Yoo Jimin never had time for anything else. As she sat in the animal adoption center watching a certain blonde gush over the puppies, she had long stopped wondering why she was there instead of reading a book in her bedroom.

 

The tiny furries were adorable. Jimin herself was tempted to get one, since her parents had been totally against the idea of adopting a crocodile--or a shark. But at the moment she was there as Minjeong’s chaperone, since the blonde’s parents were too busy to accompany her so maybe next time.

 

Paw in Hand was both a cafe and a shelter where one can enjoy drinks while playing with the dogs. The center had three floors: the first being the cafe, second for the office where they process paperwork, and on the third floor was the conference where they held seminars and organized events regarding proper animal care.

 

Right now, they were at the cafe and Minjeong looked like she was about to cry at the puppies’ sheer cuteness. Jimin secretly snapped photos--for blackmail purposes, nothing more.

 

“I want to adopt them all.” Minjeong declared moments after she finally settled down across Jimin, a white maltese on her lap.

 

“I’m here for the sole purpose of stopping you from doing that.” Jimin reminded her, munching on her churros.

 

“I know, but--” Minjeong took a deep breath, “They’re all too cute! I don’t think I can choose.”

 

Jimin smiled at Minjeong’s pout. She’s too cute. “We can always visit again next time.”

 

“No, I’ll get one now.” Minjeong insisted. “Maybe this cute bundle of white fluff right here.” she giggled when the maltese her finger. “The staff told me she was found in the streets last December. Apparently, her previous owners had abandoned her and she had been wandering around the highway and was almost run over until a kind bystander found her and turned her in here.” she scowled, “Can you believe it? It was snowing! How could they do that to this adorable baby?”

 

Jimin watched her shower the puppy with kisses, feeling soft. “You should go take care of the necessary paperwork then.”

 

“No, not yet. I want to hear your opinion.” Minjeong said, “You think it’s okay if I adopt her?”

 

Jimin blinked, taken aback, “That’s your decision to make, I don’t think my opinion should matter.”

 

“Unnie, please. Your opinion would always matter to me. You helped me get here. So come on, tell me what you think.” Minjeong leaned forward and The Puppy Eyes™ was once again brandished.

 

Minjeong had always been the sweet-talker, but it was different when she’s being this sincere. Jimin cleared , “Well...I think you’d be an awesome dog mom. She would be lucky to have you.”

 

Minjeong burst into a wide blinding grin before immediately heading to the second floor. Jimin chuckled, following her. “Slow down. If you trip and fall, I’m going to laugh at you.” she said when she caught up, grabbing the blonde’s arm.

 

“If I trip and fall, I’ll play dead just to embarrass you.”

 

“Then I’ll pretend I don’t know you.”

 

“If you do that, I’ll scream your name.”

 

Jimin laughed at the thought, “You’re cute, you know that?”

 

Minjeong almost tripped and fell. “I’m what?”

 

“Shh. We’re here.”

 

“Excuse me, Ms. Yoo, but you called me what?”

 

They entered the office, bickering. Fortunately, a staff interrupted them and Jimin wasn’t forced to repeat what she said. She guided Minjeong through the process, since the girl would smile and nod at everything the staff would say before giving Jimin a I-didn’t-get-a-single-thing-he-said look.

 

The longer they stayed there, the more it felt like they were a couple adopting a child or something. Jimin quickly shook off the thought as soon as it popped, ears burning.

 

“I think I should start shopping for her stuff.” Minjeong said as they walked home. She was required to visit the shelter three more times to ensure that she was willing to adopt the puppy--which she was, of course. Girl learned how to swim for a month after all. “Can we do it now?”

 

Jimin still had a paper to finish. “Sure. I know a pet store around here. I once visited with my parents when I was young and asked the cashier if they sell crocodiles too.”

 

Minjeong’s jaw dropped, “You didn’t.”

 

“Believe it or not, I did.”

 

Minjeong burst out laughing, that laugh that was both annoying and endearing. Jimin looked on, a small smile unconsciously blooming on her lips, mentally patting herself for being the cause of that smile.

 

The paper can wait.

 

They bought some mint chocolate ice cream on their way to the shop upon Minjeong’s insistence. It was a relief that the blonde liked the flavor as well, or Jimin would have had to fight her.

 

“What do you want to name the dog?” Jimin asked as they entered the pet store. It looked different and fortunately, the employees were different now.

