When I was younger, I saw my daddy cry
And curse at the wind
He broke his own heart and I watched
As he tried to reassemble it
And my momma swore
That she would never let herself forget

"Jimin-ah, I know it's difficult right now," Mrs. Yu says, frantically packing suitcase after suitcase, emptying the cabinets, the drawers, just.. everything that could contain every single memory that this house held. "But it's going to be okay, honey. You'll understand everything in time, I promise."

Yu Jimin learned at a young age that love isn't meant to last. Love won't keep houses or massive backyards that children can play on. Love won't make her mom stay, no matter how much she begged. Love won't make her dad look happy again, despite a thousand prayers.

Love won't keep a happy house, a dream of coming home to her parents after school, tucking her in and snuggling her to sleep.

Love makes promises it doesn't keep. 

"Daddy is sorry, Jimin." Her dad whispers to her at night. And her little hands form knuckles, trying to keep the tears from slipping.

"I love you, goodnight."

But she wonders if it was ever love.


 I promised
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist
 

"Haven't you ever thought of falling in love, Jimin-ah?"

Aeri asks her lazily one night at a sleep over. They were 16, young, reckless, impulsive. That's why they were best friends. She looks over towards Aeri's side of the bed, eyebrows raised in question.

"You know how I feel about that love bull, Aeri-yah."

Aeri chuckles at her, pushing herself up from the bed to take one of her mini-keyboards and started randomly playing the keys. She observed the other girl just melancholically play, as if trying to send a message that she doesn't understand. So she sat up, grabbing her guitar from the side of her bed and played with her, creating their own melodies, trying to convey a code that's so messily undecipherable, she can't bear but ask.

"Why do you even ask, anyway?"

Aeri stops, sighing.

"Because I have thought of it, and I think I am. It's just that I don't think she can ever love me back."

Jimin's expression softens, patting her friend on the back. They were young. They were reckless. They were impulsive. Jimin is sure that whatever Aeri was feeling is just borne out of her teen spirit.

"You'll get over it, Aeri." She says, and stays awkwardly quiet. She proceeds to say something else before she even regrets what she initially said. "If that girl can't love you back, it means she's dumb anyway."

Aeri chuckles at that and started playing random keys again.

"But I like her to the point that I want to make songs about her."

Jimin scoffs.

Isn't that just a waste of time?
 

Maybe I know somewhere deep in my soul
That love never lasts
And we've got to find other ways to make it alone
Or keep a straight face

Their band was invited to play for the school's upcoming musical. Jimin comes down from the stage, heaving from adrenaline as she reaches for the bottled water the staff had left for them after they had finished playing their set. She looks towards the crowd from the back of the stage, finishing her bottle of water and sighing in content. The bustling crowd had cheered for their band signifying that they had done fairly well.

She looks for Aeri, who suddenly disappeared right after their play. The silhouette of the girl is in sight at the further part of the stage, talking to some girls she doesn't know.

Must be some fans, she thinks to herself.

Then Aeri approaches her with two girls in tow, both blonde haired and eye catchingly attractive. But her eyes caught the gaze of the other girl, sporting a short blonde bob and a shy but excited smile.

"Jimin-ah! I'd like to introduce you to some of my childhood friends," Aeri says. Aeri looks at the two girls, but her eyes specifically has a fonder look for the girl with longer hair. "This is Yizhuo," she says fondly, with a far-away smile and a gentle gesture. "And this is Minjeong." She introduces the blonde bob girl.

And Jimin thinks that Yizhuo is specifically the one Aeri wrote that last song for, but she'd never tell her that.

"I'm Jimin," She introduces herself, holding out a hand as gesture. The newcomers took her hand in delight. But Minjeong's hand was a little warmer than Yizhuo's. Minjeong held her gaze as she shook her hand, a genuine smile painting her features.

A slight pinch of electricity was present. But Jimin would never ever say that. So she sends them a receptive smile, leaving no room to entertain other thoughts.

"I hope you guys enjoyed our show."

And I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable distance

Jimin learns from Aeri that Minjeong has been asking for her number. She rolls her eyes at the girl and proceeds to keep practicing.

"Stop saying bull, you're trying to set us up aren't you?"

Aeri smiles at her sheepishly, her intentions sparkling in her hazel brown eyes. Aeri unplugs her guitar from the amplifier and smirks.

"Come on, Jimin. Lighten up. You need to have some excitement in your life. And look, isn't Minjeong just your type? She's pretty."

She scoffs, setting her guitar down and proceeds to sit on the floor. Aeri's been bugging her to date for a long time now, but recently she's been so much more insistent. Especially since she introduced that Minjeong girl.

"Look, just be forward with me here," Jimin says, "You have an agenda, don't you?"

Aeri doesn't look at her, but her smile remains. "Well.. I've been seeing Yizhuo.."

I knew it, she internalizes. She doesn't say anything, but she frowns. Aeri speaks again.

"But seriously, Jimin, you're in dire need of a date. Minjeong is the perf