their’s
lucky charm
I’m sorry Minjoo- but I need to love you
I need to love you
One last time
Minjoo doesn’t expect to see Ahn Yujin on a Friday night in the cooped up subway station.
And she shouldn’t expect to see Ahn Yujin.
But she sees her anyway, her hair is dark blue and she’s wearing a worn out leather jacket with her painfully thick glasses, and Minjoo is captivated by the stranger as the wind from the passing trains blow into her eyes, but despite the discomfort- Minjoo’s eyes are still focused on her.
She’s not sure if it’s her eyes, or her in general aura that takes her prisoner, but it was something about Ahn Yujin that made Minjoo feel as if this random stranger in the train station was worth all her time.
Minjoo doesn’t even know her name yet.
“Hello,” Miss Dreamy Eyes says as she catches Minjoo’s eyes piercing into her soul, sending her an awkward smile for the very first time.
“Long day at work?” she asks. “You seem lost,”
Lost in your eyes if anything.
“Yeah,” Minjoo replies, and it wasn’t entirely false, Eunbi was stressing over their recent project at the studio, and Minjoo hates how much of a perfectionist her boss could be at times.
“Do you want a drink?” her new aquaintance asks, and Minjoo an eyebrow- how the hell were they going to get a drink in the middle of a subway station- from the vending machine?
“How?” Minjoo asks simply.
“My house is one station away,” the stranger says with a soft smile, and Minjoo, somehow, completely trusts her.
Here’s to the death of Kim Minjoo…
“I don’t know your name,” Minjoo states, and the stranger chuckles.
“I’m Ahn Yujin,” the stranger with a name now says, holding out her hand as she expects Minjoo to shake it.
“Kim Minjoo,” Minjoo says quietly as she shakes the outstretched hand, a small grin on her lips as the loud screeching of the train rings in their ears, the wind blowing their hair all over the place.
And it’s as if the world stopped just for them.
“So?” Yujin asks, tilting her head the slightest bit.
“Shall we?”
——
“I cannot believe you!” Minjoo cackles as she waves her drink all over the place, Yujin gently pulling her hand down before she made a mess all over Yujin’s apartment.
“Three drinks in and you’re already this drunk?” Yujin asks as she giggles at the actress, pulling the drink away from her grasp.
“I am- light,” Minjoo says groggily, and Yujin chuckles.
“I think I should send you home now,” Yujin says, holding Minjoo’s wrists to prevent her from flailing around.
“Yeahhhhhhh~ Chaeyeon will worry~” Minjoo says in a sing songy voice, a sheepish smile on her lips as she stands up- nearly tripping over herself- the only thing preventing her from becoming gravity’s next victim being Yujin, who steadied her with her own body, Minjoo practically cuddling the younger.
“Mhmmm,” Minjoo hums into Yujin’s shoulder, the warmth shocking Yujin a bit.
“World harsh and cold,” Minjoo mumbles. “Yujin nice and warm,” she says as she leans her head into Yujin’s neck, the new found friend pushing her away as a reflex.
“We definitely need to get you home,” Yujin chuckles to herself as she holds Minjoo by the shoulders, making sure the actress didn’t fling herself onto her once again.
“I’m home!” Minjoo says aggressively, and Yujin can only chuckle at the drunken Minjoo’s behaviour.
“I wish you were Min,”
——
The light shimmers through her blinds, illuminating the groaning figure on the queen sized bed. Minjoo’s eyes flutter open at the morning light- her slight movements accompanied by a pounding in her head- memories of last night flashing through her head like lightning, adding up to Minjoo’s newfound confusion.
Can I kiss you?
“Woah- what the- ,” Minjoo says word by word as she sits up in her bed, and she nearly throws up if it’s not for the bare minimum self control she has left in her body.
Kiss me.
It’s all I need.
Kiss me love.
“Dear God- what on earth did I do last night?” Minjoo runs her hand through her hair as she lets out a sigh of frustration, adjusting herself slowly so that her legs would fall off the bed.
“God what kind of alcohol did you give me last night Ahn Yujin,” Minjoo says groggily as she stands up, her feet a little wobbly before she realises—
Ahn Yujin.
“Chaeyeon!!” Minjoo hops out of her room, the headache near gone as she races to the kitchen where Chaeyeon was cooking pancakes for three unexpected guests.
“Oh hey Minjoo,” Chaeyeon chirps, and Minjoo is shocked at the visitors, because she looks like a piping hot mess- and she wasn’t exactly in the mood for company.
“Hi Minjoo,” the three guests turn to look at Minjoo, and her jaw drops.
Her manager, her co-woker and uptight boss are all sitting nicely at their little island, waiting for either her- or Chaeyeon.
“Feeling better?” Chaeyeon asks. “The girl who brought you back last night brought you back blackout drunk,” Chaeyeon chuckles to herself, Hyewon and Sakura following while Eunbi shook her head in dismay.
“What are you guys doing here?” Minjoo asks, blinking in confusion as she eyed each and every one of them.
“Chaeyeon promised to bring us out- no we’re not here to meddle in your weekend business,” Eunbi assures, and Minjoo lets out a sigh of relief, but her head was still buzzing with thoughts of last night’s rendezvous.
“Did Yujin- the girl last night- did she leave anything?” Minjoo asks, looking intently at Chaeyeon, who was giving her the side eye, trying to prevent her pancakes from turning into ash.
“She didn’t,” Chaeyeon answers quickly, and Minjoo sighs, turning back to her room- and she finds a hollow space in her heart, one she never noticed before.
Not a number? An address? Anything?
It was strange, she’d only met this woman for a few hours- most of those hours she spent drunk and unaware.
Yet it’s like there was already a space crafted in her heart, just for her.
Ahn Yujin.
——
She sees her again a week later, in the most unexpected place.
Her filming set.
“Ahn Yujin?” Minjoo almost screeches as she tilts her head, the director taken by surprise- distracted from the main actors trying to play out a scene in front of him.
“Lower your voice Kim,” the director whisper yells, and Minjoo bows apologetically, practically running to Yujin.
“How are you here?”
“I bought us some time,” Yujin says with a small smirk, and Minjoo tilts her head even more, Yujin extending her hands to correct Minjoo’s neck, making sure she was looking directly at her.
“What?”
“What time do you get off work?” Yujin asks, an excited glint in her eyes as she awaits Minjoo’s answer.
“I- um- well I-”
“You can leave now Kim!” The director says in a low, unamused tone. “All you’re doing is causing a ruckus,” he waves her off, visibly annoyed.
“Ah- yes sir,” Minjoo bows hastily, Yujin letting out a sigh of relief as she holds out her hand, waiting for Minjoo to take it.
Some things never change.
Minjoo swiftly turns, to Yujin, pushing her away from the bustling set, the two of them out of the cramped studio right before the director called ‘action’ again.
“So,” Minjoo says awkwardly as they find themselves alone together in the back alley of the studio. “Where are you taking me?” Minjoo asks, since it was Yujin who decided to come interrupt her acting gig.
