Minji had just returned from the self-service laundry shop, balancing a basket full of freshly washed clothes in her arms.
Doing laundry in Korea was surprisingly easy. You loaded your clothes into an automatic washing machine, inserted a few coins, and walked away. By the time you returned, everything was washed, dried, neatly folded, and still pleasantly warm.
She placed the stack carefully on her bed and let out a quiet sigh.
Across the room, Zoya sat curled up on her bed, absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. She looked up for a brief moment before lowering her gaze to the screen again.
few days had passed since the misunderstanding.
Outwardly, everything had returned to normal.
They greeted each other.
Shared meals.
Laughed with everyone else.
Yet both of them knew something remained unfinished.
There were conversations that smiles could never replace.
Finally, Zoya broke the silence.
"Minji..."
Minji looked up from folding a sweater.
"Hm?"
"Can we talk?"
There was a brief pause before Zoya added quietly,
"Maybe... after lunch?"
Minji studied her for a second before offering a small smile.
"Of course."
She folded the last shirt and placed it on the pile.
"But not here."
She nodded toward the window.
"We have to buy groceries later anyway."
"We'll talk while we're out."
Relief softened Zoya's expression.
"Okay."
Without another word, Minji carried the folded clothes into her carboard before making her way to the kitchen, where Hana was already preparing lunch.
The gentle crackling of oil filled the apartment.
The warm aroma of sesame oil, garlic, and soy sauce drifted through the air.
Minji leaned against the kitchen doorway.
"도와줄까?"(Dowajulkka?)
"Need any help?"
Hana looked over her shoulder and smiled.
"괜찮아, 괜찮아!"(Gwaenchana, gwaenchana!)
"It's okay. I've got everything under control."
Minji chuckled before glancing out of the kitchen window.
Outside...
Dark clouds had gathered over Busan.
The trees swayed gently beneath the cold wind.
She rubbed her hands together.
"오늘 너무 추워. 밖에 눈 올 것 같아."(Oneul neomu chuwo. Bakke nun ol geot gata.)
"It's freezing today. I think it's going to snow."
Hana briefly looked outside before returning to the pan.
"눈? 아직은 아니야. 근데 바람 진짜 차가워."(Nun? Ajigeun aniya. Geunde baram jinjja chagawo.)
"Maybe not yet... but the wind is freezing."
For a moment, only the sizzling sound of cooking filled the kitchen.
Then Minji asked,
"루희랑 소피아는 언제 올까?"(Ruhi-rang Sophia-neun eonje olkka?)
"When do you think Ruhi and Sophia will be back?"
Hana laughed.
"모르겠어. 그 사람들 쇼핑 가면 시간 다 잊어버려."(Moreugesseo. Geu saramdeul syoping gamyeon sigan da ijeobeoryeo.)
"Who knows? The moment those two go shopping, they completely forget the time."
Both of them laughed.
The sound floated softly into the living room.
Zoya instinctively looked up.
She couldn't understand the words.
Only the rhythm.
The gentle rise and fall of a language that still felt unfamiliar.
She watched them for another second before smiling to herself.
"Even when they're just chatting..."
"Korean somehow sounds like music."
Her eyes dropped back to her phone.
Behind her, the conversation continued.
"오늘 점심 불고기 괜찮을까? 좀 달아서..."(Oneul jeomsim bulgogi gwaenchanheulkka? Jom dalaseo...)
"Do you think bulgogi will be okay? It's a little sweet."
Hana smiled.
"괜찮아. 외국인들은 단맛을 좋아하잖아."(Gwaenchana. Oegugin-deureun dan mat joahajanha.)
"It's fine. Foreigners usually like sweet food."
Minji tilted her head thoughtfully.
"조야도?"(Joyado?)
"Even Zoya?"
Hana laughed quietly.
"글쎄... 조야는 좀 다르지."(Geulsse... Joyaneun jom dareuji.)
"Hmm... Zoya's a little different and difficult."
Almost on cue...
Zoya heard her own name.
She looked up again.
The two girls smiled at her innocently.
Still having no idea what they had just said, Zoya smiled back politely before returning to her phone.
"One day..."
"I'll understand what they're laughing about."
By the time Ruhi and Sophia returned, lunch was ready.
The dining table looked warm and inviting, covered with colourful dishes that filled the apartment with delicious aromas.
