THE ART OF ASSUMPTIONS AND BLACKMAILS

REQ: Tzuyu & Minju are sisters, Hyewon is Tzuyu's best friend. Fluff.

Minju has been living in a blissful ignorance and it would be a lie if she says that she has been in love with Kang Hyewon for her entire life. She has been living her life like a hermit, only interacting with people that she knows since childhood – people as in 2 namely Chaewon and Chaeyeon. But it’s not like she hasn’t heard of Hyewon before after all, her name is thrown everywhere in their campus – she’s basically the dream girl.

To be completely honest, Minju’s life is much simpler without Kang Hyewon – that is hundred percent true. But it’s not like they interacted a number of times, she could count with her one hand the times they have interacted. Three, and in those three times, she could literally say that life is indeed simpler without Kang Hyewon. Simpler in a sense that she doesn’t need to think about the older girl, simpler in a sense that she wouldn’t be aware of the girl’s presence even if she was across the room. Life is simpler for Minju without Kang Hyewon because it would mean that she doesn’t have to deal with her crush for the older girl.

A stupid, silly, stomach curling – crush. Something that everyone must have felt when they find someone interesting, a childish feeling to be completely frank. But no matter how childish it was, the effect of it on Minju is quite big and irritating. It was the first time for her to feel like this, and for it to feel it for their campus’s dream girl – the notion of it is just absurd. But in her defense, she didn’t develop this silly crush because of that title.

So, how did she actually develop a crush on the Kang Hyewon?

It was a lazy weekend for her, nothing to do since Minju was already finished with her work – doing it as soon as it was given to them for her not to be stressed like Chaeyeon. The girl just called her asking for her opinion with the paper – minimum of 5,000 words, centering on the topic of Harry Potter. It was weird why Chaeyeon chose it but with the latter explaining that she knows that Minju likes the book – it will be easier for her to get Minju’s opinion.

A clever tactic, Minju is not going to lie; because she managed to talk Chaeyeon’s ears off with Minju ranting about how obsessive Snape was with Lily. It took her about 2 hours and it seems like Chaeyeon managed to hit her goal because she just shouted a quick goodbye and thank you to Minju before hanging up. With that, everything is back to normal – Minju laying on her bed watching some Netflix on her laptop.

Until she heard someone knocking, and judging from the pattern she could already tell who it was. She shouted a loud ‘It’s open!’, knowing that the person would enter. Just then, her door opened and revealed someone she knows since she was a child. No, it’s not Chaewon nor Chaeyeon, it was Tzuyu – her older sister.

They are the kind of siblings who don’t 100% look like each other in first glance, but people could tell with the shape of their face and big round eyes. Other than those, they wouldn’t have been mistaken as sisters if people see them. The older girl looks around Minju’s room, and the girl didn’t even bother to hide anything – her room was spotless, save for the organized folder and books on her study table.

“Finish with your work?” Tzuyu asked flopping face first on Minju’s bed, they are quite close to begin with and Tzuyu one of the few people that Minju talks to voluntarily. Other than being a sister, Tzuyu is also a great friend of hers.

“Finished since Thursday,” Minju answered, lowering down her volume and removing one of her earphones. She sees Tzuyu turning and laid on her back, stretching her long limbs in the process. “And you, what do you need?”

“Minju, why do you always think I need something from you?” Tzuyu pouted looking like a kicked puppy, but Minju knows it was all a hoax. Knowing each other for years, she knows that her sister needs something from her – judging from her attire, too proper for her just staying inside the house.

Minju looked at the girl unamused, waiting for her to answer the question properly. She sees the pout disappearing and was replaced by a sheepish smile. Tzuyu sat up from her bed and lowered Minju’s laptop screen – pausing it in the process.

“My friends are coming.” Tzuyu grinned and Minju rolls her eyes, it’s not like she hates her older sister’s friends – it’s just that it would mean that she needs to interact with them and just by simply thinking about it, she feels tired already.

“Okay, next?”

“I was just thinking,” Tzuyu smiled and pinched Minju’s cheeks lightly, making the younger girl wince and scrunch her nose. “You should start talking to other people.”

Minju immediately rejects the idea with a firm shake of her head, swatting her sister’s hands away from and propping the laptop again. “Chaeyeon and Chaewon are enough, I’m good with them.”

“But Minju,” Tzuyu whined at her younger sister, wanting for Minju to have a life and start making more friends. She’s just worried for her younger sister, since she would be going away soon and the girl might be alone.

“Having upperclassmen as friends would be a great help!”

Minju paused her movie and looked up from her laptop, the hopeful smile on her sister’s face is too evident. But she wouldn’t change her answer, with another shake she sees Tzuyu’s face falling. She knows that Tzuyu will graduate soon, having to skip a grade – and Minju understands her sister’s worry and she feels thankful. But she can manage with Chaeyeon and Chaewon, navigating through high school wouldn’t be that hard.

“I’m good unnie, but if ever I befriend someone you will be the first one to know.” Minju smiles reassuringly, and it seemed like it worked because a huge smile formed on her older sister’s face – revealing her cute dimples. Minju knows that siblings hate each other’s faces but she also couldn’t deny that her older sister looks really beautiful.

Minju is proud to have a sister like Tzuyu – someone who is caring, has the beauty, a big brain. Despite her living life as a hermit, she’ll make the person who would ever break her sister’s life, a living hell. With Tzuyu standing up and leaving her room, Minju went back to her movie – a very lazy day indeed.

She didn’t notice the time until she felt her stomach grumbling, pausing her 3rd movie and looking at the clock in her laptop. She realized that she hasn’t eaten anything since 11 in the afternoon and it was already 3:00. Groaning, she stands up from her bed putting her laptop on the side and walks over to her mini fridge – yes, she has her own fridge inside her room. A very good investment if you ask her, but a frustrating thing to have when you realize that there are no foods available. It has been 2 weeks since she restocked her fridge the usual duration of how long her food will always last.

Pushing herself off from the ground, she grabbed a hair tie and quickly put her hair into a messy bun and wore her glasses. It’s not like Tzuyu and her friends would be out in the living room, all of them usually spend time in their balcony or her sister’s room – doing god knows what. Going out of her room, Minju walks down the stairs only one thing in mind – to get some food and snacks for her room and her whining stomach.

she opened the fridge and smiled, seeing that Tzuyu cooked her some food already that just needed to be heat up. Putting it in the microwave, Minju quickly went to the cabinets grabbing some paper bag and putting all the foods and drinks that she could fit in her fridge. She was too focus to the task on hand that she became too thirsty, looking inside their fridge she grimaced with the sight of mango juice.

But since she was craving something sweet at the moment, she just shrugged and went with the only option available. Twisting the cap to open and gulping it down, on her second gulp she heard the microwave beeped. She glanced at it first and continued drinking her juice, until someone talked beside her.

“Can I have some?”

To say that she was surprised was an understatement, Minju’s whole soul went out of her body. Was she that focused that she didn’t hear her and the footsteps? Or was she that unaware of her surroundings that she’s all in her own world? But what surprised her more was the owner of the voice to the point some of the juice she drank came out of her nose – gross. Especially in front of Kang Hyewon.

Minju quickly went to the sink and washed the juice out of her face, removing her glasses in the process. She felt her face going hot due to the huge embarrassment, Minju is not a forgetful person despite looking like one – and it is very unlikely of her to forget Hyewon. Since when did her sister became friends with Hyewon?

