Archive of Our Own

'Karina'

Jimin almost cries, sobs, thrash in her bed.

Her name, her supposed villain name, scattered on the school's daily news —CampusTimes.

'Karina punches the thief who stole from countless of students.'

'A new hope of justice for the campus.'

'Rising star!'

Thief. Jimin had no idea he was a thief, if anything, she simply thought he was a mere student she could terrorize and let her villainous desires be seen by the public eye to clear her heroic name.

What she didn't expect was the guy to drop to his knees and beg to be spared by the 'superhero' as he hastily hands over all the money he stole, the whole situation caught on video by bystanders.

Sooner or later, the news spread like wide fire. And the school news is talking about the famous superhero.

Superhero.

Jimin never wanted to be a superhero.

Since unlocking her newfound powers, she wanted to wreak havoc, not give in the stupid bullshit of comic books.

But without trying, she's in the limelight for her good actions.

"Just be a hero then." Aeri shrugs.

"That's your advice?"

Aeri Uchinaga is her best friend, and possibly the only person aware of her abilities. Her most trusted person in the whole wide world.

So she can't believe she just said that.

Jimin's offended gaze practically flies to her, so offended that she drops her accounting book.

The latter doesn't even budge, tippy typing on her laptop with a lollipop popped in her mouth, probably working on an article since she writes for that god-awful fake newspaper.

"It was you, wasn't it? The one that wrote that article about Karina's good deeds?!"

"Of course it's me, they trust their best writer to do the important work."

"Aeri Uchinaga!"

"I was just doing my job." She shrugs again, and Jimin swears she almost kicks her.

"You're messing with a person who has superpowers."

"Oh please. You turn invisible, not invincible."

Jimin pouts, realizing that furthering the conversation with the Japanese girl will not lead anywhere. Very much like her studying, which is why she shuts the accounting book, deciding to wallow in her seat with a sad chocolate bar.

"Can't you just write about how I'm faking it and is the most awful human being on earth?"

"You're bad at being bad, they'll never approve for it to be published."

"You hurt my pride."

"You just suck at being a villain."

"Aeri Uchinaga!”

"I can't believe you."

"Just follow me!" The younger girl urges, practically kidnapping her straight into her room, not letting the girl recover from the haze of her slumber. "I want to show you something."

She pushes the closet door open, proudly presenting the half shoved mattress on the floor, blankets, and pillows piled like a fort.

"What am I looking at?"

"I call it a nap hole."

Jimin flicks away her prideful face, the girl whining from the pain whilst she rubs her forehead.

"What was that for?"

"You dragged me in here just to show your nap hole? You woke me up for this?" She groans when the blonde clings on to her arm, not even feeling a tiny bit of remorse even though fully aware that this is the only time she got to sleep after spending the previous night cramming accounting notes into her brain.

She should have just turned invisible and pretended she wasn't home.

Jimin met Minjeong three years ago, her work at the chicken store couldn't afford to pay for her bills and still have money for herself. The 'I desperately need a roommate to prove to my parents I can manage myself' flyers she put around campus seemed to do the job, because after a phone call, the blonde outside her door. She was an innocent freshman in the fashion department at the time, big puppy-like eyes gleaming as half her face hides behind the royal blue scarf. Two big luggage trudging behind her.

It only took two months for her eccentric nature to unleash. And Jimin had no choice but to be dragged into her weird ideas.

Like now— because after several minutes of persistent persuasion, Minjeong managed to tug her to the nap hole. Music blasting as they lay on the tactically organized pillows, a night lamp open because Minjeong has really bad Nyctophobia.

"I'm killing her."

"Who?"

"Aeri."

"But Aeri unnie is cool."

"Aeri ain't shit." Her cranky tone makes Minjeong giggle, Jimin feels shifting before a hand comes to pat her on the head.

"You can't kill her, you're a saint."

Another hit on her pride.

If only she wasn't on the nap hole (Which is comfortable, no lie there), she would have stomped away in huffs.

"I can be a good villain."

"Are you gonna pout them to sleep?"

"Kim Minjeong."

"Or seduce them with your unavoidable charm."

"I'm killing you next."

"Impossible." She mocks, shaking her head to show how impossible it is to even see the outcome. "We should stop giving villains kickass names, it sends a bad message to the children."

"I'm not a child."

"They should be called names like 'The dick who came from space' or 'Clown'."

"The joker is cool."

"Yes, and that's exactly why people want to be part of the comic books."

"Yizhuo, I can fight you right?"

Jimin lays beside her friend on the mat, still sweaty and recovering from her workout. Weights are a bitch.

The Chinese raises her brow, setting down her bottle of water, "You?"

"Yes me, you think I can take you down?"

"You may look it, but you couldn't even beat me in an arm wrestle, unnie." Yizhuo laughs, her bright smile concealing the insult, "No offense."

No offense, my ass.

Jimin's jelly arms want to smack her to another dimension.

"Why would you want to take me down anyway?"

"No reason."

^^^

Aeri gets bored in her Asian History class. A class she deeply regrets taking for extra credits because who the hell is sane enough to take an 8 am class. So she found a solution to her boredom, forcing Jimin to join her, taking full advantage of the girl's abilities. She claimed it to be paying back for everything she's done for her, and although she's not exactly sure what that is, Jimin follows suit to her requests, not having the heart to ever say no.

Does she feel bad? A little. Will she ever stop doing it? No.

"What supervillain?!" Jimin yells, gaining the attention of the class ahead of them. Curious eyes not staring at her, but her best friend.

Oh right, they can't see her.

Aeri awkwardly points to the airpod in her ear before waving in nonchalance, acting normal as the crowd turns back around. The Japanese's attention pretends to glue back on the teacher, "You're invisible, not gone. You know they'll hear you."