Hana stood proudly beside it.
"Today's menu..." she announced dramatically, "Chicken bulgogi, japchae, kimchi, rice balls... and miso soup."
Ruhi clapped once.
"Looks like a restaurant!"
Everyone took their seats.
Zoya looked down at her plate.
Everything looked beautiful.
Neat.
Shiny.
Colourful.
She had absolutely no idea what any of it would taste like.
She silently picked up a piece of chicken bulgogi.
"Bismillah..."
She placed it into her mouth.
She chewed once.
Then twice.
Then...
Her eyebrows slowly pulled together.
She looked at the chicken.
Then at Hana.
Then back at the chicken.
"Ya Allah..."
"Who puts honey on chicken?"
She took another bite just to make sure.
"No... wait..."
"It's sweet..."
"It's spicy..."
"It's salty..."
"They're all fighting inside my mouth!"
She swallowed with visible effort.
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
"Very nice."
Hana beamed happily.
"Really?"
Zoya nodded politely.
"Very... interesting."
Inside, however...
"Here the chicken itself can't decide what it wants to become."
Ruhi noticed the battle taking place on Zoya's face.
She immediately lowered her head, trying not to laugh.
She remembered doing exactly the same thing during her first month in Korea.
Next came the japchae.
The transparent noodles glistened under the light.
Zoya carefully wrapped a few strands around her fork.
She took a bite.
The noodles stretched.
She chewed.
Then stopped.
"..."
"Excuse me?"
She chewed again.
"Am I eating noodles..."
"Or elastic bands?"
She blinked twice.
"No taste is staying in one place."
"Everything keeps changing."
Still...
She smiled at Hana.
"I like it."
Ruhi nearly choked on her water.
She knew that smile.
That was Zoya's international diplomacy smile.
The next victim...
The rice balls.
Zoya confidently picked one up.
"This one can't betray me."
She popped the whole thing into her mouth.
Three seconds later...
She froze.
Her soul quietly left her body.
"Salt..."
"Where are you?"
She slowly looked at the rice ball.
Then at Minji.
Almost at the same moment, Minji took a bite too.
She frowned.
Turned toward Hana.
"하나, 혹시 소금 넣는 거 잊었어?"(Hana, hoksi sogeum neonneun geo ijeosseo?)"Hana... did you forget the salt?"
Hana's eyes widened.
She quickly grabbed one herself.
One bite.
"..."
"어...? 진짜?!"(Eo...? Jinjja?!)"Oh no... I really forgot!"
The table burst into laughter.
Hana covered her face.
"I knew something felt missing!"
Minji laughed.
"It's okay."
Then she looked apologetically at Zoya.
"Sorry."
Zoya shook her head.
"No problem."
She quietly began repairing the rice ball.
A little salt.
A pinch of red chilli flakes.
One piece of kimchi.
She mixed everything together with complete concentration.
Then took another bite.
Her eyes lit up.
She nodded proudly.
"There..."
"Now my Pakistani ancestors approve."
Ruhi laughed so hard she almost dropped her spoon.
Sophia covered her mouth.
Even Hana couldn't stop laughing.
Only one dish remained.
The miso soup.
Zoya picked up the spoon.
She looked into the bowl.
Then looked at her stomach.
In her imagination...
Her stomach folded its hands.
"Please..."
"Enough cultural exchange for one day."
She quietly placed the spoon back down.
"I'll save this adventure for another day."
Across the table, Minji leaned toward Hana and whispered,
"조야 표정 봤어?"(Joya pyojeong bwasseo?)"Did you see Zoya's expressions?"
Hana laughed.
"봤어! 귀여워~"(Bwasseo! Gwiyeowo~)"I did! She's so adorable."
Zoya heard her name again.
She looked up suspiciously.
"What?"
The two girls immediately shook their heads.
"Nothing."
Zoya narrowed her eyes.
"I don't understand Korean..."
She pointed playfully at both of them.
"...but one day I will."
She smiled.
"And when that day comes..."
"...I'll finally know how much you've both been teasing me."
That sent everyone into another round of laughter.
Zoya laughed with them this time.
She still couldn't understand their language.
She still couldn't understand most of their food.
But little by little...
She was beginning to understand their hearts.