Turning off the faucet she didn’t bother to turn her head to get her glasses knowing that Hyewon was still there, she quickly grabbed some paper towel to wipe her face. Throwing it on the garbage bin, she turns around to see Hyewon standing with her glasses on her hand.

“Here’s your glasses,” Hyewon said passing it to Minju, “can I have some juice now?”

Minju blinks for a second, grabbing her glasses and nodding her head slowly. Turning to grab some glass for the older girl, and passing it to the latter. Not even thinking about giving the older girl the juice that Minju just drank on, she went to the fridge and grabbed another one – giving it to Hyewon without a word.

The older girl looks at Minju amused but still smiled, remembering what Tzuyu said about her sister – a complete recluse, and people would have thought of her as mute with how quiet and shy she is. Hyewon can say that Tzuyu as scarily accurate with her description, judging from how the younger girl just went straight to the microwave and grabbed her reheated food.

Hyewon drinks from her glass quietly and watches the girl, she gulped the remaining juice before clearing . “Hi, I’m Kang Hyewon, I’m Tzuyu’s friend.”

“Why?”

Hyewon looks at the girl, confused with the question – that’s usually not how normal people greet one another after someone introduces themselves. She watches the girl staring at her and Hyewon smiles awkwardly, “What, why?”

Minju wants to slap shut for blurting the first ‘Wh-’ question she thought of, but the thing is, she wanted to clearly ask why was the girl there? Why was she friends with her sister – not that she’s complaining, it was just so random. Instead, Minju just turned around saying a quiet ‘Okay’, which is lame but she just wants to get out of the situation.

With that, she turned around to get her reheated food and without looking back she walked out of the kitchen. It’s kind of weird that Hyewon even bothered introducing herself, as if the whole student body doesn’t know her already – slamming her door shut, Minju walked to her table putting down her food. That’s the only time she realized she forgot something crucial, her snacks and water in the paper bag. She groans out loud because she’s too hungry at the moment, and she just wants to eat already.

She contemplated if she should go out of her room and risk seeing Hyewon again, but Minju really needs her own drink while she eats her food. Rubbing her face out of frustration she turned and walked towards her door, hoping that Hyewon already went back to Tzuyu and her friends, swinging the door open – Minju was dumbfounded to see a fist in midair.

Hyewon was standing there in front of her room, about to knock as she holds the paper bag that holds Minju’s snacks. Minju blinks at the older girl for a few seconds, she watches Hyewon bringing her fist to her side and raising the paper bag – smiling at Minju.

“You forgot this,” Hyewon said to her happily and gestured for the paper bag, “It seems like you can’t live without your snacks, huh?”

Minju looked at the ground and nodded her head quietly, grabbing the bag from Hyewon. But as soon as she grabbed it, she felt the other girl tightening her hold on it, making Minju look up and look at Hyewon confusedly. The latter just grinned at her and tilted her head, “I’m Hyewon, and you are?”

Minju frowns, she’s pretty sure that Tzuyu would have mentioned her to her friends by now – after all, they always nod their heads in acknowledgement when they see her in the campus. It’s not like she’s conceited, but it’s almost normal to tell your friends about your sibling. Unless, Hyewon is just teasing her because Minju is too quiet – and judging from the slight grin on the older girl’s face, Minju is indeed being teased.

She quickly looked down because Hyewon’s smile became wide, showing her very perfect teeth – she could actually model for some toothpaste brand. Minju could feel her cheeks getting warm and she hates it, she quickly snatched the paper bag away from Hyewon, mumbling her name to the older girl.

“Kim Minju, nice to meet you Hyewon-ssi.”

And as she was about to close the door shut, a hand stopped her making her look up again. She sees Hyewon trying to look at her from behind the door and the older girl was successful, catching Minju’s eyes – the younger girl feels like she couldn’t erase in her mind how vibrant and expressive the older girl’s eyes at that moment.

“Nice to meet you Minju,” Hyewon said and Minju could see the corner of her lips going up, “You can just call me Hyewon or unnie.”

Not know what to say, Minju just nodded and tried to close the door again but Hyewon pushed it lightly to stop her. Minju would be annoyed by now for someone disturbing her lazy day, but she couldn’t seem to do that, not when Hyewon was looking and smiling at her cutely – and it’s disgusting how she thought of the older girl as cute.

“I really like your voice, please talk more.”

Minju slammed the door shut with that last sentence, feeling her breath hitching and her heart going out of her chest. She could hear Hyewon chuckling outside and walking to where she should be, and Minju leaned her forehead against the door. She felt like she just ran a marathon with how she is breathing hard at that moment.

Minju could literally feel the everything that is happening to her body, and it was all new to her, and she wasn’t used to it – she never expected to feel it. She just watched it from movies, read it from books, heard it from Chaeyeon and Chaewon’s stories – she never expected it to happen to her.

Especially not to Hyewon – the Kang Hyewon, because how cliché is that? Minju hates cliché things, and this is the most cliché thing in her life.

Because with all the boxes she mentally ticked off inside her head, she came into a very annoying conclusion – she has a crush on Kang Hyewon.

One meeting and she developed a crush, was it because of how luscious and very perfect her hair is? Or was it how she made a simple black oversized tee looked so good?

Or was it how she approached Minju, and how Minju felt nervous about someone being that forward to her?

Whatever it is, Minju hated it – because her lazy day should have been just like that, a lazy day for her to watch everything she wants and slack off. Not a day for her to suddenly have a crush and have a mental breakdown because of it. Suddenly, she hated the fridge inside room for making her go down and get snacks for it.

 

The second time she interacted with Hyewon – Minju even doubts if she can call it an interaction, is in their campus. It was one of those days where every student is weirdly outside of their rooms, and are in the mood to talk and socialize – every student except Minju. It’s not she’s not socializing, she’s with Chaeyeon and Chaewon. Minju calls it selective socialization and it’s just pretty tiring for her, it’s not like she’ll talk to them in the next days – so, why bother?

The three of them are just outside because it was their spare hour, Chaeyeon and Chaewon cramming their homework while Minju watches them in amusement. She gave up trying to read her book because the two keeps asking her questions about the math problem, and she realized with the 5th question in 3 minutes that she won’t have any reading done when she’s with the two. Minju just rested her chin on her palm, flipping the pages of her book mindlessly – answering some of their questions and glancing at their work.

The sun wasn’t out blazing, it was a pretty cloudy day which is kind of good in Minju’s opinion – pretty much a great day to read outside, but she got to do what she got to do. She watches the other students talking loudly in one bench, talking what seems to be a funny story during their Physical Education class judging from the reenactment of one student.

“Hey Minju, why are you not reading? You should rea, you’ve been wanting to read that weird book for quite sometime now.” Chaeyeon said without glancing up from her paper, smashing her fingers on her calculator and cursing for inputting a wrong number.

Minju chuckles and closed her book lightly, “You guys keep asking me, might as well help you two.”

Chaewon stopped writing and grinned at the girl, “Thank you, we promise that we’ll come with you to your next book hunt.”

“What?” Chaeyeon looked up from her paper, looking at the girl beside her incredulously. “Since when did we prom – “

Chaewon stomped on the loud girl’s foot, making the latter shut and hold back a groan. She grimaced and slap Chaewon’s arm, making Minju laugh and shake her head in amusement. Chaeyeon then got over the pain and looked at Minju, smiling at the girl but her eyes noticed someone approaching them – fast.

