said Jihyun with a shrug. But he knew there was no point in arguing with him. Once Jumin Han made up his mind about something, he would see it through, whether you liked it or not. “Okay, I’ll stay at your place. Thank you, Jumin.”

“Don’t mention it,” Jumin said. “I’ll see my father off and inform him that I won’t be having dinner with him tonight. Then I’ll call my chef and have him prepare a meal for us.”

Jumin left to make arrangements, and Jihyun waited for him outside. A black car pulled up at the curb and Driver Kim hopped out to greet him. They shook hands.

“It’s a pleasure seeing you again, Mr. Kim,” he said to Jihyun.

“Please, call me Jihyun.”

“How were your travels abroad?”

“Enlightening. Very...educational, shall we say.” It was so much more than that, but it was impossible to phrase it all without sounding incredibly cliche or cheesy.

“I bet,” said Driver Kim. “You must be glad to be home, though.”

“I am,” said Jihyun, but a strange feeling settled on his chest upon hearing the word.

…Home.

He raised his eyes to the sky, to the tall buildings towering above him, then back down to the streets veering off to all the diverse neighborhoods of the city. He was born in this city; he grew up here and had stayed most of his adult life here. He knew this place more intimately and personally than anywhere else in the world. And yet...

Could he call it home? When he was out there in the world searching for himself, his thoughts would sometimes drift back to where he had come from. It wasn’t that he missed his childhood home or his secluded cliffside house or his apartment in the city. He didn’t even miss his family very much, as his remaining family lived most of the year overseas and his mother had long since passed. What he missed was the familiarity of it all, the comfort of his sheltered existence. Once all of that was stripped away, what was left?

He’d missed his friends, of course, but he’d be lying to himself if he said the only reason he came back was because of them. Traveling abroad was just as beneficial to him as it was exhausting, and after two years moving from place to place with no end in sight, he was finally ready for something more stable. A new life worthy of the person he had fought so hard to become.

Where was his home now? What was home? He wasn’t sure what that meant exactly, but a nagging voice inside him told him it was time to find out.

Jumin met Jihyun by the car and apologized for making him wait.

“My father wasn’t too pleased when I told him I had to cancel our dinner,” he explained. “He seems to think he wasted his time attending the party.”

“You didn’t have to cancel. I would’ve been fine having dinner on my own.”

“I haven’t seen you in two years, Jihyun. I’ve barely heard from you. My father can wait. Besides,” he flicked back a loose strand of hair that had fallen across his forehead, “he seemed more irritated that I’ve dodged yet another opportunity to meet his new girlfriend. She would have been at dinner with us, and I’d rather avoid having to associate with her.”

Jihyun raised his brows. “What girlfriend?”

“Her name is Glam Choi, and my father is completely obsessed with her.”

“Wait, did he divorce his last wife?” The last time Jihyun checked, Chairman Han was still married to wife number two. Or was it three? He couldn’t even name any of his previous wives or girlfriends.

“No,” said Jumin.

“Oh.” Jihyun paused. “Oh.”

“Indeed. Now, let’s get going.”

Jihyun suddenly felt bad. Though Jumin’s voice was as flat as ever, Jihyun had known him long enough to detect the subtle nuances in his demeanor. The slight dishevelment of his hair, the terseness of his words. Whatever romantic entanglement Chairman Han had found himself in, it was causing his son a great deal of distress.

The least Jihyun could do was be there for him. He owed him that.

They both got in the car, and Driver Kim closed the door behind them.

“I admit,” said Jihyun, “I’m relieved that you offered to let me stay with you.”

Jumin tilted his head at him. “Why is that?”

“Because I already sent my bags to your penthouse.” Jihyun shrugged and let out a laugh when he saw his friend’s surprised expression. “I didn’t know where else to send them, and I couldn’t just walk into the party carrying all my luggage with me.”

“Well, it would’ve been an amusing sight for our guests to see the elusive V, fabled founder of the RFA, crashing the party like some street urchin.”

“I don’t look that bad.”

“You’re wearing necklaces that look like they were purchased from one of those coin machines commoners love so much.”

“There’s a very good story that goes with these necklaces,” he defended, but he laughed all the same. Jumin’s lips lifted in the barest hint of a smile.

Jihyun’s gaze shifted to look through the car window as the city rolled past.

“They wouldn’t have recognized me anyway. I’m not V anymore.”

You let out a sigh and turned onto your side, frustrated that your thoughts were keeping you awake. You grabbed your phone from the nightstand and checked the time. It was half past midnight.

