“Stop!” Minjeong screamed, as her eyes shot open and her body jerked on the bed.

Trying to calm herself down, she choked on her own unsteady breathing. As Minjeong sensed the panic taking control over her, a warm body held hers.

“Minjeong, it’s okay, it was just a bad dream,” Jimin whispered near her ear, her voice hoarse.

“I-I'm sorry.”

“I’m here, it's okay." Jimin hugged her from behind, kissing the back of her neck. A minute or two went by in silence, but Jimin didn’t let go of her for even a second. "Do you get these often?”

Minjeong turned to face Jimin and focused on her, fighting back the vivid images in her mind. She nodded.

“C-Can I kiss you?” Minjeong asked, her eyes drifting to her lips.

Jimin giggled and did it herself.

“You don’t need to ask.” Jimin rested her hand on Minjeong’s neck, softly scratching it.

Minjeong took the opportunity and kissed her again, for longer this time. Kissing Jimin didn't erase the images in her mind, but it sure helped ground her. Maybe if she kissed her enough times, one day the images would go away.

Much for Minjeong’s disappointment, Jimin pulled away and checked the time on her phone.

“I’m sorry Minjeong, I really want to stay with you, but I need to get up and get ready.”

Minjeong checked the time herself and grunted.

“Me too, I need to go pick up Yerim from my mom’s house and take her to school.”

As Minjeong rolled over to get up from the bed, Jimin grabbed her hand and pulled her down, kissing her one more time.

“What time does your shift start?” Jimin asked.

“I start at ten today.”

Jimin pouted.

“What is it?” Minjeong asked.

“I thought we could have lunch together...”

“I can manage. I'm always on the move, so, I can let you know where my last stop before lunch is.”

The pout on Jimin’s lips changed into a grin. “And since we both need to get ready, how about a shower together?”

“That sounds amazing.”

—

“Are you going to work now?” Minjeong asked as they entered the elevator.

“Yes.” Jimin checked the time again, now on her golden wristwatch.

“What do you do?”

“You can say I’m a business woman.”

“Oh.” Minjeong gulped. “W-What kind of business?”

“Investment. Stocks, mostly.”

The bell of the elevator announced that they had reached the main floor, but Minjeong’s body couldn’t move.

“Minjeong?” Jimin looked back as she stepped out of the elevator.

“Y-Yes. Sorry, I felt dizzy for a second.”

Jimin’s eyebrow irked. “Hungry?”

“Yeah, my sugar levels must be low.” Minjeong forced a small smile.

Minjeong followed Jimin half a step behind, as the receptionist of the hotel bowed at her and wished her a wonderful day, addressing her as Miss Yoo.

The chill morning breeze hit Minjeong’s face. She took a deep breath, trying to remain as calm as possible.

“So, we’ll meet for-"

“Minjeong!” a voice called from the other side of the street.

“I’ll call you later.” Jimin winked and walked away, seeing the woman who just called her crossing the street in their direction.

The woman approached Minjeong with a frown, looking at Jimin as she walked down the road.

“What, who’s she?”

“W-What are you doing here, Yizhuo?” Minjeong asked, her knees still trembling.

“I should be the one asking you. Who was that woman, and why did you just leave the hotel with her this early in the morning?” She then gasped, dropping her chin. “Don’t you tell me!”

Minjeong sighed and grabbed Yizhuo’s arm.

“I hope you’re not busy, 'cuz you’ll come have breakfast with me. And I still need to drop Yerim at school,” Minjeong said as she dragged Yizhuo with her.

—

Minjeong took a large sip of her cappuccino, feeling Yizhuo’s stare burning her skin.

“You’re killing me with the suspense. Spill it!” Yizhuo leaned forward on the table. Minjeong took a few more seconds and told her everything from the moment she first saw Jimin. “She’s in investment? Out of all the different things she could be doing in this world?” Yizhuo sighed. “I get why you’re skeptical now. But hey, don’t let it get to you. I know it's not like you can just snap your fingers and forget about everything, but at least try not to judge her based on your past experiences.”

