Chapter Text
"I would like to be able to breathe — to be able to love her by memory or fidelity. But my heart aches. I love you continuously, intensely."
― Albert Camus
It’s you, it’s me.
Who else would it be.
We tried so damn hard to please everyone. We wanted it so bad. We yearned for their approval like our life depended on it, as if our existence would only ever be worth it, with their permission. But is it really?
Erasing every trace of who you are, for the sake of everyone else? Making yourself smaller to make others comfortable, while you’re so ashamed that you can’t even look up? The agony you must feel looking in the mirror everyday, as you slowly start to forget who’s on the other side.
If that is truly how you’re supposed to live, then everyone should be dead.
When you kill the soul, what else is supposed to remain?
To hell with that, Kim Minjeong.
She rubbed her eyes and read it again.
“Fuck…” Jimin muttered.
“Ridiculous, right?”
Jimin felt her soul leave her body before her mind could register it. She screamed and turned around. Minjeong was laying by her side, palms tucked underneath her face, and an angelic demeanor.
“Minjeong-ah! You scared the living shit out of me!” Jimin rolled to her back, a hand pressed to her chest.
Minjeong giggled. “Sorry.”
Jimin rolled back to her side, facing her. “Are you okay?”
Minjeong sighed. “I come here to see you first thing in the morning, worried you were gonna have to see all that and you’re only concerned about me?”
Jimin scooted closer. “What did I tell you?”
“You told me a lot of things.” She replied.
“I made a promise to you, didn’t I? I don’t believe any of that, it’s just stupid made up rumors.”
Minjeong couldn’t hold back a smile and tried to hide it, burying her face on the pillow. She hoped Jimin couldn’t see the relief washing over her too.
“Hey, Minjeong-ah. Do you know how crazy I am about you?”
Minjeong’s face was on fire. She covered it with her hands. “No.”
Jimin swung a leg over her and straddled her waist, pinning her to the bed and prying her hands away. “No?”
Minjeong shook her head furiously, lips pouted teasingly.
Jimin’s mind drifted while she stared at the woman beneath her. Minjeong could’ve easily turned back to her old ways, isolating herself from the world, sacrificing herself for the sake of the group’s image and reputation. She was that type of person, Jimin thought. But she was here. Minjeong would keep the suffering to herself, pretending things didn’t get to her, put her own needs in the back burner just so she wouldn’t hurt anyone. But she wore her heart on her sleeve, Jimin had always noticed. Minjeong loved hard in silence, in her own way, she didn’t always know how to express it. But Jimin felt it, all these years, she had known deep down. And now it blared loudly in her face.
“What?” Minjeong teased.
“I love you.”
Minjeong’s teasing facade dropped. “I love you too, you sap.” She said as she softly pushed Jimin away. Every fiber of her being screamed to pull her closer.
Jimin grinned, her smile reaching her eyes, turning them into crescent moons. “Stop acting like a brat!”
Minjeong rolled her eyes. “You say that as if you don’t like it.”
“I do.” Jimin said and her expression turned devious. She pinned Minjeong’s hands above her head and she lowered her voice as she spoke next to Minjeong’s ear. “I like it a lot.”
Minjeong’s breath hitched.
“You’re so bad, Kim Minjeong.” Jimin whispered before pressing a faint kiss on her neck.
Minjeong whimpered.
Jimin slowly kissed her way up to Minjeong’s lips. Her eyes had turned darker and Minjeong’s gaze matched hers, half-lidded. A wandering hand roamed down her body until it sneaked underneath Minjeong’s shirt, like a snake ready to latch onto her prey.
“JIMIN, DID YOU SEE—“
A scream.
Jimin rolled out of Minjeong’s body and she fell off the bed, hitting her head on the bedside table in the process.
“Unnie!”
Aeri stood horrified by the door, a hand quickly covering her eyes. “I don’t even wanna know.” Before she started walking out.
Jimin picked up her pillow and threw it at the door, completely missing Aeri. “DO YOU GUYS EVER KNOCK?” She yelled.
