Minjeong sleeps over at Jimin’s and nothing happens, but they don’t leave each other’s arms or presence either.

As they lay in bed with each other, preparing for sleep, the night grows vulnerable. 

“Do you think you can date me?” Minjeong asks, getting comfortable on her side in Jimin’s bed.

“Minjeong…” Jimin smiles softly.

“Please? Can we try it for me?” Minjeong pleads, the tip of her nose almost touching Jimin’s. “I haven’t liked you all these years for nothing.”

“I...” Jimin hesitates.

She has Minjeong in her apartment and all over are the remnants of the younger girl. Minjeong’s shoes by her door, her jacket on her clothing rack, her dishes in her sink and Minjeong laying in front of her in her bed.

“I want to,” Jimin decides.

“You can’t take it back.” Minjeong grins, scooting closer until she’s in Jimin’s arms, who invites her in eagerly. 

“I won’t.” She kisses Minjeong’s crown.

“Unnie. Kiss.” Minjeong tugs on Jimin’s jacket sleeve outside of Jimin’s apartment block in front of the foyer. 

“You’re not coming up?” Jimin asks, intertwining her hand with Minjeong’s.

“I want to, but I have plans with Ningning tomorrow.” Minjeong says.

“I can take you home in the morning.” Jimin pouts, swinging their hands back and forth.

“Yeah and my mom’s going to call and ask why I didn't go home if I lie and say I slept at Ning’s again. She’s going to ask why I slept over if I’m going to see her again.” Minjeong tells Jimin.

“Fine.” Jimin reluctantly lets go of Minjeong.

“Unnie, you’re so cute when you’re sulking.” Minjeong grins.

“I’m not cute!” Jimin pouts.

“But you’re sulking?” Minjeong raises a brow and Jimin nudges her. “Unnie, I have to go now.” Minjeong chuckles.

“I know, I know.” Jimin sighs, pulling Minjeong into her and wrapping her arms around her. “I’ll just miss you.”

“I’ll see you again.” Minjeong looks up at Jimin.

“I know you will.” Jimin looks down at Minjeong lovingly.

“Now kiss.” Minjeong demands.

“Jeez, so demanding.” Jimin grins as she leans down to kiss Minjeong soundly.

To not let it go any further than it should, Jimin kisses Minjeong chastely again and pulls away.

“Minjeong?” Unmistakably Aeri’s voice, Jimin freezes in her spot and Minjeong’s eyes widen.

“Aeri-unnie?” Minjeong moves away and spots Aeri with a bag of beer in hand.

Jimin turns around slowly.

“Aeri, it’s not what it looks like.” Jimin raises her hands.

“It’s not what it looks like?” Aeri raises a brow. “So you’re only just defiling my little sister?”

She drops the bag and storms over towards Jimin.

“Wait, wait-”

Aeri lands a straight blow to Jimin’s cheek. Jimin staggers and falls on her as she cradles her cheek.

“Unnie! What’d you do that for?!” Minjeong gasps and comes to Jimin’s aid immediately.

Jimin bites down on her bottom lip and wants to lie and say that it doesn't hurt, but Aeri’s got fists of steel and it burns like hell, especially since Aeri goes boxing and wears rings.

“Ow, ow, ow...” Jimin groans.

“Let me see it!” Minjeong tries to pull Jimin’s hands away from her face but her long hair covers her.

Minjeong gets pushed away and Aeri grabs onto the lapels of Jimin’s jacket, dragging her up into a sitting position.

“I let you into my life as my best friend; I let you grow up beside Minjeong; my parents fed you and housed you; I told you to take care of her; and this is what you do to me?” Aeri scoffs. “I trusted you! I never thought you’d be this desperate for a warm body. She’s my little sister, you jackass!”

Aeri throws her aside and Jimin winces, feeling Aeri’s words cut right through her as if these many years of friendship meant nothing.

Jimin stumbles as she stands up, her head hanging low.

“Go home with Aeri.” Jimin swallows back her tears.

“Jimin-unnie…” Minjeong desperately wants to reach out.

“I’m sorry, Aeri.” Jimin grits her teeth. “I never meant for this to happen.”

Jimin dismisses Minjeong and the younger girl feels hurt like a puppy abandoned by its owner.

Aeri grabs onto Minjeong and begins stalking away without another word.

Jimin looks at the discarded bag of alcohol and she thinks it’s a sign from God. She brings it with her upstairs to her apartment.

—

—

Jimin hasn’t been accepting calls from Minjeong or even looking at her messages. She stays in her apartment all day and only goes out when she has to.

She’s sitting at her desk, working on files for work, when she finds a familiar intruder in her home.

