It’s over ten years, one group and an unexpected ending— Aespa is remembered, loved and missed by many. 

 

Ningning’s promoting in China— having left the company more than two years ago as well as Aeri, who is back in Japan doing everything she loves. 

 

A never re-signed contract and a broken group, Jimin and Minjeong remain at SM. Something tethers them down and maybe it’s because Minjeong is a renowned soloist, following in her sunbae’s footsteps, she sells out shows just like Taeyeon. Jimin hadn’t been up to much, having cameos in TV shows and hosting television programs. Making music, dancing and performing on stage was her dream, but for reasons unknown, she can’t see herself on that stage anymore.

 

There’s a quiet trepidation in her soul when she looks upon that stage and she doesn’t see any of her members beside her.

 

She talks to Ningning and Aeri occasionally, wanting to keep in contact with them as best she can, and Minjeong? Jimin doesn’t think she remembers the last time she was on the same planet orbit as Minjeong.

 

Nothing was ever the same those last few years together as a group. Ningning left first and then it was Aeri. Minjeong and Jimin stayed and there’s that quiet hope that they stayed for each other, but no one has seen them or heard of them being together for years.

 

Everyone thinks they know them— coworkers only, but in truth, it was a family that fell apart.

 

Jimin can only dream of another day where they’re all in the same room and on the same stage again.

 

—

 

It’s the SM Halloween party again and Jimin doesn’t want to party at all. Feeling too tired from existing, she doesn’t want to socialise and talk to anyone at the party, but one of her juniors asked and begged, and so Jimin found herself dressed as a vampire. She actually just wore her usual clothes and did messy makeup with blood at the corner of her lips and faux fangs. She didn’t put much effort into it.

 

When she arrives at the SM party, she looks around and her eyes land on Minjeong immediately. Minjeong’s dressed as a vampire as well and so is Jungwoo from NCT, but he doesn’t make Jimin’s heart stutter in her chest and feel like the world’s stopped just for them.

 

Minjeong’s iconic short hair is slicked back and she wears a leather jacket over a white cropped tank top paired with a black miniskirt and knee length boots.

 

Jimin walks to her table without looking as her eyes are kept on Minjeong and she bumps right into something tall and rigid.

 

“Jimin - woah!” Jimin startles and looks up to see Jeno holding her shoulders in place.

“Sorry.” She blinks sheepishly.

“It’s alright, watch where you’re going next time.” He chuckles affectionately and Jimin smiles curtly before finding her table and sitting down.

 

Jimin fiddles with her name placard and her eyes flit around the place, but eventually continues to land on Minjeong, who’s sitting and chatting to the junior girl group.

 

Jimin smiles, eyes softening— feeling a surge of pride in her as she watches Minjeong interact with them. Contrary to tabloids and rumours, Jimin had never been jealous of Minjeong’s success, in fact— she probably wanted Minjeong to grow this big. Minjeong talks to the juniors animatedly and Jimin feels proud knowing that Minjeong is a respected senior artist.

 

One of the juniors says something and Minjeong turns to Jimin momentarily. The taller girl’s eyes widen and her back straightens abruptly, ears growing warm having been caught staring. Minjeong forces a smile and waves at Jimin. Jimin swallows, waving back. 

 

“Why don’t you sit with Karina sunbaenim?” One of the junior group girls says and Minjeong smiles tightly.

“The name placards are already assigned.” She gestures to her name on the piece of paper in front of her.

“Weird that they wouldn’t put group members together.” One of the other girls says and Minjeong shrugs.

 

She wants to tell them that they haven’t really been group members in a while, but no one needs to know. She'd rather it not go to the press.

 

Minjeong sighs and her shoulders sag when the junior group leave to go talk to the other seniors in the company. She’s been so busy all these years and she’s been recently preparing for her  encore fanmeeting in Seoul which is in two weeks. She’s been preparing all her earlier songs as well as some of Aespa’s songs.

 

She finds it strange to sing their group’s song without the other members. It doesn’t seem right. Sometimes Minjeong dreams about them all being in the same room again and on the same stage, but it is difficult when they’re all over the place.

 

But there’s Jimin.

 

Forever still standing Yu Jimin whose eyes are always on her.

 

It’s maybe a little over an hour into the party that Minjeong wants to leave to go home and sleep off her fatigue.   

 

She gets up, says goodbye to a few people before she heads to the elevator to go down to the carpark where she could wait for her manager to pick her up.

