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The preacher may never marry us and my mama may never know you but I can kiss you over a flask of whiskey and dance with you under the stars and if that isn’t marriage I’m not sure what else God is looking for.
— A quote from Tumblr
📼
“You’ve got that stupid look on your face again.”
Jimin blinks, squinting her eyes, almost smiling like a sloth as she turns to Aeri.
“What?” Jimin shouts over the thumping beats of the bass-boosted music in the club.
“I said you’re looking stupid! Kim Minjeong stupid!” Aeri yells, and Jimin nods, tipsily, the smile on her face growing larger. “God, you’re gone!”
“Hey—I’m totally still here!” Jimin speaks louder to hide the slur in her words.
To be honest, Jimin isn’t drunk (yet). She’s tipsy and she thinks the alcohol she had earlier has somehow made her more inebriated than usual and maybe it’s because she’s tired from studying earlier. She should’ve gone home to finish her pending assessments, but then she ran into her friends on the way back and suddenly everyone was free this Friday night, so Jimin pictures her Saturday like this: waking up at noon, eating, sleeping, eating, reading and failing to complete her assignments.
And probably with the addition of Kim Minjeong at every step.
Kim Minjeong. If you know Yu Jimin, then you know Kim Minjeong. Jimin and Minjeong grew up together somewhere in the country and she immediately started to follow the girl around like a curious puppy when she learned to walk, despite her cat-like appearance.
Yu Jimin immediately grew a liking to unimpressed Kim Minjeong, and she would grow up to describe her type to be someone with a puppyish face, ergo Minjeong, much to the younger girl’s chagrin. Jimin was a walking boombox growing up and she made Minjeong’s life hell—according to Minjeong, but truly, Jimin made it seem like spring was every waking day. Jimin clung to Minjeong’s side and followed her around everywhere, and Minjeong kind of liked it, but she’d never admit it.
Some people thought their friendship was an odd case. Overly affectionate Jimin and nonchalant Minjeong, but Jimin liked to say, “Minjeongie is just like that.” An enigma who pretended to dislike Jimin’s affection but always liked to hold hands while walking.
So now they’re deep into the years of college, having moved into a small two-bedroom dorm with all they could afford at the time, but it’s a good thing both of them were on scholarships. And this small apartment is where they’ve lost their minds together on more occasions than one.
Aeri, who’s also their other friend from high school, always teases them for being an old married couple and Jimin doesn’t blame Aeri. The poor girl has been witness to her and Minjeong’s constant bickering over the years. Though Aeri was on the richer side, she never flaunted it, and Minjeong liked having meals paid for by her favourite unnie, who definitely isn’t Jimin. By the gods, Jimin was glad Aeri found someone who could occupy her time since Minjeong introduced a course mate of hers to Aeri and they hit it off immediately. At first, they hung out as four and they all grew closer and Aeri and Yizhuo found common ground in teasing Jimin and Minjeong and complaining about them. But later on, they founded a great friendship that later bloomed into something so disgustingly adorable, as Jimin puts it.
So her two closest friends have lucked out in love, so have her other friends and Jimin’s just around. Minjeong has been on a few dates here and there with some guys in her course, but they never really go anywhere. Last year she dated a nice boy for three months but later broke up with him because he was asking for too much. She never really clarified and Jimin never liked to pry.
It’s been almost six years since they’ve been away from their childhood home, navigating adulthood in the city. But now that they’re almost done with college and they’ve finally got a break, the kids have decided to reunite and return home.
So in the present, as Jimin watches Minjeong dance around freely in the club, singing along to the music and dancing with their friends, she feels happy either way.
“Hey, do you know when Minjeongie looks the prettiest?” Jimin’s speech is slow, but she’s trying hard to push the words out faster.
“When?” Aeri snorts, happy to play along with a tipsy Jimin.
“When she’s dancing.” Jimin says, eyes never leaving Minjeong’s dancing form.
Minejong’s hands roam free in her short hair, tousling it all over the place but it never appears messy. The strands of her brown hair fall back into place and she flaunts her carefree smile. She dances along with their other friends, mouthing the lyrics of the songs blasting, but Jimin has the inkling she has no idea what she’s mouthing. Occasionally, Minjeong’s eyes meet hers and Jimin gives it a second of admiration before Minjeong’s face scrunches up into an adorably wide smile, waving at Jimin enthusiastically.
Jimin feels a slap on her shoulder and she flinches, tearing her attention away from Minjeong.
“Dude,” Aeri almost doubles over in laughter before she composes herself to speak to Jimin, hoping to convey her words clearly, though she’s sure she has said these words so many times over the course of their friendship. “Do you still not see it? Or feel it at least! You like Minjeong. Like, you’re totally in love with her.”
It’s a sobering thought. One that launches Jimin into a week-long crisis.
But she doesn’t really have time to pretend these feelings don’t exist when she spends every waking hour with Minjeong, her best friend and longtime roommate, who likes to be right beside her at all times, at all costs—oh, the turntables.
“So,” Minjeong draws out the vowel. “What are we doing for your birthday?”
Jimin shrugs, a smile crawling onto her face almost every time she faces Minjeong. “Same thing we always do.”
They’re sitting on the floor mat, the small wooden table a mess of shells as they snack on pistachios that Jimin’s been peeling for Minjeong. The tips of her fingers hurt, but she’d rather her fingers hurt than Minjeong’s.
