NOTE: I haven’t proofread this yet so there might be inaccuracies and grammar errors. I will come back to it tomorrow. (I just really hope there’s no inaccuracy though… XD) Please read with a more gentle heart. Thank you! Go ahead and dive to the next page~

"HEY."

Minjoo and Chaeyeon turned around after Minjoo was hit by a crumpled paper. Chaeyeon's defensive mode immediately when they recognised who threw the said paper--it was Alex and her minions.

"It's because of you, right?" Alex asked as she moved towards Minjoo, arms crossed and right eyebrow raised. "You are the reason why Eugene didn't come to my party, right?"

"And what if she is the reason?" Chaeyeon asked which earned her a full body scan from those judging eyes.

"I am not talking to you so shut your mouth up!"

Alex's choice of words awakened the Korean ajumma fighter in Chaeyeon. If Minjoo wasn't there then she could've already kimchi slapped those girls.

Irene visited earlier and gave them kimchi and it would cause more damage since it's in a tupperware.

Minjoo didn’t even wonder while the girl was there since they were all in their cheerleading uniform. They must be having some practice.

“I heard Professor Ahn went to Korea. There’s no way Eugene won’t come to the party now that her dad is nowhere around. She doesn’t even care even if he’s around!” Alex moved closer to Minjoo to intimidate the other girl but surprisingly, Minjoo didn’t bow her head. She kept looking straight into the taller girl’s eyes, not showing any sign of losing to that staring contest. Even Chaeyeon was surprised. “What’s wrong with you? Are you acting like Eugene’s mother now? You don’t even send her to parties?”

“Yujin must’ve her reasons why she didn’t come. Why don’t you ask her directly?” Minjoo talked back, completely taking the other girls, including Chaeyeon off-guard. The said girl even tried to check Minjoo if there were traces of suspicious cookies or something.

Alex's eyes squinted. “What the hell—”

“I don’t know what you’re being angry at.” Minjoo started. “It was Yujin’s choice that she didn’t go. Why are you bothering me about someone else’s decision? Just message her or something. Wait, are you afraid?”

The taller girl scoffed. “Afraid? Is there anything that I should be afraid—”

“I don’t know.” Minjoo shrugged her shoulders. “Something like Yujin asking you if you have the right to be angry when you’re not even her girlfriend?”

Alex’s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. She was so ready to smack Minjoo when she saw Yujin’s car coming. Her arm immediately retracted. Minjoo looked at where Alex was looking before faking a smile to the other girl.

“Right just in time.” Minjoo put her hands together. “Do you want me to help you ask Yujin about it? Let’s go—”

“Shut the hell up!” Alex rolled her eyes before turning her back at the exchange students. “You’ll regret showing your fangs to me, Kimmy.”

She then walked away together with her minions who were throwing stares of draggers towards Minjoo as if it would hurt her. It didn’t even scare her. Chaeyeon finally closed after her jaw hung for quite some time.

“Kim Minjoo!” Chaeyeon bumped her by the shoulder. “What on earth was that, girl!? I didn’t know that you’d actually snap like that here!”

Minjoo just looked at Chaeyeon with disbelief. “You know well that I was just restraining myself to talk back to her since we’re in a foreign land. She was really getting on my nerves lately.”

“Goodness!” Chaeyeon fanned herself while looking at the sky with that silly smile. “You’re really hot when you snap, you know? This gap of yours is what makes the boys at school crazy for you!”

“Come on.” Minjoo just shook her head before going back to their tracks. Her eyes immediately located where Yujin parked her car and there she saw the girl leaning by her car. Yujin also saw her right away and gave her an energetic wave.

“I believe that’s also the reason why one of this school’s most popular players also fell face down on you.” Chaeyeon mischievously whispered which earned her a soft elbow from Minjoo. She just laughed as she smoothly excused herself. She made sure she waved back at Yujin first before leaving them alone.

Minjoo sent her friend with a sheepish smile before looking back at Yujin. The other girl came jogging towards her and gave her a soft pinch on the cheek.

“How was class?” Yujin casually asked after taking the paper bag from Minjoo’s hand. “What is this?”

