Day 2

[Mina's POV]

Chaeyoung hasn't messaged me yet. That's okay, I guess. I'll just recharge the whole day and play my game in bed. I was about to get my laptop when I saw a box at the middle of my bed. It's from Chaeyoung. I got excited.

I sat down and opened the box. It's a penguin onesie. I smiled and opened the note.

I blushed. I don't think Chaeyoung and I have ever been alone together in a room. There's always someone else there, like when we did our Lie-V, are managers are still there behind the camera. My heart raced a little.

[Chaeyoung's POV: The night before]

I had my hands together and was kneeling in front of Jeongyeon, Momo and Nayeon.

"Jeong-hyung. Please just for tomorrow. Let me borrow your room just for tomorrow." I was begging. "I promise I won't make a mess."

"But Chaeyoung-a" she started, "you know I tend to have serious sleep paralysis sometimes and Momo is the only one that helps me calm down when sleeping." Momo nodded but not really entirely focused in the conversation.

"Gwenchanayo" Nayeon interrupted. "Momo can sleep in Chaeyoung's room and you can sleep in our room. We can push Mina's bed close to mine and I'll sleep beside you." She clung to Jeongyeon's arm.

"Aish. You're such a noisy sleeper. You keep on talking and snoring when you sleep." Jeongyeon protested. Again, Momo just nodded while chewing her squid jerky, staring blankly at the wall.

Jeongyeon sighed. "Arraseo. I'll let you use our room tonight. But make sure you'll clean it after."

"I will! And I promise to do your laundry for a week."

She shook her head. "No, you don't have to. Just don't make a mess in our room."

"You can do mine instead." Momo grinned at me.

[Mina's POV]

I looked down on my feet. The matching penguin slippers are also cute. I smiled and knocked twice.

"Come in!" I heard Chaeyoung's voice and immediately turned the knob and entered the room. It was pitch black. Then I heard a click and the fairy lights that are hanging on the walls . I looked up and saw white fabric draping over the bed, lined with twinkling yellow lights. Chaeyoung lit up the scented candles and I was greeted by the sweet smell of strawberry. It's beautiful. She really is an artist. Waa. Jinjja.

I stared at Chaeyoung, still pleasantly surprised with everything, she's wearing a yellow tiger onesie to match mine. She's sitting in the middle of the bed with her legs crossed and she's beaming at me, showing off her dimple. 

"Hold still." She said as she took out her Polaroid camera and took a picture of me. 

"Ippuda." she waited for the film to come out and shook it.

I walked closer and sat beside her, both of us waiting for the picture to come out. I took the camera from her and also snapped a photograph of her. My eyes still can't help but wander around the room. Everything looks perfect.

"You did all these?" I asked her.

"I had some help." She said proudly, then we heard a knock. 

"Oh. Our food is here."

Chaeyoung walked towards the door and half-opened it. I could hear her talking to Jeongyeon.

"Where's the rest?" Chaeyoung whispered.

"Momo ate it." I heared Jeongyeon reply

"But I helped a lot." I'm sure that's Momo.

I heared a sigh, "That's okay. Gomawo, unnie."

Chaeyoung closed the door with her left foot and walked carefully as she held the tray with two large cups of soda, one small bowl of ketchup, and two large bowls. One is filled with cheese fries and the other one is filled with popcorn. She placed it in the middle of the bed.

"Jamkkanman (wait a minute)." She grabbed her laptop and opened the projector. She leaned back and dimmed the lights.

"What are we watching?" I'm curious of her pick.

"It's an old favorite of mine. Perks of being a Wall Flower." I don't think I watched that movie before. She sat next to me as the opening credits starts playing. 

"It's based on a book." She sat next to me and pressed play.

I leaned closer as I took a handful of popcorn.

"I thought you're going to eat the fries and ketchup first." She said.

I smiled at her as I ate my popcorn, "I'm saving the best for last."

[Chaeyoung's POV]

The end credit's song is still playing. (Heroes by David Bowie)

Mina is sobbing. "Mianhe, Minari." I rubbed her back. Ottoke.

"Ani. It's a good movie. Joh-ayo. (I liked it)" she shook her head and smiled as she sniffed. "It's a really good movie."

I should have just played Harry Potter instead. I handed her another box of tissue.

She leaned her head over my shoulder. I froze.

"It's been awhile since I last watched something like that." She stopped crying.

"Same here. I picked the movie because you love Harry Potter and the lead is the same actress who played Hermoine in the movie."

"Gomawo. I really like your recommendation." She smiled.

There was almost a minute of silence. Just the background music playing.

I, I will be king

And you, you will be queen

Though nothing will drive them away

We can be heroes, just for one day

We can be us, just for one day...

"Chaeyoung-a..."

"Yes, Minari?"

"Why did it took so long before we did something like this?" she asked in almost a whispered tone.

"Because I-I just didn't think you'd want that." I replied.

She squinted her eyes, "You're just copying that line from the movie."

"Ani. It's true."

"Then why did you decide to ask me to be your trial girlfriend now?" she's staring at me, waiting for my reply.

I looked away, talking slowly "Like Sam in the movie, you're a beautiful and kind hearted soul. I don't want you to make the same mistakes she did. Like Charlie said to her, 'we accept the love we think we deserve.' And I want to show you what kind of love you should receive, that you deserve nothing less." I turned my head and looked straight to her eyes, "Because you're not small, you're beautiful."

She looked down and smiled coyly. "I think this is the part in the movie where Charlie kissed Sam."

I took that as my cue.

I placed my hand in her cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear. I pulled my body towards her. She was looking straight at me and we both closed our eyes as we leaned closer and closer, my lips pressing against hers.

"I know we'll all become somebody—we'll all become old photographs and we'll all become somebody's mom and dad. Right now these moments are not stories, this is happening. I'm here and I'm looking at her. And she's so beautiful.

I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song on that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment, I swear... We are infinite."

—Charlie, Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)