Chapter Text
*****
“One large iced caramel macchiato for Momo for takeaway!”
Jeongyeon calls out in her professional bubbly tone and a pretty girl in white loose crop top and denim skinny jeans walks towards the receiver counter to claim the order.
Nice hair - The barista internally thinks while she admires the customer’s simple yet stylish black bobcut hair. She wonders if the customer is also a college student in their university, it’s the first time Jeongyeon has seen her in their café.
She looks more like a model to be honest- Jeongyeon continues on her internal musings.
This is one of the perks of working in a cozy coffee shop near a university- you get to meet pretty girls. And they get to smile back at you too when you give them your order - that is if they’re in the mood to do so- which Jeongyeon is usually lucky enough to experience.
“Iced caramel macchiato for Momo?”
Jeongyeon repeats the order and the girl just gives her the receipt. After verifying it, she gently pushes the tray with the takeaway cup towards the customer and flashes her trademark employee-of-the-week smile,
“Enjoy your coffee, ma’am.”
“I will gorgeous.” The customer smirks and winks at her.
Oh yeah- and sometimes she even gets a wink from them as a bonus. Though Jeongyeon didn’t wink back - she never does, because it’s unprofessional, and she might get fired. And Jeongyeon really needs this job.
In fact, Jeongyeon needs every part-time job she currently has.
After another satisfied customer gets to smile at her, Jeongyeon glances at her wristwatch and her body automatically switches into a calmed yet hurried state, when she takes off her apron, walks closer to the counter and taps the person currently keying the register.
“Dub, you alright in here? I have an exam in 15 minutes. I need to run.”
“Yup. Peak hours’ past anyway. Go run now, unnie!”
And run she does, more on like a frantic sprint actually.
Despite the coffee shop just being one block away from their university main entrance, Jeongyeon runs in the fastest speed her long legs can achieve because her college building is still eight blocks and three corner turns away from their main gate- perks of studying in one of the largest universities in Seoul, she supposes.
But Jeongyeon’s not complaining- at least she still gets to go to college.
Still a block and a left corner turn away from her building, Jeongyeon did the mistake of looking at her watch while still racing on a lightning speed, and so the next thing she knew is her books are already scattered on the floor while her butt is splattered in such an embarrassing position on the pavement university road.
“Oh I’m sorry, are you alright?”
A soft concerned voice permeates through the air and perhaps Jeongyeon’s panic sizzles down for a bit, before she looks at her watch again and the panic quickly resumes in waves– 4 minutes. Shit.
It’s already nearing the end of the semester and Jeongyeon needs to ace this last exam so she gets to be exempted in the finals again. She needs to be exempted to maintain her scholarship. She can’t afford to lose it next semester.
So Jeongyeon hurriedly reaches out for her fallen books, and with the help of the girl she bumped onto, she has managed to gather her things quickly, stands up and fixes herself.
“I’m really sorry. I wasn’t looking ahead.. my bad. Are you ok?” She hears the girl speaks again.
“It’s alright, miss. I wasn’t looking as w- Shit, sorry, I really need to run.”
And Jeongyeon resumes her running without even sparing the apologetic girl a proper look. Because she only has more than 3 minutes left before their professor closes the examination room’s door, and her hopes of being a scholar again next semester will be completely thrown out of the window.
It sucks. Because the sweet whiff of the student’s shiny raven hair is exquisitely calming for Jeongyeon, and she assumes that the girl must be pretty - if based only from her voice and the blurry image of her face that Jeongyeon can barely make up after their disastrous twenty-second bumpy encounter.
It sucks because Jeongyeon likes admiring pretty girls. She likes looking at pretty things. Likes admiring all of God’s beautiful creations from afar.
She likes admiring pretty girls but she doesn’t have time to be with them.
Too complicated. Too stressful. Too time-consuming.
And Jeongyeon is already stressed and busy enough with her own life to deal with pretty girls’ complications and all the other stuff and packages that comes with it.
She has concrete and pretty detailed plans laid out for her and her family’s future right now. She doesn’t need any distractions.
Admiring pretty girls is just enough for Jeongyeon. Always has been since her last pretty-girl-complications have turned into a major messy wreck.
Suffice to say Jeongyeon has beaten the clock and has managed to settle in her examination seat while the room’s door is being closed just few rows behind her - albeit with sweats dripping on her temple, and a heavy panting on her chest.
She aced the exam of course. She’d punch herself if she didn’t – after all she studied for it every night, her scholarship is on the line anyway.
*****
The lone bell hanging by the door chimes softly and for a moment, it seems like the few customers inside the coffee shop including the bubbly kind fair-skinned employee standing behind the register, feel like they’re inside a movie premiere witnessing the main actress gracefully enters the scene.
Her elegant aura and gracious strides make every person in the shop watch her with careful awe, until she’s greeted by another pretty girl in bobcut hair and hugs her- then some hopeful girls and boys alike inside the café sighs, and the bubbly employee just shrugs her shoulders and nods in understanding– of course, a pretty girl like her must already be taken.
“You’re fashionably late again.” Momo expresses with a huff while she takes her seat and go back to sipping her coffee.
