Yoo Jimin got it all.

 

The good looks. The good grades. The hot boys (and girls) bowing at her mercy whenever she passes by. Not to mention the adoration from her professors and classmates alike.

 

She’s got everything.

 

Except patience, that is.

 

Patience for a certain student named Kim Minjeong. She used to be someone from her neighborhood. They went to the same primary school and Minjeong is a year younger than her (technically speaking, but Jimin is just months older if she’s being honest).

 

Oh and she has a crush on Jimin.

 

A BIG, childish crush.

 

Yoo Jimin thought that upon graduating from primary school, she will be finally free from the clutches of Kim Minjeong’s annoying, “You’re looking pretty today, Jimin unnie! When are you gonna date me?” or her every day, “Someday you’ll be mine, Jimin unnie. Just watch.”

 

God. She thought those days were over.

 

Well, at least it was for several years. The Kim family moved away when that brat Minjeong graduated from primary school and since then, Jimin had been finally basking in the peace of mind she was praying from the universe since Kim Minjeong started pestering her in 2^nd grade.

 

Until today.

 

She almost choked to death upon hearing from her mother over dinner that “Oh Jimin-ah. Remember Minjeongie? That cute kid during primary school who would always walk you home after class? She came by the house the other day.” Jimin swears the tonkatsu she was eating got stuck in when her mother elucidates, “Oh that lovely kid still remembered where you lived. She said she’s enrolling at your high school too! Isn’t that amazing that she’ll be your schoolmate again?”

 

Good thing her mother was quick to give her a glass of water or else she would have died right then and there.

 

(Not really. But the thought of that kid getting back in her life was close enough to make her dig up her grave as early as now.)

 

Not even in her worst nightmare did she ever think she will meet the same annoying Kim Minjeong again.

 

And right now, Jimin thinks she is going to experience that worst nightmare in broad daylight because the embodiment of her frustration is currently heading her way towards her.

 

“Oh god here she comes..” Jimin muttered under her breath, quickly opening her locker and placing her head inside the cramped space because oh, this feels nice…dark, congested and dusty….she can actually live here foreve-

 

The fit of giggles Jimin heard indicated that the devil has finally reached her and this is the point of no return. Jimin is officially doomed.

 

“Hello, Jimin unnie.”

 

As if second nature, Jimin lets out a low grunt, the sound comically echoing inside the confined locker that earned another fit of giggle from the other girl.

 

“Is that how you greet an old friend you’ve never seen for years?” Jimin hears Kim Minjeong tease, “I’m hurt unnie.”

 

“Shut up Minjeong.” Jimin drawls, finally backing away from the inside of the locker to give Minjeong a brief glare before finally putting away her things, “We both know all too well how I feel about this stupid…reunion.”

 

Kim Minjeong giggles once again and seriously, can she stop giggling like a mad hyena?

 

“I’m afraid I don’t follow, unnie.” The girl pouts, “Please enlighten me.”

 

Huffing, Jimin closed her locker a little bit more forceful than the usual and shouldered her bag with a firm look at the younger girl.

 

“Listen kid,” she starts, “I’ve been living my life in peace, okay? I’m currently a senior who’s about to spend her last year in high school and I want to spend it just as peacefully as the last several years without you in it. So..” She took a deep breath to get herself collected and try her best to calmly tell Minjeong that, “..please please please please, for the love of chicken, just don’t bother me. Don’t talk to me. Don’t come near me. Don’t even spare a glance at me. Just do your thing. Make friends with people your age. I don’t know. Play jumping ropes or something. Just. Don’t. Bother. Me. Okay?”

 

Jimin’s face morphed into something hopeful when she saw Minjeong thinking about her words. A smile was ready to form on her lips when Minjeong finally nodded and said:

 

“I’ve missed your pretty face so much you really think I’m going to miss every chance I could get to spend time with you?” Minjeong asks incredulously before beaming, grinning from ear to ear that made everything about it so annoying for Jimin. “Maldo andwae.”

 

The smug look on Minjeong’s face is the image that had been playing in Jimin’s mind as she bangs her head on her desk for the rest of the day.

 

That little er.

 

 

 

***

 

 

(“Were you dozing off or something? Your head kept banging on your desk I thought that poor thing was gonna break off. The desk. Not you.”

 

“Ugh. Shut up, Aeri.”)

 

 

***

 

 

 

The next day was no better.

 

In fact, Jimin thinks it has gotten worse.

