As seconds, minutes, hours, and days passed, an unexpected relationship. They didn’t know what to call it, maybe not friends, maybe not exactly enemies, it didn’t matter at the moment though. If it worked for the team, it worked for them too. 

 

A blooming possibility that maybe, things weren’t a hopeless cause between Minjeong and Jimin. They still argued, but it toned down to banter, sometimes even playful on certain good days. 

 

But it was obvious.

 

That there was a boundary they set for themselves, they shouldn’t be too intimate or never too happy around each other. They held back to never play in that gray zone, never to even entertain the idea of spontaneously enjoying the presence of each other because it was weird, too out of the ordinary of their usual nature outside of cheer practice.

 

In classes, halls, the courtyard, anywhere far away from the gymnasium, they would still glare at each other, sneer, spit insults because they couldn’t help it, they practically feed off of each other's attention.

 

They knew that their old ways around each other have never truly faded. Jimin would often catch Minjeong bite her tongue before a snarky remark could spill out towards her in the premise of the physical education department, while Minjeong would sense Jimin shooting daggers at her when she would get praises from the coach. 

 

They’re trying to the best of their abilities though, and everyone noticed. The school talked, cheer practices have never been better, Ms. Kang even complimented them more times than they have ever heard her before. 

 

Jimin liked it, but she was scared, so scared that one day this peace in practice would come crashing to the ground. It was one thing that this mutual middle ground with Minjeong felt like a ticking bomb ready to explode any day, and it was another that there was this warning siren that goes off in her mind every now and then when Minjeong would be close. She was just so used to Minjeong hating her all the time.

 

She knew what it was very well, this sort of admiration, it was dangerous but the emotion was always in the back of her mind since she first met the girl. Like a person with working eyes could tell, Jimin knew that Minjeong was very attractive, smart, talented, and had a good sense of leadership. So this feeling wasn’t surprising, it was a feeling that was familiar.

 

With Joohyun, Eunbi, Jisoo, and countless others, one thing they all had in common was they caught Jimin’s attention in an aspect where she was lovestruck. 

 

With Kim Minjeong on the other hand, the realization came crashing down on her like a plane with its wings caught on fire. The mere idea scared her to no end, so she let it be, doesn’t even bother to label it as anything more than admiration because that’s all it should be. 

 

Jimin truly knew that ignorance is truly a bliss.

 

The whole team was relaxing on the bleachers for a break, some laying down, some sitting, some standing. Minjeong was layed down, head on Aeri’s lap, chatting with her surrounding team mates. 

 

“Oh yeah, girls, after practice today lets head to this restaurant” Aeri excitedly offers “My treat!” 

 

As expected, the majority say they could go. 

 

A girl turns to face a close eyed Minjeong, it was Jihan “What about you Minjeong?” 

 

She opens her eyes at the mention of her name, Minjeong sits up to search for a certain black haired girl in the group, eventually spotting her at the top of the bleachers with Ning Ning. 

 

“Only if Jimin is coming” Aeri gives her a curious look, Minjeong ignores it and her friend decides to ask Jimin.

 

“Hey other co-captains!” Minjeong snorts at the fact that Jimin responds to other co captain “Wanna come with us to a restaurant after practice? I’ll pay! Ning you’re coming too” 

 

Jimin catches Minjeong’s anticipating eyes, holds it and nods, turning her attention back to Ning Ning and the girl’s chemistry textbook. 

 

“Well then, I guess it’s a yes for me” Minjeong smiles. 

 

It was a rather fancy restaurant, located in a highrise with a perfect view of the night’s cityscape. 

 

A good break after days of hard work. 

 

The two captains find themselves seated beside each other in the middle of a long table surrounded by hungry, tired highschool girls and they were perfectly fine with that. This was their people. The group engaged in topics from their ideal graduation trip to the students they hate. 

 

Now, the topic was romance and Jimin was far from a nosy person, but maybe she was slightly curious about her friend’s love lives. 