“I kinda bump into someone, and besides I still searched for this place.” Mina replies while browsing the menu, “Do you know what’s their specialty in here?”
“I don’t know princess, it’s both of our first time in this café. Though their caramel macchiato tastes nice.” Momo leans closer, “But I guess their hot barista tastes even nicer.”
Mina snickers at her friend’s playfulness, yet she still spares the counter a subtle look to check what Momo is blabbering about-
“She’s cute.” She replies quickly, not really sounding interested, as her focus shifts on the menu again.
“No not that one. The one who gave me my order. But I’m guessing she’s just a part-timer here. I saw her running earlier with her backpack. I wonder which college she’s from..”
Momo raises her brow coyly and Mina just shakes her head at her friend.
The younger resumes reading the menu again,
“So what’s up, Momoring? Why’d you summon me here?”
“I have another stint for us, the pay is good this time. Like real good. You’re saving for an upgrade to your gaming computer right?”
That catches Mina’s focus, and she completely drops the menu on the table to give her undivided attention to Momo.
Momo smirks at her friend, “You know I still don’t understand you, princess. Your family has all the money in the world and yet you still waste your time joining me in these stints. But I’m not complaining though, I get to have free food when I’m with you.”
Mina chuckles, “It’s not a waste of my time. Modeling is fun. Besides it’s fulfilling to buy stuff with my own hard-earned money. Something my brother refuses to experience.” She scoffs thinking of her annoying spoiled brat brother.
“Are you sure it’s not because of Nayeon?”
Momo’s blunt comment has caught Mina off guard so she just clears her throat, unsure of how to react properly.
“You don’t need to tell me anything, princess. You’re already obvious. And that is why I’m excited to share you this stint as well. You owe me free buffet for this favor.”
“What favor?” Mina pretends that her curiosity is not heightened by the playful smirk on Momo’s face.
So Momo decides to stall, teasing her friend more, and Mina gets impatient although she doesn’t show it outside.
When Mina’s brow unknowingly shoots into a glaring curve, the older girl finally spills the detail,
“Nayeon is also the photographer for this one.”
Mina clears her throat and acts like she’s not extremely delighted after hearing it. She lifts the menu from the table, pretending to browse the list again.
“Oh really. That’s great, I like working with her. She’s a very professional photographer. She knows our best angles very well.”
Momo stirs her almost empty coffee while smirking at her obviously excited friend,
“Uh huh. She knows your angles alright.”
Momo gets her phone and opens her instagram,
“I still can’t believe you two aren’t dating yet. You’ve been flirting with each other publicly in ig, it’s borderline cringey already.”
“What flirting? I wasn’t flirting.” Mina feigns ignorance. So Momo shoves her phone to Mina showing one of the younger’s recent posts in her public instagram account.
“You don’t call this flirting?” Momo then scrolls to the comment section and reads Nayeon’s comment on Mina’s recent post-
Girlfriend material.
Momo further checks all the other recent updates of Mina where Nayeon likes the picture, and proceeds on reading the photographer’s comments-
Damn, hot girl.
As expected of our Shoulder of the Year
Life is unfair. God really has favourites.
Hi Miss, are you my future?
If I have a shoulder line like that I’d flaunt it every day.
“and so on and so forth.” Momo retracts her phone.
“You’re basically thirst trapping her online. You post pictures of you flaunting your shoulders and whatnots because you know it’s one of her weaknesses. You post a sexy picture of you and then wait for Nayeon to like it and comment on it. Yes or Yes?”
“No and No. I am not thirst trapping her ok?” Mina shyly evades Momo’s knowing stare.
“Yes you are, princess. You’re very easy to read. And you fall for her flirty compliments instantly. You also flirt with her in DMs for all I know.”
“I don’t like her like that.. and no, we’re not flirting in DMs. We’re just getting to know each other..”
Momo rolls her eyes, “and I’m the straightest person in the planet. Come on, Mina, woman up. If you two are so fond of using ig as your flirting platform, why don’t you just try confessing to her in there?”
The older then wiggles her eyebrows and starts stalking Nayeon’s public ig account this time,
“Besides, I’m pretty sure she’s into you too. It’s already obv- ” Momo abruptly stops talking and quickly puts her phone down.
Mina notices the change in Momo’s playful mood- “What is it?”
“Nothing.” Momo tries to hide her phone from the table but Mina is quick to snatch it.
The sudden shift in Mina’s previously excited state is glaring when she looks at Momo’s phone screen. Her mouth opens agape for a second, before she replies in the most unaffected tone her already aching heart can muster.
“I told you she’s not interested in me.”
“..looks like she’s into taller girls.” Mina blandly adds when she gives the phone back to Momo.
Momo tries to console her friend,
“It doesn’t look like she’s dating Tzuyu though..”
Tzuyu is another student in their university whom Mina and Momo met during one of their part-time modeling stints. The younger girl is nice, Mina admits.
But after seeing Nayeon’s recent ig update where the photographer posted a selca, a very suspiciously clingy selca with the younger girl - Mina can’t help but feel jealous of Tzuyu.