Minjeong just laid back down, her fingers pressing to the sides of her head with her eyes closed, cursing under her breath. Her entire body feeling dangerously hot. And very bothered.
“It hurts so bad.” Jimin wailed.
Minjeong sat next to her on the sofa, holding a pack of ice to her head. Despite the fact that Jimin was hurting, she struggled to hide a laugh.
“Stop, I’m in pain.” Jimin complained.
Minjeong looked extremely amused. “I’m just thinking, this would happen to you.”
Jimin huffed and closed her eyes. She couldn’t keep up the annoyed act for long and she also failed to keep her laughter in. “So annoying.”
“You know what else is annoying?” Minjeong asked.
Jimin shook her head.
Minjeong lowered her voice. “Everyone keeps interrupting us. Don’t you think it’s about time we get to be alone?”
Jimin gulped. “Like, just the two of us?”
Minjeong rolled her eyes. “Duh.”
“What are you thinking, Minjeong-ah?”
Minjeong’s eyes traveled from Jimin’s pajama top, down to her silky white shorts, right back up to her face. “I’m thinking… We could be sleeping in the same bed.”
“Would Aeri and Ning be okay with that?”
Minjeong looked at her like she grew two heads. “Are you seriously asking that question?”
Jimin scratched her head, wincing in pain as she forgot it was bruised. “Well, what about management? What if they find out? Manager unnie is always lurking.”
Minjeong couldn’t comprehend why Jimin was making things so difficult. It wasn’t like they haven’t spent the majority of their time in each other’s room anyway, and it’s not like the company would scold them for changing dorms, to Minjeong it was a non-issue even. So why was Jimin being so cautious?
She scoffed. “So what? It’s not that big of a problem. Do you not want to be with me?”
Jimin’s eyes widened and she shook her hands in front of Minjeong. “It’s not that at all, of course I wanna be with you.”
“So?” Minjeong pushed.
Jimin looked everywhere but Minjeong. Her hands trembled.
Minjeong lifted her head up to eye level. “Jimin, what’s wrong? You can tell me what it is.”
“W-we—“ Jimin swallowed. “We.. you know. Never done it.”
Minjeong was even more confused with the explanation. “Done what?”
“You know…” Jimin lifted her eyebrows as if trying to deliver a secret message that Minjeong simply wasn’t receiving. She let it simmer for a bit.
Then she realized.
Then she hit Jimin’s arm.
“Is that all you can think about?” Minjeong pretended like that wasn’t the problem at hand in the first place. “I’m talking about switching dorms, get your mind out of the gutter!” She crossed her arms, looking away with a smirk.
Of course, it wasn’t just Minjeong thinking about it. Jimin must have felt just as frustrated for initiating what they could never finish. There were always interruptions or no time because of their schedules. And Jimin always chickened out, Minjeong believed. Also, it wasn’t like they lived in an isolated home. They had neighbors who knew exactly who they are and would probably figure out who it was if some strange sounds started coming from their dorm.
“First of all, ouch! Second of all, I’m sorry if I can’t stop thinking about my girlfriend that way. Can you blame me?”
Minjeong stopped her act and turned back around. “Let me hear it then.”
Jimin blinked. “Huh?”
“What do you plan to do to me?” Minjeong questioned like she was simply asking about the weather.
Jimin blushed. “Minjeong-ah!” She whined.
Minjeong enjoyed messing with Jimin a little too much. It was a nice switch up from the older one’s endless teasing every now and then. She let her laughter die down before she climbed onto Jimin’s lap.
“I’m sorry.” She rubbed Jimin’s head where it hurt, slowly and gently. “You’re so cute like this.”
Jimin pouted.
“We don’t have to rush things if you don’t want to. We can go at whatever pace you feel comfortable with and I’ll be learning along the way with you too.” Minjeong comforted her. “I know that’s what you’re really worried about.”
Jimin pouted even harder. “Have I mentioned that I love you?”
“Multiple times now.” Minjeong giggled. She remembered one little detail. “Though, you still haven’t told me what I really wanna know. When did you fall for me?”
“When the right time comes, I’ll tell you.” Jimin promised.
