Chapter Text
Graduating as the top student at SM Hero Academy, Yu Jimin was constantly told that she was destined for more. With her powers, she could take down villains and protect the city. She could achieve what her predecessors failed to do.
Assigned a “sidekick” her freshman year, Jimin became fast friends with Ning Yizhuo, or who she lovingly refers to as Ningning.
She despised the term sidekick. Ningning was arguably more powerful, a dark horse with her psychic abilities. All Jimin could do was run fast. Ningning was more her partner in crime.
Of course when it came to rivalry and competition in the academy, Jimin and Ningning were constantly put against another strong pair: Aeri Uchinaga and Kim Minjeong. They always came second.
After graduation, the mayor of the city gave them the task of being back up. Like an understudy, so to speak. They were clearly not pleased to be put on the back burner, but remained serious about their duties nonetheless.
More often than not, the two pairs would cross paths in professional settings. At local events as security, personal parties thrown by government officials where they would have to socialize and play nice, or sometimes out on the field during a particularly large case.
“I don’t have to be telepathic to know that she has a crush on you!”
“Ningning. You are telepathic.” Jimin rolls her eyes. “Besides, even if she did like me, she would never do anything about it.”
“Well, you’re sort of right about that.” Ningning mutters under her breath. She doesn’t make a habit of reading the minds of the people she worked with, privacy and all, but Kim Minjeong’s thoughts were especially loud whenever Jimin was around.
“What?”
“Nothing.” Ningning clasps her hands. “What do you want for lunch? I’m starving.”
They arrived home to their shared penthouse suite of the tallest building in the city, courtesy of the mayor. Funnily enough, Aeri and Minjeong had just moved in to the second penthouse suite adjacent to theirs.
They had yet to encounter each other though.
Jimin finally looks up to see her partner smirking mischievously. She scoffs. “What did I tell you about reading my mind?”
“So, should we invite them over for lunch?”
“You’re nuts, Ning.”
“You’re the one who thought it!”
“I didn’t say it out loud for a reason!” Jimin shuffles around the kitchen to distract herself from her growing thoughts that Ningning was surely going to hear. “I’m not so sure they want to be friends.”
Ningning opens her mouth to speak, but Jimin immediately shuts her down, realizing the double meaning to her words. “Don’t say it.”
The other girl puts her hands up in defense. “I won’t say it.” A teasing lilt to her voice. “But maybe we should start being friendly. I mean, we’re all past what happened at the academy and stuff, right?”
Jimin shrugs, a lopsided half grimace on her lips. “On their end? I doubt it. The Superiors were harder on them than they were on us. I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to be friends.”
Ningning bites down a giggle. Jimin slaps her forehead.
“I still think it wouldn’t hurt to try.”
So that’s how Ningning finds herself standing in front of the door to the adjacent penthouse suite, nervously fiddling with her fingers after a quick knock.
Nobody knew of this, especially not her dense best friend Jimin, but Ningning had been harboring the biggest crush on Aeri Uchinaga since the day they met.
The door swings open, seemingly on its own, but Ningning knew better. She couldn’t see, but she could sense her. “Minjeong? Why are you incognito?”
Kim Minjeong materializes right in front of her. Ningning doesn’t flinch. “You never know when a villain might strike.”
“But it’s noon.”
“Precisely.”
Ningning turns when she feels another presence enter the open space. “Ignore her. She’s in a mood.” Minjeong throws up a peace sign and shuffles off to what Ningning can assume is her own bedroom. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Ning Yizhuo?”
She stomps her feet. “When will you call me Ningning?”
“Only your friends call you that, though. And we aren’t friends.” Aeri squints, considering her next words. “Yet.”
Ningning takes it. “Yay!” She fist pumps into the air, then she sees the odd look Aeri sends her way and dials it down, clearing her throat. “Actually, I came here to invite you and Minjeong over for lunch.”
Aeri lifts an eyebrow. “Why?”
This stops Ningning in her tracks. She had no formulated reason for this sudden outreach. “I—because— consider it a house warming lunch!” Right. Perfect and subtle answer!
Minjeong appears next to her and this time she shrieks in surprise, too distracted by her scrambled brain to anticipate the other girl, no thanks to Aeri Uchinaga.
“Count me in.”
“If she’s in, then I’m in.”