Chapter Text
Jimin first meets Minjeong in line for the tea shop across the street from her bio lecture.
A tap on the shoulder and a “Are you alone by any chance?” makes Jimin put her phone down.
There’s a girl looking up, hands clasped behind her back. “Yeah,” Jimin says, distracted by how small this girl is. Then the girl smiles and Jimin's really distracted because she’s so cute. Kind of like a puppy.
“I know this is random but do you want to pay together? They have a BOGO deal today and my friend ditched me,” she pouts.
When Jimin doesn’t respond immediately, the other girl waves her hands, clarifying. “Sorry if that’s weird! I just figured you went to SMCU so it would be better to ask you than a complete rando and—”
Jimin cuts off her rambling. “Let’s do it, not weird. I’m always down for a deal.”
“Okay! I can pay!” the other girl beams.
“Sure,” Jimin smiles. “I’m Jimin by the way.”
The shorter girl blanches. “I'm Minjeong. Sorry I didn’t even introduce myself.”
“That’s fine, nice to meet you,” Jimin chuckles. “So you go to SMCU too?”
“Yep, I’m a sophomore,” Minjeong smiles. “Studying music production.”
Of course she’s younger, Jimin muses. It makes sense that she’s that tiny if she’s younger.
“I’m a junior, studying dance,” Jimin replies.
When they get to the front of the line, Jimin gets her usual ice tea while Minjeong gets some special tea of the week. Minjeong pays, Jimin venmo's her, and that’s that.
The second time Jimin sees Minjeong is in her Korean film class.
“Minjeong-ah, you’re in this class?”
Minjeong stops on the staircase and turns to face Jimin. “Ah Jimin unnie, hi!”
“Do you want to sit together?” Jimin asks before she can stop herself.
She’s not usually this friendly or outgoing when making friends. But the younger girl is just so adorable, how could anyone not want to be friends with her?
Minjeong gives a shy nod that makes Jimin coo internally. She hides it as she moves her bag so Minjeong can sit down.
“How have I not seen you before?” Jimin asks. It’s a couple weeks into the semester now and she’s sure she hasn’t seen Minjeong in lecture. Granted, it’s a fairly large lecture but still. It feels like she would have remembered seeing Minjeong around.
Minjeong chuckles awkwardly. “I usually sit in the back.”
“Diligent,” Jimin teases.
Minjeong pouts, bringing a wide smile to Jimin’s face. “I still pay attention back there.”
The professor starts her lecture, cutting off any further teasing. Jimin begins putting her notes away when the lecture ends. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Minjeong fidgeting and glancing over. Eventually, the younger girl works up the courage to ask, “Would you be down to watch the movie for the next class together?”
Minjeong looks down nervously. “The last movie was kind of scary so my roommate refused to watch it with me. If you want, I mean. And not saying I can’t watch scary movies on my own, just…” Minjeong trails off.
Jimin can’t hold back her laughter. “Yeah I’m down.”
It’s tempting to tease the younger girl for getting scared, but Jimin’s not one to talk. “I’m not great with scary movies either,” Jimin admits. She pulls her phone out and hands it to Minjeong. “Here, add your number. We can figure out a time later?”
Minjeong beams. “Yeah, that sounds good! Thanks unnie!”
Jimin resists the urge to pat the younger girl on the head.
“Do you know what this movie’s about?” It’s after dinner on Thursday in Jimin’s floor lounge.
Minjeong hums as she plugs her laptop charger into the wall. “Just what she said in class? The director’s debut film, about a real cold case?”
Jimin sighs as she sits back on the couch. “Sounds scary already.”
Minjeong pulls up the movie on the laptop and joins her on the couch. “I’m sure it can’t be that bad.”
Halfway through the movie Jimin is losing her mind. Minjeong had insisted they turn the lights off for “full effect” and the movie is terrifying. “Minjeong-ah,” Jimin whispers. The younger girl is focused on the screen. “Mm?” she replies absentmindedly.