“What are you doing here?” Jimin jerks up from her desk when she sees Minjeong behind her through the reflection on her laptop monitor.

Minjeong doesn’t say anything; she only walks up to Jimin and cups her chin as she inspects the bruise on her cheekbone.

“Does it still hurt?” Minjeong asks, seeing the purple bruise and the red cut through it.

“No.” Jimin lies.

Minjeong presses a finger against it gently and Jimin winces.

“Liar.” Minjeong calls quietly and Jimin bites her tongue in embarrassment.

Minjeong pulls a tube of ointment from her pocket and squeezes a small amount on the tip of her finger before applying it evenly to the cut and bruise. She puts the ointment on Jimin's table.

“Apply this every day after you shower and before you sleep.” Minjeong instructs her.

“You can’t be here anymore, Minjeong.” Jimin says.

“Why?” Minjeong counters.

“I broke Aeri’s trust.” Jimin says. “I’m never going to get it back like this.”
“Your friendship with Aeri is more important to this relationship you're building with me?” Minjeong scoffs.

“It’s not like that…” Jimin sighs. “I can’t lose Aeri.”

“But you can lose me in the process?” Minjeong carries pain in her tone. 

“Minjeong-ah…” Jimin swallows and Minjeong reaches out to cup Jimin’s cheek.

Jimin pulls away and takes a deep breath.

“You can’t be with me. Aeri’s right about me, you know. All those things you hear around campus, it’s all true.” Jimin says coldly. “All I want is a warm body. I don’t want a relationship; I don’t need one. I sleep around, I’m disinterested and I push people away. It’s what I do.”

“You take care of me; you cook for me; you tell me sweet nothings; and you keep me safe. That’s what you do.” Minjeong tells Jimin warmly, ignoring what Jimin had said. “Tell me honestly that you don’t feel what I feel for you. Tell me you can afford to lose me; tell me you never want to see me again.” 

Jimin looks away, her heart lurching at as she tries to push it back down.

“I can’t—I can’t love you. I never want to…I never… I can’t— I can’t.” Jimin chokes on her words as tears surface. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Minjeong brings Jimin in as Jimin wraps her arms tight around her waist, burying her face into Minjeong’s stomach as she wets her shirt with tears.

“Please don’t leave me, Minjeong-ah.” Jimin sobs and it brings tears to Minjeong’s eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Minjeong says shakily, “Nothing will happen to us. I won’t let it.”

Within the four walls of Jimin’s room, the two of them learn what it feels like to almost lose something so precious and rare in this cold world.

Jimin loves Minjeong and has cared about her since she first laid eyes on her. All Jimin wants to do is make Minjeong happy and keep her cared for, even if it’s not from her. Jimin knows she can’t lose Minjeong or Aeri. She can’t lose this. 

Minjeong’s young and all she’s known in her life is Jimin. Jimin, who takes care of her silently and who indulges in her when she’s immature and teasing. She can't give this up. She can’t give Jimin up. She can’t. 

—

—

—

The sisters are having dinner at their parents place when their father watches them silently and their mother laughs awkwardly at the distance between them.

Aeri’s seat and Minjeong’s seat are right next to each other, yet there’s almost an arm's distance between them.

“Did you girls fight?” Their mother flatly asks and Minjeong sighs.

“No.” Aeri answers quickly for them.

“Honey, our girls rarely fight.” Their father interjects. “They’re probably tired.”

“Alright, alright.” Their mother surrenders.

Minjeong looks over and finds Aeri looking at her. She quickly turns away and Minjeong clenches her jaw.

The dinner finishes and Aeri volunteers to wash the dishes. Minjeong follows, dropping dishes into the sink and rinsing them.

“Unnie.” Minjeong begins.

“If you’re going to discuss it, I don’t want to hear it.” Aeri says it stubbornly.

“I can’t give Jimin-unnie up.” Minjeong tells Aeri bravely. “I’m in love with her.”

“Minjeong, don’t.” Aeri tenses her jaw, dropping the fork in her hand.

“No, I’m not a kid anymore and you’re going to listen to what I have to say.” Minjeong stands her ground.

“Fine.” Aeri sighs, turning off the water.

“I don’t even know why you would think Jimin’s been taking advantage of me,” Minjeong huffs. “She’s grown up with me and taken care of me all these years. Jimin would never treat me so carelessly.”

“Did she come onto you?” Aeri feels strange asking.

“No. You know Jimin doesn’t do those things anymore.” Minjeong sighs. “I came onto her. I confessed to her before she went to Paris.”

“You’ve been in love with her this whole time?” Aeri asks, genuinely surprised.

“Yes.” Minjeong swallows. “I’ve loved her for years and this is the only time in my life that I’ve done something out of character. I chased her until she let me in.”

