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Mina doesn't have a clue about love.
Until today.
It was a busy night. Sana and Momo were checking their baggage before they boarded.
“Are you sure you packed our matching pants?”
“I’m sure.”
“Did you reall-”
“I’ll see you two inside, okay?” Mina started to walk to the boarding area, she mentally double checked everything. Passport? Check. Plane ticket? Check. Her luggage? Check.
She took another glance at her friends, planning to give them a wave before she left the departure lounge but it was useless as the two were too absorbed with whatever their conversation was.
She stopped in her tracks when her back hit something, her fault for walking backward as she tried to wave goodbye to her friends.
Mina looked behind. She saw her. And she knew.
It was either too much or too little because her mind went blank.
Everything melted away into nothing, nothing else mattered. It was only her, with a magnetic pull that makes her heartbeat twice as much. Nothing mattered anymore. All at once she was rendered her dumbstruck, left with no words on her tongue.
The warm brown almond-shaped eyes, the short caramel hair that rests perfectly on her shoulders, the cute little freckle on the top of her nose.
“I’m sorry,” They both said in chorus, they both tried to do a small bow at the same time. Making her hit their head together. Mina blushed her way through the cute chuckle of the beautiful woman before her. She smiled.
It was the sun in the form of a smile.
I’m falling for your smile and I don’t even know you yet
Everything went by too fast. They exchanged their apologies and she was gone.
Mina noticed the fallen plane ticket on the floor.
Park Jihyo
Business Class. Seat: F-5
S.Korea - Hawaii
Flight number G8-GH2
It was the same terminal. It was the same flight. They were in the same aisle.
It was fate.
It sounds so ridiculous, but even with the tiniest probability that she could be the one, she has to grab the opportunity to meet her again. It’s better to take that 0.177935% chance than to get that sure 0%
She at least needs to try.
~~~
Mina has been waiting at the boarding gate for a while. Even Sana and Momo boarded first before she did. Mina flashed them a look telling them she’ll explain it later. Shoving them away before more questions bubbles from their conversation.
Ten more minutes left before the departure.
She was losing hope.
“Ma’am, please calm down.”
“No! You don't understand. I want my damn bridesmaid on this flight no matter what!”
“Nayeon, babe, it’s okay. She’ll book the next flight.”
“The hell Jihyo will! Every flight to Hawaii’s fully booked until!”
Mina interrupted the hysteric woman at the desk nearby. “Wait, are you Park Jihyo’s friend?”
The two were started with her intrusion, frankly, Mina was too. This wasn’t her usual self. “I bumped right into her earlier. She dropped her ticket on the way. Since we’re on the same flight I thought I would just wait for her here since she might want to go here.”
“Babe, quick, call Jihyo and tell her to get her ass back here this instant.”
~~~
“Your hair smells nice.” As soon as those words left her mind she was mentally slapping herself and praying that the ground would swallow her and disappear. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
Jihyo, on the other hand, was taken aback by Mina’s unfiltered words. Shifting her weight on the other side as she lowered her gaze replying with a meek thank you, her cheeks no different to hers.
“You have a pretty smile,” Jihyo said, still avoiding her eyes, scratching at the back of her neck like a shy puppy. Mina’s cheeks felt hotter. “By the way, I’m–”
“–Jihyo,” Mina answered, “No–wait-my name is not Jihyo. I’m Mina, You’re Jihyo– I looked at your ticket to check your flight and give it to you–I’m not a creep I swea–”
She just laughed. “Mina, you can breathe–” Then held both sides of her shoulders, suddenly words were just noise she can’t seem to comprehend. She plastered a small smile on her face acting as if she understood a single thing Jihyo just said.
“This is the final boarding call for passengers Myoui Mina and Park Jihyo for flight G8-GH2 . Please proceed to gate 2 immediately. The final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately five minutes. I repeat. This is the final boarding call for passengers Myoui Mina and Park Jihyo. Thank you.”
“I think we really have to go,” Mina tried to mask the disappointment in her voice.
“I think so too,” Jihyo agreed, “Not unless you want my friend to go ballistic again.”
“So this is goodbye Jihyo,” Mina conceded, acting as if saying goodbye for the second time didn’t upset her.