“Anywhere you wanna go,”
——
“Ah no~” Minjoo whines as the waitress chuckles, placing down the stack of pancakes in between the two.
They were in a classic American diner, in the smallest booth they could squeeze themselves into. Yujin, had absolutely insisted that they had pancakes for dinner- even before their main course, which Minjoo found absolutely ridiculous.
“A whole stack?! I don’t even eat a whole stack for breakfast!” Minjoo complains as Yujin drizzles honey and maple syrup onto the stacks at once, Minjoo only able to shake her head as she lifts her cutleries, ready to dig in into the sugar coated pans of flour.
“Right, let’s make a deal,” Yujin says. “Let’s get to know each other,”
“We’ve been doing that almost the whole day!” Minjoo exclaims, but Yujin presses a finger to her lips, shaking her head.
“Yes we do know general things about each other,” Yujin agrees, Minjoo cocking an eyebrow at her new friends behaviour.
“But let’s get specific,”
“Let’s get- deep- so to say,” Yujin says in a serious tone, pulling away her finger, Minjoo still waiting for her to speak.
“What’s my favourite colour?” Yujin asks directly, and Minjoo is taken aback.
“I have to guess?”
“You have to guess,” Yujin says firmly. “If you’re wrong you eat one piece,” Yujin pulls out a single finger to indicate the one, and Minjoo sighs, but she nods in acceptance of the challenge.
Minjoo doesn’t know what comes over her, but her only one answer flies through her mind, and every fibre in her body tells her that her assumptions were correct.
“Blue,”
“Oh?” Yujin says, obviously surprised by Minjoo’s spot on answer.
“I’m right?” Minjoo asks excitedly, and Yujin sighs, cutting a huge chunk of the pancake and feeding herself.
“You’re right,” Yujin says with her mouthful, chewing the pancakes slowly before downing them.
“What’s my favourite colour then?” Minjoo questions in return, and Yujin chuckles.
“White,”
“What? How’d you get that?! Nobody likes white?” Minjoo retaliates in defense, Yujin simply sticking out her tongue as she cuts out a large piece of pancakes for the older.
“Lucky guess,” Yujin says with a grin, raising her fork to feed the reluctant actress.
“You are unbelievable Ahn Yujin,”
“You know? Sometimes I can’t even believe myself,” Yujin says with a chuckle, and Minjoo is confused, but before she can question Yujin’s phrasing, Yujin speaks first.
“What’s my favorite animal?”
——
“This is crazy!” Minjoo squeals as she wraps her arms around the giant dog plushie, cuddling into the warmth of her new “friend”.
“How the hell did you know the giant prize would be under that duck?” Minjoo questions as they walk on the boardwalk, away from the little carnival game.
“Lucky guess,” Yujin says casually with a goofy grin on her face, Minjoo only playfully rolling her eyes at the younger.
“You must be real lucky then Miss Ahn,” Minjoo says in awe as she continues to inspect the mega dog all over.
“I am,” Yujin says with certainty in her tone as she gazes at her new friend, smiling softly.
Luckiest to be here with you.
“Hey- do you wanna go on the ferris wheel?” Minjoo asks, tugging on Yujin’s palm.
“Sure!” Yujin agrees, knowing that there was going to be a firework show tonight- and there was no better view than from the top of the wheel with Kim Minjoo.
——
“Um- you guys can go first,” Yujin offers the couple before them- and their eyes widen in shock- then happiness.
“Seriously?” The man asks, and before Minjoo can protest, Yujin gestures for them to cut the que, the couple happily walking past them and into the tiny gondola.
“What’d you do that for?” Minjoo asks with her eyes wide in confusion, since they’d been queuing for nearly half an hour to get on the damn ride.
“Just trust me,” Yujin calms her down, rubbing the sides of her arms in an attempt to do so.
“I am your lucky charm right?” Yujin asks with a sly smirk on her lips.
“You’re a lucky guesser- but perhaps- you could be my lucky charm,” Minjoo shrugs at Yujin’s offer to become her symbol of luck, and Yujin smiles a victorious smile.
“I promise you you won’t regret it,” Yujin says with confidence oozing from her tone- and Minjoo wonders how this ex-stranger could be so confident with every guess and every assumption she made.
Yujin was so sure of everything- and as if she controlled fate, everything was so sure of her. All she guessed and wished for, it all seemed to come true.
Perhaps she was Minjoo’s lucky charm indeed.
Maybe she’ll get me to finally make it big in this goddamned industry…
They finally hop onto their own gondola, their hands interlocked as the gondola began to move upwards, the stuffed dog seated across from them as Minjoo and Yujin peered out the little windows, in complete awe at the little city that they called home.
“How long have you lived here?” Minjoo asks, and Yujin debates on telling her the truth.
“It’s my childhood home,” Yujin replies simply, and Minjoo nods.
“Though I don’t think it’s ever looked this beautiful to me,” Yujin continues, and Minjoo yet again, is confused at Yujin’s way with words, but she let’s her off the hook, choosing instead to lean on Yujin’s shoulder as the ferris wheel slowly creaks to its peak.
“Minjoo! Fireworks!” Yujin yells right before the booming sound pierces through Minjoo’s ears, and she sits up, fully immersing herself into the multi coloured beauty of the fireworks.
“Oh wow- we’re at the peak!” Minjoo realizes. “This is the prettiest view i’ve ever seen!”
“I- wow! If we’d gone earlier- we wouldn’t have gotten this view!”
“Oh my god Yujin you’re the best!” Minjoo chirps excitedly as she hugs Yujin from the side, eyes still trained upon the bursting fireworks in the sky.
Minjoo looks at the bursting patterns in the dark sky, the slight orange glow on Yujin’s skin- and a wave of deja vu hits her, but instead of the eerie feeling that came with deja vu, a sense of serenity fell upon her, like she’d been lost in a daze- and she’d finally found home.
“Oh my god,” Minjoo says out loud, Yujin barely hearing the words.
“What is it?” Yujin asks, concern spelled on her face.
“I don’t know- it’s deja vu i think,” Minjoo admits. “It’s like we’ve done this before- like i’ve known you for my whole life,” Minjoo chuckles at how silly the revelation is, but Yujin just smiles at her softly, tucking strands of hair behind Minjoo’s ear.
“Perhaps we have,”
——
3 months.
3 months since they’ve met and so far- the two have been inseparable.
“How’s work?” Yujin asks casually as they eat ramen at Minjoo’s apartment, the two not making eye contact with each other, choosing to focus on the bowls of food in front of them.
“Okay I guess- Eunbi is trying her best to get me a lead role somewhere,”
“Ah- I’m sure you’ll get one soon,” Yujin says with a soft smile.
“How are you so sure?” Minjoo looks up from her bowl, cocking an eyebrow at how confident Yujin sounded.
“Lucky guess,”
“Pft- of course my lucky charm would say that,” Minjoo rolls her eyes playfully, and Yujin chuckles at the now common nickname.
Her Lucky Charm.
That one was new.
A ding from Yujin’s phone causes the younger to jump a bit, pulling it out of her pocket and onto the table. Where it begins to flash with messages from none other than Choi Yena.
