The two of them spent their whole day in that field - with no interruptions, just Jimin and Minjeong talking and letting silence take over them. It’s not the type of silence that would pressure the other to talk, but a silence that would show they enjoy each other’s company. Minjeong would capture pictures of Jimin - though at first, the latter would cover her face but she got used to Minjeong’s insistence and just lets the younger girl do whatever she wants.

They continued their game - asking each other different questions now ranging from surface level to deep ones. And Jimin just liked how it didn’t feel forced, how Minjeong acknowledged Jimin’s words from earlier, and how naturally the conversation flowed after that. But Jimin noticed how Minjeong still never asked her the question - the elephant in the room.

A sigh, “You can ask, you know?” Jimin said out of nowhere, and she could feel the look that Minjeong gave her.

“Hm?” The way Minjeong hummed in response, as if she didn't know what Jimin was talking about - as if she never thought of asking Jimin that certain question.

It’s not like Jimin would usually tell it to other people - she would never serve her past on a golden platter, and yet here she was basically giving it to Minjeong. And if she were to be asked why, she doesn’t know as well. No, it was not the fact that Minjeong uncovered her past - shedding it like how snakes would shed their skin, the younger girl never made Jimin feel like she owed her because of it.

Jimin was so used to people for the past year to only see her as the blind girl, and yet here she was with Minjeong, as if she didn’t take time to build her walls. Only for Jimin, herself, to break it from within.

“About my past,” Jimin muttered, “you don’t have to tiptoe around it, it’s fine.”

“I know,” Minjeong’s answer came in a beat, a tone that’s too comforting for Jimin - a tone that shows that Minjeong knew she could but still chose not to ask. “But you don’t have to.”

And Jimin wanted to ask, why wouldn’t she ask? And why was Jimin so adamant in letting Minjeong know?

“I’m interested in you, Jimin,” Minjeong said as if she knew what the older girl was thinking, “Not of your past, but with you. If you’re comfortable to share it with me, I’ll listen and stay, and I’ll still do it just the same if you won’t share it.”

“Okay.” Jimin breathes out, somehow she didn’t realize she’s been holding it since she was flooded by certain thoughts. Was she relieved? Yes, and the question now is why?

“But I do want to request one thing,” Minjeong added right after a few seconds, there was hesitation in her voice and yet Jimin felt like the girl was being honest in whatever she wanted to ask. As if she’s been holding it back.

“Yeah?”

“Your eyes,” Minjeong answered, “I want to see your eyes, if it’s alright with you.”

Jimin was caught in surprise with the sudden request, she was not used to hearing people request something from her - though it’s not like she interacted with people from the past year. But Ningning and the others never asked her when she started using sunglasses to cover her eyes. And to have Minjeong there, and ask her was surprising and yet, there was something within Jimin that she couldn’t point out.

The main reason that Jimin wore sunglasses was not because her eyes changed - no, her eyes were as normal as it could be in hindsight. It didn’t turn white, nor was it that stereotypical notion whenever blind people wear sunglasses. She started wearing it because of insecurity - because in all honesty, Jimin would prefer to have her irises white rather than having it the same normal looking ones and yet not function as it should be.

Because with sunglasses and her white cane, people could assume - no questions asked, but it would be followed with a look of pity, questions on what happened, empty words that Jimin could care less. It became her outer wall from everyone, and for Minjeong to ask it felt like Jimin’s showing everything in front of the latter. Stripping away the last bits of her layer, and breaking down the last wall that Jimin built.

Then here’s Jimin, grabbing the side of her glasses and pulling it down. No words were exchanged between them, and the thing is Jimin’s blindness was not the type where it was totally nothing - it’s just she couldn’t perceive anything since the accident. As she put her sunglasses down, she slowly opened her eyes, letting the hazy vision of hers be welcomed - it was like a blurry watercolor scene.

She could discern the light and the hazy colors - being familiar with the place would help. But it’s not enough for Jimin, because in the end, she couldn’t see. It’s like a room full of blinding and different colored lights, catching a few corners of shapes that would create a shadow. And right there, in front of her, is a shadow in the form of a petite girl - and yet Jimin still couldn’t see Minjeong properly. 

She averted her eyes - the insecurity coming in like a tidal wave, a tsunami that never fails to sweep Jimin’s demeanor to a dark place. Then she felt it, a hand on top of hers - and suddenly, Jimin felt like there’s a blanket being put over her on a cold dark night.

Minjeong just sat there, carefully watching Jimin as she put down her sunglasses - watching the latter’s actions, and slowly looking up to stare at Jimin’s face. The songwriter’s breath hitched with seeing Jimin without her sunglasses, finally seeing the girl up close unlike earlier. Minjeong didn’t say anything, she just simply stared at Jimin - memorizing every corner of the girl’s face. Like how an architect would inspect a project, how a musician would play a tune over and over again - just for them to familiarize it.

For them to engrave it in their mind and soul.