"Sorry."

"And as I was saying, there's an actual supervillain running around, look at this." The laptop is moved to face her, and her friend doesn't need to physically see her to know that Jimin is probably having a mental breakdown.

"Winter?"

"Yeah, it's because the first sighting of her came from when it was snowing. The board asked me to write about her."

("Stupid Campus Times.")

"They want to write about her being a supervillain?"

"Yeah, apparently she kicked Jinhyung's ass." Just the thought makes her laugh, the man is a stuck-up fart, he thinks he can be arrogant and privileged just because he's the headmaster's son, so he deserves it anyway.

"Doesn't that make her a hero? That guy is a douche."

"Not to the school she isn't."

Jimin groans.

"Oh yeah, and they also want me to write about how Karina the superhero is the only one who can take her down."

"Fuck."

Karina is physically exhausted. Yoo Jimin is mentally exhausted. And the mention of a new supervillain is not one to brighten her mood.

'Winter'

The person is a complete mystery. But she does have a kick-ass costume, a white Jabbawockeez mask that's blue and sequenced on the right eyes, a white latex suit with a black dragon on the back, and Megamind status combat boots. Winter has impressive fighting skills that clearly took years of dedication and practice. She took down the son of the Headmaster, sending him to the hospital with enough fear to be written about, recognized for her villainous acts.

She's perfectly out of a comic book.

And Jimin is deadass jealous.

All Karina has done is graffiti the front gate of an innocent nightclub, running for her life when the bouncers started chasing for her. She vanishes in an alleyway, literally. Because she turned invisible to blend into the wall.

So imagine her surprise when Aeri calls about another good deed she did.

("Yoo, hate to break it to you."

"What?"

The celebratory ice cream stops before it even reaches her mouth. —A celebration for the cameras spotting her, so she'll sooner or later be on the news. And also a celebration for not being caught by the bouncers and ending up on a hospital bed.

"That place you just vandalized. The police are applauding you because they found evidence of the owner's embezzlement schemes while investigating."

"For fuck sakes.")

Why is it so hard?

She didn't even finish her ice cream, she was too pained to even finish it.

Why is this hard? She's not supposed to be struggling.

"Jimin unnie!"

The door opened before she could grumpily shove her key in the lock, the metal left to dangle in the air.

"Minjeong-"

A bark.

Jimin's eyebrows furrowing as a meek expression makes it on her friend.

"Is that coming from our house?"

"I can explain."

She nudges the blonde to the side, jumping when a medium-sized furry creature starts galloping towards her, golden tail wagging.

"What is that?"

"It's a dog." The fashion major carries the puppy, giggling when its slobbery tongue starts licking her cheeks.

"I know, but why is it in our house?"

"Don't worry, he's well trained, Miss Shin said he could help with my fear of the dark." The blonde gaily shoves the animal in her arms, Jimin freezing because there's a living thing in her arms, excited and willing to show it. She makes a motion to return the dog to its owner, neck extended to avoid a french kiss.

"Can I keep it?"

"I mean... Yeah. This is your house too."

Who is Jimin to say no to something that can help her overcome her fears? Besides, the blonde looks extra exhilarates to have the puppy in their house. The animal and the girl matching the same bright happiness.

"What's its name?"

"Immaculate sunshine."

Jimin shakes her head, totally foreseeing the strange name, "I'll call it Im then."

"No, his name is Kim Immaculate sunshine."

^^^

"What happened to your face?"

Jimin almost leaps, shrieks, lamely may she add. Wincing, because the cotton she was using to clean the bruise prods her face, and that hurts.

"Kim Minjeong, what did we say about knocking?"

The blonde ignores her scolding, wordlessly sauntering in her direction. Jimin is almost terrified, the usually bright smiley façade gone, her eyes stoic as she observes the bruises.

Jimin feels as if she's committed a felony, if anything, she was the one who got beaten up.

"Who did this?"

"No one in particular."

"The air hit you?"

"No."

"So how did it happen then?"

"Bar fight."

She's not lying, it did happen outside the bar. Even though her only intention tonight is to make it home so she can have a peaceful cup of tea after a stressful class of Applied English, she couldn't just stand there and leave that poor girl to be uncomfortable.

She's might be a villain, but she's also a gentlewoman.

"Bar fight? You?"

Jimin gives an embarrassed nod, curling in herself more when Minjeong lets out a baffled sigh, taking the alcohol rub from her hand. The aggression makes Jimin flinch.

"Yoo Jimin."

"Hey, I'm older than you."

"Shush."

Her tone is strong, making Jimin shut her mouth tight, eyes casting down in shame. The blonde gently tilts up her chin, leaving her no choice but to stare straight into hers, her eyes wide and innocent, blue contacts replaced by round glasses that rest comfortably.

"You shouldn't fight, you're not a fighter."

There it is again. She can't fight. She doesn't even think. And she certainly doesn't look cool while doing it.

What the hell can she do then?

The inner turmoil must be apparent on her face because the blonde squeezes her hand, reassuring and firm enough for her attention to return to the real world.

Her breath hitches.

Because she glimpses on how the distance between them decreased, the fingers caressing her cheekbones are hot under its tips, the affection lingering longer than the usual dynamic. Minjeong's face is fond, overwhelmingly fond.

The moment feels vulnerable as if she's not even supposed to be there, not supposed to witness this time of beauty. It made her feel like she wanted to cry.

Get yourself together, Yoo Jimin.

"Let me clean your wounds."

The dark-haired girl jerks when the cotton touches her bruise, Minjeong retreats, concern filling her arched eyebrow.

Jimin's heart pounds undeniably fast, a heart attack guaranteed if it proceeds to do so.

What the absolutely shit is wrong with you, Yoo Jimin?

