Hustling people, honking cars and sun rays that slightly warmed her skin was what welcomed Minjeong on a Monday morning as she’s on her way to university. Having a car since she’s a freshman in college, she surely isn’t used to this kind of set-up although this isn’t her first time riding a bus. Nonetheless, this occurrence is new to her which made her to slightly fidget as she awaits for the familiar yellow vehicle.

While waiting, she continuously taps her left foot on the sidewalk, a clear portrayal that she’s slowly getting impatient. Only half an hour and her first class will start, knowing that the usual travel time when she’s riding her car is twenty minutes, she can only facepalm as the scowling face of her accounting professor whenever a late student interrupts her class, enters her mind. The scowl might be directed to her later.

At last the bus finally arrived, she immediately clutched harder on her backpack as she made her way to its still closed doors along with other people. Minjeong muttered a low curse when she almost tripped as someone ran after her immediately causing them to bump slightly. Unconsciously, as soon as the bus doors opened, Minjeong grabbed someone’s hand together with her. The stranger could only look at her with confusion written all over her face. Still dumbfounded, the girl just let herself be dragged inside the bus by Minjeong.

“.” Minjeong cursed for the umpteenth time when the familiar beep of an insufficient balance on her transportation card echoed through the busy atmosphere. She forgot to reload her card, she doesn’t find the need to do it regularly since she has her own car. But how can such a thing slip off her mind? Feeling the numerous gazes directed towards her, Minjeong can feel the cold sweats slowly forming on her forehead.

She’s close to praying to all the Gods up there for someone to appear and get her out of this predicament. As if it was answered even before she started saying some words, a sudden voice beside her could be heard which made her to slightly shiver, “Let go of my hand so I can pay for the both of us.” When the words were let out of the girl’s mouth, that's the only time that she finally took notice of herself holding the stranger’s hand. Minjeong abruptly let go of her hand while muttering a bunch of “sorry”. Although she was a bit disoriented thinking how the hell did she end up doing that. The girl looked at her for a few seconds before extending her card on the fare machine. Two beeps resonated and the girl was already making her way to take a seat. Minjeong followed her movements and she can only sigh when the girl is clearly not giving a damn about her. Well, if she’s in her shoes, she will also do the same for who in their right mind would grab a stranger’s hand out of the blue and make her pay for her bus fare?

She slumped her embarrassed self on one of the vacant seats at the back where she can see the girl’s side view. Minjeong might not want to admit it but she really finds the girl beautiful from the very moment she laid her eyes on her. Although she was nervous a while ago, the girl’s face is not hard to appreciate even if your mind is going haywire. She is that beautiful for her.

Maybe, just maybe she opt to sit at this specific position to relish on the girl’s attractive features. Her eyes, albeit cold, somehow hold the galaxy in it. Her nose, which screams perfection. Her long black hair that she’s sure will feel soft on her fingers. Not to mention her plump lips that she knew will fit perfectly on her — No, no snap out of it! She mentally scolded herself at her own inappropriate thoughts and soon diverted her eyes to look at the flashing sceneries outside the window.

_______________

“Why are you still commuting when your car is already fixed, Minjeong-ah?” Her dad curiously inquired one morning which resulted in her to smile sheepishly. It has been a few weeks ever since the incident and as much as she wants to ride her car. Minjeong still has a debt to pay to a stranger that for some unknown reason occupies her mind lately.

Ever since that day, the girl went out of the radar, she’s even starting to think that what happened that one Monday morning was just her mind playing tricks on her. She needs confirmation or she might lose her mind. Minjeong needs to see her again. So, everyday she’s trying her luck. No one will ride her freaking car until she comes face to face with the girl again.

Is it really because you only want to pay her? Her inner self pries.

I— she trailed off, thinking about what to answer to her internal turmoil. After a while, she mentally screamed “Yes! That’s just it. Just to pay for my debt.” She answered with full conviction. But who is she kidding, really?

Minjeong knows it is more than that.

________________

At this rate, she isn’t hoping to see the girl again. Minjeong does not want to be disheartened so early in the morning as the familiar face will not show up. But this will not mean that she will not be ecstatic to see her. Which was proven as she hurried her steps when a lone figure at the bus stop entered her line of sight one Friday morning. She cannot help the grin that immediately broke on her face after their eyes met.