“It was fun.” Minjoo answered as they walked towards the car. “And that’s kimchi. Irene-unnie dropped by earlier and gave me and Chaeyeon one tupperware each.”

“Bae came?” Yujin asked, which was answered by Minjoo with a nod. The younger girl then pouted. “She didn’t even tell me about coming.”

“She said she has a meeting with some of her old professors that concerns her company. She seemed pretty busy and just dropped by our classroom to give us kimchi.” Minjoo cutely took a peek at Yujin's pouty face. “You don’t have to sulk like that.”

“Me? Sulking?” Yujin scoffed. “I’m just worried that Bae feels bad about what she told you during that outing that's why she’s avoiding me. I just want to tell her that it doesn’t mean a thing to me anymore.”

Minjoo watched how Yujin’s shoulders rose up and couldn’t help but to giggle. Yujin told her that she knows about what Irene told her since Sakura informed her about it. She even asked Yujin if she confronted Irene about it but the younger girl just shook her head.

“There was really no need to confront her. I want to believe that she just did that believing that it would be the best for us. I believe she knows now that it isn’t the case since she’s experiencing the consequences of that choice.” was what Yujin told her. She’s obviously talking about Irene paying the price of Sakura’s departure not just from Chicago but from her life as well.

The two rode the car and Yujin wasn’t even finished buckling up when she started making a silly move. “Also, Min… This isn’t a sulky face.”

“Hm?” Minjoo turned to her only to see her stupidly cute pouty face. Minjoo almost cracked a laugh. “W-What’s with that face?”

“This?” Yujin pointed at her lips. “This is the ‘Minjoo, please kiss me’ face~”

“What?” Minjoo scoffed but she was actually feeling giddy inside. She couldn’t even stop herself from smiling.

“Can’t this cute baby get a kiss?” Yujin asked once again, throwing more illegal aegyo attacks.

“Not outside, babo.” Minjoo chuckled to her seat. Her answer actually brought out the real Yujin sulking face.

“But we’re not even outside, Min… We’re inside my car…”

“If you don’t understand what I mean then you really are a babo.” Minjoo smirked, then looked outside. She could still sense someone looking at their way and she was right. Alex’s eyes were still on Yujin’s car.

‘The car is tinted so she won’t be able to see it even if we kiss.’ She thought to herself before sighing. ‘Why do I feel like I actually want her to see us kiss?’

“Is there something wrong, baby?” Yujin asked, the music from her playlist started to fill the car as soon as she the engine.

“Nothing.” The older girl said with a smile.

“You say so.” Yujin started driving. She couldn’t keep herself from smiling. “As much as I want to go home to redeem that kiss, will it be fine with you if we stop at my Aunt’s place?”

“Your Aunt’s?” Minjoo asked.

“Uhm.” Yujin nodded. “She’s feeling a little lonely since Uncle also went to Korea. They don’t have any children so I thought of giving her a visit. She said she’d be preparing food for us.”

The lights turned red and Yujin took the opportunity to look at Minjoo. “But if you need to go home quickly, I can drop you first before going there.”

Minjoo gave Yujin a sweet smile. The girl is really considerate of her elders and it shows. She treats Minjoo’s mum really well and also looks after her aunt.

“I’ll go with you. You told me that your aunt wants to meet me, right?”

“Yeah.” Yujin’s smile widened with her affirmative answer. “I’ve been wanting to introduce you to her but you were too busy avoiding me.”

Minjoo felt a little sad with that statement. They lost a lot of time because of her cowardice.

“I’m… sorry about that…”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Yujin assured her with a smile and by swiftly holding her hand. “What’s important is we’re together now.”

Minjoo smiled back at her and gave her a nod.

“Anyway, my Aunt knows about me so there’s no need to be careful around her.” She gave a gentle pinch on Minjoo’s palm. “I will also tell her that you’re my girlfriend. She will be so shocked.”

Minjoo’s cheeks instantly turned pinkish when she heard the word girlfriend. She didn’t dislike it. She actually felt happy hearing it. All this time she was trying to suppress her feelings but the amazing feeling she feels when she’s with Yujin makes her regret wasting so much time.