“Who’s that?” Minjoo asks with a glint of curiosity in her eye, peering over to look at the screen.
“Who else? Of course it’s Yena,” Yujin says with a chuckle as she slides the phone towards Minjoo, who swiped away from the messages app, taking a closer look at the wallpaper of Yujin’s phone.
“I meant this guy,” Minjoo points out, and Yujin’s mouth gapes for a moment, trying to form a proper answer in her head.
“My boy! Ahn Younghoon,”
“Your- nephew?” Minjoo tries to confirm, her eyes squinting in the process.
“Yeah,” Yujin answers quickly.
“He’s so cute!” Minjoo chirps, pulling the phone closer to her face. “C- can I see him?” Minjoo asks shyly, swiping around the phone to take a better look at the boy’s photo.
“He’s not here,” Yujin says with a soft smile.
“Oh so he’s foreign- no wonder he’s got the looks,” Minjoo jokes, and Yujin laughs louder than usual, Minjoo shooting Yujin a questioning look.
“Oh he’s got the looks alright,” Yujin says, a giddy smile on her lips. “He gets it from his mother,” Yujin tells her as she takes back her phone, looking for the folder she created just for the boy.
“I was so happy when he was born,” Yujin says as she turns the phone back to Minjoo, where a picture of Yujin holding the boy as newborn was being displayed.
Minjoo has a sweet smile on her lips as she looks at the photo, the gentle and loving way Yujin was looking at the newborn as she cradled Younghoon in her arms making Minjoo’s heart melt into a puddle of mush.
For an odd reason, looking at the photo gave Minjoo another surge of deja vu, a sense of wanting to protect the child and care for him as if he were her own. But she brushes the feeling off, as she’s always had a thing for babies.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Yujin says with a longing look on her face.
“It was a Thursday- November the 1st,” Yujin says. “His mom worked really hard to get him- so he really was a miracle of sorts,”
“I was really proud of her,” Yujin tells. “It was amazing, to hold a proper newborn. He felt so fragile in my arms, like the slightest pressure could break him,”
“It was scary, but I was so happy that day,”
“You love him a lot don’t you?” Minjoo asks the obvious with a caring undertone, Yujin nodding at Minjoo’s words.
“Yeah, yeah I do- it broke me when I had to leave him,” Yujin sighs, averting her eyes from the older as the memories of Younghoon that Yujin held desperately close to her heart flashed through her head.
“How old is he now?” Minjoo asks, and Yujin ponders for a moment.
“Like- 6,” Yujin answers. “I sent him to his first day of school with his mom,”
“He was excited, he had this cool race car pencil box his mom got him,” Yujin gestures a small box with her hands, and Minjoo nods at the brief descriptions, trying her best not to outwardly coo at how much Yujin cared for the young boy.
“Why did you come here if you loved him and his mom so much?” Minjoo asks. “If you don’t mind me asking,”
“Oh- I don’t mind,” Yujin replies, wanting to make sure Minjoo knew she was comfortable.
“Parents wanted me back here,” Yujin replies, though she becomes a little stiff, and Minjoo decides not to push her anymore.
“Right- what do you wanna do after this?” Minjoo switches the subject, and Yujin shoots her a grateful look, taking a few seconds to ponder.
“Do you wanna walk in the park?” Yujin says as she takes a quick glance at her phone- seeing the date 30th September 2018 written in thin letters on the lockscreen of her phone.
“God! How do you always know exactly what I want to do?” Minjoo asks, cocking an eyebrow with genuine curiosity laced in her tone.
“You said it yourself,” Yujin says with a shrug.
“I’m your lucky charm,”
——
“I’m so happy,” Minjoo says softly as they stroll around the park, hand in hand while the autumn leaves began to turn into its signature auburn as they readied to fall off their trees.
“What?”
“I’m happy,” Minjoo says as she halts their walk, turning to look at the younger with those passionate yet kind eyes Yujin has grown to love through their time together.
“Just like this- barely talking,”
“Just you and me and the crackling leaves and the autumn air,” Minjoo says as a single leaf falls from the tree, Minjoo catching it with her free hand.
“I’m happy,” Minjoo says as she extends her arm to put the leaf into Yujin’s hair, the new accessory making Yujin look like Peter Pan from certain angles.
“Me too,” Yujin says, using her free hand to adjust the leaf so that it would stick into her hair.
“I can’t believe I met you in a rusty, very stinky subway,” Minjoo chuckles as she recalls the memory that seemed almost like it’d happened light years ago.
“It feels unfitting,” Minjoo says. “Like I should’ve met you in a grand palace or something,” Minjoo states, and Yujin shakes her head at how far Minjoo’s imagination went.
“I think a wedding of sorts would be the more realistic option,” Yujin adds, and Minjoo nods in agreement.
“Yeah- you’re right,”
“The thing is-”
“I’m so happy that I met you,” Minjoo let’s the cat out of the bag, and Yujin replays Minjoo’s words like she were an actress with a script she was desperately trying to imprint into her mind.
“And, there’s this part of me, that wants to be with you- all the time,” Minjoo stutters as she fiddles with her fingers on her free hand, the hand holding Yujin’s tensing up the slightest bit.
“I know that- relationships- aren’t meant to be all sunshine and rainbows, but-” Minjoo can feel the words choking up in , but she wants to say this, she needs to say this.
And Minjoo knows more than anyone that Yujin is one to listen to whatever Minjoo would say.
“I want that, with you,”
“Sunshine and rainbows, rainstorms and all,”
“Minjoo,” Yujin says, squeezing her hand as she reached out for the other, gripping it firm in her palm, like there was a lingering fear of ever letting Minjoo go.
“I’ll be that for you,” Yujin replies, completely sure, though her heart was trying it’s absolute best to hammer out of her chest.
“Sunshine and rainbows, rainstorms and all,”
——
“Yujin,”
“Yujin wake up,”
“Euh?” Yujin groans, pulling the blanket over her head as she curls up into a ball, trying her best to avert the sunlight pouring into their room.
“Yujinie~” Minjoo speaks in a sickly sweet tone as she slips her arms around Yujin’s stomach, trying her best to pull her upwards so they could eat a proper breakfast instead of a so-called ‘brunch’ at 1.00 PM.
“It’s too early baby,” Yujin mumbles as she drags Minjoo back into the sheets, where Minjoo almost falls into Yujin’s trap of eternal slumber.
“We have to eat breakfast!” Minjoo complains, but Yujin shakes her head.
“Breakfast in bed is a thing baby,”
“You can’t have breakfast in bed if you’re sleeping!” Minjoo whines as she attempts to put the Ahn upright, but they crash right back into the pillows, Yujin turning to cuddle Minjoo even further.
“So let’s sleep instead baby,” Yujin says as she sloppily places kisses on Minjoo’s collarbone.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” Minjoo says as a sigh leaves her lips. “And don’t think I don’t know you’re just calling me baby to get away with oversleeping,” Minjoo says as she pulls Yujin upright, holding the younger in place so that she wouldn’t throw herself back onto the bed.