 

“Hmm…” Minjeong looked at her, eyes glinting, “I’m thinking--”

 

Jimin recognized that look, “No, you are not calling her Jimin.”

 

“Then what about--”

 

“Not JiMinJeong either.”

 

“Dang! Are you a psychic?”

 

“No, you’re just too predictable.”

 

Minjeong pouted. She started browsing on the dog accessory section. “What about Pringles?”

 

Jimin gave her a look, “What’s your criteria for choosing these names?”

 

Minjeong shrugged. “It’s simple. I like Pringles. I like you. I like us.”

 

Jimin almost dropped the collar she was checking out, stomach fluttering. Could Minjeong stop casually throwing those words around? If she kept saying stuff like that, Jimin might just believe it.

 

Us.

 

Jimin’s not going to lie, that concept was starting to sound more and more appealing.

 

Clearing , she swerved the topic away, “What about Gyeoul? Since she’s a white maltese and was found in winter and all.”

 

Minjeong beamed, and Jimin’s heart skipped a beat.

 

“Sounds perfect, unnie.”

 

Yeah, it sounds perfect.

 

***

 

Jimin had only suffered cramming for a paper once, and since then had sworn to herself never to do it again no matter what. Now she was reliving that, scowling at her laptop screen at 2AM without even having the right to complain because this was the life she chose the moment she agreed to Minjeong’s invitation to the shelter.

 

Notes and pens were strewn all over her bed, her browser tabs were a mess, cans of cola littered her floor with that one abandoned cup of coffee she tried to drink but couldn’t stomach. Her dark hair was hastily tied up in a disheveled bun and her spectacles kept getting skewed up for some reason.

 

The clutter was getting into her and she was this close to chucking her laptop across the room. It didn’t help that her ringtone was suddenly blasting from her phone that had disappeared somewhere in her sheets.

 

“Hello?” she huffed when she finally found the device, answering the call without checking the caller ID.

 

“Oh my god, hey, I didn’t think you’d pick up.”

 

Jimin briefly frowned at her screen, confirming that it was indeed Aeri. “What do you want,”

 

“Yikes, grumpy. Why are you still up?”

 

“I’m trying to finish my Biology paper.”

 

“You still haven’t finished that? But you’re Yoo Jimin!”

 

“I would’ve finished it now if someone didn’t interrupt.” she snapped.

 

Aeri cackled. “Gee, I just wanted to ask a question.”

 

Jimin took her glasses off, massaging the bridge of her nose. “Make it quick.”

 

“Right, so I just started playing PUBG and I’ve been having a really hard time adapting to the recoil pattern. Do you have any suggestions?”

 

Jimin groaned, “Please stop calling me at 2AM for gaming advice.”

 

“Okay...but you still didn’t answer my question.”

 

“Why are you calling me, of all people?”

 

“Yooji, you’re the person who got chicken dinner with just a frying pan. You're that kind of a badass. Of course I’d call you.”

 

“Just go ask Google, damn it.” she ended the call, tossing the phone back to her messy sheets. She was about to return to her work when her phone rang again. Huffing, she grabbed the device, snapping, “What?”

 

“...did I wake you?”

 

Jimin paused, pulling away from her phone to check the caller ID: ⭐

 

.

 

She cleared . “Hi. Um, no, I was awake. Sorry about that. I thought it was Aeri.” she said while fixing her hair. She dismissed the weird behavior as an effect of sleep deprivation. “Why did you call?”

 

“I didn’t actually think you’d pick up.” a chuckle. “What are you doing?”

 

“Bio paper due tomorrow.”

 

“At this hour?”

 

Jimin glanced at her laptop screen, “I’m halfway done.”

 

“You’re lying.”

 

“I am.”

 

Minjeong laughed, resurrecting Jimin from her half-dead state and making her smile for the first time that night. “What about you? Why are you still awake?” she asked.

 

“Can’t sleep.” the blonde answered.

 

Jimin clicked her tongue, “That’s what you get for thinking of me too much.”

 

Maybe it was the ungodly hour, or the exhaustion, or maybe it was because of too much cola in her system, or perhaps the eukaryotic protists had finally gone into her head. Whatever it was, Jimin’s tongue was loose tonight.

 

Minjeong was quiet for a moment before ultimately saying, “Go to sleep.”

