"You know, it's very stange" a staff member piped up, breaking the lunchtime lull among the crew.

 

 

"What is" another crew member asked, plopping down with his lunchbox as he sat down.

 

 

"Have you guys noticed Yu Jimin lately? She's been oddly quiet,"

 

 

"Oh no, but for real though" another one added between mouthfuls of her food "It's like someone flipped a switch. She's not throwing tantrums or demanding the world anymore."

 

 

"Maybe she's finally come to her senses, and realised just how ridiculous she's been acting"

 

 

"Or maybe it has something to do with her manager, Did you catch her expression the moment she returned? It was like she hit a brick wall or something"

 

 

"Yeah, exactly!" The others glanced around cautiously before continuing in hushed tones. "And did you notice how she took each of us aside to offer these heartfelt apologies on Jimin's behalf? I mean, seriously, who does that?"

 

 

"She does, apparently. She does seem nice, though. Almost too nice to rein in someone like Jimin... It's just strange, you know? Ever since her manager came back, there's been this tension in the air... Like something's brewing beneath the surface. Don't you think there's something off about it— OW!" Rubbing the spot where he was flicked, the employee shot a glance at the staff member beside him. "Ouch! What was that for?"

 

 

"You're overthinking it," came the reply, accompanied by a dismissive wave of the hand. "It's just your typical manager-client relationship dynamics. Maybe behind her sweet exterior, she's a strict manager, and she's just nice to everyone else."

 

 

 

"Ah... maybe- But you didn't have to flick me off! And besides, is it really overthinking? She's not just quiet, it's like she's completely phasing out from time to time. Her expression changes, and her usual tyrant-like nature has regressed to that of a small child in a room full of adults. Isn't that at least a little bit strange?"

 

 

 

"It doesn't matter." The room fell into a hush as everyone turned their attention to the makeup artist, the very one who had stirred up the drama by leaking the diva rumor to the media. Until now, she had remained silent amidst the discussion. "Whatever the reason is," she continued, her voice cutting through the tension, "the important thing is that Jimin isn't causing us any more trouble. I couldn't care less if she's lost in her own world or on another planet altogether. As long as she stops yelling at me and throwing my makeup kit around, who cares about the why? I'm just relieved for the peace and quiet. So instead of wasting time on conspiracy theories, let's just enjoy this moment of calm and hope it lasts."

 

 

"You're right," another equipment crew member chimed in, breaking the brief silence that followed the makeup artist's words. "As long as the set runs smoothly, that's all that matters."

 

 

Nods and murmurs of agreement rippled through the group as they redirected their attention to their lunches. The topic of Jimin's erratic behavior gradually receded into the background, fading to the recesses of their minds. Eventually, the whole event would be forgotten, lost in the whirlwind of production and the passage of time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, even as her diva tendencies became less of a topic of discussion and the negativity surrounding her was starting to be diminished...

 

 

That didn't change the real issues Jimin was facing...

 

 

Kim Minjeong...

 

 

More specifically, the lack of progress in their relationship since her blonde manager reentered the picture.

 

 

The stillness that had settled in the car that day wasn't just a passing phase. Instead, it stretched out like an ominous shadow, creeping into every aspect of Jimin's life.

 

 

It wasn't just confined to the set either; it invaded her home too.

 

 

Like a neverending void that followed her everywhere... it's claws were unwilling to let go... constantly clinging onto her relentlessly...

 

 

 

At work, amidst the bustling activity where most minds were preoccupied with their own affairs, there existed an almost tangible tension between Jimin and Minjeong. It hung in the air like a dense fog, impossible to ignore once seen...

 

 

 

Instead of their previous banter-filled exchanges, their interactions had become sparse and devoid of warmth. When they did speak, it was only out of professional necessity... Minjeong would typically be the one to start it and her words would never be more than a couple of simple words... leaving it short and straight to the point, devoid of any emotions or even a hint at the unspoken words that definitely gripped on her heart on a daily basis...

 

 

and Jimin... could only respond with silence or a timid nod, unable to be the one to bridge the growing distance between them.