The lights turned green and Yujin stepped on the accelerator. Minjoo felt even happier now that she could see Yujin smile like this. She was always gloomy during those times that she was ignoring her.

“Min, you told me about my hair roots, remember?” Yujin asked while vibing with the song. “My Aunt is actually the one who does my hair. I’ll have my roots dyed today.”

“Ohh, so you’re dying it again?” Minjoo asked.

“Yeah.” Yujin chuckled. “Don’t you think this colour fits me?”

“Hmm… I don’t know? I think something darker would suit you.” Minjoo tried to imagine Yujin having black hair. She felt like the girl would look innocent with that hair.

“Really? I look so gentle with black hair and it feels like I am calling out for people to bully me. That's why I dyed my hair.” Yujin pressed her lips together as she thought, her dimples deepened. “Think of another colour aside from black. I will go with it.”

“Oh, then!” Minjoo put her hands together, she really thought that this colour would really suit Yujin and her personality. “How about blue then?”

“Blue?” Yujin took a quick peek at Minjoo. She’s confused and curious at the same time. “Why blue though?”

“Go with a little dark shade of blue. Something dark but not as innocent as you think of black. What do you think?” Minjoo asked with excitement.

“Blue… Are you sure you’re not turning me into a K-Pop celebrity or something?” Yujin scoffed.

“It’s not like that, silly.” The older girl answered though she believes Yujin would actually make it as a K-Pop star if she ever gives it a try. “I think it will really suit you.”

“Alright then.” Yujin surrendered with a smile. “If that’s what my baby wants then I’ll go with blue.”

Minjoo got even more excited when Yujin actually listened to her suggestion. She just couldn’t wait to see blue-haired Yujin.

She then notices Yujin grinning as if she’s plotting something against Minjoo. Actually fearing for her life, Minjoo commented about Yujin’s unsettling grin. Yujin tried to stop grinning but it was futile.

"What's wrong with you?" Minjoo held on to her seatbelt. "Don't tell me you're planning something stupid."

"Something stupid?" Yujin repeated in a rising tone. "I am actually thinking which colour would suit you best."

"M-Me? I am not planning to dye my hair. I have never even tried--"

"Don't you think it's time to try?" Yujin nodded at her own question. "If you won't try it now then when? When you're forced to dye your hair because they are turning grey?"

"But..." Minjoo wasn't able to counter that reasoning. It's almost the same as what her mother told her, causing her to actually consider it.

"Okay then. I guess it won't be that bad." The older girl sighed. "As long as it’s nothing too fancy."

MINJOO couldn’t even close after seeing the result of her two-hour long hair makeover. Yujin’s aunt, Carla, had her hands clasped together in awe of Minjoo. She couldn’t believe that the colour Yujin chose would surprisingly fit the girl.

“I-Imo…” Minjoo turned to Carla but she was clapping together with her team who did Minjoo’s hair with her. She was already close to tears but the people who spent so much time on her hair were celebrating for it was a success on their part. Minjoo was very much conflicted.

She never had pink hair in entire life. That was the first time she ever had her hair done but she was welcomed by bleaching and pink dye right away. It was cotton candy pink.

Minjoo wasn’t allowed to look at the mirror. She only had the chance to look at herself when her head was wrapped in foil. She thought everything would end in blonde and they were just applying some treatments but it seemed like it was coloured shampoo that was applied on her hair.

“Imo…” Minjoo called again as she looked at her reflection in the mirror behind the team. “W-Why is my hair pink?”

“What’s wrong with it, sweetheart?” The sweet lady asked her. “It looks really pretty on you! Only a few people look really good with pink hair and you’re one of them!”

“But, Imo…” Minjoo worriedly scanned the whole place to look for Yujin. “Where’s Yujin?”

“Since she has shorter hair than you, she finished quite quickly. Ah, she went out for a walk. She also said she’s going to buy some ice cream.” The lady then led her to a seat where they could talk freely. Carla runs a hair shop while her husband operates a taekwondo centre. The two play a big part in Yujin’s life—Robert being her coach and Carla being her stylist of some sort. Most importantly, it’s only Carla that knows her romantic preference.

Minjoo took another worried look at herself in the mirror. “D-Do you think Yujin will like this h