Minjeong stopped rubbing her head. “So mysterious for no reason.”
“Are you guys proper?” They heard Aeri ask from their front doorstep. A hand still covering her eyes while Yizhuo let herself in, walking past her and waving at them.
“No! Go away.” Jimin ordered. Minjeong climbed out of her lap, much to her dismay.
Aeri chuckled and joined Yizhuo on the couch.
“Alright, what the hell is going on?” She questioned. Her gaze directed at Minjeong.
“Just some deranged people trying to start baseless dating rumors, nothing new.” As nonchalant as one can be, Minjeong got on her phone. “I’ll settle this quick.”
The girls stared at her expectantly.
“That should do it.” She nodded satisfied, while Jimin sneaked a look at her screen and giggled. She showed the other girls who looked confused and locked her phone.
“I don’t get it, you just followed a memes account.” Aeri quipped.
A smirk grew on Minjeong’s lips. “You’d be surprised how little it takes for our fans to take a hint.”
“She’s right.” Jimin added.
Before they could ask any more questions, Minjeong’s phone started vibrating. Their manager’s name flashed across the screen.
“Here comes the annoying part.” She rolled her eyes before picking up the call and walking away from the living room.
“No, I’m not…” They faintly heard before Minjeong shut the door.
“Guys. I need your help.”
Midway through a stage practice for the end of the year award shows, Jimin took the opportunity to lay out her longtime secret plan to Aeri and Yizhuo while Minjeong was on a bathroom break.
“Shoot.” Yizhuo said. Aeri nodded wordlessly while massaging her legs.
Jimin looked around for safety purposes. All the backup dancers were busy chattering around, their managers were on their phones looking bored and no Minjeong in sight. “I want to take Minjeong on a secret vacation to Jeju. No management and most importantly, I don’t want her to know either.” She whispered.
Aeri looked up with a quirked eyebrow. “She’s gonna find out anyway. What’s the point?”
“Well yes, that part. But this is where you both come in. I want her to think it’s just another group vacation.” She replied.
Surely, Minjeong wouldn’t suspect a thing. At least Jimin wanted to believe that. They liked Jeju and they had more freedom incoming after all their arduous work. A group trip sounded perfectly normal. They had talked about wanting to go back with Donghwa and Seohu, so maybe they could play along with it too. And Jimin could finally act upon her promises.
“Ah, I see. What’s your plan, Romeo?”
Time flew by with their busy schedules, the girls barely had any time to celebrate their successful year properly. Comeback after comeback, show after show, special stages, covers, tours and individual work on top of it all. Everything they could have done, was checked off the list. In retrospect, it was a rollercoaster, the way they experienced the ups and downs of being in the entertainment industry. The idol life wasn’t always easy, especially when the success meant extra work and there’s no time to relish in your victories, or when things go wrong and you have to deal with an entire company and the world’s eyes on your back. Despite it all, Minjeong was no longer one to care for negative comments. Not from people who meant nothing to her. They didn’t know her, she didn’t know them, so their words faltered meaning on their way to her. All she cared for was to get her much needed rest and enjoy her time off.
“Have you packed yet?” Minjeong asked while laying on the couch and flicking through channels on the TV.
Yizhuo was in the kitchen preparing a snack with Aeri. “For what?”
Aeri slapped the back of her head.
“Ow! That hurt!” Yizhuo complained. Aeri stared at her, frantically trying to signal her with widened eyes.
“There was a bug on you.” She explained.
Minjeong turned her head in their direction, her eyes squinting. “You’re deadly scared of bugs, unnie.”
Aeri visibly fumbled for a quick cover up. “Well, I have to protect my girl.” She said as she wrapped an arm around Yizhuo, her chest puffed out.
Minjeong squinted harder.
Aeri coughed. “Anyway, we’re packing tonight.”
Minjeong hummed and turned her head back to the TV.
Yizhuo pressed an apologetic and thankful kiss to Aeri’s cheek as a beeping sound from the front door signaled Jimin’s return from her last solo schedule.
“Hi baby.” Jimin said as she bent down over the couch to peck Minjeong on the lips.