 

 

Besides... Even if she had wanted to say more... It wasn't like Minjeong allowed her to.. she would leave and observe from afar the moment she was done with assisting what Jimin had needed..

 

 

it was just like that...

 

 

with every interaction between them seemingly becoming more and more strained on set...

 

 

Just like in the dressing rooms, ever since Minjeong resumed her managerial duties, the atmosphere had grown uncomfortably tense. The silence seemed to echo louder than ever, even prompting the makeup artist to glance up occasionally whilst Jimin could only sit in silence as her makeup was applied, avoiding direct eye contact with Minjeong.... Yet, she couldn't help stealing glances at the blonde manager through the mirror in front of her.

 

 

 

Even during filming, the actress noticed a gradual decline in her enthusiasm. Despite her efforts to maintain a professional demeanor and keep her inner struggles separate from work, with each passing day, this task became increasingly challenging....

 

 

During breaks as well... when cast and crew would typically gather around for a brief respite.... the two... despite being manager and actress... remained at a distance from each other....

 

 

Everyone had been too busy with their own world to notice the feeling of unease that connected the two women.... with the only person who noticed the clear tension being the Jimin's co-star...

 

 

But even for Jihoon... someone who never cared about anyone else but himself, can't help but pity the situation... his gaze would typically go back and forth between the blonde and the a-lister before shaking his head resignation. He didn't care for them.. is what he would constantly tell himself... but at the same time... he still couldn't help but feel disheartened... just to see that absolutely no progressed had been made between the two... even after a whole week had passed since their reunion.

 

 

"Those two are the most stubborn people I've ever met on the planet" He would mumble to himself before turning his back, not wishing to witness the scene any longer.

 

 

But the worst part of all of this had to be the nights.

 

 

The nights when everything ends and Minjeong was expected to drive Jimin home.

 

 

Now that silence...

 

 

Was the worse of them all.

 

 

Because in the confined silence of their shared space, there was no one else to intervene but the two of them.

 

 

It used to be a place where their deepest conversations found life, but now it felt like nothing more than an empty void.

 

 

On the contrary though Jimin had gotten better at masking her emotions on her face.

 

 

It was her job after all.

 

 

No longer did tears threaten to spill in the solitude of the car.... though the heaviness in her heart still remained, no doubt.

 

 

It definitely helped that the moment she steps into the car.... she would opt to stare right out the window again... something that has been meeting Jimin's eyes almost religiously these days...

 

 

It was seared into her routine now. She was used to this. The neverending torment was starting to feel numb to her...

 

 

Though that didn't make it any easier.

 

 

"Jimin."

 

 

The actress head snaps towards her manager.... so quickly it almost gave her whiplash.... but that didn't even matter... because Minjeong,for the past couple of days, hadn't called out to her even once during this time.

 

 

But when she turned, it caused the bandages on her heart to falter just a little bit more.

 

 

Because Minjeong's face held nothing.

 

 

It was devoid of emotion, her gaze fixed firmly ahead on the road.

 

 

"You didn't finish your lunch today. That's not healthy. You should eat more." Minjeong's voice cut through the air, eerily calm, leaving Jimin uncertain whether to respond or simply nod and hope the blonde would notice.

 

 

"I haven't felt hungry lately," Jimin decided to answer this time. After all, it wasn't as if she would have another chance to speak to her outside of this one-off situation.

 

 

"Are you eating alright at home then?" The manager's question came immediately after, catching the actress off guard once again.

 

 

But like before... Jimin found herself faced with a question she didn't know how to answer.

 

 

Because the truth would have been no...

 

 

Hell no....

 

 

Her lack of appetite didn't just start and end at the workplace...

 

 

Jimin had lost her love for food in general...

 

 

Because her tastebuds has an acquired taste now...

 

 

Only ever craving dishes made by Minjeong.... but now that that's no longer something she a part of her life now..

 

 

She hardly felt inclined to eat at all... not more than she needed to anyway...

 

 

Opting for something else these days to fill not just her stomach... but also to wash away her inner demons...

 

 

 

"It's fine, don't worry about me," Jimin replied in the end, turning back around to stare out of the window. Unaware of the way Minjeong's grip on the steering wheel tightened, nor the fleeting flashes of concern that flickered through her eyes before the manager forcefully pushed them back down....

