Minji looked at him, confused.
"You were supposed to drop me home," she said, her eyes fixed on Jeon.J, as the car slowed into the garage… of his house. Again.
"After dropping Zoya off, Jeon.J was supposed to go to Minji's home to drop her off, but instead, he returned to his own house."
Jeon.J let out a small, controlled laugh.
"Yeah… but your friends are here," he said, stopping the car.
"And as for those six people besides your friends, I honestly can't tolerate them alone today. They're only staying here because of you. Otherwise, I would have kicked them out already," Jeon.J said with a playful grin.
Minji narrowed her eyes at him.
"Really? Because from what I've seen, they're here four days a week anyway. So don't blame me. It sounds like you're the one who tolerates them all the time."
"I do," Jeon.J admitted. "But today is different. They're staying because of you. You're my new girlfriend (A familiar face crossed his mind for a second. He forced himself not to dwell on it. He was happy with Minji. That was what he believed. Or perhaps, what he was trying very hard to convince himself of), and there's no way they're leaving me alone today."
He shook his head dramatically.
"They're all inside already, and since I'm the youngest, they'll spend the whole evening complaining about their fate and teasing me endlessly."
He stepped closer and gestured toward the entrance.
"So, please do me a favour and come inside with me."
"In fact, you go inside. I'll be there in a little while."
Minji didn't reply. She just looked at him—quietly, as if trying to read what he wasn't saying.
Jeon.J understood that look.
"I need to go out for a bit," he added quickly. "Ask everyone if they want something to eat. Call me, I'll bring it."
He paused, then added,
"I'll bring your car back too."
Minji nodded slightly, stepped out, and gave a soft "bye" before walking toward the entrance.
She had just reached the hall when Jinhun stepped out from inside.
Minji smiled, and he returned it, then signalled with his eyes toward the car.
Where is he going?
"Maybe he has some work," Minji said quietly. "He said he'll be back soon."
Jinhun glanced toward the front mirror and caught Jeon.J was still watching them.
"Alright, you go," he said lightly. "I'll talk to him. And don't worry—your friends aren't bored.
They've already taken half our lives making reels."
" I think Teahun and Minjo are already half-dead from handing out reels and short videos to your friends," Jinhun said with a laugh.
"Yomin won't say a word, Hosu doesn't have the time, and nobody dares to ask Kim Joon."
He raised both hands in surrender.
"As for me, I refused right away."
Shaking his head dramatically, he added,
"Poor Minjo and Teahun are the ones stuck dealing with them."
Then he looked at Minji and grinned.
"Seriously, where did you even find such masterpieces of friends?" Jinhun asked, thoroughly amused.
"They just kept appearing one by one," Minji replied.
Both of them burst into laughter.
Still smiling, Jinhun said,
"But Zoya is a strange piece. I can never figure her out."
Minji shot him a warning look.
"Not everyone is meant to be understood," she said. "So just leave her as she is."
Jinhun raised his hands in surrender, still chuckling.
"Alright, alright. I'll leave the mystery unsolved."
Minji laughed softly and went inside.
___________________________
Seeing Jinhun walking toward him, "Jeon.J stopped the car."
Jinhun reached the passenger side and tried to open the door—
But Locked.
He raised an eyebrow, then knocked on the window.
With visible reluctance, Jeon.J lowered the glass, keeping his gaze fixed ahead.
"Where are you going?" Jinhun asked.
"I have some work."
"What kind of work?"
"Just… work."
Jinhun narrowed his eyes.
"Work… or are you going to look for someone?"
Jeon.J frowned.
"Why would I go looking for someone?"
"That's what I feel like."
"Jinhun…...."
" Jeon.J said, his voice low.
"Leave her alone." Jinhun interrupted him mid-sentence, saying,
"I just want to ask a few questions," he said.
"You won't just ask questions… you'll hurt her," Jinhun said sharply.
"Why would I do that?" Jeon.J finally turned to look at him, his gaze sharp now.
"Because ever since she came here… every time you meet her—or cross paths with her—something goes wrong," Jinhun said quietly.
"I didn't even meet her today," he replied calmly. "Whatever happened, she came from the restaurant. If something went wrong, it must have been there." Jeon. J said sharply.