Yujin is wearing a sheepish grin as she lazily stretches her arms, her eyes barely open, looking at Minjoo’s playful glare, Yujin only capable of letting out a brief chuckle before she leans in to give Minjoo a quick peck on the lips, the grin not leaving her face once.
“Good morning,” Yujin says with her raspy tone, and Minjoo just shakes her head.
“Stay here any longer and it won’t be morning anymore,” Minjoo says as she rolls out of the bed, dragging Yujin out with her.
Yujin practically tackles Minjoo in a back hug, peppering kisses all over the side of her face, inhaling the soft vanilla scent of her perfume and the minty smell of Minjoo’s shampoo- a smell Yujin could never forget even if she tried.
2nd December 2018.
“Minjoo,” Yujin calls as she places a soft kiss on her ear, Minjoo adjusting the dining table as if there wasn’t an oversized puppy clinging to her from behind.
“I love you,” Yujin says softly, and she hears Minjoo’s breath hitch, the look of shock turning into a giddy grin as she turns to Yujin, immediately slinging her hands around Yujin’s neck.
“You sleepyhead,” Minjoo says as she pulls her head closer, allowing their foreheads to touch slightly.
“I love you too,” Minjoo says as she tip-toes upwards to place a long and loving kiss on Yujin’s lonely lips, erupting all those butterflies like it were the very first time once again.
They part after a while, breathing heavy as the oxygen filled their lungs, each other's warmth lingering in the tiny space between them, and Minjoo smiles her prettiest smile, and Yujin loves how contagious it was.
“The pancakes are cold!”
——
“Don’t you think 5 months is too long Ahn?” the older woman says as she lights up a cigar, leaning against the mouldy pipes of the subway station, the cold winter air hitting Yujin like shards of ice.
“I don’t care,” Yujin scowls at her company, who just chuckles at the naive little Yujin.
“If you keep going- it’s just going to end up the same again Yujin,”
“Remember, you’re doing this for her- not for you,” the older woman says, and Yujin sighs.
“It’s going to break her,” Yujin says as she turns to the rather short woman, who just shrugs at Yujin’s statement.
“But she won’t lose everything this time- Yujin,”
“She’ll be okay,” She ensures, and Yujin knows Minjoo would be okay.
But was Yujin okay? And Younghoon- would he be okay?
“Why am I doing this Seungwan?” Yujin’s voice falters as she asks the older, shivering from a bit more than the cold.
“Tell me why,” Yujin begs, and Seungwan reaches up with her free hand, ruffling the woman’s hair.
“You said it yourself,”
“You’re her lucky charm Yujin-ah,”
——
Ahn Yujin sits at the balcony of Minjoo’s home, overlooking the view she hasn’t seen in the longest time.
The last time she was here, my god does she miss the last time she was here, when she was young, carefree, bursting with happiness and most importantly-
A time when she was in love.
She remembers feeling happiest at this very balcony, adrenaline and dopamine flowing through the diameters of her veins.
Though in this dimension, this timeline- to Yujin- everything seemed bitter.
But Minjoo was so sweet.
As sweet as the day she met her, as soft as the day she left her.
Her lucky charm.
“I hope you’re luckier in this one my love,”
“I will always- be your lucky charm,” Yujin says, her hand balled into a fist as she looked to the pink tint in the sky, letting out a huff of warm breath, thinking of only one woman- and her woman only.
“It’s all I’m here for,”
——
Yujin is fidgeting like mad, a subconscious part of her worried that the little velvet box would fall out of her pocket and into the lake below.
Yujin can’t believe they made it.
Against all odds, against all eyes.
They were together.
Yujin’s expectations for how long they would last in this dimension was never long- but Kim Minjoo would always prove her wrong.
Time and time again the older woman proved herself to be completely filled with patience, perseverance and sacrifice.
From leaving her dream as an actress on the little balcony to coming all the way to the Rise festival in the USA with her-
Kim Minjoo would do everything for her.
“And I, you,” Yujin says aloud as the thought crosses her mind, and Minjoo tears her attention from the sky to her sky on earth.
“What?” Minjoo asks, her facial features well accented under the moon’s rays.
“Nothing,” Yujin says, playing innocent. “Did I say something?” Yujin blinks as she looks to the sky, the stars glimmering as Yujin calmly rowed the little boat to the center of the lake.
“Right- now what are we doing in the lake?” Minjoo asks. “You know I don’t mind doing anything with you but if you wanted to stargaze we could’ve just done it from inside the car,” Minjoo comments, holding Yujin’s hands as she helped the younger row their boat.
“You know that one time we became Eugene and Rapunzel for Halloween?” Yujin reminisces, her words causing Minjoo to an eyebrow.
“How could I forget?” Minjoo answers, and Yujin can only smirk.
“And how we never got to reenact the lantern festival because Yena almost set Chaeyeon’s dragon on fire?” Yujin asks again, and Minjoo chuckles at the memory, but she nods to Yujin’s question.
“Well,” Yujin says, pausing for a while to scan the sky for the single glow of light to float by.
“Here’s our chance,” Yujin says softly, eyes trained on the rows upon rows of floating lanterns that began to creep into the vast space of the night sky, mirroring almost exactly what happened in the animated film.
“Yujin! Holy- wow! I-” Minjoo was rendered speechless as lanterns flew all over the atmosphere, a few even sinking down to hover around the couple.
“Welcome to the Rise lantern festival,” Yujin says with a tiny grin, turning around to retrieve their own lantern, decorated with their names.
The lantern’s cylindrical shape made it look as if it were saying not only Yujin Ahn and Minjoo Kim, but also Kim Yujin and Ahn Minjoo- Minjoo found herself impressed by the little detail Yujin put into it- not really giving a damn whether it were intentional or not.
“I like what you did there,” Minjoo says with smiley eyes as she spins the cylinder around, Yujin easily lighting it up with a gas lighter.
“What?”
“I like it,” Minjoo says again, stopping the slow spins to look at the name, Ahn Minjoo.
“Ahn Minjoo,” Minjoo says out loud, and Yujin almost catapults off the boat.
“So- uh- do you- uh, wanna let it fly or—”
“Let’s,” Minjoo says softly, hands meeting Yujin’s in the middle of the lantern.
“3, 2, 1- Go!” They chirp happily as the lantern successfully floats upwards, Minjoo’s eyes not leaving it once as it began to blend with the other thousand lights that twinkled with the stars, smiling softly as they watched their dream fly high.
When the lantern became too far gone for the eye to see, Minjoo tore her eyes away from the beauty of the sky, and she finds another dream sat right in front of her.
A fidgety, very loud and nervous dream-
But her dream nevertheless.
“Since you liked it that much,” Yujin says slowly, trying to mix and match the perfect sentence for the perfect moment.
“How about being Ahn Minjoo forever?” Yujin says with a toothy grin, and Minjoo can let her eyes tear up as she looks at the simple diamond ring- almost about as shiny as all the lanterns in the sky.
“Yujin- I-” Minjoo knows her answer, she wants to scream it at the top of her lungs, but the soft look Yujin had aimed at her was making her mind go fuzzy- but then again, it was Yujin—
And god, everything about Yujin.
