Depend on Me

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Aeri stares at the two giggling girls in front of her with a blank stare. 

 

“When has my pudding become her pudding?” She asks as Minjeong peels the cover of what used to be Aeri’s pudding off, the chocolate pudding off of it with a smug look on her face. 

 

“Your pudding is my pudding.” Jimin tells her best friend. 

 

“So why does she have it?” 

 

Jimin turns to look at Minjeong who happily eats with gusto. “What’s mine is hers.” 

 

Aeri makes a sound, “that’s disgusting.” And when she sees the blush form on Minjeong’s cheeks, she pushes her tray of food away from her. “I’ve actually lost my appetite.” 

 

“Shut up, Aeri. They’re cute.” Ning Ning wears a giddy smile of awe. 

 

Snorting, Aeri steals Ning Ning’s pudding on her plate. “Please, they hold hands once, and suddenly you think they’re Tom Holland and Zendaya.” 

 

Ning Ning furrows her brows, “that analogy doesn’t make any sense.” 

 

“Yes, it does.” Aeri scoops pudding onto a spoon and eats it, “they’re the hottest couple in Hollywood, and they’re engaged. For lifers. They’re cute.” She points the spoon towards Minjeong and Jimin in their own world, “they hold hands once, and still haven’t even gone on a date yet. Big difference.” 

 

Ning Ning blinks, before snatching her pudding back from Aeri. “You know what? Next time how about we all keep and eat what’s on our trays? It consists of the same foods.” 

 

Jimin shrugs, “it just tastes better when it’s someone else’s.” 

 

“It’s the same!” 

 

_

 

Jimin sits patiently on the hospital bed for her check up. Irene was talking outside with another doctor, one that Jimin didn’t recognize, but she assumes the conversation was about her as Irene kept subtle glances towards her. 

 

By the look of Irene’s face, it didn’t seem like it was any good news. 

 

When Irene walks back into the room, Jimin acknowledges her small smile, but only waits to be spoken to. 

 

“Well,” Irene sighs, her hand moving to cover Jimin’s on her lap. “Good news is you moved up one on the list. Number 18.” The older woman smiles, hoping for excitement in Jimin’s eyes. 

 

“And?” Jimin asks, no luck in any excitement. 

 

“Well, your blood pressure is lower than usual. Do you feel lightheaded or dizzy in any part of today?” Irene asks, lifting her hand to caress Jimin’s hair, “maybe a bit of fatigue and weakness?” 

 

Jimin shrugs, “a little.” 

 

“Alright.” Irene wraps her arm around her shoulder, cheek resting on top of Jimin’s head. “I’m going to prescribe you medication for your hypotension.” 

 

“It’s getting worse?” Jimin asks in a small voice. 

 

Irene pulls back and looks down at Jimin with the same smile. She knew that her Aunt Irene was trying to think positively and not scare her. “It’s not anything that we have to keep you in here for. Check your blood pressure before you go to bed and when you wake up, and take your medication as instructed.” 

 

“Okay,” Jimin whispers. 

 

Irene caresses her cheek with her thumb, “seventeen more people to push through, Jimin. You’ll get your new heart.” 

 

Jimin blinks, “say I do get a new heart. What is my mortality percentage during the surgery?” 

 

Irene raises her eyebrows, “well, that’s something you have to discuss with the surgeon. When the time comes.” 

 

“You said there’s a possibility that my body would reject the new heart.” Jimin mentions, “I don’t want to die on the surgery table, Aunt Irene. That’s not how I want to leave this world.” 

 

“You won’t.” Irene says sternly, eyes watering, and voice shaking. “That’s not going to happen, Jimin.” 

 

“It could.” 

 

Irene closes her eyes, and drops her forehead onto Jimin’s head. “The universe will play their cards right for you this time, Jimin. You’ll make it.” 

 

Jimin lets out a shaky breath. 

 

When Irene pulls away, placing a kiss on her forehead, Jimin looks up at her with a sudden shine in her eyes. 

 

“Do you wanna hear what happened last night?” 

 

Irene raises a brow, “something good I hope?” 

 

Jimin nods, “Minjeong held my hand.” She covers with her two hands, eyes squinting into crescent moons, shining bright like the twinkle of the stars. 

 

Irene breaks into a grin, “did she now?” 

 

“She did.” Jimin nods again, vigorously. “Her hand was so soft. And she cuddled up to me the whole movie. My heart was beating so crazy, Aunt Irene, but it didn’t feel bad. It was good.” 

 

“So you finally got the girl?” Irene asks, pulling the computer cart towards her to chart. 

 

“Not yet,” Jimin pouts, “almost though. I’m really really close. I know she likes me too, even if she hasn’t admitted it with words yet.” 

 

Irene frowns, “why hasn’t she admitted it yet?” 

 

Jimin mirrors Irene’s frown, “because many people have wronged her and she’s scared to trust and love.” 

 

The older woman smiles to herself as she types on the computer. Jimin sees this and tilts her head, “what?” 

 

Irene shrugs, “nothing. I just know it’ll turn out well with Minjeong.” 

 

“You think so?” 

 

“Are you kidding?” Irene scoffs, “you are so loveable, Yu Jimin. That girl will experience the good in loving and trusting someone, and you’re the one that’ll show her that.” 

 

Jimin blinks, then relaxes into a smile as her mind ventures to the feeling of Minjeong’s hand in hers. 