Jinhun stepped closer, his voice softer but firm.
"Maybe you didn't meet directly… but she came to your house for dinner with her friends. No matter how you look at it, everything somehow connects back to you."
A brief silence settled between them.
Jeon.J looked at him intently.
"Are you my Hyung… or hers?"
Jinhun smirked slightly.
"I'm your Hyung", he said. "But I feel bad for her."
He tilted his head, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Because you… are her bad luck."
He stepped back, lightly tapping the car as if telling him to go.
But instead of driving away…
Jeon.J stepped out of the car.
Jinhun raised an eyebrow.
"What happened? You were leaving."
Jeon.J leaned closer and said quietly,
"I changed my mind."
He turned and started walking inside.
But Jinhun's voice stopped him.
"Just remember one thing," he said. "Today, you proposed dating Minji. Don't change your mind now."
Jeon.J paused for a moment—then continued walking without turning back.
Jinhun watched him go, then shook his head with a soft chuckle.
"I don't know what's going to happen to him," he muttered.
"He might actually get married before all of us… even though he's the youngest."
He sighed dramatically.
"And me… the oldest… I haven't even started dating yet."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"At this rate, the youngest one will make all of us babysitters for his kids."
"Ugh, no way. We're not becoming babysitters for his kids."
He shook his head dramatically.
"We've already raised him. Now he expects us to raise his children, too?"
"Absolutely not. That's never going to happen."
Still pouting, Jinhun walked inside, muttering under his breath.
________________
She leaned back into the train seat, resting her head gently against the cold window glass, and closed her eyes.
She didn't want to think. Not now.
She just wanted a moment of quiet… a moment of peace.
But thoughts were never something she could control.
The moment her eyes closed, scenes began to play behind them—like a film she couldn't stop.
And once again, she saw herself… back in the restaurant.
When Zoya lifted her head, Minho was sitting right in front of her.
She blinked, clearing her vision, then quietly placed her hands in her lap and turned to look outside
where, just moments ago, the car had been.
Now… it was gone.
They were both gone.
"I'm angry with you," Minho said, pouting slightly.
"Why?" Zoya asked, narrowing her eyes in confusion.
"You knew about TBS and didn't tell me. Do you even know how big of a fan I am?"
Zoya looked at him, her expression calm, almost indifferent.
"Which TBS?"
"Haaannnnn?" Minho stared at her in disbelief.
Before he could say anything more, Ji-ho's voice interrupted him.
"Minho, you're here? Mrs Lee is looking for you."
"Ahhh—why is Mrs Lee calling me now? I just came and sat here," Minho groaned, making a pitiful face. "These old people never leave me alone. Because of them, I can't even date properly."
Ji-ho shot him a look. "So my restaurant is your dating spot now?"
"Then where else am I supposed to go?" Minho shot back dramatically. "You don't pay me, restaurants are expensive, cheap places aren't good enough for my girlfriend… so in the end, I come here." He sighed deeply.
"And no matter how secretly I sit, Mrs Lee always spots me. And on purpose, instead of taking my order, she gives me one—right in front of my girlfriend."
Minho imitated her voice with a miserable expression,
"'Minho, what are you doing here? Again with someone new? Haven't you finished your work? Come, cut vegetables first so I can serve this pigeon her order.'"
He looked like he was about to cry.
Ji-ho and Zoya burst into laughter—completely losing it.
"You're laughing?" Minho complained. "You should be explaining to her not to do that. I have some dignity too, you know. She ruins it, and then my new girlfriend throws the order card at my head and leaves."
"That's exactly what you deserve," a voice came from behind. Mrs Lee..?
Minho froze.
"She's absolutely right," she continued calmly. "And I'll keep doing it until you improve."
Minho made an even sadder face.
"Stop pouting. Get up and get back to work," she added, then turned to Zoya with a smile. "And if you need anything, just order through Minho."
With that, she walked away.
"I'm not taking her order!" Minho shouted after her, but she only waved her hand without turning back.
Then, as he followed her with his eyes, he turned back to Zoya and pointed at her like a reminder.
"I'm still upset with you, okay?"
And just like that, he left.