Outside, the snowfall had grown steadier, covering the streets beneath a soft white blanket.
Minji pulled her coat closer around herself.
"Let's go."
Zoya nodded and picked up her bag.
"What about Hana and Ruhi?" Minji asked as they stepped out of the apartment. "Aren't they going restaurant?"
"They've already left for the restaurant," Zoya replied. "I'll go there straight from here after we're done."
Minji gave a small nod.
The café was only a few minutes away.
As soon as they stepped inside, a wave of warmth welcomed them.
The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, while soft music played quietly in the background.
They chose a table near the window.
Zoya sat down first, taking off her coat and hanging it neatly over the back of her chair.
She looked at Minji with a puzzled smile.
"I thought we were going grocery shopping."
Minji smiled as she slipped off her own coat and sat opposite her.
"We are."
She placed her phone on the table.
"But if we go shopping first, we won't have enough time to talk."
She looked at Zoya.
"And you still have to go to the restaurant."
For a moment, Zoya simply stared at her.
Then it clicked.
Minji continued,
"So let's save some time."
"Give me the grocery list you made last night."
"I'll order everything online."
"They'll deliver it to the house before we get back."
A small smile appeared on Zoya's face.
"That... actually makes more sense."
She reached into her bag, unfolded the handwritten grocery list, and slid it across the table.
Minji picked it up and unlocked her phone.
Opening the online grocery app, she began adding the items one by one.
"Bread..."
"Milk..."
"Eggs..."
She glanced up.
"We still have rice, right?"
"Half a bag," Zoya replied.
Minji nodded and skipped it.
"What about vegetables?"
"We're almost out."
Minji added them to the cart.
For the next several minutes, the two of them quietly discussed the list.
Whenever Minji reached an item, she'd look up.
"This?"
Zoya nodded.
"Yes."
"This one?"
"No... buy the cheaper brand."
Minji smiled.
"You've already become good at managing money."
"I have to," Zoya replied with a faint laugh.
"I'm an international student."
A few moments later, Minji tapped the screen.
"There."
"Everything's ordered."
"They'll deliver it to the house this evening."
Almost at the same moment...
A waitress arrived carrying two cups of coffee.
She carefully placed them on the table before wishing them a pleasant afternoon.
As the waitress walked away, silence settled between the two friends once again.
The groceries were taken care of.
Now...
There was nothing left to distract them from the conversation they had both been avoiding.
For a while...
Neither of them touched their coffee.
The steam rose quietly between them before slowly disappearing into the warm air.
Outside, snowflakes drifted past the window.
Inside...
Silence lingered.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
It was simply waiting for someone to speak first.
Finally...
Zoya lifted her eyes.
"Minji..."
Minji looked up.
"Hm?"
Zoya hesitated.
Then asked softly,
"Are you still upset with me?"
Minji didn't answer immediately.
She lowered her gaze to her coffee and slowly stirred it once with the spoon.
The soft clink echoed between them.
After a long pause, she shook her head.
"No."
Then she smiled faintly.
"I'm not upset."
Zoya's shoulders relaxed a little.
"But..."
That single word made her look up again.
Minji met her eyes.
"I wish you had trusted us."
Zoya remained silent.
Minji continued gently,
"You had already decided to send Bamson back."
"You had already called Mr Jea."
"I understand why you did it."
"I would've wanted him to go home too."
She paused.
"But..."
"You should've told us."
"Maybe not immediately."
"But afterwards."
Zoya lowered her gaze.
"I know."
Her fingers tightened around the warm mug.
"I wanted to."
"I really did."
"But everything happened so fast."
"When all of you came back..."
"...Bamson was already gone."
"I didn't know how to explain it anymore."
Minji listened quietly.
Then, after a few seconds, she spoke again.
"Do you know what actually hurt me?"
Zoya slowly shook her head.
Minji smiled sadly.
"It wasn't that Bamson went home."
"It was that..."
"...you didn't let us say goodbye."
The words hung quietly between them.
"We spent two weeks taking care of him."
"He became part of our daily life."
"We fed him."
"We worried about him."
"We laughed because of him."
"And then..."
"...he was suddenly gone."
She looked down at her coffee.
"When we asked you what had happened..."
"...you kept changing the subject."
"You never told us the truth."
Her voice never became louder.
But somehow...
That made every word feel heavier.