“What if we turned the lights on?”
Minjeong chuckles and looks at Jimin. “But we need the full theater effect!”
Jimin sighs. “I’m scared,” she whines.
“It’ll be fine,” Minjeong whispers back. “It’s not that bad they’re not showing any details.”
“I thought you were supposed to be bad with scary movies,” Jimin huffs.
“I am!” Minjeong protests faintly. “But this is more of a thriller, so it’s ok.”
Jimin gulps as the setting turns to night and suspenseful music starts. “I have to turn the lights on,” she says, standing up.
“Unnie!” Minjeong shakes her head. The younger girl grabs her hand and pulls her back down. “Here,” Minjeong says, squeezing Jimin’s hand in hers. “It’ll be fine, it's almost over.”
Jimin’s knee jerk reaction is to pull her hand out of the younger girl’s. She’s not a touchy person, so holding hands with someone feels unfamiliar. But she’s scared, it looks like someone’s about to die in the movie, and Minjeong’s small hand is warm in hers.
Instead of watching the movie, she finds herself studying the younger girl beside her. Minjeong is enthralled by the movie. It’s cute how she barely blinks with how intensely she’s watching, and how she unconsciously tightens her grip on Jimin’s hand as the tension grows on screen.
Jimin lets out a sigh of relief when the movie finally ends. Minjeong laughs and stands up to turn the lights on. Jimin’s a little disappointed. It means that they have to let go of each other's hands.
“What did you think?” Minjeong asks.
Jimin shakes her head resolutely. “That was terrifying.”
“Really?” Minjeong asks as she sits back down. “I liked it!”
“I feel like years have been shaved off my life.”
Minjeong chuckles, and begins to wrap up her power cord. “Why’re you taking this class if you don’t like darker movies?”
“My friend,” Jimin grumbles. “She told me it was an easy A and I needed a humanities class. She didn’t mention the movies were this bad.” Jimin notes with some disappointment that the younger girl packs her things right away, sliding her laptop back into her bag. “I can walk you out,” Jimin offers, standing.
“What movies do you like?” Minjeong asks as they slowly make their way to the dorm entrance.
Jimin hums for a bit, thinking. “Love actually?”
When Minjeong chuckles, Jimin knocks her shoulder into the younger girl playfully.
“I’m a sucker for rom coms,” Jimin says bashfully. “Fate and destiny, stuff like that.”
Minjeong smiles. “I wouldn’t have guessed.”
At the door, Jimin stops and tips back on her heels. “I’ll see you in class?”
“Yeah, thanks for watching together,” Minjeong says as she pushes the door open.
It’s strange, Jimin muses as she watches the younger girl walk away. They only met a couple days ago, and yet the thought of not seeing Minjeong again till next Monday feels wrong.
That weekend she hangs out with some dance team members in her room. They’re playing kings so Jimin’s attention should be on which cards are getting pulled, but she can’t stop checking her phone.
Minjeong texted her a video of a cat watching a horror movie with the caption, “This you?” out of the blue earlier that day and since then they’d been talking back and forth. Normally Jimin doesn’t respond this quickly but the younger girl texted back so fast that she felt obligated to.
Shouts of “Drink!” and fingers pointed at her make Jimin look up from her phone. She groans. It feels like she’s had to drink almost every round and she’s definitely past tipsy.
“Who’re you texting so much?” Aeri asks with a grin.
Jimin grimaces as she takes a sip of her drink, but brightens at the thought of Minjeong. “Ah I made a new friend!”
“Who who?” Aeri asks, sliding onto the floor next to Jimin.
Jimin unlocks her phone then pauses. “I don’t have any pictures with her,” Jimin pouts. “But her name is Minjeong! She’s really cute.”
Aeri laughs and hugs Jimin. “Aww our Jimin-ie is drunk.”
“What do you mean? I’m not!” Jimin protests.
“Is she calling everything cute again?” Hyunjin cuts in.