 

Jimin burst out laughing, “Why are you suddenly telling me to sleep?”

 

“You’re using the Uno reverse card on me. It’s proof your galaxy brain’s too fried.”

 

“Everything I said was true though. You were thinking of me.”

 

“Cocky. I like it. But Jimin, look,” Minjeong said, sounding serious. Like a doctor giving her diagnosis. “You’re flirting with me. Do you know what that means?”

 

“I like you?”

 

Minjeong’s line went silent and Jimin was a giggling mess. Now she understood why Minjeong did it. It was fun to cause gay panic instead of experiencing one for a change.

 

“It means that you’re either drunk or high.” Minjeong continued, ignoring what she just said. “I’m thinking both because you’re being very weird. Go and finish that paper so I can get my regular high salt, low sugar Yoo Jimin back already.”

 

“Don’t leave.” Jimin said, “I swear to God if I have to face this paper alone again I’m going to combust.”

 

“I won’t, just--wait.'' The call ended but before Jimin could even whine, Minjeong’s caller ID flashed on the screen again, but this time for a video call. Jimin made sure she looked fine before swiping the green button.

 

A comfy Minjeong popped into her screen, clad in an oversized lilac hoodie and blonde hair pulled back to a low ponytail, a lock hanging down the side of her face. How could someone look so beautiful at 2AM?

 

“Hi. I wanted to witness you combusting” Minjeong nodded, satisfied. “Yup. Still gorgeous when stressed, confirmed.”

 

“I don’t think I’ll be finishing anything tonight if we do this.”

 

“Set your phone down and continue your work. I’ll cheer you on from the sides. Give me a J! Gimme an I! Gimme an M! Gi--”

 

“Kim Minjeong, I swear to God--”

 

“Just kidding. I’ll be quiet now, I promise.”

 

For once, Minjeong didn’t bother her aside from bursting into random songs every now and then which Jimin didn’t mind. She sounded amazing for someone who wasn’t even exerting the slightest amount of effort.

 

It wasn’t much but Jimin appreciated her presence, glancing at the blonde from time to time whenever the texts of black and white got too uninteresting. Sometimes, Minjeong would be busy scrolling through her phone with an adorable look of concentration. Often, their eyes would meet and the girl would give her the cutest ‘fighting!’ coupled with a drowsy grin.

 

Needless to say, Jimin was feeling much less crappy now. Caffeine could never.

 

She was too focused on her work that she didn’t notice the time tick by and her phone going quiet. The next time she laid her eyes on the device was when she was finally done at the ungodly hour of 4:11 and Minjeong had already dozed off, camera still filming a close-up of her sleeping face.

 

After putting her things away, Jimin lay on her bed and took a quick screenshot of the sleeping beauty (for blackmail purposes, of course, of course).

 

“I think…” she muttered drowsily, eyes already closing, “...I might be sobering up.”

 

Jimin fell asleep with her phone clutched tight in her hand.

 

***

 

Word spread faster than Jimin expected. The next thing she knew, the entire high school student body was arguing about her and Minjeong’s ‘relationship’, and it had been going around for days now.

 

It wasn’t a surprise. She did, after all, go against all rules to hug the girl in front of everybody. A tiny voice had been scolding her, the rational part of her mind blowing its top at her unnecessary public display of affection but she never regretted it. She would do it a thousand times over.

 

Jimin arrived at their classroom, fuelled only by barely two hours of sleep and a deadly brew of cola, red bull, and coffee. On her desk was a can of pink pringles and a bunch of chocolates, the kind Minjeong liked.

 

“Minjeong swung by and left this,” Aeri told her.

 

“I know.” Jimin sat, studying the chocolates for a bit before opening one.

 

“You know?”

 

“She eats this all the time.”

 

“You guys are sus.” Aeri grinned, “I’m not complaining though. My ship is sailing.”

 

Jimin rolled her eyes, taking a bite from the chocolate bar. It was no wonder Minjeong was always energetic. The girl ran on high sugar and probably drank jetpack fuel every morning to start her day for all she knew.

 

“The nerve of her to be acting like this when she denies all the rumors between you though,” Aeri continued, opening one for herself. “People have been asking her if you guys are dating after that stunt you did during the festival.” she explained.

 

Jimin frowned at the thought of people bothering the blonde for something so petty. “Why aren’t they asking me?”