 

Minjeong was already at her locker when she came trudging the halls of the school with her friend Aeri in tow. And surprise surprise, the traitor just had to adore the apparition of Satan herself because “Isn’t she soooo cute, Jimin?? She’s so huggable oh my god!”

 

Of course the dimwit was grinning from ear to ear when she saw how welcoming Aeri is. Minjeong even had the audacity to say that “Jimin unnie looks prettier though. I like her outfit and she’s just so adorable with the school tie” then sending a wink at Jimin’s direction, almost making Aeri pee on her pants for how hard she was cooing at the gesture.

 

Jimin could only grunt at the unfortunate event in her life and begrudgingly walked to class with a permanent scowl on her face (because of course Minjeong had to walk her to class with Aeri, yet again, cooing at her adorable chivalry)

 

She wants the ground to swallow her whole and be gone forever.

 

 

 

***

 

 

When the bell had rung later that day, Minjeong was outside of Jimin’s classroom, waiting for her. The older girl couldn’t stop herself from letting out a groan at the sight of the younger one who smiled upon seeing her.

 

“Unnie!”

 

“What are you doing here Minjeong?” she tiredly asked as she walked towards her locker.

 

“I was waiting for you so I could walk you home, unnie. Duh.” the younger replied like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

 

Sighing, Jimin puts all her things away on her locker swiftly and started walking away.

 

“Go home.” She says, “I have practice.”

 

“For what?”

 

“Dance club.”

 

“Oh? You’re in a dance club now?” If Jimin wasn’t more occupied being irritated with Minjeong’s persistence, maybe she would have found the girl’s questioning look adorable. But that’s only a maybe. “I’ll wait for you then.”

 

“No, Minjeong.” She deadpans. “Go home.”

 

“No, unnie. I’ll wait.”

 

“Go home Minjeong.”

 

“Nope. I’ll wait for you unnie.”

 

“Gosh Minjeong just go—“ And when she saw the finality and determined face of the younger, with a look practically screaming that they could have this conversation all day, Jimin just huffed and rolled her eyes. She knows the girl enough to know that she never backs away when it comes to arguments.

 

Ever.

 

“Fine,” Jimin sighed, defeated at the stubbornness of the younger girl. “Whatever. It’s not me who’s going to tire herself out for waiting anyway.”

 

With that, Minjeong beamed her signature grin and Jimin had to roll her eyes at the teenee weenee voice inside her head cooing at how pretty she found that smile.

 

Weird.

 

 

***

 

 

 

For some odd reason, it has become their routine.

 

Every morning, Minjeong will wait for Jimin at her locker. Jimin’s stupid best friend Aeri cooing at how adorable she is. Minjeong walking them to class. Minjeong waiting for Jimin every after school and waiting for her every after dance club practice if Jimin happened to have one. And then they both walk home together, with Minjeong happily waving Jimin goodbye as her house is still two blocks away from Jimin’s. Finally, Jimin would gruntingly stomp her way towards her house with a brief wave and hum a goodbye to the younger girl.

 

It’s only during lunchtime that Minjeong seemed to be incognito and Jimin is more than happy about that.

 

Aeri thinks otherwise.

 

“Where’s Minjeongie?” she wonders, “She had never joined us during lunchtime.” looking around the busy cafeteria to find her little monster.

 

Jimin had been only groaning these days and she’s starting to wonder if she’d have enough groans to last her a lifetime.

 

“I don’t know.” Jimin grumbles, “And I don’t care. This is the only free time I have to get away from her annoying face and I am more than relieved.”

 

“But I want to see her beautiful face!” moaned Aeri. “I want baby Minjeong!”

 

“Oh my god stop calling her baby!” Jimin scolds in exasperation. “You are tolerating her so much that I cannot control her anymore.” Jimin huffed, sending a half-assed glare at her sniggering friend, “She doesn’t listen to me because you are always there to back her up!”

 

Aeri only broke out into fits of laughter at her friend’s predicament.

 

“Awwee. Don’t worry, Jimin unnie..” she teased, “She’s still your baby. I am not going to take her away from you.”

 

Fortunately, Aeri’s reflex was fast enough she was able to duck as quick as she could when the lettuce haphazardly thrown at her passes just an inch away from her hairline.

 

“Idiot. You are an idiot, I swear.” Jimin groaned, “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

 

“I am.” Aeri reaches out with a chuckle, wiping away a mayonnaise smudged on Jimin’s lips because the girl might be drop-dead gorgeous, but she is always a messy sandwich eater. “I think Minjeong is cute enough to be given a chance by her Jimin unnie. It’s not all the time you get to meet such a unique soul as her.”