“She always turns so cheesy when she’s drunk,” Seulgi agrees, laughing.
“Do not!” Jimin whines. “Minjeong’s actually cute! If you guys saw her in person you’d know.”
The others laugh and begin to tell stories of different times Jimin’s cheesiness popped out after drinking. Jimin sighs and texts the younger girl.
I’m getting destroyed in kings because of you
Minjeong responds instantly.
Why?
I keep missing cards bc I’m texting you :(
And now I’m getting made fun of :(((
Poor baby
“Wow, baby?” Aeri asks, reading the texts over Jimin’s shoulder.
“Don’t read,” Jimin huffs, turning away.
Aeri laughs and apologizes. “I want to meet this Minjeong!”
Jimin sighs. “Me too.”
“What do you mean?” Seulgi asks.
Jimin hurriedly texts Minjeong back before responding, “We only met this week, but I really like her. It feels weird to ask her to hang out more, but I keep thinking about her.” Jimin pouts. “Is that weird?”
“Mm like a friend crush!” Aeri exclaims.
“What’s that?”
“When you meet someone and you want to hang out with them all the time because it feels like you’d really hit it off as friends,” Aeri explains. Then her eyes glint. “Jimin here, give me your phone.”
Friend crush. The words float around in Jimin’s head as she absentmindedly hands Aeri her phone. It sounds about right. How she can’t stop thinking about how small and cute and holdable Minjeong is.
Poorly muted laughter brings her back to the present. Aeri has moved over next to Seulgi and the two are cackling while Aeri is typing away on Jimin’s phone. “What are you guys doing?”
Aeri hands her phone back. “Helping you, dumbass.”
Jimin’s blurry eyes read the new texts.
What are you doing right now?
I’m going to my friend’s frat tonight if you want to come pregame?
Had she sent that? She didn’t remember texting that to Minjeong? Unless?
“Aeri did you text Minjeong?” Jimin gasps.
Aeri cackles, falling back into Seulgi.
“Aeri!” Jimin whines. “Why did you do that? She's gonna think I’m weird!”
“I want to meet her! Tell her to come pregame with us!” Aeri says, sitting back up. “It’ll be fun! And you need more friends anyway you’re so antisocial.”
Jimin sighs, dropping her face into her hands.
Can I bring a friend?
Minjeong texted back! Jimin scrambles up into a seated position, staring down at her phone intensely.
Yeah! We’re in my room, text me when you’re here :)
Jimin lets out a sigh of relief and places her phone down.
“Is she coming?” Aeri asks.
“Yeah,” Jimin says. Then the weight of her actions set in. “Holy shit. Aeri we have to clean the room.”
“What?”
Jimin bursts up and quickly collects the trash around the room. “Guys help me clean the room!”
“But we haven’t even finished the game,” Hyunjin protests.
“Hwang Hyunjin help me clean up or so help me God I’ll never let you guys come over again,” Jimin threatens with a glare before rushing to throw out the trash.
Moments later, Jimin groans as she looks in the fridge. “Aeri we only have ass plastic vodka. Why’d you ask her to come pregame?”
Aeri rolls her eyes and gently pulls Jimin back down to her seat. “Jimin calm down, she’s not coming over for a dinner party we’re just pregaming then going to a frat.”
“What if it’s weird? Like awkward? She doesn’t know any of you guys!”
“It’ll be fine!” Aeri waves her hands. “I’ll talk to her! And she’s bringing her friend right? Worst case we take shots until it’s not awkward anymore.”
I’m here!
Jimin takes a big breath. “She’s here.” She turns to her friends. “I’m gonna go get her! Please put some respectable music on! And behave!”
Her friends give some halfhearted smiles and waves.
It’s only been a couple days but Jimin feels nervous to see Minjeong again. The younger girl is waiting at the door, talking to someone Jimin doesn’t recognize. It must be her friend.
“Minjeong-ah,” Jimin calls out.