 

She steps into the elevator and moves to the back, leaning against the railing and resting her head against the cool mirror wall of the elevator. She shuts her eyes for a moment as the doors begin to close, but then she straightens up when she hears a shout.

 

“Hold the doors!” An arm is stretched out and Minjeong reaches over to press the button to open the doors.

 

It’s as if it happens in slow motion. From the moment the doors open, a tall figure steps into the space and Minjeong’s freezes up just as the other person does. 

 

“Oh.” Jimin blinks.

 

Jimin’s eyes widen when she meets eye to eye with Minjeong. She had wanted to leave the party early as well, but she didn’t realise that Minjeong was the one in the elevator.

 

The door closes and they lapse into silence. Minjeong remains in the back of the elevator and Jimin stands in the front, unusually rigid and still-standing. Minjeong can see a glimpse of Jimin’s profile in the mirror to the right of her, and Jimin is chewing on her bottom lip with an expression of anguish— wanting the elevator ride to hurry up.

 

Minjeong then realises they’re also headed to the same floor, having started from near the top of the building to now having to head down to the basement, the elevator slowly stops at ten, and then nine, and then eight, and so on. 

 

Minjeong’s eyes trail down to Jimin’s fidgeting hand.

 

Clenching into a fist, and then unclenching as she flexes her hand.

 

Jimin prays that the elevator ride will just end, hoping that the silence will cease.

 

She knows Minjeong’s eyes are on her and even if she does want to turn around so badly to see, she won’t do it. 

 

The elevator dings and the doors open.

 

Jimin steps out first and Minjeong follows out.

 

They come to a stop, Jimin feeling around for her car keys in her pocket and she clutches it. She turns to her side slightly and sees Minjeong standing off at a safe spot away from the cars with her arms around herself and looking down at her phone.

 

Jimin swallows, fidgeting with her car key.

 

She takes a breath in and turns to Minjeong.

 

“Need a ride?”

 

—

 

Minjeong sits in the passenger seat of Jimin's car, looking out of the window— not able to turn to her side to look at Jimin at all. Her words keep bay at and she doesn’t really know what to say or think in this situation. Her mind’s a mess and all she wants to do is look at Jimin.

 

Minjeong’s thankful that Jimin’s chosen to turn the radio on, playing a generic pop song because if the car ride to her apartment was in silence, Minjeong thinks she’d rather roll out of the car and walk home.

 

The car comes to a stop and Minjeong unbuckles her belt. Jimin swallows, looking to her side slightly to catch Minjeong’s face, but her hair obscures it, so Jimin’s left with a strong sense of yearning.

 

“Thanks… Jimin.” Minjeong says, opening the door.

“No problem.” Jimin smiles tightly and Minjeong nods slightly.

 

She steps out of the car and turns to Jimin and the taller girl startles at Minjeong’s soft expression.

 

“It was nice to see you.” Minjeong says and she turns on her heels to leave.

“You.. too.” Jimin says to no one in particular.

 

Jimin rests her head against the steering wheel for a moment with her eyes closed tightly and she sighs.

 

“What is wrong with me…” She breathes out.

 

Even though she’s well past her twenties, she feels as if that single moment shared with Minjeong just then reverted her back to some silly twenty year old, dreaming of a love unattainable.

 

She shakes her head slightly.

 

No. I can’t think about her like this anymore. 

 

She straightens back up again and adjusts the radio to play quieter and prepares to drive again, but a knock to her window suddenly appears and she startles, flinching at the intrusion.

 

She blinks and sees Minjeong standing by her door.

 

She rolls down the window and sees a light flush blooming on Minjeong’s cheeks.

 

“Do you wanna come up?”

 

—

 

Neither of them know how to go about this. More than ten years of secret glances and belly fulls of silence has somehow gotten them in this situation.

 

All it took was a halloween party and the incessant need to leave and go home early.

 

“You okay with wine?” Minjeong asks as she takes out two wine glasses from her cabinet.

“Sure.'' Jimin answers, oddly chirpily as she taps her fingers against Minjeong’s carpeted floor.

 

She looks around and sees essences of Minjeong all over her apartment. It doesn’t feel strange to be up here like she’s imagined, but it’s nice and quaint.

 

It’s warm and reminds her strangely of spring.

 

Minjeong sits down beside Jimin on her carpet floor in front of her couch and hands Jimin a wine glass.

