Work Text:
Kim Minji never knew what the colors of the rainbow looked like. She never saw the color of her apartment nor the buildings that she passed every day on the way to her studio. To her, the world was dull. New York's buildings were mostly white. The flowers and trees on the street's sidewalks were shades of black and grey. Minji never saw how the world truly looked like.
Not only her world was black and white, but her soul was too. She never felt happy about having achromatopsia, but who would? She was passionate about her art, so of course it sucks. Being an artist and being color blind sounds tough. Minji thought life didn’t have meaning just because she couldn’t see colors; it pained her. She wanted to see the world in technicolor.
Yellow.
A lot of people liked yellow, or so she heard. It was defined to her as the color of happiness. Oh, how Minji wished her world was yellow instead of living in her own dull world. How she wished she was full of happiness instead of envy and sadness. “Yellow?” Gahyeon smiled slightly at the older female. “It’s very beautiful, Ji.” That’s when Minji started to long for yellow.
And one day, she did.
She locked her art studio and began to head out of the building. Once she opened the door, she felt the warm air hitting her face and heard New York’s busy streets after a long day of painting. She began to walk to the way of her apartment when a girl ran into her. Minji’s kit fell and her paint and brushes rolled out.
“Oh my God! I’m so so sorry-“ The stranger immediately bent down and helped Minji in organizing her stuff. “It’s okay.” Minji muttered silently as she arranges her brushes. The stranger examined the paint one by one, making sure nothing was cracked or destroyed. Fortunately, there was none. She feared she had to replace the painter’s materials, which looked really expensive.
Late for her scheduled photoshoot, she closes Minji’s kit and hands it to the painter. “I am very very sorry.” She apologizes to what seemed like the hundredth time already. Minji met the stranger’s eyes and her heart skipped a beat. In front of her was the most beautiful human being she’s ever come across.
Before she could ask what was her name, the stranger apologized once again and ran.
And that was the story of how Minji first met Kim Yoohyeon.
It was almost a week since she saw the girl whose name she still doesn’t know. Minji was sitting inside a coffee shop near her art studio, having her usual coffee while sketching a photo of the coffee shop. Someone clears their throat near Minji, causing the artist to look.
There she was.
The girl who never left her mind since that night.
Her eyes sparkled as she smiled down at Minji. Well, this is awkward. Minji thought. The older female smiled back at the stranger and she began to speak. “So, uh, the shop is full and obviously there’s no seats left and I saw you alone so I wondered,” Minji knew what was coming next. “Can I sit with you?”
Automatically, Minji gathered the pencils that occupied the other table and put it all in her pencil case. “Go ahead.” The older female smiled and the stranger sat down, setting down her camera and purse down on the side of the table. A photographer.
“Ah, I’m sorry if I bothered you. There’s really no other place to sit-“
“No, it’s okay.” Minji assured and sipped her coffee. There was silence between the two girls.
“Yoohyeon.” The stranger blurted out, breaking the awkwardness between them. Minji raised an eyebrow at her. “My name is Kim Yoohyeon. And I’m a photographer. I’m sorry I really don’t know what to say, I’m so awkward-“ Minji cut her off. “I’m Minji, Kim Minji. I’m an artist and I’m also really awkward so don’t worry.”
Yoohyeon looked at the black leather case with Minji’s name on it. “Wait – aren’t you the person that I bumped into almost a week ago?” Minji felt nervous at the fact that she recognized her. Minji smiled at Yoohyeon and nodded, “Yes, that was me.”
Minji returned to her sketch and Yoohyeon just looked at her. The artist felt rather uncomfortable so she did something she’s never done yet. “Would you want to take a look?” Minji offered. Yoohyeon began to feel excitement flowing in her veins, Minji seemed like a great artist judging by her current drawing.
As Yoohyeon flipped through Minji’s drawings, she noticed everything was black and white. No other color was in sight. Minji felt she noticed this so she decided to explain. “I have achromatopsia.” Minji said, causing Yoohyeon to look up.
There was silence yet again.
“Oh, wow, that is amazing.” Yoohyeon complimented. Minji was confused; what was so great about having achromatopsia? Her life sucked and her blindness to color wasn’t helping. “You would probably wonder why,” Yoohyeon said, not taking her eyes off of Minji’s notebook. “I mean, look at these drawings! These are all great and creative and… Despite being purely black and white, it still looks beautiful to the eye. It’s even more amazing to know that you have achromatopsia!”