 

Cue the roll of eyes from Jimin.

 

“No seriously, Yooji,” Aeri easily slips the nickname she has gotten the girl every time she is lecturing her (something unusual because she is months younger than Jimin), “I’ve been your friend since middle school, man. We’ve seen and met a lot of your admirers but no one had been this persistent enough as Minjeong. Her dedication is amazing, I’ll give her that.”

 

“Pfft. Yeah, she’s persistently annoying.”

 

Aeri could only shake her head fondly at her stubborn friend.

 

“Just give her a chance.” Aeri says, munching on her fries as she spoke, “Stop chasing the kid away Yoo Jimin! She’s a gem!”

 

“Ha! Satan’s gem you mean?”

 

 

 

***

 

 

“Why haven’t you eaten lunch with us?”

 

They were on their usual walk home, striding side by side with some of Jimin’s things carried by Minjeong.

 

(“Let me carry it for you, unnie!”

 

“No, thanks, I can carry these myself.”

 

“We are not walking home until you give me them unnie, you know me.”

 

“Minjeong..”

 

“Unnie..”

 

“Gosh why are you so persistent??”

 

“Just stop resisting and give me that bag Jimin unnie..”

 

“…adsashfgadfladjfdkflfine..”)

 

In her peripheral view, she noticed a smirk slowly spreading across Minjeong’s face upon hearing the question and Jimin doesn’t like what that stupid smirk could mean.

 

“Why?” the younger asks, “Have you been missing me for lunch? Do you also want to see my lovely existence during lunchbreak?”

 

See? This is why she shouldn’t have asked. She knows there was at least 99.9% of her getting a teasing from the younger girl when the idea of asking her about the matter pops in her mind.

 

She simply doesn’t learn, does she?

 

“You wish,” Jimin scoffed, “Aeri was wondering where you are during lunchbreaks. Apparently it’s the only time you don’t pester me so she’s kind of curious.” She explains, but not before adding that, “It’s more than okay for me though. It’s the only time I don’t get to see your annoying face.”

 

Minjeong lets out a loud cackle at that and Jimin wondered what was even funny with her statement. If anything, it was her intention to annoy the younger girl.

 

Unluckily for her, Minjeong seems to have a thousand happy cells in her body because she doesn’t seem offended with Jimin’s words. Or at Jimin’s constant rejection on her advances.

 

Minjeong just accepts everything as cheerful as always and Jimin wonders how in the world she does that.

 

“Careful unnie.” Minjeong drawls, “I might think you are actually missing me.”

 

Anndddd of course she will have a way to return the teasing back to the older girl.

 

If it isn’t a crime to choke the girl (or anyone to be honest), Jimin would have done it in broad daylight and Kim Minjeong will be her first and last victim.

 

But since she cannot, she could only push the girl away with feigned irritation which gained her another set of laughter from Kim Minjeong.

 

“I met a friend during the first day of school,” the girl suddenly said, “She is a transferee just like me and she seemed lonely eating by herself on the first day.” A small pout appeared on Minjeong’s face as she spoke, mirroring the loneliness of this friend she is talking about, “So from then on I promised her I will accompany her during lunchtime so she won’t get lonely. That’s why I cannot accompany you, unnie.”

 

Jimin nodded at the information, refusing to fully feel the cuteness of the reason behind the girl’s absence during lunchtime. “What’s her name?”

 

“Ning Yizhuo.” the younger answers with enthusiasm, “She’s Chinese but she can speak Korean well. I call her Ningning because it’s cute and it suits her. She said she likes it. I really like it too.”

 

A small smile suddenly painted Jimin’s lips at the girl’s rambling, imagining Minjeong explaining to this friend Ningning how that name sounds cute with much conviction.

 

Because that’s how Kim Minjeong has always been. She always acted with conviction and passion and constantly with a little bit more persistence than the rest.

 

Most of the times, Jimin finds it really annoying.

 

Right now though, Jimin somehow found this persistence a little bit, only a little bit, endearing.

 

“Here’s your stop unnie,” Minjeong announced, halting her steps and looking around the place like she usually does, “Would you be okay from here?”

 

The usual question. But Jimin finds it strange that the mundane routine of Minjeong asking this minute, sweet inquiry is slowly making her heart…flutter?