 

“Are you sure it’s okay to drink wine on your carpet?” Jimin asks.

“Eh.” Minjeong shrugs. “I can clean it if we spill.”
“Okay then.” Jimin chuckles.

 

Minjeong pours the wine and Jimin takes a long sip of it, thinking that she can’t get through this without being sober.

 

“I like what you’ve done with your place.” Jimin says. “It’s nice.”
“It’s a mess, sweet talker.” Minjeong snorts and Jimin blushes.

“Still nice.” Jimin shrugs. “Has a homey feeling.”

“Thanks.” Minjeong chuckles.

 

Minjeong stands up after a few wine sips and almost stumbles as she makes her way over to her record player. She puts on an old vinyl and sweet slow music begins to pay. A sense of nostalgia fills the room and Jimin feels herself relaxing.

 

Minjeong sits back down and takes a long sip of her wine before putting her glass on the coffee table.

 

“So...” Jimin swallows. “How’s life been?”

 

Jimin cringes at her attempt at conversation. Minjeong finds it funny, seeing Jimin out of her element as she smiles.

 

“Been alright.” Minjeong shrugs. “Just tired.”

“From your tour?” Jimin asks and Minjeong nods.

“You know about it?” Minjeong asks.

“Of course. I watch your videos - I mean, I keep track of you… and everyone.” She blushes.

“Right.” Minjeong grins, taking a sip of her wine.

 

Jimin does the same.

 

“You haven’t been up to much?” Minjeong asks and Jimin shakes her head.

“No… not really.” Jimin says. “I’ve just been around. They’ve been pushing me for an album, but I just don’t feel like it’s the right time.”

“When would the right time be then?” Minjeong asks softly and hearing Minjeong’s voice right next to her like it’s so normal almost renders Jimin speechless, but she holds onto the carpet, struggling to string together her thoughts in front of Minjeong. 

“Um..” Jimin blinks. “Probably when I sort myself out. I’ve been all over the place.”
“Same.” Minjeong chuckles softly. “I’m gonna take a break after this concert.”

“Really?” Jimin asks.

“Yeah.” Minjeong nods. “I’ve been active for so long. God knows I need the rest. And then maybe we can-”

 

Minjeong stops abruptly, almost cursing herself for getting ahead of herself.

 

“Maybe I can visit Aeri-unnie and Ningningie.” Minjeong says and Jimin nods.

“Yeah… that’d be nice.” Jimin decides to let the slip up go.

“Then you can release your album and take my limelight.” Minjeong snorts and Jimin shakes her head with a fond smile.

“I could never take your limelight, Min.” Jimin says softly and Minjeong is sent travelling back in time when all she wanted was her leader’s affections. She blinks and pulls herself out of the past, swallowing thickly.

 

The record player stops and a muffled static noise replaces the atmosphere as the stylus traces over the dead wax of the record.

 

“I’ll put something else on.” Minjeong says before getting up. 

 

Jimin shudders and presses her hand deeply into the carpet to ground herself. She then makes a decision.

 

She gets up and approaches Minjeong.

 

Minjeong places another record and plays it— reverberating gentle jazz music in the room. 

 

She turns back around, ready to return to her spot beside Jimin on the carpet, but she startles when she sees the woman standing behind her, leaning on the dinner table.

 

“What’s up?” Minjeong asks. “You hungry?”

“No, just…” Jimin chews on her bottom lip and Minjeong pretends that it isn’t distracting.

 

Minjeong waits for her to speak, not sure if she can bring herself to ask as the distance between them seemingly grows shorter and more suffocating.

 

“Do you think you could hug me?” Jimin asks and Minjeong releases a breath of surprise.

“I…” Minjeong suddenly stutters in her movements.

“Um, forget about it actually.” Jimin shakes her head, laughing it off. “Sorry - that was weird-”

No.” Minjeong stops her. “I want to.”

 

Jimin stops her thoughts and all she can hear in her mind is Minjeong.

 

Minjeong, Minjeong, Minjeong. 

 

She steps forward and wraps her arms around Jimin’s waist, pulling her close and flush against her. Jimin leans down, wrapping her arms around Minjeong as she rests her head in the crook of Minjeong’s neck— relaxing and breathing in Minjeong’s familiar scent that she’s been missing for years on end.

 

“I miss you.” She confesses and Minjeong’s heart rams against her chest.

“I…” Minjeong swallows down her confusion and hurt. “I missed you too.”