("I expected it." Aeri gives her signature shrug, casually sipping on her iced coffee.

"Huh?"

"You, Minjeong, your emotions' dramatic flair."

"Aeri Uchinaga." She scowls, "Minjeong is basically a younger sister to me."

"No, she's a younger sister to me. You two are way touchier."

Jimin groans, "Let's just focus on finding who the hell Winter is and how to stop her from sabotaging my image."

"There's no image to save, she probably doesn't even know you.")

^^^

"I want the last one."

"But I got it first."

"I'm craving."

"Ning Yizhou."

"Yoo Jimin."

"You literally have no respect for me." Jimin scoffs, before ultimately succumbing to her younger friend, the last fry out of her grasp like how a kingdom is taken by its king.

Stupid younger people privileges.

Aeri has a point. She is dramatic.

"You look like you've been beating yourself up lately, unnie." Jimin looks up from her glass, cursing the bartender for putting a little too much vodka in her cosmopolitan.

"What do you mean?"

"You asked to hang in a bar, but you usually like to stay home. You've been killing yourself in the gym, your face looks like shit, and you've definitely missed classes."

"You noticed and you still decided to get on my nerves?"

"It's a daily routine."

Jimin is glum again, "Am I that easy to read?"

"Yeah." Ningning's smile is bright, insulting even, if done by others. "Is it because Minjeong unnie has a boyfriend?"

The dark-haired girl chokes, the panicked tissues flying everywhere not the most ideal for her image.

"Minjeong has a boyfriend?"

Of course, they've both dated around in the span of them living together, but the duo never said much about the dates and the random flowers in their doorsteps, just occasional mentions about it. But hearing the mere information from someone else just pushes the wrong buttons in her insides.

"I saw her walking with someone last night, tall and attractive."

Jimin scoffs. Men.

"No, it's not that. Minjeong's life is not my business."

"She probably likes you."

The cosmopolitan is spitted from her mouth again, her coughs even harder to regulate.

"What the hell did you just say, Ning Yizhou?"

"At least I think she does, I mean you do too, right?"

"No!"

"Why not? She's pretty."

"And she also named her dog Immaculate sunshine. She's just my weird younger sister."

"Whatever you say."

"Kim Minjeong," Jimin calls frantically, practically falling out of her bed because the house decided to have a blackout at one in the morning, and the first thought she had is Minjeong being in the shower, the only place they failed to install an extra light in case for situations like this.

Minjeong has severe Nyctophobia. She needs to find her.

She uses her phone to light the path, frantic knocks on the toilet door as her heart thumps even heavier.

"Min, I need you to open the door."

She presses her ear on the wood, hearing faint noises of the music she listens to, the showerhead water still on.

"I'm coming in."

How she's going in is unknown, Jimin curses her abilities for being invisibility and not brute strength.

Fuck it.

Her slim figure rails against the door. The little light reflecting from her phone revealing the door to be unaffected, taunting her for her failed attempt.

Come on Yoo Jimin, you weak ass.

With another round of self-encouragement.

She dashes to the wooden surface, shocked that instead of recoiling from the impact, she's blasting forward.

Holy shit, she did it. And shit, that hurts.

Jimin doesn't mull over the pain, quickly recouping to rush to her friend.

Minjeong is curled up on herself, sitting in the corner of the marble shower, breath visibly uneven and violent, vulnerable whimperings.

The golden puppy beside her ignoring the ongoing water, clawing at the blonde with the same amount of desperation.

The older quickly shuts the water, using both their phones for a source of light before throwing a towel over her bare body, arms wrapping around to calm her.

"I'm here. You're fine, Minjeong. I got you, you're fine."

She made sure to burrito wrap the younger girl in a blue fluffy blanket, the typically bright girl not saying a word since the episode in the bathroom, staring into nothing in particular as she settles in her pillow fort.

The light came back to life shortly after finding her, the caretaker ringing every floor's bell to apologize for the building's power outage. She made sure to get the girl dressed, gently dried her hair as Minjeong hugged Immaculate Sunshine for dear life, eyes damping for the puppy who didn't leave her side.

It's four am, and Jimin is standing by her door frame, pained that the younger has to go through this.

It's not the first time it happened in front of her, but it doesn't make it less terrifying. Since then, she vowed to make sure it doesn't happen again and installed emergency lights in every room. Except for that goddamn bathroom. Dammit, Jimin.

"You should sleep."

Jimin snaps out of her thoughts, remembering that the cup of tea she made for her roommate will turn cold soon, especially in this weather.

"No, I'm staying here with you."

She slightly chuckles when the steam from her tea fogs her friend's glasses, her pale cheeks puffing.

"You don't have to, Immaculate sunshine is with me."

"Are you saying you don't need me now that you have Im?" She feigns offense, a teasing tone as she sets a dramatic hand on her chest.

It achieves a smile on Minjeong's face. And Jimin takes that as a triumph, squirming into the nap hole to lay beside her.

"His name is Immaculate Sunshine by the way, not Im."

"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."

That night she sleeps with Minjeong huddling into her arms, and Jimin comes to the revelation that she wants to keep her there.

("Are we sleeping in your closet?"

"My mattress is there, so yes.")

^^^

Jimin is reluctant. She knows how it look in her image. So for now, all she does is watch with the panicked crowd, playing a simple bystander as firemen pile out of the entrance and try to control the wildfire, a big bog of black polluting the sky.

"There's still one civilian on the sixth floor," She overheard from the intercom close by.

Goddammit. So much for being the bad guy.

She uses her invisibility to get past the authorities, picking up a stray ax that had been abandoned by the busy firemen just incase. She hastens her steps up the stairs that have yet to be completely burnt into a rumble.