A dream come true.
——
“I’m so glad I married you,” Minjoo says as they gently sway to the sounds of Christina Perri’s very overplayed wedding classic, their selected group of friends dancing and fooling around amongst themselves, leaving the newlyweds in their own personal bubble.
“Oh you just wait a year or two,” Yujin jokes, kissing Minjoo gently on the forehead.
“Oh my god~ Yujin stop being annoying! Yujin~ you didn’t buy the correct brand of milk! This one doesn’t have enough lactose!” Yujin does a horrid imitation of the older, who stifles her laughter as she lightly slaps her wife, Yujin only giving her a quick peck on the lips in return.
“You know I only drink HL milk,” Minjoo says, pouting the slightest bit at Yujin’s teasing.
“And I know you’ll always nag me regardless,” Yujin assures Minjoo that she already knows, and her tone makes it clear that she can’t wait to spend the rest of her life being nagged by Minjoo.
“I love you,” Minjoo says after a few moments of silence, and Yujin seals her lips with a kiss- yet another thing Yujin couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life doing.
“I love you too,” Yujin replies, their foreheads now touching as they gently waltzed around the hall, careful not to bump into a drunken Choi Yena.
Minjoo couldn’t believe it.
They really made it this far- even against the wishes of ¾ of their parents and juggling all those day jobs, they really made it.
And Minjoo liked to believe they did it best because of one thing-
They were together.
And of course, Minjoo knows that that was a cheesy thought- but how could it be cheesy when it was the truth?
God forbid anyone separate Kim Minjoo from Ahn Yujin and vice versa.
Yujin was the life force that was bonded to Minjoo forever, one not being able to live without the other- a match made in the seventh heaven itself.
No matter how far Yujin would go- even if she went into another dimension—
Minjoo would always run into her.
Like destiny.
And fall in love with her.
Like luck.
And do it all over again.
Like destiny.
And stay in love with her.
Like fate.
And do it all over again.
Like a lucky charm.
——
“Yujin~ you didn’t buy the correct brand of milk!” Minjoo whines as she snuggles her head into the side of Yujin’s neck, the younger trying her best to hold back her laughter.
“This one doesn’t have enough lactose!” Minjoo complains as Yujin kisses her temples in between the giggles she let out.
“It’s alright baby,” Yujin says as she uses her hand to gently lift Minjoo’s chin upwards so that they would make eye contact.
“No~ I wanted to bake us a cake!”
“We can buy one Min,” Yujin says with a soft smile, but Minjoo shakes her head, the warmth of her breath hitting Yujin’s neck, her distress clear.
“It’s not special,” Minjoo groans and detaches herself from Yujin, pouting at her failed project with her eyes visibly glossy.
“Baby? Are you crying?” Yujin asks, genuine concern leaking out from her words.
“No!” Minjoo snaps, her bottom lip protruding as she pushes Yujin away. Yujin reacts quickly, taking Minjoo’s hand to caress it lightly.
“Are you okay baby? I can go run to the store if you-”
“I’m okay, it’s just- I- I’ll go buy us a cake,” Minjoo says defeatedly, leaving Yujin alone to swiftly swing her bag over her shoulder, walking out of their house soon after.
Yujin was stunned.
It’s okay Yujin- let her cool down first. Apologize later.
“Okay but over a cake though?” Yujin questions no one in particular, sighing as she moved around the kitchen to clean up whatever ingredients they did manage to pull out, deciding she’d pry on her wife later.
Is it something I did? Said?
Yujin ends up lazing around on the couch, waiting for Minjoo to come home. And after hours of nearly dozing off, she hears shifting coming from the front door, Yujin shooting up from the comfort of the couch to run to wherever Minjoo was.
“Min? You’re back? Are you okay?” Yujn asks continuously as her hand slithers it’s way to Minjoo’s, not touching her just yet.
“I’m okay- I’m sorry,”
“I was just a little too emotional just now,”
“Doctor said it was the hormones or something,” Minjoo excuses, and Yujin’s face scrunches up in confusion.
“Doctor? Are you sick?” Yujin asks, her worry multiplying tenfold.
“No! No… it’s just- let’s eat the cake first?” Minjoo invites, suddenly becoming all smiley, Yujin only able to shake her head at the sudden change of behaviour, Minjoo practically shoving the cake in her arms.
“Alright, alright- but you have to tell me after alright?” Yujin tells, and Minjoo nods vigorously, agreeing to Yujin’s terms.
By the fourth piece of cake, Yujin is near exploding from all the chocolate cake in her system, but Minjoo insists she eats at least half of the cake (which is funny- because Minjoo threw up already but insists she eats that cake) and Yujin didn’t want to upset her again, so she continues to chom on the cake that tasted more like spongy mush now, until something stops her spoon from piercing through the cake.
“Plastic?” Yujin questions, seeing the clear piece of plastic lodged within the cake.
“Minjoo!” Yujin calls, wanting to make sure to file a very long complaint to whoever sold her this plastic infested cake.
Yujin pulls the little plastic poking out, Minjoo’s footsteps echoing through their home. After a lengthy pull, Yujin finally pulls the greasy plastic out, and to her surprise, it was still intact.
Also, Yujin found that it was not purely plastic, but a photograph wrapped in plastic. Upon closer inspection, Yujin knows one thing for sure-
It was an ultrasound.
There was no telling an ultrasound of what though- Yujin could only assume of an unformed baby, but did that mean- no- they’d been trying for one but kept failing, this was no way and ultrasound of their baby.
Or was it?
“No way,” Yujin says aloud as her heart speeds up, her mind coming up with thirty different possibilities to the situation at hand right now.
What if they’d accidentally switched the cake with someone else?!?
Yujin slowly turns the photo- and she’s met by two words written by a handwriting she could never not recognise-
Hi mommy!
Minjoo’s handwriting.
“OH MY ING GOD?! OH MY GOD?!” Yujin jumps off her seat, holding the greasy photo with both hands, not minding the chocolate smearing all over her hands.
“MINJOO?! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?! PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS REAL?”
“OH MY GOD PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!”
“AAAAAAHHHHH I’M LOSING MY MIND- MINJOO ARE YOU RECORDING?! Yujin is bouncing around happily as Minjoo holds her phone in one hand, leaning against the fridge, giggling at how happy Yujin was with the oily plastic wrapped ultrasound.
“Hi,” Minjoo says cutely, and Yujin runs up to her, swooping her up by the waist with her greasy hands.
“Minjoo Minjoo please tell me it’s real baby please tell me it’s our baby,” Yujin asks, completely bewildered, Minjoo only laughing at how excited her wife was.
“Here’s your answer,” Minjoo says as she fishes out something from her pocket, handing Yujin’s chocolatey hands a digital stick pregnancy test, and Yujin puts her down quickly to read it, holding it firmly in her hands.
Pregnant
Yujin shrieks.