“Minjeong?” Jimin’s voice is muffled by Minjeong’s shoulder.

“Hm?” Minjeong hums.

“I’m really sorry for what happened with us.” Jimin says.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Minjeong says softly. “It’s bound to happen with any group. Different paths and all that.”

“No.” Jimin pulls away and Minjeong finds herself reaching for more warmth. “I meant us.”

“Oh.” Minjeong blinks.

 

The jazz music fades out gradually and all that Minjeong can hear is the beating of her own heart.

 

“It's been years and we never addressed anything.” Jimin begins, having held her feelings back for so long. “I knew what I meant to you back then. I know you loved me more than a member should and I know I hurt you.”

 

Minjeong suddenly feels seen and Jimin’s words cut through her like a thousand cuts from blades all over. grows dry and she had wanted to go undetected for years about this and the only person who ever came close to figuring things out was Aeri, but even she didn’t know because Minjeong never said anything.

 

“What…” Minjeong feels a warmth burning behind her eyes.

“I…” Jimin inhales shakily. “I need to tell you too… that I loved you more than I should have loved anyone else. You weren't alone.”

 

You weren’t alone, 

You weren’t alone— 

 

Jimin’s words strike through her like cupid's bow and she bleeds regret and temptation.

 

“Jimin, you-” Minjeong can’t find her words.

“I do.” Jimin stands tall. “I love you.”

 

Minjeong doesn’t know what to do with this information, but it is tempting to do something reckless and irreversible when Jimin stands in front of her looking so eternally beautiful like she did when they first met and Minjeong’s resolve crumbled in a matter of seconds.

 

Minjeong steps forward, leaning up on her toes and she kisses Jimin.

 

Desperately as tears burst from her eyes.

 

Jimin doesn’t waste time, pulling Minjeong in by the back of her neck. Their love is red hot and pent up with years of yearning and anguish for the world would watch them crumble if they knew, but it’s been over a decade and Jimin doesn’t think she cares anymore.

 

Jimin has Minjeong up against a wall, kissing down the length of her neck, leaving in her wake, a trail of bruising kisses.

 

“My room’s to the left.” Minjeong rasps out and Jimin picks her up by her thighs and leads her to the bed, gently putting Minjeong down on her back.

 

Minjeong watches in wonder, not believing how this has escalated so fast but she’s hypnotised when Jimin takes off her shirt in a swift motion, leaving her in her pants and her bra.

 

Jimin leans back down, sweeping her hair to one shoulder and bringing their lips back together again.

 

Needing contact, Minjeong takes Jimin’s hand and puts it under her shirt and Jimin caresses the expanse of bare skin at her stomach and feels the years of training in her abs.

 

“Are you sure about this?” Jimin heaves and Minjeong nods slightly, surging up to kiss Jimin hard as an answer.

“I love you.” Minjeong exhales.

 

Neither hesitate or fall short in their touches as Minjeong’s hands roam everywhere and Jimin tries to focus, but Minjeong’s gentle touches are dizzying.

 

Clothes are strewn across Minjeong’s floor and the room grows sweet and warm with intimacy.

 

This, this, this. 

 

Minjeong and Jimin. 

 

Never once had they thought in the ten years of distance would bring them together closer than ever before and neither are dreaming.

 

When Minjeong wakes the next morning, there is a warm body pressed against her. She wriggles and looks up to see Jimin’s familiar and easy to discern features. The pink kissed cheeks, round lips and the ever so attractive beauty mark below her lips.

 

Minjeong has that quiet fear when she stares at Jimin’s face that this all might be a dream and nothing happened last night. It brings her back to the past when she was young and naive, desperate for the love and attention from her leader, but they haven’t really been a group in so long, and Minjeong would like to believe she never has loved other people than Jimin, but it is a lie.

 

She’s loved Jimin since the day they met and she’s never stopped.

 

It’d be impossible to not love Yu Jimin.

 

“It’s not a dream.” Jimin says with her eyes closed and Minjeong startles, a blush rising to her ears and cheeks. “I can hear you thinking.”

“I thought…” Minjeong hesitates.

“Thought I wouldn’t be here when you wake up?” Jimin opens her eyes and Minjeong gazes into warm pools of honey. “Thought it was another dream? No. I’m real. This is real.”

Minjeong swallows, feeling an intense urge to cry.

 

“Let’s sleep some more.” Jimin says and Minjeong hears the nervousness in her voice.