Aeri let out a fake barf.
“Remind me again why did we bother switching dorms.” Jimin said to Minjeong as if the other girls weren’t in the room.
Yizhuo walked up to her with a snack in hand. “Sorry unnie. She likes to pretend she’s not just as cheesy as you are.” She shrugged and handed the snack to a giggling Minjeong.
Jimin turned to Aeri who was mirroring her own dumbfounded expression.
A day later, Jimin and Minjeong stood by the airport waiting area. No managers, no members, completely disguised from head to toe, no big brand clothing, with masks and hats in place. Everything normal according to plan, except for the time Aeri and Yizhuo were taking to arrive.
A text came in.
“What? Aeri is saying Yizhuo messed up their tickets and bought them for tomorrow’s date instead.” She showed it to Jimin who was trying and failing to hide a smirk.
“Oh? That’s.. unfortunate.” She scratched her head. “We have no choice but to go by ourselves then. What a shame.” Jimin dramatically declared.
Minjeong slapped her arm. “Don’t be an asshole.”
Jimin laughed and dragged her through check-in.
An hour later, when they stepped foot outside Jeju International Airport, Jimin made a call.
“Hi, Donghwa unnie!” She chirped. “Where are you? I don’t see your car.” She asked, maintaining her facade. Minjeong stood by her side looking around and wondering when Jimin and Donghwa had gotten so close. She glanced back when Jimin let out an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, so you’re not coming? Hm.. Okay.. Yup, don’t worry.”
“Donghwa unnie isn’t coming?” Minjeong asked and Jimin put the phone on speaker.
“Hi, Minjeongie!” Donghwa quipped on the other side. “Sorry, I got caught up over work so we had to cancel our plans to Jeju. But we can join you if you’re still there by next week!”
“We have to go back by then, unnie.” She told her disappointedly.
Donghwa chuckled. “Our fates aren’t aligned right now, but no worries. Let’s meet up when you guys come back.”
“Fine, take care! And say hi to Seohu unnie!” She added.
“Will do, have fun!” Donghwa said. “You too Jimin. Bye!”
“Bye!” They said in unison.
Minjeong sighed. “The universe really wants us alone.”
“Right.” Jimin muttered. “You say that as if it’s a bad thing.” She side-eyed her.
Minjeong swayed on the spot. “Of course not.” She softly said.
They found themselves in a part of Jeju they had never visited before.
If Minjeong found it suspicious how the hotel room was already reserved for just the two of them? Yes, but she didn’t mention it. If she noticed how incredibly nervous Jimin appeared? Also yes, but she also didn’t say a thing. It was an adorable sight anyway.
Their hotel room had a privileged ocean view just like last time, except this one was directly across the beach. Minjeong was appreciating the scenery when Jimin sneaked her arms around her waist and rested her chin on her shoulder. “Do you like it?”
Minjeong hummed. “I love it.” She replied contentedly, sinking even further into Jimin’s embrace.
And it was in fact, very pretty. Even prettier, if it weren’t for the fact that the sky had decided to unleash a relentless downpour. One of the downsides of traveling to Jeju during winter time. Though, they didn’t care a single bit about it. When you’re in love, you see the world through rose tinted glasses.
It was summer in their arms.
Minjeong tilted her head, a playful smile on her lips. “Am I supposed to keep pretending I don’t know you planned all this for me?”
Jimin exhaled through her nose, giggling into her hair. “Nothing gets past you, does it?”
Minjeong turned in her arms, wrapping her own around Jimin’s neck. Her fingers moved instinctively, tracing familiar patterns along her skin and Jimin purred.
“I know you too well, Yu Jimin.”
Jimin pulled them closer. “That was merely the plan to get you here alone. I have more in store, Kim Minjeong.”
Minjeong raised a curious eyebrow.
Jimin smiled, then kissed her forehead.
They spent the rest of the day cooped up in the hotel room, eating and catching up on all the movies and TV shows they missed. Later, some time into a particular boring movie, Jimin heard soft snores coming from the girl nestled into her neck. The same girl who swore she wouldn’t fall asleep.
