Demi
Babes, I hope you didn’t forget I’m coming to your place tonight! If you did IDC I’m still coming over, because bitch you’ve been M I motherfucking A!
Me
ofc not
Demi
you did, but it’s okay. I’ll be there after this floral job.
Demi
Also, if you’re sad, we’re watching straight-up trash reality TV, aka Love Behind the Headlines. NO gray lady legal dramas tonight.
I gaze at the screen, lips twitching. I wouldn’t quite say I’m feeling ‘sad’, but Demi always senses even the tiniest shift in my emotional state. It’s unsettling how she manages that—and utterly essential.
CHAPTER 25
MINJI
“Open the damn door!I brought reinforcements!” Demi yells, banging on my front door.
I fling aside the throw blanket that’s been my comfort cocoon all evening and drag myself off the couch. The stack of briefs I should be reviewing remains untouched on my coffee table.
“Coming!” I call, running fingers through my tangled hair. When I swing open the door, Demi stands there with two bottles of wine, her signature ‘intervention’ amount, and a bag of pastries from my favorite Korean bakery that smell divine.
“You look like hell,” Demi announces, pushing past me into the apartment.
“Hello to you, too,” I greet, closing the door behind her.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She plunks the bottles of wine on the coffee table. “Good thing I got the goods because you look like you need it for whatever you are about to share with me. Because you will be sharing the tea with me tonight. I went over three weeks without a detailed update on you and lover boy. And texts here and there, wasn’t it, and I was giving you time to adjust to the new life… aka new dick. Now it’s time for you to spill the tea.”
“I’ve just been busy with work.”
“I know you can get swamped with work, but this is different. You’ve been ignoring my calls and beingrealvague via text.” She turns to face me, hands on her hips. “And something looks different about you. Like you’ve beenfucking. And it looks like it’s been a thorough fucking at that. So I was right to give you that space, but now it’s time to spill.”
I can’t help but laugh as I grab two wine glasses from the kitchen.
“Is it that obvious?” I feel my cheeks flush as I pour our drinks.
“Girl, please.” Demi kicks off her Crocs and curls up on my couch. “You’re practically glowing, and I haven’t seen you smile like that since—” She stops abruptly, tilting her head. “Since college… Our senior year to be exact. So clearly the man picked up where you two left off.”
I hand her the wine glass and sink into the opposite corner of the couch, tucking my feet underneath me. “It’s Aaron.”
“Well, of course it’s him. I love this for you. So, is it just sex, or is this something more? Like are you two giving it a chance? Did you apologize like I told you? Like, really apologize, not that half-ass shit.”
I groan, reaching for the soju bottle. I need something stronger than wine for this conversation. “Is it crazy to say I don’t know? It started as hell, I don’t know, but now…” Suddenly, all of this feels like a fever I haven’t sweated out. “We talk every day. FaceTime every night. He sends me photos of street art and puppies he sees on his morning runs. No one does that in a casual arrangement. I think things changed when I stayed over at his house for a week straight. I like how he is so attentive to me.”
Demi’s eyes widen as she leans in, practically vibrating with excitement. “Hold the fuck up. You actually packed an overnight bag and camped out at his place? For a week? And I’m just nowhearing about this?” She slaps the couch cushion. “Oh, this is beyond casual. I mean, this would be a situationship, but you two knew each other in the past, so I would say you are like boyfriend-girlfriend?”
“It’s really not a big deal,” I rush out. “We’re just figuring things out. He is not my boyfriend. I don’t think I want him to be just yet.”
“Sure, babes. Whatever you say.” Demi digs into the bakery bag and extracts two plump red bean pastries. She passes one to me, the warmth seeping through my fingertips. “So, is this ‘figuring things out’ anything like that mess with William, or are we in uncharted territory here?”
I bite into the pastry, letting the sweet red bean paste melt on my tongue.
“It’s nothing like William.” I brush crumbs from my lap. “With him, every conversation felt like a courtroom battle. With Aaron… he actually listens. And somehow, taking care of me seems to make him happy. Like really happy.”