Mina glares at her friend and replies sarcastically,
“We’re not dating Momo, would you take a picture of me with that.. pose?”
Mina now feels irritated. Nayeon has been flirting with her consistently for the past months, and then she’ll suddenly see this suspicious update from her with another girl.
Momo looks at the update again and sighs- Nayeon’s arm is wrapped around Tzuyu’s neck while she kisses the younger girl’s cheek, dangerously close to the corner of Tzuyu’s lips.
It doesn’t look like they’re just friends, alright- Momo thinks but she didn’t say it out loud. Instead, she opted for the funny route, hoping that her friend’s mood would lighten up a bit.
“Maybe. If you treat me jokbal for a month then I’ll kiss your cheek too.”
*****
It’s been three weeks since Mina has seen Nayeon’s selca with Tzuyu. Since then she found out the two aren’t really officially dating, thanks to Momo’s unlimited source of connections.
It has given Mina a tiny hope. To be honest, she actually doesn’t know what she even is hoping for. It’s not like she’s making a move for an actual hope to fully ignite and spark wildly.
Mina is too much of a coward for that. So despite her better judgment, after knowing that Nayeon is still single, Mina resorted to her old passive aggressive way of getting Nayeon’s attention- posting modeling pictures of her.
It drives her nuts. Because Nayeon is still taking the bait and is still blatantly flirting with her online- both publicly and in DMs. And Mina doesn’t know what to think anymore because she also sees Nayeon publicly flirting in Tzuyu’s account.
She hates it. She hates that she’s feeling like this. She hates that she likes Nayeon so much.
She hates that she likes it when Nayeon notices her and compliments her.
She hates that she gets competitive and just wants Nayeon’s attention all to herself. She can’t help it.
One night, while Mina is resting in her luxurious apartment, just browsing the raw pictures she received from their recent modeling stint in her laptop, a notification pops out on her phone – it’s from Nayeon’s ig account (of course Mina has her notifs turned on for Nayeon’s public ig.)
Mina squints, it’s another picture of Nayeon and Tzuyu. But it’s nothing special, it just looks like a normal selca.
But then she accidentally clicks Tzuyu’s public account and she sees Nayeon commenting on the younger girl’s recent ig post. It’s the usual flirtatious comments from the photographer so Mina feels that competitive spirit again.
After all, they aren’t official yet right? So Mina is not trying to wreck a relationship or anything. She’s just trying to flirt with a girl that she likes.
She smirks when she glances back at the new modeling pictures on her laptop – she sure will have Nayeon’s attention when she posts one of these pictures. Especially now that her hair is blonde. Mina never realizes that blonde hair actually suits her.
After thirty minutes since Mina has posted one of her pictures, Nayeon still hasn’t commented on it yet. The photographer just liked her recent update but still no trace of any comment from her- usually it only takes less than a minute for Nayeon to do it.
And Mina is sure that Nayeon is online too because she sees her replying to Tzuyu’s post just a minute ago.
Why isn’t she commenting on mine? This is unusual.
Two hours have passed and still no signs of Nayeon’s comment in her recent update. It gets Mina irate and uncharacteristically impatient. And when she sees Nayeon commenting on Tzuyu’s new post again- it fires her up. And a hunch crawls up within her.
So Mina switches on her dummy account and checks up on Tzuyu’s private ig, and that’s where she finally sees it-
“Date with my pretty girlfriend.”
Girlfriend. A picture of Nayeon and Tzuyu and it is caption like that.
The laughter that Mina emits is as dry and bitter as her heart is feeling right now.
God what a stupid coward she is, still allowing her heart to even hope, that she even had a chance.
She should have known better.
She feels like a fool to even assume that Nayeon likes her back. How could she even believe Nayeon’s messages on her.
Fool. What a fool. Mina feels utterly stupid and her heart starts to ache.
Damn, she needs a drink. And drink she did.
In fact, Mina gets drunk while still staring into Tzuyu’s private update.
And suddenly Momo’s voice visits her already tipsy and clouded brain-
“why don’t you just try confessing to her in there?”
Mina is drunk and heartbroken.
Mina is drunk and she feels pathetic.
She feels pathetic and she’s not in her right mind.
She begins to type Nayeon’s ig account in the search bar- yeonyonnie95
Mina is drunk and heartbroken.
And Momo is not here to stop her.
A complete recipe for disaster.
*****
It’s already Jeongyeon’s second cup of coffee tonight. She needs to stay awake since she still has to finish her paper. It’s nearing finals week and requirements and exam schedules are piling up like crazy.
Jeongyeon only has limited time to review for her remaining exams and to complete all pending requirements for her other subjects, since she has to juggle both of her part-time works and studies.
Her body actually feels exhausted because she just came from a straight shift in the coffee shop- but she needs to finish this paper tonight. So Jeongyeon throws both of her arms up in the air and shouts- Fighting!
Two hours in and Jeongyeon’s brain feels like it’s already frying. She takes off her glasses, massages her nosebridge, and tries to relax her eyes. Ok, she needs a quick break.
So Jeongyeon reaches for her phone and checks her social media accounts to relax her brain for a bit.