Minju frowns as she sees Chaeyeon and Chaewon looking at her as if she grew another head but she realized they were looking behind her. She turns around to see what they were looking at only to be surprised to find a running Hyewon, the girl seems to be in a hurry to go – to them? Minju blinks as she’s pretty much sure that the older girl is going straight at them.

Minju watches the older girl coming into a stop in front of her, breathless from all the running. It’s annoying how the girl makes their uniform look so good, it was a boring uniform but Hyewon just makes it – as cliché as it sounds, so pretty good and enticing. She sees the girl looking up and smiling at Minju, making the latter blush and look away – she could feel the stares coming from her friends, and she’s sure that she’ll be answering another different kind of questions later.

Minju chants in her mind for Hyewon to not to talk to her, but of course – the girl stopped in front of them, it’s obvious she’s going to talk to Minju.

“Minju!” Hyewon exclaimed, “I was looking for you!”

Her voice is so loud making Minju flinch, but it was because of how loud it was well, partially about that. But it’s because almost everyone outside heard it, and Minju just wants for the ground to swallow her right then and there. She slowly looks at the older girl and smiles awkwardly, “Right, I wasn’t looking for you.”

She heard the two girls choking a laugh, and Hyewon having her jaw dropped.

“Woah, you’re seriously Tzuyu’s sister.” Hyewon chuckles, “But I was looking for you to ask about your sister!”

“Huh?” Minju asks confusedly, why would Hyewon ask her about Tzuyu? She gasped at the first thought, thinking that Hyewon would court Tzuyu – she can’t blame the girl, Minju’s older sister is just gorgeous. Maybe it was very much obvious on her face because it seems like Hyewon knew what she thinking about and immediately shakes her head and hand – rejecting the idea already.

“No, I am not into your sister! That’s so disgusting!” Hyewon denies, “I mean not that she’s a girl, but because we’re like bro. I mean it’s pretty disgusting because – why am I even explaining myself?!”

Minju looks at the girl amusedly, it is probably the first time she saw the older girl being flustered. It’s not just her because everyone is watching Hyewon, but the latter seems like she doesn’t notice the attention that she’s always getting. Because the older girl just keeps looking at Minju, not feeling awkward at all the stares.

“I just want to ask where your sister is.” Hyewon quickly went straight to the point and Minju nods her head, looking at the time and trying to remember her older sister’s schedule.

“Oh, she should be in the lab right now with Chaeyoung-unnie.” Minju wonders out loud but right before she can ask her question, Hyewon quickly pinched her cheeks and ran away shouting thank you.

Minju was left dumbfounded, looking at Hyewon’s running figure and waving her hand dumbly. She found herself touching the cheek that the older girl just pinched and she felt like she was kissed, and there goes her heart again running 100 miles per hour.

“So, when did you know Hyewon?”

“Damn Minjuri, your standards in socializing is over the top.”

Minju quickly looks at her friends, the two sporting a -eating grin that she just wants to slap. She quickly grabs her book and bag, slinging it over her shoulders – ignoring the shouts coming from the two. They have a class in 15 minutes and Minju would avoid the questions at any opportunity she could get. But when she felt arms around her, she knows she couldn’t avoid them – not when they are annoying just with their smiles.

“Seems like we have a huge catching on to do today Chaewonnie.” Chaeyeon said hooking her arms on Minju’s right arm, the other girl did the same with her left arm and Minju could only groan.

“Pretty entertaining too, especially coming from Minju.”

“Shut up you two!” Minju whined but the two just laughed, dragging her to their next class as if they are eager to learn something new about history.

 

The third time she saw Hyewon was the last straw – Minju knew she was definitely in trouble having a silly crush on the girl. It was a week since Hyewon talked to her in their campus, a week since Chaeyeon and Chaewon knew about them having a connection – which is her older sister, Tzuyu. During that week, her older sister has been weird with her, asking her random questions about what’s her opinion on photography and modeling.

A very weird topic coming from her sister who is addicted to Star Wars, a very weird one since Tzuyu specifically knows that Minju is an awkward person especially in front of the camera. The older girl has been pestering her about it, always barging in inside Minju’s room when the girl is busy doing her work.

“Hey, you like photography, right?” Tzuyu asked throwing some apple juice at Minju, which she thankfully caught with both of her hands. The older girl then flopped her self on Minju’s bed making the latter groan because she just made her bed and now, her sister is messing it up.

“I like looking at pictures, yeah.” Minju answered putting the juice inside her mini fridge, “I like food photography.”

Tzuyu choked on her saliva, sitting up from her laying position and looked at her sister in disbelief. Minju looked at the older girl worriedly, hesitating if she should give Tzuyu some water but it seems like the girl could handle herself.

“Okay let me be a sister right now,” Tzuyu said at Minju, “But I won’t eat anything that you take a picture of.”

“What?!” Minju stood up from her seat, completely offended with what Tzuyu just said. The older girl doesn’t even seem sorry as she laughs out loud.

“I swear Minju, you take picture!” Tzuyu exclaimed, holding her hands up. “What are you trying to show? The spices they used to cook the food?”

When she noticed that her sister is grabbing a book, which she is sure Minju will use to smack her, Tzuyu quickly sat up and scrambled to her feet. Throwing the pillow at Minju that she grabbed from the latter’s bread, Minju was caught in surprise making her release an ‘oof’, ready to actually smack her sister. Before she can take her revenge, she heard the door slamming and a muffled shout coming from Tzuyu.

“You take photography!”

After that, Tzuyu still has the guts to talk to her about it – as if she didn’t just insult Minju. But being sisters, Minju didn’t harbor any ill-feelings toward her sister because she asked her two friends about it and they pretty much have the same answer. Though they were not as frank as Tzuyu and kind of tried to appease the hidden insult.

“I mean, maybe you just take it too close or it’s not really your thing.” Chaeyeon answered awkwardly, nudging Chaewon to continue – the girl quickly racked her brain for anything to say, because Minju really does take photography.

“Well, it’s just food Minju. You’re a genius, I’m sure you can get the hang of it!” Chaewon answered and awkward laughed, then clapped her hands together. “But I’m kind of hungry, how about let’s go to this café?”

“Right, there’s a new one open near our school! Come on!” Chaeyeon quickly felt that Chaewon was changing the subject and pulled Minju with them, the younger girl pouted and thinks about her album full of food photography – she should check it later and look for the thing she’s doing wrong.

Weirdly enough, it seems like the universe is playing with her because Minju found herself always seeing glimpses of Hyewon – may it be when she’s turning the hallway, when Minju is in the middle of class and she could clearly see the head of the girl through the window on their doors. Everywhere she goes, Hyewon is always there – it’s not like she looks for the older girl, but Hyewon is always in her line of sight so it is impossible for Minju to miss her.

There was this one very odd and shivering moment and it was when Minju was all alone, she’s walking towards the faculty at the other wing. But by going there, she would need to go and walk pass the rooms of the seniors – which means that she could might see her sister if ever the latter is outside. It didn’t bother Minju, she walks there sometimes when she needs something from Tzuyu and vice versa – one of the perks of going to the same school with your sister.

But what was supposed to be an empty hallway holds two people very familiar for Minju – Tzuyu and Hyewon, with the latter dragging Tzuyu to the corner. Minju frowns at the two, she is not usually a nosy person but she saw Tzuyu’s face and she knows that look – her sister is annoyed, and it is very difficult to annoy her sister. In the end, Minju’s curiosity won over and quietly follows the two. She could hush whisperings being exchanged but with just a corner in between the three of them, she could clearly hear their conversation.