After that party fiasco the other night, Jimin has been doing a spectacular job of hiding her feelings from Minjeong. She’s sure Minjeong doesn’t suspect a thing because she’s acting like how she’s always been and Jimin is always a bit loserish, but Minjeong thinks it’s her charm. She definitely hasn’t been staring at her ceiling at night like an insomniac wondering if Minjeong could like her back in that way.
“You don’t want to do something special?” Minjeong asks.
“I just want to be home,” Jimin says simply.
“But you don’t always turn twenty-five.” Minjeong nudges her, staring at her like a puppy. “There must be something!”
“Well,” Jimin hums, smiling at Minjeong’s cute expression. “Maybe it’d be nice if we could hang out again at home. And visit that place with the pork cutlets.”
“Oh my gosh,” Minjeong gasps. “I hope that place is still open.”
“It probably will be. Nothing about home has changed.” Jimin shrugs.
“Only we have changed,” Minjeong says dramatically and Jimin giggles, throwing a shell at Minjeong and it bounces off her nose.
“I don’t think we have changed that much.” Jimin says softly, ignoring the way Minjeong is pointedly glaring at her for not agreeing with her.
Jimin, not wanting to feel weird for staring at her adorable best friend for too long, gathers the pistachio shells to clean. She clears her throat and does an odd walk towards her room after discarding the shells in the kitchen bin.
“We, uh, we should start packing for the train ride back tomorrow.” Jimin says awkwardly.
“Okay,” Minjeong jumps to her feet too.
Packing turns out to be another mess when Jimin finishes her bags in the same night, while Minjeong struggles to remember to bring what she needs. She also struggles to pack less because Jimin finds herself in Minjeong’s room, sorting out things she doesn’t need, like the extra fluffy blanket she always sleeps with. Minjeong thinks she needs it, while Jimin reminds her that they’re going back to their childhood homes, where plentiful blankets will be there.
Minjeong turns in for the night first, leaving Jimin to clean around the house, but she doesn’t mind at all. She’s just happy she gets to see Minjeong sleep so peacefully.
Wow.
She’s down bad.
📼
Stepping out of the taxi, Aeri looks a mess, while Yizhuo looks incredibly well-rested. Minjeong chuckles and Jimin rolls her eyes before walking over to help the girls with their bags too.
“Why the hell do you have so many bags?” Jimin complains.
“I’m just a girl, okay!” Yizhuo scoffs at Jimin.
“You are a menace to society; that’s what you are.” Jimin shakes her head and Yizhuo sticks her tongue out.
“Wait, Yizhuo, isn’t this going to be your first time meeting Aeri’s family?” Minjeong gasps.
“Yup.” Aeri beams proudly. “Even though we won’t be out publicly, I’m just glad my family gets to meet someone so wonderful in my life.”
“This is so exciting!” Minjeong cheers. “My family is going to love you, too! And Jimin’s mother is going to overfeed you!”
The train ride is anything but quiet because Yizhuo and Minjeong like to talk a lot, and when Jimin means “talk a lot,” she means the whole four-hour train ride and she doesn’t blame Yizhuo for asking so many curious questions because she’s the only one that didn’t grow up with them. She’s definitely in for a ride, but a good one. Minjeong manages to doze off as they arrive and Jimin wakes her up and she’s faced with the maddest puppy ever.
Jimin then has to carry her own bags and, additionally, Minjeong’s bags to their homes.
Aeri takes Yizhuo to her home on the other side of their street and they promise to meet each other in the morning for breakfast and to plan out their week.
When Jimin opens the door to her home, she blinks when she finds that there are twice as many people as would usually be in her family house. And it turns out, it’s the rest of the Kims.
“The girls are back!” Mrs. Yu smothers them immediately. “Look at you two! Too skinny!”
“Eomma,” Jimin chuckles but still bends down to hug her mother.
“Eomoni!” Minjeong whines immediately. “Yu Jimin has been so mean lately!”
“Me? What?” Jimin gapes.
“I raised you better.” Her own mother glares at her before pulling Minjeong into the house, leaving Jimin with a bunch of luggage.
Jimin rolls her eyes before she bumps into her sister.
“Hey little sis,” Jinah smiles at Jimin cheekily.
“Unnie? What the—what are you doing here?” Jimin’s eyes could water. She hasn’t seen her older sister in so long. “Is little Naeunie here?”
“I can’t miss out on my baby sister’s twenty-fifth birthday just like that.” Jinah chuckles. “And yes, your niece is here, but she’s taking a nap right now. You can terrorise your brother-in-law first.”
Jimin could almost burst into tears right this moment. She hasn’t felt homesick for a long time, feigning maturity since going to university far from home, but seeing all of this and actually feeling the warmth of home has Jimin feeling like a kid all over again.
“Eomma!” Minjeong whines petulantly.
“I told you to stop running around! This is not your home.” Mrs. Kim scolds her daughter.
Jimin snorts, enjoying the sight of Kim Minjeong having her ear pinched by her mother.
“Eomoni.” Jimin decides to give Minjeong a little mercy.
“Jimin-ah! Oh, have you grown taller?” Mrs. Kim’s face changes immediately as she smiles and walks over to hug Jimin.