She sees a notification from her instagram and opens it- Dahyun has tagged her again in an ig story. It’s a happy picture of them in the coffee shop which Dahyun quickly snapped earlier during their closing time.
After typing her reply in Dahyun’s story through the message window, it’s only then that Jeongyeon notices that she has a new message request.
Odd. This account is a private account of hers and only a few of her friends knows about it. But she opens the request nonetheless, there’s always a block option anyway.
Pretty.
Hot.
Damn!
Are the initial reactions that wired on Jeongyeon’s brain right after she opens the request and sees the pictures.
But then she starts reading through the messages and a realization suddenly dawns on her -
What the hell?! This must be a scammer! How dare this pervert use this woman’s pictures.
Irritation and anger quickly flares up within her and she instantly feels protective of the girl who most probably is now a victim of stolen identity.
She looks at the username- mintypenguin
She checks the account- it’s private.
15 posts, 10 following, 0 followers, profile picture is a cute penguin art.
The account is ultimately looking like a dummy account used for phishing and scamming girls.
She browses through the slur of messages again in the middle of provocative picture spamming:
didnt u see my update?
u didnt comment yet
How bout this picture?
I’m blonde now
do u think it’s pretty?
why aren’t u replyin
I like u Nayy
Im so stupid
Do u want more photos?
I rlly like u
I like u a lot
Yup. This account is definitely handled by a scammer. Jeongyeon feels both pitiful and protective of the girl now.
Yes the girl is pretty, insanely hot and pretty even- but no other girl deserves to be exploited by someone. For her pictures to be stolen and to be used to scam or phish people online, Jeongyeon is now furious.
If she finds out that this pervert or whoever is behind this dummy account that he’s only using this girl’s pictures then Jeongyeon is really gonna find this guy and have him pay.
So instead of blocking the account, Jeongyeon accepts the message request and replies-
“You’re a scammer aren’t you? You pervert! You shouldn’t spread a girl’s pictures like that. You nasty coward pervert. I’m gonna find this lady and have her sue you. You’re disgusting!”
Jeongyeon thinks it’s disrespectful to save the girl’s pictures so she instead took screenshots of the conversation as proof just in case.
Suddenly, every cell in Jeongyeon’s tired body is awake now, and it’s not because of the coffee.
She wants to start investigating who this girl is but then her gaze lands on her opened laptop.
Jeongyeon exhales loudly. She has to finish her paper first –
Priorities.
*****
Mina wakes up late in the morning with a severe hangover. Fortunately for her, she only has afternoon classes today.
She gets her phone to check the time. When she unlocks the device, it only took five seconds before her expression shifts into a complete look of terror.
Shit. Shit. Shit! She wants to vanish. Her headache even gets more intense.
Her stupid drunken self last night apparently has committed two life threatening mistakes-
First: she accidentally made a confession to Nayeon. Drunk confession. How immature.
Second: she actually sent the confession to the wrong account! And she even sent some of her provocative pictures too. To someone she didn’t even know!
Mina sits frozen as her gaze is still fixed on her phone screen.
How stupid and reckless!
This isn’t really her. Nayeon makes her stupid.
She tries to compose herself and checks the account: yeonyoo96
It’s a private account. It makes her panic even more. What if it’s a guy? What if it’s a pervert?
Shit. Shit. Shit. How could she even make such a simple horrible stupid mistake?
But then again, she was drunk last night. She reminds herself to never ever get drunk alone again.
Mina investigates the account further- the profile picture is also a white dog. It also looks like a cute pomeranian dog with a white fur. No wonder her drunken self has mistaken it as Nayeon’s account.
But now that she’s sober, clearly the dog doesn’t look like Kookeu at all. She notices that this dog has whiter fur than Kookeu. This dog is actually even cuter than Nayeon’s pet.
It dawns on her again- she really did message a wrong account! Mina slaps her forehead.
Stupid Mina, stupid.
She shifts to the message history again to check if there’s any more additional blunder that she has created last night- and it is then when she actually reads the account’s reply.
Mina pauses. Then she reads it again while slowly digesting the message.
Hmm.. Thoughtful. Mina’s panic slightly subsides.
This is not the reply that she was expecting. But then again, it’s understandable that the other person thought about her like that given her streaks of drunken messages last night.
Mina contemplated if she should block the account. But curiousity and slight paranoia is getting into her – she wants to check if this account is harmless, if this account did not save her pictures or anything.
So she tries to type a response-
“I’m not a scammer, those are my own pictures. Can you confirm that you didn’t save my pictures, please? I accidentally sent it to your account last night. I’m supposed to send it to someone else’s account.”
-- Delete. Delete. Delete. Reply is too vulnerable. Too much information. What if yeonyoo96 is a guy and is actually the pervert- and her thoughtful response is just a bait. Mina shouldn’t fall for his tricks.
So she tries to compose another version. She really needs to check that this person wouldn’t spread her pictures anywhere.
Her squeaky clean family’s name is on the line, and a scandal about the great Myoui’s heiress daughter is not the greatest achievement she wants to accomplish in college.