“AAAAAAAAAAAA OH MY ING GOD I’M SO PROUD?! IS THAT THE RIGHT EMOTION? OKAY BUT LIKE- WHEN? HOW? WAIT NO NOT HOW BUT WHY DIDN’T YOU BRING ME?!” Yujin asks with such a loud voice Minjoo wants to apologise to all their neighbours and give them all cakes as soon as possible. But before she can tell Yujin to keep it down, Yujin picks her up again, spinning her around and around in pure bliss, looking the happiest she’d ever been.
“Yujin I might throw up,” Minjoo says while laughing uncontrollably, Yujin placing her down gently, letting out light chuckles as she did.
“Baby are you crying? Don’t worry- I’m only three weeks in now, but once there’s a proper baby in there, one we can actually see- then we’ll go together okay? Don’t cry,” Minjoo says softly, but Yujin waves her off, chuckling at Minjoo words.
“Nah nah- I’m not crying because of that I’m just-”
“I’m so happy Minjoo,” Yujin says with a toothy smile, and Minjoo gives her a quick peck on the lips, the two looking at each other as lovingly as possible.
“We’re gonna be parents Yujin,”
“We’re in this together,” Minjoo says with a tiny smile, and Yujin nods at her statement.
“I love you so much,” Yujin says, moving her hand to carress her cheek, Minjoo leaning into Yujin’s touch.
“I love you too,” Minjoo says softly, stepping forward to seal Yujin’s lips with a hypnotizing kiss.
“I hope you don’t mind sharing that love though,” Yujin says with a loopy smile, and Minjoo returns the smile, pulling Yujin into yet another kiss.
“Well if it’s Younghoon, then I don’t mind,” Minjoo says as she burries her head into Yujin’s neck, the younger perking up at the foreign name.
“Younghoon? Is that what you want to name him?” Yujin asks her head tilting downwards the slightest bit.
“If he’s a boy yeah, I really like that name,” Minjoo says softly.
“But it’s okay if you—”
“I love it,”
“I love them already,”
“But if it’s a girl can we name her Jinju?” Yujin asks excitedly, and Minjoo nods with an eyesmile Yujin knows she’s wearing.
“Of course Yujin,”
“We’re in this together,”
——
“Younghoon-ah!” Yujin calls as her son attempts to wrangle away from her, giggling mischievously as he tries to set himself free.
“Mommy! Help!” Younghoon calls for Minjoo, who shakes her head before laughing at the 5 year old.
“Nope- you got yourself into this one sweetheart,” Minjoo says endearingly as Yujin begins to tickle the child, Younghoon screeching before breaking out into a fit of giggles, still attempting to pry away from Yujin’s arms.
“You shouldn’t have taken the last fruit loop then my man,” Yujin says sternly, stopping the overload of tickles, Younghoon clearly out of breath.
“I left half!” Younghoon argues, but Minjoo explodes into a series of chuckles, Yujin acting very much appalled at his statement.
“Who eats half a fruit loop?!” Yujin reminds, and Younghoon just shrugs.
“Sorry,” Younghoon pouts as he shoots Yujin an apologetic look, Minjoo only laughing harder at the situation at hand.
“What are you laughing at?” Yujin an eyebrow- and Minjoo’s face is getting redder with each sound that comes out of .
“At how you- Ahn Yujin- a 36 year old woman, who is ridiculously overprotective of her fruit loops,” Minjoo says between giggles, and Yujin rolls her eyes playfully.
“Yeah mama! We can go buy more fruit loops tomorrow!” Younghoon chirps, and Yujin lets out a chuckle, shaking her head.
“I know I know, I just wanted to mess with you,” Yujin teases, and Younghoon groans, laying on the mat they spread out for their impromptu picnic.
“Mama is so overdramatic,” Younghoon complains, but Yujin seemed to disagree.
“Okay but have you seen Mommy?”
“She gets all over dramatic for no reason all the time,” Yujin reasons, and Younghoon nods at the statement, Minjoo taken aback.
“In our house- mommy is the one in charge- she’s on top of the food chain,” Younghoon says, Minjoo quickly making an X with her hands.
“This is an over exaggeration! I am not ‘on top of the food chain’- I feed the both of you!” Minjoo says, making air quotes with her fingers.
“Well obviously, mama keeps buying the wrong milk,”
“I will never understand you two and your obsessions with HL milk,” Yujin sighs, she just wanted to enjoy milk- they all came from cows- what was the damn difference?!
“There’s not enough lactose!” They chime at the same time, as if answering Yujin’s internal question. Yujin only able to laugh at how Minjoo brainwashed their child into following her ridiculous lactose agenda.
“Yes, yes, whatever- but next time let’s buy lucky charms instead of fruit loops,”
“Oh yeah! My friend said lucky charms have marshmallows in them,”
“It sounds awesome! Maybe we’ll even get luckier when we eat ‘em,” Younghoon babbles, and Yujin squints at the strange logic he proposed.
“Well I feel pretty lucky already,” Yujin says softly, all the teasing and playfulness from earlier almost completely gone.
Because you’re here. Because I get to live in a universe where I spend my life with Minjoo and Younghoon and I get to send you to school and I get to watch you grow up.
Because I get to be here- on a random picnic on a friday afternoon with the both of you.
I feel pretty damn lucky.
These things, I could’ve missed them- something could’ve gone wrong- as things always do. But not with you two. With the two of you, everything has been perfect. I am luckiest in the world to have you here. You both came to me by coincidence- but to me it will always feel more like destiny.
Every day I get to love you- I am luckiest.
Ahn Minjoo, Ahn Younghoon—
My lucky charms.
“Mama! Are you listening?” Younghoon is sitted up, tiny hands on Yujin’s knee as they both look to Yujin expectantly.
“If you feel so lucky-”
“Let’s go play the lucky duck game!”
——
Yujin huffs as she recalls every one of those memories to absolute perfection.
Ahn Yujin still sits at the balcony of Minjoo’s home, still overlooking the view she hasn’t seen in the longest time. And the view she might never see again in her time.
Yujin opens her phone, while the sun begins to set further at the little balcony. She scrolls through it’s photographs, and she sees the full photo of Younghoon that was her long time screensaver- a photo of Yujin, Younghoon and his beloved mother.
Ahn Minjoo.
Yujin can only smile like a fool at the photo, beginning to choke up at the memory that was going to erase itself as soon as Yujin did what needed to be done.
“I’m sorry I had to lose you Younghoon,”
“I love you,”
“I love you so much,”
“Minjoo I love you,”
“So much,”
“So ing much,”
“I’m sorry,”
“I’m so sorry,” Yujin begins to choke on her own tears, pulling the photo close to her chest, where her heart was throbbing uncontrollably.
She remembers holding him that day. She remembers being so proud of her wife.
“I’m so sorry,” Yujin falls off the chair, on her knees begging for forgiveness from no one in particular.
Recalling those memories, they only brought the overflow of pain.
Years and years of memories were bound to be lost to another dimension. One with the sweetest journey yet the most bitter of ends.
Yujin was the one who decided to travel through time- to erase all those memories.
Perhaps the only one she should be sorry to is herself.
——
“You’re out of time Yujin,” Seungwan says softly, and Yujin feels like shattering at that very moment.
