Chapter Text
“I heard you need tutoring.” Minjeong stops just in front of Yu Jimin’s desk as the girl packs up her belongings. She’s half asleep and most of the class has already left for lunch.
Jimin snorts, “Alright, who snitched on me?"
“Our math teacher, Mr. Lee, said you’re too weak in the subject.” Minjeong details. “He spoke to the basketball coach and he agreed that you would have to pass the next exam in order to stay on the team.”
Jimin pouts, and Minjeong looks down on her, not amused at all.
“Why do you know so much about this?”
“Because I was so enlightened to be pulled out of my class to be told about this. I’m also ranked first, if you don’t know.”
Jimin looks up at her classmate, contemplating.
“What do you get out of this?”
“It looks good on my record and helps me study as well. Is that a good enough answer, Yu?”
“Perfect. When do we start?”
—
Yu Jimin and Kim Minjeong are two individuals you rarely see together. It’s a sight to see them interact, but it’s easy to deduce when the town you’re growing up in is the size of a mouse’s home. Everything is interlinked and everyone knows each other, especially in a religious town where everyone attends church regularly. Parents, their parents, grandchildren, and just about anyone they can rope in has to attend church.
As reluctant and flakey as Jimin is, she’s there occasionally. For being the black sheep of the family, Jimin rebels quite a lot and only disappoint’s her family, but they rather not voice it out and pass it around in passive tones. They would rather Jimin learn how to focus and stay still in sermons on her own accord instead of having to embarrass themselves in front of the townspeople and treat her like a toddler. Jimin is very different from the expected girl in this area. She is tall, she’s crass at times, masculine, messy, eccentric in her choice of paintings, and she uses her voice on issues. She also plays basketball, and luckily, their town is inclusive enough to allow a girl’s team, however slightly lacking in people.
Kim Minjeong is the opposite.
She’s the poster child for purity and the typical girl next door. She doesn’t voice out her concerns; she goes accordingly with everything, does not act out, follows rules down to the tee and stays on top of her grades.
She won’t dare act out against her traditional family or the town, even if she shares her own quiet opinions.
In short, Minjeong is a nerd and Jimin is the jock.
—
“You have paint on your jacket.” Minjeong tells Jimin once the taller girl has located her in the library.
“What? Dang it… coach is going to kill me.” Jimin whines, looking at the blotch of dried paint on her expensive team letterman jacket.
“You can try getting it out with acetone.”
“Noted.”
And they get to studying.
Surprisingly, Minjeong finds that Jimin is fairly easy to work with. She attempts questions and asks questions when she isn’t sure about the solution, which Minjeong is glad to explain to her.
It’s not distracting, but Jimin can rarely stay still, which is why she takes up quite a lot of sports and active things. She’s sitting there with Minjeong in the quiet library after school and she can’t stop bouncing her leg and tapping her pen occasionally.
Minjeong hasn’t said anything yet, but Jimin can feel her eyes on her erratic movements.
“Sorry.”
“For what?”
“...Fidgeting.”
“I never said anything.”
“But you’re looking.”
“It’s…it’s a bit distracting.”
“Sorry.”
“You don’t have to be. I know you’d rather be on the court with a basketball right now.”
“Right. Sorry.”
Minjeong sends her a sharp look and Jimin smiles sheepishly.
“I think we’re good.” Minjeong closes her textbook up and arranges her papers into her binder folder.
“Really?” Jimin blinks.
“Yes.” Minjeong is curt. “Same time next week, okay?”
“Yup.” Jimin nods.
She spares a glance at the clock and sees that it’s a bit past dinner time.
“How are you getting home?”
Minjeong stares at her.
They don’t do that.
They don’t really do conversation outside of studying for math. Minjeong has only ever seen Jimin in passing at church and school. Conversations are not their thing and Minjeong finds that this is the exact moment Jimin begins to bridge the gap between them, unknowing to her, right under her nose.
“The bus," Minjeong tells her.
She’d usually catch a ride from her friends, but they’ve already left and she’s been staying behind to tutor Jimin. Her parents would be busy, probably only just getting back from work and Minjeong doesn’t want to disturb them. Her sister, Taeyeon, has only just gotten back from break in college and she doesn’t want to pester her tired older sister.