Jimin thought back to trainee days, when they would get back to the dorm from particularly hard dance practices and annoying teachers. Despite the tiredness, Minjeong always seemed to never run out of energy, annoying Jimin to no end, clinging onto her to help her go over dance moves that she couldn’t pick up earlier that day.
Other days, she would drag Jimin to a badminton court and they would play together for hours, sometimes they would go to a karaoke room and sing endlessly until exhaustion took over. And Jimin never complained. How could she, when Minjeong was the only person in her life she could be herself with. Regardless of being older and taking on more responsibility than she should have, Jimin could simply be a teenager and act like it. There was no pretense back then. Back when all Jimin cared about was to see Minjeong smile.
Years later that’s still her number one priority.
Jimin reached out to her phone, careful not to wake Minjeong up. She checked the weather forecast for the next day and sighed as the anxiety left her body.
Her plan was still in action.
“I’m so full.”
“Me too. Think I ate a little too fast though.”
”Unnie. Relax! We’re already here anyway.”
”I can’t. My body is still running with adrenaline. I’ve never sneaked out!”
”There’s a first time for everything.”
“You’re naughtier than you look, Minjeong-ah.”
“There’s still a lot about me you don’t know about.”
…
“Look outside, unnie.”
“Wow… it’s so beautiful. I’m so happy right now.”
…
“Hmm.”
“Hey! Look at the sun, not me.”
“I’ll go blind, unnie!”
“It’s still raining, you’re crazy.”
They were standing by the hotel entrance as Jimin tried to persuade a grumpy Minjeong. The plan? A walk on the beach.
“It’s not even raining that hard, Minjeong-ah. It will stop in a bit, come on!” Jimin protested.
Time was of essence, Jimin thought. It was already nerve-wracking enough to think about how she wanted to surprise Minjeong. The last thing she needed was for the other girl to start stalling and ruin her very romantic plan of action she so carefully thought out and prepared for.
Minjeong had no idea why Jimin was so adamant about taking a walk on such conditions, but she noticed how visibly anxious the latter was and decided to give in.
“If we get sick, it’s all on you.” She grumbled.
Jimin grinned like she won a prize.
“Don’t be so dramatic. I’ll still take care of you even if you get sick.”
After the initial hiccup, the girls quickly made it onto the beach, tucked under Jimin’s umbrella. The older girl pulled her along like she knew exactly where she wanted to go. The rain had let up and Jimin folded the umbrella, before she started walking faster. Minjeong tried to match her pace and her gaze drifted onto a small tent set up underneath a palm tree in the distance.
“No way.” She muttered.
Jimin said nothing, just continued to happily drag her along the beach until they reached the spot.
“Ta-dah!” Jimin announced, making jazz hands.
It was a simple white tent if you just glanced at it from the outside. Minjeong stood confused for a moment before she decided to take a step inside and she gasped. There was a picnic basket in the middle of it, but what had caught her attention were the fairy lights decorated around the cluster of polaroid pictures of them, hung along a string. A timeline of memories from when they met, all the way to a recent picture of Minjeong’s birthday, where the girls held up her cake and Jimin watched her with a loving gaze. Beside it, there was an empty polaroid. Minjeong tilted her head towards it in question.
“I brought the camera with me, we’ll take that one today.” She told her, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth. She was still nervous.
“When did you have time to prepare this?” Minjeong wondered, while she picked up a polaroid to observe it closer.
Jimin took a step towards her. “This morning, while you were still asleep.” She shrugged.
“I woke up at eight, you’re saying you did all this before that?” She was stunned.
Jimin nodded, shyly.
Minjeong returned the picture back to it’s place and gently grabbed Jimin’s face. There was no need for thankful words, Minjeong kissed her hard, as if her grateful beating heart could speak through the press of her lips. Jimin wrapped her arms around her waist.
“You’re crazy.” She muttered.
I love you so much.
Jimin let out a childish-like laugh, the kind that made her wink and throw her head back. “I already told you before. I am, for you.” She declared.
“Come sit.” She unlocked her arms from behind Minjeong and pulled her down so they could sit on the floor mat.