 

“Jimin, honey, just to remind you: you’re kind of scary.”

 

She huffed in response, scowl being imprinted into her face. Minjeong was right to shoot them down, though it left a bad taste in Jimin’s mouth. She shoved the rest of her chocolate to Aeri’s hand. It didn’t taste quite as sweet now.

 

Sure, their relationship was ambiguous--settling on an uncertain area between friendship and something more, playful bickering, intimate late night conversations, star gazing, and swimming filling the space in the middle--but Jimin would’ve been appeased if Minjeong didn’t comment on anything. Maybe she was just saying it to shut people up, but denying felt too fixed and definite.

 

Jimin wasn’t planning on that. Well--maybe.

 

She twirled her pen in her fingers, deep in thought. Inner conflict drowned everything else in the background, doubt multiplying until her phone lit up, a single star emoji piercing through her jumbled thoughts and bringing instant clarity.

 

“Unnie, I’m going to play with Gyeoul at lunch. Wanna come with?”

 

Jimin thought about her schedule. She to sort out some student council matters.

 

“Hey, Mark. Mind taking my load? Just for today, I swear. Something came up.”

 

The guy shrugged, “Sure.”

 

Jimin grinned, “Thanks.”

 

She was about to send her ‘okay’ when the device buzzed again.

 

“Ning’s tagging along too. Maybe you can ask Aeri-unnie if she wanna come? It’ll be fun!”

 

Jimin’s smile melted. Okay, yes, she’s sure it’s going to be fun. With those three together, it would be loud and chaotic. An enjoyable headache, perhaps, if one was masochistic enough. But there was an undeniable sinking feeling in her gut which she quickly shook off. She wasn’t entitled to feel anything along the lines of disappointment and greed--not with where she stands.

 

She sent her reply after telling Aeri about it, to which the Japanese girl replied with an: “Oh my god, I didn’t think you knew how to go out and have fun.”

 

Jimin punched her arm, “Oh, shut up.”

 

Aeri cackled, “Count me in.”

 

Time took its, well, time dragging by seconds after seconds. It was agonizing and for the first time Jimin wasn’t engrossed in her classes. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but she’d like to blame the distraction to Minjeong’s after school invite. The negative feelings have long passed and she was now looking forward to going out with them and Gyeoul--oh my god, that cute puppy.

 

Minjeong happened to pass by during Jimin’s biology class and embarrassed her by pumping her arms like a stupid cheerleader and when she kept popping up at the hallway like a blonde mushroom during Jimin’s next classes, she was quite certain it wasn’t just a happenstance anymore. At first she thought it was sweet but by the fourth time, Jimin was sure Minjeong was plotting this as some kind of a scheme to murder her by second hand embarrassment.

 

Aeri chuckled during the sixth time Minjeong “passed by”, “She’s cute.”

 

“She’s mine.” Jimin blurted, fast as lightning. She paused, realizing her blunder as she watched Aeri’s creeping smile. “I mean--that’s not what I--”

 

“Right.” the girl drawled, “Yoo Jimin make it happen challenge.”

 

Jimin mentally face palmed. She should really stop pulling all-nighters. It makes her mental filter fail to function.

 

Soon, lunch finally came and the four of them met up at the school gates. It was as Jimin had predicted: an enjoyable headache. She lagged behind as they walked to the shelter and talked over each other. She wondered how they could keep the conversation going--or rather, if there was any conversation at all. It sounded like they were just jumping from one topic to another and Jimin could barely catch up but she didn’t mind. It was entertaining to listen to them, though it was difficult to comprehend so she just resorted to laughing when they do. Their laughter was infectious, especially Yizhuo who laughed in such a loud, rambunctious, and high-pitched manner Jimin was convinced it was an echolocation signal of some sort.

 

“Are you planning to go to college?” Yizhuo asked Aeri as they strolled along the sidewalk. The hype had died down and they were finally able to have a coherent discussion.

 

“Not sure. Kinda wanna just go out there already.” Aeri shrugged. “You?”

 

“I’m taking arts.” Yizhuo said, sticking her chin up as if daring anyone to disagree.

 

“Okay, Picasso.” Aeri said in a placating tone. “What about Minjeong?”

 

“Her life goal is to get a PhD in Clownology.” Yizhuo quipped, which earned instantaneous outrage from Minjeong.