Minjeong stood beside the girl timidly, thinking on how to start their conversation. In her peripheral vision, she can sense that the latter is also looking at her from time to time or maybe it is just her assuming things. Nevertheless, she immediately dropped the thought because why would the girl look at her?

Gathering an ounce of courage, she abruptly faced the latter who’s looking in the opposite direction to where she stood, clearly waiting for the familiar vehicle to emerge.

“Uhmmm…” she started in a hushed tone, still shy. Her words obviously fell into deaf ears.

“Hi…” Minjeong greeted a notch higher. Still, no response. Trying another approach, she then extends her hand on the girl’s shoulder to finally make her presence known. As soon as the graze was felt, Minjeong saw the girl slightly jerked at the sudden touch.

She let out an apologetic smile towards the latter upon seeing her clearly shocked face when she looked at her.

A flash of recognition on her eyes and Minjeong knows that the girl remembers what happened that day. This observation ignites the embarrassment she felt on their first encounter to resurface again. If not for the latter’s expectant eyes, she might have run away already.

So, with one heave of a deep sigh, Minjeong utters shortly, “I’ll pay this time.” True to her words, two beeps can be heard as they boarded the bus. This time instead of the girl, it is her who pays.

Paying one fare is better than paying for two, for sure. But after seeing a small smile on the girl’s features as she uttered her ‘thank you’. Minjeong does not mind being indebted forever so she can pay for both of them and witness the girl’s smile being thrown her way.

“I’m Minjeong. Kim Minjeong.” she introduced herself upon settling beside the girl. She’s now keen to know about the latter which surprises herself. Although she had her fair share of crushes back then, Minjeong has never been this pushy to let her presence be known.

Oh.

Wait, did I just unconsciously blurt out that I am crushing on her?

What the hell is wrong with me?

“I’m Karina Yu.” her internal ramblings had been cut off when the latter replied.

A few words from her is already a progress. Minjeong cannot help but to let out a smile at the realization but soon turns into a serious one as she racks her brain for another topic to start another round of conversation. Upon taking notice of the sling hanging on the girl’s neck, a bright idea came into her mind.

“I didn’t know that we go to the same school. How come I have never seen you?” Karina diverted her eyes towards her and her confident expression almost faltered as the latter gave her a round of look before stopping on the similar ID sling.

“Maybe we don’t have the same department or you saw me already but you just forgot.”

Minjeong too faced the girl while sporting a ‘thinking’ look before replying, “I bet it must be the first one.”

“Why?” the latter replied almost instantly.

Before she can think properly, the words have already slipped out of , “Your face is hard to miss.” her eyes widened at the realization. The girl too sported the same look as hers for a split second before she averted her gaze outside the window.

“I— I mean…” she stuttered, thinking of ways on how to get herself out of this situation. Minjeong cannot believe that she is this whipped to blurt out those words. Well, it is not as if those were not her honest thoughts. She does find Karina really beautiful and if she ever comes across such a face, Minjeong knows she will not forget such beauty. And if their first encounter is not a proof of that, then she will surely not let out that compliment unconsciously.

Still not being able to formulate a good reason, she dejectedly slumped back on her seat. Retreating.

“Fine…” she sighs first before continuing shortly, “I really do find you beautiful.”

She never expounded on her words as she’s busy picking up her embarrassed self on the ground.

“Thank you, I guess?...” Karina uttered while letting out a low chuckle upon seeing the distressed expression on the latter’s face.

“You do sound like you get those words a lot.”

Karina shrugged because there are a handful of people she can remember that moment who compliments her too. Not that she’s bragging about it, she doesn’t even know what’s so special about her appearance for them to shower her with these kinds of words.

“Well, you are not the first one to say that they find me beautiful.”

Minjeong does not have an inkling on where she gets her courage to say, “How about that your face is hard to miss?” she leans slowly while still maintaining a respectful distance between the two of them.

“I…” the latter trailed off, making Minjeong know that she’s somehow taken aback with her sudden boldness. It is just that she is not sure if it is a good thing or not.

The latter turned away first from her before uttering, “You are the first one to say that.” in a hushed tone.

Cute.

“Is that a good thing?” Minjeong pries more. They are already at this state so might as well get through this until the end was the thought that circled her mind.