She decides on the town’s sketchy night bus—her only remaining choice.
“The bus?”
“Yes.”
“No way.” Jimin shakes her head.
“Why not?”
“Bus driver Tim’s a creep.”
“That’s an accusation.”
“And it’s true. He stares at girls for too long and his smile is too wide.”
“Right.”
“The bus also has no air conditioning, dusty seats, cracked windows, and I guess the whole vehicle is a growth spot for bacteria.”
“Yu Jimin germaphobe? I never thought of it.” Minjeong smirks and Jimin rolls her eyes.
“Okay. I won’t take the bus. What do you suggest I do, then?”
“I’m going to take you home.”
“Fine.”
“After I shoot some hoops first, though..."
Minjeong sits patiently on the school bleachers at the inside basketball court, which is also their hall auditorium. She flicks through a novel she’s reading as she listens to the sounds of sneakers squeaking against the shiny hardwood court as Jimin runs laps, aiming the ball into the hoops, back and forth.
Minejong’s up to a part in her novel that calls for a feeling of heartbreak when a shadow looms over her.
“What are you reading?”
“A novel.”
“What’s it called?"
“Past lives.”
“Nice. Is it good?”
“Up until the point you interrupted me, yes.”
“Sorry.”
Minjeong places her bookmark on the last page she was reading and looks up at Jimin from under her long eyelashes.
Jimin blinks.
“Are you taking me home yet?”
“Have you ever played basketball?”
“No.”
“I’ll teach you.”
Minjeong doesn’t have time to process or even protest the sudden intrusion when Jimin wraps a hand around her wrist and drags her down to the court.
“Throw it.”
“I’m weak at throwing.”
“I’ll teach you properly. I just want to see you throw it first so I can correct your form.”
“You can’t laugh.”
“I won’t.”
“...”
The ball rolls across the court slowly after a terrible throw from Minjeong and the smaller girl blushes, feeling embarrassed at Jimin’s terrible attempt to hide her laugh.
“You can laugh.”
“I won’t.”
“You’re terrible at hiding it.”
“I have no idea what you’re on about. Now watch me.”
Jimin gets into position, standing a bit further from where Minjeong stood and lifts her arms in the air with the ball. One hand is near it’s base and one is near the top. She bends her knees slightly, her elbows bent near her sides and she shoots, pushing off the ground.
It goes straight into the netted hoop swiftly without making a sound.
“I see why you’re star player.”
“Thanks.” Jimin beams proudly, retrieving the ball.
Jimin stands behind Minjeong and Minjeong turns around to look at her, but Jimin nudges her forward.
“What are you doing?”
“Look forward to the hoop.”
“Why?”
“I’m correcting your form.”
Jimin gently kicks apart Minjeong’s feet with her own and Minjeong follows. She hands Minjeong the ball and with her hands, she moves Minjeong’s arms by her side with her elbow bent and levelled with her gaze.
“Push off of your feet, like you’re jumping and land back on two feet. Push the ball with everything and look at the rectangle above the hoop. Aim there. Okay?”
“Okay.”
And Minjeong throws the ball.
It spins around the hoop and in a moment of silence, the ball stills and drops into the net.
Minjeong’s eyes widen and she spins around to look at Jimin, who’s wearing a bright smile.
“I did it!”
“You really did!”
Jimin and Minjeong share a victory together with boisterous laughter as they walk to the car park where Jimin’s car has been sitting for a while.
She drives Minjeong home and the car comes to a stop.
“Sorry for keeping you behind.”
“It’s alright. I had fun.”
“I’m glad. Thanks for tutoring me.”
“I have no other choice.”
“Ha-ha.”
“Sorry again.”
Minjeong unbuckles her seatbelt and turns to look at Jimin, one hand on the car door.
“You don’t have to keep saying sorry, you know that?”
“Sorry. It’s a bad habit of mine, I know.”
“You just did it again.”
“Sorry. Oh, crap.”
“You’re going to have to find something to replace that.”
“Hm.”
Jimin looks at her, a strange smile blooming across her lips and Minjeong feels conscious suddenly.