“I’ve always been this tall.” Jimin giggles. “But have you grown prettier these days, eomoni?”
“Yah, you and your sweet mouth.” Mrs. Kim blushes.
“I’m prettier…” Minjeong mumbles petulantly.
“What was that?” Minjeong’s mother turns to her sharply and she runs away.
“Nothing!”
Jimin turns around just to turn into a wall and she’s slightly winded.
“Oh, hey, didn’t see you there, kid.” Her dad pretends to puff out his chest and Jimin chuckles.
“Hey, old man.” Jimin grins, leaning up to hug him just like she used to as a kid. And as always, he lifts her off her feet no matter how old she gets.
“Who are you calling old?” Her dad chuckles heartily.
He puts her down and then begins to look around the room.
“Where’s the other little one?” Her dad asks.
“Minjeong?” Jimin chuckles. “She’s somewhere.”
“I’m here!” Minjeong pops up behind Mr. Yu with a cheeky grin on her face.
“Look at you two!” Mr. Yu grins, hugging Minjeong. “It’s like you never left!”
Jimin listens to Minjeong’s giggle like it’s her favourite song and then the fatigue of their long trip finally settles in her bones now that she’s home. She quietly drags her things to her childhood bedroom, where everything is just as it was before she left for college. Her desk is pristinely left, though a noticeable gap is in the room from when she and her sister used to share the room back when they were younger. It’s been years since her sister moved out after getting married and having a daughter. She wonders where her sister, brother-in-law and niece are staying during this break, but then she recalls that she did indeed see a futon set in the living room.
She places her bags down and smiles to herself before going back to her boisterous family.
“What do you mean I don’t have a room?” Minjeong gasps and Jimin wonders what she walked into.
“I said what I said.” Minjeong’s mother rolls her eyes at her. “Your room has been storage ever since you left. I don’t have time to move everything out for you.”
“But you knew I was coming back home!” Minjeong whines.
“Just stay here, darling.” Mrs. Yu tries to calm the tension of the Kims. “Jimin’s room has all the space you need.”
“See? A solution!” Mrs. Kim points out. “And you get to sleep over at Jimin’s just like you always wanted as a kid. You’re old enough to figure yourself out.”
Minjeong harrumphs, crossing her arms over her chest like a toddler and Jimin thinks her three-year-old niece is more mature than her best friend, but she loves them both equally. Jimin chuckles, wrapping a placating arm around Minjeong’s waist to tug her in the direction of her room. She grabs Minjeong’s belongings while she’s at it.
Minjeong stomps her way into Jimin’s room, having memorised probably the entire structure of this quaint home all throughout childhood. She grabs Jimin’s desk chair and plops into it with a garbled scream coming out of her.
“Are you done with your tantrum?” Jimin asks gently and Minjeong shakes her head.
“My family doesn’t love me.” Minjeong pouts and Jimin smiles softly.
Under all of that tough exterior and bratty facade, Jimin knows exactly who Minjeong is at heart. Just someone who needs a little more love and care that Jimin is all too willing to give if Minjeong will have her.
“Yes, they do.” Jimin chuckles, walking over to hug Minjeong, who immediately latches onto Jimin’s midriff like a parasite.
“I’m their only child home this break and they can’t even clear the room for me! I bet Jeongwoo’s room is all neat and tidy, but I don’t want his stinky room.” Minjeong speaks with a perpetual pout, rubbing her face against Jimin’s stomach. “Stinky-bastard is in the military but I bet he feels eomma’s love twice as much as me.”
“None of that is true and if you would stop your tantrum, you would notice your mother is doing you a favour.” Jimin tries her hand at placating Minjeong. “You always sleep over at mine without fail and it’s literally been twenty years. You don’t like the way your window faces the neighbour’s brick wall and you love my window because you can see the morning birds. Who’s going to cuddle you if you sleep by yourself in your room?”
“Hmph…”
And Jimin knows she’s won and successfully made her point.
“Let’s go say bye to your parents and we’ll get ready for bed, hm?” Jimin coaxes Minjeong.
“Mmkay,” Minjeong sighs softly and Jimin chuckles, ruffling Minjeong’s hair. “Hey!"
Since they arrived home a little into the evening, Jimin calculates that it’s possible to take a nap and wake up in time for dinner, so while Minjeong busies herself in the bathroom, Jimin sets up two futons for them.
She slides into her futon, relaxing at the feeling of familiar sheets and the wooden floor underneath her. She closes her eyes but is startled awake when a weight lands on top of her.
“Oof!” Jimin coughs.
“Hi.” Minjeong giggles, wiggling underneath Jimin’s futon.
“What are you doing? I set up your futon already.” Jimin groans, struggling to move Minjeong, who has found a spot on top of her to lie like a small dog.
“It’s cold. And you said we’d cuddle.” Minjeong says. “It’s just like back then!”
“You’re impossible.” Jimin sighs, but she makes no move to get rid of Minjeong.
She wraps her arms around Minjeong and pulls the blanket over to cover them properly. Sleep takes her easily and she dreams of a simpler time. Though, it kind of becomes a nightmare when she realises she’s missing something major from her dream life.
There’s no sign of Minjeong.