Ji-ho took the seat Minho had just left.
Zoya looked at him quietly. She already knew what he wanted to ask.
"They're Minji's friends," she said simply. "I don't know them personally. Minji and I were just university fellows, but now we are friends. I only met TBS after coming here."
Before Ji-Ho could start asking questions, Zoya began explaining everything herself.
She paused slightly.
"They're not that important to me that I would mention them. If you had asked, I would have told you."
It wasn't a lie… but it wasn't the full truth either. She was tired of the topic anyway. It didn't matter to her that she had met an idol group.
"I didn't ask," Ji-ho said with a small smile.
"I thought you wanted to," she said softly.
"No," he replied lightly. "I just wanted to know… which TBS member was the 'blind person' that day?"
At Ji-Ho's sudden question, she looked surprised and started thinking. Then, as it came back to her memory… Zoya laughed softly.
"That was Teahun. A complete overacting machine."
Ji-ho laughed too.
"His acting was good, though. He kept himself safe from bumping into things… but kept pushing others instead. In real life, blind people are the ones who stumble, and others help them. But here, everything was the opposite."
They both laughed.
For a moment, silence settled between them.
Then Zoya spoke again.
"Ji-ho… can you do something for me?"
"Of course. Tell me."
"I need to go back to Busan. Can you book a train ticket for me?"
She hesitated slightly.
"I could ask Minji… but she won't let me leave. They're planning to stay here."
In her mind, a sentence echoed—
"You should stay." The way Jeon.J had said it.
"But you were supposed to stay… and learn here," Ji-ho reminded her.
"I know. But I have to leave now. And immediately, if possible. I need to find a job."
Ji-ho nodded slowly.
"Oh… so that's why you came at this time? Even though I told you we're closing."
Zoya gave a small nod.
"Yes. Because apart from my friends… the only people I know here are you and Mr Donghyun."
"I don't want to trouble Mr Donghyun, that's why I told you."
"Alright. One minute."
Ji-ho pulled out his phone, dialled a number, and started speaking in Korean. After a short conversation, he hung up and looked at her.
"Check your phone. I've sent the ticket. It's for one hour from now."
Zoya checked—and smiled.
"Thank you so much, Ji-ho. You've helped me a lot. I won't forget this."
She picked up her bag and stood up.
"Where are you going now?" he asked.
"I have to leave immediately. My things are still at Minji's place. I need to collect them… and there will be traffic too."
"Wait here for a minute," Ji-ho said, then quickly walked toward his office.
About fifteen minutes later, he returned. By then, Zoya had already said goodbye to Mrs Lee and the rest of the staff. She had even promised Minho she'd make it up to him later.
Ji-ho handed her an envelope.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Your hourly salary," he said. "And this—" he handed her a card, "—belongs to my friend's uncle. He has a restaurant in Busan, very close to your university. Show him this other card, and you'll get a job."
Zoya took both cards and looked at them. There was Korean… and English too—making it easier for you.
She smiled.
"Thank you again. But Ji-ho… I'll only go there if I completely fail in finding a job myself."
Ji-ho smiled back.
"And I'll pray that you never fail… In sha Allah." ("If Allah wills.") ✨
__________
The night had slipped away in conversations and laughter, filled with endless food and careless moments. They had finally gone to sleep at 4 a.m… only to wake up around 1 pm.
And now, everyone was gathered at the table for breakfast.
Ruhi, Jinhun, and Yomin were busy bringing out dishes—each one prepared according to everyone's preferences.
"Hana, did Zoya call you?" Minji asked, her voice carrying a hint of unease.
"No, not me. Ask Ruhi or Sophia," Hana replied while walking toward the kitchen.
Minji nodded slightly, still seated at the dining table, repeatedly trying Zoya's number.
It was still switched off.
After asking Ruhi and Sophia and getting the same answer, her worry only grew.
Without wasting another second, she called Ji-ho's restaurant. After speaking to the receptionist, she slowly lowered the phone…
The concern on her face deepened.
"What happened?" Jeon.J asked, taking the seat beside her. He had just come in after freshening up. Pouring juice into a glass, he glanced at her. "You look worried."
"Zoya's phone is off," Hosu said quietly. "That's why she is worried."