Zoya slowly looked down.
"I'm sorry."
"I wasn't thinking about any of that."
"My mind was somewhere else."
"I only kept thinking..."
"'What if something goes wrong?'"
"'What if Mr Jea leaves before Bamson reaches him?'"
"'What if someone else takes him?'"
"So I rushed."
"I thought..."
"...the sooner he reached his owner..."
"...the better."
A quiet silence settled between them once more.
This time...
It felt lighter.
Because both of them finally understood what the other had been carrying.
Minji reached for her coffee and smiled.
"I know."
"That's why I couldn't stay angry."
"If I didn't understand you..."
"...I wouldn't be sitting here."
Zoya looked at her for a long moment.
Then...
A small laugh escaped her.
"I thought you hated me."
Minji laughed too.
"Hate you?"
She shook her head.
"Never."
She pointed gently toward Zoya.
"But you do have one very bad habit."
Zoya blinked.
"What?"
"You carry everything alone."
"You decide everything alone."
"And then..."
"...you apologize alone."
For the first time in days...
Zoya laughed from the heart.
"...Maybe."
Minji smiled.
"No."
"Definitely."
Both of them laughed.
Outside...
The snow continued to fall.
Inside...
The distance that had quietly settled between two friends finally began to melt away.
Minji slowly lifted her coffee.
After taking a small sip, she looked at Zoya.
"Can I ask you something?"
Zoya nodded.
"Of course."
Minji hesitated.
Then asked quietly,
"When you called Mr Jea..."
"Were you scared?"
Zoya smiled faintly.
"I was terrified."
Minji looked surprised.
"You didn't seem like it."
"I wasn't brave," Zoya admitted.
"I was just in a hurry."
She looked down at her hands.
"I kept thinking..."
"'What if Bamson never gets back?'"
"'What if his owner keeps searching forever?'"
"I couldn't bear that thought."
Minji listened silently.
"So I borrowed Ji-won's phone..."
"...made the call..."
"...and prayed someone would answer."
She laughed softly at herself.
"My hands were shaking so much that I almost dropped the phone."
Minji couldn't help smiling.
"I wish you had trusted us enough to tell us."
"I know."
Zoya nodded.
"If I could go back..."
"I'd do one thing differently."
Minji tilted her head.
"What?"
"I'd tell all of you first."
A gentle silence followed.
Then Minji smiled.
"Good."
"Because if something like this ever happens again..."
"...you're not handling it alone."
Zoya looked at her.
"Deal?"
She slowly smiled.
"Deal."
Minji extended her little finger across the table.
Zoya looked at it and laughed.
"A pinky promise?"
"We're adults."
"So?"
Minji grinned.
"Adults are allowed to make pinky promises too."
Still smiling, Zoya hooked her little finger around Minji's.
"Deal."
They both laughed.
At that exact moment...
Zoya's phone vibrated on the table.
She glanced at the screen.
Ruhi Calling...
She answered immediately.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?" Ruhi's cheerful voice came through the speaker.
"The restaurant is getting busy."
"We're almost done here," Zoya replied.
"We'll be there in about fifteen minutes."
"Good."
"And don't forget to bring yourself."
"We're already short one kitchen helper."
Zoya laughed.
"I'm coming."
The call ended.
She looked at Minji.
"I should go."
Minji nodded as she stood up.
"And our groceries should reach home before we do."
Zoya smiled.
"Technology really is dangerous."
Minji laughed.
"Why?"
"Because today we came out to buy groceries..."
"...and somehow ended up fixing our friendship instead."
Minji smiled warmly.
"I'd say that was a much better purchase."
Together, they picked up their coats.
Outside...
The snow was still falling.
But somehow...
It didn't feel as cold anymore.
The warmth of the café faded the moment they stepped outside.
A gust of icy wind greeted them, carrying tiny snowflakes through the evening air. The streets glowed beneath rows of streetlights, and people hurried past with scarves wrapped tightly around their faces.
Minji pulled her coat closer.
"So..." she said with a small smile, "you go to the restaurant from here."
Zoya nodded.
"And you'll go home?"
"Mm."
For a few moments, they simply walked.
Their footsteps crunched softly against the thin layer of snow gathering on the pavement.
The subway station wasn't far, so neither of them felt the need to rush.