 

She must have been thinking alike.

 

Jimin brings Minjeong close to her body and inhales Minjeong’s shampoo scent before pressing a kiss to her head. 

 

This part is real. 

 

Jimin holds her tightly— afraid to lose her.

 

Neither speak when they’re up and no longer in bed. Minjeong pulls Jimin into the shower silently and it is quiet and comfortable with Jimin pressed up against Minjeong in the shower.

No words are said yet— afraid to break this spell that’s been casted on them from the halloween party.

 

Eventually, Minjeong has to go practice for her fan meeting and Jimin returns to her home. She’s got a schedule too, something about having to make an appearance in the company’s trainees survival program.

 

She’s tired and mostly mentally absent when she’s with her team. Going on autopilot and only saying encouraging and nice things, Jimin only has Minjeong on her mind.

 

She doesn’t just have Minjeong on her mind, she had Minjeong’s touch all over her body and it sends shivers all over.

 

She takes a sip of her water bottle to forget.

 

When she’s home, she’s exhausted and collapses onto her bed.

 

Her mind being full of Minjeong, she pulls out her phone and calls Ningning.

 

“Wassup, unnie!” Ningning greets loudly.

“Hey.” Jimin chuckles at the girls' forever enthusiasm.

“Saw you went to the SM halloween party! Your costume was weak.” Ningning says and Jimin snorts. “ Should’ve taken a pic with Minjeong-unnie.” 

“Thanks and… yeah, about Minjeong...” Jimin swallows. “Did you ever want to question what was up with the both of us?”

“ Back then?” Ningning questions.

“Yeah.” Jimin answers quietly.

“...” Ningning takes her time answering. “ I guess. Aeri-unnie and I even talked about it but we just left it at that because we didn’t want to push you two. We could tell it was a delicate situation.” 

“What did you think it was about?” Jimin asks.

“ We weren’t dense, unnie.” Ningning snorts. “ We knew you guys were in love with each other, but it was hard. We were still a pretty new group and everyone was always up our asses about everything.”  

 

Jimin smile softly with a laugh, hearing her precious maknae’s way of talking.

 

“Thanks, Ning.” Jimin says. “You make things sound easy.”

“They could be easy.” Ningning says nonchalantly. “ Best way to make it easy is to not give a damn.” 

“ I’ll take note of that.” Jimin chuckles.

 

With that, the end calls with a promise of seeing each other in the near future.

 

—

—

—

 

They don’t speak or see each other until two weeks later when it’s Minjeong’s fan meeting. 

 

She hadn’t sent any invite to her, as it makes her nervous— the thought of seeing Jimin amongst the sea of fans. 

 

Ever since that night, she hadn’t been able to function properly. Being scolded by her staff and manager for her absent mindedness, Minjeong can’t find it in herself to care about making mistakes, but right now, all she cares about is Jimin and she wants to see her again.

 

The crowd is loud at the fanmeeting and Minjeong’s just sang a few songs and done some dances. Her surprise MC was Aeri who decided to fly in and scare the out of Minjeong at the company practice room Minjeong was in that very morning.

 

“Alright!” Aeri beams and the crowd screams. “Since Minjeongie is terribly tired, let’s have her sit down and read your precious letters, our MYs!” 

 

Minjeong smiles at Aeri thankfully before sitting down on a stool with a blanket in her lap. She takes a sip of water before a staff member runs out with a basket with folded letters.

 

“Firstly, let’s read the name out loud.” Aeri says.

“From Winter’s wife,” Aeri snorts when Minjeong reads that outloud. The other woman blushes. “I have been supporting you since your solo debut and as well as during Aespa’s debut. Thank you for performing MYs favourite songs for so long and making us happy for so long! I love you Kim Winter!”

 

Winter grins and points to the camera that’s projecting her on the big screen. “I love you too, my wife!”

 

The crowd screams and Minjeong laughs.

 

She grows through all of the letters and then she reaches the last one. She unfolds it and finds that it hasn’t been taken from the online fan letter forum and isn't printed on. It has been handwritten and it is long.

 

There isn’t a silly username tag or a name— just a sweet handle.

 

“From your number one supporter,” Minjeong begins. “It has been such a long time, more than ten years, and I have always thought of you and loved you through this all. Even if I don’t see you everyday, you are always on my mind and I am content supporting you from afar and from across the room.”