 

“Yes. It’s just steps away from our door, Minjeong.” Jimin said as a matter of fact, nodding her head to the direction where the younger would walk after walking her home, “It’s you who’s going to walk two more blocks. Go before it gets darker.”

 

“Okay,” the younger girl replied, nodding her head and waving goodbye to Jimin, only to halt her steps and turning to face the older girl again, “Oh and please tell Aeri unnie that I’m sorry I won’t be able to join you guys every lunch time. Maybe I can make it up to her some other time.”

 

Jimin gave a silent nod at the request.

 

With a grin, Minjeong bid her goodbye to the older girl and sauntered away, unaware of the pair of eyes that never left her back until she was finally out of sight.

 

“You’ll make it up to her but not to me?” Jimin mutters, squinting her eyes at the corner where Kim Minjeong just rounded, “Psh. Whatever. It’s not like I care anyway,” before she stomped her way inside her home.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

“Oi, oi,” Aeri’s voice pierced through the chattering of the students nearby, making Jimin look up from her book. “Sorry I’m late. Mr. Lee was being a jerk again, giving us all the hard problems in the book which he neither discussed nor solved on the board.”

 

Jimin chuckled at her friend’s predicament. Mr. Lee is the middle-aged Advanced Math Teacher who loved making his students cry numbers during his class. It’s just unfortunate that Jimin is not in the same schedule as Aeri or they could have been struggling to pass the subject together.

 

“Tell me about it,” Jimin sympathizes, “Did you at least get a problem right?”

 

“Oh yes, thanks to Minjeong.”

 

The mention of the girl’s name perked Jimin’s attention.

 

“Minjeong as in the annoying Kim Minjeong?”

 

“I don’t know any other Minjeong in this school, Yooji.” Aeri sassed, “She’s enrolled in that class.”

 

Jimin raises a brow at this, “But isn’t she a year younger? She’s only a junior right?”

 

“Yes she is.” Aeri plucks a fry on Jimin’s plate and starts eating it, “But apparently, she took the class as an elective because she already passed Algebra in her previous school. I swear that kid is a prodigy. Didn’t take her five minutes to answer all of Mr. Kim’s problems. So she helped me in mine after she solved hers.”

 

Jimin nodded slowly at the information. She never really thought that the younger could be good at something else besides annoying her every second of every day.

 

She’s a little bit slow in Math and to know that Minjeong is a prodigy at it (Aeri’s word, not hers), well, that’s quite an impression.

 

“That’s why I told her to tutor you for a bit.”

 

Jimin turned her head at Aeri so fast she might have gotten a whiplash, “What?!”

 

“Oh come on, Jimin. You’re failing that class.”

 

“I am not failing that class!”

 

Aeri gave her a look.

 

“Okay I am trying not to fail that class,” Jimin corrected sheepishly but then, “I don’t need someone’s help especially Kim Minjeong’s.”

 

“Why not?”

 

Jimin looked at her friend as if Aeri just asked her if the earth is indeed round. “Really? Did you just ask me that?”

 

“She has a crush on you, so what? You’re civil to each other, right?” Aeri insists, “Besides, Minjeongie was more than willing to help you when I told her that you needed tutoring in Advance Math.”

 

“Of course she was.” Jimin groaned at her friend’s persistence. Kim Minjeong’s determination had been rubbing off on her friend for sure.

 

“Hush, here she comes.” Aeri dismisses her and waves at Kim Minjeong across the cafeteria. Jimin begrudgingly turns her head and saw Kim Minjeong trudging towards their direction with a girl who has big, doe eyes Jimin finds really pretty.

 

“Hello, Jimin unnie. Aeri unnie.” Kim Minjeong chirps, smiling at the two, “I brought my friend Ningning with me. Is it okay?”

 

“Of course.” Aeri turned to the girl beside Minjeong, extending her hand for a shake, “I’m Aeri. And that’s my grumpy friend Jimin. Don’t worry. She doesn’t bite.”

 

Jimin sent Aeri a glare before giving Ningning a warm smile. “Don’t believe whatever thing that comes out of . She’s a con.”

 

“Hey!”

 

Jimin snickers at her friend’s pout before meeting Minjeong’s cheeky smile.

 

She immediately averted her gaze though, a little bit scared that she would drown at the girl’s piercing stare.

 

“Wowww..” All eyes suddenly turned at the girl Ningning who was seemingly awestruck, eyes locked at Jimin with an enthralled look on her face, “You are really pretty, unnie. Like really..”

