Jimin looked up at the round clock on the wall.

"," she mumbled under her breath. There were just ten minutes left to eight and she still had to make her final round at the library and send possible students home.

It had been a particularly quiet day, and that was why she had time to focus on that book she was reading and ended up getting distracted. She closed the book and rushed, grabbing random books students always leave scattered around.

"Lazy little s." Jimin sighed, shaking her head. Yes, she knew that was her job, but was that hard to leave the book where it was before?

Good thing she had spent so many hours in that library she knew it like the back of her hand. And she knew that the economics books were right on the last shelves, down the main corridor. Of course, who in their right mind would voluntarily read those books? Jimin wasn't judging, no. She just would rather read Fifty Shades of Grey before reading one of those books.

Wait. No, she would not.

Chuckling to herself, she made her way to said shelf, but halted when she heard something as she walked past the history shelves, where a door stood at the end of the corridor to her right.

Jimin dropped her shoulders and pursued her lips. She took slow steps, the sobs becoming louder as she approached. She knocked on the door twice, hearing a rushed sniff. A few moments later, the door opened, and Jimin sighed. There was the same girl that had been coming to the crying closet for three days straight, always at the same time.

"I'm sorry, but it's almost eight."

Just like the three previous days, the girl nodded vigorously, cleaning her eyes and picking her bag up from the floor. And also just like the previous days, she dashed outside without a word.

"You've been coming here a lot lately," Jimin blurted, making the girl halt. "I’ve had to kick you out of the crying closet at the closing time all week. I really don't pry, but... do you want to talk about it… or something?”

The girl turned her neck, facing Jimin, her eyes all red from crying.

“I…” she sniffed again. “Thanks, but I’m fine.” And she darted away, dashing down the corridor and out of the library.

She’s fine. Jimin scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. Why was she crying then, if she was fine?

Brushing that away, she hurried up and closed the library’s doors after making sure no one was still inside. She absolutely didn’t want to make that mistake again.

But even if she tried to not think about her, the girl’s face didn’t leave Jimin’s mind. Her red eyes, her small pouting lips. Was a guy the reason for all those tears? Was a guy even worth those tears? And how dare a guy make a pretty girl like her cry?

Jimin twisted the key to her apartment and opened the door more aggressively than necessary, taking her shoes off and kicking them away.

“Are you okay?”

“Jesus .” Jimin jumped and turned, getting startled and also startling her housemate. “Since when are you there, Heejin?”

“I got home like five minutes ago. Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Heejin approached her and rubbed her arm up and down. “What happened?”

“I’m sorry too, I just didn’t know you were home already. Nothing, just… a long day.”

“Too many noisy students in a supposedly silent place?” Heejin smiled apologetically.

Jimin shrugged, dropping her body to the couch. “How was your day?”

“Also tiring, but nothing the mighty Jeon Heejin can’t handle.” Heejin held her bicep, making it pop up. Jimin chuckled, shaking her head. “I need to rush though, dance class is starting soon.”

“Is Hyunjin going too?”

Heejin’s nostrils flared, her shy side stealing her confident one. “She is.”

“Good. You better flex those muscles at her too, alright? Take one of those muscle tees you have. And shorts. And tie up your hair.”

“I was going to already, it’s a dance class, I need to dress accordingly.”

“And flex for Hyunjin, a win-win situation. Now go, don’t get late.”

Heejin rolled her eyes and dashed to her room before her red cheeks could become even more noticeable.

“And tell Aeri and Yeji and the others hi for me!”

Jimin’s smile dissipated when the door closed. Had she been that worked up that even Heejin noticed at first glance that there was something bothering her? Jimin was just assuming, after all. There were many possible reasons that could make the girl go to the crying closet that often. Also, Jimin didn’t even know her. Not even her name.

No use in thinking and stressing about it when it would remain like that.

—

Jimin walked down the road, hands buried in her leather jacket pockets and noise-canceling earphones playing her lo-fi playlist. It was way too early for upbeat songs, the clock not even hitting eight in the morning yet. Her shift changed after the weekend, but she didn’t mind. She would rather wake up early and get done with work at five than leave late.

But… did that mean she wouldn’t be kicking the girl out of the crying closet at closing time? Why was she even assuming she would go again?

Jimin shook her head at her thought, and just as she did, her eyes caught on two girls standing near the college's main gates. Something told Jimin to keep observing. And she even slowed down, squinting as she seemed to notice the smaller girl.

It was her.

Jimin halted. The taller one, with long hair instead of the cute black bob the girl had, took a step closer to her and held her hands. The girl looked up at her and shaking her head, took a couple of steps back, away from her, until she finally left, running inside the main gates. Jimin glanced again at the taller woman who stood still, hands balled at her sides, and when she happened to glance back at Jimin, she looked away and rushed inside as well.

So… was that the reason for the girl’s tears?

Jimin was assuming again. She should just stop and hurry up, she was getting late to start her shift.

—

“Jinsol,” Jimin asked when she was about to leave her shift the next day. “Did you, perhaps, have to send a girl in the crying closet home yesterday?”

Jinsol looked up above her round glasses with an irked eyebrow. “How oddly specific that question was.”

Jimin rolled her eyes. “Did you, or did you not?”

“I did not. There was no one at the crying closed yesterday.”

“Then, a girl with a black bob didn’t show up at all yesterday? Around seven?”

“That’s even more specific. Are you stalking said girl?”

Clicking her tongue, Jimin smacked Jinsol’s arm. “Can you just answer the question?”

“No, I don’t remember seeing any girl with short black hair coming in here yesterday. Maybe I didn’t notice the hair? What is she like?”