Minjeong watched as Jimin reached into her bag to check her phone. She observed her sigh in relief and look outside toward the sky. As if the universe was in tune with Jimin’s master plan, in a moment, it started raining again. But not as strongly as before. She smiled.
“Minjeong-ah.” She softly called out, her gaze locked onto the rain.
Minjeong hummed.
“You know how I keep saying I’ll tell you when I fell for you, when the right time comes?” She questioned.
“Yes.” Minjeong confirmed.
Jimin finally faced her. “Look outside.” She told her.
Minjeong did as she was told, a look of confusion but also curiosity adorning her face.
Then, Jimin let it all out.
“It was exactly like this.” She uttered. “I think I knew you weren’t indifferent to me when we first met, but I never gave it much thought. We were so busy back then anyway, trying to debut.” Jimin exhaled sadly. “But I couldn’t help notice how my heart started beating differently around you. I may not seem like it but I get nervous a lot and it would get worse whenever you clung to me.” She giggled. Minjeong didn’t notice the tears streaming down her face as she focused on the small droplets falling from the sky. “The heart is always right.” She nodded to herself. “And you’re like soft drizzle, Minjeong-ah. You slipped in softly, soaking into my heart before I even noticed.”
When Minjeong finally turned her head around she was met with a still very nervous Jimin holding a small black velvet box in her trembling hands. Her eyes widened in shock.
“It’s not an engagement ring!” Jimin reassured her. “It’s a promise of my devotion to you. I’m serious about this, about us.” She explained.
When she opened it, Minjeong looked down at the matching silver and golden rings displayed on the soft cushion inside. Her breath hitched.
“They’re not flashy and I’m not gonna ask you to always wear it, but I needed this.” Jimin murmured, her voice getting choked up with emotion. “Will you wear it?” She sniffled.
Minjeong’s lips parted slightly as if she wanted to speak but nothing came out. So overwhelmed with affection for the woman sat in front of her, Minjeong couldn’t believe the lengths Jimin went to surprise her and show her how much she cared. She could think about an endless list of people in her life who loved her, like her family, her friends, Aeri, Yizhuo, the millions of fans around the world. Yet, nobody could ever come close to Yu Jimin.
If there was definitely a purpose to life, then Minjeong believed she has found it.
Happiness was by Jimin’s side.
She wordlessly picked up the golden ring and slipped it onto her finger, then she took the silver band and slid it onto Jimin’s finger.
Then she threw her arms around Jimin, holding her tightly against her body. “I love you.” She whispered. “I love you so much, Jimin.” Her entire body trembled. “Thank you for loving me.” She exhaled.
They sat like that for a moment, basking in each other’s presence. Minjeong rubbed her back in gentle circles as she gathered her own emotions.
After a while, Jimin leaned back and cradled her face, wiping her tears away. “You’re very easy to be loved, Minjeong-ah.”
Minjeong remembered her own words from way before and she let out a shaky laugh. “Slow down, you might actually give me a heart attack one of these days.” She quietly said.
Jimin raised her eyebrows comically. “Oh no! We can’t have that. I have to stop loving you right this instant!” She gasped, her eyes glinting with mischief.
“Hey!” Minjeong exclaimed. “Don’t even joke about that.” A teasing pout forming on her lips.
Jimin laughed wholeheartedly.
“I’m kidding, obviously.” She pressed a kiss to the mole on Minjeong’s cheek.
A pause.
“That was the most romantic thing someone has ever done for me.” Minjeong confessed.
Actually, nobody had ever done anything remotely close to what Jimin had done, in her whole life. Or maybe somebody had tried but Minjeong never cared for it. It was like, life had purposely made her ignore any advances from other people until Jimin crossed her path. Minjeong had unknowingly carried herself around with tunnel vision until the woman in front of her showed her what love was supposed to feel like. Jimin was love itself, Minjeong thought. All she had to do was willingly drown in her.
If Minjeong was soft drizzle, Jimin was heavy rain.
“I’ve never done anything like this for anybody else.” Jimin admitted. “Never felt like this either.” She finished with a soft smile.