“I have a feeling I’d see you again.” Jihyo declared, “Until next time,”
“Until next time,”
~~~
“I’m sorry to bother you, but is there any chance my wife would switch seats with you?” The man on her left side asked. “This is our first time flying together and we’d appreciate it if I could sit with her..”
Sana eyed her before whispering on her side.
“Mina, I know you. You can always say no.”
“Please she’s just in the same aisle. Her seat is on F-6–”
“–Okay.” Mina might’ve spoken too soon because the guy looked surprised and Sana looked puzzled at the reply. Momo would also butt in if she wasn’t busy sleeping (which she was thankful for).
The guy thanked her and called for her wife.
“Mina. what’s with you today? You’ve been acting weird. You haven’t even explained why you were standing earlier when you could’ve boarded already–”
“Sana, it’s a long story, I’ll tell you later at the hotel.” Mina brushed her off while she still had a chance to escape her curious friend.
“Hey,” Jihyo greeted her when she noticed Mina approaching. “I do hope I didn’t drop my wallet now or something.”
“Unfortunately, no,” Mina smiled and tried to calmly settle her things to her seat without giving away how fast her heart was beating. “There was this couple who wanted to switch seats with me. I didn’t mind so I did.”
“I’d better thank them later. I have more time to talk to you now,” Jihyo beamed, which did wonders for her erratic heart.
Their peaceful bubble got popped as soon as it was formed.
“Jeongyeon, are you seriously thinking I’m just gonna be your trophy wife?”
“Maybe you are!”
“Good!”
“Fine!”
“I’m just glad finally acknowledged that I’m way out of your league–”
“Oh please, why would I pay for this expensive wedding if you aren’t–”
“Better prepare your wallet for the honeymoon then,”
“I’m preparing a lot for the honeymoon and trust me my wallet isn’t one of them–”
Nayeon pulled her into a kiss, probably to shut her fiance up. Probably.
“Are you sure they’re just about to get married?” Mina joked as she stared at the odd couple, that was totally ignoring public decency and etiquette.
“Don’t worry about it. They act like a divorced couple ever since they first met. Believe me, I’ll be starting to get worried if they aren't fighting.” Jihyo gave a bright smile that made Mina’s legs turn to jelly.
“When we were kids Jeongyeon already liked teasing Nayeon, there was this one time Nayeon got really mad and she bit Jeongyeon’s arm with her enormous front teeth. Jeongyeon came crying back to me that day, hiding behind me, I want to add that I was shorter by three inches so it looked twice as ridiculous,” Jihyo chuckled at the memory, “A few years after Jeongyeon admitted she always teased Nayeon because she had always liked her,”
Mina couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity with Jihyo’s friends. It was familiar. She too knew how it felt like to grow up with friends who had loved each other forever.
“They also kinda sound like my friends. I’ve known Momo and Sana for years, they would playfully banter about the silliest things like yogurt. They didn’t even know it turned to flirting for the longest time. “ Mina replied, “ Now they’re married for almost two years, but unlike your friends, they act like they’re in their honeymoon stage for years,”
They continued to exchange funny stories about the craziest things they had witnessed as the designated third wheel of the group.
“Hi, I’m Angela, your flight attendant for today. Would you like some beverage? We have some soda, coffee, and alcoholic beverages too.”
“I’ll be having a bottle of water. Thank you.”
“Make that two,” Jihyo added, thanking the flight attendant as she handed them their bottles.
Jihyo smiled, shaking her head in silence.
“What?” Mina questioned, tilting her head as she tried to figure out what Jihyo was thinking.
“Nayeon always judged me for just ordering water during flights instead of champagne or something,”
“Momo does that too! I keep explaining that it’s the best option during flights, we get more vulnerable to dehydration during flights so water is the reasonable option.”
“You mean bottled water.” Jihyo added, “Did you know that there’s 12%–”
“–12% chances that tap water in planes have contaminated water?” Mina couldn’t help but grin, “Yeah. Yeah, I did.”
“Keep talking like that and I’ll start to believe I was meant to meet you for some reason,”
For me, it only took one look and I already knew
~~~
“Sana, remind me again, is Mina frowning more than usual?” Momo asked as she lifted the last luggage from the cab.
“Mina was too busy gay panicking to ask for her number.” Sana gave her wife a hand as they entered the hotel.