She gasps awake and coughs when she feels a deeper pressure on her chest. She looks around, highly disoriented and blinks to adjust when she figures out that she’s in her childhood home and the thing that’s been crushing her is none other than Minjeong.
She breathes out shakily and brings her hands up to play with Minjeong’s hair.
“Why are you moving?” Minjeong whines softly, voice still filled with sleep.
“It’s almost dinner time.” Jimin says since she noticed there’s no sunlight coming in from her window anymore. “The sun went down.”
Minjeong raises her head slightly but she stops when she realises how tightly Jimin is holding her. She frowns for a moment, looking down at her best friend and quietly studying her features.
“Did you have a bad dream?” Minjeong asks after a beat of silence.
“Me? No.” Jimin blinks.
“Yes, you did.” Minjeong sees right through her. “Tell me what happened.”
Jimin bites down on her lip silently, not sure if Minjeong would be weirded out by her thoughts these past few days, but she goes on to tell Minjeong anyways because she really can’t keep anything from that girl.
“Mm…” Jimin hums hesitantly. “I dreamed…. I imagined what life would be like without you in it. I didn’t like it.”
“What did it make you feel?” Minjeong asks without judgement and with more curiosity.
“Sad.” Jimin says softly.
“Are you going through a midlife crisis?” Minjeong giggles. “You’re being a sap.”
“It’s my birthday and we’re home,” Jimin whines. “Be nice to me.”
“It’s not your birthday yet, silly.” Minjeong grins, booping Jimin’s nose before jumping up from the futon. “I’m hungry!”
Jimin laughs to herself, watching the back of Minjeong disappear out the door and her heart somehow feels a little lighter. She shakes her head with amusement before getting up and holding the futons into one corner and she puts away the other one because it seems like Minjeong has no plans of using it.
Dinner is rambunctious and Jimin spends most of the hour shovelling Minjeong’s favourite things onto her plate so she gets a proper fill of food. The elders ask about school and Minjeong answers for both of them while Jimin giggles quietly at her theatrics. Naeun bounces from lap to lap and by the end of dinner, she’s falling asleep in Minjeong’s arms and it’s such an endearing sight it makes Jimin’s heart hurt.
When dinner is finished and Minjeong is lying on the hardwood floors like a starfish, Jimin has a bright idea.
“Hey, get your coat on.” Jimin prods Minjeong. “Let’s go to the playground.”
The playground is synonymous with any kid who lives in their neighbourhood and happens to be their safe haven, as Jimin likes to call it. From diaper days to learning how to spell, Jimin, without fail, will always come back to this place with Minjeong, her favourite person. Jimin had her first heartbreak here when her crush told her he didn’t like her when they were ten and that was the first time Minjeong was seriously grounded because she punched him in the throat.
In the sandbox, Minjeong first learned how to tie her shoelaces after Minjeong’s older brother taught them and then she moved on to tying Jimin’s shoelaces together so the girl would trip, since Jimin hadn’t mastered tying her shoes just yet.
On top of the monkey bars, when they learned to properly use their mobility and climb to the top was where Minjeong and Jimin spent the most time. Sitting there, side by side after school, having existential crises.
“Are you sure you can still climb up there?” Jimin asks, very much concerned with how Minjeong is going about getting to the top of the monkey bars.
“Yes! I’m a pro.” Minjeong says pompously.
“I’m scared you’re going to fall,” Jimin worries. “Let’s just sit on the swings.”
“No! The monkey bars are our spot, not the swings. Those are for babies.” Minjeong says, very determined.
Jimin watches Minjeong somehow miraculously pull herself up to sit on top of the bars and once she deems Minjeong is safe, she pulls herself up and sits next to Minjeong, slightly winded.
“You’re breathing so hard, grandma.” Minjeong snorts.
“Who are you calling grandma?” Jimin pinches her side and Minjeong yelps. “I just haven’t climbed up here in a long time, okay?”
“To-mah-toe, to-may-toe.” Minjeong wriggles around cheekily, and Jimin exhales through her nostrils in frustration.
They lapse into silence for a moment and Jimin leans back to look up at the stars in the sky. There were many more stars here than up in the city, where only building lights would occupy the sky. It’s a nice change and it’s so much more quiet. No sounds of traffic or people out and about, and instead distant barking and the sounds of farm animals occupied the space.
“Hey, thinking about it now, we’re not even that high up.” Minjeong breaks the silence. “It used to look so much farther down when we were little.”
“That’s because we’re not little anymore. Of course the distance is shorter.” Jimin snorts.
“You’re annoying!” Minjeong harrumphs and Jimin grins happily.
She then suddenly remembers something.
“Hey, you haven’t called me unnie recently.” Jimin points out.
“I thought we agreed to drop formalities.” Minjeong says.
“Still. I’m your unnie now; it’s my birthday. Call me unnie.” Jimin says insistently.
“It’s not your birthday yet.” Minjeong says dismissively and Jimin almost pouts.
“It’s soon!” Jimin whines.
“I’m not calling you unnie!” Minjeong sticks her tongue out before hopping down from the bars.
“Hey!” Jimin follows her and she ends up on a wild goose chase, running after Minjeong just like she used to for most of her childhood.
In a way, she’s chasing Minjeong with her feelings too.
“You’re too slow for me!” Minjeong teases.
“Are you sure?” Jimin laughs as she dodges the playground equipment to get to Minjeong.