“But I want you!” Hyewon whispered harshly, and Minju widened her eyes – she didn’t expect to hear that, and suddenly she felt guilty for eavesdropping for what seems to be a very personal conversation. But Minju doesn’t know why but she decided to stay – well she actually knows; she wants to hear her sister’s answer. Also, maybe it was the tug in her heart when she heard how desperate Hyewon sounded – she may have a crush and yes, she admits it, to the older girl. But she doesn’t want Hyewon to have her heart broken by Tzuyu – her very savage and unfiltered sister.

Just with the deep breath and how Tzuyu whispered Hyewon’s name, Minju already knows that the latter is in for a heartbreak. Minju does not have any idea what it feels like, after all she never had any experience in it – she couldn’t consider her silly crush for Hyewon as something like that, it is so superficial. With the first syllable Tzuyu is saying, Minju revealed herself from her position.

“Unnie! I was looking for you!” Minju exclaimed, surprising the two and looking at her with wide eyes. Minju beat Tzuyu to it, already continuing her sentence – she glanced at Hyewon looking at her, staring at her. Minju mentally rolls her eyes because Hyewon should be thankful because Minju just saved her from a heartbreak.

“Can you come with me?” Minju asked but she already pulled Tzuyu from her position, literally dragging the older girl without even waiting for an answer. “I need to talk to Mr. Park.”

“Mi – Minju, wait. I need to talk to Hyewon – “

“But I also need to talk to Mr. Park, please?” Minju asked, resisting how Tzuyu is trying to shake off her hold on the older girl’s wrist. She sees Tzuyu looking at Hyewon and Minju frowns – is Tzuyu really that cruel that her sister really wants to reject the girl?

“It’s fine,” Hyewon said, making the two sisters stop from their push and pull. Minju looks at the girl and she could see Hyewon smiling at, and for someone who was almost rejected – she seriously looks fine with it. She looks at Tzuyu and her sister is also smiling too, and suddenly Minju feels left out – not voluntarily like usual.

She feels uneasy with the situation.

“It’s fine?” Tzuyu asked, straightening herself beaming at Hyewon and Minju could just watch the two from the side. It’s not like she has the right to in again, it seems like the two has a certain connection like they understand each other.

“Yeah,” Hyewon gave a firm nod, “It’s perfect.” She said and Minju felt her heart skipped a beat because when Hyewon said that, she looked at Minju – as if she’s telling Minju that she’s – okay. Minju is seriously reading too much fiction these days and she needs to tone it down.

“Good, I told you so.”

Minju is completely lost, but then Tzuyu pulled her to the direction of the faculty – that’s when she realized how she was supposed to talk to Mr. Park. But one question popped inside her, and of course it was just her sister and Minju was always free to ask.

“Unnie, since when did you know Hyewon-unnie?”

Tzuyu raised her eyebrows at Minju and smiled, “She’s my best friend, I knew her like way before.”

Minju frowns because she may not have socialized with Tzuyu’s friends, but she’s pretty sure she couldn’t remember any Hyewon during the past years. All she knew about the girl is that she’s the campus’s crush, and that’s it. She never knew that Tzuyu knows Hyewon and considered her as a best friend.

“What? I can’t remember her from – “

“We met through a game, chill Minju.” Tzuyu laughs, “It just so happens that she was the person I was always playing a game with, and knew it just last year.”

“Oh.” Minju said, now remembering how Tzuyu always talk about one gamer friend she has been talking to and that’s when she realized that her sister stopped talking about the said gamer friend since last year.

“Does Chaeyoung-unnie knows?”

Tzuyu hums questioningly, and Minju smirks. “That her best friend spot is already taken by someo – “

“Don’t you dare Kim Minju!” Tzuyu threatened and Minju quickly walks away, her sister hot on her tail and she chuckles at the empty threats that Tzuyu is throwing at her.

“If you ever tell that I told you about Hyewon being my – “

“Your best friend?” Minju teases, “She’ll be fuming, I think.”

“Kim Minju!”

“Kim Tzuyu!”

Minju laughed out loud as her sister towered over her and put her in a headlock – yes, definitely one of the perks. That’s when she realized that she will greatly miss her sister when she graduates soon. It was times like this that Minju hopes she could socialize more, but sometimes having a small circle is better than a big one full of fakes.

 

-

 

That weekend, Minju was feeling to socialize and with socialize she means that she’s going to sit at their front porch, reading her hardbound copy of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. She glances up from her book from time to time, watching people walking outside but always turn her attention back to the back when they look at her. That’s basically her own meaning of socialize – just looking at people from afar, too shy to talk to them or acknowledge them with a nod.

She looks at their lawn and grimaced at the sigh of the growing grass, thinking about the last time when her dad gave it a trim and it seems like it was a month already. Minju makes a mental note to remind them about it later, turning back to her book she reads it quietly, feeling the light breeze and comfortable weather she has at the moment. This is her definition of a perfect day, staying and reading outside having her personal space – a peaceful day indeed.

But it didn’t last long, well it didn’t last long for Minju’s heart – she sees some black sedan pulling up in front of their house and she watches the driver going out of the car. Minju cursed mentally seeing the person, Hyewon, going out and smiling at her. Why does she have to see the girl even in their house? It’s like Hyewon’s existence and presence wasn’t part of her routine until their embarrassing interaction last in the kitchen.

After that, it seems like she could see the older girl everywhere. It’s not like she’s complaining, but it’s annoying how her heart goes abnormally wild whenever she sees Hyewon.

“Hey, is Tzuyu in?” Hyewon greeted her and looking at the book Minju was reading, nodding her head in approval for the taste.

Minju looks at the girl weirdly, why would Hyewon go there if she doesn’t know if her sister is in, but Minju still answered politely. “Yeah, she’s up in her room playing her game.”

Hyewon nods, “Can I come – “

“Yeah, sure. You’re here anyways, what’s the point?” Minju cuts her off, not having any filter because she knows she has a point. But she also knows that Hyewon was just asking that out of politeness.

Hyewon chuckles and nods her head, really not having doubt that Minju and Tzuyu are indeed sisters. She goes up to the door but looks at Minju, seeing that the latter is already back reading to her book.

“Hey Minju, are you free?”

“No.” Minju answers back, and quirk an eyebrow waiting for the older girl to elaborate.

“Oh,” Hyewon nods her head slowly, “You have to go somewhere?”

“I have a book to read.” Minju raised the book as if it was not in the view, Hyewon looks at her in amusement. She shakes her head and entered the house, leaving Minju outside staring at the now closed door weirdly.

Just then, Minju’s phone started vibrating beside her making her look at it and see that it was Chaewon. She answers the call, knowing that the girl only calls her either when she’s going to ask about any school work or would share something that she discovered about their school. Minju leans more to the latter since Chaewon never really do her assignment on the weekend, always finishing it on Fridays. Out of the three of them, Chaewon has it all balanced – being able to have fun with friends yet still doing good in school.

“Hey, what’s new?” Minju greeted the girl earning a chuckle from the other side.

“Seriously, I’m not even starting but you’re already asking me that.”

“I know you since like I was 10, so just answer the question.” Minju chuckles and looks at her book, looking around her to look for her bookmark.