 

Jimin fights off a blush at the sudden compliment she received.

 

Meanwhile Minjeong…

 

“Yah, Ningning..” she berates with a pout. “I know we’re friends but Jimin unnie is my future girlfriend,” ignoring the shunned faces of Jimin and Aeri as she lectures the other girl, “So you have to look for another pretty person okay? Jimin unnie is off limits.”

 

What.

 

“O-oh.” Poor Ningning looked sheepish and apologetic, “Is that so? Wait a minute—“ the younger girl seemed to have come to a realization before her face turned into a smug look akin to that of Minjeong’s, “Is Jimin unnie the girl you’ve been telling me about? The one who—“

 

But before Ningning could even finish her sentence, Minjeong has already covered .

 

“Yes yes, that’s her.” Minjeong whispered, “But she doesn’t need to know that.”

 

“Okmmm okmmm.” Muffled Ningning, raising an “OK” sign with her fingers before Minjeong released her from her grip.

 

Jimin and Aeri just looked at the two weirdly, eyes questioning especially Jimin’s that Minjeong tried so hard to ignore.

 

“So...Advance Math?”

 

 

 

***

 

 

Turns out, Minjeong is a genius in Advance Math.

 

Jimin didn’t know how the girl does that but she is listening attentively to the way Minjeong discusses the formula, hoping she can actually retain it.

 

“So that is how we came up with this answer,” Minjeong finally says, looking up at Jimin. “Did you get it?”

 

“Hmmm,” Jimin nods curtly, “I get it now that I am not going to pass Advance Math.”

 

Minjeong playfully groaned at her response, “Unnie!”

 

Jimin laughs at this because apparently, Advance Math is one of the things that Minjeong takes seriously, besides the constant pestering at her.

 

“It’s true though.” She sighs, pressing her cheek against the table with a pout, “Advance Math is hard and I don’t think I am going to pass it at this rate.”

 

“It’s not that hard.” Minjeong protests.

 

“Easy for you to say because you’re good at it.” Jimin retaliates, “Me? Not so much.”

 

“I’m not good at it,” Minjeong mumbles, “I just really like the subject so I tend to study about it more.” Then she looks at Jimin with that stupid round eyes of hers to add, “Isn’t that what you do when you like something? You want to know it better so you do the toil in order to learn it.”

 

Something about the way Minjeong worded it made Jimin’s stomach constrict, the latter peering over her lashes to look at the sudden enigma that is Kim Minjeong.

 

“What are you saying?” she whispers.

 

Minjeong shifts in her seat, pressing her cheek against the table just like Jimin so she is eye to eye with the girl.

 

“The reason why you don’t understand it and calls it hard is because you don’t like it, unnie,” she starts, “I’m not saying you should like it because it’s your choice to make not mine. But give it a chance. Maybe by then you’ll understand.”

 

Then Minjeong smiles. One of the first smiles that doesn’t look smug nor teasing.

 

It is pure, unadulterated grin that made Jimin swallow the forming lump in , feeling a little light-headed at the sight.

 

So weird.

 

“Uh, are you guys still talking about Advance Math?”

 

Jimin shuts her eyes at the sudden interruption of her ever traitor friend because of course, “Yes we are, Aeri.” giving the girl the stink eye upon looking up. “What else could we be talking about?”

 

“I don’t know. Marriage?” Aeri had the nerve to look smug, “You guys all went whispering I thought you’re confessing your love for each other already.” Smirking at Jimin with a waggle of her brows.

 

“You’re an idiot,” groans Jimin, turning at Minjeong to see that the girl’s face has already morphed back to the usual smugness she was wearing, “Thanks, kid. Hopefully I remember whatever you taught me just now.”

 

“You will, unnie.” Minjeong raises a fist as if to cheer her up, “I believe in you.”

 

Jimin cannot stop the small smile from stretching on her lips, heart skipping a beat because amidst the constant playfulness of Kim Minjeong, she has also been a constant believer of Yoo Jimin and all the trivial things she could offer.

 

And for a little bit, just a little bit, Jimin likes her for it.

 

 

 

***

 

 

(“I am serious about what I said earlier.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“About you being my future girlfriend.”

 

“Ha ha. You wish.”

 

“I have been wishing since primary school, you know.”

 

“Maybe you should just give up on that wish then.”

 

“Never.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Just because.”

 

“Ugh, whatever. Suit yourself.”)

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

The four of them eventually fell into the routine of sticking around with each other.