After everything they had finally talked about, the silence between them no longer felt uncomfortable.
It felt... peaceful.
Then Minji spoke again.
"Can I tell you something?"
Zoya looked at her.
"Of course."
Minji kept her eyes on the snowy road ahead.
"I've never told anyone this."
Zoya waited quietly.
After a long breath, Minji smiled to herself.
"I've known Jeon J for seven years."
Zoya stopped walking.
For a second, she thought she'd misheard.
"...What?"
Minji stopped beside her.
"Our families have known each other for years."
She laughed softly.
"Not because we're celebrities or anything like that."
"Our parents were simply family friends."
"My mother and his mother worked together years ago."
"After that..."
"...our families stayed in touch."
Zoya blinked slowly.
"So..."
"You actually know him?"
Minji nodded.
"Personally."
"We weren't best friends."
"But we met often."
"Birthdays."
"Family dinners."
"Community gatherings."
"And..."
She smiled faintly.
"Bamson."
"I knew him when he was still tiny."
A memory crossed her face.
"I used to carry biscuits in my pocket just for him."
"He'd follow me all over the garden."
Zoya listened without saying a word.
"So that's why..." she murmured.
"So that's why Bamson trusted you immediately."
Minji smiled.
"Maybe."
They resumed walking.
Snowflakes landed quietly on their coats.
After a few moments, Minji continued.
"I never told anyone because I didn't want people to think I was using that connection."
"And after Bamson disappeared..."
"...it felt even more wrong."
"I wanted everyone to help him because he was lost."
"Not because he belonged to someone I knew."
Zoya lowered her gaze.
The image of Jeon J searching desperately for Bamson flashed through her mind once again.
After a long silence, she whispered,
"You know..."
"One-sided love hurts."
She paused.
"But hiding it..."
"...hurts even more."
Minji smiled sadly.
"I know."
Their eyes met.
For the first time...
Neither of them had to explain anything.
They simply understood.
The subway entrance appeared ahead.
Minji slowed her steps.
"You go this way."
She pointed toward the road leading to the restaurant.
"And I go down there."
Zoya nodded.
Neither of them moved immediately.
Then Minji laughed softly.
"Come on."
"If we keep standing here, you'll be late for work."
Zoya smiled.
"And you'll miss your train."
Minji adjusted the strap of her bag.
Just as she was about to turn away, she said quietly,
"You asked me earlier if I was proud of him."
She smiled at the snowy street.
"I am."
"I've seen him fail."
"I've seen him stand back up."
"And I've seen him become the person he dreamed of being."
Her smile grew smaller.
"But sometimes..."
"...pride and pain live in the same heart."
Zoya looked at her for a long moment.
Then she said softly,
"I think... you're stronger than you believe."
Minji chuckled.
"I don't know about that."
She took one step toward the subway entrance.
"I'll see you tonight."
"I'll see you tonight," Zoya replied.
Minji disappeared down the station stairs.
Zoya stood there for another moment, watching until she was out of sight.
Then she turned toward the restaurant.
As she walked, one thought refused to leave her mind.
So... he wasn't just someone Minji admired.
He had always been part of her world.
And somehow...
That realization made the distance between Zoya and Jeon J feel even greater.
Zoya watched Minji disappear into the subway station.
Only then did she turn toward the restaurant.
The road wasn't long.
Yet somehow...
It felt longer than ever before.
Her feet kept moving, but her thoughts stayed behind.
Seven years...
The words echoed quietly in her mind.
Seven years.
Family friends.
Memories.
For the first time...
Zoya felt the distance between herself and...
Not the distance between Busan and Seoul.
Not the distance between Pakistan and Korea.
A different one.
The kind no map could measure.
She lowered her gaze.
Without realizing it, she had begun walking more slowly.
By the time she reached the restaurant, she was still lost in thought.
She changed into her apron, washed her hands, and quietly took her place in the kitchen.
Usually, her knife moved with confidence.
Today...
It hesitated.
She almost sliced a carrot unevenly.
Nearly added salt twice to the same dish.
And once, she reached for sugar instead of flour before catching herself at the last second.
Fortunately...
Nothing reached the customers.
Every mistake was noticed in time.
Still...
It wasn't like her.
Ruhi, who had been passing the kitchen door, frowned.
She waited until the rush slowed before walking over.