“Whatever Minjuri, but I don’t have anything new. But I’m curious about something.” Minju could already see the mischieveous smirk coming from her friend, and she knows what the girl would ask. After all, Chaeyeon and Chaewon are pestering her about it – about her and Hyewon, which is absurd. Because Minju could not offer anything, that’s just it. Hyewon is her sister’s best friend – that’s all to it.

No, she won’t tell them that she has a tiny little bit crush on the older girl. Minju does not want to be the center of the teasing, and be categorized under the fan club that Hyewon has.

“Chaeyeon is busy with school work, so you’re the one asking me about that again?” Minju asked with a laugh, and just with the sputtering coming from Chaewon looking for an excuse – she already knows she hit the nail.

“Chaewon, that’s it. She’s just unnie’s best friend other than Chaeyoung-unnie. But you don’t have to tell that to her, I’m going to be dead.”

“You haven’t like what? Talk to her or anything? Like really, talk to her?”

Minju could hear the disbelief in the girl’s tone, making her roll her eyes – as if Chaewon doesn’t know her. Minju never actually have a full conversation with her sister’s friends, they wouldn’t talk about anything anyway. But she knows they are great people because she could sometimes hear their jokes and one of her friends, Dahyun really has a contagious laugh.

They also give her snacks sometimes so, Minju could really tell that they are good – no questions asked.

“As if I talk to any of Tzuyu-unnie’s friends, Chaewon.” Minju answered grabbing the book that has been sitting under one of the throw pillows, she put it in between the page and closed her book shut.

Just then she could hear some shuffling coming inside their house but Minju just ignored it – thinking it’ll just be Tzuyu and Hyewon going out. That’s when she remembered that maybe Hyewon was trying to win her older sister’s heart, Minju didn’t have anything to think about that – she only just has a silly crush anyway, for like about two weeks. It’s not that deep.

She heard the door opening but she focuses on Chaewon’s voice, the girl ranting to Minju that she should talk to Hyewon and at least befriend any of her sister’s friends. She and Chaeyeon has been pushing Minju to do just that, telling it was a great opportunity for her to have more friends within her reach – and it’s not like she’ll have any problem since Tzuyu’s friends are all noisy and really friendly.

“Chaewonnie, you know I don’t like – “

“Minju,” The girl looked up to see her sister standing in front of her, with a very anxious Hyewon behind the latter. Minju frowns but gestured for a minute, telling Chaewon that they’ll talk later. Ending the call, Minju looks up questioningly to Tzuyu.

“Yeah?”

“Remember dad’s flower bed?” Tzuyu asks making Minju sit straight, of course she remembers the flower bed. But it was something that they don’t talk about, Minju has buried it deep in the recesses of her mind only to be visited when it’s brought up.

A shiver ran through her, not liking where this conversation is heading. “What about it?”

“You don’t want dad to know, right?” Tzuyu smiled and sat beside Minju, the younger girl gulping and glanced at Hyewon – the girl is just watching them and she seems anxious.

“What are you saying?” Minju chuckles nervously, “Are you blackmailing me, unnie?”

“You made me lie to dad, and you know how much I hate lying.” Tzuyu smiled cutely at Minju, “You also promised that you’ll do anything to make up for it since I redid the mess you made.”

“Accidentally!” Minju retorts, she’s practically sure that Tzuyu is blackmailing her and it’s irritating to see the grin on her sister’s face because she knows she’s winning.

“Okay, but can I avail the favor you owe me?”

“What?”

“Model for Hyewon.”                                          

“What?!”

Tzuyu stands up from the swing and clapped her hands, as if the job was done. “That or I’ll tell the truth, and I know how much you don’t want for that to happen.”

“But unnie!”

Tzuyu ignored her sister and pushed Hyewon in front of her, “Now, here is your photographer. Get to know each other and please Minju, for the love of your snacks.”

“Please talk to her, okay?” Tzuyu said and nodded her head, waving at her sister and went back to their house. Minju was left there on the swing, looking at the shut door and diverting her eyes to Hyewon – if not for her crush to the older girl, she would have slapped her right then and there. But maybe this situation just caused for that crush to vanish, because all she could feel is annoyance.

“Hey,” Hyewon awkwardly said and it was the first time for Minju to see the girl looking awkward, not a sight she thought she would see.

“So, what happened to the flower bed?”

Minju groans out loud. Standing up and stomping inside their house, when would she have a peaceful day all by herself?  Because it seems like meeting Hyewon made her life into a chaotic mess, and it seems like it is just starting.

 

--

 

“You’re going to what?!” Chaewon and Chaeyeon simultaneously exclaimed, not believing what they just heard. Minju rubbed her face irritatingly because she has been telling what happened during the weekend to the two, but it seems like the two girls are not even listening to her.

“Model, for Kang Hyewon.” Minju repeated for the third time, groaning out loud and wanting to wake up from this reality. “It just so happens that she wanted to go to art school and take up photography.”

The two girls had their mouth agape, the information still sinking in and processing in their minds. They have been friends with Minju, and they both know that the girl won’t do anything like this – unless she was forced to. The only person that could force Minju to do something is – Chaeyeon and Chaewon looked at each other, then at Minju. The latter sighed; their minds connected already.

“Tzuyu-unnie blackmailed me.”

The two excited friends pulled their chairs closer to Minju, not caring even if they are in the library and are in their last warning before they’d kick out of the place. Minju shushed them and scoots away with her book, the book she has been reading since the weekend and she could see that she just made little to no progress in reading it. Her mind has been focused on the fact that her beloved sister just blackmailed her for Hyewon – the latter even has the guts to ask about the flower bed.

“What did she blackmail you for?” Chaewon asked and Minju looked at the girl incredulously, as if asking Chaewon if she’s serious.

Chaeyeon gasped and thought of something, “Did she blackmail you for like something big? Something that will seriously annoy you – “

Minju glared at her friend, making her shut up. “Why would I tell it to you guys?

“Because we’re your best friends?” Chaewon unsurely said and smiled awkwardly, glancing at Chaeyeon.

“And best friends know everything about each other?” The other girl added.

Minju stares at the two first, she knows that they are just trying to sweet talk her into telling the blackmail thing. But Minju needs to rant this thing to someone, and of course, who are the best choice for her? Her only two friends, Chaewon and Chaeyeon.

Sighing and having no choice, Minju closed her book and slightly turned her body to address the two. It was obvious that they were eager to hear the story, with that Minju told the two about it. It was years ago, when she was still 8 and Tzuyu was 10. But reminiscing it would always give a shiver to her – because she knows what will happen if her father hears the truth.

“Why not just tell him the truth?”

Minju slammed her hand on the table, wincing after remembering that they were in the library and hiding slightly. She then glared sharply at Chaeyeon and hissed, “Because! He’ll make me do something I don’t want!”

“But Tzuyu-unnie is already making you do that, what’s the difference?” Chaewon asked and Minju looked at the girl, she has a good point – but remembering her father, she shivers at the thought of what he would make her do.

“I think I’ll rather do what unnie wants me to do.” Minju said with finality in her tone, accepting the fact that she’ll do anything that Tzuyu would ask her just to not tell their father what really happened.

Chaeyeon breathed out a laugh, not believing that their friend would rather choose to model – Minju is beautiful, she and Chaewon both knows it, but the girl doesn’t know how to use her beauty for her advantage.

“Minju, it’s not that serious. But are you sure you want to model?”

Chaewon nods her head at the question, looking at the girl. “Minju, as a friend – a true friend.” She emphasized.