 

 

Before it would burst.

 

 

And with that...

 

 

Marked the longest conversation theyever had in about 3 weeks now...

 

 

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

 

 

 

 

 

Another day passes by...

 

 

And nothing has changed... the routine still hasn't shifted.

 

 

Everything was the same... it was rinse and repeat...

 

 

With that expectation looming over her, Jimin prepared to fortify her heart against shattering into pieces for yet another day. However, her plans were disrupted when she accidentally misstepped and tumbled to the ground as she rose from the makeup chair....

 

 

"Ah-"

 

 

"Jimin!"

 

 

Right on the second Minjeong watched as Jimin stumbled and fell onto her side... an immediate instinct took over as her focus narrowed solely on the actress. Without hesitation, she rushed to Jimin's side. Her brain was completely hazed up with worry as all her eyes cscanned for any signs of injury "Are you okay?" There was no doubt about it.. Minjeong was worried beyond herself in this instance...

 

 

"It's fine-" Jimin attempted to brush off the fall as much as she could.. but Minjeong was already by her side.

 

 

"No, it's not. Where does it hurt?" The blonde's voice was tender yet insistent, her eyes searching Jimin's for any sign of discomfort.

 

 

"Minjeong... it's really nothing" The actress tried to stand up, but Minjeong wasn't convinced, firmly placing her hand on Jimin's shoulder to urge her to stay put. "Let me see," she insisted... but her voice remained sincere and gentle...

 

 

So...

 

 

Reluctantly, Jimin allowed Minjeong to inspect her knee. Though it was just a minor scrape, Minjeong's eyebrows would furrow as she carefully examined the injury.

 

 

And for a moment.. as Minjeong's gentle hands touched the skin of Jimin's leg... the world around them suddenly became quiet...

 

 

Jimin couldn't tear her eyes away from the blonde's tightly knitted brows, the cute yet anxious expression etched across her face as she nervously bit her lip. It was as if, in that moment, nothing else in the universe mattered to Minjeong but Jimin. It was as if no one else existed.

 

 

Witnessing such genuine care from the blonde filled Jimin's heart with something soft, something warm—something she had missed feeling for so, so long.

 

 

Longing...

 

 

Longing for Minjeong...

 

 

Because right now... even if it was for a brief second.... it was as if the other night had never happened... as if things were still okay...  it was like the old times... before everything fell apart.... where Jimin didn't care for anyone else... or thought about anything else... she was just content then... knowing she had won the lottery... to be able to be with someone who had eyes for her and just for her.... who truly cared about her... worried for her.. cried for her... and loves her.

 

 

Lord... Jimin... couldn't take her eyes off Minjeong...

 

 

She misses her..

 

 

She misses her touch...

 

 

Misses her scent...

 

 

Misses her rambling mouth

 

 

Misses her kisses, her hug, her affection, her random antics, her cooking, her clumsiness....

 

 

She just misses her.... she misses so so much... it hurts.

 

 

"It's not severe, but I'll go get you a bandage from first aid," Minjeong quickly adds after she was done examining Jimin's legs... before quickly looking up...

 

 

And right then and there, their eyes met in a tight lock... and from there... it was like the world around them disappeared as all they could see was each other... and something deeply unspoken began swirling around them... something that made the heart heavy.... yet at the same time... filled with hope....

 

 

something that made it skip a beat for reasons known to them but cannot be verbalised.... a feeling of connection that felt like it could mend the broken bond in between them....

 

 

"I, um, I'll go do that now," Minjeong stuttered, breaking the spell as she stood up and turned away.

 

 

And just like that... all that was left was a open glass of reality which shattered upon them...

 

 

Upon Jimin... who felt like a truck had just crashed into her...

 

 

because no matter how deep their feelings were...

 

 

no matter how true they are...

 

 

... the damage is still there... left unfixed...

 

 

 

For Jimin, if the pain hadn't already been unbearable, experiencing a glimpse of Minjeong's genuine affection, only to have it snatched away once more, felt like a cruel twist of fate. It left her feeling as though she would rather walk straight into the fires of hell than endure another day like this again.