Minjeong studied her face for a moment. Jimin was still exactly the same as when they first met. Long and luscious black hair, alluring eyes, perfect nose, full heart shaped lips some people would kill to have, and the mole sitting right beneath them, the same one Minjeong had dreamed of kissing for years. Yu Jimin as Karina was confident, unwavering, intimidating in the way she looked like she owned the space she took up. Yu Jimin as herself was just like the kid Minjeong had met years before, only slightly grown now. Her goofiness, her attentiveness, her clumsiness the way she tripped over her own words when she was nervous. She was still the same. Except, Minjeong could see it now. She could see herself through Jimin’s eyes, in the back of her mind. Jimin looked at her like she wanted to etch Minjeong’s face permanently in her brain. So that even when they get old, and life doesn’t forgive anyone, Jimin will still remember her.
“What if it didn’t rain?” Minjeong questioned.
Jimin shrugged. “I would make something up and do this later. Sometime when it rained again.”
Minjeong tried to fight the stubborn grin spreading across her face. “You would wait?”
A nod.
“However long it took.”
Minjeong didn’t know how much more she could take, her entire body yearned to jump up in joy. To run out of that tent and scream to the world she was in love with Yu Jimin and Yu Jimin loved her back. She wouldn’t do that, of course. She had a tsundere image to maintain.
She glanced back instead at the basket sitting in the middle of the tent. “What did you bring?”
“Hungry already?” Jimin asked. Minjeong simply nodded.
There was a pregnant pause before Minjeong could see the cogs turning in Jimin’s head. It translated into the wicked grin that started taking over her face. Minjeong mentally prepared herself for the nonsense about to come out of her mouth.
“I could think of something else we could be eating.”
There it was.
The rain outside started picking up again, drowning the sound of a playful slap and the slow, muffled languid kisses that followed.
"Fancy seeing you here, Jimin."
"Late practice. Figured I should drop in and say hi."
"Do you need anything?"
"No. Well, yes. I kinda need your help."
"Spill girl. What can I do for you?"
...
"Thoughts?"
"Aren't they a bit too simple?"
"It's the meaning behind them that counts, unnie."
"Ah! As expected, the last romantic... Anyway, here you go."
"Thanks unnie. I owe you."
"Oh! I don't want anything for these rings. Consider them a gift from Seohu and I, as your future bridesmaids."
...
"Do you think Minjeong and I will ever get married?"
"I believe so, Jimin-ah. Wholeheartedly, you're meant to be."
...
"Is love supposed to feel like this?"
"How?"
"Peaceful."
"Of course, Jimin-ah. When your soul knows something is truly meant for you that's how it should feel. It doesn't make your heart clench with the fear of losing it. You're in love."
"I'm in love..."
How do you know when you're in love?
It will feel exactly the way it's meant to.
That giddiness you feel, the butterflies, the excitement from getting into a relationship is predictable. But at some point, later on, when those feelings fade into the background and you realize there's nothing left, that's when you know you were never really in love. When the elation turns into anxiety and those warning signs blare loudly in your heart, that's when you know you're supposed to let it go.
Love is safety, love is calm.
You'll know it when you find the person you can look at and think "I wouldn't mind going about the rest of my life with you by my side." And it doesn't scare you.
A lot of people don't know love, not truly.
And they will dream up a version of who they think was designed for them. Unattainable, too-perfect, unrealistic. Those people are but fools.
Love, as big as it stands, translates into all the small things. There's no guide or tutorial, it will come in when you least expect it. When that time comes you'll figure out, that somebody your heart picked, is now your entire world. When that person takes up every crevice and space that once was vacant, and it doesn't bother you. When you see them everywhere, in everything, and it feels like they were purposely brought into this world to be seen through your eyes alone. When their mere presence becomes your only source of peace in the midst of all the chaos.
You'll see, in everything that is tragic and beautiful all at once, you must accept that is love.
Her lips are much too close to mine, beware my foolish heart!
But should our eager lips combine, then let that fire start
For this time it isn't fascination, or a dream that will fade and fall apart
It's love this time, it's love, my foolish heart!