 

“Still happily single”

 

“Long distance relationship with a dreamy boy from Canada”

 

“Body count is probably in the tens range” 

 

“Going through a break up”

 

“Hook ups with one person, no strings attached”

 

The topic got to Minjeong and Aeri just had to ask, “So, how is Heejin in bed?” 

 

Minjeong frowns, mid way of taking a bite into her lasagna.

 

“We’ve been talking from time to time Aeri, you can’t possibly think I just around”

 

Minjeong’s best friend gasps dramatically “Oh? Kim Minjeong, cheer captain and honor roll student doesn’t sleep with teachers and every student she lays eyes on?”

 

“Yeah, no” she laughs

 

“Heejin is a catch, she’s hot, pretty, hot, and hot! You’re moving awfully slower than usual” 

 

Somehow, Minjeong garnished this reputation for being a player and she just doesn’t know where that rumor even came from, probably from one of the people whose hearts got broken.

 

An unexplainable feeling surged in Jimin’s chest, it made her want to slam Minjeong’s face to her plate of lasagna. She hated that the feeling might possibly be jealousy because she has nothing to be envious of. Jimin was far from the possessive type after all. 

 

She was about to leave the table for fresh air, until she felt warm hands on her exposed thighs, looking over, it was Minjeong looking right at her. The other girl leans in and Jimin freezes, mind going haywire.

 

“There’s alfredo sauce right here” Minjeong says softly, cupping Jimin’s face and gently wiping away whatever was there, then pulling away.

 

“T-thanks”

 

“It was bothering me, I didn’t want to be seen sitting with a clutz” Jimin glares at her, and it seemed like neither of them noticed how the whole table was gawking disbelievingly at them. 

 

“Right in front of my salad” they hear someone say. 

 

Later that dinner, Jimin finally had time to excuse herself to the bathroom. The memory of the fact that Minjeong possibly might be fooling around with Heejin arised. Through the few days of them getting better at at least trying to get along, Jimin would say that they did a fairly good job. And with not antagonizing Minjeong as much any more came unwanted feelings, like the little thrill she felt whenever they were in the same room. 

 

While Jimin was so deep in her thoughts, leaning onto the washroom sink, Minjeong watched her from the washroom entrance. 

 

Minjeong felt something off about Jimin throughout the whole dinner, something was clearly bothering her but it didn’t feel like her place to pry… but her mind was waging in war whether to ask about it or not.

 

Her curiosity gave in, she was going to ask as a team mate, co captain to co captain. 

 

“What’s wrong with you today, Yu?” Jimin freezes at the sound of the very voice she least wanted to hear at the moment, she turns her head slowly towards the girl.

 

“Nothing, I was just about to leave-”

 

“Are you okay?” Minjeong’s voice was gentle, and Jimin hates it so much, she hates how she feels her mind almost break to reply with a ‘no, I’m not’. But she decides against it, it would only make things awkward around them and that’s not what she wanted. 

 

“I’m fine, Minjeong. Just- Just go back and talk with them about whatever like Heejin or something” Quickly after saying that, Jimin instantly regrets it because she practically gave herself away. 

 

Minjeong makes a face at the mention of Heejin’s name. 

 

“Oh, so this is what this is all about?” She says disbelievingly, her eyes darken that Jimin was making an unnecessary deal over something as simple as that. 

 

“Forget about it” Jimin grumbles, returning the same dark look. 

 

“You’re ing jelouse? Are you kidding Jimin?” 

 

“I said forget about it” she says in a more stern manner. Minjeong’s face falls ever more with how Jimin didn’t deny it, the girl liked Heejin.

 

“If you’re going to put our positions at risk as well as our team, over a girl, You can have her. I don’t care, go Heejin and ask me if I care, because I’d say I don’t” Minjeong swallows the distaste in at the idea of it all. 

 

Jimin grits her teeth, holding back from pushing Minjeong into the wall to shut her up. All she c