“You don’t just take photos, you’re also awkward posing.”

“Hey!” Minju said with her loud voice and just like that, they saw the librarian stomping over their direction and the three immediately gathered their things. They’ll kick their selves out rather than hear an earful from the scary librarian.

 

-

 

Minju was walking out of their school, the other students walking with their friends as she walks alone. She was supposed to be walking with Chaeyeon and Chaewon but the two suddenly had some surprise meeting from their dance troupe. Minju would not wait for the two since their meetings could last until the school closes – she’s not even sure what they talk about in those meetings.

She’s just minding her own business, thinking about her sister and what she’s doing at the moment. Minju is in the mood to annoy Tzuyu once she gets home, excitedly going to the bus stop – Minju was about to bounce on her feet when she felt her bag being pulled.

“Ouch!” Minju voiced out as she was tugged backward, feeling something soft behind her. She looks back only to see Hyewon, smiling apologetically at her. Suddenly the small distance between them was very much evident, Minju could see the mole on the older girl’s face and it was so that she has this urge to touch it.

“I’m sorry, I was calling you for 3 times now.”

That made Minju snap back from her thoughts and pulled away from the older girl, fixing her clothes as if she if she was just going to school. She then sees Hyewon smiling at her and she hates how her heart is beating faster as always – Minju thinks about how other people deal with their crushes when they could feel this every day, it’s an uncomfortable feeling.

“Oh, why?” Minju asks the older girl and she sees Hyewon smiling sheepishly at her.

“I’ll drive you home,” Hyewon declared and without asking for permission, grabbed the younger girl’s bag. “You know, for modeling for me.”

“I was blackmailed.” Minju deadpanned, not even rejecting the offer – too conscious with the attention they are getting, almost everyone slowed down to watch their interaction. Minju would not want to cause a scene by rejecting it anymore, she just wants to go out of there as soon as possible – and it seems like Hyewon wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Even if you were blackmailed.” Hyewon clarifies and chuckles, opening the passenger door Minju. “I also promised your sister that I’ll make you comfortable, so here I am being a good acquaintance.”

Minju frowns at the older girl and nods her head as thank you, buckling up her seatbelt as soon as she sat down. She then thinks about what Hyewon said and scoffs, the girl is obviously trying to get some brownie points for her sister.

Minju hates her position for having a crush on Hyewon, then the girl just so happens to like her sister. To add to her misery, she’s supposed to spend time with Hyewon as she was blackmailed to be the girl’s subject for her portfolio to get in the university she wants.

She was alright having a crush for the older girl before, she accepted it now. But to spend time with Hyewon for the upcoming weeks, Tzuyu even said that it could take months – Minju knows that this thing won’t stay as a crush any time soon, especially when Hyewon always do things like this.

“I said acquaintance,” Hyewon says as soon as she entered her car and smiled at Minju, “But I hope we won’t be acquaintances anymore Minju.”

“Oh,” Minju gulps, because she’s hoping exactly the opposite. She wants to stay just as an acquaintance, she should not let this crush get her into trouble. She then hears Hyewon chuckling, turning on the engine of the car.

“You’re really how Tzuyu described you.”

Minju rolls her eyes, she’s pretty sure that her sister just talked about how quiet she is. But she decided to humor the girl, “And what did she describe me as?”

“Quiet,” Hyewon answers and Minju scoffs, she called it. But then Hyewon said something that made her choke on nothing, she could feel her toes tingling and her lungs expanding for the unexpected words.

“And I find it really cute and endearing.” Hyewon smiles driving out of their school and glancing at Minju, “You were really cute when we first met, I couldn’t forget about it.”

Minju didn’t answer as she just blushed, turning and looking outside the window. She curses mentally as she could see her slight reflection on the mirror, she is blushing madly.

Minju’s life was really much simpler without Hyewon but she doesn’t know if she wants to trade this thing that she’s experiencing for it. She just hopes she won’t get into it deeper, because she’s aware that Hyewon likes her sister.

Seriously, life is very much simpler without Kang Hyewon and not having a crush – that, Minju is sure of.

 

--

 

When Minju agreed to, forced actually – to model for Hyewon, she thought that their shoots would be only held when they are together. Minju thought it’ll just be when Hyewon would go to their house and ask her to shoot, but she thought wrong. Because it was the day after Hyewon drove her to their house, and the older girl approached her with Tzuyu behind her with a camera.

Minju was with Chaeyeon at that time since Chaewon was tasked by one of their teachers to collect some paper that were done by their classmates. Minju could see the smirk forming on Chaeyeon’s face and she nudged the girl hard enough for her to wince, she sees Tzuyu and Hyewon stopping in front of them with her sister smiling widely at her.

“Minjuri, I know you have a spare right now,” Tzuyu said grabbing her sister by the shoulder and patting her cheeks lightly, Minju scrunched her nose and swatted her sister’s hand away from her face.

“We also have a spare, and look – “Tzuyu continued and pointed at Hyewon’s camera, “She brought a camera.”

“Yes, I could see that unnie.” Minju deadpanned and rolled her eyes.

Hyewon fiddled with her camera and poked Tzuyu, worried that Minju would not go with whatever Tzuyu is planning. “Hey, I told you I’m good capturing just some candid shots for today.”

Tzuyu ignored her friend and looked at Minju, “Why don’t you help your photographer to get some shots? You know, so she can start and get your feel already.”

“Right Minjuri,” Chaeyeon chimed in, stifling a laugh and didn’t even flinch with Minju’s glare – she just looks like a kid. “We have a spare for an hour and I heard Ms. Jang won’t be in today so a total of 2 hours.”

Tzuyu discreetly high-fived Chaeyeon, unlike Minju, Tzuyu is really close with Chaeyeon and Chaewon. She has known the two girls since they became Minju’s friends, and sometimes she hangs out with them. Tzuyu gave Minju a grin and an encouraging push, “Now, off you go. I’ll keep Chaeyeon entertained. Goodluck Kwangbae!”

That’s how Minju saw herself walking around their school with Hyewon in tow, the latter fixing the camera settings which Minju found entertaining and rather than asking Hyewon – she decided to just search it up later. It seems like the older girl is busy with it anyway, and she doesn’t want to be the reason for Hyewon to lose her focus. She’ll just wait for the older girl to give her instructions – Minju is no model, so she doesn’t really know what to do.

Minju looks around and she realized that they are almost in the theater club area, no one actually goes there other than the theater people. But around this time, no one is in sight because of some on-going classes – but she knows it’ll be full later because she heard that they are going to do some play by the end of the year.

“Minju, can you stay there,” Hyewon said and it seems like she already got her settings fixed, pointing at the spot she wants Minju to stand on. It was somewhere around the big window that overlooks the school’s open place, rays of the sun slightly coming in and Minju raised her eyebrows for deeming it a good spot. “Right there, that’s good.”

Minju just followed the older girl, standing where Hyewon is pointing at. She watches Hyewon looking at the viewfinder and that’s when she noticed the lens on the camera, it was small compared to what she usually sees. Minju tilts her head curiously at it, wanting to ask question but it seems like Hyewon read her mind.

“It’s a prime lens.”

Minju nodded, as if that helped her curiosity and the older girl noticed it making Hyewon laugh slightly. “It has a fixed focal length, how do I say this,” Hyewon looks up trying to find words to explain it to Minju, since the girl looks very much curious.