“Is there—”
“Pretty.”
“What?”
“I’ll tell you you’re pretty instead of saying sorry.”
Minjeong blushes suddenly, not used to the odd sensation in her gut from Jimin’s actions.
“Shut up.”
“Pretty. I won’t.”
“I wish you were sorry.”
“Pretty.”
Jimin isn’t surprised if Minjeong slams the door a little harder.
She grins when Minjeong runs into her house without sparing a glance behind her.
“Why are you home so late?” Her father is sitting at the dinner table, the bible open on the table.
“I was tutoring at the library. Lost track of time.”
“Who was it? Did they drive you home?"
“Yu Jimin.”
“Yu? Pastor Yu’s kid?”
“Mhm.”
“Hm. Head to bed. We’re getting up early to head to church.”
“Okay.”
—
Minejong doesn’t really sleep well or go to bed like her father told her to. She’s standing beside her family, wearing a simple cardigan and a nice cotton dress with her bangs clipped to the side. She’s barely staying awake for the mass, if not for her sister’s continuous nudging.
Something pulls down on the hem of her cardigan.
She looks over her shoulder and sees none other than Yu Jimin.
She seems to be standing alone and not near her family. Her father is holding the mass and her mother is in the front row.
Jimin must have come in late. She’s wearing a leather jacket over a band shirt and baggy jean slacks. However unladylike, Minjeong thinks it’s very Yu Jimin.
Jimin grins and Minjeong turns away.
It’s safe to say that Jimin doesn’t stop pulling down on Minjeong’s cardigan until the mass is over.
The adults mingle around and Minjeong stands off in an unpopulated area, which calls for Jimin to approach her.
“Did you have fun annoying me?”
“I was delighted.”
Minjeong can’t help but smile slightly.
“Oh. You just smiled.”
“I did not.”
“It was pretty. Do it again.”
“Shut up.”
“Minjeong, Jimin!” Their parents beckon them over and they share a look.
Minjeong moves first and Jimin trails behind, hand still holding the hem of Minjeong’s cardigan.
Her father’s hand curls around her shoulder and Minjeong stands upright beside her sister.
“I hear you’ve been tutoring my daughter, Minjeong.” The pastor smiles warmly and Minjeong nods politely.
“Yes, father. I have.”
“I’m glad. Thank you for raising such a lovely young daughter. She’ll be a good wife.”
Her parents smile and laugh politely. “Oh, such kind words, father. Thank you.”
Minjeong hides the urge to sigh and roll her eyes. She takes in a slow, deep breath and Jimin watches her.
“We’ll leave you kids to mingle around.”
Jimin walks outside with a bounce in her step and Minjeong looks around, finding no one she’d rather mingle with except for the idiot outside. She sighs, following along.
Jimin leans on the bench in front of the church and Minjeong takes a seat.
“Wanna know something, Kim Minjeong?”
“What?”
“One day, I’m going to get rich and become someone so cool and then I’ll be out of here for good.”
“I wish you well.”
“What about you? What are your aspirations?”
“To be a good daughter.”
Jimin frowns and takes a seat next to Minjeong.
“You can’t be serious.”
Minjeong shrugs, looking up at the blinding sky. She closes her eyes and leans back against the bench rest.
“What else can I do?”
“A lot, Minjeong. You’re young; you have your whole life ahead of you!”
“Sometimes it feels like my life starts and ends here.”
“That’s no good.”
Minjeong hums and Jimin clicks her tongue in thought.
“How about I teach you how to live?”
“Sounds like a terrible idea.”
“It’s the best idea. I taught you how to play basketball for the first time. I’ll teach you everything, Minjeong.”
“Will you teach me how to paint?”
“You know I paint?”
“You walk around with paint stains on your clothes and your hands, Jimin.” Minjeong deadpans.
“Oh. It must mean you like me if you’re that observant.” She smirks.
“I’ll kill you.”
“Pretty.”
—
“Where are you going?” Minjeong asks Jimin once she’s arrived at the library. Jimin steers her elsewhere, taking her wrist and pulling her in the opposite direction.
“We’re painting.”
“We can’t lose tutoring time.”
“We can take a break. I’m good.”