Minjeong didn’t care how distant Jimin looked - the way her eyes looked past her, what she noticed is how beautiful the latter looks. Even with the bucket hat and sunglasses on during the first time she saw the girl, she could already tell that Jimin looks beautiful. But at that moment, for her to be blessed with this side of Jimin - to see each different side of the older girl, to know her beyond this persona of hers.

Minjeong couldn’t help but to reach out to the older girl, holding the girl’s wrist and drawing circles on it, “You’re beautiful.”

Yu Jimin, for Minjeong, is a puzzle that’s been hiding in a shelf for far too long. As that puzzle was there to be hidden, a puzzle that chose to be hidden with no one bothering to piece it together. Minjeong sees her as a music sheet, a language that Minjeong could understand in her own way - and seeing Jimin right there in front of her, she couldn’t help but to smile softly.

Words are not enough to describe Jimin.

But even if Jimin was the type of music piece that has complex cords, notes, and indescribable tunes - Minjeong would play that piece for a lifetime. Learning, listening, and playing it with all its peculiarities, imperfectness, and softness. Minjeong would do it without second thoughts, and she would never get enough of it.

She would never get enough of Jimin.

“You’re beautiful.”

It was too simple, too plain - in fact, Jimin has heard thousands of compliments before about her face with much more flowery words, that of course, she just brushed off. Then there was Minjeong, using the most basic words - words that Jimin should completely ignore, and yet she couldn’t. Somehow, the way Minjeong said it - softly, as gentle as a whisper, as if it was supposed to be a secret to herself, it felt too genuine.

Jimin caught the way the songwriter took a deep breath, only for her to exhale and say those words - as if Minjeong mustered up everything in her to utter those words deep within. Jimin felt the way Minjeong held her wrist, the familiar shapes and patterns that the girl would always do whenever they walk. Everything just made sense - and yet Jimin couldn’t tell why, but it was as if everything was right at its place, she didn’t even bother hiding the smile forming in her lips.

“Why are you smiling?”

Jimin just smiles a bit more at the question, humming in response, tugging Minjeong’s hand closer - opting the girl to scoot her chair a little bit closer to Jimin. “Just because.”

“Just because, huh,” Minjeong echoed, pointing the camera at Jimin and quickly taking a picture. The two of them settled in silence after that, this has been their thing already - and none of them could complain about it.

“You said you’re just here for a vacation,” Jimin said out of nowhere, Minjeong’s hand still on hers. “For how long?”

Minjeong looked at Jimin, admiring the way the wind would blow against the girl’s hair and face and yet, Jimin would still look like that. The question did not surprise her, though she didn’t expect Jimin to open - or heck, even remember about it. But somehow, it felt good that the older girl opened it up, “Last I checked with Taeyeon-unnie, I got two months left.”

“I see,” the tone was flat, not of disappointment but Jimin was basically calculating the exact date Minjeong would go, “Can I ask another question?” she said.

Minjeong smirked, looking at the girl amusedly, “You’re already asking but sure, go ahead.”

“Why did you go here?” Jimin asked, ignoring the teasing statement that Minjeong just said. She tilted her head, thinking if she phrased the question correctly. “I mean, why did you travel?” she frowns, not finding the right words.

Minjeong understood it immediately, sighing as she looked up - “I was stuck.” she answered shortly. Glancing at Jimin, and seeing her without her sunglasses, she could clearly look at the way the girl was very expressive with her eyes. The way Jimin squinted it a little bit, her nose crunching in the process - as if trying to understand and to make something from Minjeong’s short answer.

“I was stuck for 6 months,” Minjeong continued, “I tried writing songs, but I just couldn’t do it. The management would say it felt too bland, dry, it doesn’t fit with the theme. Some days I would just stare at an empty sheet of paper, words flowing and yet I couldn’t find it in me to write it.”

“And traveling helped you with it?”

Minjeong smiled, looking at Jimin as she answered, “Yeah, somehow it did.”

“Somehow?”

“I’ve been traveling for months, and then Aeri suggested it here.” Minjeong explained, “And yeah, it really helped me here. I just suddenly found myself writing.”

About you.

Jimin formed an O with as she nodded her head, “Two months, huh?” she said, breathing out as she held her hand. “And have you made anything so far?”

“Uh, yeah,” Minjeong said, remembering the sleepless nights that she would have just because she couldn’t get it out of her mind - her system. “I’ve finished some.”

The answer made Jimin smile, “Can I hear some of it?”

Now, that’s something that Minjeong didn’t expect for Jimin to ask - and yet, she couldn’t find herself to decline the older girl. Not when Jimin looked so bright and excited, a smile on her face as she waited for Minjeong. And when the latter saw the smile faltering after a few seconds, she shook her head and immediately answered. “Well, yeah. Sure, I mean okay.” she sputtered out, as she pulled out her phone.

Thankfully, she has a demo on her phone recorded - she still hasn’t sent it to Taeyeon, which she mentally noted to herself to do so after. “It’s not polished yet, but here.” Minjeong said, scrolling through her phone, looking for something that she could say was a decent demo that Jimin should hear.

“You don’t have to be shy about it,” Jimin chuckled a little bit, “I’m in no position to judge you, you know?”