The subway is still musty and awfully rusty, Yujin has no clue how Seungwan survives in the nasty station.
“Have you changed it yet?” Seungwan asks, and Yujin shakes her head.
“Tomorrow,”
“Right- when you arrive, it will happen immediately- so try to act as normal as possible,” Seungwan warns, and Yujin clicks her tongue, dreading the next time jump ahead.
“Couldn’t we just have waited until the wedding day?” Yujin asks, her eyes glossy as her tone pleads the older woman to let her be with Minjoo longer.
“Thats too much of a stretch Yujin- your time is limited,” Seungwan scowls, and what Yujin hates the most is the fact that she was right.
“You know I don’t give my services to everyone- the time stone isn’t the easiest thing in the world to handle,” Seungwan says sharply, and Yujin doesn’t bloody understand the things about the stones- but it brought her Minjoo-
But it would be the one to take Minjoo away from her- yet again.
“I’m going to break her heart again Seungwan,” Yujin reasons, and Seungwan shakes her head.
“At least it’s better than last time,” Seungwan reminds, and Yujin runs her hands through her hair, a sharp sigh leaving .
“At least this time- all the hours before that one- she was happy,”
“The only thing she’s losing this time- is you,”
——
“Okay so I was thinking- what if we made the colour scheme of our house-”
“Minjoo,” Yujin calls in her seldomly used serious tone, Minjoo immediately sitting on the couch, knowing Yujin doesn’t just use the tone for conversations about colours and sofas.
“We need to talk,” Yujin says, and Minjoo gulps- Yujin wasn’t looking at her.
“About?” Minjoo asks, her hand reaching out to touch Yujin, but Yujin scoots away from her, and Minjoo feels her heart tremble at how cold Yujin was being.
“We need to break up,” Yujin’s breath heaves as she dares herself to look at Minjoo, who’s breath imedieately hitches as soon as Yujin says those five words.
“Why?”
“I can’t do this anymore,” Yujin says as she stands up, hands clenched into fists. “You can throw away my stuff,”
“But we were so- I love you so much,”
“Please what did I do wrong?” Minjoo asks with tears rolling off her face as she crawls off the couch, on her knees begging Yujin to answer her.
“It’s not you Minjoo- it really isn’t- it’s my problem,” Yujin says as she picks up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder roughly.
“I love you so much,” Minjoo says as she staggers to Yujin, pulling her wrist so that Yujin would at least look at her.
“Don’t go Yujin,” Minjoo says, defeated as she wraps her arms around the younger, but Yujin has no response, only staring blankly into the distance as tears begin to build up in her eyes.
“That’s why Minjoo,”
“You love me so much,” Yujin’s voice cracks at her own speech, Minjoo holding on to Yujin tighter than ever- so that maybe- just maybe, Yujin wouldn’t go.
Yujin shakes Minjoo off her, leaving the room with her steps heavy as she goes out the front door, slamming it right back in Minjoo’s face.
She hears Minjoo’s sobs.
So she slides her back on the door that would seperate them forever, tears streaming down her face as she gives in to the fate they were both bound to til the end of time.
“I love you too,” Yujin whispers, and she hears Minjoo whimpering behind the door, and her heart stings at Minjoo’s words she barely hears through the door.
“Yujinie,”
“Please,”
“Who’s going to be my lucky charm?”
——
“I’m home,” Yujin announces casually, a bit monotonous from the tiring day at work at the multi million company.
“Lia? Are you back yet?” Yujin asks, and Lia comes peeking out of their room, looking a bit awkward as she joined Yujin on the couch.
“Did you get off work early?” Yujin asks, turning to Jisu who shakes her head.
“Yeah I was just a little sick,” Lia says softly, and Yujin’s eyes begin to show concern.
“Sick? Are you alright? Do you need-”
“Yujin I- I need to tell you something,” Lia says as she takes Yujin’s hand, squeezing it lightly.
She’s nervous.
“Of course- you can tell me anything,” Yujin assures, and Jisu lets out a nervous chuckle, gripping Yujin’s hand even tighter than before.
“I’m- I’m pregnant,” Lia says quickly, and Yujin doesn’t know how to react.
“That’s great!” Yujin exclaims, the excitement slowly building up inside her. Upon both their families requests, they were told to try for a kid- surely they’d be overjoyed.
“I’m scared,” Jisu says, and Yujin instinctively pulls her close, making sure she’d lean into her shoulder.
“It’s okay,” Yujin comforts, drawing circles around her back.
“Were in this together,” Yujin repeats, and Lia pulls away, looking Yujin directly in the eyes.
“Are we?” Lia asks, and Yujiin nods, hand moving towards her chin, holding her gently.
“We always are,” Yujin assures with a small smile on her lips, Yujin sees Lia’s eyes flicker, and she has an idea of what the older would say next.
“Can I kiss you?” Lia asks, her eyes a bit hopeful, and Yujin decides that mayhaps she should do the thing they’d only done once within their 6 years of marriage.
“Okay,” Yujin says as she leans in to capture Jisu’s lips in a lingering kiss- the taste of her lips very much different from Minjoo.
Stop thinking about her.
“Jisu,” Yujin says after they pull away, and Lia’s eyes flutter for a moment.
“Thank you,” Lia says. “I needed that,” she continues shyly.
“If the baby’s a boy— can we name him Younghoon?” Yujin asks, praying silently that Lia would agree to her out of the blue name.
“Yeah, we can name the baby anything you want,” Lia says as she pulls Yujin closer than they’d ever been the past 6 years, linking their hands together.
“As long as you stay,” Lia says with a small smile on her lips, leaning her head on Yujin’s shoulder, their breaths somehow insync as they awaited the uncertain future.
This is moving on huh?
——
Minjoo,
Do you know why I did it Minjoo? Why I went back in time just to break your heart again?
My parents- they never liked you- and yours never liked me. And if we were to continue our relationship, we’d have to cut ties with them. I know, it sounds like a horrible excuse, but my parents, they took me away from you.
We’d been married for 13 years then.
I couldn’t speak to you- I wasn’t allowed to, I was taken prisoner in my own childhood home. They arranged me in a marriage with another woman, saying that if I were to marry a woman- it would be the one of their choice, not mine.
Younghoon. He was our son, not my nephew. But our son- if you ever wondered why I was so fond of him. They took him away from me. The two of you, you were left alone with nowhere to go- and no me to lean on.
They took away your house because it was under my name- they made you suffer, tormented you endlessly. I couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t even know your whereabouts- they threatened to kill you if I did.
It destroyed you, and I know this because of Yena, who knew from Chaeyeon, who you ran to when you lost everything.
It’s my fault you lost everything.
I met Seungwan at the same place you met me in this second timeline, and she told me I could go back and make everything right, go back and make sure you were happy. Change everything so that you still would be happy.
I want you to be happy Min.
Even though I’m no longer part of that happiness, even though we’re not together.
I’m so happy that you were part of my life.
But I’ll let go now.
I am sorry Minjoo.
I’ll let go now.