“You know that blur shots in some photography? That’s called bokeh, it’ll help me show the depth of field much easier without much adjusting.” Hyewon then showed the lens to Minju, “Though I can’t zoom in or out with this lens, but it’s pretty great for photography especially for portrait shots.”

“I’m using a 24mm, so I need to be somehow close to you, if you don’t mind.” Hyewon said stepping closer to Minju, leaving about three to four steps in between them. “I’m also doing a mid-length shot, so don’t be conscious on your feet.”

Minju nods her head at Hyewon, absorbing the new thing she just learned. She then remembers that they are shooting, and based on what the older girl said – it’ll be much more focused on her face, unless she’s planning to take a shot of Minju’s legs which is unlikely.

That’s when she became conscious of what to do, glancing to the side and not knowing what to do with anything. Minju feels her body stiffening up and Hyewon looks away from the viewfinder and looks at Minju, “You’re too stiff, relax Minju. It’s just us.”

That’s the problem, it was just them. Minju was along with Hyewon, and the latter’s focus is all on her. “What should I do? I never modeled, sorry.”

Hyewon smiles at the younger girl, “How about you look outside the window? I can just adjust my position don’t worry.”

Minju nods her head and did what the older girl said, she just casually looks out of the window leaning her body on the wall and watching the students walk around. She’s kind of thankful that her mind wanders a lot that she immediately forgot that they were in a shoot because she’s trying to find her sister and Chaeyeon.

Hyewon waits for Minju to be relaxed and when she sees the girl is in her own world in just a few minutes, she was amazed by how quick Minju transitioned from being stiff as a rock to being like a curious kid. She immediately went to work, and she was just so happy because it seems like Minju was made for the camera.

Just how her face was being hit by the sunrays, and how the younger girl slightly tilts her head – seeming to look for someone outside. Hyewon captured all the slight changes on the girl’s face, it was just so calm and pleasing to the eyes. Hyewon didn’t notice how many pictures she has already captured, but she didn’t care – the more the merrier, and more options for her to choose.

But one thing is for sure, she’s going to keep to herself the moment she captured Minju – a wide smile spreading on her face and giddily waving outside like a cute kid. Hyewon looks away from her camera, and looked outside – there she sees Tzuyu and Minju’s friend, Chaeyeon, waving at her like two idiots. Hyewon chuckles and waves at the two also, she then looks at Minju.

“It seems like candid shots suit you more.”

Minju looks at Hyewon surprised, not realizing that they are already finished. “Oh, you’re fast.”

Hyewon chuckles and looks at her shots on the LCD screen of the camera, “You look just really good Minju, I might have to take more photos of you now.”

“I think I just found a muse.” Hyewon teased and Minju hates how she knows that the older girl is just teasing her, but her heart somersaulted as if she was just proposed to. She needs to get a grip, she needs to keep this crush at bay because with the time they are going to spend together – with Hyewon’s eyes all on her, and complimenting her like this? Minju doesn’t know how long she could take it.

“That, or you’re just a really good photographer.” Minju said, not wanting to dwell on it. She wouldn’t want to give herself false hope – chanting inside her that it was just a silly dumb crush. Hyewon likes Tzuyu, and Minju was just her subject for her portfolio.

“To be honest, I actually need to do good or else I’ll be forced to take some business major.”

Minju frowns and imagines Hyewon being some office worker of some sort, it suits her. But seeing her earlier fiddling with her camera, the older girl was just in her element.

“Photography suits you more,” She then mindlessly continued, “Seems like will get you more fans if you ask me.”

“Fans?” Hyewon tilts her head at the word, “What do you mean?”

Minju looks at the older girl in disbelief, it was so weird that Hyewon doesn’t know about her growing fans – but the older girl doesn’t seem like she’s joking, she is completely clueless about it. “You know, the boys and girls that you always see around you…” Minju tries to explain, because she herself knows about it and she’s the type to be late about certain news.

“I have people following me?”

Minju has her jaw dropped at that, “You don’t, you don’t even – oh my gosh, Hyewon-unnie!”

Hyewon smiled widely at Minju, the latter looked at the older girl weirdly.

“You just called me by my name,” Hyewon grinned and bumped their shoulders lightly, “Seems like we’re getting much closer, huh?”

Minju just kept quiet and turned away from the older girl, walking out of their conversation. Hyewon laughs at Minju’s reaction and followed the girl after all, they still have another one hour to shoot – might as well be friendly to Tzuyu’s sister.

 

-

 

“Minju has a crush on her.” Chaeyeon smirked, watching the two girls’ interaction from their place. She glanced at Tzuyu and sees the taller girl grinning.

“My sister is growing up.” Tzuyu dramatically said, wiping some fake tears. They then heard footsteps and sees Chaewon approaching them, looking up at where they were looking earlier. They see Minju and Hyewon talking and it seems like Minju was shocked about something.

“Minjuri has a crush~” Chaeyeon said in a sing-song voice, slinging her arm over Chaewon’s shoulder while Tzuyu did the same to Chaeyeon.

“Does that mean we can also blackmail her?”

Tzuyu gasped and points an accusing finger at Chaewon, “No one blackmails my sister!”

“But you just did!”

“I’m her sister, I have all the rights!”

 

-

 

Hyewon was in the middle of her post-production, all hunched up in the almost empty library with her laptop – camera on her side, her hands all busy doing things on the software she’s using. She has her earphones on, all in the zone and her focus is solely on the image in front of her. She and Minju managed to shoot in different places, she would have wanted Minju to be focused in one crowded place but she knows that the younger girl would have been uncomfortable with it.

But it’s not like the results were underwhelming, in fact it exceeded Hyewon’s expectations – Minju just really suits every shot she got of the younger girl. Hyewon was planning to simply choose several of what she deems as her best shots to post-process, but in the end, she decided to just edit it all – it’s not heavy editing either.

She didn’t warp anything, Hyewon hates the idea of that and Minju, for Hyewon, is all perfect as she is. All she did was adjust some exposure and contrast, blur some background to emphasized Minju’s presence – it was simple editing, it’s all Minju’s doing for the shot to be beautiful.

She went to the next picture and paused, staring at it for a moment – it was the one where she shot Minju on their field. The younger girl sitting on the bleachers, just scrolling through her phone – Hyewon told Minju that she’ll just take shots of the field and its people. Yeah, she did just that but when she turned around and saw Minju sitting all alone on the bleachers, instead of feeling sorry as the girl is alone, she felt like Minju is happy in her own world.

Seeming to be scrolling through her social media, with her camera she saw the slight smile forming on the younger girl’s face – and Hyewon could not help but to capture that exact moment. Minju, for the lack of better word, looks like a goddess.

Hyewon stares at the image, and decided to not edit it but to stash it in one folder – one that is composed of all the unedited pictures of Minju that she just created.

It became her habit, to have something unedited in one of her shoots – but this time, it seems like she’ll have a full album of the younger girl.

Just then she felt her earphones pulled out, the lo-fi music being taken away from her – welcoming her to the hushed whispers that a library usually has. She frowns and sees Tzuyu sitting beside her, and rudely turning the screen of her laptop away from Hyewon.

Tzuyu scrolls through the edited pictures of her sister, smiling to herself at how it all came out.

“Told you she’ll be perfect.” Tzuyu proudly said, satisfied with her work and gave the device back to the owner. Hyewon just rolled her eyes though she didn’t deny it, she wondered how it will come out if Tzuyu really did accept her offer.