When Minjeong turns around Jimin’s breath catches in her throat. She’s seen the younger girl dressed for class but tonight she’s dressed to go out and she looks lethal.
“Unnie,” Minjeong smiles as she walks up. “This is my friend Ning Ning.”
“Nice to meet you!” Ning Ning waves.
“Hi I’m Jimin,” Jimin introduces herself.
“You’re so red,” Minjeong teases, touching Jimin’s cheek lightly. “I didn’t know you glowed.”
Minjeong’s hand is so nice and cool that Jimin leans into the touch on instinct. “Yeah, we’ve been drinking a bit,” Jimin explains.
“So where are these people who have been bullying you in kings, huh?” Minjeong asks, squaring up suddenly. “I’ll beat them up for you.”
The younger girl looks cute with her fists up. Jimin can’t hold back a laugh. “My hero,” she says dryly. “They’re inside, let’s go.”
Ning Ning and Aeri know each other from their international students club. It’s apparent from the way the two girls scream in delight when Jimin opens the door and introduces Minjeong and Ning Ning to her friends.
Jimin thanks whatever powers that be that made that happen, because it means that the groups mesh together without issue as they start another game. This time though, Minjeong is right by her side instead of on her phone.
She smells nice. It makes Jimin lean closer unconsciously.
“What?” Minjeong whispers. Her face is so close to Jimin’s that she startles and whips back.
“Ah sorry,” Jimin whispers back, embarrassed. “You smell nice.”
Minjeong laughs and slaps Jimin’s arm lightly. “You are cheesy when you’re drunk.”
“Right?” Aeri interrupts, groaning. “This girl. She’s just an endless stream of compliments once she’s got a couple drinks in her.”
Jimin pouts. “Why am I the only one that’s drinking? You guys need to catch up.”
Seulgi laughs and starts clapping. “There it is. Yoo Jimin’s other drunk habit. Being cheesy and trying to get people drunk.”
Minjeong laughs along with the others. Jimin almost feels betrayed but Minjeong leans over to whisper in her ear, “Want to take a shot with me?”
Jimin nods immediately. She stands and pulls the younger girl up with her. “We’re gonna take a shot, who else wants?”
Jimin stops Hyunjin from coming with them when he agrees to take one. “I’ll bring you yours,” she says as she pulls Minjeong over to the fridge. The others are getting into the game, giving them a sense of seclusion on the other side of the room.
“Are you having fun?” Jimin asks while she rummages for shot glasses.
“Yeah, your friends are funny,” Minjeong laughs. “I didn’t realize Ning knew Aeri.”
“Yeah, small world.” Jimin nods. She carefully begins pouring out the shots. “Do you need chaser?”
Minjeong nods. “I’m weak.”
Jimin looks in her fridge. “I have ice tea, is that okay? You like ice tea, right? That’s where we met!”
“Yeah,” Minjeong says shyly. “I’m trying to get into it.”
“Kim Minjeong, you’re drinking tea?” Ning Ning yells, incredulous, from across the room.
Minjeong stomps her foot and shouts back in a challenging tone, “Yes, why?”
Ning Ning cackles and snaps a photo of the girl on her phone before turning back to the game. “Never mind, I forgot you like ice tea now.”
When Jimin tilts her head, questioning, Minjeong shrugs her off. “Ning’s just getting on my case. Shot?”
At this point Jimin’s far enough along that the shot goes down easily. The rest of the night devolves into more shots and dancing before they finally mobilize to get to Hyunjin’s frat.
Jimin loves dancing. Dancing with her friends is one of her favorite ways to spend the weekend. Having Minjeong there makes everything even better. Like Minjeong is a multiplier to her happiness.
And Minjeong can dance. They’re having fun and messing around, but sometimes Minjeong’s eyes flash with a certain glint that draws Jimin to the younger girl’s side like a magnet.
“Water?” Jimin breathes into Minjeong’s ear after some time.