 

“Hey! That’s not--” a car was running towards them full-speed and Jimin grabbed Minjeong who was walking dangerously near the road, gently pulling the blonde to the inside of the sidewalk right beside her. Minjeong gave her a grateful glance to which she just shrugged at, letting her arm stay around the girl’s shoulder. It was comfortable. And Minjeong’s height made her a perfect armrest. No amount of weird looks from Yizhuo and Aeri could change that.

 

The girl cleared , “Anyway, that’s not true.” she said, the bite in her tone replaced with something akin to bashfulness.

 

“It’s true,” Yizhuo insisted, “That’s what she wrote on that paper Ms. Joo made us fill in.”

 

“I was joking.”

 

“That paper wasn’t a joke.” Jimin finally broke her silence, pinching Minjeong’s shoulder in chastisement.

 

“She ordered James Kepley’s Clownology book online last week.” Yizhuo tattled to Jimin, “I saw with my two eyes how she pressed the ‘check out’ button.”

 

“That was a joke too!” Minjeong protested.

 

Jimin laughed along with Yizhuo and Aeri. “Okay, clown.” she muttered, only loud enough for Minjeong to hear.

 

It earned her a glare. “It was funny, okay?” Minjeong huffed.

 

“Then what’s your real plan?” Jimin asked. “Without the joking.”

 

“Marry you?”

 

Yizhuo and Aeri made puking sounds in harmony while Minjeong laughed and Jimin’s face flushed. Minjeong and her heartstopping jokes. She should be used to it by now but there was no controlling how her blood just rushes up to her face.

 

“Seriously,” Jimin shifted, putting Minjeong in a chokehold.

 

“Ack! I am serious!” the blonde flailed and coughed and Jimin loosened her hold.

 

“Well, then, other than that?” Aeri asked.

 

“Other than that, the plan is to be jobless for at least ten years so I can earn back the time I wasted at school.” she said with a determined nod.

 

“So there’s no plan, end of discussion.” Aeri concluded. It was impossible to get a serious answer from Minjeong. “Jimin?”

 

She didn’t have to think about it. “I’m taking biology.”

 

“Proceeding to med school after?” Yizhuo inquired.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“That’s perfect, babe. I volunteer to be your housewife.” Minjeong butted in with her idiotic grin, “Yes, I’ll do the cooking. Yes, I’ll do the cleaning--ouch! Hey! Stop strangling me!”

 

They arrive at the shelter unscathed, though Minjeong got multiple near death experiences in Jimin’s arms. Aeri and Yizhuo were instantly taken by the place, squealing at every puppy they came across with and Jimin could only give other patrons in the cafe an apologetic smile.

 

Gyeoul was a friendly puppy and obviously liked the amount of attention she was getting from the four girls. After showering the white maltese with tummy rubs and kisses, Aeri stayed back with Jimin and watched Minjeong and Yizhuo try to teach the dog some tricks only to end up spoiling her with treats and praising her for everything she does, even breathing.

 

Her eyes always strayed to the blonde, as if magnetic, watching the way her twinkling eyes crinkled when she laughed, how her cheeks puffed up and displayed an adorable dimple whenever she smiled, how attentive she was with both Yizhuo and Gyeoul, and just how much she obviously cared for them.

 

Jimin wondered if Minjeong ever looked at her like that. If she herself ever looked at the blonde like that. She probably had. Hell, she was probably doing it now.

 

“You like her, don’t you?” Aeri, who had been observing her, spoke up.

 

Jimin didn’t take her eyes off Minjeong. When did it happen? The moment when she stopped being just a lawless bright blonde haired ruffian who broke rules left and right and started being something more? Someone she would care for more than she’d like to admit?

 

She fiddled with the handle of her cup, avoiding Aeri’s eyes. “And if I do?”

 

“Then shoot your shot, lover girl.”

 

They head back to the campus fifteen minutes before lunch break was over, much to Minjeong and Yizhuo’s chagrin who wanted to cut classes and spend more time with Gyeoul but Jimin wouldn’t take any of it and dragged them out of the cafe.

 

Next class was mathematics and Jimin was stuck with Minjeong for another hour. She tried her best but focusing on the discussion proved to be difficult when her head was muddled with thoughts, and the content of said thoughts sat right next to her, playing with her fingers and scribbling hearts on the back of her hand.

 

“You okay?”