 

 

But once again... what she felt were never stronger than who she really is as a person.

 

 

And just like that... the two didn't speak again for the rest of their time on set.

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

 

 

 

 

 

"Will you ever come home?" Jimin broke the silence once more during their typically quiet car ride home. Perhaps it was Minjeong's sudden display of kindness that emboldened her, or maybe it was the overwhelming emotions gnawing at her usual composure. Regardless, after nearly ten minutes in the car with the blonde, she chose to speak up.

 

 

But instead of answering the difficult question, Minjeong fired one back immediately, as if it had been loaded from the start—as if she had been contemplating it for an eternity by now...

 

 

"Did you ever plan of calling me even once these last couple of weeks?

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

"Did you ?"

 

 

"I don't think that's fair Jimin."

 

 

"..."

 

 

 

The silence this time conveyed more than words ever could to Minjeong.... and upon hearing it... she wished she hadn't asked Jimin that question at all...

 

 

The question that had been weighing on her mind since the first day she saw her again.

 

 

She was dissappointed to say the least...

 

 

Extremely so... but she decided to not show it or press on.

 

 

"Forget it-"

 

 

"I didn't know you wanted me to." Jimin answers honestly... which took the blonde by surprise... However, hearing those words only added to the weight in her heart, doubling its heaviness.

 

 

Why in the world wouldn't I have wanted you to!?

 

 

You hurt me Jimin.. you hurt me so much... but what hurt me the most is that you never once reached out to me.. you never once stopped me from walking away from you that night...

 

 

I wished you grabbed my arm then... I wish you stopped me, I wished you didn't let me go.

 

 

I wished you loved me.

 

 

Was all Minjeong wanted to scream out.

 

 

But she didn't.

 

 

It wasn't worth it for her anymore. She didn't want to get into it with Jimin tonight... she just felt so drained.... like she was dry...

 

 

all this time... she hadn't had the energy to move.. to eat... to do anything... yet her chest would squeeze everynight at her.. refusing to even allow her to sleep... all because she couldn't get Jimin out of her mind.

 

 

How she wished she didn't walk away... how she had told herself she had overreacted... how she had made the biggest mistake known to mankind...

 

 

How she had hurt Jimin... by doing the one thing to her she promised she would never....

 

 

 

And Lord, she was sorry—so incredibly sorry for doing that. She hated herself, despised herself so much for it. She practically didn't even think she deserved to treat herself like a normal human anymore...

 

 

 

But goddamn it... Was it so wrong for her to wish that she would have at least received one missed call from Jimin since she turned her phone back on? Was it so selfish to wish that for once, maybe Jimin would be the one to reach out this time? That she would be the one to coddle her, to assure her, and to mend her broken heart?

 

 

Was that just too much to ask for...?

 

 

 

She remained silent for the rest of the night, trying her best to blink away the hot tears welling up in her eyes. Her heart was caught in a tumultuous battle, torn between beating rapidly and slowing down simultaneously, leaving her feeling sick and nauseous..

 

 

And while Jimin never received the answer she was so desperately seeking, she heard all she needed to hear in the quiet response.

 

 

Reluctantly turning away from Minjeong once more this week, she opened her door only to be greeted by empty space she still hadn't familiarised herself with all this time...

 

 

But perhaps just this once.... for tonight

 

 

Jimin actually felt glad...

 

 

She felt relieved that Minjeong didn't come home with her...

 

 

It's probably better that she doesn't see this side anyway...'

 

 

She would bitterly think to herself... before walking past all those empty green bottles...

 

 

Just to find herself in front of the kitchen cabinet, once again, opening up a new bottle. The first of several for the night.

 

 

The only substance that can numb her broken heart.

 

 

The only liquid that can wash away her inner demons....

 

"I'm sorry Aeri... but you couldn't possibly have found all of it.."

 

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Min..." Ningning began with concern, watching her best friend enter her apartment once again and take off her shoes.

 

 

"Oh, Ningning," Minjeong looked up at the doctor who had been sitting by the coffee table silently observing until now. "I'm back."

 

 

"I can see that," Ningning tried to smile back at Minjeong's forced one. "How was work?"