With the wind whipping her wild hair around and the sound of Minjeong’s laughter ringing out in the night, Jimin’s heart feels so much fuller. She’s almost afraid her feelings will spill over and make their way over to Minjeong before she’s ready to make sense of her heart.
Minjeong unexpectedly trips over a clump of sand and she drops to the floor, but Jimin, who was too invested in getting to Minjeong, couldn’t stop in time and she finds herself toppling over Minjeong, sending them both flat onto the sandbox with Jimin on top of Minjeong.
“Are you okay?” Jimin gasps and Minjeong only giggles.
“That was fun!” Minjeong grins.
“That was dangerous, if anything.” Jimin sighs. “Does anything hurt?”
“I’m fine! Quit being a worrywart. ” Minjeong snorts.
Jimin sits up first and pulls Minjeong up to a sitting position as she looks over Minjeong. She fixes Minjeong’s hair quietly, a focused expression on her face and Minjeong takes a moment to watch Jimin, who is too busy dusting sand from her to notice Minjeong’s gaze.
Minjeong feels her cheeks warm when Jimin’s gentle caress makes its way to her cheek, lightly brushing sand off of the apple of her cheeks. Minjeong’s heart stirs in her chest and she blinks.
“Let’s ride the slide!” Minjeong blurts, hopping up and leaving Jimin in the dust.
“Wait—stop running!” Jimin gets up and dusts herself off too.
They ride the slide, once together and Minjeong twice as Jimin watches her. Then they move onto the swings—Jimin pushing Minjeong first before she sits on the other swing herself. They hang out at the park, sharing stories they’ve heard over and over again because they’re in each other’s stories, have always been and always will be—at least Jimin hopes it’ll stay that way.
When it begins to get cold, they scurry back home and they get ready for bed. The night ends and Minjeong worms her way under the futon to steal Jimin’s warmth (and her heart).
📼
“What’s so great about this donkatsu place?” Yizhuo asks.
Though they promised to meet early in the morning, the four girls didn’t end up meeting until noon because no one could commit to waking up that early.
“It’s only the greatest place ever!” Jimin gasps. “Minjeongie and I have been going there since we were kids and we kept going when Aeri joined us in high school!”
“The donkatsu is perfect, not dry and it’s juicy and literally melts in your mouth. The batter is crispy, the sauce is good and it’s just the best place to be!” Minjeong says excitedly, her hand being held by Jimin because she tends to bounce around when they’re outside.
“And it’s so cheap!” Aeri chimes in.
“Coming from you.” Minjeong snorts and Aeri shrugs sheepishly.
“Hey, just ‘cause I can afford it doesn’t mean I don’t love a good deal. Especially if it’s food.” Aeri chuckles.
“I can get behind that.” Yizhuo agrees and Aeri smiles at her lovingly.
Minjeong cheers when they find that the restaurant is still standing in its usual spot and she almost cries when she finds that it’s the same business owners because the uncle that used to serve them is now an old man who has greying hairs and smile lines all over his face.
“Welcome back, kids.” He greets them, remembering that these were his most regular customers.
“Hey uncle!” Jimin greets. “Is that spot up back free for us?”
“You know it always is.” He chuckles heartily before walking them over to the booth that Aeri, Minjeong and Jimin used to always sit at.
It was the seat with the best lighting and overall comfort because when it was cold, the radiator was beside it and when it got hot, it was right below the air conditioners and fans. It was furthest from the doors so it wasn’t busy and they could hear each other talk. And they were the only leather seats that weren’t so terribly frayed.
“Uncle, you have to bring the best donkatsu. Our friend Yizhuo has never been here!” Minjeong beams.
“Of course.” He grins. “Only the best for my favourite customers. And I welcome you to my restaurant.”
He takes their orders and leaves the girls to their musings.
“Oh my god, look.” Aeri gasps in disbelief. She points to a faded part of the wood-lined walls where old movie posters and food items and beverages are advertised. She lifts the corner of a soju poster and underneath lie their initials carved into the wall.
“They never covered it?” Jimin chuckles in disbelief.
“Maybe they never saw it.” Aeri says.
“Or they just left it for memories.” Minjeong says.
“Wait, let’s add Yizhuo.” Jimin suggests.
“No, guys, I don’t want to intrude.” Yizhuo shakes her head. “This is your guys’ place.”
“What’s mine is yours.” Aeri nudges Yizhuo, who blushes.
“And you’re our friend too!” Minjeong hurries to grab something sharp and finds a fork.
Minjeong leans over them and braces herself against the wall as she scratches Yizhuo’s name into the wall, right next to their names. She adds Yizhuo’s name after Aeri’s and strategically places a tiny heart between their names.
“Now it’s complete!” Minjeong grins.
“You guys,” Yizhuo pouts, feeling the love of her friend’s hometown.
Yizhuo hadn’t known these girls since high school and has only known them for the last few years that they’ve been at college. She met Minjeong first in her classes and it was almost difficult to keep up with Minjeong with the way Korean flew out of her mouth since Yizhuo had only moved to Korea from China not that long ago; at the time, she was a freshman.
Being friends with Minjeong was comfortable and she never made fun of Yizhuo’s troubles with Korean. She met Jimin often since wherever Minjeong went, Jimin always went and Yizhuo found that the two of them were much alike an old married couple with the way they constantly found any topic worth bickering over.
