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After months on the road, the euphoria of Dreamcatcher’s successful world tour began to fade. The rigorous performances, the constant pressure of having to do their best, the fear that the fans wouldn’t enjoy their songs, all these things tugged at her, leaving Minji feeling more drained than she’d ever anticipated. But, she refused to show it, powering through every performance with nothing but her best, plastering on her cheerful persona and smile as she sang her heart out. She was Dreamcatcher’s leader. She couldn’t show her weakness now, when all her members depended on her to keep things going, to shoulder their stress and show them the way through this new era in their careers.
But now, back home in Korea, in their dorm, all the members retired to their rooms, exhausted after months of travel and performing, ready to wind down and relax in the days to come. Only Minji was left in the common room, standing in the kitchen, unable to sit down and relax. Her anxiety and stress, a constant companion throughout the tour, refused to dissipate even though they were finally home. She found herself pacing the kitchen floor, trying to calm the racing thoughts in her head.
After minutes of this, Minji let out a frustrated sigh, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to calm herself down. Restless and tense, she found herself seeking solace in the one person whom she could truly let herself be vulnerable with, the one person who understood her better than anyone else—Bora. She knocked on her door, more demure and meek than she usually is, only going in once she heard the telltale ‘Come in’ from the woman inside. As she went in, she met Bora’s eyes, seeing a flash of understanding passing through them. Without a word, Bora beckoned her over, Minji complying and allowing Bora to pull her into her bed.
They lay there together, neither saying a word, Minji curled up against her, feeling the comforting rhythm of Bora’s fingers running through her hair, stopping occasionally to massage her scalp. It was a simple gesture, but one that spoke volumes of their deep bond. Bora knew Minji well enough to understand her unspoken needs, and as she felt Minji relax against her, a soft smile tugged at Bora’s lips.
“I was wondering how long it would take you to show up,” Bora remarked lightly, her voice a gentle murmur in the quiet room.
“Hmmm,” Minji hummed, burying deeper into Bora, not bothering with a proper response.
“You’re unusually quiet today,” Bora observed, and after a beat with no response, smirked and teased, “Not going to argue with me this time?”
“Hehehe,” Minji chucked softly, the sound slightly muffled against Bora’s shoulder, then continuing, allowing herself to be a little more selfish, “Not today. Today, I just want this.”
Bora nodded, pressing a light kiss in Minji’s hair, smirking and teasing again when Minji didn’t protest. She placed more kisses in her hair, reveling in the fact that she could express her care for the older woman without question today. Minji closed her eyes, letting herself indulge in the warmth and affection that only Bora seemed to effortlessly provide. With each kiss, the tension in Minji’s muscles seemed to melt away, replaced by a growing sense of contentment and need.
“Bora,” Minji whispered her name breathlessly, looking up into the other woman’s eyes, “More… give me more…”
Bora gasped lightly at the bold request, eyes widening slightly. Minji had never been this direct before. Bora’s heart constricted at the sight of teary eyes, knowing that if Minji was asking her like this then she must be feeling a lot more stressed and anxious than Bora initially thought. Wordlessly, Bora complied, first placing a kiss on Minji’s forehead, hearing a whimper from the older girl as she did so. She then moved down, quietly urging Minji to close her eyes, then left a gentle kiss on each of her eyelids. Next, she placed a kiss on Minji’s cheeks, reveling in their softness. Lastly, she moved to her nose, kissing the tip and causing Minji’s nose to cutely wrinkle, forcing Bora to hold back a laugh. But, before Bora could move back up to place more kisses on her hair, Minji stopped her, catching her arm, making Bora look back into those beseeching eyes.
“More…” Minji urged, looking deeply into Bora’s eyes, face so close their noses were practically touching, “I need more… Bora… please…”
Bora’s breath caught in her throat. The air between them crackled with a newfound intensity, Minji’s gaze silently pleading for more. Bora hesitated for a moment, captivated by the vulnerability and longing in Minji’s eyes, the intensity of her gaze creating a thick tension that surrounded them. Then, slowly, Bora inched forward, eyes flicking between Minji’s eyes and her lips. Minji did the same, unconsciously wetting her lips with her tongue, which did not go unnoticed by Bora. She inched closer and closer, the tension thickening with each passing moment. Neither could tear their eyes away from the other, as if hypnotized by their mere presence.
Then, lightly, their lips touched, a burst of emotions flowing through each of them. Their lips met slowly at first, hesitant, just letting themselves get used to the new feeling. But soon, their kisses grew in intensity, their lips moving in their own synchronized dance. Bora’s hands came up to cup Minji’s face, allowing herself to deepen the kiss. Minji’s arms circled around Bora’s back, pulling her closer. They lost themselves in each other, reveling in the tender, sweet kisses they gave and received in turn. Time seemed to stand still as they kissed, their breaths mingling in the quiet intimacy of the room.
When they broke apart, their chests were heaving, cheeks flushed pink, resting their foreheads against each other, not wanting to stray far. They were overwhelmed by the kiss, the sheer amount of emotion, the unspoken words dancing on the tips of their tongues. A silent confession of the emotions they had both been afraid to voice, afraid to put out in the real world for then it would become too real.
Without another word, Minji snuggled into the crook of Bora’s neck, finding solace in the steady beat of Bora’s heart beneath her ear while all the anxiety and stress flew from her mind, replaced only with thoughts of this amazing woman before her. Bora wrapped her arms around Minji, holding her close in a light embrace that spoke volumes of their unspoken feelings.
They drifted off to sleep like that, tangled together in a cocoon of warmth and affection. There were conversations to be had, questions to be answered, but in that moment, none of it mattered. All that mattered was the person held tightly in each others’ arms, offering comfort and love without reservation—except maybe an alarm, which neither thought to set. A big mistake since, the next morning, all the members woke up to find their two eldest members wrapped up in each other, sleeping away peacefully. They snapped a quick picture, mischievous grins on their faces, now having enough material to tease them relentlessly in the days to come.