The fire is bright, hurting her eyes, a handkerchief thrown over her nose to reduce inhaling the smoke.

Why is she doing this again?

"Anyone here?"

She can basically hear Aeri calling her dumb.

'Yoo, you're invisible, not immune to fire.'

Jimin knows that.

But when she hears a voice respond, her veins fill with adrenaline and she is quick to make her way to the sound, powering through the rubble and fog.

The door of the house is already open, and Karina freezes when she sees the familiar white latex suit, an unconscious firemen under her.

"Winter?"

Is she the one who started this fire? Did she kill that man? Karina is not ready for this confrontation.

"Thank god someone finally came, help me, the closest fell on him when he was saving the old woman."

Wait, she's saving them?

Karina doesn't have enough time to get the answer because the building shakes, and she notices the unconscious old lady behind the bed.

The two heroes try to lift the closet, cursing ancient designs for making them too heavy.

"I have an idea, but I need you to move."

Jimin uses her force to ax the closet, and she doesn't know if it's the adrenaline because sooner or later the wooden base starts to crack.

"It's getting stronger, we need to hurry."

She does and the wooden closet crumbles enough for them to lift the man out. She almost cries in relief but it wasn't the time.

"You get the old lady." Karina complies, cautiously carrying the lady in her arms.

"Shit, we can't get out from the front."

"We have to go through the back, I came from there, It's still stable."

How the hell does she have a voice modifier?

Not the time, Jimin.

Karina quietly nods, using her body strength to follow Winter closely.

Karina sighs in relief, the white latex suit still sitting beside her on the roof, the two silent as they watch the fire gradually diminish.

They saved the last two people in the building, blending into the background as they waited for them to be saved, which happened eventually.

Winter ran off, and Jimin subconsciously followed because she wants to know more about her. Why this infamous supervillain just saved people from a burning building that she didn't start. She was so sure that the girl was the arsonist who decided to torment a small innocent apartment building, but turns out it's just a mere inconvenience from a stove that was left open for too long.

"Water?"

The bottle looked too appealing, glistening and cold. She can feel the mask filled with sweat from their earlier affairs, heat building up in various places, wishing to cool off. But she hesitates because drinking water means having to remove half her mask.

The latter notices, "Oh I can look away."

Karina wishes she didn't poison it.

And fortunately, it isn't, because she's still alive and now downing the liquid.

"So what's your deal, if you don't mind me asking?"

The voice modifier still makes Jimin jump, the robotic low pitch is still very weird to her. And through the girl's Jabbawockeez mask, it's clear that she finds humor in her scare. Good thing Karina has a mask of her own to block the embarrassment forming as pink hues on her cheeks.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, this whole 'Karina' thing." She gestures to her.

"Um, I wanted to be a supervillain?"

"You?" Winter almost laughs, but fortunately, she didn't, because Jimin cannot handle another mockery, especially from Winter. "I mean that's fair, but for a supervillain, you do a whole lot of good."

"Yeah, it's not going as plan."

"I'm sure it's not a failure."

"I'm literally a failure."

This time, Winter really laughs, giving in to the humour of the situation.

"How about you?"

"I'm not trying to be both. I just did it because he bothered one of my friends." Winter explains, the story of the headmaster finally cleared up to Karina.

"So in between?"

"More like a vigilante."

The woman in white looks at her smartwatch, giving time for Jimin to observe how her suit has slightly darkened from fire, how ash still stains her boots. Jimin can't believe this girl was just brave enough to run into a burning building (And although she did too, just with a lot of hesitation eating away at her thoughts).

"Well, I have to go, good luck on that villain thing, Karina."

"Why are you still here?"

"Do you want me away?"

Jimin installed an emergency light in the bathroom before proceeding to wash the smell of smoke away. A wet-haired Minjeong was already in the living room by the time she returned home, indulging in ramen straight from the pot, Immaculate Sunshine cramming on the couch by her side. Jimin considered eating with her, but she smelled like smoked bacon.

"Not really, but you don't have to do this." Minjeong turns to face her, the dim yellow from her night lamp glowing on her pale skin. Jimin can just about make out the shape of her face, the curve of her nose, the big doe eyes.

Again, she couldn't breathe.

"I want to."

The caretaker warned that the blackout may occur in the building again since the power line snapped, and it'll take a few days to fix.

"You can sleep in your room, I have a lamp here for a reason."

"Kim Minjeong, you better shut up, or imma make you sleep in the toilet."

"It's my room."

"And I'm already comfy." Jimin sinks more into the pillows of the nap hole, smiling down at the blonde, hand instinctively reaching out to tuck a loose strand behind her ear.

Minjeong smiles back at her, catching her palm to squeeze.

"Thank you for last night."

"It's nothing."

A phobia is nothing to apologize for, people have something they're scared of, irrational or rational. Minjeong told her that the fear started when she accidentally locked herself in her closet in third grade, the light switch being outside, she sat in the dark for hours before her parents went home and forced the door open. Hence why she sleeps with a lamp and why the closet has a door stopper.

"No seriously, I thought I was going to die." Minjeong doesn't let go of her hand, subconsciously tracing the skin with her palm. Jimin concludes that she's going crazy because she inhales are short and her chest is pounding hard, if it wasn't for the dim setting, her pink cheeks would stand out like big lollipops.

They were always like this, they've lived together for three years —hand-holding, flirty banter, late-night talks were common. It was a routine.

What made now different?

A revelation hits Jimin like a plant pot. Falling on her head, giving a concussion.

Kim Minjeong, I think I'm starting to have a crush on you.

"I would never let that happen, idiot."

