She’s ready for a new challenge, a new life and a new home. With a bright smile, she stepped into her new apartment. The walls of the apartment were painted white, not a single blotch or smear on the smooth surface of the newly renovated apartment. The floor was waxed and the thick smell of wood danced around the nose of Minji.

 

 

“Just the way I like it. It’ll be easier moving around on the smooth wood when dancing.” Minji pumped her fist into the air, she jumped up and down. She can’t believe this. She’s actually going to live on her own! She can finally pursue her dancing and dream, “remind myself to thank Jaesun!” She thought to herself.

 

Minji left the suitcases and sealed cartons on the ground as she explored the apartment. After walking around for a few minutes, she stopped in front of a glass window, it took up one of the four walls in the living room. She can see herself through the glass window perfectly.

 

“This place is designed for me. I’ve got my own little dance hall right in my apartment.” She smiled widely, but a shadow from the reflection of the window made her smile turn into a straight line.

 

“May I help you?” She turned around to talk to a visitor.

 

“As much as I hate to say this, but I’ve got to move in with you. I’m not sure if the landlord told you, but this apartment is like a student’s lounge. She says that she doesn’t let students below twenty four live alone in one of her ‘large’ and ‘expensive’ apartments. Seriously, the landlord is terrible.” The boy brushed the bangs off his face in an elegant and seductive way

 

“Terrible as in her looks? Or her love for money?” Minji giggled.

 

“Both.” The boy snorted with a small smile, debating on whether or not to laugh at her joke.

 

“Hmm…” She sighed, disappointment rushed over her. But thinking on the bright side, she smiled lightly, “at least I still get to peruse my biggest dream.”  

 

“Oh? So what’s your dream?” The boy who never introduced himself sat down on one of the leather white sofas, his small eyes staring into my bigger ones.

 

“A professional dancer and choreographer.” Minji replied.

 

“You?” He tried to hide his smile, but Minji saw it perfectly.

 

“Why you—! What’s wrong of me becoming a dancer? Anything wrong? Don’t worry. Say it. I dare you.” Minji took a step forward, closer to where he sat. Minji was a girl that isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

 

“I just think that your body may be a bit too stiff to actually dance. That’s all.” He looked outside the window. It was night time and lights could be seen everywhere in the busy city of Seoul.

 

“What’s your name?” Minji sat down beside him, stretching her arms and legs as if to prove that he was wrong. He didn’t even look her away as he talked.

 

“Yong Junhyung.” He sang in his deep voice.

 

“I’m Minji.” Minji smiled into the window, hoping that he would see her smile from the reflection. Even if he did, he never showed any emotion. Making Minji sit back defeated.

 

“I’ll be sleeping in this room from now on. It’s late already; we should really get some rest.” Junhyung said lightly before walking into a room with a black door. The other door was painted silver, across from the Junhyung’s room. Yawning, Minji stood up, too. She hauled her luggage into her room with all her might.

 

The next day was normal. Nothing happened. Junhyung and Minji both lived their lives like nothing was wrong from their original life style, except that they added each other into a part of their life.

 

“I’m going out.” Minji grabbed her bag after finishing up the last spoonful of soup.

 

“I’m going out, too.” Junhyung called, stuffing himself with food before following her out the door.

 

“I never knew you would actually stuff food inside your mouth like that.” Minji laughed when they were taking the elevator. Junhyung looked straight ahead, not bothering the reply to her. Minji didn’t mind, she knew that he won’t reply, as if she met him for a long time already, instead of just yesterday.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

It has already been three months; Minji and Junhyung lived together peacefully—scratch that—they lived happily, they would joke around together, have conflicts once in a while, and they would debate on random things and start weird challenges and end up laughing like hell. They became close friends; Minji found out that Junhyung wasn’t so cold like when they first met. He was actually fun who had a great passion for music. Junhyung on the other hand, continued to about her body being stiff, but she didn’t mind, because she knew he didn’t actually mean it.  