Minjeong nods and takes Jimin’s hand.
“I’m so hot,” Jimin complains as they approach the bar.
“Same,” Minjeong laughs. “I’m sweating.”
Jimin’s hand moves without thinking to wipe a drop of sweat from the younger girl’s brow. “I can see that,” she teases.
“Gross,” Minjeong laughs before sking for water.
Water in hand, Minjeong turns around. A sudden urge to keep Minjeong to herself comes over Jimin. “Do you want to go chill in Hyunjin’s room for a bit?”
They end up on Hyunjin’s balcony. The conversation shifts from topic to topic fluidly. It might be because they barely know each other still, so there’s a lot of ground to cover. But Jimin hopes that it’ll always be this easy between them.
It feels like they’ve become friends. New friends, sure, but still. Friends.
The weekly movies for class become a given. Minjeong starts coming with Jimin to get ice tea before class. They get dinner, often hitting up chicken feet restaurants after discovering their shared love for it.
Minjeong becomes one of Jimin’s closest friends in college, someone she expects to see every day or at least talk to every day if not meet in person. And that friend crush feeling doesn’t go away.
When she’s shopping with Aeri, she sees a plushie that reminds her of Minjeong. She picks it up to check the price.
“Yoo Jimin, why are you buying that our room is a mess right now. You need less shit not more,” Aeri groans.
“It’s not for me,” Jimin says defensively. “Don’t you think it looks like Minjeong?”
Aeri gives the plushie a once over then gives Jimin a skeptical look. “I mean, it’s small. Minjeong is also small.”
“It’s so cute! Look at the eyes, it looks just like Minjeong when she smiles.” Jimin coos, thinking of the younger girl’s smile. “Hold on, I have a picture of her that looks just like this.”
Aeri laughs. “I’ll take your word for it, no need to pull up a picture.”
Jimin buys the plushie.
“God, you’re so whipped,” Aeri sighs.
“What do you mean?”
Aeri points at the plushie. “That shit. You’re whipped.”
“Minjeong loves plushies!” Jimin protests.
“Yeah exactly, and you love Minjeong, we get it,” Aeri teases.
Jimin blushes bright red. “What?”
“Don’t what me,” Aeri rolls her eyes. “You’re so obvious.”
“Of course I love Minjeong, she’s my friend,” Jimin says weakly, looking down. “It’s like what you told me. I have a friend crush on her.”
Aeri full on laughs. “Jimin please. Friend crush is when you want to hang out with someone, not when you want to make out with them.”
“I—“ Jimin stammers, flustered. “I do not want to make out with Minjeong.”
“Please,” Aeri drawls. “You spend a full hour picking your lip tint before you go to class with her.”
“I just like lip tints,” Jimin argues.
“Friends don’t dance the way you two do when we go out,” Aeri rebuts. “To be honest I thought you guys were hooking up already but I guess not.”
Jimin’s mortified. Yes, she and Minjeong dance closely when they go out but that’s only because it’s a party. Plus Minjeong recently cut her hair short and it makes her collarbones stand out, which means random boys come up trying to dance on her so Jimin has to step in to help her friend.
“We’re not like that,” Jimin manages weakly before changing the conversation abruptly.
Aeri lets her change the topic but the thought doesn’t leave Jimin’s head all week. Her and Minjeong aren’t like that, right?
Sure, they’re touchy but it’s because Minjeong’s so cute that Jimin’s hands just get drawn to her.
And they have started cuddling when they watch movies together, but it’s because the laptop screen is small and Minjeong is so small it just makes sense that she sits between Jimin’s legs to be space-efficient. That way they can share a blanket too, it’s smarter that way.
They share ice teas, but that’s because Minjeong never finishes hers so Jimin started getting a large to be less wasteful.
Minjeong texts her good morning and good night every day, but she probably does that for all of her friends. Right?
Then she bumps into someone in the hallway. It knocks her out of her thoughts and sends her folder flying. She lands on the floor.