“I know. I can’t, and I won’t.” Minjeong clenched her fists.

"Yoo Jimin, I’m sure I’ve heard that name before, though…” Yizhuo grabbed her phone.

Minjeong stared at her as she waited for an explanation.

“Here! There are some news articles that mention her." Yizhuo slightly turned her phone so Minjeong could also see it. “Yoo Jimin makes yet another great decision in investing in a growing technology startup,” Yizhuo read. “See, she has her own company and managed to earn millions in the past few years. She must be really, really smart. And obviously, loaded.”

As the information processed in Minjeong's head, she felt lost, as if Yizhuo was talking about someone else entirely.

“I didn’t know any of that,” Minjeong said. "Are you sure it's the same person?"

"I don't think there would be any other Yoo Jimin working in the stock market. Oh, this news article has a picture. Is this her?”

Minjeong gulped at the picture in Yizhuo’s phone, of a woman in a black suit and tie, jet black hair running down past her chest. And she would recognize that doll face anywhere.

“That is her.”

“Damn, she’s drop dead gorgeous.” Yizhuo cleared . “You've only met her a few days ago, I’m sure you would eventually know about all this as you got to know her better.”

Minjeong did want to believe that.

—

As Minjeong had an hour of free time before her shift started, she went home, changed into her sports clothes, and started her daily workout routine.

It would normally help clear her mind, as she could focus entirely on her body, the present moment, and the music playing in the background. And that was exactly what she wanted to do since her breakfast with Yizhuo, but what she had learned kept ringing in her mind.

Why didn't Jimin tell her? When did she intend to tell her? Would she hide it? Why?

As the time to meet her for lunch approached, Minjeong grew increasingly nervous.

She parked her car outside the restaurant and waited. Minjeong was now sure Jimin would be used to fancy restaurants, since she seemed to be well off. Too bad Minjeong couldn't meet that expectation.

The phone was in her hand, so she could check the time every twenty seconds. A few minutes later, she heard an engine of an old car approaching. Minjeong raised her head from her phone and her eyes locked on the car, as it slowed down and parked near hers.

The passenger's door opened and Jimin stepped outside, walking with quick steps towards her. Jimin took off her sunglasses and fixed her hair as she approached.

"Sorry, did you wait for long?" Jimin asked and leaned closer to kiss Minjeong's cheek.

"No, I just arrived. Is that your car?"

"Yes. You like it?"

"It's a white Mustang," Minjeong stated, gulping as she said it.

Jimin grinned and raised her eyebrows. "Didn't expect you would know a fifty year old car. I'm impressed, Kim Minjeong. Let's go inside? I'm starving." She chuckled, patting her stomach and holding onto Minjeong's arm.

They walked inside, and with each step they took forward, the more Minjeong wanted to turn around and leave. The waitress led them to a vacant tablet in the corner of the restaurant.

Minjeong looked at Jimin and couldn't stop wondering who she truly was. She barely knew her. What else was there to find out? What else could there be about her to bring Minjeong's mind back to that past?

"What do you recommend?" Jimin asked, reading the menu.

"A-Anything. The steak is very good."

"Steak it is, then." Jimin smiled, closing the menu.

Minjeong nodded and tried to choose something for herself, but Jimin's eyes on her were making it a hard task.

"What?" Minjeong looked back at her.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, absolutely. Choosing food here is hard."

"I bet it is."

It only made her feel worse that she couldn't hide how she felt, even though she had lied about it. It had been Minjeong asking for them to meet again, but then there she was, fighting her internal battles instead of trying to enjoy the moment.

“Why didn’t you tell me you’re a millionaire?” Minjeong clenched her fists on the table.

Jimin frowned. “Excuse me?”

“You’re kind of a big deal. When were you planning on letting me know?”

“Why does it matter?”