“Hah. Don’t say that when you show up with a fail.”
“I won’t. I have you as my tutor.”
Minjeong blushes and Jimin stops at the art room. She takes out a pair of keys from the room and unlocks the door.
“Why do you have the keys?”
“I swiped them earlier.”
“Jimin.”
“What?” Jimin grins. “We won’t get in trouble. I can just say I found them tomorrow.”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this with you right now.”
“Welcome to your first painting lesson, Kim Minjeong.”
Minjeong stands in front of a canvas with a paintbrush in hand and zero thoughts. Jimin’s canvas is opposite hers, with Jimin facing her.
“What do I do?”
“Anything.”
“I don’t like that.”
"That's the point. Do whatever you want.”
“I don’t know what I want.”
Jimin sighs and comes around to Minjeong. She holds Minjeong’s hand with the paintbrush and swipes some blue paint before dragging a bold stroke on Minjeong’s canvas.
“There. Start.”
“You ruined it.”
“No, I started it.”
Minjeong grumbles and Jimin grins.
The art room lapses into silence and Minjeong decides to begin.
With her view of the window behind Jimin and the blue sky beginning to grow darker, Minjeong paints to her heart’s content.
When Minjeong decides she’s finished, she doesn’t realise Jimin’s standing behind her.
“Wow.”
Minjeong flinches, turning around to face Jimin, a blush quickly spreading across her cheeks.
“What?”
“You said you didn’t know how to paint.”
“I…I just did whatever. Like you said.”
“It’s beautiful, Minjeong.”
“Thank you…”
“Name a price. I’ll hang it on my wall right now.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m so serious right now.”
Minjeong puts her paintbrush down and walks over to Jimin’s canvas.
“What did you do?”
“Have a look.”
Minjeong blinks.
She knows what she feels isn’t right, but with how Jimin makes her feel so comfortable and helps her learn new things, she feels nothing wrong at all.
The painting is of her painting and Minjeong blushes.
“You…you painted me.”
“Pretty.”
Jimin packs their canvases into the cupboard and makes sure to write her name on both of them. She tidies up and takes off her apron and before Minjeong is able to take off hers, Jimin is already behind her, untying it for her.
“Thanks.” Minjeong blushes.
“My pleasure.” Jimin grins. “C’mon, let’s leave before it gets dark.”
Jimin gets into her car and Minjeong follows.
“Should we reschedule the tutoring session, then?” Minjeong asks.
“There’s no need.”
“But your exam is tomorrow.”
“I will manage. You’ve taught me well, Ms. Kim.”
Minjeong doesn’t retort and stares out the window.
“Hey…are you alright?”
“Me? Oh. It’s nothing. Just…when you were teaching me how to paint, it reminded me of my mother.”
“How so?”
“She was a painter. She used to teach me how to paint when I was younger.”
“Really? Why’d she stop?”
“I mean, look at our town. Would they have accepted a painter?”
“I guess you’re right.”
Jimin drops Minjeong off.
“Mum?” Minjeong steps foot into the living room, and her mother settles in the kitchen, preparing food for tomorrow.
“You’re home, Minjeong-ah?”
“Mhm.”
“You have paint on you.”
Minjeong looks down at her button up shirt and surely, near the bottom of her shirt right where she untucked it, there’s a hint of blue paint.
“Oh. Jimin and I decided to paint today.”
Her mum smiles softly.
“Was it fun?”
“It was.”
“Help me put away some stuff.”
Minjeong nods, grabbing containers to arrange in the refrigerator.
“Can I ask a question?”
“Yes, dear?”
“Why did...why did you ever stop painting?”
Her mother hums, pausing in her step as she wipes down the counter slowly.
“I never had time for it anymore. I got married and then I was raising you and Taeyeon full time.”
“If you had the chance to paint again, would you?”
“Why would I ever now? I can’t make a living out of it.” Her mother chuckles and Minjeong frowns slightly.
“But if you could, would you?”
“I would. I miss it sometimes.”
—
It’s the morning of Jimin’s exam and Minjeong’s been feeling more anxious than Jimin herself. Jimin grins and ruffles Minjeong’s bangs. The shorter girl frowns and rearranges her hair with a huff.