Might as well check the messenger, you thought. Throughout the evening you’d received RFA app notifications, but you hadn’t been able to check any before now. Opening the app, you logged in and read the past chat logs. Only Zen and Yoosung had been there. Zen had entered the chatroom sometime after he finished his show, and Yoosung was taking a break from LOLOL. Zen told Yoosung about how Jaehee had waited for him outside the backstage door with her girlfriend Soomi (along with a dozen other rabid fangirls clamoring for his attention), and he sent a selfie of the three of them. Zen was the focus of the picture, of course, while Jaehee and Soomi stood together behind him, leaning so that they were in frame. This was the first time you saw what Soomi looked like. She was cute and petite, her blonde hair cropped short in a stylish bob. Jaehee and Soomi had matching poses, both winking at the camera and holding up their hands in a peace sign. They looked like they were having a great time, and you couldn’t feel happier for them.

Zen and Yoosung then spent the rest of the chat lamenting how much they wished they had girlfriends too and feeling sorry for themselves. Your eyes glazed over as you scrolled to the bottom of the chat. By now you knew very well how much the RFA boys, except perhaps Jumin, regretted the lack of romance in their lives. Sometimes it was cute that they had so much love in their hearts that they wanted to share it with someone, but more often than not, it got repetitive and eye-roll inducing, so much that you wished they could just find someone already so they could stop moaning about it.

Once you reached the bottom of the chat, you logged out to the main user interface to check everyone’s status updates. As you looked at the row of user icons, you started to feel like something was missing. The icons felt too big, as if there could be room to fit one more comfortably among them.

Then you realized why: Jihyun’s icon was missing. It had been missing for a long time, actually, but now that he was back in the country, it felt wrong not to have him in the messenger.

After Jihyun left to go overseas, Jumin asked Seven to revoke his access for security purposes. He wouldn’t have had time to log into the messenger on his travels anyway, so there’d been no point in keeping his profile active. Even though you were about to travel abroad yourself, you couldn’t see yourself staying away from the messenger for too long. RFA had become like family to you, and you’d want to keep in touch no matter how far away you went.

You wondered if Jihyun still had the same phone he used two years ago, or if he’d deactivated his service altogether. Come to think of it, since he wasn’t on the messenger, you realized you had no way of contacting him.

A window popped up on your phone screen indicating that a new chatroom had been opened. You looked at the time–it was almost one o’clock in the morning. Who could be online at this hour?

You entered the chatroom. Seven greeted you.

707: Hello, pretty lady!

MC: Seven, you’re still awake.

707: Yup. So are you, I see.

MC: Can’t sleep.

707: Me neither. Still reeling from the high of the party?

MC: lol sort of. I got a lot on my mind right now. How was your evening?

707: Fine fine. It was pretty good actually!

He sent the emoji of him excitedly shouting “yahoo!”

MC: Good day at work?

707: Yup! I was super productive. Got everything done in record time… I see Zen and Yoosung are complaining about being single again. SMH. They’re just jealous that Jaehee has more game than them.

You laughed out loud. Sick burn, Seven.

MC: You’re not wrong, lol. Jaehee can be very sweet and charming when she has the chance to relax every once in a while. I’m happy that she and Soomi found each other.

707: They wouldn’t have met each other if you didn’t push Jumin to give Jaehee a vacation.

MC: Yeah… That’s true…

As if summoned, Jumin Han entered the chatroom.

707: WHOA that’s creepy, dude.

Jumin Han: What are you talking about? Good evening, MC.

MC: haha hey Jumin...that is a little creepy.

Jumin Han: ?

707: We were just talking about you.

Jumin Han: I see. I just read the log.

MC: I think you’ve read enough books on witchcraft that you’re starting to become a witch yourself, Jumin. Speak of the devil, and all that.

707: Hehe where’s your broom, witch boy?

You didn’t ask Jumin what he was doing up so late because he was always awake at this hour, either spending time with Elizabeth the 3rd or doing business with investors and companies in different timezones. On the rare occasion that you had a bout of insomnia, he would be in the chatroom, keeping you company until you finally fell asleep.

Jumin Han: Will Yoosung and Zen ever get tired of complaining about not having significant others?

MC: Probably not. Though, I feel like once they do get girlfriends, that’s all they’ll talk about on here.

Jumin Han: You’re probably right. I don’t know which is worse.

707: Jaehee is pretty modest about her relationship. They should act like her! Speaking of Jaehee, as I was saying before Jumin interrupted us with his creepy black magic, I think Jaehee has you to thank for meeting Soomi, MC.

MC: Oh, that’s more credit than I deserve. I just yelled at Jumin.

707: lmao you did yell at him

Well, you had typed in all caps in the chatroom, which was just as good as yelling. A few months ago, Jumin had swamped Jaehee with so much work that Jaehee broke down crying on the phone with you. You felt so awful and helpless at first, but after you did your best to console her and hung up, you decided that the only way to fix the problem was to go straight to the source.

