When Jimin receives a notification of a message from "Do Not Text" she opens her phone reluctantly, her hands slightly shaking with anticipation but also dread.

“Hello?”

“Is this still Jimin’s number?”

She purses her lips, waiting for a few minutes to reply.

“Hi, it’s Jimin. Who’s this?”

So much for pretending you don’t know who it is. Jimin thinks. The other girl replies instantly.

“It’s Minjeong.”

“I know when we saw each other at the supermarket you had so many questions in your face.”

“I just wanna know if you want to meet up and catch up.”

“That reunion in the supermarket was short.”

“But only if you are comfortable, of course.”

Jimin’s eyebrows creased. It wouldn’t hurt if I go, besides, I have so many questions like she said. I kinda need closure too. But before Jimin replies, she calls Yizhou first to tell her about what happened. It takes a few rings before the younger one picks up.

“Unnie! How are you?”

Jimin bites her lips, thinking of what she was going to say. “I’m fine. I need your opinion on something.”

“Are you going to meet up with her?”

The older’s eyebrows raise, “You know she’s back? Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”

She can sense Yizhou pouting on the other side, “I just came to know just earlier since she texted me saying she was back and was asking how I was doing. And she kinda mentioned that she saw you at the supermarket. Was I right in speculating she’s asking you to meet her?”

“You’re right.” Jimin sighs, raking her hands through her long hair. “What do you think I should do?”

“I know you’re still looking for closure when she left you. And I honestly think you should go and get the answers you need.”

“I will then,” Jimin smiles even though Yizhou can’t see her face, “Thank you.”

“Anytime, unnie!”

The call ends and Jimin types a reply to Minjeong’s last text. “Sure.”

Even though Yizhou had told her so many times that she could do it, Jimin’s hands were slightly shaking as she stood in front of the venue where Minjeong decided where they should meet. With reluctant steps, she approaches the entrance, and talks to the woman on the reception.

“Hi! One entrance ticket, please?”

“Sure!” The woman says, and prints a receipt, “That would be 500 won.”

Jimin gives the woman the bill, and just says she can keep the change. The latter only smiles, and ushers Jimin to the entrance of the garden. “Have a good day!”

Jimin nods, her voice stuck on because she’s afraid that this day won’t be good. With short strides as she enters the garden, the taller one gasps on the scenery, with the plants swaying as the wind blows with the addition of the small chatters of the people walking around, her nervousness dissipates, and she brings out her phone to text someone. I’m here, where are you? 

It wasn’t even after a minute when her phone rings and she picks up. “Hello?”

“I’m here on the part of the garden with the butterflies.”

“Okay.” Jimin replies, bringing out the map on the garden and she sees that it’s just near the entrance. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Be careful.”

And the call ends. 

(I very much recommend for y'all to play this song while reading the next two scenes, here.)

She spots the younger one a few yards after her. There wasn’t really a person in sight and she’s thankful that they can talk about things seriously without a disruption. She whispers, but it’s enough for Minjeong to hear her voice. “I’m here.”

Minjeong turns around, and smiles at her, her eyes turning into crescents and her teeth showing fully. Jimin melts at the sight, feels the butterflies erupting in her stomach once again and fireworks going off behind her. She’s reminded once again that this is the girl that she loved the most, still is, and she’s afraid that Minjeong can take her heart again, break it with her own hands even for a few times, and she will let her and be fine with it. 

“You’re here.” Minjeong says, and turns her back to her, “The butterflies are beautiful, aren’t they?”

You’re more beautiful, your beauty can rival how the moon shines so brightly, how the sun gives light. You’re the sunshine of my life, the calm of the storms in my mind everyday. You’re my lifeline, my-  But Jimin clears , and settles with, “Yes, they are.”

She takes a few steps, until she’s beside Minjeong, the urge to hold her hand and intertwine their fingers is so strong that Jimin has to hold her left hand in case to stop it. “Why did you want to talk?”

Minjeong hums as if thinking. “We haven’t seen each other for years already. I just want to know how you’re doing. So, how are you?”

Jimin’s ears started ringing, her fists clenched from remembering all of the hard things that she had to endure and no one was by her side. The person she depended on left her to chase her dreams, and she knows that she can’t compete with the other girl’s dreams when she knew from the start that it’s really important. So why does it still hurt after years? Just, why?

Jimin couldn’t hold back herself anymore, and instead of trying to speak by clearing , a choked cry came out instead. Both girls were surprised, even Minjeong whipping her head quickly to look at her, her eyes turning from curious to concerned orbs. Tears are freely falling down now from Jimin’s face, and Minjeong just wants to wipe them off, hug her until the older girl’s cries cease, but she doesn’t do anything, her hands on her sides, holding her pants to stop herself from doing something.

“You came back, and showed up in my life unannounced again.” Jimin starts, holding her hand up when Minjeong’s mouth opens as if to say something. The latter closes , relenting.

“Let me speak first, Minjeong. I’ve been holding these for years already. You leaving me with only a letter saying you’re already at the airport and telling me not to go and stop with you was the dumbest move you pulled.” The older woman starts, chest heaving heavily as she tries to calm herself down while crying, “You could’ve told me earlier that you accepted the offer, not for it to blow up in my face and you already gone.You didn’t even ask for my opinion. I was willing to go with you there, to be with you while you achieve your dreams while I achieve mine. I was willing to go through the ends of earth with you, to go through hell and back with you. But you weren’t willing to do the same. You packed up your bags and went, left me a letter saying sorry and not to go and follow you. So what was I supposed to do? The love of my life breaking up with me through a letter and now you’re back and asking me how I was doing? Do you think I was doing so much better after that?”

Jimin starts to laugh sarcastically, hurting already from crying, but she’s relieved, relieved that she said all of these out loud and to Minjeong herself. The latter is only there standing, looking at Jimin with wide eyes and trying to process all of the information until she bites her lips and starts crying too. Good thing, there aren’t people around huh?

“So, I believe it’s my turn now to talk, yeah?” Minjeong asks between sobs, and Jimin nods, still crying.

“It wasn’t easy, Jimin.” Minjeong says, trying to breathe between sobs, “It wasn’t an easy choice for me to make, to follow my dreams in exchange for leaving you. But you know there’s no one I could depend on but myself, I’m an orphan for god sakes, Jimin. I had to work hard for everything that I have, to work double time just so I can have money, to even eat a proper meal. So when a letter arrives from one of the universities I applied to even though I think there’s no way I could’ve gotten in, I know I had to choose that, even if it hurts me. Even if it hurts every fiber of my being, even if it means leaving you, my lifeline for my dreams. I couldn’t take you away with me there when your parents need you here, and I didn’t want them to disagree with me more when they’re against our relationship already from the start. I didn’t want you to suffer the consequences just because you wanted to go with me, and we were still young during that time, what if you