"No, it's okay."
Though I knew the apology wasn't sincere, I foolishly said it was fine.
Throughout the ride, Seongjun and Minji had their own private conversation, showing off as if to exclude me.
Haeyoung watched them quietly, seeing no chance to join in.
"Seongjun."
I called out, but they were so absorbed in their conversation they didn't even hear me.
"Seongjun!"
Only after raising my voice did Seongjun glance at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes seeming to scold me for interrupting.
Seongjun is supposed to be my boyfriend, yet feeling jealous of Minji made me feel small and pathetic.
"You changed the air freshener? When did you do that?"
There was a light floral scent in the car that didn't really fit.
"Unnie, I bought it."
Minji cut in again.
"What about the one before? That was the one I bought."
"Oh, unnie, you bought that? Oh no… I get really car sick, and that scent was a bit much. So I changed it. Hope you understand?"
"I told you not to change it."
When Haeyoung hesitated to answer, Seongjun glanced at her and replied instead.
"Hey, how long have you known Haeyoung unnie, and you still don't get it? Haeyoung isn't the type to get jealous or make a big deal over small stuff like this. Right? Unnie, it's okay, isn't it?"
"Haha, yeah, it's fine."
"See? She said it's okay. Thanks. My personal driver, just drive and don't say a word."
"Personal driver? That's harsh."
"What do you mean harsh? Here, eat this."
Minji casually took a candy from the glove compartment and popped it into Seongjun's mouth. That, too, was something Haeyoung had bought.
The floral scent of the air freshener Minji replaced lingered in Seongjun's car for months after that.
*****
No, even now, that scent seems to linger right at the tip of my nose.
"Unnie?"
Minji's voice pulled her out of her memories.
"Hm?"
"What are you thinking about? Let's hurry and get in."
With that, Minji reached for the passenger door just like before.
Click, click.
Minji tilted her head in confusion, then leaned down to look inside through the window.
"Oppa, the door's locked."
"I never said you could get in."
"What? You're treating only unnie special just because she's your friend?"
"Yeah."
"Wow, you two really are friends. I didn't actually believe it even after hearing unnie say so."
Minji exaggeratedly covered her mouth. She was basically checking if Haeyoung was lying.
"It's surprising, really! How did you two become so close? You're totally different!"
Yunhyuk stared intently at Minji.
He hadn't been particularly warm to Minji during filming, but the look in his eyes now was noticeably different—expressionless and devoid of any emotion. It was so cold it almost felt fierce.
"Why?"
"I didn't mean it in a bad way! Why would I? I'm really close with unnie. How should I put it—Haeyoung unnie is simple and down-to-earth. I didn't know Yunhyuk oppa was so open-minded."
"So?"
"What?"
"What do you want to say?"
Minji flustered and stumbled over her words.
"No, it's just… that's all... Heh, oppa is kind of scary today. Haeyoung unnie, please ask him to give me a ride, okay?"
Minji changed her target and clung to Haeyoung's arm.
Haeyoung hesitated for a moment. She thought it wouldn't be so bad if Minji felt the same way she had last time.
"Alright, then. Let's all go together. Yunhyuk, give Minji a ride too."
"If you say so."
Click.
At Haeyoung's permission, the door lock immediately released.
"Kyaa, thank you, oppa! I'll definitely treat you properly next time!"
As Haeyoung approached the car, Minji suddenly grabbed her roughly.
"Unnie, you know I get car sick, so I can't sit in the back. Sorry."
She seemed to expect Haeyoung to give in, apologizing as she squeezed her way to the front seat.
"I know. But Yunhyuk doesn't like having strangers sitting next to him."
"Hey, what stranger? We've been on so many dates."
Minji looked at Yunhyuk, but he didn't agree with her.
"I—I might actually throw up! I really can't sit in the back."
"Sounds like your motion sickness is pretty bad."
"Yes. Sorry. So today, I'll sit in the front."
"I have a black plastic bag from the convenience store earlier. Want me to give you that?"
Minji's mouth dropped open.
"Yeah, that's kind of harsh, isn't it? Well, can't be helped. I was going to give you a ride, but Minji, you take the bus."
