16 years old.

It had been a couple months since she last saw Jimin. Minjeong was 16 now and her life had significantly changed since that day. Different from what she thought, she wasn’t a target for bullies, everyone at school treated her normally and she would like to say nothing changed much.

But that wasn’t the case. Something changed.

Minjeong was popular now.

At first, she didn’t like it. She was still an introvert. The fact she had only found out she was gay and everyone knew made it worse. She felt… watched. Yizhou told her she was being paranoid, that people were only looking at her because she was the new gossip and this whole thing would die down in a few days. Her friend was right, mostly.

The whole thing died down in less than a week, people accepted it, Minjeong liked girls, what about it?

But she was still getting attention. From girls.

Apparently, she wasn’t the only gay girl in her school, but she was the first one to come out. Hence why she was getting so much attention. The other girls considered Minjeong kind of a… hero? They usually approached her in excluded places and told her how she inspired them. She got really shy the first times it happened, of course, she didn’t even come out on purpose, but she didn’t want to let these girls down so she tried to show them some support and, sometimes, support meant…

“You did WHAT?” Yizhou yelled. Why did her friend have to be so loud? What Minjeong had just told her wasn’t even a big deal. “Are you telling me you have been making out with THE Jeon Heejin in the girl’s bathroom?”

“Hum… Yeah?”

Ok, maybe it was a big deal. Jeon Heejin was one of the It girls from their school. Many, many guys tried to court her daily, but Minjeong found out earlier that month that the girl wasn’t that fond of boys. Heejin came onto Minjeong for comfort, how could she deny it?

And that’s how she ended up kissing THE Jeon Heejin in the girl’s bathroom. Actually, that was all she had been doing that month when they were both free from their extracurricular activities.

Of course, she knew Yizhou was going to freak out. Her friend was very protective of her and she was constantly telling Minjeong these girls who go after her are using her. But she was getting to make out with hot girls, her teenager self couldn’t care less if she was being used.

“Does your girlfriend know that?”

What? Minjeong didn’t have a girlfriend. The last girl she went out with happened several weeks ago in an excluded area at the park, they just kissed for a bit and it didn’t mean anything, there was no way Yizhou knew about it, unless she was talking about… Jimin.

“I already told you, Jimin is just my friend” Yes, Minjeong and Jimin had been texting every day since they saw each other again. But Minjeong told herself (And Yizhou) that was what friends do and they spent a lot of time apart so it was normal. They were catching up. They talked about their day, the songs they were into these days and they never forgot to send each other good morning and good nights texts. Jimin was always talking about how she wanted to see Minjeong in person again, how much she missed her, but she had been busy with school and her dad was pretty strict about her grades.

Minjeong understood, of course. Jimin didn’t really get into details, but her family was pretty rich and she didn’t have any siblings, so the weight of being the heir was only on Jimin.

“Talking to you makes me feel normal, you know? It gives me a peace I only felt when I was a kid” Jimin told her once when they were on impromptu call on a Saturday night. “I’m planning on visit you once we’re on summer break, okay? Will you wait for me?”

She said yes. Ever since she was 8, she has been waiting for Jimin to come visit her. She would always wait for her. Jimin was her friend.

But did Minjeong tell Jimin about her making out with a bunch of girls from her school? Of course not. It was embarrassing and Jimin didn’t need to know about it. She wanted her childhood friend to know only the best of her and, mostly, she felt a little guilty. She didn’t know why, but every time Jimin asked what she was doing and she was out with a girl, she felt guilty.

“Alright, does your friend know about this? You usually only make out once or twice with a girl, but this thing with Heejin has been going on for a month, if you haven’t told Jimin yet, I think you should” Yizhou was right. She knew she was an experiment to the other girls, so she didn’t let herself get involved, but it felt kinda different with Heejin. They made out, sure, but they also could actually talk about things. Minjeong thought this could lead to something.

“I will tell her once I know this is serious”

“Promise me to tell her before she comes to visit, okay? Summer break is in a couple weeks” Yizhou looked upset for some reason.

“Ok, but why is that important?”

“Just… do it. If she’s really your friend, she should know.”

-

Two weeks later, Heejin officially asked her out after their last class before summer break. Minjeong accepted, of course. Why wouldn’t she? They hit well, they had chemistry, Heejin was beautiful. She had no reason to say no. Yet, for a second, she felt like she was searching for one.

“Let’s go on a date later!” Heejin said after Minjeong accepted to be her girlfriend. “I want to introduce you to my friends first, though.”

She wanted to point out that all Heejin’s friends already knew her, they all went to the same school anyway, but she just nodded. Her mind was elsewhere. What she had with Heejin was definitely serious now and she promised Yizhou she’d tell Jimin about it. Ugh, she still hated confrontation and, knowing Jimin, she’d ask Minjeong why she didn’t tell her about Heejin before. Without the initial shock, Jimin would probably be very supportive, she always was when Minjeong told her something.

Ping.

A text.

Jiminie:

Minjeongie:

Jiminie:

Minjeongie:

Jiminie:

Minjeongie:

“Who are you texting with this smile on your face?” Oh, for a moment she forgot she was still with Heejin. The girl who just asked her to be her girlfriend.

“Oh, sorry, i