 

Minjeong swallows, feeling an odd feeling of familiarity from this handwritten letter.

 

“You have shined so brightly on stage and I feel proud to see you there with many fans and supporters. I envy everyone who loves you because I want to be the only one to love you instead of dreaming of it. To uphold our promise, Winter, no matter what happens, we’ll always have each other and you will always be Minjeong to me. I will support you until the end. I love you and I hope you continue to shine brightly as you have since the beginning.”

 

The camera pans to her and she’s shown to the big screen again. The audience waits for her to say something cute and funny again, but constricts and her eyes grow warm with unshed tears.

 

She stands up and looks amongst the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of who she wants to see.

 

It’s hard to see, with everyone obscured by the lights and her tears, but she looks around until she spots someone in a T-shirt she’s seen before.

 

Near the audio team, behind them under the tent is a familiar woman.

 

Jimin stands, not sitting like the rest. Hand over her heart as she watches Minjeong on stage. She wears a cap and her long dark hair covers her back freely.

 

The crowd coos when Minjeong’s tears begin to fall and Aeri hugs her tightly.

 

Tweets

: SHE SANG TIL WE MEET AGAIN 😭

 

: Is it me or did I see Karina in the damn fanmeeting 

> : She was totally there !! 

 

When the fan meeting is over, Minjeong hopes quietly that Jimin is waiting for her. She’s disappointed when she doesn’t see Jimin anywhere near the venue or the car park.

 

Aeri opts to drive Minjeong home, saying that she strangely misses driving on Korean roads and Minjeong doesn’t really have anything to say to that.

 

“Did you know who wrote that letter?” Aeri asks her when they begin to drive.

“Yeah…” Minjeong answers quietly. 

“It was Jimin, wasn’t it?” Aeri smiles and Minjeong nods.

“Aw. Didn't know you guys were talking again.” Aeri coos.

“Not really.” Minjeong shrugs. “It was the night of the halloween party. She offered to drive me home and then yeah…”

“That’s nice of her.” Aeri nods sceptically, sensing that Minjeong has more to say. 

 

There’s a beat, and then—

 

“She knew.” Minjeong says. “She knew I was in love with her.”

“How’d that go?” Aeri asks.

 

We slept together— Minjeong wants to blurt but she holds her tongue.

 

“Did you know back then too?” Minjeong asks instead.

“Yeah.” Aeri nods. “Ning and I talked about it back then. It was like having divorced parents and sharing custody of kids… you guys kept that close act for so long and when you went back to the dorm, it was just silence. It was hard for you both, we knew.”

“Sorry… that we made it fall apart.” Minjeong says quietly but Aeri only smiles softly.

“It’s not that fallen apart. We just didn’t communicate better, but we're here now aren’t we?” She says. “Ning’s coming next week too.” 

“Really?” Minjeong blinks.

“Yeah.” Aeri grins. “How does having Aespa perform together again for our anniversary sound?” 

 

—

 

When Minjeong gets home, Aeri doesn’t come up— saying she wants to catch up with her friends so Minjeong bids her goodbye.

 

She walks up to her apartment and pauses when she sees Jimin leaning against the wall beside her door wearing her cap and large t-shirt with her arms crossed over her chest.

 

“Jimin?” Minjeong calls out and Jimin looks up.

 

She takes off the cap and smiles softly at Minjeong.

 

“Hey.” Jimin steps forward as does Minjeong.

 

“What… how long have you been here?” Minjeong blinks. 

“Not long. I wanted to see you after, but I didn’t want to catch the attention of everyone so I came back here to wait for you.” Jimin shrugs.

“Oh.” Jimin hadn’t left.

 

Jimin was here with her.

 

Minjeong lets Jimin in and she’s caught off guard for a moment when her back is turned to Jimin.

 

Jimin takes the opening and steps forward to wrap her arms around Minjeong— front to back.

 

She leans forward and kisses the back of Minjeong’s neck, sending a shiver all throughout Minjeong’s body.

 

“You did so well today.” Jimin says. “I love seeing you on stage.”

 

Minjeong swallows, ears burning red like a silly young girl all those years ago.

 

“What.. what are you doing?” Minjeong almost loses track of her thoughts.

“Making up for lost time.” Jimin is bold, confident, and brave unlike all those years ago when Minjeong was left wanting more.

 

Minjeong turns around and Jimin tucks her hair behind her ear, continuing to fluster Minjeong.