“Quit fussing. I’m going to be fine.”
“I know. If you fail, that means I’m a terrible teacher.”
"You're the best teacher, Kim Minjeong. I learned more with you than I ever did with Mr. Lee.”
“I hope so. I spent so much time with you.”
“Spend more time with me, then.”
“What?”
Jimin smiles, leans down closer and Minjeong blinks, taking a step back.
“When I pass this exam, will you grab dinner with me?”
“You will get ninety.”
“Eighty.”
“Above ninety.”
“Okay, ninety.”
“And then I’ll indulge you.”
“Promise?”
“Yes, Yu Jimin. I promise.”
“I promise to get ninety and make you proud, Ms. Kim.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Sorry.”
“What did I tell you about that?”
“S–never mind. I think you’re pretty. Bye!”
“Yah–” Minjeong’s voice dies in her throat as she watches Jimin run away to get to her exam. Minjeong’s cheeks flare up and she desperately wants to hide away, not at all familiar with what she’s feeling.
—
Minjeong’s at home, reading a book in her room, when her sister comes in.
“Will it kill you to knock?”
“Yu Jimin’s downstairs talking to mum.”
“What!”
Minjeong springs up from her bed, her book forgotten, as she stands up and pats down her bed hair.
“Okay, wow.” Her sister chortles.
Minjeong looks at her appearance and grimaces. She obviously hadn’t been expecting guests; her hair was tousled from her shower, and she’s wearing a tanktop and shorts with mismatched socks. She picks up a sweater off her floor and throws it on before running downstairs.
“Minjeong, guess what!”
Minjeong is welcomed by the sight of her mother in the kitchen preparing a glass of water for Jimin as the girl sits on the kitchen stool, her face all smiles. She’s wearing jeans and a white t-shirt, her jacket hanging on the chair—and she makes the simple outfit so charming.
“What?” Minjeong pretends to be calm.
“I passed! I got ninety-two!”
Jimin hands Minjeong her paper and Minjeong stands there, flicking through all the pages.
“Good job, Jiminie.” Minjeong smiles softly, highly impressed.
“Jiminie?” Jimin blinks and Minjeong flushes.
Jimin clears her throat, her ears feeling warm.
“I got you a present as a thank you for helping me.” Jimin says, timidly holding up a wrapped package.
“For me?” Minjeong blinks and Jimin nods.
“Go on and accept it, dear.” Her mother chuckles. “Open it.”
Minjeong sits down beside Jimin and opens the package. Jimin takes a sip of her water, gulping down a large stream of water as she eyes Minjeong timidly.
Minjeong’s mother gasps softly.
Jimin had gotten her different hues of paint, an assortment of paintbrushes, colour pencils and the whole get-up.
"Jimin, this must have been expensive.” Minjeong turns to Jimin, worry evident on her face.
“It was worth it.” Jimin shrugs, beaming.
“I have a few old canvases in storage; I’ll get them out for you to use, Minjeong-ah.” Her mother smiles and Minjeong nods, rendered speechless by Jimin.
“It’s your turn to paint. Will you paint for me one day, Minjeongie?”
Minjeong puts the art supplies aside and throws caution to the wind. She leans over and wraps her arms over Jimin’s shoulder, squeezing her briefly.
“Thank you, Jimin. Seriously. And I will; I’ll paint you something someday.”
Jimin hesitantly lifts her arms up and hugs Minjeong back.
Minjeong pulls away, a blush evident on her cheeks and on Jimin’s ears.
Jimin clears her throat and turns to Minjeong’s mother.
“Mrs. Kim? Is it alright with you if I take Minjeong out for a celebratory dinner?” She asks, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
“That’s lovely of you, Jimin. Of course you can.”
Jimin turns to Minjeong with a bright grin.
“How about you get ready?”
Minjeong takes Jimin upstairs with her, hand in Jimin’s and they bump into Taeyeon on the way up there.
“Nice to see you, Jimin.” Taeyeon smiles and Jimin bows respectfully.
“You too, Taeyeon-unnie!”
Jimin takes a seat on Minjeong’s bed and looks around Minjeong’s room.