 

One Sunday, Junhyung came home from his work earlier then what Minji had expected. The sun was just about to set, making a beautiful horizon with the sky filled with various soft colors. Minji always had a day off on Sunday, she would go clubbing with Junhyung after he came home around nine. But today, he came home at four. He opened the door to their apartment, finding where he thought Minji would be—dancing in the living room. She was working hard to make her dream come true; she always practiced for more than four hours each day, doing the same dance over and over again, working on reflecting her muscles for a long time each day.

 

The gold light from the glass window fell on her, as if the living room was her personal dance hall, lighting her up. Soft music was playing in the background. He decided not to speak yet, not wanting to destroy the lovely atmosphere.

 

Junhyung closed the door lightly; he took a seat on one of the high counter chairs set up by in front of the counter of their small kitchen off to the right of the door. He examined her closely, taking in everything he saw and replaying them inside his head. He smiled lightly, regretting the jokes saying that Minji was stiff.

 

“Yah!” Minji screamed and jumped when she noticed him staring at her in the shadow. The sun was almost down and the song was almost over, there wasn’t any lights opened in the apartment, so it was like seeing a ghost when it was actually just Junhyung.

 

“What? Finish the dance.” He exclaimed, a bit shy that he saw him staring at her. Minji pursed her lips, a bit distracted, but finished the song with a dashing pose. She rolled her eyes, having a feeling that Junhyung would teaser her body and her pose later on. Then they would fight, and then they have the cold war and then after a few days, everything will be fine again.

 

Minji walked to where Junhyung sat and flopped onto the other high chair. She grabbed the towel on the counter and wiped her sweat. Junhyung poured some water for her, while handing it to her, he teased about her pose. Minji rolled her eyes like she had been expecting the insult.

 

“You know, you need to make up cooler poses then that. It makes you look like a monkey trying to scratch its back but it’s impossible to do so.” He laughed; his chubby cheeks had a tint of pink.

 

“Enough about me. Why are you home so early?” She questioned, pouting her lips in return of his joke.

 

“Change of plans today. Got off work early and Cameo gave me these.” Junhyung poked inside his bag and pulled out two amusement park tickets.

 

“Is he trying to make you buy things from him again, just because he wastes his money so fast, that he has no pocket money left?” Minji furrowed her eyebrows together.

 

“No, but keep guessing.” Junhyung grinned.

 

“Don’t tell me—” Minji’s eyes widened. Junhyung was grinning so wide his smile could have stretched his face and turned it into something like a football, until he heard Minji’s answer, which made him stare at her blankly. “You’re trying to make me buy these tickets because you’ve wasted your money and are in lack of pocket money?” She eyed him once again, pushing him to his limits. He exploded.

 

“NO!” He growled, looking away from her with his eyes closed and his lips formed a pout.

 

“I’m just kidding.” Minji poked his cheeks and laughed.

 

“Good, because you just pushed the wrong button!” Junhyung warned her with a playful smile. She nodded, and once she said she actually didn’t know why he showed her those, as Junhyung actually let out a cry of disgust.

 

“Kwon Minji! I’m asking you to come with me to the amusement park today.” Junhyung rolled his eyes and nagged at her stupidity for a long time before they both headed out the apartment, ready to go to the amusement park.

 

They had a fun time enjoying rides, eating ice cream, watching the stars when they were tired. He when she practically screamed her head off in the haunted house or simply when they were someone dark, while she laughed at his childish personality, jumping up and down when he didn’t win a game. 

 

“You were so afraid of that ride! Admit it Junhyung.” Minji challenged him as they were on their way home. They were taking a taxi and the backseat was filled with laughter and groans.

 

“Shut it. Weren’t you the one that clung onto to me and was afraid to go buy drinks by yourself?” Junhyung advanced.

