Jimin sighs into her hands, letting out a shaky breath. As she prepares to look back up, she rubs lazy circles around her eyes in an attempt to stay awake. They’re left a bloodshot red, strained from staring at blue light for far too long.

It's her fifth night working overtime and it's actually driving her insane. Jimin could swear that the customers that she’s working with are either completely mindless or have a personal vendetta against her. They’ve already made her poor team rehaul their project three times, even though they’ve followed their instructions to the tee. It’s so frustrating because it made all the work they did in the week completely redundant and a waste of time. 

It doesn’t help that she’s been running on a large coffee as her only source of energy. Minjeong had been kind enough to make and pack a lunch for her, but she didn’t even have the proper time to eat because the stupid meeting she had ran over to the end of break time. Is that even legal? Probably not. But that’s just life at the moment.

She’s finding it hard to focus now - noticing small quirks that take away her attention. Her body feels lethargic and heavy, itchy and slightly parched. The tensing and twitching of her eyes, though not painful, was quite irritating especially when coupled with the light hum of the company printer.

She's been at work for thirteen hours and it's melting her brain apart. She had already made a promise to Minjeong to try and come home on time today, and although she didn’t break that promise because she undoubtedly tried her absolute hardest, she still felt awful about it. Minjeong had been so excited to finally spend some time with her and now she feels like she is letting her down. 

The digital clock flashes 12:00 AM and Jimin knows it’s time to give it a break. She looks down dejectedly at her work - still unfinished and something she would have to come back to on Monday. She feels a deep sadness as she closes her tabs for the day, staring into the default dark blue desktop wallpaper.

What was all of that even for?

She finds her answer as she looks around her office as she packs up; small glimpses of her love. Little Mingjeong-isms in the form of cute handwritten letters, a trio of origami tulips (obviously in the sunset colours of orange, white and purple) and a collage of pictures that showed the two of them growing up together. Unconsciously the corners of lift up into a small smile, but it quickly fades. 

She misses Minjeong. She wonders how that's even possible considering that they’re finally together now, in the same space after a year of distance, but Jimin finds the feeling too familiar.  She feels a slight prickle around her eyes as the helpless feeling slips, but she keeps it together. She bites down on her tears, reminding herself that home is only thirty minutes away, rather than an entire ocean.

The company was gracious enough to pay for her Taxi ride. Jimin uses the term ‘gracious’ rather lightly because they still worked her to the bone this week. She looks outside the window at the various lights but doesn’t find comfort in them. The light is harsh and blurs into one another. 

With shaky hands, she brings her key to the door. After a bit of fiddling, the door finally unlocks. Jimin expects to come home to a dark living room, but she sees Minjeong curled up on the couch, a wide smile blooming on her face.

Jimin’s mouth contorts to form some form of apology, but before she can say anything, Minjeong springs up and wraps Jimin into a warm hug. 

“I missed you, baby.”

Jimin’s bag drops to the floor. It takes a beat, but Jimin soon encases Minjeong in her arms, holding her tight. To Jimin, Minjeong is like light. But she isn’t like the harsh and cold white of the office lights, nor is she not like the mindless blur of the street lamps that she sees on the way home. Instead, she’s warm and comforting like Jimin’s personal sun, bathing her in all the affection she needs.

Before she knows it she’s shaking and Minjeong’s shoulder is getting damp. Minjeong isn’t surprised, she knows how tough things have been lately. She already decided a long time ago; If Jimin ever felt like breaking down or needed a shoulder to cry on, she would be right there. She rubs circles on the older girl’s back and gets on her tiptoes to kiss her temple softly.

“Take your time. It’s okay. You’re home now.”

Jimin only cries harder, tightening her hold. Minjeong’s voice is delicate and soft, coaxing her into a vulnerability that she can only be in when she’s around her. Occasionally she lets out a wail and shudders as she tries to breathe. Minjeong pats her back and holds her close.

It takes a bit for her to calm down, but when she finally pulls her head away from Minjeong, the younger girl lets out a soft smile. She cups the older girl's face in her hands and swipes her thumbs under her eyes to get rid of the tear stains. She stares for a little bit, and a small giggle bubbles from because Jimin just looks a bit too cute right now; her nose slightly red like she was doing a bad Rudolph cosplay and her face all puffy and pink.

“What?” Jimin asks, now slightly smiling herself. Minjeong’s cute laughs always elicit a smile from her, even when she’s having a difficult time.

“You’re so cute.”

Jimin just rolls her eyes and sniffles again. Minjeong plants sweet kisses under her eyes and pulls her to the couch, urging her to sit. 

She places her soft, small hands on her neck and pokes, reaching a little lower till she's at her shoulders, where she begins to massage softly. All the knots that Jimin had collected throughout the week are being loosened. Jimin can finally close her eyes. Her shoulders begin to sag, losing some of the tension she had been carrying.

After a quick massage, Minjeong turns slightly so that her back can rest against the sofa. Jimin does the same. The younger girl takes the smaller hand into her own, her thumb softly grazing against the back of Jimin’s hand.

Jimin heaves a heavy sigh as she looks down at their intertwined fingers. 

“I’m sorry.”

Even though she doesn’t say anything more, Minjeong can feel the weight of the two words. They sink through the air like a stone through water. Jimin doesn’t make eye contact with her, still looking down at their hands. Minjeong observes Jimin’s expression. 

The way the corner of stretches and relaxes.

The scrunch of her nose.

The twitch of her eyebrow. 

Minjeong has grown to love Jimin’s little idiosyncrasies, little Jimin-isms that she finds endlessly endearing, like the way she makes silly noises to get her attention or how her cheek dimples when she struggles to open something like a new water bottle.

“Why are you sorry, baby? There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“I just feel so sad.”

“Yeah? Do you want to talk about it?”

“Hmm.. I’m still figuring it out I guess.”

“That’s okay. It’s okay to not know what you’re feeling.”

Jimin takes a deep breath, her chest heaving with the weight of her emotions. For a moment, she’s silent, letting the atmosphere of the room consume her. Minjeong waits patiently, squeezing Jimin's hand in reassurance.

“I just… I hate the feeling of being away from you,” Jimin begins, her voice shaky. “I hate feeling like I’m missing out on moments with you.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you have to apologise to me you silly thing. I know it’s been overwhelming at work. We both know it’s not your fault so there's no need to be sorry. 

Minjeong pulls Jimin forward so she’s in her lap, placing her arms around her waist. The taller girl’s legs are now stretched out on the rest of the couch and she places an arm over Minjeong’s chest, her hand hooking around where her shoulders and neck meet.

“I just feel like we haven’t really gotten the chance to be together... and I think I just miss you. Like all the time.”

“I’m right here.”

“I know. I know. And I’m so thankful that you are.” The older girl lets out a breath and presses her lips into a thin line as closes her eyes tightly.

Jimin’s voice is low and coarse as she speaks in a borderline whisper. “ I think it’s just…” She trails off for a moment trying to articulate how she’s been feeling lately. She feels frazzled and out of control, but she listens to Minjeong’s heartbeat thumping in her ears and she’s brought back into the moment.

She opens her eyes but stares off into the distance, not necessarily focusing on anything. “When we got together I was already in university an