 

Irene could stare at that smile forever. If Minjeong was the one to make her Jimin smile this big, she needs to meet that girl as soon as possible. 

 

_

 

“How’d the appointment go?” Minjeong asked Jimin when she came back to school just before lunch. They met up at her locker, waiting for the two other girls to meet them, so they could head to the cafeteria together. 

 

“Okay,” Jimin smiles with a shrug, “I went up one on the list. 18.” 

 

Minjeong’s eyes lit up, “that’s great!” 

 

Jimin’s eyes focus past her and she nods, “there they are.” Minjeong turns her head to see Aeri and Ning Ning running towards them as if it was a race. 

 

“Hey, don’t run in the hall!” Jimin scolds them, but the two zoom past them in a fit of giggles, heading towards the cafeteria. 

 

Turning back to Minjeong, she deadpans, “unfortunately, we will not be racing to the cafeteria.” 

 

“Obviously. I hate running. I don’t run. If you make me, I won't be your friend anymore.”  Minjeong smiles, and Jimin’s heart swells at the other girl’s efforts to make Jimin’s inabilities not at fault for things she couldn’t do normally. 

 

“Let’s go, Kim Minjeong. I’m hungry.” Jimin nods her head to the direction of the cafeteria, taking a few steps, before stopping to wait when Minjeong hadn’t followed. 

 

“Yeah, I just need to grab something from my locker.” Minjeong opens her locker, peering to see Jimin looking at her patiently. 

 

She quickly rips the blue post-it with the number 19 on it, curls it up into a ball and throws it in her locker. Clicking her pen, she scribbles the number 18 on a new blue post-it and presses it onto the inside of her locker door. 

 

“Eighteen.” Minjeong breathes out. 

 

“Kim Minjeong, I’m hungry.” Jimin calls for her and pouts, hand on her stomach. 

 

“Okay, okay! I’m coming!” Minjeong closes her locker shut, and jogs until she’s side by side with Jimin. Her steps slow into a comfortable walk, and Jimin grins at her. 

 

“Can I hold your hand again?” 

 

Minjeong keeps a straight face, “in public? People might think we’re dating.” 

 

“That is my goal in life.” Jimin says with a hint of mischief in her voice. 

 

“You should really broaden your horizons, Yu Jimin. That goal .” Minjeong snorts, pushing open the cafeteria doors. 

 

“Hey,” Jimin frowns, “what’d I say about the way you talk about yourself?” 

 

Minjeong only smiles sweetly at her, ignoring her statement. 

 

“You can’t just smile like that,” Jimin shakes her head, blocking her eyes with her hand. “I’m trying to teach you a lesson about self love. Don’t you dare charm me.” 

 

Minjeong rolls her eyes, “do you want my strawberries?” She asked as they moved along the cafeteria line. Jimin just pushes her tray closer towards Minjeong as an answer, and another plate of strawberry is squished on her tray. 

 

“Grapes too?” Jimin whispers in her ear. 

 

Minjeong blinks, regaining her composure before clearing . “Sure. The heart needs all the healthy foods, right?” 

 

“Definitely.” 

 

Jimin’s grin is wide when Minjeong puts her grapes onto Jimin’s plate.

 

When they find their seat at their original table, Jimin snatches Aeri’s pudding before they even sit down. The pudding is placed on Minjeong’s tray and at this point, Aeri doesn’t even react anymore. 

 

“Hundred percent!” Aeri slides her test paper towards her best friend, a big 100 in red ink circled on the top. “Proud of me?” 

 

“So proud, chump.” Jimin ruffles Aeri’s hair with a boastful grin. 

 

“What a nerd.” Minjeong snorts. 

 

“Maybe you should start raising your grades from C’s to A’s.” Aeri retorts.

 

“C’s get degrees, and my nose isn’t buried in books all the time.” Minjeong her stolen-pudding filled spoon, a teasing glint in her eyes. She just loves to get a rise out of Aeri, and she had fun doing it. Jimin called them Tom and Jerry, but Minjeong said she didn’t know what that meant. Jimin proceeded to call her uncultured again and questioned her feelings for  Minjeong. 

 

“Can C’s get you into colle

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Juxptier
87 streak #1
Chapter 11: I love this story so much, even if it’s slow I love the progress they’re making with each other
whykidleader_ #2
Chapter 7: Just started binge reading, why does the ending words of this chapter made my eyes wet?🥺
kariselleheart 18 streak #3
Chapter 11: my heart i love them both so much 😭🩵
TypewriterLuvie
#4
Chapter 11: I'm going to cry, I put off this fic for so long because of the description but I"M HURTING SO BAD NOW. They're so cute and I love how equally complex their characters are - you're just amazing at writing !!
mellifluouswan
1664 streak #5
Chapter 11: ahhh this chapter is actually so good. we can see the siblings actually slowly building their relationship back up and oh my Jimin and Minjeong are so adorable. still kinda feel bad for Jimin, but I have high hopes that she’ll survive and have the rest of her life loving and being loved by Minjeong (fingers cross)
Mashroom27
#6
Chapter 11: THIS CHAPTER WARMS MY HEART
idkhtwags
#7
Chapter 11: YEHEY MAY UPDATE HDHSHS
cbennh_tjsthysys #8
Chapter 10: CONTINUE THE FIC 😭😭😭
Mashroom27
#9
Chapter 10: oh it's sad to see that the last update was in may :(
sanakesvictim #10
Chapter 10: omg pls update (but take ur time dw) i need a chapter