 

“It was dark! No one was there. You should have known better then to send a girl off to buy drinks when a ert could be hiding somewhere in the bushes.” Minji defended herself with her lips curved into a smile.

 

“Oh come on, a ert wouldn’t even want you.” He poked her sides, making her burst out laughing. He continued to tickle her all the way home, until the taxi driver shut them up. They were quiet, but after they got off the car, they burst out laughing.

 

Once they got inside the apartment, they both groomed and cleaned themselves, ready for sleep as it was already almost midnight, when Junhyung came out from the bathroom, shouting for Minji to come out of her room to take a look at what was in the bathroom.

 

“What!? I don’t see anything!” Minji exclaimed tiredly.

 

“Look closely. You forgot to turn off the tap to the hose. What if I never noticed and wasted water?” Junhyung scolded her. Being tired and lazy, she replied him impatiently.

 

“Look, I’m sorry. But could you just turn it off for me and then tell me tomorrow? I was just getting ready for bed and now you’ve called me up just because of this?” Minji said yawning, her eyes showed boredom, which made Junhyung fume up.

 

“Now you’ve really pushed my button! This isn’t just a small thing. I want you to learn and remember so you won’t make the mistake next time. If we’re going to live together, then we might as well start with the little things so we’ll be able to handle the larger ones! I’m trying to let us work here.” He raised his voice as he spoke.

 

“Still, I’m tired. You’re tired. Can’t this wait until tomorrow when we’ve all got a good rest? You’re just cranky because you’re tired!” She raised her voice as she spoke, too. Minji stood on tiptoes and was shouting at Junhyung. He didn’t back down, he accused her for not being environmental with his hands waving in the air crazily.

 

“Ugh, whatever!” Minji cried out loud, seeing that this conversation was going nowhere and it just made them more tired. She was about to turn and walk away when his hand gripped tightly on her thin wrist.

 

“Don’t say ‘whatever’ like this isn’t about you!” Junhyung pulled on her wrist, pulling her close to him and crushed their lips together roughly and tightly, not giving her chance to escaped or struggle. Minji didn’t have the power to fight back, what surprised Junhyung was that she actually kissed him back, letting him remove his hand from her wrist and circling it around her waist. Minji rest her arm on his strong shoulder. They stayed in that position and didn’t break the kiss until the door to their living room opened and Minji’s parents stepped inside the apartment, looking furiously at the two the moment they saw them.

 

Then endless shouts, cries and out her parents went, smashing the door close tightly.

 

Minji cried herself to sleep that night. Junhyung didn’t know what to do; he walked lightly back to his own room.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

The next morning, Minji didn’t want to get out of bed despite Junhyung knocking on the door and calling her name.

 

She recalled last night, when her parents came in and what they had said.

 

“We should have never trusted you to live alone.” Her mother said in a clear and loud voice.

 

“Mom, please.” Minji cried, tears were falling down, “you’ve misunderstood us.”

 

“How could you let us down? We didn’t think you’d be playing around. You were so motivated and eyes full of spark when you asked us for permission. We only let your dream come true because of your brother’s persuasion. We knew too well to trust you.” Her father spat coldly. Her mother added few more hurtful phrases and out they went, slamming the door on her and the apologetic Junhyung.

 

“You misunderstood us…” Minji sobbed as she rushed inside to her room.

 

Sighing, Minji didn’t have a choice but to get out of bed and get ready for a new dreadful day. 

 

The moment she walked out of her room, Junhyung embraced her with a tight teddy bear hug, “you’re finally out of that room!” He pulled away smiling. Minji looked at him curiously; her eyes were bulgy and red from the crying last night. Junhyung pulled her to sit on one of the counter chairs and placed a stack of pancake in front of her.

 

“For you.” He smiled warmly, trying to cheer her up with food, “You’ve never tasted oppa’s dishes eh? This is mad especially for you. Please smile, pretty please with a cherry on top?” Junhyung chuckled while taking a cherry from the fridge and putting it on top of the whisk cream.