 

“You’re so beautiful, Minjeong-ah.” Jimin says, eyes full of haze and Minjeong’s heart stutters in her chest.

“Stop it.” Minjeong blushes, trying to push Jimin away.

“Why?” Jimin smiles softly. “I want to show you how much I love you.”

“Did you drink?” Minjeong asks, dodging Jimin’s face coming towards hers.

“No. I’m very sober.” Jimin snorts.

“C-can you just let me shower first?” Minjeong finally stops Jimin from squirming.

“Mind if I join?”

 

Minjeong showers by herself and Jimin sits on Minjeong’s bed patiently like a dog waiting for its owner to come home.

 

Minjeong exits the shower and finds Jimin laying down in her bed, waiting for her.

 

“Are you wearing my pjs?” She asks.

“Yup.” Jimin answers. 

 

Minjeong almost wants to roll her eyes.

 

Jimin’s eyes trail around as she follows Minjeong’s movement as she prepares for sleep. Minjeong finishes up and crawls into her bed and sides right up against Jimin.

 

“Hug me.” She says and Jimin is quick to comply.

“You’ve been speaking casually to me all this time, have you realised?” Jimin snorts and Minjeong shrugs.

“You still want me to call you unnie?” Minjeong questions and Jimin shrugs.

“I like it when you call me it sometimes.” Jimin answers and Minjeong blinks, a smirk forming on her face.

“.” Minjeong grins and Jimin rolls her eyes.

“It’s not. It’s common respect.” Jimin scoffs, but her telltale blushing ears give her away.

 

Minjeong pushes herself up on her elbows and hovers over Jimin. 

 

“Would you still want me to call you unnie, when I do this?” Minjeong a strip from Jimin’s ear to her neck. “And this?” She kisses the underside of Jimin’s jaw and Jimin gulps soundly.

“Maybe.. maybe not.” Jimin pulls Minjeong back down to hug her. Minjeong giggles triumphantly and snuggles soundly against Jimin.

“... I didn’t raise you like this..” Jimin mutters under her breath with a sigh.

 

Minjeong sighs, closing her eyes for a moment before thinking of something.

 

She raises her head again.

 

“Hey.” She pokes Jimin.

“Hm?” Jimin hums.

“At the halloween party,” She begins. “You were being chummy with NCT’s Jeno. What was up with that?”

“It’s in the past.” Jimin shakes her head and Minjeong gasps, scandalised. “Shut it.” 

“You guys were together?” Minjeong asks.

“No way.” Jimin says. “We just… hung out.”

“Is that what they’re calling this nowadays?” Minjeong snorts. “Hung out my .”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures, alright?” Jimin sighs, pushing Minjeong’s head back down to lay down.

“Can’t believe you…” Minjeong giggles.

“What about you then?” Jimin asks back.

“...Jaemin.”

“No way!” 

 

—

 

It’s a few days later and all three of them except Ningning are in the company. There are talks of them wanting a reunion comeback, and Jimin’s solo comeback as well.

 

Waiting for the executives, and Aeri who’s gone to the bathroom, Jimin opts to hold Minjeong’s hand, intertwining their hands together.

 

Minjeong startles and tries to pull away.

 

“There’s people…” Minjeong whispers. “They’ll see.”

“I don’t care.” Jimin says with a defying smile and Minjeong blinks, breath knocked out from her lungs. “I love you and I hope everyone sees it.” Jimin grins and presses a kiss to Minjeong’s hair.

 

Minjeong shoves her lightly and blushes.

 

Jimin grins happily.

 

When Aeri returns to the room, they break apart and blush like teenagers.

 

It's later in the day and there are fansite previews resurrecting from the dead after Jimin, Aeri, and Minjeong are seen picking Ningning up from the airport.

 

SM then also released a statement about a reunion concert and a promotion period for them, which then crashed many search engines later during the day.

 

Later, they all take refuge in Minjeong’s apartment, much to the latter’s dismay.

 

“Minjeong-unnie, your place is so swag!” Ningning plops right down onto the couch.

 

Aeri sits down right next to her.

 

“You guys hungry?” Minjeong asks.

“Totally.” Ningning nods.

“Order something then, I'm going to shower.” She hands them her phone.

“Wait - let me pee!” Jimin dashes to the bathroom and Minjeong blinks.

 

A scowl forms on her face and Aeri and Ningning snicker amongst themselves.