“It is.” If not for her good hearing, she will probably not hear those two words. She smiled at the girl one last time before taking her seat properly, satisfied with what occurred the second time they met.

Those failed attempts for the past few weeks were surely worth it. And she doesn’t mind a few more if she can get to talk to the girl again like this.

__________________

Casual conversations turned into friendly banter, occasional meet-ups at the bus stop became a waiting game so that they could get on the bus together and the look of indifference developed into grins and eye smiles.

They settled on their usual seat at the back portion of the bus. Jimin (the girl let her call her by her Korean name by the fourth time they sat side by side on one of the bus seats) offered a cup of coffee to the latter while Minjeong fished out her prepared sandwich for the girl. This actually became their daily routine. Jimin takes over their drinks while Minjeong is tasked to prepare something for the both of them to eat.

They then ate in silence but not totally as their shared earphones blasted the playlist they both created to be played during their travel time towards their university. It is not that their departments were not the same but also their buildings are on the opposite side of the campus, making their paths to rarely cross. Minjeong is halfway hitting the bullseye at that time. But ‘them’ rarely seeing each other inside their university is not the case anymore these past few weeks as Minjeong sometimes visits the older girl to give her something to eat, to grab lunch together or to just simply say hi. Conversely, when Jimin has something to do near the younger one’s building, she would also do the same.

____________________________

Minjeong huffed as she tried to catch her breath but despite her exhausted and worked up self due to her waking a lot later than expected, she still let out a small smile as the familiar figure of the girl could be seen a few meters away from her. Their eyes met the usual which caused Minjeong to wave her hand, signaling the girl to wait for her as she’s still busy steadying her breathing.

A frown immediately formed on her face when Jimin smiled at her apologetically before getting inside the bus. And that’s the exact time she realized that someone’s actually with her. A guy, probably a senior too. From the looks of it he seems decent. Clean cut hair, neatly ironed uniform and all other things that you can describe to someone who’s the campus’ good boy.

One thing Minjeong doesn’t like about him is the lovesick look he is throwing at Jimin. It is clear as the sun rays that are now irritating her, how he is having a huge crush on her. His gestures are also hard to miss, he makes way for Jimin to enter the bus first and even paid for both of them. She scoffed at what she witnessed. If only she could shout “That’s my duty, back off.”, Minjeong will surely do so.

She then dragged her annoyed self inside the vehicle afterwards, and such annoyance shot up a few more levels as the very scene that welcomed her was the guy occupying her seat beside the girl on their usual seat. Minjeong cannot help the questioning look from appearing on her face while looking at Jimin before taking her seat on the vacant ones in front of them.

Trying to dismiss what she’s feeling that very moment, she opened their playlist to somehow let loose. Minjeong then remembers the last song she added to it. It is her self-made song for the latter. After a huge amount of efforts, she finally finished recording it last night.

Actually the main reason why she’s getting too worked up with what transpired this morning is that she’s actually planning to finally confess to the girl. They should be beside each other right now, earphones on each side, playing some random songs on their playlist before Minjeong plays the very recording she made. But someone just has to ruin all of those.

Now, tell her, who’s in their right mind who will not get annoyed by this?

Minjeong was hovering on the delete button when she decided to listen to it one last time before it will be burned away together with the unsaid feelings she harbors for the latter.

Title: To The Girl That is Hard to Miss

(Disclaimer: These were not derived lyrics from an official song so I don’t really expect that you’ll find this really good.)

// Your eyes met mine that one Monday morning,

Cold at first, making me look away.

Your features screams perfection,

Beautiful at first, I can’t look away.

Your very first smile has made me risk it all.

I know I’ll do things for you

That I haven’t done before.

Not the usual me. But it is okay.

Oh, I’ll let this song be played,

Blasting through our playlist,

As I finally confess.

To the girl that is hard to miss,

I like you a lot more than it seems.//

As the chords and her voice faded, she heaved a disappointed sigh. Her ecstatic self the night before seems to fade too together with the song she will probably not be able to make Jimin to hear. Before she can press the delete button another song has been added to the playlist.

Sorry by Justin Bieber

Minjeong wonders what she is sorry for.

Is Jimin apologizing for the situation they were in right now?

Was it for letting someone take over her seat?

Was it for letting this someone do the usual things that they do?

Or…

Is Jimin apologizing because she cannot reciprocate her feelings after hearing the song?