 

This made Minji smile, but her smile never reached her eyes, which made Junhyung frown, but he was determined to try harder, as it was he who made her into this in the first place.

 

“Thank you.” Minji grinned lightly, pulling on her sleeves before digging in Junhyung’s special pancakes. The next few days were the same, Junhyung would make breakfast for her, cheer her up with jokes from the newspaper, tickle her and the teases and jokes about her body was forgotten in the back of his mind.

 

Usually, Junhyung had nothing to do, so he would tease people to find something to take up time other then work, but now that he has a number one priority, he would tend to that first, making sure everything was alright, before he lie on the couch, tired and restless. Every day, he would frown at Minji’s smile. Her smile never reaches her eyes and although she would start giggling and joking now, her progress from recovering of her parent’s words was slow and every little thing can make her break down. Minji hasn’t been dancing, which also made Junhyung frown.

 

“Where did the motivated and hardworking Kwon Minji go?” He thought to himself. Junhyung decided to take the first step, not wanting to ruin and hurt Minji again, as he made up his mind. Poor Minji, having no idea of what is about to happen.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

After a whole week, Minji lighten up and when she found that she was fully recovered from her parent’s hurtful words, she found out shocking news. On Monday morning, she didn’t find Junhyung’s pancakes on the table and Junhyung himself was nowhere to be found. While she poured herself some tea as she flicked through the channels on TV, Junhyung closed the TV and stood in front of her.

 

“Yes?” Minji asked politely.

 

“I’m leaving.” He said quietly, but Minji heard him well.

 

“Wait, what?” Minji couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

 

“I’m leaving this place Minji. I don’t want to make things worse for you. It was me who made your parents misunderstand. I’m sorry and I won’t bother you anymore.” Junhyung bowed before her, before he went inside his room again, a tear escaped from his cheek and dropped onto the floor. Minji could see the crystal dew fall till it splattered onto the smooth wood floor.

 

“But Junhyung! You made me smile again, you’re my savior. You can’t leave.” Minji pounded on his room door, but no response.

 

After a while the door to his room opened and Junhyung pulled out two suitcases and held his head down, he spoke to Minji in a soft voice, “if you love someone, you’ll let them go.”

 

“You know I only have you!” Tears trickled down Minji’s face as she shouted at him. She tried to stop him from going through the door, but he was stronger then her and he pushed her away effortlessly. Minji swore she saw another tear drop from his eyes.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

One week has past.

 

Without Junhyung’s presence every day, Minji felt herself not having the mood to do anything. She lost her motivate to dance anymore.

 

“What’s the use? No one’s going to watch me anyways…” She sighed, thinking of the times Junhgyung would sit on the counter chair, watching her dance. He would compliment her when she improved, scold her when she make mistakes, he was like her personal roommate teacher. They would laugh together and lie on the smooth wooden ground, pointing to stars from the window when he’s having a good mood.

 

Sometimes, when he comes home late, Minji would always pour tea and give him light massages.

“Relax Junhyung…Relax…” Minji grinned, while rubbing his back.

 

“Ahhh…That’s right, good.” Junhyung would always say.

 

“Glad you enjoyed it, it’ll be twenty dollars.” She would laugh and Junhyung would move out of her grasp and make a disgusted face.

 

Thinking back at the memories they had, Minji felt sad that everything had changed, that everything had happened that way. She rubbed her temple and cursed lightly. After knowing what happened to Minji and her parents, her brother Jaesun would always call her every day. He would even call her more than once each day as he found out that Minji’s roommate, Junhyung moved away. Jaesun was good at guessing, as he guessed that Junhyung and Minji were more than just roommates, and defiantly more than friends. They were more than that.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Another week has past.

 

The blurry night lights in Seoul were making Minji weary of her surroundings, it reminded her of the times she and ‘him’ would go clubbing or simply partying in night clubs.