 

Jimin and Aeri’s group of two evolved and they’ve become a small group of chaotic four.

 

Minjeong’s still madly into Jimin (her words, not Jimin’s) but since her and Ningning’s addition to the group, the girl’s constant flirting has miraculously tempered into a couple of teasing a day compared to the plenty tons she was sending Jimin every chance they meet in the hallway before.

 

The walks home continued as well.

 

In fact, it has become a regular thing that Jimin started to look forward for it every day. She has grown accustomed to seeing Kim Minjeong waiting for her outside of her classroom after the bell has rung signaling the closure of yet another day.

 

Somehow along this routine, the bright smile that greets Jimin every after class made everything a little less tiring after a horrendous day of lectures. Somehow, Jimin has taken a liking to seeing Kim Minjeong flashing her adorable grin at her, ready for their long walk home.

 

So imagine Jimin’s disappointment when the bell has rung and she sees no Kim Minjeong waiting for her outside the classroom.

 

Brows drawn together, Jimin scans the area, turning her head from left to right because maybe Minjeong just changed her usual spot where she stands waiting.

 

But nothing. Kim Minjeong is nowhere to be seen.

 

“Yooji,” Jimin turns her head at Aeri’s call, “You said you have practice? What are you still doing here?”

 

There is an upcoming dance competition where her club will participate and practice would start today. That was also one of the reasons why she wanted to see Minjeong. She was meaning to tell her that she can go ahead since she might take a long while.

 

Seems like the girl already went home without her anyway so...

 

“Yeah I was just about to go.”

 

Aeri finally noticed the absence of a certain plus one that had been usually beside Jimin at this hour of the day, “Where’s Minjeongie?”

 

“I don’t know,” Jimin nonchalantly shrugged, hoping that she sounded casual enough not to give away her disappointment. “Maybe she went home already.”

 

“Eyyy, that girl never goes home without you, you know that.” Aeri defends, “Maybe something just came up?”

 

Jimin cannot help the tinge of worry that crawled her skin upon hearing Aeri’s words.

 

If something really came up, it must have been very important for Minjeong to bail on Jimin just like that without any heads-up. It’s just not like her to leave people without prior notice and Jimin, of all people, knows that.

 

“C’mon,” Aeri coaxes, sensing Jimin overthinking the situation. “She’s fine somewhere. Stop worrying.”

 

“I’m not worried.” Jimin defends. But the purse of her lips gave away the small anxiety that Aeri specially knows is her habit when she’s overanalyzing things.

 

“Sure, Jan.” her friend drags her away from the spot where Minjeong would usually wait for her and to the direction of their practice room. “C’mon. Jongin oppa is your instructor for this competition right? You wouldn’t want to be late with that strict person.”

 

Jimin could only groan in response because yes, Aeri’s completely right. She would deal with a monster Jongin if she would be late for their first day of practice and she disliked taking the brunt of the strict instructor.

 

So she let Aeri drag her away with the thoughts of Minjeong and her whereabouts at the back of her mind.

 

 

 

***

 

 

(“You could actually just ask Minjeong where she is instead of sulking.”

 

“I’m not sulking!”

 

“Suurreee.”

 

“Besides, she’s not here how can I possibly ask her?”

 

“Smartphone is a thing, Yooji. Y’know, that device where you can message or call anyone with just a few taps, in case you’ve been living in a cave and you don’t know what that is.”

 

“…I don’t have her number.”

 

“You’re telling me that you’ve been attached to the hip with this girl and you don’t have her number?”

 

“Didn’t feel the need to ask for it since she’s always around.”

 

“And now?”

 

“…she’s not around?”

 

“You are hopeless.”)

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

It’s almost 9pm when Jongin clapped his big hands to signify the end of practice—something that Jimin had been waiting since thirty minutes ago. She might or might not have twisted her left ankle at some point in the hard choreo but she ignored it, too focused on getting the movement right.

 

The last thirty minutes told her that she shouldn’t have because it was starting to give her an uncomfortable feeling and she’s starting to think she actually sprained it.

 

“You okay, kid?” Jongin’s deep- voice resonated in the almost empty practice room. Jimin was too occupied stretching her left ankle to notice everyone bidding goodbye.

 

“Yeah I think I just overstretched it,” she lies through her teeth, “This is nothing, sir.”

 

Jongin scoffed at the honorifics, “Call me sir again and I’ll make you do the routine twenty times the normal.” Sending a good-natured grin at the girl. “Stop it. It’s still me Jimin-ah.”