^^^

The two manage to meet on many occasional nights, it's unexpected, but Jimin managed to track down the general area the vigilante patrols, and all she has to do is to sit on one of the roofs to be found, jolting when she hears the familiar robotic voice behind her. Winter joins her, nothing much happening at night for Winter to work, and Jimin is too lazy to actually do something for Winter to work.

"So why a villain?"

"Oh." The reason is stupid and unreasonable, nothing near a great origin from the comics. And Karina is embarrassed to even say it, but she feels the opposite's expectant gaze.

Fuck it.

"A girl broke my heart."

"Oh." Winter laughs, a hearty laugh that loud and still organic even through the voice modifier. Jimin doesn't know if she should be offended or fascinated.

"Don't mock me."

"No, it's cute."

"She left me because she said I was too nice, and I was too bland, like superman, popular because I'm generic and friendly, nothing really special going on."

"Well, she clearly doesn't read comic books." Winter supportively pats her back, it's oddly familiar and comforting that Karina almost believes that she's not being judged through the white mask.

"So you're not over her?"

"Oh I am, I guess I just want to prove my worth to myself now. But it's hard because here I am again —The friendly superhero who does the normal superhero stuff."

"I think you're cool."

"We barely know each other."

"But I think you're cool already, and romantic."

"More like petty."

"Romantic. Superheros would sacrifice you for the world, but supervillains would sacrifice the world for you."

Again, Winter has a way of comforting. If she could just see behind Karina's mask, she'll be blinded by the huge grin.

"You wanna go and steal some candy bars?"

"How about we pay for them instead?"

"So you're friends now?"

"Kind of, at least when we see each other."

"Does she go to our school?"

"We don't disclose personal information." Well, she did spend one whole night talking about her ex-girlfriend, but that will not be said to Aeri.

"Come on, I need something back if you need my help."

"And I will provide, just help me research for one of her missions."

Winter has been working on an ongoing investigation against an insurance firm that was rumoured to be funding a corrupted foundation. The vigilante has been going on and on about the group that commits inhuman research and violations.

"Nakwon fullers group and co.?"

"Yeah, here's the file." Karina hands over the brown envelope, urging Aeri to hide it immediately as all this is top secret. “Sure, I'll ask my professors if they know anything about it."

"Dinner is here." Minjeong appears right after the file is gone, setting down the steaming dish on the table. Yizhou follows, setting the plates and wine glasses.

Aeri gently sets aside her work when Minjeong tells her to, the blonde smiling in victory by the time she returns to the kitchen to get the last touch-ups. Should Jimin be jealous that Aeri only gives her full attention to Minjeong and they have their over-the-top handshake?

"So you're still sleeping in her room?"

Jimin meekly nods.

"So much for weird younger sister."

"You know how bad she can get."

"Oblivious idiot."

It's normal to want to kiss your friend, right? Minjeong is pretty, and Jimin is relationship deprived. It's normal to have these feelings, even if it's your nonbiological weird younger sister.

Right?

Who's she kidding, she wouldn't even kiss her real sister's cheek at gunpoint.

Damn it, Yoo Jimin.

"I bet she only expected it to be both of you today."

"Nah," Jimin waves it off, "I totally meant to invite you and Ning."

The Japanese teasingly clicks her tongue, "She even made her special Italian food."

"She makes it all the time."

"Yeah, for you only." Aeri counters, a knowing look.

Jimin concludes that It was much better when she was busy typing and brushing off her rants than acknowledging.

^^^

"So you think you like her?"

"Yeah."

"Your roommate?"

"Yeah."

Winter snorts, head-turning back to face the city, the various lights glowing on her white suit, reflecting a blue and purple hue. Karina still can't believe how beautiful her suit is, and how she managed to get her hands on it is a mystery. Maybe she should ask for her supplier.

"Then, you probably do."

"Oh?"

"Trust me, I know from experience."

"You?"

"Yeah, I live with the most oblivious woman ever."

Right, under the mask, Winter is still human, Jimin forgets that sometimes. The girl's vigilante persona is perfect, she's amazing at fighting and her will to correct justice is somewhat cute.

But outside, Jimin wonders if she's still a student, is she by chance younger? Is she a face Jimin has walked past? Is she also a Computer Science major? Is she Jimin's type?

She's a complete mystery. —Knowing that Winter has a crush on her roommate is the very first information Jimin has since they met. And in contrast, Jimin has spilled her love life.

"Hey, you're bleeding." Karina's eyes bludge out as she pulls the latter's arm up for a better view, a slit on the latex suit, the edges of the fabric red along with the bandage on it. The girl lets out a loud wince from her rough action.

"It's nothing, I already dealt with it this morning. Just reopened when I overworked earlier."

"You should make sure it's clean at all time."

Karina reaches over to her utility belt, the little bag holding an alcohol spray because better safe than sorry.

Winter chuckles at the pouch, "I always wondered what you put in there."

"It's where I put my normal human things like keys, card, and cleaning alcohol."

"I should get one."

Winter willingly lifts her arm, although still struggling from the pain coursing through her abdomen. Karina's forehead creases in concern when she removes the bloody bandage, the red tainting her white and chic suit.

"You should get it checked."

"No, they'll ask questions. I'm not exactly loved by the public right now."

Jimin hesitates to apply it on because it will sting, and with a wound this severe, it will undeniably feel like the devil pricking your skin, but the latter encourages her to continue.

"How did you even get it?"

"I stumbled in a group, one of them had a pocket knife."

"A knife?! You have to go to a doctor."

"It's a clean cut."

Jimin concludes that whoever it is under the mask is a badass.

"This is making me worry now."

"There's no need to."

"But that corrupted company you're planning to out, they could be dangerous. More men, more weapons." She eyes the file USB she gave earlier, knowing full well that it has all the information Aeri found. Her best friend warned her about the case being dangerous, and way out of Karina's league.