Then came Aeri and Yizhuo believes it was like straight out of the dramas she spent her free time watching. She was gorgeous, smart, outspoken and gorgeous. Did Yizhuo mention Aeri is gorgeous? Other than that, she was sweet and Yizhuo found many similarities between them since Aeri also moved to Korea at a young age from Japan. So while Jimin and Minjeong were off barking at each other, Yizhuo found quiet, simple moments with Aeri, which later turned to chaos the more comfortable they got with each other.
The four of them in a room could break decibels, but Yizhuo was just so happy and glad that her college experience could be so fun. And then came love. It was like Yizhuo was quietly waiting for it, with the way Aeri would always wait for her after class and would always seek her out when they weren’t having classes and always had a meal with her. So when Aeri asked her out, Yizhuo said yes without missing a beat. And they’ve been together ever since. Jimin and Minjeong weren’t surprised at all, since Minjeong believed she was the mastermind for introducing them and Jimin called it because of the way Aeri always gravitated towards Yizhuo. Aeri would always argue with Jimin that she only gravitated towards Yizhuo because being with Jimin and Minjeong was third-wheeling, but everyone could tell the truth with the way Aeri’s face would light aflame with the teasing.
This friendship was worth so much and Yizhuo loved the way she seamlessly fit into these girls' lives.
It was worth cherishing.
They settle down when the donkatsu arrives and everyone digs in immediately.
“Oh my god, it tastes the same—I’m going to cry.” Minjeong sniffles dramatically, mouth already covered in sauce.
“You guys are right, this is to die for.” Yizhuo nods, hungrily shoving another slice of the cutlet into her mouth.
“It tastes like heaven.” Aeri whimpers.
“Mhm!” Jimin doesn’t speak, her mouth already filled to the brim with food.
As they eat and chatter, Jimin slides into a quiet demeanour, eyes occasionally flitting over to where their carved initials are. She sees that little heart Minjeong had carved for Yizhuo and Aeri, and quietly and very childishly, Jimin wants a heart above her and Minjeong’s initials.
How long has she actually been in love with Minjeong? Jimin wonders. Was it in high school when Jimin wouldn’t speak to Minjeong for a whole day because Minjeong was flirting with the boys in the senior class to steal their test papers? Maybe it ran deeper, like when Jimin refused to play with other kids when she was younger and only liked being around Minjeong. But Minjeong was like that too; she wouldn’t speak to Jimin if the taller girl was off speaking to other people. She hated sharing with her brother as a child so as she got older, she still hated sharing and the one thing Minjeong hated sharing the most was Jimin. She hated having Jimin’s time split and they fought a lot as kids and angsty teenagers. They stopped fighting when they reached college and started living in the same dorm together and most arguments were simply reduced to bickering.
Maybe it was codependency but Jimin thinks it’s love and hopes Minjeong thinks the same.
Jimin just can’t see a life without Minjeong and she wonders if these feelings will ruin their friendship.
She can’t risk that.
“Jimin-unnie.”
Jimin is shaken out of her reverie when she turns to see Minjeong looking at her, wide curious eyes staring back at her.
“Huh?” Jimin hums.
“Are you going to eat that last piece?” Minjeong asks, fluttering her eyelashes as she gestures to the last remaining cutlet on Jimin’s plate.
“You can have it.” Zero hesitation from Jimin’s end and Aeri chortles to herself.
She’s been watching this back-and-forth dance between her two greatest friends ever since high school. You would think they’d sort their shit out after two decades of knowing each other, but no. Minjeong remains oblivious to Jimin’s blatant feelings, but Aeri has the suspicion that underneath all of Minjeong’s brattiness, there lie her true intentions, which are obviously to love (annoy) Jimin until the end of time. But Minjeong’s a bit hardheaded, so Aeri just watches them in frustration and with much fondness. Even her girlfriend, Yizhuo, has been roped into this.
“Hey wait, did you call me unnie?” Jimin perks up suddenly.
“No, I didn’t.” Minjeong smiles.
“Yes, you did.” Jimin’s eyes widened. “Say it again.”
“No. Ask Yizhuo to call you unnie.” Minjeong goes back to the cutlet on Jimin’s plate.
“Hey, no, it’s different when you do it!” Jimin whines.
“You’re hallucinating; I never said a thing!” Minjeong sticks her tongue out at Jimin.
“Aeri, did she call me unnie?” Jimin whips around to the other two across from them. “Yizhuo?”
“Uh, don’t rope me into this.” Yizhuo shakes her head.
“Didn’t hear her, so I don’t know.” Aeri teases Jimin just for the sake of it.
“Guys!” Jimin whines with her whole body. “Minjeongie, please!”
And like clockwork, the two of them start bickering as Aeri and Yizhuo take a seat back. Aeri chuckles to herself, wrapping an arm around Yizhuo’s shoulder.
“Do you think they’ll ever figure it out?” Yizhuo asks softly.
“I’m betting on Jimin. I have been since high school.” Aeri says.
“Really?” Yizhuo hums thoughtfully. “I always thought Minjeong-unnie would be the one to crack first.”