 

Jimin sent back a friendly smile to the talented senior she always looked up to. “Still you, but a college dude.”

 

“You too are gonna be in college in no time, missy.” Jongin retorts with a smile.

 

“I still have months to prepare so.” Jimin shrugs, grinning at the guy whom he always treated as an older brother. “Thanks for agreeing to choreograph, by the way. You just saved our asses.”

 

Jongin had always been that platonic oppa Jimin shared her passion in dancing with. When the guy graduated a few years back, Jimin felt alone at some point so to convince him to choreograph for them now, much alone for competition, is huge for her.

 

“You guys don’t need saving.” Jongin points out. “Everyone looked in shape for the competition and it’s just first day. Though if there’s something to be saved, I think that’s your ankle,” nodding his head at Jimin who is standing with her left ankle limped on one side, “Don’t think I didn’t see that, dummy.”

 

Jimin scrunched her nose at the boy’s great observation skill. As always.

 

“I really hoped you didn’t,” Jimin says sheepishly, the uncomfortable feeling in her calf growing as they speak, “Wouldn’t want you to kick me out of the routine just because I forgot to catch myself in time.”

 

Jongin shook his head at the girl’s explanation, “Pabo,” then he crouched down before looking up at Jimin, “C’mon, lemme give you the piggy back ride just like old times.”

 

Before Jimin could even decline the sudden offer, someone has beaten her to it.

 

“Not so fast.”

 

Jimin and Jongin both looked up at the voice, eyes landing on a petite figure standing by the door.

 

“Who are you?” Jongin asked, still crouched down on the floor.

 

Jimin, on the other hand, cannot take her eyes off the newcomer, stomach doing some tiny somersaults at the sudden presence of the girl for reasons she does not truly know.

 

“Kim Minjeong.” the newcomer replied, maintaining her eye contact with Jimin before she turned her attention to Jongin. “You?”

 

Jongin seemed taken aback at the upfront and confident answer, “…Kim Jongin.” She looked up at Jimin in confusion, “Do you know this kid?”

 

That seemed to break Jimin from whatever trance Kim Minjeong has placed her into. “Yes.” She replies, “She’s a friend.”

 

Jongin nodded at the information. He stared at the two women in silence before standing up, a small smile of realization etched on his face.

 

“I see,” he smirks at Jimin. “Well, since your friend is here—“ not failing to see the light shade of pink on Jimin’s cheek at the emphasis on friend that made his smirk grow into a teasing grin, “—I’ll be going. See you tomorrow.”

 

Jongin patted Jimin’s shoulder goodbye before walking away, pausing when she reached Kim Minjeong at the door, “You might wanna put some ice on her ankle. She twisted it awhile ago when we were practicing.”

 

Minjeong’s steely gaze immediately softened, her now worried eyes flitted towards Jimin (who quickly avoided her gaze) before turning back at Jongin, bowing her head in appreciation at the boy’s information. “I will. Thank you for telling me.”

 

With a warm smile, Jongin walked away from the practice room, leaving Jimin and Minjeong alone to themselves.

 

“You twisted your ankle—”

 

“Where were you this afternoon—”

 

Jimin and Minjeong blurted at the same time, both of them ending up blushing at the urgency of their respective question.

 

“It’s not important,” Minjeong hastily answered, “Did you really hurt your ankle?”

 

“Uh, well—”

 

For the second time that night, Minjeong has beaten Jimin to answer a question, the girl fast-walking towards her and assisting her down to the floor, “Sit down for a moment. Let me see it.”

 

Before she knew it, Jimin was already on her , her left leg outstretched, shoe being untied off her foot by Minjeong herself. When her kinda-but-not-really hurting ankle was freed from the shoe, she let out a soft yelp of pain.

 

“Sorry!” Minjeong looked really apologetic, her really expressive eyes piercing through Jimin’s already crumbling reservation she had for the girl, “Does it hurt so much?”

 

“Not anymore.” Jimin mindlessly answered before catching unto what she said, “I-I mean, since you got the shoe off…” trying to rationalize what she said and not give away the effect Kim Minjeong is suddenly having on her.

 

Too late. The said girl is already smiling at her slip.

 

“I know I’m attractive, unnie. You can say it to my face.” Minjeong teases, her fingers delicately massaging Jimin’s ankle.

 

Jimin weakly scoffed. “You and your confidence.” fighting off the blush that was threatening to paint her cheeks.