Winter extends her hand over to pat her head, it's comforting and somewhat familiar.

(MinMin: Unnie

MinMin: Jimin unnie

MinMin: Yoo Jimin

MinMin: Honey

MinMin: I will keep calling you weird things if you don't answer

MinMin: Buttercake

MinMin: Scrambled egg

MinMin: mammal

- You are a strange person, Kim Minjeong

Minmin: (:

Minmin: I feel sick, can we get take out?)

Jimin feels like a stalker.

But she was just worried.

She spent the whole night helping Winter go over the notes of that damn insurance company and the fuller group, watching the vigilante gradually get more unmotivate when they fall into a dead end. Jimin went home sad and drilled with negative emotions.

So what she didn't expect to come home to was her cheerful roommate looking like she just found out Darth Vader is her father and went through a dramatic episode, matching the same negativity as the Winter, if anything, even more soulless.

Jimin didn't want to pry about the situation when the girl bangs the fridge door and returns to her room with an energy drink.

She simply went into her room in secret merely to check on her and offer tea. A bit surprised to see the girl already dead asleep on her desk, a concerning amount of empty drinks in her trash can. Her mouth cutely opened ajar, balanced and tranquil breathing, golden hair in a bun, round glasses tilted from hitting the surface of the table. Jimin notices her class sketches littered everywhere, some holding on to the wall with scotch tape. She has been spending more time in her room lately, so maybe she's just stressed with classes.

Jimin approaches closer, setting the tea down to crouch to eye level and admire the younger girl's features.

She gently removes the glasses, panicking when Minjeong's eyes flutter open.

Crap.

She waits for the girl to acknowledge her existence, what she didn't expect is for the blonde to furrow her eyebrows, blinking as if unsure and confused.

Oh. Did I turn invisible?

Oops?

Jimin looks to the bed and catches Immaculate Sunshine staring at her dead in the eyes, and she's lowkey nervous that she'll be outed by a dog. She's not sure if he only senses her or if animals can see her, so to be safe, she shushes him.

As more seconds go by, Jimin is still invisible and hunched over like an idiot, scared that if she moves the girl will notice the shift in the air. Minjeong has recovered her sense and is now looking around her in search of something. Eyes only halting when she spots the steamy tea on her bedside table.

The smile she gives the cup is fond and she looks giddy from the way she bites her lower lip.

Jimin is not sure what's so special about the tea, but she'll do anything to see Minjeong like that again.

"You think she has a boyfriend?"

Jimin should really stop drink with Ning Yizhou because yet again she chokes on the alcohol. Ningning calls her dramatic for it. She should stop hanging with Aeri.

Someone on campus hosted a party, his rich ass renting out a whole nightclub. And of course, half of the school goes, everyone dancing hard on the dance floor and getting wasted as if it wasn't the middle of the semester and has classes the next day. Everyone taking advantage of the boy's money by hoarding on drinks, very much like Jimin and Yizhou is doing currently.

Jimin feels slightly bad that she doesn't even know that his name, but it doesn't matter every time she swallows a burning gulp of alcohol.

"Are you sure you're a medical student, and not a psychology one, Ning Yizhou?"

"I'm pretty sure."

"Then why do you try to psych-analyze everything? Stop trying to be another doctor." There's no denying that Jimin is kind of out of it, and by the amused look of the younger girl's face, her words are coming out more slurred and messy than what she imagines she sounds like.

"I don't need to analyze it." The Chinese girl motions to the dance floor, Jimin's unsteady eyes following the direction.

Minjeong is there, blonde hair falling like a waterfall bouncing on her shoulders, her eyes close as she allows herself to get swallowed by the loud EDM music.

Her hand is on a man's shoulder.

The sight makes Jimin's insides boil, her fist close to squeezing the shot glass until it explodes.

Look away, Yoo Jimin. Look away.

"That's the same man I saw her with last time."

"She can date anyone she wants."

"Are you jealous?" Ningning teases, her bright smile being the last layer holding back Jimin from slapping her.

"So what if I am?" She groans, downing another shot that makes everything around her spin, the bitter taste reminding her that she's a loser.

"I'm so done with you two, can you just make a move and stop being so clueless?"

That's how Jimin discovers she's truly out of it, the rationality of her intellectual brain blurred into a haze that is jealousy.

She stands from her seat, almost knocking the stool, bold and brave, spited by her younger friend's words.

Without another word to her friend, she staggers over, does she have a plan? No.

Yoo Jimin is drunk. Drunk Jimin is either dumb Jimin or shameless Jimin. So without the awkward blubbering from her casual days, the dark-haired girl pulls a random girl over to her, allowing her body to move fluidly like the dances she learned from her dance practices. She knows she's attractive, the constant courting from other people enough to prove it to her.

The equally drunk woman plays along with her, eyes seductively staring into hers as she did dance moves that undeniably make Jimin thank the gods that women exist.

What is even happening?

Their gaze is pried when Jimin feels herself getting pulled away, only realizing the situation when she's out of the loud and messy club, the chilly air hitting her like a splash of water.

Minjeong is mad. She looks fuming, even.

Jimin feels herself waver under the intense scary blue eyes, she wants to disappear.

She may have taken that too far.

Ningning will give her a scolding, and when she tells Aeri, she will do the same thing.

"You are such a dumbass, Yoo Jimin."

"I'm older than you." She counters, realizing the wrong move when the girl glares.

"You're confusing me."

"How is it me? You were the one clinging on that guy?"

"And you were the one grinding on that girl."

"What's the big deal anyway?" Jimin knows it's a big deal, but as the saying goes, 'Drunk Jimin is dumb Jimin.'

"I can't believe you said that."

"I only did it because I was jealous!"

"Jealous of what, exactly?!"

"Him, whoever he was!"