 

Minjeong enters her room to grab clothes.

 

Ningning then turns to Aeri.

 

“How have they been acting?” Ningning asks quietly.

“Like weirdly.” Aeri whispers back. 

“Like what?” Ningning’s eyes widened.

“They take secret looks at each other and talk like robots.” Aeri sighs. 

“I thought they got close again?” Ningning questions.

“Me too.” Aeri rolls her eyes.

“Let’s see for ourselves later.” Ningning says and Aeri nods.

 

Minjeong finishes showering and the food comes. Jimin brings the food in and sets up the table for the four of them.

 

They all sit down and then they notice there’s no utensils.

 

“Where are the damn chopsticks?” Ningning huffs.

“I’ll get some.” Jimin says standing up.

 

Ningning and Aeri watch curiously as Jimin walks straight into Minjeong’s kitchen without a second thought and pulls out a drawer of utensils. She brings back forks, spoons and chopsticks for them and sits down with an oblivious smile.

 

Ningning and Aeri share a look.

 

“Let’s dig in!” Minjeong beams, mouth drooling at the sight of the food. 

 

They eat and chatter loudly and Minjeong and Jimin’s predicament is momentarily forgotten about until Minjeong speaks again.

 

“Jimin, can you get me ice and a cup for the coke?” She asks and Jimin does it without questioning.

 

Ningning’s eyes widen and she almost spits out her guo bao rou.

 

“Informal!” Ningning exclaims randomly.

“What?” Minjeong blinks.

“You spoke without honorifics.” Ningning says and Minjeong pauses for a second.

“I-I meant - please, Jimin-unnie.” Minjeong fixes and Ningning narrows her eyes suspiciously.

 

Jimin sits down, aware that Aeri and Ningning’s eyes are on her intently.

 

“Here…” She passes the ice cup to Minjeong and resumes eating.

 

The chatter ceases and they eat in silence as Aeri and Ningning watch the other two like hawks.

 

Jimin sighs and puts down her chopsticks before looking at the other two.

 

“You have something to say, yes?” She urges them.

“You guys are being weird…” Aeri says slowly and Minjeong smiles faintly.

“Like how?” Minjeong tilts her head.

“Jimin-unnie just magically knows where everything is in this house and you spoke informally to her.” Ningning says.

“Maybe she’s been here before, and it was the slip of my tongue.” Minjeong shrugs nonchalantly and Jimin smiles.

“You guys are bad at this, spit it out.” Aeri crosses her arms over her chest.

“Fine.” Minjeong says. “I slept with Jimin the night of the halloween party.”

 

Aeri’s jaw drops and Ningning chokes on her saliva.

 

“And yesterday.” Jimin adds on, egging the situation on as Aeri and Ningning begin to lose it— making unintelligible noises to each other.

 

“What!” Aeri splutters. “I was here with you both and none of you told me anything?!”
“Forgot.” Minjeong shrugs.

“This is too much for me.” Ningning shakes her head, feeling nauseous at these revelations.

“So you’re together?” Aeri questions.

 

Jimin turns to Minjeong and reaches for her hand. She intertwines them and presses a kiss to Minjeong’s knuckles.

 

“Of course.” She answers.

 

—

 

After talking it out and getting an earful from Ningning and Aeri, they manage to put them to bed in a makeshift bed on the couch. 

 

Minjeong and Jimin retreat to Minjeong’s room, feeling the night's fatigue settle in.

 

“No funny business!” Aeri yells from outside when Minjeong closes her door.

“Go to sleep!” Minjeong shouts back.

 

Jimin chuckles and Minjeong jumps into bed, snuggling right up to Jimin.

 

Jimin falls into a rhythm of patting Minjeong’s back like a mother to an infant to lull her to sleep.

 

“Are you happy?” Minjeong asks later in the quiet night.

“Yeah.” Jimin hums. “I really am… and you?”

“I am too.” Minjeong grins into Jimin’s neck. “I used to dream of this.”

“Me too.” Jimin says quietly.

 

Minjeong pauses for a moment and looks up to Jimin. 

 

“You dreamt of me?” Minjeong asks quietly and Jimin smiles softly, remembering all the pain she felt so long ago.

“A long time ago I did.” Jimin answers.

“And now?” Minjeong questions with curiously round child-like eyes.

 

Jimin leans down and presses a firm kiss to the crown of Minjeong’s head.

 

“I think of you,” She says.

 

THE END <3