"Zoya?"
Zoya looked up.
"Hm?"
Ruhi studied her face for a moment.
"You've been somewhere else all evening."
"Is everything okay?"
Zoya forced a small smile and gently rubbed her forehead.
"I think it's just a headache."
Ruhi's expression softened immediately.
"You should've told us earlier."
"I'll be fine."
Zoya smiled again.
"Probably just didn't sleep well."
Ruhi nodded, accepting the explanation.
"Finish your shift, then go home and rest."
"I will."
Ruhi walked away.
Zoya watched her leave before lowering her eyes once more.
Her hand tightened around the knife.
It wasn't her head that hurt.
It was her heart.
And no medicine could quiet the thoughts that refused to leave it.
The next two days slipped by almost unnoticed.
University assignments, restaurant shifts, housework, and the endless rhythm of daily life left little room to breathe.
Whenever one of them was free...
...the other was already busy.
Even though the misunderstanding between them had faded, the conversation they had left unfinished remained quietly between them.
On the third afternoon...
For the first time in days, all five girls had taken the day off from every work.
Ruhi, Hana and Sophia disappeared almost immediately, determined to spend the day wandering around Busan, laughing, shopping, and enjoying the rare break they had all been waiting for.
That left only Minji and Zoya.
An hour later...
The two of them were sitting in the same little café once again.
A warm cup of coffee rested in front of each of them while snow drifted lazily beyond the window.
Neither of them reached for their drinks straight away.
Some conversations...
...needed more courage than coffee.
And today—
No matter how painful it might be...
Zoya wanted to hear everything.
Patiently.
Without interrupting.
Even if every word hurt.
Minji took a deep breath, her eyes drifting toward the window where snowflakes continued to settle quietly against the glass.
"I've known him for seven years," she said softly. "Long before everyone else did."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"I saw him when he was still struggling... still trying to figure out what he wanted."
She let out a quiet breath.
"Back then, whenever there was a small performance, he'd divide the concert tickets among family friends and say, 'Please come watch our little show.'"
She looked down at her coffee.
"I always accepted the tickets out of politeness..."
"...but I never went."
Zoya's brows knitted together.
"Why not?"
Minji gave a faint, almost guilty smile.
"Because I didn't believe he'd make it."
She paused before continuing.
"He was talented... there was never any doubt about that."
"But talent alone doesn't always guarantee success."
"I thought he'd eventually become a football player... or maybe join any company for job … something more certain."
She looked out at the falling snow.
"Singing felt like a dream that could easily break someone's heart."
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"But..."
"He proved me completely wrong."
Silence settled between them for a moment.
Then Minji continued, her voice softer than before.
"Our families have known each other for years."
"We're not relatives..."
"...just old family friends."
"We used to meet at birthdays, family dinners, little community gatherings..."
"...the kind where the elders would spend hours talking while the children ran around outside."
She smiled at the memory.
"My mother knew his mother."
"Our fathers knew each other too."
"When my father was transferred to Seoul, we moved there."
"Their family mostly stayed in Busan, where their old home still is."
"They've always lived simply."
She stirred her coffee absentmindedly.
"Even now, after everything they've achieved..."
"...nothing about them has really changed."
"His mother still spends most of her time working with an NGO that supports children with Thalassemia."
"And his father..."
A warm smile crossed her face.
"He loves gardening more than anything."
"They only come to Seoul whenever they want to spend time with him."
"And whenever they do..."
"...our families usually meet."
"We sit together..."
"We talk for hours..."
"...and somehow end up laughing over the same old memories."
Zoya remained silent.
Every sentence settled quietly inside her heart.
It wasn't jealousy.
Not exactly.
It was the realization that Minji belonged to a part of his life Zoya had never even seen.
Minji wrapped both hands around her cup.
"And then life became strange."
"When I got into Busan National University..."
"...I unknowingly came back to the city where he had grown up."
She smiled, though there was sadness behind it.
"Sometimes I wonder if it was coincidence..."
"...or destiny."
"Because somehow..."
"...no matter how far life takes me..."
"...it keeps bringing me back close to him."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
The café remained warm and quiet while the snow continued falling outside.
Finally, Zoya smiled gently.
"You must be proud of him."
Minji looked down at her coffee before nodding.
"I am."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"But sometimes..."