 

 

"Fine."

 

 

"Just fine?"

 

 

"as fine as it can be"

 

 

"Minjeong..." Ningning sighs.... trying to articulate the sentences in her brain that will allow her to say her words in the most gentle way possible. "How long are you and Jimin going to keep this up?"

 

 

"I'm not keeping anything up with Jimin"

 

 

"Alright, let me rephrase this. How long are you going to keep staying here and not with her? The woman you built a home with."

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

"I can find another place instead of crashing here Ning-"

 

 

"No, Minjeong, that's not what I meant!" Ningning clarified immediately. "I'm just worried. It's been a week since you returned to work, and I can't help but wonder if everything's okay with you and Jimin."

 

 

That made Minjeong hesitate, her gaze dropping to the floor immediately. "I don't know..."

 

 

"You don't?"

 

 

"..."

 

 

"Do you..." Ningning paused for a second, unsure if what she would say next was something she should say. "Do you want things to be better?"

 

 

"I do! I-" Minjeong sighed, running a hand through her hair in furstration... "I just don't know anything anymore" She admitted, feeling the slow pull on her chest tripling. "I thought I could handle being back at work with her but.... " Her words trailed off, leaving an unspoken ache in the air. Even if Ningning wasn't a psychologist, she could sense the turmoil brewing inside Minjeong.  "How am I meant to do anything... how can I even start to make things right with her if I don't even know if she cares about me that way, Ning? I—" She stopped herself, taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady her emotions. "She didn't even call, Ning... she didn't even call me once in two weeks..." Her breath shook as she finally voiced her thoughts.

 

 

"It's okay..." The doctor stood up, offering her friend a comforting hug.... "It's okay to cry Minjeong... "

 

 

The blonde leaned into the embrace... feeling a wave of gratitude wash over her. Despite the chaos of her emotions, she found solace in Ningning's understanding presence.

 

 

"I just don't know what to do anymore," Minjeong continued her voice muffled against Ningning's shoulder. "It's like I've hit a wall. I don't know how to address anything with her... worst yet... I don't even know if she wants to address it.. I don't even know how she feels about me"

 

 

Ningning gently rubbed Minjeong's back, offering her the only silent support she could provide as of now.... "you're saying these things to hurt yourself, you and I both know emotions don't change overnight"

 

 

"This isn't overnight... it's been 3 weeks...  what if she's already moved on without me? What if she's already in the process of leaving us behind.. what if she's never loved me.. Ningning.. what if she never felt the same way... am I just holding on for nothing... I don't know anything anymore Ningning just-" Minjeong sinks down... unwilling to bare the cracks in her heart any longer "I wish this pain will just go away..."

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

 

 

 

 

 

"You have to talk some sense into Jimin." 

 

 

"Me!?" Aeri exlaimed as quietly as possible on the phone to Ningning, she was 10 minutes away from her show going live, when her phone rang a couple of times, but just when she was about to ignore it, seeing the name that popped up on her screen... Aeri just knew she just had to pick up. 

 

 

"Yes, you," Ningning replied firmly. "You're the closest person to Jimin right now. She trusts you. You have to make her understand what she's doing to Minjeong."

 

 

"I thought you said we shouldn't intervene and that this is something they need to solve on their own.."

 

 

"Yeah screw that, I was an idiot for saying that" Ningning responds, her thoughts drifting to the way her best friend had trembled on her shoulder last night. "I was wrong, dead wrong. We should intervene, and we should intervene fast."

 

 

 

"Woah woah, calm down there for a second," Aeri quickly checked the time before continuing, "What's changed? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"

 

 

"Because you were right, Aeri. You were right about everything. They need each other, but lord, are they useless individually. It took me three weeks to realize it, but better now than never. I can't stand seeing Minjeong like this anymore. She just slumps around all day when she comes back from work. She hardly says a word anymore unless prompted... and trust me, Minjeong ALWAYS has something to say. She's like a walking, living zombie. And it's clear for Jimin too! Oh my god, where do I even begin?" She felt her anger boiling as the thought of the actress even crossed her mind. "What is it with you people in this industry? Are you guys on such t