"He's just a friend."

"Yeah, a friend you who touched your face."

"He's gay!"

"Well, how the hell would I know that?!"

"You would know if you realized how big of a crush I have for you, you oblivious fuck."

The response dies in Jimin's throat, her gaze suddenly able to focus on the blonde. The yellow light from the street light complementing her fair skin.

"You like me?"

"Yes!"

"Then who the hell is he?"

"He goes to my calculus," The latter clicks her tongue, "I'm trying to make him feel better because he was bullied by the headmaster's son."

Oh.

Ohhh.

Wow, I'm really dumb.

Jimin couldn't form words. Mouth opening and closing like a blubbering fish. Like finding Nemo, but she's finding a response to show the reciprocation of her feelings instead.

She notices how the tip of the latter's nose turned pink, both of them clearly underdressed for the weather. The blonde's pupils were shaking as if scared that Jimin will reject her.

She won't.

So she pulled her by the collar, pressing her lips hard on the frozen ones, the taste of alcohol and mint being mixed around between contact.

She tries to pull away to read the girl's response. Minjeong doesn't let her go.

They make it home, a messy teeth clanging, nose bumping make out before the door even closes. The tension from the fight still present from the way Minjeong pulls on her baby hair, her back pressed again the cold wooden surface as she tilts her neck up, giving space for the older to linger her lips on, a low moan coming out when Jimin sucks an area on the back of her ear, driving her absolutely insane.

Jimin's hands travel to the back of her thighs, urging her to jump on.

The two unable to get away from each other even when she carries the younger girl over to the couch, a gap refusing to exist between them. The older keeps her on top of her thighs, letting the blonde straddles her, attacking each other's mouths again to explore uncharted territories.

And only when Jimin tries to slip her hand through the girl's top is when they stop, breathes heavy when they separate due to low oxygen intakes.

"I'm sorry, I was getting too ahead of myself."

Minjeong doesn't leave her position, using her hands on the couch to not fully crush the girl under her weight. Jimin's face is red, and hers probably is too. The intoxication gone from the older girl's eyes, replaced by fond stars twinkling, giddy and nervous emotions running through them.

"No, I want to, but I have an injury there and the bruise is quite bad."

Jimin raises from her area to place an innocent soft peck on Minjeong's nose.

"We can stop if you want."

"No."

"Want to go to a more comfortable position so it doesn't hurt more?"

God, I'm falling in love with this woman.

"No need, how about we take out yours instead?"

"Hell yeah."

Minmin: you're amazing, honey tea

- where are you?

- I'm home if you need me

Jimin looks sadly at her unanswered messages.

"So she just disappeared?"

"Yeah."

Jimin is extremely confused as to why the blonde was gone by the time she woke up. Her hand trashing around to find the warmth that coddled her all day like a hot pack, but instead, she's met with vacancy. Not to mention that her being shirtless didn't help with the cold.

At first, she assumed that Minjeong was just in the living room. And when proved wrong, she assumed she went to the store or something, maybe something urgent came up.

She didn't think it would be three days of being left alone with no call, no text.

"Did I do something wrong?"

The situation is driving her insane. And Aeri sees it because for once in the span of their friendship, the situation is favored over her stupid Macbook.

"I have no idea this time, buddy. By how you said it, she seemed to enjoy it."

"Then why is she gone?" All Jimin is left to do is swallow in dread, she asked Minjeong's friends for her whereabouts, even that guy from the club whose name she finds out is Jisung, but to no avail.

"And besides that, I can't find Winter either, it's like I'm being tested."

"Wait, Winter is gone too?"

"Yeah, probably to follow a lead or something. The point is I couldn't find her."

"Interesting."

The Japanese stays quiet, the gears and cogs in her brain turning, revering to a revelation.

"Yoo." Jimin hums back from her sad cup of coffee, "Do you -and I'm being serious about this- do you by chance think that Minjeong and Winter are the same people?"

Winter. Minjeong.

"The same..."

"Yes, I have had my suspicions, but don't you think this is plausible."

"Oh ma god."

^^^

Stupid moral compass. —Karina curses Winter's drive to correct the wrong.

Karina sneaks past the guards, following a security guy into the armored facility. This is very dangerous, very very dangerous. But she's sure Winter is being kept in here.

Jimin is still wrapping her mind with the thought that Minjeong might be Winter, it's strange, but now that it's mentioned, the possibility is high.

It's the first time she's done anything dangerous to this degree, honestly, Karina's worst thing on her reputation is dumping water on Aeri for a prank, and the harsh glare she received is enough for her to never do it again.

Karina searches, damning the facility for having too many floors. Only having a lead when she overheard one of the guards talk about a prisoner they're keeping.

Karina is quick to rush off to the facility they mentioned, making sure to avoid hitting anything to make sure no one finds out of her abilities. She steals a keycard in the staff locker, her heart dropping because she's screwed if she gets caught. Luckily, no one notices, even the two men in lab coats who were chatting and drinking coffee.

The room in the basement has a security guy keeping guard, Karina prepping herself for confrontation.

Okay, okay.

One.

Two.

Thr-

"Code red, the motion tracker said an outsider entered our building around 8:45. There's no video caught of the intruder. Might be an accomplice of the girl."

Crap.

Karina grabs him with her smaller body, a cloth dosed in carisoprodol used to cover his nose,m. The man struggling at first and eventually falling limp in her arms.

Jimin immediately turns to unlock the door with the keycard, knowing dead sure that the security team saw that through the camera and is ready to beat her ass. But no time to mull about that.

"Winter?"

It's Minjeong. Kim Minjeong. A black bruise on her cheek, deep eye bags, messy blonde hair, but it's her, in Winter's latex suit, excluding the mask on her face.