“Don’t break anything.” Minejong grabs an outfit from her wardrobe and heads to her bathroom. “I’ll be quick.”
“Okay.” Jimin chuckles.
Jimin heads over to Minjeong’s desk and looks at a notebook left open. There are doodles and well drawn sketches that impress Jimin. How long had Minjeong been holding herself back from her artistry? She flicks through a couple of pages until she finds a doodle of herself with an arrow pointing to ‘idiot’.
She grins and she turns around when she hears the bathroom door open.
Her eyes widen and her lips part as she is rendered speechless because of Minjeong’s effortless beauty.
Minjeong wears a light blue summer dress with her hair combed and two clipped bows on the sides holding her bangs away.
Minjeong twirls around shyly.
“Mum bought it for me. It’s okay to wear to dinner, right?” Minjeong asks.
Jimin almost trips when she stands up from leaning against the desk. She clears her throat.
“It’s perfect. You look perfect, Minjeong.”
The dinner goes well and Minjeong finds herself only ever enjoying Jimin’s presence when they’re together. She’s not really close with people around this town, except for her sister, who is basically her best friend.
Jimin is a free spirit and Minjeong feels like she can do just about everything and anything with her.
They end up seeing a movie and it’s terrifying, which makes Jimin leave halfway because she can’t handle it and Minjeong enjoys teasing the life out of her.
They walk through town and Jimin’s jacket rests on Minjeong’s shoulders now. Minjeong’s too shy to reach out but she likes being beside Jimin and it’s like the taller girl can tell as Jimin holds onto the sleeve of her jacket on Minjeong’s frame.
It begins to rain and they quickly head back to the car.
Jimin turns on the heater and they dry up, listening to the songs on the radio.
Jimin’s looking at her without a word and Minjeong doesn’t shy away. Her eyes are on Jimin’s beautiful face and she wonders what it would feel like to have a taste of freedom.
“I think you look really pretty right now and not that you don’t always, but I want to kiss you.”
“Right now?”
“Right this instant.”
Minjeong blinks and Jimin doesn’t move yet, not wanting to scare the girl off as she waits for Minjeong to comply.
She’s never had her first kiss before. She’s been so busy staying on top of classes, attending church and taking care of her family that she never really had time to indulge in things like romance or even her hobbies. She’s always heard about falling in love: It’ll be a good boy from a good family. He will be strong, masculine, the breadwinner, handsome, smarter and richer. You will fall in love with him comfortably, feel it’s right and marry him. You will have a nice, big family who will attend church and repeat the cycle.
Minjeong’s not sheltered from things in the world. Being used to entering new worlds in books and films, she’s no stranger to what love feels like.
It’s not comfortable and it doesn’t feel right. It’s strange and scary and it makes her gut twist like she’ll stop breathing from the anxiety, but Minjeong feels butterflies when she’s with Jimin. Jimin, who tells her she’s pretty, teaches her how to play basketball, teaches her to paint, and just makes her laugh so hard.
She’s only a teenage girl and she wishes there was a life she could live where sexuality did not matter and she didn’t grow up in this town. She imagines a life where she feels what she wants to feel freely and can think and say what she wants without care.
“Min—”
It’s subtle, but Minjeong dips her head down, nodding softly and Jimin smiles.
Jimin leans over, one hand on the passenger car seat and the other under Minjeong’s chin, as she urges her to look upwards.
She leans in and kisses her—gently and slowly.
Minjeong’s eyes flutter close and she grips onto the lapel of Jimin’s jacket, seemingly wanting to push her away but in paradox, she’s evidently pulling her in closer.
—
Minjeong gets a scholarship.
Two of them.
One of them is because of her academic achievement, and the other is for the art portfolio she submitted in secret along with Jimin’s encouragement.
When she tells her father, he’s proud of her. But when she tells him about the art scholarship and how much she wants to do it, he turns away and does not speak to her.
Jimin tells her she’s proud of her and Minjeong thinks she’s too young to be in love.
She kisses Jimin in the library between the shelves of literature.
“I’ve been reading that book you were reading.” Jimin tells her when they’re at the park in town. The sun’s setting and the people frequent the town less, preparing for dinner at home.