Mina begins typing again..
mintypenguin
How are you gonna find this girl then?
Jeongyeon scoffs when she reads the message. Her morning classes just finished and she’s on her way now to start her shift at the café.
So you really admit you’re a scammer, huh.. - is the thought that’s running on Jeongyeon’s mind while she types her reply:
yeonyoo96
I have my ways. I’ll find her and she’ll sue you. I have proofs!
mintypenguin
What proofs?
yeonyoo96
I screenshot your messages in case you block me. You’re gonna be in jail for this. You scammer!
mintypenguin
You saved my pictures??!! How could you.. I knew you’re a pervert!!!
Jeongyeon’s mouth is opened wide in utter disbelief- The audacity of this scammer.
yeonyoo96
You really are such a skilled manipulator aren’t you? Twisting the situation. You’re the one who saved and stole this woman’s pictures, not me. You shouldn’t save her pictures and spread it online!
Pervert!
Mina raises her brow -
mintypenguin
Are you sure you didn’t save the pictures?
yeonyoo96
Why would I save them? It’s disrespectful. Unlike you, I know how to respect a woman.
A small smile unknowingly appears in Mina’s lips, but she knows she shouldn’t let her guard down. For all she knows, it’s just another manipulating tactic from this private account.
mintypenguin
Would you really try to find her?
yeonyoo96
Yes. So start counting down your free days now, pervert!
Mina slightly snickers at the reply- this account is an interesting one huh.
mintypenguin
Why do you wanna find her?
yeonyoo96
because you’re using her pictures without consent. She needs to be protected from predators like you.
Mina’s smile is now getting wider. She knows she shouldn’t feel touched by some random account’s words who could very much be a scammer but she can’t help it.
mintypenguin
You’ll protect this woman?
yeonyoo96
I’m not Supergirl but I’ll help her put you in jail.
Shit! Jeongyeon bites her lower lip after hitting the send button. It’s too late now- she hopes that the scammer didn’t catch that tiny detail.
mintypenguin
Wait, you’re a girl?
yeonyoo96
No, I’m a guy!
mintypenguin
You just said Supergirl
yeonyoo96
I just admire Supergirl. Can’t I use her as an example for a superhero? I think she’s better than any other guy superheroes there is so I used her as an example!
But I’m a guy!
Yeah right. Mina chuckles, internal paranoia and panic now subsiding with the way this stranger is replying to her.
She’s obviously a girl now. Well, that explains it - Mina thinks.
No wonder why this account thinks she’s a pervert too, because she’s a girl as well and she can sympathize with a woman’s everyday woes and struggles clearly.
And the way the woman defensively denies that she’s a girl- Mina understands it of course. She’s also protecting her identity because she clearly thinks Mina is still a scammer and a pervert.
Slowly, Mina is now getting convinced that the owner of this account is harmless. And that accidental slip of information she just gathered has heightened Mina’s curiousity even more. But she still wants to test the account to further convince herself that the owner is actually harmless-
mintypenguin
So what do you think of Supercorp?
Jeongyeon halts on her steps – how does he know Supercorp? He watched Supergirl?
She didn’t know how to react so Jeongyeon didn’t reply.
mintypenguin
I think they’re canon. They should be canon, right?
Clearly they have feelings for each other, right?
Jeongyeon reads the message again. She squints, pauses for a bit, hesitates at first, then finally types her response–
yeonyoo96
In an ideal world they’re canon.
Mina’s wide smile is now softer and sincere. Suddenly the phone in her hand now feels lighter. And the panic and worry that has been previously flaring within her is almost gone.
In all honesty, even earlier when she saw the cute picture of the white pomeranian dog in this account’s profile, and notices the number of posts and followers of the account- her gut feel already told her somehow that the account isn’t a dummy one, and the owner could possibly be harmless.
But now after they’ve exchanged few messages, it’s starting to dawn on her that this stranger, this girl apparently, could just really be a private innocent ig account that she’s accidentally dragged into her drunken shenanigans last night.
So despite Mina knowing that what she’s about to do is risky and dangerous, she follows her instinct this time-
mintypenguin
Hey, no need to find that girl anymore..
That’s actually me. This is my dummy account.
So no need to worry ‘cause I’m a girl too. Just like you.
I’m not a scammer. And most definitely not a pervert.
So I trust that you really didn’t save my pictures, right?
Just like you said?
mintypenguin
Sorry for last night. I was just drunk.
I really do hope you didn’t save my pictures.
Thanks btw.. for the concern..
mintypenguin
and yeah..
I hope we’re living in an ideal world where Lena gets to freely kiss her Kara
This is weird. Jeongyeon doesn’t like what she felt after reading the messages– it’s against what’s her logical brain is telling her how to rightfully react.
What she’s feeling right now is not what she’s supposed to feel in this unusual situation.
But why does she suddenly feel a strange connection now to this anonymous account who could very well be a dangerous criminal?
Jeongyeon doesn’t know how to properly respond after that - so she didn’t.
Jeongyeon didn’t reply anymore. But she didn’t block the account either.
More than a week has passed and Jeongyeon continues on with fulfilling her routinary everyday life of working multiple part-time jobs and studying for college.