“Why does it matter?” Minjeong scoffed, not believing her ears. “I thought we were supposed to get to know each other and all, but the first thing you do is hide that you have a public image.”

“I— what? H-Have you been running a background check on me?” Jimin's face dropped, and the color in her face drained.

“I happened to. Isn’t it normal to go search for the people you’re seeing online? Check their socials and all.”

“If you were curious about something, you could have just asked me.”

“Wouldn’t it have been a terrible look on me to ask you such a thing right off the bat? You’re clearly famous enough to be on news sites and I might end up in there too since I’m seeing you, but you didn’t think it was important to let me know?” Minjeong finally got to say what her head had been telling her for hours, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest. “Wait, you just assumed I would be a gold digger and you were trying to test me, isn’t it?”

Jimin’s chin dropped and she scoffed, blinking with widened eyes. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t want your money.” Minjeong’s voice tone raised.

“Minjeong-"

“I may not have a fancy job like you or make as much as you make in a day in a month, but you are wrong to think I'm someone who would go to others for money,” Minjeong gritted between her clenched teeth, shooting up from her seat.

Minjeong grabbed her bag and ran towards the exit, not minding the dozens of eyes fixed on her.

She rushed to her car and locked herself in, burying her head in her arms. She felt the panic taking control of her and she knew she had been holding it for too long.

Minjeong raised her head to grasp some air and she felt like her heart had been stabbed. Jimin walked towards her car a few meters ahead of hers, sunglasses hiding her eyes, and her lips a straight, emotionless line.

Was it disappointment, sadness, anger? As Minjeong watched Jimin leave, the destructive thoughts took control of her rationality, and now, she had to fight them alone.

—

Minjeong told herself she would not let it get between them and ruin things. And that had just happened a lot quicker than she seemingly had control over.

It had been the third bottle she broke that day, and she was only halfway through her shift. Her mind couldn’t focus on anything, and her body failed her from time to time, as she felt dizzy and weak.

Minjeong finally took a break. There were still two hours and four more deliveries to do until her shift was over, so she forced herself to eat, while fighting the urge to throw up.

It had been a while since she felt so miserable, and it felt even worse after the past couple of days. Minjeong thought life was giving her another chance, and maybe it really was so, but she had ruined it already. She hated herself so much in that moment, there was only one thing on her mind. A thought that also hadn’t been present for a while. A thought she had fought way too many times to count, and she was able to win every time. But this time, it felt like she didn’t even want to fight back. As if the last string of hope holding her up had been cut.

Yerim had always been what kept Minjeong sane and strong enough to keep up. She thought about her, how important she was to her, and as she checked the time on her phone, she realized she had to hurry to her last delivery of the day, so she could pick her up from school.

Minjeong drove to the last destination and opened the back of her car. She was about to carry the last pallet when she noticed the drinks inside. Looking around, and without even trying to stop herself, Minjeong grabbed one bottle of vodka and hid it under the front seat.

It had been a rough day. Alcohol would help her forget about it. Or at least Minjeong hoped so.

—

The time she spent with Yerim kept the thoughts away, but as soon Minjeong tucked her in bed, they came rushing back in an instant. Minjeong wished she was tired enough to go to bed, sleep, and pretend the day didn’t happen, but she knew insomnia would be a . The bottle she had managed to snatch would be the perfect friend for the occasion.

Minjeong didn’t know what she wanted to accomplish, but she kept on drinking, shot after shot after shot. It had been long since she had drunk until she could no longer stand. Somehow, it didn’t seem worth it to fight the urge today. It was just this once. She’d be back on track tomorrow.

Much to her dread, with each shot she poured herself, she felt more miserable. But she didn’t bother to stop.

She wanted to call Jimin and call her a for what she had done. Because it was her fault Minjeong felt like that. It was because of her that so many thoughts were back to haunt her. Because she had to be in investment, she had to drive that car, she had to be just that kind of person and they were all the same and she couldn’t allow herself to get involved with such a type ever again.