 

“They say it’s my charm.” Minjeong says, making Jimin roll her eyes at the small smirk plastered all over the girl’s face.

 

They fell into a comfortable silence after the small banter, Minjeong getting more focused on her task of massaging Jimin’s ankle, mumbling silent apologies every time she would knead the muscles a little bit more forceful than she intended.

 

“How did you know I’m here?” asked Jimin out of nowhere, eyes trained on Minjeong’s profile.

 

“Aeri unnie told Ningning to tell me where you are.”

 

“That girl,” Jimin shook her head at the information. One day she would have to talk to Aeri about her playing cupid between her and Minjeong.

 

“Which is a good thing,” Minjeong adds, glancing at Jimin as she speaks, “You would have been limping on your way home alone if I didn’t come.”

 

“Jongin oppa could have accompanied me.”

 

The kneading on her ankle stopped and Jimin holds Minjeong’s unreadable stare.

 

“Is he your boyfriend?”

 

Jimin’s eyes widened at the question. “What?? No!”

 

Jimin swore she saw a hint of relief when Minjeong sent her a smirk in response. “Then he wouldn’t be accompanying you home.”

 

“What about you?” Jimin challenges, “You walk me home but you’re not my girlfriend.”

 

This turned out to be a wrong question phrasing because Minjeong was witty enough to turn it back to Jimin and bite her like a black mamba, “I could very well be if you will have me.”

 

Jimin prides herself for being quick-witted and sharp. She really does. But right now, she cannot find the right words to say, her mind short-circuiting that she cannot form a comprehensible response to what Kim Minjeong just said.

 

Goddammit.

 

“You wish.” Is all she can manage before averting her gaze away from Kim Minjeong’s stupid round eyes.

 

She can hear the smile in the girl’s words when she offhandedly commented, “Been wishing for a while now.” To which Jimin did not dare question, feeling a little flustered at the very bold statements the girl in front of her had been spewing at her.

 

“Anyway, I’m done with your ankle,” Kim Minjeong suddenly says, “How does it feel?”

 

Jimin blinks herself away from her thoughts and moves the newly-massaged ankle, eyes visibly lighting up when she felt less of the uncomfortable feeling all over the muscles.

 

“Wah, it feels better.” She says, extending her hands for Minjeong to take, “Help me up?”

 

And Minjeong did, pulling Jimin on her feet with her two hands. Fortunately, the girl did not let go of her quickly because just when she thought she could manage, Jimin’s ankle throbbed in pain yet again, almost making her fall at the sudden sensation.

 

“Easy,” Minjeong catches her in no time, “You have to put ice on it to lessen the pain. We have to get you home.”

 

“We’d get there in the morning at this rate,” huffing at her limping self.

 

“Don’t worry.” Minjeong takes Jimin’s bag from her and slowly guides the girl towards the door. “I got you covered.”

 

Soon enough, they are at the gates of the school, Jimin looking around for a way to get the both of them home safely (and quickly) at this time of the night.

 

“The bus stop is a five-minute walk from here,” Jimin says, looking at her watch, “I think we can still catch the bus at this time.”

 

But Minjeong has other plans. “No need to take the bus,” she drawls, gently pulling Jimin with her towards a spot near the gates where a bicycle is idly tied on a lamp post.

 

“Didn’t know you ride a bike.” Jimin commented.

 

“It’s because you never saw me ride one before,” Minjeong drawls, unlocking the straps fastening the bike on the lamp post and kicking up the stand before mounting on the two-wheel, “Come on. Hop in to Minjeong Express, Madame.”

 

Jimin rolled her eyes at the girl’s faux British accent but gently took the hand Minjeong extends to help her on the backseat, careful not to press on her aching ankle.

 

“Are you ready for this?”

 

Jimin unconsciously reached out to Minjeong’s side, clutching unto the girl’s uniform for support and balance. She never once rode a bicycle before, much more be a passenger, so she doesn’t know how this works (or if it is safe at all).

 

But knowing that it is Kim Minjeong she is with and it is Kim Minjeong’s side she is clutching into, somehow the idea of riding a bicycle in the middle of the night with an aching ankle doesn’t seem like a bad idea to Jimin.

 

Not at all.

 

“Zimzalabim.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

(“It was a red light!”

 

“Yeah and?”

 

“Why didn’t you stop?? We could have bumped into a truck or something!”

 

“But we didn’t. Heh. Joke’s on you.”

 

“What the—Kim Minjeong!!”)