 

Jimin blinked at Minjeong. “Huh? Oh. Yeah.”

 

Minjeong hummed and started pressing pressure points on Jimin’s palm, “You just seem kinda out of it. The entire day. Did you even get any sleep last night?”

 

“Some.” Jimin answered. “Your chocolates helped. Thank you.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“You left me chocolates earlier.”

 

“I didn’t.”

 

“Minjeong, stop fooling me. Your smile says it all. Those were your favorite brand.”

 

Minjeong’s smile only widened. “You know my favorite?”

 

Jimin rolled her eyes. Dear lord, why’s she so annoying? I can’t believe I like--

 

“Kim Minjeong!” Ms. Woo called, making both of them jump. She obviously caught them not paying attention and with how her narrowed eyes were on Minjeong, she probably thought the blonde was disturbing Jimin. “Answer the problem on the board.”

 

Minjeong gave Jimin a can-you-believe-this-woman? look before getting up and dragging her feet in front. She answered the problem with ease and without a hitch and returned to her seat, leaving a gaping Ms. Woo behind.

 

“You didn’t have to snap that hard.” Jimin said as soon as Minjeong sat.

 

“Eh, this class is boring.” Minjeong’s tapping on her desk, eyes darting around for something to do. Jimin ignored her, continuing with her note taking until the blonde suddenly perked up and was poking her arm. “Unnie, unnie, unnie.”

 

“What?”

 

Minjeong’s grin was alarming. The glint in her eyes spelled danger in red, bold, and capital letters. “How much would you give me,” she started, “If I flip this table right here, right now?”

 

Jimin gaped at her. “No.” she firmly said, knowing the blonde would actually do it. “Minjeong, behave.”

 

“Hear me out, I said, if. Hypothetically. If I do. Didn’t say I’d do it. But what if?”

 

Jimin warily studied her wide innocent eyes before deciding that she won’t do anything as disruptive as flip a desk in the middle of a class. “I don’t know, a few bucks?” she said dismissively, ignoring the tug on her cheek urging her to smile at how the girl pouted at the amount.

 

“Just a few bucks?”

 

Jimin paused; stopped writing, stopped moving altogether before turning to Minjeong. Sunlight hit her face, making her look more ethereal than she already was. Those bright doe eyes started consciously bouncing around.

 

“Uhh, why are you staring at me like that?”

 

Jimin propped her chin on her palm, giving Minjeong all of her attention and it was obviously making the girl flustered. This time, she didn’t stop her smile. Her giddy heart sang, blood roaring in her ears.

 

“You’re being weird.”

 

“I’m sleep deprived and I have a crush on you so I don’t exactly know how to act normal right now.”

 

“What?”

 

She grinned at Minjeong’s pink dusted cheeks, Ms. Woo’s lecture blurring into the background. She shot her shot. “How about a date?”

 

Minjeong’s jaw fell. “What?”

 

“If you flip that desk right here, right now, you’re going on a date with me this weekend.”

 

Minjeong gaped at her. “Damn, why the hell not?” she muttered before shortly pushing up the edge of her desk, sending it tumbling down to the floor with a thundering crash earning everyone’s eyes on them, including a furious Ms. Woo.

 

“Kim Minjeong--”

 

“Sorry, ma’am. I gotta get me a date.” Minjeong shrugged, shooting Jimin who was staring at her like she grew another head a wink. Oh my god, she didn’t think she would actually do it. “And honestly? I’m getting tired of trigonometry.”

 

“You’re getting detention. “ veins popped in Ms. Woo’s forehead. “Get out of my class. Now!”

 

Minjeong gave Jimin a slow grin, “See you this weekend, pres.”

 

Oh my god, I love this idiot, Jimin briefly thought as she held Minjeong’s arm, preventing her from leaving. The girl looked at her in confusion, mouth parting to ask something but Jimin didn’t let that happen. Grabbing Minjeong’s necktie, getting a glimpse of her own embroidered initials in the process, she yanked the girl down, meeting her halfway and sealing their lips with a kiss.

 

She could vaguely hear her classmates’ gasps followed by cheers as she tasted Minjeong’s cherry chapstick on hers, lips soft and supple and feeling way better than she imagined.

 

This is nice.

 

“Yoo Jimin!” Ms. Woo’s shriek was almost drowned by the class’s ovation. “Detention!”