“Shut up, I wasn’t panicking, We just forgot to exchange–”
“Mina, is that you?”
She heard that voice before. It’s–
“Jihyo?” Not bothering to hide the excitement in her voice, or the questioning looks of her two friends she left in the lobby.
“Hi! I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. I should’ve asked for your number–”
“Jihyo quit brooding for the girl already. We bought you some chocolate to cheer yo–” Nayeon stopped midway when she noticed them.
Mina heard Sana and Momo approach them. Sana cleared her throat to inform their presence,
“Jihyo, I want you to meet my best friends. Sana and Momo.”
“I ain’t seen two pretty best friends--” Jeongyeon didn’t even get to finish her sentence before Nayeon elbowed her hard on the stomach, causing her to cough.
“I’m Nayeon,” Nayeon said smoothly as if she didn’t gut her fiance a second ago, “and this woman right here is unfortunately my future wife.”
Sana practically jumped in delight at that. Grinning as Nayeon flashed her the diamond ring that must’ve cost her fiance a fortune. “When’s the wedding?”
“On the 15th. You should come! Mina would prefer to see some familiar faces since I’m guessing our single friend right here will get the courage soon to ask Mina to be her date soon.”
“Judging by the two-meter distance, avoidance of eye contact, and the red cheeks, I’m guessing it’ll take another day or two before one of them makes a move.”
“Hey!” Jihyo and Mina screamed in unison.
Sana and Nayeon hit it off, which mildly frightened Mina.
“Can I ask why your wedding isn't on Valentine’s day?”
“The 15th is our anniversary. And I wouldn’t like to combine celebrating Valentine’s day and our anniversary to just one day,”
“Good call,”
They started to walk away from their respective single friends as their significant others tailed after them.
“You should work on hardening your core. Gotta need more defense for random elbow attacks.”
“Huh?”
“Oh yeah I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Momo,” Momo casually introduced herself while putting her arm around the taller girl’s shoulders, patting her back in sympathy, as if she had known the woman for a long time.
“I work on my abs twice a day and it does work wonders. You should have seen my wife’s face whenever I remove my shirt. She practically jumps at me every time.” Momo continued to ramble about her sex life as they followed their loud squealing partners.
Mina’s mouth was ajar, in disbelief of how things turned out. She took a brief glimpse to her right. Jihyo’s face was no different either.
~~~
“Mina used to be this super dork at school. She would always rant about something philosophical and all that math while Momo and I were struggling to get a passing grade on calculus.”
“Yeah, she was a huge cute nerd in high school.” Momo snickered at the back. “Mina, why don’t you talk about your lego collection on Star Wars.”
Mina saw the brief flash of curiosity in Jihyo's eyes.
“I used to play with a lot of jigsaw puzzles when I was younger–"
“She still does!”
“You should see her room!”
“–anyway,” Mina flashes a glare at both of her friends. “It’s just a silly hobby when I was fifteen years old.” Mina scratched the back of her neck in reluctance. She was afraid of boring Jihyo with the story but all she could see was fascination and anticipation at her every word.
“You should’ve seen Jihyo always plastered on her comic books, and she would always talk about Thor. You should’ve seen her whole comic book collection on it. She once fought a girl when they called Thor weak.”
“The one time Jihyo ever got detention was because of a fictional superhero.”
“Wanna ditch this Embarrassing-Mina-and-Jihyo fest?” Jihyo whispered her an offer.
“I’d be insane to turn that offer down.” Mina grinned and took Jihyo’s hand and tried to sneak out of the room unnoticed while their friends were too engaged with planning double dates making last minute reservations at fancy restaurants when they returned to Korea.
“Wanna wander around and find a place to eat?” jihyo asked, offering a hand Mina wasn’t sure she’d ever turned down.
“I’d love to,” She grabbed Jihyo’s hand that felt like it was perfectly carved for her and went straight ahead. No idea where they were going, not minding if they’d get lost.
Mina just knew she wanted to hold the hand of the beautiful woman and spend another second witnessing that smile that would render the sun jobless.
There were lots to see. The beautiful beach, the cute shops they passed by, the couples around every corner as they slowly reminded them it was the 14th. It was Valentine's day and Jihyo was still holding her hand. Not letting her go even by a second.