Jimin, you oblivious dumbass.

I can't believe I never made this connection.

"Karina." She can see the girl cover her face momentarily.

Right, she doesn't know Karina is Jimin.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'll answer you later, but first, come with me." She supports the other woman up, arm slung on her neck as she stabilizes her walking. She slightly limping, and Jimin is extremely worried about what they did to her.

"Follow me, they're coming to stop us."

"You shouldn't be here." Her voice modifier absent.

"Well, it's too late now."

Minjeong remains silent, the two girls already anticipating the inevitable appearance of the security team. They would have to fight past them, but Jimin barely knows how to fight and Minjeong can't even walk.

They make it near the glass doors, Jimin needing to put to sleep a few people for seeing them, the two not even believing that they made it this far.

"Isn't it weird that they haven't found us?"

"It's a new team, I'm the first one the guards ever had to hold back, they're just a bunch of random people who have no idea what they're doing." Minjeong snorts, a bit cocky for someone who looks beaten up. Jimin is just glad she isn't dead yet.

"I hear them, what do we do?" Karina grips on her waist tighter, the two scooping around for anything they could defend themselves with.

Uh.

Crap.

"Do you believe in me?"

"I do."

Jimin pushes her against the wall, a hand on both of her shoulders, a little too close that they hear each other's breathing.

"You have to hold on to me because after this I might faint."

"What are you doing-" Jimin shushes her.

Minjeong's eyes bulge when the guards come to sight.

"Karin-"

"They'll hear you." Jimin nears a bit closer, palm on covering Minjeong's mouth, eyes closed in fear that it won't work. Many running footsteps can be heard behind them, their radios telling them that the two intruders went this way but are nowhere to be seen.

When the coast clears, she lets go, but not completely because Winter is under her abilities.

"They didn't see us."

"They didn't."

"Did we turn invisible or something?"

"I'll explain later, we have to get out of here first."

She's lightheaded, but she needs to keep it up to bring Winter to safety. Jimin never tried to do it with someone else too, she wasn't even sure she could do it. It's straining her body, pushing past her capabilities. But her goal is to get Minjeong out of this safely.

They step near the exit when red lights start flashing and the emergency bell rings.

"Run."

Her feet drag to the ground, a breath of relief they're finally far enough that they don't see the white building.

"Aeri's in a car down the hill." Jimin's breathing gradually gets rigid, her heart feeling like it will explode soon.

"Aeri unnie? You know her?"

"I don't think I can hold out anymore."

The two keep walking straight from the door, the security team probably still hot on their trails.

"What do you mean? Are you alright?"

"Just get down the hill."

^^^

Minjeong wakes up in a panic, the darkness surrounding her makes her breathes short until when she realizes the nightlight turned on beside her, a familiar and comforting pink mug steaming at the bedside.

She feels movement by her leg, where Immaculate Sunshine is sleeping, using her as a pillow.

The more Minjeong blinks and regains her senses, the faster she realizes where she is.

She's in Jimin's room.

Was that a dream?

The last thing she remembers is dragging Karina along with her, the two forced to blend in with the trees, hoping that they won't be spotted by the men from the facility. She recalls the wannabe villain give in her arms, opting for her to carry the girl with her injured state. Her exhaustion eventually taking over her body once she spots a white car by the road.

Holy shit, where's Karina?

"You're awake."

As if reading her mind, the superhero shows up by the doorframe, black mask still over her face.

"You shouldn't be here."

"A thank you would be appreciated."

"You're screwed if they find out about you."

Karina chuckles, going against her words by approaching the bed and sitting in the corner to cup her face, inspecting her bruises.

Minjeong can't believe she's starting to crush on someone under a mask.

But she moves her face away because somehow it fell like she's cheating on Yoo Jimin.

"You don't have to worry about that, they already know." The girl ignores her movement, hands politely placed on her lap.

"They know?"

"Yeah."

"Does Jimin unnie know?"

"Yeah, I told her we have a thing."

"You told her what?!"

Karina laughs, stopping the girl from standing. "I'm kidding."

To end the blonde's torture, she finally removes her mask, replacing the identity Minjeong knows her of.

"Jimin unnie?"

The girl chuckes in response, accepting the aggressive slaps on her chest.

"You're Karina?!"

"Surprise?"

"I can't believe I was having a mental breakdown because I was falling for two people. I can't believe you're the same person."

She smacks her forehead, Jimin gently catching her hand before it could inflict more pain, "Hey, you're injured enough."

"And you turn invisible?!"

"Yeah."

"This is too much to take in." Minjeong falls back on the mattress, Jimin joining her, excusing Im who huffs in annoyance before begrudgingly going to the mountain of clothes on the floor instead.

"Hey, is it that bad?"

Minjeong turns to her on the bed, "No, but I'm just annoyed I never realized."

"Maybe you're just as oblivious as me."

"I take that as an insult."

"And I take that as an insult."

"Touché." Jimin giggles, hand resting on the other's girl face, tenderly caressing the huffed cheek.

"So you didn't run away right?"

"No, I was just supposed to get groceries when a connection texted me the location. I swear I was just going to check."

"Promise?"

"Pinky promise."

"With a kiss to seal the deal?"

("So Aeri unnie knows who we are?"

"Yeah, so does Yizhou. We couldn't bring you to the hospital, she was our best option."

"That's bad, they're not supposed to know our identity."

"Why not? We're like a mini superhero group."

"I like that."

"I like it too, you look hot in your suit."

Minjeong face mushes further into the dark-haired girl's chest, humming to acknowledge how much she approves of that idea. And also how much she likes the feeling of the girl's thumb doodling on her skin.

"Couldn't you guys at least inform us that Minjeong unnie is awake?!"

“So much for younger sister.”)

End.