“Yeah, but still.” Minjeong weakly said. She knows that Jimin was right, but there was just inkling inside her that just made her shy and embarrassed.

Because it’s you, and I wrote this song with you in mind.

Shaking her head, Minjeong cleared , “I’ll play it now.”

And as Jimin blinks, the hazy water colored vision of her could catch a shadow of a small rectangular object - which she assumes to be Minjeong’s phone, and she hears it. The soft melody of a piano and some beats that of course, she couldn’t tell. The song sounded soft and yet the beats made it lively somehow, just the right balance for a quiet day - and somehow, Jimin could tell Minjeong wrote this when she was in a good mood.

She lets her head nod to the beat, and then there it was - Minjeong’s voice.

Jimin was no musical enthusiast so she wouldn’t know the technicalities of the way Minjeong’s voice would sing, but she finds herself comparing it to a feather. The girl’s voice was light, too soft, like how a hot tea would be slowly poured into a cup - the wisps of the smoke floating around. She didn’t realize she stopped bobbing her head, only focusing on the girl’s voice coming from the speakers of her phone.

It was hypnotizing to say the least, mesmerizing - Jimin didn’t feel any goosebumps, nor were there any high notes in the song - and yet, she liked it, or more so loved it. She felt relaxed with the way       Minjeong’s softness and gentleness just matched the song, the girl was mesmerizing in her craft. Sure, she knows that Minjeong was a well-known songwriter - Jimin doesn’t live in a cave. She is well aware of the songwriter named WINTER, but for Minjeong - the very same songwriter, to have her self-recorded song to be played, and Jimin to have the honor to listen to it, it felt surreal.

Jimin found herself smiling, the lyrics just screams Minjeong - she wonders if Minjeong knows that she could very much express herself in a song.

Yeah, I've been waitin' for this day, and, yeah

The way I'm walkin' hand in hand with you, yeah

Just like all the sunlight is watch over me, baby

Yes, my heart it's full of your smile, yeah

I'll give it to you

When I collect even the love in the air, yeah

The beautiful scenery of the streets

The chirpin' of birds is nothin' without you

I'm nothin' without you, ooh

Yeah, I'm nothin' without you, oh

Jimin found herself on the times she and Minjeong would walk around the park - the conversations they’ve shared, and the laughter that they exchanged. She could feel the warmth of Minjeong’s hands on her own, the very first time she gestured for the younger girl to hold her hand - and she could feel the heat emanating whenever their fingers would be close to each other, a centimeter or two apart. Tempting. 

She wonders what Minjeong was thinking when she wrote this.

And as the song ends, Jimin smiled. “Minjeong-ah..” she called the girl out, Jimin could tell that the younger girl was nervous.

“Did you, uh, like it?” Minjeong stuttered some words out, gauging Jimin’s reaction - but all she could see was a smile on the girl's face. That must be a good sign, right?

“I loved it, Minjeong-ah,” Jimin reassured the girl.

And Minjeong lets out a relieved sigh, which was obviously heard by Jimin making the latter chuckle.

“That’s great to hear,” Minjeong said, grabbing her phone from the table as she scrolled through it again. “I still haven’t sent it to my manager.” she mumbled, pausing as she looked at the folder she created full of songs that she still hadn't sent to Taeyeon.

“Why?”

Minjeong looked up to see the questioning gaze of Jimin, the way her eyes just showed curiosity and yet distant, but her eyebrows were adorably expressive at the moment. “I want to keep it for myself for now,”

“Oh, is that so?” Jimin tilted her head, “And yet you let me listen to it.”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because you asked.”

Those three words knocked Jimin’s breath out from her lungs, the way Minjeong didn’t even wait for a second as she answered. She sounded so sure, like it was the only answer to the question - no hesitation at all. Jimin didn’t expect it, and yet Minjeong was full of surprises since she first met the girl. “And if I asked for more?” She tested the waters.

Giving Minjeong a chance, an opportunity to take what she said back - to feed Jimin’s insecurity in  a way. Right, this is her defense mechanism whenever anyone is becoming too close to her - and Minjeong was near. Perhaps, she’s already there right in front of Jimin - the labyrinth and walls she built were torn down by this girl.

“Then I’ll play more.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

Then Minjeong was right there, in front of her - the broken walls and bricks behind the younger girl as she stood in the middle of the chaos that is Jimin’s mind, heart, and memories. Her soul.

Jimin lets out a breath, “You should write about the sky.”

“What?”

“Wendy-unnie,” Jimin exhaled the name out as she composed herself, “she asked for you to write a song for her.”

“Oh.”

A beat.

“My parents would always bring me here when I was a child,” Jimin suddenly shared, not caring if Minjeong didn’t ask about it - she just wanted to share it. Just because.

“We would go here every year to spend time, just about anything,” Jimin continues, a fond smile forming in her face. “This is the first time since the accident that I went here.”

“Jimin, are you sure you want to?”

And god, that was just Minjeong - the way the younger girl would always ask Jimin what she wants and does not want. The way she would always think of what Jimin was comfortable with, as if everything would not make sense if it’s without Jimin’s permission -