The thought made her neck and cheeks pink. Eyes stayed on their joined hands as Jihyo was asking a stranger for directions. Words did not enter her ears and let her mind process a single thing Jihyo has said.
Mina failed to understand words. All she could process was Jihyo’s cheeks were red for some reason, she was holding her hand, and that it sounded perfectly right when her tongue rolled when she said her name.
All she did was nod and hope whatever Jihyo asked she didn’t make the wrong answer.
(And she did not.)
“Mina, is it okay if we pretend to be a couple for the night? This restaurant gives free desserts for couples today. It’s kind of their promo today.”
They went right in. And sat at the table with a great view of the sun almost setting. It looked smaller than the outside. It was cute and warm and cozy. It wasn’t a fancy restaurant and it makes it so much better not trying to deal with snobs.
It went perfectly well. The food was great. She witnessed the sunset with beautiful hues of purple and pink and Jihyo was making her cheeks ache from smiling too much. It was so silly how similar they are. They’re both the third wheel in their friend group. They’re obsessed with Minecraft and that they have a huge thing with gacha games.
“I can’t believe you pulled Xiao!”
“I lost a lot of sleep in the Spiral Abyss for those primogems, but it was totally worth it.”
“God has favorites,” Mina sighed thinking about her unlucky pulls for the current banner.
They were laughing at the playful banter and too engaged in their conversation to notice the waiter coming up to them handing them the check.
“Ma’am, you’re availing the couple’s discount, right?”
Mina looked at Jihyo for a brief moment before taking the initiative to nod and answer the waiter.
“I hope you don’t mind, but the promo specifically states that couples need to kiss to be eligible for the discount.”
Mina could've said she could handle the bill or that Jihyo doesn’t have to do it. But when she reached her eyes as if waiting for her, hesitation became just letters because she was leaning in, and the only thing her mind could think of was how soft Jihyo’s lips were.
~~~
Love is like gravity. Even if you don't believe in its existence, that doesn't mean you'll suddenly float in thin air. It doesn't mean it won't make you fall when you jump. And maybe that's what Mina is doing right now. She's jumping and she knows she'll fall.
She doesn’t know a thing about being in love but maybe it’s about seeking the warmth of her hand, or getting the fluttering sensation just by looking at her bright smile, or the happiness radiating off her laugh that reaches to her chest.
“Parallel Lines,” Mina broke the comfortable silence as they enjoyed staring at the twinkling stars above. The moon perfectly illuminates Jihyo’s face. A hand firmly holding hers still. The serene dark sky their only witness to how smitten Mina was.
“What about it?” Jihyo’s eyes were still closed, unknowing of how Mina’s eyes sparkled as she looked at her.
“I always talked about parallel lines when I was younger, ”Mina explained, it spurred more questions than answers, so she continued. “Two lines that were fated to not meet.”
“Being constantly surrounded with people who were clearly meant to be with each other had made me think...” Mina didn’t know where the sudden courage to admit this. Perhaps it was the number of years thinking it was the truth that took a toll on her. Perhaps it was the way Jihyo intently looked at her that she was more than just someone who she just met.
“They were each other’s jigsaw pieces. They fit so well with one another. What were the odds of someone meeting their other half? What were the odds of me meeting my other half? I've got two friends who already found theirs. In statistics, the answer isn’t so bright. The probability was far too low.
“You think you’re the parallel line,” Jihyo mumbled,
Mina could only nod.
“Mina, Statistics will never be in anyone’s favor. Probability is just as ridiculous. In science? There’s no absolute answer. The unknown can't be absolutely proven. There’s no absolute answer for its existence as much as its absence. You can’t prove something does or does not exist. That’s how it works.” Jihyo squeezed her hand lightly, “Maybe that’s how it should be. Math isn’t definitive. Science is uncertain. Fate shouldn’t be definite. If it was, then what’s there to look forward to in life?”
If Mina was not sure about love before, she does now.
~~~
“What's that smell?” Mina groaned, she heard the footsteps coming to her bedroom door.
“Sana bought me a new perfume–"
“Betrayal–” Sana exclaimed, eyeing the bed. “Rumpled bed sheets. Eye bags. Messy hair.”
“ JIHYO STAYED HERE FOR THE NIGHT?!”
“Quit being loud. It’s not what you think! Jihyo stayed for the night because–"
“Oh my god, Mina’s blushing!”