Jumin was unreceptive to your suggestion at first, which you’d expected, but once you laid out all the reasons why it was a good idea to give her a break and why she deserved one, his cold, distant attitude started to irritate you. You tried to be civil, but the man was as stubborn as a mule sometimes. So you snapped and capslocked on him. Then once you said your piece, without warning, you logged out of the chatroom and called his phone to tell him off some more.

Jumin Han: I’ll admit I’ve never been yelled at like that before.

MC: I didn’t *yell*.

Jumin Han: You gave me a very stern lecture.

MC: Well, Zen yells at you on here all the time.

Jumin Han: I correct my previous statement—I’ve never been yelled at like that by someone whom I respect.

You knew that was high praise coming from someone like Jumin Han. Sometimes you couldn’t help but have the utmost respect for him too. After the incident, you learned that Jumin had been so stressed due to his father’s current romantic engagements and the prolonged absence of his best friend, and he had taken it out on his assistant. You felt bad for yelling at him, and you apologized to him personally on the phone the next day.

After that, he decided to give Jaehee three weeks of vacation. Jaehee was resistant at first, but you convinced her to take the offer. She spent those weeks off the messenger and met Soomi at one of her favorite coffee shops downtown. They hit it off rather easily, and the rest was history.

Jumin Han: Anyway, I am glad that Jaehee has found someone she cares about deeply. It seems to have made her more motivated in her work.

707: …

MC: sigh

Jumin Han: What? It’s true.

707: Only you would make something that’s supposed to be romantic into something totally not;;

Jumin Han: I don’t understand romantic relationships myself, so I see no point in commenting on it.

MC: I guess I can understand where you’re coming from. I’ve had enough of talking about romance for one evening.

707: Oh?

Seven sent his heart eyes emoji.

707: Who else are you talking about romance with, MC?

He sent the same emoji again.

“Oh crap,” you said to your screen. Suddenly the whole awkward conversation you had with Hana came back to you. You couldn’t very well tell Seven or Jumin that you and Hana had talked about Jihyun. You had to play it cool.

MC: Oh… I just had dinner with Hana tonight. She told me all about her new boyfriend.

Seven sent his gasping emoji.

707: The hot new actor Hojin Park! He and Hana were spotted smooching down in the Maldives last week!

Again with his heart eyes emoji.

MC: …Are you stalking my best friend, Seven?

707: It’s not stalking when paparazzi pictures of them are posted on every celeb gossip site!

MC: I am not going to talk gossip about my own friend. If I did, you’d probably try leaking it to the media for a quick buck.

707: They pay a lot of money for ~insider info~ you know.

You sent an emoji that depicted you giving a very unamused side-eye.

707: Fine, fine. I won’t ask about Hana’s love life. You need to lighten up, MC. Maybe you need a l-o-v-e interest of your own, eh?

The heart eyes. Again. You dropped your head into your hand. Why was everyone so hung up on romance this evening? You needed a change of subject, quick.

Thankfully, Jumin seemed to have the same idea.

Jumin Han: I think this conversation has derailed quite a bit.

MC: Thank you! Can we talk about something else, pls?

Jumin Han: I actually came onto the messenger to make a request of you, Seven.

707: Hmm, ok. What is it?

Jumin Han: I’d like you to grant Jihyun access to the messenger again.

Your phone almost slipped out of your hand.

Jihyun...on the messenger again? Weren’t you just thinking about that only minutes ago?

MC: Oh?

707: Oh, I didn’t even think of that. Does he want to get back on?

Jumin Han: No, but I imagine he’d like to be, once he gets a new phone, that is. He deactivated his old phone some time ago, and he needs to get another one first. I’ll pass on the information once it’s available.

707: …Do you think it’s a good idea?

Seven’s question took you aback. Why wouldn’t it be a good idea? You asked him what he meant.

707: …never mind. It’s nothing. When he gets a new phone, let me know, and I’ll add him back onto the messenger.

You didn’t know what to say. Where had his sudden hesitance come from? You would have thought Seven would be one of the more enthusiastic about his return. You remember Seven once telling you that he considered Jihyun almost like a father to him despite their relative close age gap. He trusted him more than anyone. In fact, back when you first met the RFA, you noticed there were secrets that Seven and Jihyun had kept between only them. Seven had come to Jihyun’s rescue at Mint Eye, after all.

...That was two years ago, though. The more you thought about it now, the more you realized that since then, Seven hadn’t spoken much about Jihyun at all. He certainly never brought him up in the chats of his own volition, and whenever someone else would mention him, he didn’t have much to say.