“Maybe, but I’ve known these two idiots for longer.” Aeri shrugs. “I’ve had the suspicion that Jimin would cross the bridge first. But, eh, who knows? Those two are unpredictable.”
“You’ve got that right.” Yizhuo giggles when she sees Minjeong strangling Jimin out of the corner of her eyes.
“Guys, knock it off!” Aeri laughs.
“She started it!”
“No, she did!”
After reconciling, meaning Jimin conceded and Minjeong won victoriously once again, the gang decided to take Yizhuo to another one of their favourite spots, which is the arcade. Yizhuo watched Jimin lose to Minjeong several times on the dance dance revolution and then watched her girlfriend Aeri beat a high score on the punching machine, which was very hot of her, Yizhuo thinks. Yizhuo and Minjeong spent time playing the basketball game, then the motorcycle racing game, then the normal car racing game, and they went around the entire arcade, up until Aeri and Jimin’s pockets started crying for help.
The last thing they did in the arcade was to cram into the tiny photobooth and it only worked when Aeri sat on Yizhuo’s lap and Minjeong sat in Jimin’s, who for the love of her, could not stop squirming. Their pictures turned out terrible, but at least there was a new memory of them to cherish.
They went home in the evening, their walk highlighted by the sun setting and their endless giggling. Dinner was on at Jimin’s place and when Aeri walked through the door, Jimin’s mother hugged her so tightly that Aeri wheezed.
“Oh, it’s so wonderful to see you girls together again.” Jimin’s mother started to get emotional, and Aeri floundered.
“Oh gosh—”
“And who’s this?” Jimin’s mother snapped out of it when she saw a cute little thing standing beside Minjeong.
“This is Yizhuo.” Minjeong speaks for Aeri, who suddenly clams up. “She’s a good friend of ours. We share the same classes.”
“Yeah, we wanted her to spend the break with us since her family is back in China.” Jimin adds on. “She’s staying with Aeri.”
“That’s lovely of you girls.” Jimin’s mother beams. “Welcome to the family, Yizhuo! Come, there’s so much food!”
“Th-thank you for having me,” Yizhuo bows shyly.
Jimin nudges Aeri and smiles softly and Aeri nods, a grateful smile on her lips.
It’s true when Minjeong told Yizhuo that Jimin’s family would overfeed her because she’s had to unbutton her pants and the people actually familiar with the food don’t seem to fare that well either. Jimin is lying with her back against the floor, Minjeong’s pants are also unbuttoned, and Aeri’s head is against the table.
Later, Yizhuo and Aeri are subjected to Jimin’s baby photos and videos, which has Jimin protesting, but also her image cannot be saved at all. Minjeong is all for it until she starts showing up in most of Jimin’s photos and videos and she sits in the corner of the living room, an embarrassed flush on her face. Minjeong and Jimin’s parents think it’s the cutest thing ever, cooing at their daughters and even Jimin’s sister, brother-in-law and niece think they’re cute.
In most, if not all photos and videos, Minjeong and jImin are attached at the hip, holding hands at every chance they get. Yizhuo and Aeri think it’s adorable, while the two babies in the footage, now grown up, sit apart with matching blushes.
Yizhuo and Aeri call it a day when it starts to get late and Jimin’s dad offers to drive them back to Aeri’s place. Then it’s Minjeong’s parents who return to the home across from the Yu’s and then there were two.
Minjeong and Jimin sit on the couch, completely spread out at opposite ends, desperately and, well, barely escaping their food comas.
Minjeong’s staring blankly at the ceiling and as always, Jimin’s eyes are on Minjeong, quietly watching Minjeong breathe. Minjeong’s eyelashes have always been so long and even without makeup they’re so pretty. Jimin’s favourite part about Jimin’s features maybe are her pouty lips, and she shouldn’t be staring at them like a weirdo, but she just thinks they’re cute. She loves the faint moles on Minjeong’s face that you couldn’t really spot unless you were really looking, which Jimin has always been doing.
She really loves Minjeong—it’s eating away at her bones.
“Hey,” Jimin calls softly. She’s leaning back on the couch backrest, her head lolling to the side as she studies Minjeong’s face quietly.
“Hm?” Minjeong hums, turning to Jimin.
Jimin smiles and stares at Minjeong for a moment. There really isn’t anything in her mind at the moment other than how much she cherishes her time with Minjeong. She loves that Minjeong can just come over to her room, hijack her TV and curl up in her favourite pair of pyjamas that she doesn’t share with anyone, but somehow Minjeong has always been the exception. She steals Jimin’s snacks, raids her side of the fridge, uses the pink towel that Jimin bought and uses the pink blanket she leaves on their couch for Minjeong. She loves Minjeong’s big, round, honey-brown eyes that always seem to be curious or tilted down in faux anger.
“I kinda love you, Kim Minjeong.” Jimin grins and Minjeong physically flinches.
“What the—” Minjeong leans back, a bright red blush immediately blooming across her face. “What’s gotten into you suddenly? Are you drunk?”
“Dunno.” Jimin shrugs. “I was just thinking about you.”
“D-don’t do that!” Minjeong’s hand comes up to cover the blush on her cheeks.
“Do what?” JImin blinks.
“Think!” Minjeong says with horror. “When you use your brain to think, you think weird things!”
“Loving you isn’t weird!” Jimin laughs.
