Minjeong looks at her window, a smile on her face that she could never get rid of since that day at the beach. To wake up and know that finally, finally, she and Jimin are not walking in eggshells, to have everything out in the open - all her emotions from years ago and being able to express it so freely, and wholeheartedly - it felt surreal. It's like she's living in a dream that she has been having years ago.

"God, Min," Mingyu said in a yawn, his tone out of disgust and joke. "If I knew that you're going to be like this, then I'd rather have you pining over Jimin for years."

Minjeong laughed and didn't even bother to retort back, she could care less about Mingyu, all she could feel is the lightness that she has never felt before. A certain happiness of being in love, of being in love with Jimin and being to say it to her, to anyone - to show the world how it is to fall in love and stay in love with the older girl.

It was an eventful day at the beach, after their confrontation and confession, the two of them went back with everyone looking at them with concern. But the moment all of their eyes saw their intertwined fingers, they all sighed, and it was Yuna who broke the silence.

"Great! I thought you two were going to have some official friendship break up or whatever!" She exclaimed and nudged Chaeryeong, "Looks like our friend is still madly in love with her sweetheart here."

The girl laughed, "It's quite obvious, Yuna. Minjeong literally drooled over - "

"I did not!" Minjeong shouts and looks offended, then she quickly glanced at Jimin who was looking at her amusedly. "You're not believing them, are you?"

"Well, I do know that they are quite an honest pair..." The older girl trailed off.

Minjeong could not help but to blush, her whole face reddening and as she looked at Jimin - smiling at her in a way that shows that she is not holding back anymore, nothing mattered to Minjeong than to look at her. The embarrassment all forgotten as she smiles at Jimin as well.

"Oh please, can you two stop being so sappy? We're still here!" Eunchae exclaimed which made the two girls break out of their reverie.

"I'm proud of you, Shakespeare," Minju grins at her and patting her head as if she's a puppy, the girl then looked at Jimin, "You don't have to be jealous, I honestly like someone else already."

Minjeong frowns and turned to Jimin, "What is she - "

"You don't have to know," Jimin said and quickly pulled Minjeong away, "she's just imagining things."

Minju lets out a laugh and shakes her head, "Well, Minjeong is quite stupid with those things, so I get what you mean."

Minjeong whipped her head at Minju, her eyes wide and offended then she turned to Jimin, "Now, what is she talking about?!"

Mingyu shushed her and pulled her down to sit, "Nothing, why don't you take a seat and let's spend time together as a friend group," he emphasized and looked at Jimin pointedly, the latter's hand still holding on to Minjeong, "and not isolate one another, hm?"

Everyone nodded their heads and directed some teasing looks at Jimin and Minjeong, whilst the two can only look away with blushes on their faces. The way everyone started to whistle and talked, jabbing jokes at Minjeong and Jimin but mostly at the former. It was refreshing to feel, and to see Jimin laughing despite being embarrassed as well, everything felt nice at that moment.

Minjeong along with Mingyu was grabbing some breakfast, a simple soup that their mother prepared for them. The older woman entered the kitchen, smiling at them which they immediately returned with an embrace, "Good morning, mom." Both of them greeted and was returned with a smile and kiss.

"You two look happy this morning," she said and looked at Mingyu then to Minjeong, raising an eyebrow, "Especially our Minjeongie, you're glowing, honey."

 Minjeong felt embarrassed, in fact she doesn't know what she looks like, she feels too crusty since she just woke up. She glared at Mingyu when the guy lets out a chuckle, a grin on his face, and she immediately taunted the guy with her eyes but of course, he didn't care about Minjeong's silent threat.

"Oh mom, you don't know how happy she actually is - "

"Alright!" Minjeong exclaims and pulled Ms. Kim out of the kitchen, "I just had a good sleep mom, don't listen to him." she chuckled.