“Sorry, are you okay?” a low voice asks.
There’s a guy reaching his hand out to help her up. He’s well dressed, really handsome, and he looks terribly apologetic. Jimin takes his hand and stands up, dusting herself off.
“I’m so sorry I should’ve watched where I was going,” he apologizes.
“It’s okay,” Jimin smiles, crouching down to pick up her papers. “I wasn’t paying attention either.”
“Here let me help,” he says, bending down to help her collect her things. “I’m Jaehyun, by the way.”
Jimin takes her papers from him and re-situates them in her folder. “I’m Jimin.”
As they both stand up, he puts a hand on his neck shyly. “Can I buy you a coffee? To make up for it?”
“Oh,” Jimin says, surprised. She blushes. “Sure, I’d like that.”
“Are you free now?”
They get coffee. Jimin doesn’t mention that she hates coffee. Jaehyun is well spoken, a year older, and he wants to see Jimin again for dinner.
“He sounds kind of perfect,” Aeri says after hearing Jimin’s story. “Like a guy straight out of one of your rom coms.”
“Yeah,” Jimin says, dazed.
“So are you gonna take him up on dinner?” Aeri asks.
Jimin should be jumping at this chance. It’s what she’s dreamed of since she was a kid. A meet cute with a handsome guy, like fate led them to run into each other.
“I guess?” she says, hesitantly.
“Are you sure?” Aeri presses.
“Well he’s like my ideal guy, right?” Jimin says, defensive.
“Alright,” Aeri nods. “Are you gonna tell Minjeong?”
Jimin hesitates. “Yeah, I guess I should. Because she’s my friend?”
Aeri shrugs. “I mean that’s what you said, right?”
“Right,” Jimin trails off.
Jimin tells Minjeong over text.
Hey guess what
What
I met a guy today
Minjeong doesn’t respond immediately. She’s usually instantaneous. Jimin recalls Minjeong’s schedule mentally but the younger girl doesn’t have any classes now. Maybe she’s with friends?
Who?
His name is Jaehyun
It was just like a rom com
We bumped into each other then he helped me pick up my stuff and we got coffee
You hate coffee??
Well yeah but it was just an excuse to talk
Isn’t it just like a meet cute?
Minjeong stops responding after that. She doesn’t respond even when Jimin texts her about watching the movie for class like they usually do. Impatient, Jimin calls the younger girl. It rings for so long Jimin almost thinks Minjeong isn’t going to answer.
“Hello?”
“Kim Minjeong, why don’t you check your messages?” Jimin whines. “I’ve been trying to text you.”
Minjeong’s silent. “Sorry, I was busy.”
“Yeah right,” Jimin complains. “You only have one class today.”
Minjeong sighs. “Sorry, what’s up?”
Jimin frowns at the younger girl’s short tone. “Is something wrong?”
After a long pause, Minjeong sighs again. “No, nothing’s wrong. Why’d you call?”
Clearly something is wrong. Jimin considers pushing, but decides to wait till they’re in person. “Are you coming over to watch the movie tonight?”
“I don’t think I can,” Minjeong says slowly.
“What!” Jimin whines. “But we always watch at this time.”
“I’m tired,” Minjeong says lamely.
“I’ll come to you then,” Jimin says resolutely.
“No—“ Minjeong tries.
“I’ll text you when I’m there so you have to come let me in okay,” Jimin cuts her off.
After a short pause, Minjeong replies, “Fine.”
When Jimin arrives, Minjeong comes to let her in, dwarfed by her sweatshirt and eyes rimmed red. Jimin’s hand goes to the younger girl's face immediately. “Are you okay? Have you been crying? What’s wrong?”
Minjeong sighs and walks into the dorm. “It’s fine, let’s watch the movie.”
Jimin frowns. Ning Ning’s out, so they’re alone in Minjeong’s room. Minjeong looks tiny as she sets up her laptop. It makes Jimin’s heart break. “Minjeong-ah what’s wrong?”
