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Minjeong feels a slender arm snake around her waist and it surprises her, but it shouldn’t have. She knew it was coming, it was a part of a perfectly crafted choreography moment for one of their performances after all.
The music screeches to a halt and Minjeong realizes a beat too late that it was because of her. Distantly, she hears her members groan and mumble under their breath.
She feels Jimin’s eyes on her. “You good?”
It had been like this for a while, the paradoxical feeling of overwhelming dread and fleeting enchantment. That was what it felt like being in love with her fellow group member, Yu Jimin.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Minjeong huffs, back to her usual self in an instant. It took years worth of mental conditioning to switch off her personal feelings and lock back into professionalism.
Because that was what this was at the end of the day, her job, her career, her utmost passion. Nothing could ever step in Minjeong’s way, not even herself.
Jimin gives her a cheeky smile and Minjeong tries her absolute hardest not to free fall into a never ending abyss.
~
“Do you find it weird when they tell you to do that kind of stuff with Jimin?” Ningning asks Minjeong one day after a meeting with the company for their upcoming comeback.
It was no secret that companies utilized fan service to generate excitement and interest.
Minjeong shrugs. “Not really. I mean, it’s not that much different than how we act in our private lives.” She ignores the way Ningning’s eyebrows raise in a peculiar manner. Almost like she knew something that Minjeong didn’t.
They arrive back to the practice room, where they have basically been living in day and night to prep for their new single. The older girls opted to grab some food before returning to their demanding journey into perfecting choreo and vocals.
“Still, it must feel a little silly, right?”
Minjeong rolls her eyes half way. “What are you trying to get at, Ning? Just spit it out, because I can tell when you want to say something.”
Ningning giggles and it sounds so ominous that Minjeong almost regrets even asking. “Nothing! I guess it’s kind of like when actors have to act in love for their roles.”
“But we’re not acting?”
Minjeong realizes her mistake when she sees a wide grin spreading across the younger girl’s face. “Got it. So you guys aren’t acting.”
The flurry of words spinning out of control in her mind never make it out of her mouth. Aeri and Jimin enter the practice room carrying bags of take out and a heavy feeling settles in Minjeong’s stomach at the sight of Jimin’s contagious smile once they lock eyes.
“Babe, I got your favorite!”
Minjeong offers a small smile in gratitude. It wasn’t a big deal, Jimin did this for everyone. She wasn’t special.
~
Their comeback week starts off surprisingly chill. They were all in a van on the way down to Busan for their first ever event in Minjeong’s hometown. She was excited to see her parents and perform for everyone back home.
Aeri almost had her beat, though, when it came to wanting to visit Busan. She spends the better half of the ride going through a list of places she wanted the group to see and do while they were there for the day.
“Sadly, Aeri, I think we only have time to visit the beach while we’re there.”
Minjeong pouts alongside Aeri. She really wished they had the proper amount of time to be able to explore the city, show them all her favorite spots, visit her home.
“At least we’ll be eating good food thanks to Minjeong’s dad!” Ningning chirps from beside them. “Not to mention that hotel room he booked for us!”
“Minjeong?”
They were on the beach now, and it was early in the morning, but the others didn’t care. Aeri and Ningning were frolicking through the sand and screaming with unhinged joy ahead of them while Jimin trailed behind, falling in step with Minjeong.
“You seem like you have a lot on your mind lately.”
“It’s comeback week.” Minjeong naturally deflects, like that’s a plausible enough answer for Jimin, who can see right through her every single time without fail.
Jimin clicks her tongue disapprovingly. “Be honest. You can tell me anything, you have to know that by now.”
Not this. Anything but this.
Minjeong settles with a vague response. A lie. A hope. “I do, but just give me some time and I’ll come to you.”
Jimin nods in understanding, accepting the answer like Minjeong knew she would.
~
Their performances at the event move by in an exhilarating blur, and Minjeong wishes she could savor more of this moment, wishes she could bottle up this feeling to come back to it whenever she wanted to.
To remind her that this was what it was all about.
~
It wasn’t long until Ningning pieced everything together. She took a seat across from Jimin at the dining room table, too absorbed in whatever she was watching to even notice the younger girl.
Ningning wordlessly clicked Jimin’s device off, sliding over her own phone to show her what she had found while sleuthing on social media.
“Look.”
“It’s a cute fan taken photo of me and Minjeong, so what?”
“Are you guys dumb on purpose? Everyone seems to know it but you two!”
Jimin has the audacity to look clueless. “Know what?”
Aeri walks by and seamlessly joins into the conversation. “That you and Minjeong are in love.”
The oldest girl splutters, not expecting to be hit so bluntly with the truth from her members. “W-What? That’s not—“
Ningning holds her hand up. “I’m going to stop you right there. You don’t have to deny it. It’s okay!”
“A long time coming if you ask me.” Aeri chirps from the kitchen. Minjeong had been fast asleep in their shared room, refusing to get out of bed so early in the morning, even though it was only nine o’clock.
Jimin’s expression darkens. “This isn’t a joke. It’s a really serious matter that could end with consequences.” Her eyes dart to Minjeong’s room, then back at the other two. “For all of us.”
Ningning slumps in her seat. She couldn’t disagree with her there. “So, what are you going to do?”
“Easy. Nothing.”
~
Minjeong slid down the wall after eavesdropping through the door. She heard everything the others were talking about.
~
It’s finally comeback day and Minjeong has her AirPods blasting in her ear on the car ride over to the showcase venue.
“i love you” ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?
She closed her eyes and took it all in. Things were always hectic during promotions, music show after music show. Interview after interview. Minjeong went through the motions on auto pilot.
For what felt like the millionth time, she senses Jimin’s eyes on her, but she doesn’t question Minjeong and her heart clenches. Jimin was being patient with her.
Minjeong felt like she was going insane.
But she couldn’t afford to be losing it when they were due to be on stage in quite literally ten minutes.
She feels a slap on her thigh and it snaps her eyes wide open. Minjeong abruptly pulls out one of her AirPods, giving Aeri a pout.
“Let’s run through the choreo one more time.”
And with ease, flowing as four like they were meant to be, destined actually, they nailed their performance.
Running on a high after coming down the stage, Minjeong makes a crazy decision.
“Jimin?”
The older girl twirls around, a wide grin on her face from the joy of performing on stage. Minjeong’s heart lurches. “Yeah?”
Minjeong makes a crazy decision.