"...pride and pain learn to live together."
The words lingered between them.
Zoya looked at her for a moment before a small smile returned to her face.
"So that's why Bamson was so comfortable with you."
"Dogs don't usually trust strangers that easily."
Minji laughed softly.
"Maybe he remembered me."
"I used to buy biscuits for him with my pocket money."
"He'd follow me around the garden every time I visited."
Zoya sighed dramatically.
"So that's the reason."
"I was wondering why, after spending all that time with you as a puppy..."
"...he suddenly decided I was his favorite."
Minji giggled.
"He didn't replace me."
"He just got attached to you."
Zoya immediately shook her head.
"No."
"He was simply recovering his investment."
Minji blinked.
"Investment?"
"Of course."
"I fed him two whole packets of biscuits."
"He calculated everything."
"He gave me those innocent puppy eyes..."
"...made me feel guilty..."
"...and quietly ate my share too."
She folded her arms with mock seriousness.
"Bamson is smarter than people think."
"He's an expert in emotional marketing."
Minji burst into laughter.
"You still remember those two packets of biscuits?"
"Never."
Zoya replied proudly.
"That was my biggest investment."
She placed a hand over her heart.
"Emotionally..."
"...and financially."
Both of them laughed.
For a little while...
Everything felt light again.
Their laughter slowly faded.
The café grew quiet again.
Outside, snow continued drifting past the window, soft enough to calm the city...
...but not either of their hearts.
Zoya lowered her eyes to the coffee in front of her.
The smile was still on her lips.
Yet somehow...
It no longer reached her eyes.
Without thinking, her fingertips traced the warm rim of the mug.
Her thoughts had already wandered somewhere else.
The letter.
The one she had quietly slipped into Bamson's tiny sweater before sending him back.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Should I tell Minji?
She glanced across the table.
Minji was absentmindedly stirring her coffee, completely lost in her own thoughts.
Zoya looked away again.
No...
She'll probably think it's childish.
A tiny laugh escaped her.
Besides...
I wrote the whole thing in Urdu.
Even if he ever found it...
He probably wouldn't understand a single word.
The thought should have comforted her.
Instead...
It left an unfamiliar ache behind.
She had no idea whether the letter was still safely tucked inside the sweater...
...or whether it had already been thrown away without anyone ever opening it.
Just then—
"We should probably leave."
"It's getting late."
Zoya nodded quietly.
She reached for her coat while Minji stood first.
They both gathered their things.
The chairs scraped softly against the floor.
Just as Minji turned toward the café door—
Zoya's voice stopped her.
Soft.
Almost hesitant.
"Can I ask you something?"
Minji turned back.
"Of course."
Zoya hesitated.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
Then she asked quietly,
"If..."
"...the person you cared about..."
"...ended up caring about someone else..."
A small pause.
"What would you do?"
Minji's smile slowly disappeared.
For a moment...
She simply looked at Zoya.
Then asked softly,
"Why are you asking me that?"
Zoya quickly shook her head.
"No reason."
"I was just wondering."
Minji searched her face for a few seconds.
Then answered honestly.
"It would hurt."
She smiled...
Though the sadness reached her eyes before the smile ever did.
"It would hurt a lot."
Zoya lowered her gaze.
"And if..."
"...someone else started liking that person?"
Minji looked out through the café window.
Snow continued falling outside.
"I don't know."
She answered after a long pause.
"I'd probably smile in front of everyone..."
"...and cry somewhere no one could see."
Silence returned.
Neither of them moved.
Then Minji slowly looked back at Zoya.
"What about you?"
"If you were in my place..."
"...what would you do?"
The question caught Zoya completely off guard.
She looked down at the floor for several seconds.
Then a tiny smile appeared.
"You asked me..."
"...what I'd do if I were in your place."
She finally looked back at Minji.
"So..."
"I answered from your place."
A small pause.
"But my place..."
"...is still mine."
"And yours..."
"...will always remain yours."
Minji frowned in confusion.
"What does that even mean?"
Zoya laughed softly.
"It means..."
"...it's always easier to answer when the pain belongs to someone else."
Minji stared at her for another second.
Then suddenly laughed.
"You really are impossible sometimes."
"Maybe."
Zoya smiled.
"But..."
"...that's still my answer."
Minji shook her head, smiling despite herself.