“She's shorter than me, has a cute round face, small lips, normally wears a black jacket with white sleeves, and a deep blue backpack.”

Jinsol stared at her, her lower lip trembling until she burst out laughing.

“Wow, Jimin, I’m impressed. Not even I memorize that well what Yerim is wearing.”

“You—” Jimin dropped her jaw and Jinsol laughed even harder, earning a few glares from students who were actually trying to study there. “You sneaky . That really made me look like a stalker… Good god, is that what I look like for worrying about a girl I don’t even know the name?”

Jinsol stopped laughing, and the inner corners of her eyebrows rose. She wiped a fake tear and reached for Jimin’s cheek. “You were just worried for her, poor thing.”

Jimin sighed, swatting her hand away. “Is that so wrong? She came for a whole week and stayed, like, an hour in the crying closet. For five days straight I had to send her home. I couldn’t help but wonder what could leave her so… sad. But then when I asked, she said she was fine. Fine my .”

“Wait, you actually spoke to her? Asked her the reason?”

“I did.”

Jinsol gasped. “You swore you would never ask whoever went there for their problems. Why did you do it this time?”

“I don’t know. I just… for some reason it really pained me seeing her so devastated.”

"Well, maybe things got better since she didn't come yesterday. I'll tell you if anyone comes today."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow."

Jinsol waved goodbye as Jimin left, already preparing to put on her earphones.

Maybe things got better...

After what she saw that morning, she doubted. And for some reason, she couldn't just forget about it. But just like Jinsol had said, Jimin swore she would never pry on people's worries.

The crying closet had been her idea actually. She had seen way too many people silently crying in the far corners of that library, and that small closet was never used. It was spacey enough to fit a small desk and a chair, so, Jimin turned it into what she called the crying closet. Not many people knew about it, and it wasn't mandatory to cry in there, but if one just needed a quiet, private space for a while, that was the place to go.

And she stayed true to her promise ever since she started working there, almost a year ago, right after she graduated from that same college. Except for this girl. And Jimin still didn't know exactly why.

But she should really stop caring already.

—

The girl hadn't shown up that whole week, according to Jinsol. Jimin didn't ask more, but Jinsol made sure to always inform her that "the girl with short black hair, black jacket with white sleeves, and deep blue backpack didn't show up yesterday as well".

Even though Jimin appreciated Jinsol's help, it didn't help with the whole 'I should stop caring about this' situation.

But as the hours dragged into the afternoon, Jimin found herself wishing the girl would show up. That was technically wishing that she was still sad and probably heartbroken.

Jimin, you selfish motherer.

She dropped her head and buried her face in her arms, almost tugging at her own hair not to grunt there and then.

"Excuse me."

Jimin darted up, but it was just a student with a few books to take with him.

Maybe things did get better, because the girl didn't show up. Jimin sighed as she prepared to close the library and stood up to make the last round. She turned to the corridor with the door ahead, placed the books in their place, and just as she was about to leave, a sound made her halt. It seemed... to be coming from the crying closet.

But she didn't see anyone going there that day. Could it be...

She took slow steps, and heard it again - someone blowing their nose. She knocked twice.

"It's almost closing time."

After a few seconds, the lock twisted and the door opened.

Jimin stopped breathing. "It's you again."

"S-Sorry, I'll be leaving now."

Just as the girl dashed past Jimin, she reached forward and grabbed her wrist, internally asking what the she was doing. But when the girl stopped and looked back, the same old red eyes, she knew.

"You didn't show up last week. But you're back. I thought maybe you were feeling better."

"I am."

"You said you were fine the last time, yet, you came back."

"I am fine."

Jimin frowned. "I saw you. Last week, with a girl, near the gates. Is she troubling you? Is she the one making you cry like this?"

The girl widened her eyes, but dropped her head. Jimin waited for the answer that didn't come, and that only made her angrier. And when the girl tugged her arm, Jimin realized she was still holding on to her, and stronger now.

Gasping, she let go, taking a step away. ", I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." She sighed, taking a hand to her neck. "I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable. I just... got worried about you. I'm not stalking you or anything, I just happened to see you while I was arriving to work, and my brain likes to come up with a lot of , and so I assumed a whole lot more about you when I don't even know your name." Jimin paused to breathe before she would run out of air. "I'm sorry."

Jimin gulped, feeling her cheeks growing warmer under the girl's stare. But when her lips stretched into a smile, and she lightly giggled, it was Jimin's chest that blossomed into the warmth of a summer night.

"Minjeong," she said. "My name. I'm sorry for worrying you, it was never my intention."

"D-Don't worry!" Jimin waved her hands. "I'm the one that shouldn't let myself get so worked up-"

"Thank you." Minjeong smiled. A genuine smile, so pretty Jimin felt like crying. "I could... tell you the reason why I've been coming here. If you wanna listen, of course."

"Yes! I mean, I don't want to force you or anything, I just... want to be here if you want to talk about it. If you need to talk about it. You don't need to tell me anything."

"What if I do want to talk about it?"

"Then I am all ears."

"Okay, all ears."

Jimin's face burned at that point.

"I'm Jimin. Sorry, kinda forgot..."

Minjeong giggled once again. "Should we go somewhere else?"

Jimin nodded and followed her. And from that moment on, all Jimin wanted was to see Minjeong's smile.

---

A/N: Thank you for reading the first chapter, I hope you're enjoying so far!!! I'll post the other chapter every three days, as I always do.

Look forward to the next one, Minjeong is going to explain the reason why she's been going to the crying closet hehe

Twitter - @itzloonatic
CuriousCat - curiouscat.me/itzloonatic