Love, your lucky charm.
——
Minjoo,
I’ve adjusted to the time jump- and what Seungwan predicted was correct. You went off to take your big break in a drama, It’s Okay Not To Be Okay, which you would’ve passed to be with me in the original timeline- and you made it big.
You even won a daesang! I’m so proud of you Minjoo.
You’re dating the singer- Kim Chaewon. That’s nice to know.
Is it?
Do you remember, in this timeline when we ate those pancakes and guessed random facts about each other- it happened before you know? Originally, we played 20 questions, but I guess it made sense that you somehow remembered everything about me, even if you never really knew me.
I guess meeting you really was destiny.
I am running my parents company as they wished. The person I married, her name is Jisu- though you probably wouldn’t want to know. Her father owns part of Hyundai, and it’s the main reason I have to marry her.
She had someone she loved too, and she understands. She’s nice to be with that was for sure. At least I didn’t marry some stinky man.
She’s pretty, and she reminds me so much of you. How she’s a little on the clumsier side, her smile. I’m sure you’d love her smile.
All that and she could still never be you.
I hope Chaewon takes care of you well.
Love, your lucky charm.
——
Minjoo,
Today, my second first child was born.
It’s a boy too Min. I named him Younghoon, just like before, I hope they grow up to be similar people- I miss him dearly. Of course Jisu did well, I am proud of her.
I miss you.
I guess it is true what they say, your ability to love is determined by your ability to let go.
I love you Kim Minjoo.
I will let go now.
Love, your lucky charm.
——
“Younghoon! Don’t run so fast!” Yujin chases after the young boy, out of breath as the child giggles slyly as he runs across the concrete of the playground, and as Yujin expected for a kid as clumsy as him- he ran straight into a pair of legs.
“Oh god! Sorry!” The stranger squeaks, and Yujin finds it funny that she’s the one apologizing- anyone else would’ve simply snarled in annoyance and left the two in frustration.
“Younghoon!” Yujin snaps as Younghoon shoots him a sheepish smile, looking back and forth between her mother and the lady.
“Apologize!” Yujin scolds, and Younghoon bows to the older woman, who reciprocates his actions.
Yujin finds this woman funny again, she’s wearing layers in the middle of summer, and a mask covered most of her face, so Yujin couldn’t see her expression, but she figured she must be a kind person.
Only the greatest could dare try to make peace with the energy ball that was Ahn Younghoon.
Jisu says she gets it from Yujin. And well- could Yujin disagree?
“Sorry ma’am,” Younghoon apologizes deeply, but the poor boy doesn’t know when to stop because of the unclear expression on her face, and the stranger seems to identify the problem, so she pulls down her mask.
She still looks the same.
As she did- in the original timeline, at Yena and Yuri’s wedding.
“Kim Minjoo,” is all Yujin can mutter as her jaw drops, unable to form coherent thoughts as every feeling she’d ever felt in every timeline flooded through her veins, making her head spin and heart twist, making butterflies erupt and her cheeks flush.
The exact same way they did 20 years ago.
Minjoo finally turns to lock eyes with Yujin- and she stops, her jaw drops.
“Ahn Yujin,”
Younghoon flashes his head between the two in pure confusion, completely unaware of what connection the two had with each other.
Unbeknownst to him, the two standing before him did not just share a connection in this timeline. But in the multiple timelines that Yujin had to break through to get the near perfect ending for them both.
To be the lucky charm Minjoo always needed.
“Uh- do you want to walk in the park?” Yujin asks awkwardly, not expecting a polite answer, or even an answer at all.
“God,” Minjoo says, monotonous this time. “How do you always know exactly what I want to do?” Minjoo asks, and Yujin can only chuckle.
“Jisu!” Yujin calls for her wife, and the shorter woman who was queing up for ice cream turns, Younghoon quickly running up to his other mother, seeing that she was almost ready to order.
“C- can I walk around for awhile?” Yujin asks, and Jisu catches a glimpse of the waiting Kim Minjoo behind her, and she can only smile.
“Of course Jinie,”
——
Minjoo still smells like vanilla and mint.
Minjoo thinks that Yujin is wearing the exact same jacket she wore when they first met, and she bites her lip, not knowing whether it would be appropriate to mention such things after so long.
“J- jisu,” Minjoo croaks out, and catches Yujin’s attention, Yujin waiting for her full sentence to fall out of .
“Is she your wife?”
“Oh, yeah, yeah she is,”
“Did you-”
“It was arranged,” Yujin spills, and Minjoo’s mouth forms a small ‘o’, debating internally on whether she should ask her next question or not.
“Yes, I left you- to- to marry her,”
“I was going to ask if you love her,” Minjoo asks quickly, and Yujin seems taken aback for a moment.
“I do,”
“Good,”
There was an awkward silence as they both turned to face each other, and they both want to say something- but no one dares to make the next move.
Not in the way I love you.
I love you Minjoo.
I’ve tried to move on.
But I cannot.
There is no love like yours in this timeline, or in the next, or in timeline infinity.
You’re irreplaceable to me.
They stare each other, begging one or the other to understand the messages entrenched deep into their heart for the past 20 years, but neither dared to say a word. They were different people now, leading different lives- yet hearts still beating the same love.
Kiss me.
It’s all I need.
Kiss me love.
I miss you.
I need you.
I love you.
“I’m so happy that I met you,” Minjoo says instead, and Yujin replays Minjoo’s words like it were a script she was desperately trying to imprint into her mind.
A single leaf falls from the trees above.
Yet again, here comes the Deja Vu that always comes with you-
Ahn Yujin.
“Me too,” Yujin says as Minjoo extends her arm to put the leaf into Yujin’s hair, the new accessory making Yujin look like Peter Pan from certain angles, Yujin’s free hand adjusting the leaf so that it would stick into her hair.
“I can’t believe I met you in a rusty, very stinky subway,” Minjoo chuckles as she recalls the memory that happened light years ago.
“My eternal Peter Pan,”
“If only we could’ve gotten stuck in time,” Minjoo says with a artificial smile, shaking her head as she fidgeted with her fingers.
“We could’ve run away,” Minjoo suggests to clearly no avail.
“You would’ve missed your audition for It’s Okay Not To Be Okay,” Yujin says softly, reminding Minjoo of the things that never happened in their original timeline.
“But I’d be happy,” Minjoo says with pleading eyes, but she knows its no use to plead- to beg.
Shut the up Minjoo she loves Jisu.
She has Younghoon.
Two things you’d never be able to give her.
“I had to let you go to that audition Minjoo,” Yujin says with a soft smile on her face, trying to mask the regret within her.
“I’m your lucky charm,”
“Mama!” Younghoon suddenly interferes their near tears, dragging Jisu with him, Yujin’s wife just laughing at Younghoon’s efforts to drag her to her other mother.
“Let’s play the lucky duck game!” Younghoon begs, Jisu winking at Yujin to indicate her support to Younghoon’s idea.
“Well Yujin,” Minjoo says with a smile painted with regret, pain and longing.
You’re out of time Minjoo.
“You’re their lucky charm now,”
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