You can show me a little

Your time

I just need a little of it

A bit of awkwardness is okay

 

You can’t tell anyone else

Even if we get a little drunk 

And start saying whatever

That’ll only be our memory

It’s our secret

 

Promise not to tell

 

Sunmi - Secret Tape (WARNING, 2018)

 

“I’m coming up to your place”

 

It’s only been a few seconds since the call ended, but Minjeong was hurrying to wash her face after her 2nd breakdown of the day. Applying light makeup, she thinks she’s set to see the girl from downstairs, not bothering to fix her long hair.

 

She strides to her living room, fidgeting with the strings of her hoodie when she hears her doorbell ring. Minjeong hesitantly opens the door, mix feelings stirring inside of her.

 

“Hey” Minjeong greets Jimin. The girl before Minjeong wore casual comfy house clothes, clearly having no plans to really go out.

 

They both give each other a look from head to toe, it would’ve been even more awkward if it was anyone else, but seeing the concern on Jimin’s face just makes her want to laugh.

 

“Hey there” Jimin says back.

 

“What's with the worried look you’re giving me?” She actually laughs this time, unable to hold it, but Jimin’s face remains serious. “Here, why don’t you come in” 

 

The door of Minjeong’s condo unit opens up more revealing the same layout of Jimin’s place but with different furniture. While Jimin liked to keep her place modern and minimalistic, Minjeong’s was fun with some pop of colours that contrasted some of her duller coloured furniture.

Finally taking a seat at the very sofa Minjeong was just crying on, Jimin finally utters something more than 2 words long.

 

“Are you… alright?” Jimin obviously knew she wasn’t alright, but she wanted to hear it herself, she wanted her to admit it and maybe they could talk about it.

 

“I would say I am, but the fact that you came up here to check on me, it would be a waste of both of our time for me to lie. So, no, I guess I’m not fine after all” she confesses. “Did you watch my Vlive?”

 

It would be embarrassing for Jimin to admit it but she did so anyways “I did”

 

“Figures, sorry you had to see that and… for telling them about the more personal parts that we didn’t want them to see and… f-for that last bit. I don’t even have to look at Naver to already know my name is trending right now”

 

Jimin inches closer, placing her hands on Minjeong’s knees as a sign of reassurance, that she’s there.

 

“No no no” she clears “Don’t be sorry about that, in fact I’m actually glad you were able to speak so publically about it, about what happened near the end of our show. It makes me think that you really didn’t mean what you said” 

 

Minjeong nods, almost saying another “sorry”, but stops herself because it feels like that’s what she’s been saying for the past month or so. But right now, she had something else to worry about on her plate, she wasn’t so sure if she should mention it first, but the sooner the better.

 

“So, um about the last part. Right before I ended my live, before you called…”

 

The gaze from Jimin was encouraging her to continue on.

 

“I’m not so sure how to explain that to you, my head is slightly unorganized right now. Don’t think too much about it” Clearly, Jimin could see how the other girl was trying to downplay her emotions, it was obvious she wanted Jimin to just ignore it but she couldn't. It’s what made her call in the first place.

 

“Minjeong”

 

“When I said I loved you, it was like, you know?”

 

“Minjeong”

 

“But I do love you! Don’t get me wrong, I do!”

 

“Minjeong”

 

“Ugh! I don’t know! But-”

 

“Babe!” 

 

Hearing the pet name made Minjeong blink confused, then a lovely shade of pink creeps up to her cheeks. After finally getting her attention, Jimin inches even closer, wrapping her arms around the flushed girl. She doesn’t return her hug at first, but when she finally does, Jimin finally has the courage to admit it to her too.

 

“I love you too, you know?”

 

“What?” 

 

“I don’t care if you said it platonically, but I, I love you and it perhaps might be more than platonic” The rate at which Jimin's heart was going in was crazy. But instead of hearing her usual deafening heartbeat, all she heard was Minjeong’s heavy breathing for a while.

 

So, she took this time, while still having herself wrapped in Minjeong’s embrace, and the other way around, to relish this feeling. Jimin felt a burden be lifted from her shoulders, with her lungs finally clear and able to breathe freely, taking in Minjeong’s sweet daisy scent.

 

Don’t get her wrong, Jimin was still terrified of whatever Minjeong was going to say next, but it really didn’t matter now. No matter if she rejects her, or accepts her confession, Jimin decided she was there to stay. 

 

“It wasn’t platonic,” Minjeong confirms in a whisper, her hot breath tingling the skin of Jimin’s neck. “I don’t think it was ever platonic after the first night”

 

As if her heart couldn’t be fuller, Karina was ever more ecstatic. This may have been better than winning Artist of the Year. She pulls away from the hug first, looking at Minjeong’s face to not find any malice, she really meant it. 

 

“You’re not kidding” it wasn’t a question. More of a confirmation to herself that this was real.

 

Minjeong rolls her eyes, the end of her lips tugging upwards.

 

“I’m not kidding”

 

Jimin still couldn’t believe it, what would have happened if she didn’t call?

 

“Why?”

 

“Why do I love you? Do I really need a reason? The simple answer is, how could I not?” 

 

The answer made Jimin scrunch her nose lovingly, a habit Minjeong has always loved because you could clearly tell what the girl was thinking when she would do it. To Minjeong, after getting to know the other star, Jimin wasn’t scary, intimidating, mean, or arrogant. She was the total opposite, if all of Korea knew that, then Minjeong would surely have competi