“Oh my god, she’s not the same Mina we know anymore.”
“Shut up,” Mina’s cheeks were still burning, “She stayed here for the night because the room beside hers was kinda loud.”
“Isn’t it just Nayeon and Jeo–nevermind I got it,”
“We couldn’t sleep so we decided to play Minecraft for the entire night, which explains the eye bags.”
“Explain your hair,”
“Mo, have you never seen me during early mornings without coffee?”
“Bold of you to assume I wake up in mornings,”
“That’s why you have Sana,” Mina rolled her eyes.
“Damn right,” Momo nodded with pride. “By the way, Sana, I can’t find my lipstick.”
“Want some of mine?”
“As long as it involves your lips, but no homo of course.” Momo grinned, leaning forward to Sana completely forgetting their best friend a.k.a. their third wheel for 13 years.
“No homo?!” Mina exclaimed, absoulutely done with her friends’ gay asses “Every second of what I just witnessed screams gay.” Mina rolled her eyes. Her two best friends are the epitome of the term useless gays. They’re great friends but they’re also useless when one is with the other.
“But Sana didn’t even do that pick-up line yet.”
“What pickup line–you know what I’m not even gonna ask.” Mina sighed, “Why are you even here right now?”
“We–"
“No,” Mina cuts them off, “Now get out. I need my peaceful morning coffee.”
“But it’s one in the afternoon.”
~~~
Jihyo sighed as she closed the door, what she failed to notice was that Nayeon and Jeongyeon were sitting on her bed, arms crossed, eyeing her pointedly.
“Why do you have that stupid grin when you entered the room? And why are you still wearing yesterday’s clothes?”
“For a couple who were awfully busy the entire night, you’re up early.” Jihyo has a slight furrow between her brows as she trudged inside her hotel room.
“Shut up, Park. You’re awfully bold for someone who’s doing the walk of shame right now.” Jeongyeon replied, having a shit-eating grin on her face.
“Park Jihyo, did you hook up with Mina?”
“What?! No!”
“I didn’t know you’d make a move that fast. I’m impressed, I underestimated you.”
“Get out!” Jihyo yelled in embarrassment. Her friends were a nuisance. “We just kissed.”
Absolutely, in no circumstance should she be embarrassed by that because it was only a kiss. But yesterday might have been the best night she had in her entire life. Their dinner. The kiss. Stargazing. Spending the entire night laughing and playing games. And there may or may not be some cuddling involved.
Nayeon squealed, it was something about texting Sana about it or something. Jihyo swore her cat could hear it from her parent’s house. She fought the urge to bury her head on the mattress.
She spent the entire afternoon trying to steal Nayeon’s phone and prevent her from texting her apparently new bestie Sana.
~~~
They were walking at the beach. Shoulders brushing as they walked. Admiring the beautiful set of colors painted in the sky, perfect for a wedding. Just like she expected, the wedding was indeed expensive.
A few minutes before the wedding was about to start but she couldn’t keep it in anymore.
“I think I like you,” Mina confessed, eyes on the ground, she seemed too focused on how much sand there was on her feet.
“That’s unfortunate–"
Mina heard her heart break into pieces.
“–because I think I like you too.”
Jihyo breaks into a grin.
“I guess, there’s no other choice but to ask you on a date next week.” Jihyo continued.
“I guess I have no choice but to tell you to pick me up at 8.” Mina played along, having the biggest smile that hurts her cheeks a little.
“I guess I have no choice but to kiss you now.”
“I guess I have no choice but to lean in-”
“For fuck sakes, just kiss already the wedding is about to start!” Nayeon shouted, impatient and shamelessly eavesdropping. Holding her bridal bouquet in hand and that would’ve been thrown an hour earlier than planned if Jihyo didn’t make a move soon.
Mina wasn’t fond of PDA. She has seen it far too many times from her friends to decide it was enough to not participate in it, but she really wanted to kiss Jihyo.
So she did.
Leaning slowly as she tried to be able to control her heart from soaring. A hand caressing her face, ever so warm as Jihyo's smile. No more hesitation in their eyes, they kissed.
There were several eyes on them, and there’s someone wolf-whistled (she's guessing it’s Momo or Jeongyeon, probably both), but Mina didn’t mind it. Not a single bit.