Her college life is so hectic that she didn’t have the time to investigate about the validity of the account anymore.
One night, after an exhaustive day of working at the café and tutoring students, she plopped her tired body down on her single bed and lets out a long exhale.
It’s been such a hectic week for her and the finals week feels nothing but hell. She barely has time to unwind and do other stuff aside from studying and working.
Everything is so fast-paced and routinary for her, but Jeongyeon is not complaining.
At least she still goes to college, at least she has jobs to pay the bills, she gets to buy food on her table, she gets to give some money to her family. Others aren’t so lucky, so Jeongyeon isn’t complaining.
She’s still on track with her plans for her future, so Jeongyeon is always grateful.
Always responsible, always grateful, always selfless – Yoo Jeongyeon could very well be the most ideal daughter a parent could ever wish for.
Yet tonight, Jeongyeon is just tired.
Jeongyeon just finished another long hectic night and she’s just extremely, really exhausted.
Still lying on her bed, she reaches out for her phone and lazily checks her socmed accounts to unwind.
Her brows then furrowed automatically when she notices her recent ig follow request.
And the temporarily forgotten moment of doubt and unusual feelings in her chest start to resurface again-
yeonyoo96
Why do you want to follow me?
mintypenguin
oh, I thought you blocked me already.
I just want to check that you’re really not a scammer.
coz you already saw my pictures, and I think it’s really unfair that I don’t know how you look like.
yeonyoo96
I still don’t believe you.
That you’re really the girl in the pictures.
I’m not falling for your tricks.
It’s not entirely true. Although she doesn’t want to admit it, a part of Jeongyeon actually believes her now after their last conversation many days ago.
But she will not let her guard down- after all, the world is still full of opportunistic and deceitful people.
Mina rolls her eyes after reading the response, but she replies anyways. She’s really curious about this private account.
mintypenguin
don’t you think I’m actually the one on the losing end here?
For all I know you’re the real scammer between us
yeonyoo96
nope. Still not falling for your tricks.
Besides, you’re using a dummy account and mine’s my personal ig
So nope. Ain’t accepting.
Mina lets out a dry chuckle when the girl straight up rejected her follow request.
She can’t believe it- her ego is actually hurt now.
So before she even knows it, she’s already posing for a selca in her bedroom.
What is there for her to lose anyways? The girl has already seen her bare shoulders and collarbones. This cute selca is way more wholesome than her previous set of pictures.
mintypenguin
[sends selca]
There! you believe me now?
That one’s recent- as in like 10 seconds ago recent
Jeongyeon blinks twice. And her heart suddenly skips a beat.
Cute. Really cute. Like super cute. Shit!
No. No. No. No!
Jeongyeon slaps herself, like physically, actually slaps herself hard- Focus, Yoo.
She should know better. She MUST know better!
yeonyoo96
I still don’t believe you.
You could have more photos of that girl saved in your phone.
So nope. Nice try though.
mintypenguin
you’re really one tough cookie aren’t you?
what do you want me to do then to prove it to you?
do you want a video?
A video? Hmmm… Jeongyeon looks up from her phone- good idea.
yeonyoo96
Ok, record a video of you saying “mintypenguin is a scammer and a pervert” and then I’ll believe you
mintypenguin
What?? No way!
I am NOT a scammer and a pervert!
yeonyoo96
See, you can’t record it in real time because you’re actually not her!
*smirking smiley*
Mina rolls her eyes impatiently- this girl is really testing her patience, huh.
Fine, you want a video. I’ll give you a video.
So Mina records a video of her saying:
“Hello. This is mintypenguin and I am not a scammer nor a pervert. Does this face look like a pervert to you?”
She recorded it cutely with matching puppy eyes and teasing pout.
mintypenguin
[sends video]
After watching the video, Jeongyeon feels her cheeks burn and she reflexively throws her phone on the bed out of immediate gay panic.
Relax. Relax! Yoo Jeongyeon relax! She holds her erratically beating chest.
Whew. Damn. Hot damn. So it’s really her?!!
Jeongyeon crawls on her bed and retrieves her phone.
She replays the video again, and again, over and over again, just for good measure.
There’s now a shit eating grin plastered on her face while her eyes are still fixed on her phone screen.
mintypenguin
so?? do you believe me now?
It’s only then that Jeongyeon realizes she hasn’t replied to the girl yet.
yeonyoo96
hmm.. a little bit convincing, I must say.
I still need another video to fully believe you.
mintypenguin
well that’s unfair.
yeonyoo96
it’s not.
mintypenguin
it’s unfair!
yeonyoo96
one more video and then I’ll fully believe you.
mintypenguin
only if you promise you’ll send a picture of you too if I do another one
yeonyoo96
Deal!
Ok, send a video of yourself greeting me.
After hitting the send button, Jeongyeon immediately regrets her life decisions.
Why is she even requesting for a special greeting now?!!
Yoo Jeongyeon, you panicking simping lesbian!
Her logical thinking self now thrown out the window after watching the girl’s video.