Jeon.J let out a small, dismissive breath.
"What's there to worry about? She must be at the restaurant. That's where she went, right?" His tone sounded careless…
But somewhere deep inside, something in him had already started to feel unsettled.
________
"But the receptionist connected me to the kitchen head, Mrs Lee," Minji said, her voice unsteady.
"She said Zoya did come… but after a while, she met everyone and then left."
Mrs Lee hadn't seen her leave. She had been busy finishing the remaining kitchen work—it was already past two. So she had only told Minji what she knew.
"And now her phone is off…" Minji whispered. "She left the restaurant last night… but why is her phone off?"
She couldn't understand what to do. Or what to think.
One by one, the worry spread across everyone's faces.
"Maybe she went home," Hana suggested softly.
Without replying, Minji immediately dialled her mother's number.
After a brief pause, she spoke—then her expression froze.
"No… she didn't come here either."
Mrs Han and Mr Han had been out to a festival. By the time they returned and went to rest, no one had come home. That was all she knew.
Minji ended the call without even properly responding. She hadn't even fully heard her mother's words.
"Zoya didn't go home either…"
Now the tension in the room had turned real.
A heavy silence followed.
"Since the day she met all of you… not a single day has gone well for her," Jinhun said quietly.
But his eyes were on Jeon.J.
Minji suddenly stood up."I'm going."
"Where?" Jeon.J asked immediately.
"I can't just sit here," she said, panic rising in her voice. "Her phone is off. That crazy girl—where is she? I don't even know if she's okay…"
She grabbed her bag and rushed out.
By the time she reached outside, Jeon.J was already there, car keys in his hand.
"I'm coming with you."
"I'm coming too," Teahun added quickly.
"No. You stay here," Jeon.J replied firmly. "We'll go."
Teahun frowned, staring at him."You're not going on a date that you need to go alone," he said dramatically. "My friend is missing. I'm not sitting here."
"Your friend?" Jeon.J raised an eyebrow.
Teahun shrugged slightly."Fine… she doesn't consider me one. But I do."
Minji looked at both of them sharply. "Can we go now? You can argue later. Right now, finding that friend is more important."
_________
A while later, Teahun and Jeon.J stood outside the restaurant with Minji—both of them in a deliberately messy state, wearing only masks. Even if they covered themselves completely, people would still recognise them… so this was the safest option for now.
Minji walked straight to the reception.
"Is Ji-ho here?" she asked.
The receptionist nodded politely."Please wait a second."
She quickly dialled his number.
Sir, there's a girl here asking for you," she said in Korean.
"What's her name?" Ji-ho asked, sounding busy.
The receptionist turned to Minji."Ma'am, your name?"
"Minji."
"Sir, it's Minji."
There was a brief pause.
"Send her to my office."
Minji asked for directions and motioned for Teahun and Jeon.J to follow her.
As they walked away, the receptionist couldn't help but stare at the two boys behind her—her gaze lingering a little too long. She had a suspicion… that they were members of TBS.
( And no one was there to tell her—she was absolutely right.
After a soft knock, they entered the office.
Ji-ho stood up to welcome them.
He immediately recognized Teahun and Jeon.J… but didn't overreact. Instead, he calmly gestured for them to sit.
"I've heard about you from Zoya," he said with a light smile. "She was talking about you last night too. That's how I remembered your name—otherwise, I forget things easily." JI-ho smile slowly faded.
Because none of them smiled back.
The tension in the room was unmistakable.
"Ji-ho… did Zoya come here yesterday?" Minji asked, her voice tight.
"Yes, she did. Then she left—"
"Where did she go?" Minji cut him off, her voice rising.
Ji-ho frowned slightly, confused. "What do you mean?"
"She came here last night. We dropped her," Minji explained quickly. "Since morning, we've been trying her number—but it's off. We thought she might still be here, but you're saying she left last night."
Her voice trembled now.
"She's not with us… not at my house… not here. And her phone is off. Where is she?"
For a moment, Ji-ho just looked at them.
Then he said, simply—
"Zoya went to Busan."
For a second…
All three of them froze.
"What...?"
To be continued.....
Regards
ZK💌