Aeri looks away, fingers tense against the sink as she thinks deeply.

“So please, if you’re going to shut your best friend, Jimin, out like this, I’ll break up with her.” Minjeong says. “If it makes all of us okay again, I’ll do it.”

“I… I can’t ask you to do that, Minjeong.” Aeri sighs, feeling guilty.

“Then please understand that I love Jimin.” Minjeong says and Aeri hears it clearly. “I want her to be happy. Go talk to her and fix things. She misses you.” 

“I miss her too…” Aeri grumbles and Minjeong smiles softly.

They finish washing the dishes and Aeri speaks again.

“Are you guys... have you guys...” Aeri asks slowly.

“No. We only just got together recently,” Minjeong answers. “She’s rejected me two times before. Believe me when I tell you that this was a long time coming. I was persistent.”

“And Jimin caved.” Aeri chuckles.

“Exactly.” Minjeong nods smugly.

“You’ve grown up so much.” Aeri smiles softly. “Right under my nose.”

“Are you proud of me?” Minjeong smiles. “Did I grow up well?”

“I’m very proud. You grew up so well, Minjeongie.” Aeri nods.

The sisters rejoice with a warm hug and Minjeong’s heart settles with ease.

—

—

Jimin’s lazing around in her apartment when her phone buzzes with a message from Aeri for the first time in a while.

> Gym. 

The message says, 

And then Jimin’s out the door as fast as the text came.

When Jimin arrives at the gym, Aeri’s already working out with weights, so Jimin joins her like any other ordinary day where they would train together, except it’s out of the ordinary since Jimin’s dating her little sister and they haven’t spoken a single word.

Jimin tries to figure out what to say that won’t sound stupid coming out of , but Aeri’s already moving on and Jimin scrambles as she follows her.

They enter the boxing ring and Aeri throws Jimin punching pads as she puts on boxing gloves.

“Get in.” Aeri gets into the ring and Jimin does too.

For the first half, they’re going at it as Aeri throws jabs and Jimin catches them and supports Aeri’s punches.

“How long have you been together?” Aeri asks, and Jimin almost gets hit in the face by the abrupt question.

“Not long. Just a few weeks ago,” Jimin answers.

“Was she the reason why you stopped sleeping around all those years ago?” Aeri asks and Jimin winces at the question.

“Yes.” She answers bravely.

“Do you love her?” Aeri asks. 

“With everything I have.” Jimin answers and Aeri stops.

Her shoulders drop and Jimin exhales slowly as she gathers air back into her lungs.

“How come you never said anything?” Aeri asks, sitting down at the edge of the boxing ring. Jimin follows and sits down with her.

“I was scared.” Jimin shrugs. “You always hated people like Jaehyun for his sleeping habits and I was kind of his female equivalent.”

“Come on, you weren’t—”

“To me, I was.” Jimin halts her and Aeri frowns. “I thought I wasn’t good enough for Minjeong and that she could have some guy who’s so much better than me.”

“I didn’t know you thought that.” Aeri frowns.

“Like you said, I never said anything.” Jimin shrugs. 

Aeri lays down on her back and sighs.

“I feel weird.” Aeri says.

“Like bad, weird?” Jimin asks

“No, definitely not. I dunno, I feel kind of strange that I didn’t notice it before—how much you took care of her.” Aeri says and Jimin’s eyes widen.

“I didn’t take care of her because I liked her-”

“I know.” Aeri cuts her off. “I know, relax. But you know, deep down, it was there. We all grew up with each other and protected Minjeong. You cared for her deeply and I guess along those years, Minjeong grew to love you and you did too.”

“I do care deeply for her. I love her.” Jimin says candidly and Aeri smiles softly. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner, but I cannot be sorry for falling in love with her.”

“You shouldn’t be sorry.” Aeri says gently, “You’ve changed so much. So has Minjeongie.”

“Falling in love with Minjeong has to be the best thing I’ve done in this life.” Jimin smiles bashfully. “After being your best friend, of course.”

Aeri snorts and nudges Jimin playfully.

“Sorry about the bruise and you know... I’m glad it’s you.” Aeri tells her and Jimin pouts.

“Aeri...” Jimin coos.

“Do not cry.” Aeri huffs. “If you cry, I’m going to cry!”

“I’m not crying!” Jimin’s voice cracks and Aeri shoves her.

“Liar!” Aeri cries and Jimin bursts into tears.

“Did you make up with her?” Minjeong asks and Jimin nods, sinking down onto her girlfriend on the couch. Minjeong wraps her arms over Jimin and plays with her hair.

“She gave me her blessing.” Jimin mumbles into Minjeong’s shoulder.