The reply caught Mina off guard. This girl is acting a bit dodgy now. Why would she even request such kind of a video from her?
But Mina reckons since she already sent an initial video of her- what else is there to lose? It’s not like she’s requesting for an explicit one, it’s just a simple greeting video.
Besides, the girl promised that she’ll finally send a picture of her too so Mina eventually obliges, albeit reluctantly.
Mina really hopes to god she’s not playing with fire here, and that her instinct and character judgment is not failing her.
So she records another cute video of her saying:
“Hi yeonyoo96! this is mintypenguin, how’s your day? Anyway this is really me, and I swear I’m not a scammer.”
mintypenguin
[sends video]
Jeongyeon watches the video with twinkle in her eyes.
She fixes her glasses when it slips a little, as a fond crooked smile is now curving up the corner of her lips.
“How’s your day?” It’s such a simple generic phrase, from a stranger even more so.
But why does Jeongyeon’s heart suddenly feel lighter, her exhausted body now feeling a little bit less tired.
And are these wings flapping inside her stomach? She must be hungry again.
Watching and hearing the girl say that phrase to her sends a tinge of warmth within her- a very comfortable warmth.
And it really made her lips, eyes, and heart smile all at once.
mintypenguin
so my part’s done now. Where’s your picture?
yeonyoo96
[sends picture]
mintypenguin
a thumb??
Really?!
and it’s not even clear!
Jeongyeon sent a slightly blurry picture of her finger heart over the vinyl record of her roommate.
At least she’d look cool with the playing vinyl record in the background- is she trying to subtly impress the girl now??
yeonyoo96
I said I’ll send a picture of me.
I didn’t specifically say it’s a picture of my face.
mintypenguin
you’re unbelievable
yeonyoo96
I’m just cautious, miss penguin.
mintypenguin
after all the proofs I sent you, you’re still doubtful that it’s really me?
yeonyoo96
nope. I believe that you’re the girl now alright.
but I’m still not sure if you’re really not a scammer.
Pretty girls can be scammers too, y’know
mintypenguin
You think I’m pretty?
Jeongyeon pauses and thinks for a proper response first.
yeonyoo96
Yes. and all pretty girls do is lie.
When Mina reads the message, she suddenly thought of Nayeon and her heart aches a little.
mintypenguin
well.. I won’t disagree with you on that.
pretty girls can be really such good liars..
Jeongyeon would like to reply- “pretty girls like you? So you finally admit you’re a scammer, huh?”
But she senses the hint of sadness in the girl’s response, and she suddenly feels that it’s rude and insensitive to reply such words now. So instead-
yeonyoo96
Are you ok?
mintypenguin
honestly?
yeonyoo96
yeah
mintypenguin
no, I’m not ok..
And Jeongyeon learns that night the history behind that accidental drunken confession, as the girl tells her the story about the woman that she likes. Jeongyeon’s logical brain nudges her that this could just be another fabricated story made up to scam her even further.
But deep inside, amidst the seemingly sincere and honest messages that she reads from the girl, Jeongyeon’s heart tells her that the story is actually true.
In fact, she’s already feeling a little mad to the lady who breaks the girl’s heart.
mintypenguin
if you’re really not gonna send me a picture of you anytime soon, at least confirm me one thing
yeonyoo96
what is it?
mintypenguin
you’re a girl too, right?
yeonyoo96
yes.
I’m also a girl
Mina smiles at her phone and she instantly feels relieved.
mintypenguin
that’s good then
*****
Days have passed and for some weird reason, Jeongyeon finds herself still talking to the stranger.
They talk about anything under the sun, and Jeongyeon realizes that they have actually a lot more in common- from the types of series and movies that they watch, up to their love and fascination for online and video gaming.
Amidst the hectic pressure of her crazy work life and studies, Jeongyeon feels like this girl is such a breath of fresh air.
She’s that one good friend that she really needed to talk after such a long and tiring day – then her exhaustion is instantly washed away every time that simple phrase flashes on her phone screen:
“so, how’s your day?”
The girl tried to follow her again on instagram, but Jeongyeon rejected it.
And she may or may not have tricked the girl to send a new cute video greeting again, in exchange for another picture of her thumb (it’s a different angle now!- Jeongyeon emphasized) - much to the girl’s extreme annoyance.
yeonyoo96
why are you still talking to me though?
I could really be a scammer.
You don’t know how I look like yet.
mintypenguin
are you though?
a scammer?
yeonyoo96
no. I'm not a scammer.
mintypenguin
well, I kinda believe you.
Because if you’re not, I’m really gonna sue you
I have a lot of connections.
Jeongyeon chuckles on how the tables have turned now.
yeonyoo96
oh really, now?
You’re the one who’s gonna sue me now?
mintypenguin
yes, and I mean it.
yeonyoo96
then let’s see which one of us ends up in jail after this.
mintypenguin
definitely not me, cause I’m innocent.
How about you
why are you still talking to me though?
The girl shoots back her earlier question.
Jeongyeon looks at her phone screen for a few seconds.