Minjeong doesn’t even look at her, just scoffs and pulls up the movie. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Minjeong’s never this cold when she talks to her.
Jimin reaches out for Minjeong’s hand. “Why won’t you talk to me? Something’s clearly wrong. Did something happen?”
Minjeong jerks her hand out of Jimin’s. “I said I don’t want to talk about it, can you please just let it go?”
“How can I let it go when you look like this!” Jimin fights back. “Let me help you.”
Minjeong looks up, trying to stop the tears welling in her eyes from falling. Jimin steps forward and wraps the younger girl in a tight hug. “What’s wrong, Minjeong-ah just tell me I’ll make it better.”
Minjeong shakes her head, but hugs Jimin back tightly. “You can’t make it better,” she says bitterly.
“Why?” Jimin asks, leaning back.
Minjeong looks away, running her hand through her hair. “It’s your fault.”
“What?”
“Your stupid obsession with fate and destiny and meet cutes,” Minjeong says, suddenly angry. “You just met this guy today and you’re already talking about rom coms.”
“What do you mean?” Jimin asks, confused.
Minjeong stalks to the other side of the room, arms wrapping around herself. “I mean, you’re being naive. And dumb, just waiting for the perfect guy to bump into you, as if that’s real life.”
Jimin tries to press her rising temper down. “Well why does that matter to you? It’s my life—“
“Because it’s childish, and stupid.” Minjeong interrupts, angrily.
“Well what’s so stupid about it,” Jimin fires back. “You and I met by chance, in the line. Is that stupid too? Isn’t that fate?”
Minjeong laughs.
“That’s not fate.” she says bitterly, wiping her tears. “That’s just me liking you. Making the effort to meet you and get to know you. Because I like you. Because I’ve liked you since last semester.”
Jimin’s eyes widen as the younger girl’s words set in.
“I knew you always went to get ice tea before class. I saw you with the cup in lecture. I’m so stupid, I don’t even like ice tea. I found the BOGO and waited to ask you,” Minjeong sniffs. “I told you I wanted to watch the movie together because I was scared, but I was lying. I love scary movies. I lied like an idiot, because I wanted a reason to spend time with you.”
Jimin reaches toward the younger girl awkwardly. “Minjeong-ah, I had no idea.”
Minjeong steps back and avoids her hand. Wipes the tears that don’t seem to stop falling. Jimin takes a step forward. To hold the younger girl, respond to her somehow, do anything, but the door swings open and Ning Ning steps in.
After a second to take stock of the situation she plants herself between Jimin and Minjeong. “Unnie, I think you should leave.”
“Wait, I—Minjeong-ah,” Jimin says. “I need to talk to you.”
“Later unnie,” Ning Ning says with a firm shake of her head.
Minjeong’s turned away and her shoulders are shaking. Jimin needs to go to her. But Ning Ning leads her out of the room.
“Give her time,” Ning Ning says as she closes the door.
Jimin leans her head against the door. She’s fucked. Minjeong’s crying. It’s the only thing Jimin can think about. Minjeong’s hurting, because of her.
“Aeri I must be an idiot,” Jimin says when her roommate walks in.
“Did you just realize that?”
Jimin sighs. “Minjeong likes me.”
Aeri nods and unpacks her bag. “Yeah, what else is new?”
“You knew?” Jimin sits up accusingly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well it was pretty obvious,” Aeri says. “And I thought you knew. I thought you guys were already hooking up, remember?”
Jimin slumps over onto her bed again. “You should’ve told me.”
Aeri sits on Jimin’s bed and pats her back. “She never took her eyes off of you, Jimin. It was kind of obvious.”
“It wasn’t obvious to me,” Jimin says quietly, looking down at her hands. “Why didn’t she say anything?”
“Maybe she was waiting for you?”