Haeyoung got into the seat next to Yunhyuk alone and slammed the door shut. Minji stood there, stunned, staring at the closed door.
"Shall we go?"
Yunhyuk rested his head on the steering wheel. His playful tone and smiling face were completely different from the person who had just been talking with Minji.
"No. Let's wait."
"For what?"
Whether Minji would swallow her pride and sit in the back or just leave was the question.
As if answering Yunhyuk's question, the back door suddenly swung open.
"I'll try to hold back my motion sickness! Let's go!"
Like she was afraid they'd leave without her, she hurriedly slid in.
You're really trying to grasp at Yunhyuk properly, huh? Even sacrificing your pride. It won't do any good, though.
Haeyoung held back a smile.
Between Yunhyuk and Haeyoung's seats, Minji's face suddenly appeared.
"But still, I'm really happy that oppa gave me a ride. Thank you."
The car wasn't very spacious, but despite that, it almost felt like the three of them were sitting side by side. At this point, it was like sitting on transparent chairs.
"What? I didn't want to give you a ride. You only got in because of Haeyoung, so thank her."
"Ah... okay."
Minji pressed her lips tightly shut. It seemed she didn't want to thank Haeyoung. Yunhyuk glanced at Haeyoung.
"Why is your phone like that?"
"Oh, earlier! You accidentally dropped it, didn't you? Wow, I didn't expect Haeyoung to have such a clueless side."
Minji desperately interrupted Haeyoung's question.
Is she scared Yunhyuk will realize it was her fault?
"Minji hit it and made it fall."
"Oh, haha. Well, I was happy to see you there, so I tapped it, but you got startled and dropped it. I'm really sorry, Haeyoung."
Minji tried hard to make excuses. Yunhyuk half-listened as he took out his phone and handed it to Haeyoung.
"Use this."
"Why?"
"It's frustrating if you can't reach me."
"Fine."
Yunhyuk stubbornly forced the phone into Haeyoung's hand. There was a bit of a struggle, but Haeyoung couldn't refuse firmly while he was driving, so she finally took the phone.
Meanwhile, Minji watched the whole scene without missing a thing.
"You two must be really close."
There was more meaning behind Minji's casual words.
"Do you think a friend can become a lover?"
Minji began seriously. Haeyoung quietly listened to whatever she was about to say.
"I really hate it. Once you're friends, you're friends forever! Especially when someone pretends to be just a friend by your side, but later says, 'Actually, I've liked you for a long time.' There must be plenty of guys like that, right? They know they don't stand a chance and don't even have the courage to confess, yet secretly hold a grudge and pretend to be friends for a long time. Ugh, it's so creepy."
"Like you and Seongjun?"
"Huh?"
Minji looked serious at Haeyoung's words.
"I mean the true friendship between you and Seongjun."
"Ah… haha. Yeah, Seongjun and I are really just friends."
Ridiculous. Haeyoung silently scoffed at her.
"Minji."
"Yes, oppa! What is it?"
When Yunhyuk spoke first for the first time, Minji's eyes lit up brightly.
"Put your hair back a little. I can't see in the rearview mirror."
Minji quietly pushed her hair back.
With Minji's head no longer blocking the view nearby, it felt much more comfortable.
After that, Minji tried to start conversations several times, but all she got back was silence so awkward it was almost embarrassing. Neither Yunhyuk nor Haeyoung responded, and Minji eventually gave up and quietly closed her mouth.
As it got closer to time to get off, Minji eagerly begged to be driven a bit further after Haeyoung got off first, but it was no use.
Finally shaking off Minji, who clung like a leech, Haeyoung felt relieved.
"Maybe it was a mistake to give her a ride. I can't focus at all."
Haeyoung's words made Yunhyuk chuckle softly.
*****
When she got home, she felt like she could finally breathe. The past few days felt like a dream.
After the revenge was over, since Seongjun and Minji might still try to cause trouble, and Haeran's place had been moved elsewhere, Haeyoung spent her time in peaceful calm.
Two days passed like that, and finally, the first episode of Friendship Romance 2 aired.