 

Without finding herself do so, she walked in front of a night club. Having nothing else to do, she called her friends and waited for them in front of the night club, wanting to dance the night off with her friends. All the stress is about to explode and she was desperate to find something to let her stress load off. When her friends came, they went inside the night club chatting away happily. Meeting her friends did make Minji happier and it distracted her, which made her friends happy to see her smiling.

 

Minji’s friends Min and Zico danced off somewhere and Minji was tired and sweaty from all the dancing, and was in need to find somewhere to rest. Then she saw him—Yong Junhyung with his friends sitting on the sofas by the bar.

 

“I didn’t know he’ll be here…” Minji muttered to herself as she made her way to them. She was surprised that they were so relieved to see her.

 

“Minji yah! Junhyung has gone nuts. He’s been drinking so much. He’s been like this since he moved out of the apartment from you. You need to take him back. You’ve all he’s got.” Cameo, his closest friend shouted over the loud music.

 

“I understand. I’ll take him back…” Minji said. With his friend’s help, they helped her carry him all the way back to the apartment. With this, she thanked them and asked them if they wanted to stay, but they refused, saying that Minji and Junhyung needs some time alone and that they’ve got enough of his drunkenness.

 

She led him to her bedroom, he was shaking badly and she settled him inside her bed, since the landlord took away his bedroom’s key. Minji took off his jacket and shoes, and she after she took a shower and changed into her night clothes, she sat down beside him, looking at his sleeping face. He was murmuring something; she leaned down beside him to hear him chanting her name.

 

“Min…Ji…” He called faintly. Minji broke down from all the bobbled up feelings ever since he left her. She lay beside him, eyes and nose red from crying before falling asleep.

 

The next morning, Junhyung wakes up to see a sleeping Minji beside him, her eyes were red and bulgy, from crying probably, Junhyung thought. He was a little surprised that she was beside him, and the ruckus he made woke her up.

 

“I miss our friendship. I’m so sorry everything changed…I’m so sorry. Please come back.” Minji held onto his hand while she knelt on the soft pink bed. Junhyung was standing up by the sides of the bed when she woke up and clung onto his arm. Her hair was messy and tears were once again falling down.

 

“Everything was caused all by me, yet you’re blaming this on yourself?” Junhyung said softly.

 

“You know I only have you.” Minji muttered. She was pulled into a tight hug by Junhyung. As he broke the hug, he ran his hands through her silky yet messy hair and bent down a bit so their forehead could touch each other’s.

 

“And you’re the only one I’ve got.” He smiled, “thanks for coming to me. We’re really fated together huh?”

 

“No, you’re just simply drunk.” Minji giggled as she stole a kiss from his lips.

 

“Why you—!” Junhyung was surprised.

 

“That’s revenge since you stole my first kiss back then.” She smiled playfully. A blush escaped his cheek.

 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

It has been one month since Yong Junhyung moved out of the luxurious apartment. And has been two weeks since Junhyung and Minji became an official couple and Minji’s parents apologized to Minji since her brother, Jaesun told their parents the truth, but not likely, as he twisted the truth to something more believable. And due to the landlord’s rules, the apartment won’t be lent to only one student, but two. So soon, Minji will be having a new roommate, the landlord told her.

 

“I wonder who it’ll be…Junhyung’s still staying in his friend’s house.” She pressed her lips together. She slowly shrugged it off and continued dancing, working harder since she kind of lacked off for a few weeks. It was night time again and she was facing the glass window dancing, until a reflection showed up in the mirror, with two suitcases beside it. Noticing a figure in the window immediately, Minji burst into a wide smile.

 

“What are you doing here?” Minji asked. They ran to hug each other as he planted a kiss on her forehead while replying, “I’m the new roommate, Yong Junhyung. Nice to meet you.”

 

..::Written by Sherioka::..

Once again, permission from requester 민지★스타 to post this.