But all the same, she wanted to know where Jimin’s house was, so she could drive there, hold her, kiss her, and beg for her forgiveness, because being with her brought her something she hadn't felt in forever.

Minjeong felt her body weaken, letting herself slide from the couch to the floor. There she laid, beside her friend, the bottle of vodka, the glass still in her hand. Anger pulsed through her body with each thump of her heart. Her jaw clenched, her toes curled, and her stomach twisted with the thought of Jimin.

“You’re not helping me,” she told the vodka. “You ing liar! I thought you’d help me!” Minjeong shrieked.

The overflow of emotions in her mind made her body move on its own, as she jerked upwards, her arm involuntary throwing the glass in her hand across the room. It hit the wall and shattered into tiny pieces, the shrill noise of broken glass echoing in the room, alongside Minjeong’s miserable cries.

Minjeong dropped her head, grasping and pulling on her hair as she tried to control the ugly sobs, her closed eyes seeing the world spinning around and making her want to throw up.

“Mom?”

Minjeong jerked her head towards the call, blocking her breathing and her red eyes widened. Yerim stood in the hallway, her horrified eyes locked on her mother.

“Y-Yerim,” Minjeong gasped for air. “Go back to bed.” She tried to stand up, but she couldn’t take a full step without tumbling to the ground.

“M-Mom!”

Minjeong looked up and there were tears in Yerim’s eyes.

“Yerim, go back to bed,” Minjeong pleaded, as she grabbed the bottle of vodka and tried to hide it.

“What is that?” Yerim took a step forward.

Minjeong didn’t answer. Yerim approached and snatched the bottle from Minjeong’s hands, gasping when she understood what it was.

“Why?! You promised me you wouldn't do it again, Mom!” Yerim’s cries got louder.

“Yerim, give it back.”

“No.” Yerim locked her jaw.

Minjeong froze. “Give it back.” She repeated, grasping thin air as her weak body flailed around, reaching out for the bottle. "I'm your mom, you should listen to me. You're the only one who listens after all, aren't you?"

"No!" Yerim frowned and stretched her arm backward, to make the bottle harder to reach. "I won't give this back to you!"

As Minjeong tried to grab the bottle once more, Yerim jerked backward and took the bottle to her lips. The adrenaline made Minjeong’s body somehow function. She shot up from the ground and grabbed Yerim’s wrist, taking the bottle from her hand, perhaps more violently than she intended.

“What’s gotten into you?!” Minjeong cried, throwing the bottle to the ground, making it spill the remaining liquid on the floor, and grabbed Yerim’s shoulders. “Don’t you ever do that again!”

“If I drink it, then there’s not enough for you! And if you can do it, why can’t I?”

Minjeong’s legs gave in, but her brain had apparently started working again.

“I’m sorry... Yerimie, I’m s-so sorry...” She dropped to her knees, hugging Yerim and sobbing against her chest.

Two thin arms circled around her head.

“Promise me for real this time." Yerim sobbed. "Dad did that. You don't, because you’re not him.”

Minjeong's heart clenched so hard she stopped breathing for a second. She sobbed, nodding and squeezing Yerim’s body.

Yerim was the angel Minjeong never asked for, yet, she couldn’t live without her. Minjeong had never wanted to drag her into problems. Not only was she just a child, but she had been through a lot with her already. Minjeong just wanted to be a good mother, one Yerim would be proud of. But a lot of, it was Yerim who had to be the parent for her. She didn’t deserve it.

Yerim held on to her mother's waist and helped her to her bed. After setting Minjeong in bed, she curled in with her.

This could never happen again. This was the last time she would make Yerim suffer with her stupidity. This was the last time she would make Jimin suffer with her stupidity. Tomorrow, the sun would rise again, and with it, the last chance she had to make things right.

---

A/N: ... *runs*

anyway, Ningning made her first appearance! yey! 

okay for real though, worry not, fluff is back next chapter! 

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