“Really?” Minjeong blinks and Jimin nods.

“I’m so lucky to have you two in my life.” Jimin lifts her head and grins. 

“Yay! Now all we have to do is tell my parents!” Minjeong beams.

“One at a time, please.” Jimin whines and Minjeong chuckles.

“Definitely.” Minjeong grins.

—

—

One early morning, Jimin takes Minjeong to greet her grandma.

Jimin brushes the dirt away from her grandmother’s grave and Minjeong places a bouquet of flowers down.

“Halmeoni, I brought Minjeongie with me today.” Jimin takes Minjeong’s hand in hers. “Do you remember her?”

“Today, she is my girlfriend.” Jimin grins.

“Halmeoni, hi! I miss you and your delicious cooking.” Minjeong greets her. “Jimin-Unnie’s been taking good care of your recipes and I promise to take care of Jimin-Unnie well too. Thank you for raising Jimin-Unnie so beautifully.”

Jimin smiles softly and presses a kiss on Minjeong’s crown. 

Next, they go to Minjeong’s family home, preparing for lunch with the parents.

“Just be yourself.” Minjeong tells Jimin as they reach the door. “You’ve known them your whole life.”

“I know. I’m just a bit nervous.” Jimin chuckles. “This is official.”

“I know.” Minjeong grins. “I’m kind of nervous too.”

They ring the doorbell, and Taeyone greets them.

“Welcome!” Taeyeon pulls them in.

“Morning, eomoni.” Jimin hands her a bouquet of flowers.

“Oh? What’s the occasion?” Taeyeon teases and Jimin’s ears burn red. “Are you guys ready to tell me you’re dating?”

“Yes, mum.” Minjeong rolls her eyes.

“Finally!” Taeyeon cheers and Jimin ducks her head shyly.

“What’s this I hear about dating?” Baekhyun comes around.

These two are finally together.” Taeyeon tells him.

Jimin bows deeply.

“I’ll introduce myself properly.” Jimin smiles. “Today, I’m Minjeong’s girlfriend.”

“I always knew you’d be the one.” Baekhyun pats her shoulder gently.

“Anyway, girls, the food isn’t ready yet, so go play at the park and come back for dinner.” Taeyeon shoos the girls away from the kitchen.

“Okay!”

Jimin grabs a soccer ball from the trunk of her car and they begin to walk to their childhood park.

“You’re going to teach me?” Minjeong blinks.

“Yes, as your girlfriend and captain of the high school soccer team for two years,” Jimin grins. “I’m pretty sure I’m qualified to teach you.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t qualified.” Minjeong pouts. “I’m just prefacing that I don’t have a single athletic bone in my body.”

“I know, my love. That’s why I’ll teach you.” Jimin kisses her cheek and jogs backwards. “Kick the ball to me!”

Minjeong bashes her foot against the ball and Jimin winces, watching it roll to her slowly.

“I told you!” Minjeong shrugs.

“Your form is incorrect.” Jimin giggles, jogging back to Minjeong while dribbling the ball.

She stands behind Minjeong and places her hands on her hips.

“When you kick, since you’re a beginner, you should always spread your legs a bit and plant your back foot against the ground.” Jimin adjusts Minjeong’s body. “When you kick, you use the inside of your foot so it doesn’t hurt.”

“This is an excuse just to feel me up, isn’t it? You .” Minjeong clicks her tongue and Jimin rolls her eyes, backhanding Minjeong’s stomach as she backs away. “Hey!”

“Kick it now, like I showed you.” Jimin tells her. “You can do it!”

Minjeong takes a determined breath and jogs back a bit before running up to the ball and kicking it to Jimin. Minjeong closes her eyes and reopens them, seeing the ball far away.

“I did it!” Minjeong grins but she falters when she finds Jimin on the ground. “Oh my god!”

“Jesus, you kick hard.” Jimin winces as he holds her nose.

“Is it broken? Does it hurt badly?” Minjeong fusses over her.

“Can you kiss it?” Jimin smiles despite the pain.

“Obviously.” Minjeong laughs breathlessly as she presses a kiss to the bridge of Jimin’s nose.

“On second thought, my lips hurt too.” Jimin pouts. “Will you kiss my lips too?”

“You’re annoying.”

And Minjeong doesn’t refuse, kissing Jimin—healing her body all over.

—

The dinner is successful, and when Jimin gets home with Minjeong, things get heated, and Minjeong finds herself on her back in Jimin’s bed.

When Jimin grazes her teeth against the skin of Minjeong’s collarbone and the younger girl breathes a noise of pleasure—this here—Jimin thinks this is what makes the heavens cry, and this is what she lives for.

“I love you.” Jimin seals it with a kiss.

THE END <3