She purses her lips and finally composes her honest reply-
yeonyoo96
I like talking to you
Jeongyeon feels like the seconds are stretching into minutes while she focuses her gaze at the typing indication on her phone screen. The girl is taking a while to reply.. but when she finally did-
mintypenguin
well, I like talking to you too
- Jeongyeon’s smile is now beaming, while she reads the girl’s reply again, and again, just for good measure.
For the past two weeks, Mina finds herself opening her dummy account more than her main. She enjoys talking to this yoo girl, whoever she is. Mina really hopes that she’s a harmless person.
So far Mina has already sent 4 videos of her and some selcas, and all she’s gotten from the girl are 2 thumb pics and a blurred picture of a grey cat. At least she now knows that the girl is also a college student - that is if she’s being honest with Mina.
But they didn’t disclose which universities they are from, nor what major or what year they are currently in.
Despite their frequent messaging nowadays- both girls are still a bit on guard with each other.
Still, she can’t help talking to the girl because she finds it very easy and enjoyable conversing with her. Their conversation just flows smoothly and effortlessly. Mina feels like they just ‘click’ in almost every aspect.
Her humour even jives with Mina.
Yes, humour. Much to Mina’s pleasant surprise, since her friends always tells her she has a weird sense of humour.
Sometimes, the girl sends her memes and Mina instantly laughs at them.
It’s kind of fascinating and comforting really.
There are moments when this girl even feels more like a friend to her than her in real life friends.
So despite it still being such a risky situation for Mina because she doesn’t know how the girl actually looks like, she can’t stop herself from talking to this stranger.
Their random conversation then continues seamlessly until vacation break, up until the beginning of the new semester of Mina’s sophomore year.
*****
The strong autumn wind is beginning to blow a colder breeze when the new semester starts, as the summer season finally waves its end.
The trees surrounding the university roadways are still lusciously green when Jeongyeon passed by them earlier on her way to her last morning class.
But it’s only a matter of weeks before autumn fully claims back their leaves and turn them into a breathtaking foliage of yellowish golds and reds towering the entire university streets and pathways.
When Jeongyeon finally enters their medium-sized auditorium, it’s hard not to notice the overly enthusiastic wave of her friend about five rows away from the still empty teacher’s platform.
The sophomore climbs up the elevated rows of chattering students to sit into the empty chair beside her friend.
“I can’t believe we’re finally in the same class! I thought you hated History?”
Sana taps her arm excitedly and Jeongyeon flinches from the slight sting.
“It’s the only elective available in this timeslot, I had no choice. I need one more elective to fill my required units for this semester. But I still hate history.”
Jeongyeon explains while putting down her backpack. She grabs her pen and notebook, and quickly checks her phone- still ten minutes before the class starts, no wonder the professor’s still not here.
“Well that’s unfortunate for you, but luckily for me. Now I have a dean’s lister as my classmate.”
She hears Sana speaking, and even though Jeongyeon is still looking at her phone, she knows that her friend is giving her a knowing stare.
“Nope, I ain’t doing your papers again Sana. Unless you pay me – $10 per page.” Jeongyeon quickly glances at her friend with a mischievous smirk, “Times New Roman, font 24.”
“Yah!! That’s basically scamming!”
“Life is hard. Gotta survive.”
Jeongyeon winks at her and she shifts her focus again on her phone.
It’s a habit that she’s acquired recently- checking her Instagram messages at this hour. Because it is during late mornings when she gets her first message from… Jeongyeon’s foolish grin appears as swiftly as the strong autumn wind that rustles the trees outside-
mintypenguin
Goodmorning, scammer.
Goodluck on your first day of classes.
“Don’t I get a special friend discount?”
“No.” Jeongyeon replies, not even sparing Sana a glance because she’s already typing a response to the message.
yeonyoo96
Morning to you too, miss penguin
Don’t cut classes on your first day!
“Yah!” Sana slaps her arm again, “How could you-- Oh wow look at that.”
The shift in her friend’s tone from irritated to flirting is so obvious that Jeongyeon finally looks at her friend again- “What?”
Sana’s gaze is fixed towards the classroom door, a satisfied smirk on her lips-
“A literal eye candy. My favorite type of sweet.”
When Jeongyeon follows Sana’s line of sight, she instantly feels her breath hitch.
And everything that happens right after that seems like a cliché scene in a romantic film-
Her time pauses, warping her reality into a series of washed out slow motions.
The chattering noises in the room now suddenly muffled into a faint distant sound, that the only thing that she hears is the nervous beating of her heart.
Pretty – is the first word that registers in Jeongyeon’s mind when she first sees the girl standing elegantly by the door.
Hot - the thumping of her heart gets louder when the blonde girl starts walking closer towards their area.
“Hi, is this seat taken?”
The girl points to the empty seat beside her, but Jeongyeon couldn’t reply.
How could she? She’s still stuck in her limbo of starstruck awe.
“No. That’s vacant. By the way I’m Sana!”
The girl smiles back at her friend and Jeongyeon is stunned- Damn.
She finally takes her seat and flashes another smile towards her, right hand now outstretched for her to take-
“Hi, I’m Mina.”
Holy
Shit.
Miss penguin is even more breathtaking up close.
*****