Minji’s heart felt soft. Yoohyeon’s words touched her. It was the first time she heard this kind of compliment. “Thank you, I guess.” Yoohyeon smiled and looked at her camera. Then at Minji. The photographer found the female in front of her breathtaking. Her skin was glowing against the shining sun and her brown locks were glowing.
“Hey, you know what?” Yoohyeon smiled at Minji, her eyes sparkling. “Why don’t we tell your story through photographs?”
Two years of modelling for Yoohyeon and being friends with the said female made her experience happiness. Yoohyeon brought her so much joy that no one else had brought her. She was in love with her.
After two years, Minji finally gathered the courage to confess her feelings to the younger and ask her out. Now, it was 365 days since they got together.
Minji had a great surprise for her girlfriend, and so did Yoohyeon. They decided to spend their first ever anniversary in a gazebo near the sea. For both of them, it was the most romantic way to spend a special day. Little did they know, the day was about to get even more special for both of them.
Yoohyeon arrived at the venue in the most beautiful dress she could find, and Minji was blown away. She was just looked just as beautiful like she did when she first saw her. Once Yoohyeon got close to her, she immediately pulls her in for a kiss. “Happy one year to us, love.” Minji smiles at Yoohyeon before kissing her once again, quickly.
The time passed quickly. It was almost midnight when Minji decided to give Yoohyeon her gift, but Yoohyeon insisted on going first. Minji didn’t argue because she knew she wouldn’t win against Yoohyeon.
The younger’s gift was wrapped in a small yellow box with a darker shade of yellow as the ribbon. To Minji, it was just… black and white. Minji was nervous, maybe at the fact that she thinks Yoohyeon forgot all about how she was color blind and prepared a gift that was colourful. If that was it, then she would curse at herself forever for having achromatopsia.
As soon as Minji had the gift in her hands, she unties the silk ribbon and opens the box. There were pictures of her inside, but she couldn’t see the colors in the pictures. Yoohyeon smiles at her, taking one picture from the box.
“Ji, you don’t have to worry about not seeing colors. Every picture that I took of you, I edited into black and white. And that was all for you. You may not see what color is the dress I’m wearing now, what the color of my eyes are, what color is the sun, but let me tell you: you outshine those colors.” She points at the box. “I wrapped that box in yellow, though you may not see it. I bet you know that yellow symbolizes happiness. Kim Minji, you are and forever will be my source of happiness.”
Minji was touched. Yoohyeon’s gift was simple yet so meaningful. It was amazing. The elder looks at the picture one by one carefully, observing every detail. No, she was not thinking about she looked beautiful, she was thinking about how Yoohyeon made her pictures beautiful. It would’ve been impossible without her girlfriend’s photography skills.
It was the elder’s turn to present her gift. Her heart was going faster and faster by the second. She didn’t know how it would turn out, but she did her best. “I-I have something for you too.” Yoohyeon’s eyes twinkle with curiosity.
The artist pulls out a canvas from the bottom of the table, the back facing her partner. Minji didn’t prepare a speech, she thought the painting told her feelings for Yoohyeon was. She takes a deep breath, “Kim Yoohyeon, the light of my life. As you know, I can’t see colors but did you know I got to see yellow?” Yoohyeon looked confused and Minji lets out a little giggle.
“You fool, I’m talking about you.
“I saw yellow when we met that night in the busy streets of New York. And did you know how happy I was when you sat with me at the café? It was the greatest feeling I’ve ever experienced; I experienced love and happiness. You made me see yellow, Hyeonie. Why yellow, you ask? Yellow is the color of hope and happiness. Because of you, I had hope that someone will appreciate me and befriend me not just because of my achromatopsia, but as Kim Minji. Being with you showed me the true meaning of happiness. You taught me how to be happy. You make me happy, Kim Yoohyeon. And that’s just one of the many reasons on why I love you. So that is why I prepared this.”
Minji flips the painting so the drawing is facing her girlfriend. Minji drew Yoohyeon, but it wasn’t just a regular drawing. The canvas was covered in different shades of yellow watercolour, and had little suns and flowers all around her. Yoohyeon’s dress was a yellow picnic dress and her hair color was gold. “Thank you for the amazing one year, Yoo. And to many more years to come.”
fin.