"hey, wake up, wake up! we're about to see the stars, sleepyhead!" fourteen year old minjeong shakes jimin's sleeping figure as minjeong pats the soft cotton of the blanket they were on. the roof was kind of cold and fhe wind was strong, so one blanket wasn't really enough. still, minjeong didn't care.

the audacity of jimin to climb the tree of minjeong's vicinity and coming all the way up to her bedroom, only for her to suddenly doze off and almost leave her best friend hanging. minjeong definitely understood as it was always like jimin was a sloth. 

minjeong points the star northeast, and it started to shimmer. "that one's quite big, don't you think?" 

jimin doesn't answer.

"hey, jimin, i was ask...ing..." minjeong turns to a staring jimin, quite parted, like she was spacing out. it took her three seconds before she comes back to reality.

"ah! i'm sorry, you caught me staring....mindoong, you're just really cute, you know?" jimin sheepishly chuckled and scratched the back of her neck. minjeong's cheeks heated.

"we're supposed to enjoy stargazing, not spacing out," minjeong's brows furrowed. jimin sighs and playfully rolls her eyes, 

"yes, i know, now c'mere," she yanks minjeong's shoulders, pulling her close and she lets minjeong lean her back to her chest. minjeong widens her eyes but she starts to feel comfortable in less than a minute.

they spend the next hour shaping the stars into different objects. minjeong's shapes were candy canes,  an eyeglass, and her pet fish jermaine. jimin, on the other hand, saw a puppy's nose, some coins, and a bowtie.

"hey, min, would i look good in a bowtie?" jimin suddenly asks. minjeong comes off of jimin's chest as she turns to her way. 

"but bowties are for suits, right? you can't possibly wear a dress and a bowtie together..." minjeong questions. jimin gives a laugh.

"idiot, of course i'll wear a suit!" minjeong's mouth shaped an "ahh" as realization.

"i think you'd look very nice in a bowtie and a suit, handsomely pretty. is that even a valid combination?" minjeong chuckles. jimin's heart soars as she feels the tugging clutch inside her chest.

the cool breeze continued to blow as their hair started to block their faces. minjeong tucks a few strands on the back of her ear, "it's getting chillier. should we head down—"

"minjeong, do you wanna go to prom with me?"

minjeong pauses at jimin's sudden question. "what? stop being silly, we're not even in high school yet!" 

jimin laughs because minjeong was right. they were barely in sixth grade. "i mean, you know! in the future," jimin says.

minjeong puts her fingers under her chin, rubbing it as if this was a hard question to answer. but in the back of minjeong's head, it was easy to say yes. because nothing's better than having to spend prom night with jimin, her best friend. her one true favorite person.

"we'll see. maybe if you ask first before other boys do," minjeong giggles. 

"hey, no fair! boys are boring(she exclaims as if she wouldn't get a boyfriend in the next six years), plus, i'm your best friend!" jimin furrows her brows. minjeong notices the wave of hair on jimin's scrunched face, so she reaches out her arm and carefully carressed jimin's cheek, brushing her hair to the back of her head. jimin was short-circuiting inside as she feels minjeong's small hands on her face. 

"i just know we'd end up being prom dates, since you're always so eager of competition. betcha wouldn't even give them the chance to ask me first," minjeong sighs as it was jimin's turn to giggle. she traces minjeong's wrist as she interlocked her fingers with hers.

minjeong felt ticklish of the sudden action, as it was the first time jimin's ever done that to her. "sorry, it's too cold. i wanted to hold hands," jimin explains. minjeong shrugs in response.

"i know you wouldn't. give them a chance i mean, even if they asked first." jimin's tone laced with confidence and minjeong laughs.

----

aeri comes over to minjeong's dorm as ning helps her with the big shoulder bag she was carrying.

"we're just in time right?" aeri asks as she welcomes herself in minjeong's haven, and ning decides to buy drinks for the three of them.

"jesus, you look like a deserted lizard," aeri remarks as minjeong gave her a furious glare. aeri just sheepishly smiles as she brought out the big, no, large make up box that was inside her shoulder bag. minjeong eyes it as she was flabbergasted. she has no genuine liking for make up. especially of heavy ones.

but today, tonight , maybe it could be an exception.

minjeong sits on the swivel chair just by the table as aeri drops the matte framed mirror on it. she picks up her make up palettes, some foundation, and other things minjeong doesn't know the name of. 

"well, can i take a look at your dress? i probably need to match your make up with that," aeri asks. minjeong nods as she heads to the closet and opened it, revealing a royal blue tube dress which her mother bought for her all the way from US. It's been two years since it was given to her, so she doesn't know if it still fits.

"what?! then go fit it now, !" aeri shrieks and pushed minjeong to the bathroom along with her dress, closing it as she waits for the latter to dress. minjeong had no idea how dresses work, but somehow she manages to pull it all the way on her body, seeming comfortable and pretty. 

yes, she feels pretty. because she's going in this dress as jimin's prom date.

ah, yes, Yu Jimin. minjeong wonders if she's doing well too? jimin didn't show up today because she texted minjeong she was heading home since her parents wanted to see her off before she actually heads to the ball. 

what color of dress would she wear? should've i told her what color i would wear too? maybe it wouldn't match..

minjeong's thoughts shuffled in her head as she quietly opened the door, not noticing ningning was already back with their fruit tea. aeri and ning slowly widened their eyes as minjeong shows herself with the majestic dress engulfing her body.

"minjeongie...you.." aeri starts.

"....are amazing. i'd leave aeri for you," ningning mutters in a joking tone as aeri glares at her, making her laugh. minjeong gives them a sheepish grin as she walked her way back to the table. 

it took them almost an hour to finish up minjeong's look. she was unimistakingly breathtaking, as per ningning's remarks. she had medium light to no make up, since she really couldn't take the heaviness. her brown hair which was at the level of her shoulders months ago, now reaching the center of her back. aeri braided it into a half ponytail as the ends were curled into pretty locks.

everyone was all ready, even for ning who only put on her favorite red mermaid dress. as for aeri, a black asymmetric one. it's where her other shoulder had a long sleeve while the other was fully opened. unlike ning's which was spread out, aeri's dress had a wide slit for her leg to show. minjeong suddenly feels a little more insecure at how her two friends rocked those fits. 

they booked a car to the hotel venue and it was just in time as the clocked ticked seven in the evening. the program starts at forty five, so there's time.

for minjeong, this was all new to her. after all, their high school had no plans of having a junior ball before, which . so she doesn't know what it feels like to trip or fall and dance til her heart bursts out of her chest.

and she knows, jimin feels the same too.

"jiminie says she's at the hallway, but there's just... too many people" aeri taps on her phone and minjeong assumed jimin texted her. she was starting to get worried about how jimin did not say anything to her, may it be just a sticker or a small "i'm here!", but then, who was she to  complain?

"i'm not coming with," minjeong suddenly backs away as ning held her in place. 

"you're not going anywhere, miss Kim" ning shakes her head as minjeong gritted her teeth. what is this gnawing feeling? it was too much all at once: she was nervous. or maybe excited? perhaps she's also feeling gloomy. because she hates crowds.

"hey! over here, tiny asses!" 

my love was as cruel as the cities I lived in

everyone looked worse in the light

jimin's voice sent chills down the brunette's spine, her knees wanting to fall in place, but thankfully ning was still holding her. minjeong knew if she turned around at the girl she's always wanted to face, she'd be damned.

so she takes a deep breath, heart pounding, the gorilla grip her nerves are doing while s