Minjeong does not know. She’s already clouded with numerous negative thoughts. That is why as fast as she could get, she immediately rushed out when the bus stopped in front of her university. Not even minding Jimin’s incessant calling of her name.

“Minjeong-ah! You will stop or I’m not going to talk to you anymore!” Her words did not only halt her steps but also the people near them. Curious glances were thrown their way at the scene the both of them caused.

As much as she wants to save herself from the impending heartbreak, Minjeong knows she cannot bear to not talk with the latter.

Slowly, she faced the girl.

A glare could be first seen as the latter’s expression but soon it morphed into a small smile as she waved her phone in her hand right. Minjeong squinted her eyes and realized that on the screen was their playlist. She then looked at her open one and realized that another song had been added.

I Like You by Day6

What?

Still confusing herself for a few moments with what’s the meaning behind it, when she looked up her breath was caught in as Jimin’s face just a few inches away from her was what welcomed her.

“W-what…” she dumbfoundedly asked, still lost for words. Minjeong has already an inkling of what the girl meant but she does not want to get her hopes up again.

Fluttering feelings surge through every veins of her body when the latter takes her hand into hers while looking at her intently. At that instant, Minjeong knows that it is already safe to assume that the girl likes her too. Jimin’s orbs scream adoration, “I like you too, Minjeong-ah.” There it is.

“You’re not joking right?”

“Way to ruin the moment, .” Jimin stated while rolling her eyes but a bunch of chuckles followed suit.

“I am just making sure. I mean— you’re with a guy just a while ago.” She cannot help to make her annoyance be unknown to the latter.

“He’s not just a guy, Minjeong-ah.”

“See.” She’s on her way to take back her hands from Jimin’s hold when the latter tightened her grip.

With a teasing smile, Jimin pulled her closer towards her “Don’t tell me you're jealous?”

“I am not!” she defensively exclaimed, trying to push the latter away.

“What kind of scene is this, Yu Jimin?” A slightly authoritative voice cut through their conversation. They immediately broke their hold.

When Minjeong looked at the source of the voice, her face immediately formed into a poker face. It is the guy with Jimin on the bus.

“Oppa…”

Oppa?!

She let out a snort at what Jimin addressed him as. Really? Oppa?

A hand s on her waist as she was pulled closer to the girl. Jimin didn’t forget to pinch her on the side afterwards.

“Oppa, this is Minjeong…”

“Minjeong-ah, this is Suho, my older brother.” Jimin emphasized the older brother for she is sure that the latter misunderstood everything.

When the words registered on her mind, Minjeong was so close to bowing until her head hit the ground while mentally facepalming herself for she might have ruined her soon to be brother-in-law's impression of her.

Coming back to her senses, she then let out a polite but nervous smile.

“It is a pleasure to meet you…” Minjeong trailed off, not knowing what to call him.

Oppa? Sir?

Seeing Minjeong’s current self, Jimin let out a small chuckle as she coaxed the girl by rubbing her back.

“So you are Minjeong, huh?” the younger girl gulped upon sensing the seriousness of the latter’s voice. He even eyes her from head to toe. She feels like she’s back to being a little girl who has done something wrong and her father is asking her about it.

“Yah, don’t scare her, oppa.”

“Yah?” Suho unbelievably uttered at her sister’s informal words. Now, it is not only Minjeong that’s nervous.

“Come here.” Immediately, Jimin went to her brother’s side.

“No touching until you will not formally introduce us to each other.” Suho strictly stated while pulling the girl’s ear slightly.

“Tomorrow. 8PM sharp. In our house. Don’t be late.” Are his words before dragging her sister away from Minjeong who is still processing everything.

She was only pulled out of her reverie when a soft pair of lips landed on her right cheek. She blinked a few times and when her head was already cleared, Jimin’s smiling face was in front of her before she dashed again to her brother’s side. Minjeong let out a loud chuckle when she saw Suho pinched the latter’s side. Jimin even blew her a playful kiss as the siblings rounded the corner making them out of her line of sight.

If she’s close to condemning this day a while ago. Now, Minjeong knows she will be forever thankful for today, as the girl that she finds hard to miss…likes her too.

End.

A/N: Hope y'all like this one :) Just a short gift from me 💕 feel free to comment your thoughts. Stay safe :)