“Past lives?” Minjeong perks up and Jimin nods.
Minjeong swings on the swingset slightly, Jimin standing beside her, one hand on the chain, right on top of Minjeong’s.
“Is it good?”
“It makes me sad.”
Minjeong smiles softly, coming to a stop as her shoes scratch against the gravel.
“Why?”
“They just—they had so much love. Over decades of love and then nothing. He’s still hung up on her and then she’s already married and settling down, but then at the end she realises she still loves him, but they’re not together.”
“But isn’t that so wonderful? That they share such a love that transcends time? That they believe they could’ve been something to each other in a past life?”
Jimin leans down, kissing Minjeong chastely.
“What was that for?” Minjeong blushes, looking around in panic to see if anyone’s near them.
Jimin shrugs.
“I like how you use words.”
“Thank you.”
Jimin kisses her again.
“I think we lived a good life together in a past life.” Jimin says. “I think we love each other in a great big city with good families and nice friends.”
“I like that. It sounds nice.” Minjeong grins.
—
Minjeong’s father is out at work and Minjeong invites Jimin over.
They lay on the bed, Minjeong laying her head in Jimin’s lap as the taller girl played with Minjeong’s short hair and read aloud poems from Minjeong’s book collection.
“We’re graduating soon,” Minjeong says.
“Hm.” Jimin hums.
“What are you doing after high school?”
“I want to travel.”
“Really?”
“Yup. I’m going to see all the sights and I’m going to tell you all about them, Minjeongie.”
“Will I be there too?”
“Who will I travel with if not you?”
Minjeong giggles, turning into Jimin’s stomach as she nuzzles against the girl. Jimin puts the book down and leans down, pressing a kiss to Minjeong’s ear.
“Promise me you’ll be a famous painter in the future. You better take that scholarship and get out of here. No one paints like you do, Minjeong.”
“You’re biassed."
“Of course, but I know art when I see it.”
“Okay. I promise.”
—
Minjeong’s father doesn’t speak to her for a long time and he breaks when he sees Minjeong’s artwork.
“You have a gift, Minjeong. I won’t take that away from you.”
Minjeong cries like a child and she takes the scholarship.
It’s right before graduation and she’s already crying.
She tidies herself up before Yu Jimin arrives out in front of her house in her car wearing her bue graduation gown and cap.
“You ready?”
“Hell yeah.”
Minjeong makes her way to the centre stage, right in front of the podium. She makes her valedictorian speech, her eyes always on Jimin’s, unable to tear themselves away from the bright smile and proud expression Jimin holds.
There’s laughter, cries and affection shared, and Jimin links her pinky with Minjeong’s under their graduation gowns.
Jimin drives Minjeong home.
Minjeong feels it in her soul, from the way Jimin smiles fondly, like she’ll leave this all behind.
She swallows thickly and doesn’t enter her house.
Jimin stands there, leaning on her car door as Minjeong stands in front of her on the quiet road to Minjeong’s house.
“So…this is it.” Jimin smiles and Minjeong feels like crying again.
“Where will you go?” Minjeong swallows her tears back down.
“Somewhere beautiful, like Europe. I’ll go to Italy, and then maybe I’ll go to Spain.”
“Will you write to me?” Minjeong asks and Jimin nods.
Minjeong thinks here; this is where Jimin should ask her to go with her, but they’re barely adults yet and Minjeong has art school to go to.
“Of course.”
Minjeong can’t turn away.
This feels like the last time she’ll ever see Jimin and they haven’t loved each other long enough and Minjeong wants more.
“C’mere.”
Jimin takes Minjeong into her arms and it takes everything in Minjeong to prevent herself from breaking down in Jimin’s arms.
Minjeong winds her arms around Jimin’s waist, hugging her tightly, not wanting her to slip through her grasp.
Minjeong hadn’t opened up and let Jimin teach her all of her firsts and love her like this just for them to never see each other again.
“You can’t go away forever.” Minjeong’s voice shakes. “You have to come back.”
Come back to me.
“I will.” To you.
Minjeong pulls away and walks back to her house.
She stops and turns around.
“I’ll see you later, Kim Minjeong.”
I love you.
Minjeong never has the chance to say it.