But he seemed happy to see Jihyun at the party earlier, didn’t he? Well, now that you thought about it, perhaps he wasn’t so much happy as he was shocked and…confused. Almost as if he had truly believed he never would see his old mentor ever again.

“We have a lot to catch up on, I think,” Jihyun had said. And Seven had agreed.

There was something tense about the exchange, some underlying thoughts and feelings that you couldn’t begin to decipher. That must have been what bothered Seven now. What was the missing link between them?

MC: You ok, Seven? You sound weird.

707: I’m fine. Gotta go, though. Long day.

He signed out of the chatroom before you could type another message.

Jumin Han: …

MC: Is it just me, or did something sound off about him? Does Seven not want Jihyun back on here?

Jumin Han: He seemed hesitant about it at the very least.

MC: Why? You don’t think it’s because he doesn’t trust Jihyun, do you? I know he had trouble with keeping secrets from everyone, even to Seven, but he just doesn’t seem like that kind of person anymore…

You weren’t sure if that were entirely true, but everything you knew about what he’d gone through seemed to indicate that Jihyun had had enough secrecy for one lifetime. The man you saw at the party didn’t look like someone who would harbor any secrets.

Jumin Han: I agree. I’ve been with him all evening, and he is definitely changed.

MC: …wait. You’ve been hanging out with Jihyun?

Jumin Han: Yes, he’s with me right now.

“What?” you said aloud. Jumin had been chatting with you all this time and Jihyun was with him?

MC: Really? Where are you?

Jumin Han: At my penthouse. I invited him over as a guest, since he currently has nowhere to stay.

You were typing to ask what he was doing, but your fingers froze over the screen when a picture popped up in the chat.

This time, your phone actually did fall out of your hands...and landed right onto your face, since you were lying in bed. You let out a pained shriek and massaged your nose. Then you jolted up into a sitting position and looked back at your phone.

Jihyun was in the photo. He was standing next to the dining table, across from where Jumin seemed to be sitting. He was pouring himself a glass of red wine. You could tell it was a candid picture because Jihyun’s eyes appeared as though he’d looked into the camera just as it was being taken, his brows raised in a half-expression of surprise. It was cute, actually. But that wasn’t what got your attention.

What got your attention was the fact that his hair was wet, sticking to the left side of his face. He had a towel draped over his shoulders, and he wore gray lounge pants and a white tank top...

MC: …

Jumin Han: He just got out of the shower. He’s jet lagged, so that’s why he’s still awake, if you were wondering.

You were actually wondering why his bare arms looked appealingly firm and smooth, and why his tank top clung so tightly to his slender but lean torso…but you weren’t going to type that.

MC: Um, thanks for the pic haha

Jumin Han: I thought I should prove to you he was in fact here.

MC: You didn’t need to do that lol. I believed you.

Jumin Han: He’s asking me who I sent the photo to.

MC: Oh...what did you tell him?

Jumin Han: You.

You blushed. Should you take a selfie of yourself just to make it fair? You couldn’t do that. You probably looked like a mess after tossing and turning in bed for a few hours… Wait, why did you care what you looked like? You’d sent less than flattering pictures of yourself through the messenger before.

Jumin Han: I need to go. Elizabeth the 3rd should be put to bed soon, and I’m going to keep Jihyun company.

MC: Okay. Tell Elizabeth the 3rd hello for me.

You debated whether you should add another line. Oh, why not?

MC: ...and Jihyun, too.

Jumin Han: Will do. Goodnight.

Jumin logged out, and so did you. You lingered in the main UI a little while longer, wondering what Jumin and Jihyun were up to right now, what they were talking about. Jumin must have liked having the chance to catch up with his best friend, especially considering how much you knew he’d missed him and worried after him since he left. You could only hope you got your chance, too.

You went into the messenger’s photo folders. Even though Seven had taken away Jihyun’s access to the app, he kept his photo folder untouched. You opened it and looked at the newest picture of him. Out of curiosity, you told yourself. Once it expanded across your screen, your heart did a flip in your chest, which was a sensation that utterly confused you. It wasn’t as if you weren’t used to being friends with so many pretty people. Part of the reason why it was so easy for you to initially believe that the RFA were AIs in a dating simulator was because they were all too good-looking to be real. Even now, you would catch yourself admiring just how beautiful Zen looked in his selfies, how well Jumin wore his business suits, how cute Yoosung and Seven were in an adorably nerdy way. Even Jaehee was exceptionally gorgeous.

Yet somehow none of them made you react the way you reacted to this picture of Jihyun. What was happening?

You reasoned it was because you’d never seen him like this. So candid, so...underdressed. You felt as if you shouldn’t be even be looking at it.

Get a grip, MC.