“You’re weird; I’m telling eomma!” Minjeong regains her energy and runs away, leaving Jimin to laugh alone.
“Oh, Kim Minjeong.” Jimin says with all the fondness of her heart. She gets up and follows Minjeong, who has taken the room hostage.
Jimin washes up and when she heads to her room, Minjeong bolts out of it like she’s seen a ghost. She makes the futon and lies in it, patiently waiting for Minjeong so that she can continue to profess her undying love.
She almost dozes off, lying on her side, but she stiffens when she feels Minjeong very slowly trying to crawl under the futon. She can’t see well with the lights off, but Jimin tries to hold in her laugh as Minjeong moves like a sloth to lie next to Jimin.
The little digital clock on Jimin’s desk beeps quietly and Minjeong pauses.
“Yah.” Minjeong nudges Jimin.
Jimin opens her eyes and she comes face-to-face with Minjeong, whom she can see very well despite the poor lighting.
“It’s twelve.” Minjeong says quietly. “Happy birthday, Jimin-unnie.”
Jimin doesn’t think this time; she just leans closer until her lips press against Minjeong’s trembling ones. Time stops in that moment and Jimin’s eyes flutter closed, savouring this moment of quiet affection. Minjeong doesn’t pull away or push her, but she stills and tastes Jimin on her lips.
When Jimin pulls away, she feels the warmth of Minjeong’s blushing cheeks and she exhales shakily.
“What…” Minjeong swallows audibly.
Jimin just looks at her, eyes brimming with affection as she reaches out to cup Minjeong’s face, her thumb brushing against the apple of Minjeong’s cheek.
“Come on,” Jimin smiles softly. “You ought to know that I’m in love with you by now.”
“I…” Minjeong hesitates. “I do know.”
“You’ve known?” Jimin’s eyes widened slightly.
“How could I not?” Minjeong chuckles wetly and Jimin realises she’s crying. “I didn’t want to ruin what we already have.”
Jimin sits up, blindly reaching for the small lamp she always keeps next to her futon. She switches it on and finds Minjeong rubbing her eyes. She pulls Minjeong up and into her lap, where she hugs Minjeong tightly, holding her against her.
“I didn’t want to make our friendship harder either.” Jimin says quietly, rubbing a soothing hand up and down Minjeong’s back. “But this… this love I have for you is harder to hold back than I expected. I want to love you in all the ways I can, and this is the way I want to.”
“I love you.” Minjeong sniffles, pulling back to smile down at Jimin.
Jimin grins so hard that her cheeks begin to hurt.
“This is the best birthday ever.” Jimin giggles softly.
“You’re a sap.” Minjeong rolls her eyes, but she wraps her arms around Jimin’s shoulders to hold her closer.
“Says the one crying.” Jimin snorts.
“Hey! I’m delicate right now.” Minjeong pouts.
“I know.” Jimin smiles. “I’ll take care of you.”
Minjeong’s eyes flit down to Jimin’s lips and the air between them only warms as the distance shortens between their fragile line of friendship. Jimin crosses the bridge first, lips moving on their own accord towards Minjeong and they meet in the middle.
Like they were made for each other, Jimin kisses Minjeong and hopes all the love in her is felt by Minjeong.
After what feels like an eternity, Jimin pulls away again.
“I know we might never marry—” Jimin whispers, and Minjeong’s eyes widen.
“Marry?” Minjeong startles, a giggle rising from her chest. “Are we moving that fast already?”
“I haven’t moved you all this long not to think about marrying you.” Jimin chuckles. “And let me finish.”
“I know we might never marry.” Jimin’s eyes brim with affection as Minjeong’s are still wet with tears. “But I swear on my heart and hand that I am yours forever until the next life we share.”
“You’re so confident that there’s a next life where we’d meet again.” Minjeong grins.
“You’re the only thing I’ve ever been confident in.” Jimin says. “And I’m confident because I love you.”
Minjeong giggles, leaning her head against Jimin’s shoulder as she burrows into Jimin.
“We can’t marry first, though.” Minjeong says. “Aeri-unnie and Yizhuo have to go first.”
“I’ve waited my whole life for this moment. I guess I can wait a little longer.” Jimin chuckles.
“Oh my gift!” Minjeong pulls away, but Jimin doesn’t let her go far, as she holds Minjeong’s waist in place.
“You’re so cute.” Jimin giggles. “Give it to me in the morning.”
“But—”
“No buts.” Jimin kisses her to silence her. “Let’s sleep.”
“Okay,” Minjeong agrees with a smitten smile.
“Good.” Jimin kisses her again just because.
The night is quiet like most nights and Minjeong lies in her rightful spot in Jimin’s arms.
In the morning, Jimin’s birthday officially begins when Aeri and Yizhuo burst into her room with confetti, startling poor Minjeong in her arms. Minjeong’s mother bakes her a cake and Naeun falls face first into it and Jimin’s stomach hurts from laughing.
In between bathroom breaks, Jimin steals kisses from Minjeong and when Aeri finally notices Minjeong’s constant fidgeting and blushing, she quietly screams to Yizhuo, who squeals quietly too—not wanting to bring attention to the family.
Jimin thinks this must be the best birthday of her life.
She has everything she’s always wanted.
She has Minjeong.
THE END <3
Title from song 'I melt with you' by Modern English.
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