“You did something great for once.” Hyewon sarcastically said and continued with her job, planning to finish it before school ends – she wanted to drive Minju to their house again. Knowing that Tzuyu will be hanging out with Chaeyoung and Dahyun, Minju will be all alone again – other than being with Chaeyeon and Chaewon.

Tzuyu smirked and tapped her fingers rhythmically, “That’s not the only thing that I did great.”

“What?”

Tzuyu grinned, showing her dimples at the girl – patting Hyewon like a kid. “You’ll see.”

 

--

 

Minju was busy finishing some paper for their English class, as much as she loves to write this type of things, their teacher in that subject is getting too overboard with the number of papers she’s giving them – even Minju is getting frustrated with it. It’s been three days since their shoot, and surprisingly, Hyewon still hasn’t asked for another one – though it’s not like Minju was asking for one.

Shaking her head, she looks back to her laptop thinking of how she could formulate her idea – tapping her foot silently, she quickly types her formulated paragraph before it goes away. She then heard someone knocking on her door making her frown, she didn’t answer anything and continued to type – it might just be her mother or father.

But hearing another knock, Minju glanced at the door and rolls her eyes – saying a ‘come in’ loud enough for the person to hear and continued on with her work. She could only focus on the sound of her keyboard is making as she types, glancing on it from time to time as she stares at the Word in front of her. She didn’t pay mind whoever the person entered her room, thinking it’ll just be one of the people she’s living with.

“Oh, you’re busy?”

Minju flinched as soon as she pressed enter, finishing the second paragraph she just wrote. She’s pretty sure that no one in her family sounds like that, she’s also sure that no one could make her heart burst just with their voice – no one but, Minju turns her chair and sees the person who entered.

“Hyewon-unnie.”

Hyewon smiles at the girl, pointing at the bed asking if she could sit there, Minju nodded her head quickly. “Sorry, I’ll just finish this up. I didn’t know that we will be ha – “

Hyewon chuckles and sits down on the bed, putting her camera on the side. “It’s fine, take your time. This is a spontaneous thing.”

“Your mom told me that you weren’t busy and just go up here,” Hyewon smiled at the younger girl, “But you can finish that, I have all the day don’t worry.”

“Tzuyu-unnie is not here, right?” Minju asks the older girl, focusing on her laptop. She needs to finish it quickly, her mind working twice as fast as before. Maybe she was getting nervous because she could feel Hyewon staring at her from behind – it suddenly feels suffocating inside her room.

Hyewon hums in response and looks around, amazed with the number of books organized on the wall shelf. She then sees the mini fridge that Minju has, and she could not help but to chuckle. Minju could practically live inside her room for 2 weeks with all the things she has in it.

“She’s with Dahyun and Chaeng, I think they’re just studying or having a movie marathon.” Hyewon thinks about it for a moment, “I’m leaning more on the movie marathon.”

“Same.” Minju answered and clicks her tongue as she paused for a second, thinking the last two paragraphs for her conclusion. Just then she heard some shuffling and she sees Hyewon standing beside her with her camera.

“Can I take a picture?”

Minju frowns, “Of me being stressed?”

Hyewon chuckles and quickly turns on her camera, glancing at Minju with a smile. “Of you. Can I take your picture?” She softly asked.

Minju blushed and nods her head slightly, removing her glasses to fix herself but was stopped when a hand grabbed her wrist.

“No,” Hyewon stopped the younger girl, “I like your glasses, it suits you.”

Minju opens to retort but nothing came out, “O-okay.” She fixed her glasses, pushing it up to her nose.

Hyewon smiles and adjusts her camera aperture, since they are inside Minju’s dim-lit room. The only light coming is from Minju’s laptop and from the small opening behind her curtain. She looks through the viewfinder and stopped adjusting it as soon as she was satisfied. As she was about to start taking pictures, she frowns. Pulling away from her camera she leaned a little bit forward and tucked Minju’s hair behind her ear.

“It’s blocking your face,” Hyewon whispered, “Can’t deprive my camera with your beauty, can I?”

Minju gulped as she feels Hyewon’s hot breath hitting her face as she speaks, why does she need to be that close? She could just tell Minju and she could do it herself – and why does she need to say that? Minju doesn’t know if the older girl is aware with what she’s doing.

Hyewon smiles and nodded her head at Minju, “Okay, I’ll take some pictures not. Just do your thing, don’t mind me.”

Minju scoffs, “How can I ignore someone who’s pointing a camera straight into my face?”

Hyewon chuckles ignoring the comment, “I know you can do it effortlessly; I’ll start now.” Hyewon’s pretty sure with what she said, with the short time she has spent with the younger girl, she knows that the latter could be inside her head as soon as she gets into what she’s doing. It’s like Minju’s mind is a mansion to herself that she could get lost to.

And as she looks at Minju through her camera, Hyewon hopes – she looks forward to, that one day she could get inside the girl’s head. It seems like a fun place to be in.

 

--

 

Minju loves her alone time, if that isn’t obvious enough, she loves it a little too much that sometimes she forgets that she needs to get out of her own room. Her friends, specifically Chaeyeon and Chaewon always say that she’s like a caveman from the early times – only going out to hunt food. Sometimes, Tzuyu’s friends Dahyun and Chaeyoung also jokes around her whenever they see Minju outside of her own room. Which is why when she got out of her own room not to get some snacks or go to the bathroom, but to stay in their living room to watch – the look on her parents’ face was in disbelief. Even Tzuyu did a double take on her when she went down from her room.

“Are you sick?” Her mom asked her, trying to feel her forehead but Minju avoided the hand because she’s not. She just wants to see their faces for a few minutes then she’ll go back to her own cave.

“I just want to stay here for a while, why are you guys so surprised?” Minju asked even though she already knows the answer, it was just to humor them.

Tzuyu snickered and sat beside her hugging her by the waist, and as usual, having that annoying grin on her face. “I see, Kwangbae has a great effect on you.”

“What’s she got to do with this?” Minju rolled her eyes, the sudden mention of the photographer is too random. Because Hyewon has got nothing to do with her being outside her room, Minju just wanted to do it – just because.

“Oh, Hyewon?” Their father chimed in, “I heard that she chose you to model for her portfolio.”

“Forced,” Minju whispered to Tzuyu and glared at the older girl, threatening her to keep shut about their deal. She then quickly looks at her father with an innocent smile, nudging Tzuyu as she heard the latter snickering. “Yeah, we’ve been shooting when we have free time. She’s really good, I think?”

She said unsurely because she’s not in the position to say what’s good or bad because Minju is not into photography that much. To add to that, she would be really biased with her crush for Hyewon – she remembers people gushing about how their crushes dance so good, sing so great, or draw like a one great artist in the making.

But when Minju sees them they are either dancing like a rotten vegetable, singing like a dolphin on drugs, and drawing like they didn’t know the basic colors since elementary.

“I was really surprised that she asked for you that day,” Their mom said putting down some snacks she got from the kitchen and Tzuyu immediately went to grab some bread from it. “I thought she was going to shoot Tzuyu but she asked for you.”

Their father laughed with that deep voice of his, “Didn’t think that you’ll agree to it at all, but maybe you are changing.”

Tzuyu scoffed and Minju wanted to stuff with that bread she’s holding, she knows the older girl would say something alarming with this topic. Minju started to regret going out of her room now, if she knew she’ll be asked these questions then she would have stayed there for the whole day.

“She wouldn’t agree if I didn’t – “

Min