“I didn’t know,” Jimin says, voice breaking. “Why didn’t she just say something? Then I could’ve—“
“Could’ve what?” Aeri presses. When Jimin doesn’t respond, Aeri sighs and continues. “Jimin, I’ll be honest with you. I thought you liked her too. But if you don’t know, you need to figure it out and set things straight. Don’t do this to her.”
Come Saturday morning, Minjeong sits at a bench by the river. It’s a habit of hers. Usually she likes the quiet so she can think. But today getting lost in her thoughts is the last thing she wants to do. All she can think about is a stupid girl with a stupid fixation on fate and meet cutes.
A tap on the shoulder and a “Are you alone by any chance?” breaks her out of her thoughts.
It’s Jimin. Stupid Jimin, with her stupid big eyes and nervous smile that make Minjeong’s stupid heart beat faster.
“Um, there was a BOGO deal so I got an extra coffee, if you want to share,” Jimin says awkwardly, offering a coffee to the younger girl.
Minjeong takes one look at the coffee, then bursts into tears.
Jimin blanches. “Sorry Minjeong-ah, that was stupid wasn’t it? I just thought it would be cute if I returned the favor, I didn’t think it through, sorry.” The older girl wrings her hands anxiously. “That was dumb. I heard you like coffee. Sorry you had to keep drinking ice tea because of me.”
She sits down next to Minjeong. “Sorry, really. Please don’t cry.”
“What do you want,” Minjeong says, tired.
Jimin takes a deep breath. She’s thought about what to say a hundred times and tried to organize her thoughts in a way that conveys everything she feels but at the end of the day simple is best.
“I like you.” She pauses. Then clarifies hurriedly, "In a romantic way.”
“I like how you hold my hand when we watch scary movies, and how you carry my bag for me when we walk. I think it’s cute when you pick out veggies in your food. And how small you are when I hold you.”
Jimin pauses, face bright red. “And I think you’re so pretty. Like when we go out, I can’t stop looking at you. Or even when we’re just in your room. And you’re in a sweater and shorts. I like you.”
She steals a glance at the younger girl. Minjeong’s still crying and she’s not looking at Jimin.
“Minjeong-ah?” Jimin asks, cautiously.
Minjeong turns and slaps Jimin on the shoulder, hard.
“What was that for!”
“For making me cry you idiot,” Minjeong pouts, wiping her tears.
“But—“ Jimin stutters awkwardly, reaching her hand out for Minjeong slowly. “Do you—do you still like me? Even though I was an idiot?”
Minjeong flushes red, but takes her hand.
“Is that a yes?”
“Do you really need everything spelled out for you?” Minjeong grumbles.
Jimin scoots closer to the younger girl. Wraps her arms around Minjeong’s waist and nods. “Yep, I’m dumb. I need it spelled out.”
Minjeong’s eyes are swollen from crying but she’s still so pretty it makes Jimin’s heart ache. “Of course I still like you,” Minjeong whines, embarrassed.
“Good,” Jimin says. She can’t wipe the smile from her face. “I like you too.”
“Stop saying it,” Minjeong says, slapping her arm again.
“I can’t,” Jimin smiles goofily. “I like you.”
“What about Jaehoon, or whatever?” Minjeong huffs.
“Jaehyun?” Jimin corrects with a smile. Minjeong frowns.
“I told him I had to take my girlfriend to dinner.”
“Girlfriend?”
“Yep,” Jimin smiles. “She’s pretty even when she cries.”
Minjeong blushes. “You’re being cheesy.”
“What do you want for dinner?” Jimin asks, grinning. “And we can watch a scary movie after? Since apparently you love those? You’ll have to hold my hand, though. I’m not good with scary movies.”
Minjeong looks at her so fondly it makes her blush. “Of course I’ll hold your hand.”
Jimin sighs. She’s so happy. She doesn’t know the words to convey everything she’s feeling. How her heart is pounding and how pretty Minjeong looks right now.
“Can I—“ she pauses, leaning in.
Minjeong meets her in the middle.