"Come on."
"Let's go."
Together...
The two girls stepped out of the café and into the quiet winter evening.
Zoya looked at Minji for a long moment before speaking.
A small, thoughtful smile touched her lips.
"I would ask Allah for him—not once or twice, but again and again. I would ask in every way I knew how… with tears, with smiles, with hope. Sometimes I would make dua. Sometimes I would beg. Sometimes I would simply whisper his name in my prayers."
Her voice softened.
"And I wouldn't stop until something inside me felt lighter… until my heart believed that Allah had heard me. I would trust that maybe He was already planning something I couldn't see yet."
Minji said nothing.
She simply listened, her breathing slow, her heart quietly overwhelmed by the sincerity in Zoya's voice.
A faint smile appeared on Zoya's lips.
"And if Allah ever granted him to me…" she whispered, "I wouldn't ask him to be my boyfriend."
She lowered her gaze, almost shy.
"I would ask him to marry me."
Her voice trembled, but every word carried quiet conviction.
"I'd look into his eyes and say, 'Will you marry me and become the man I prayed for?'"
Minji stared at her, unable to find the right words.
For a moment, the world around them disappeared.
The sound of buses, the cold winter wind, the distant conversations of strangers—everything faded into a silence only their hearts seemed to hear.
Zoya let out a small, embarrassed laugh.
"I don't even know why I'd think like that," she murmured. "Maybe because… sometimes love makes you forget where faith ends and longing begins."
Minji kept watching her.
Really watching her.
For the first time, she realized that Zoya's idea of love wasn't ordinary.
It wasn't infatuation.
It wasn't fantasy.
It was devotion.
The kind of love that would kneel before Allah before ever reaching for the hand of the one it loved.
Minji's eyes softened.
"You would really love someone that deeply, wouldn't you?"
Zoya smiled gently.
"I wouldn't just love him," she whispered.
"I'd trust Allah with him."
The bus arrived, its headlights cutting through the falling snow.
Both girls blinked as light washed over their faces.
Through the frosted window, Busan slipped past in soft white silence—snow-covered streets, glowing windows, and people hurrying home through the cold.
Minji leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.
Zoya watched the city through the glass, her reflection faint against the darkness.
She wondered if loving someone like that would hurt.
Then she smiled to herself.
Because even if such love never reached the person it was meant for…
It would still reach Allah.
And somehow…
that would be enough.
When the bus stopped near their apartment, they stepped into the quiet snowfall together.
As they walked, Minji finally broke the silence.
"You know, Zoya… maybe the miracle isn't always getting what we pray for."
She glanced at her friend.
"Maybe the miracle is how prayer changes us before the answer ever comes."
Zoya looked up at the falling snow and smiled.
"Then maybe," she said softly, "that would already be a miracle."
Side by side, they continued walking beneath the silent winter sky, leaving only footprints behind them as the snow gently covered the road.
The apartment building stood quietly beneath the falling snow, its entrance washed in the pale glow of a single streetlamp.
As they reached the steps, Minji suddenly stopped.
Zoya halted a step behind her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Minji slowly turned around. A sad smile curved across her lips, one that never quite reached her eyes.
"I haven't seen him in three years, or more" she said quietly. "Not even a missed call... not even a single message."
The words lingered in the cold air.
Then she smiled again—small, tired, and heartbreakingly gentle.
Without waiting for an answer, Minji turned back toward the building and slowly climbed the stairs.
The sound of her footsteps faded into the quiet.
Zoya remained exactly where she was.
The snow settled silently on her coat.
Her heart didn't know what it was supposed to feel.
A tiny, shameful spark of hope flickered somewhere deep inside her.
Three years.
No meetings.
No calls.
No messages.
A part of her wanted to believe that perhaps Allah had left a door open.
But another part ached for the woman who had just walked away wearing a smile that couldn't hide three years of silence.
Hope and guilt tangled together inside her chest.
She lowered her gaze.
"Ya Allah..." she whispered into the winter night.
"If this hope isn't good for me... take it from my heart.
But if You placed it there...
Then teach me how to carry it with patience."
She closed her eyes for a brief moment.
When she opened them again, the snow was still falling.
And she was still standing there—
between another woman's heartbreak...
and her own quiet hope.
To be continued...
Regards,
ZK💌