But Ms. Kim eyed her for a moment before nodding her head, "If you say so," she mumbled but Minjeong knew that tone, it's the kind of tone that her mother does whenever she knows something, "Also, Jimin came looking for you, but you were still asleep. Maybe you can check on her later?"

Minjeong fights off a smile at the mention of the older girl's name, "Sure mom, I'll do that," she beams.

"Honey, I just want to say that I'm glad you found Jimin again," Ms. Kim softly said, looking at Minjeong with a gentle gaze, fixing her daughter's collar as she continued, "I know our marriage was not perfect, but we did love each other truly." she said wistfully, and Minjeong was quiet at the mention of the once happy marriage.

"Mom, what are you..."

"I'm happy, honey." Ms. Kim cuts her off softly and gently pushed her to go inside, "now, go finish your breakfast with your brother. Gyu will be finishing all the soup if you stay here for a minute longer, now shoo."

The thing is, she never mentioned it to her mother- her feelings for Jimin, and now, that she and Jimin are together, not once did Minjeong mentioned it to her. She doesn't even know how to start about it, after all, her mother saw everything from when they were young and how they became adults, and all she knew is that they are childhood friends - best friends. Who apparently became a couple and have been in love with one another for years.

Minjeong was confused with her mother's words but at the same time, light and warm - the way her mother always makes her feel, secured and cared for. She looks back once again only to see her mother already tending to some chores, and so Minjeong went straight back to the kitchen. Just as what they're expecting, Mingyu probably had too much soup already. "That's enough, leave some for me!"

"Not my fault you're out there with mom," he smirks and drank some water. For someone older than her, Mingyu will never let a chance go to waste just to tease Minjeong.

"Do you think mom knows?" Minjeong asked as she sat down, making her brother look up from his bowl with questioning eyes. "About me and Jimin, do you think she knows?"

"I think everyone knew," Mingyu answered and looks at her, "or just felt it, you know?"

Minjeong furrowed her eyebrows, "Was I that obvious?"

A scoff was heard and Mingyu lets out a laugh, "It wasn't just you; you know? Everyone saw how you and Jimin grew up, the pining was very much evident from the both of you."

"What..."

"Oh, Min, you've been so in love with Jimin that you never thought to see how she looks at you?" Mingyu said softly and shakes his head in an endearing manner, "That girl is down bad for you as much as you are to her."

Even right now, Minjeong could not believe how her brother sees Jimin - all her life, she just knew that she's in love with the older girl, and to hear someone say something like that, it was like Minjeong has been blind for years as she never noticed it. So, when she walks out of their house, about to go to Jimin's, looking ahead she saw the older girl who seems like about to do the same. Minjeong saw Jimin in a new light then, the way the latter's face lit up the moment their eyes connected, and the way her eyes brightened. The two of them walked to one another, it feels like it's the first time they're seeing each other for years when it was just a few days.

This is just new for Minjeong, for both of them.

"Hey, you were looking for me?" Minjeong asked lamely, mentally grimacing at her awkwardness. Despite being in love with Jimin for years, she cannot deny that this is a new territory for her - she doesn't know what she needs to do, and not to do - things that may make Jimin uncomfortable and not. Minjeong wanted to make it right, and so she settles with a smile - glancing at Jimin's hand for a moment before looking back at the girl.

And if her heart somersaulted from the moment Jimin took a step forward, grabbing Minjeong's hand with hers, and looking all adorable and soft, "Yeah, I've missed you." she breathes out as if she has been wanting to say it for days, Minjeong swore to herself that she'll do everything to see that smile from Jimin every day until her last breath.

"I've missed you too."

"Do you maybe want to go to some coffee shop?" Jimin asked, her hand still in Minjeong, walking towards the older girl's house, "I just heard it from Eunchae, and I just thought that you'd want to..." she trails off.

Minjeong couldn't tell if the blush on Jimin's face is from shyness or the cold of winter, "I'd love that."

There was beauty in it, the way the two of them are careful with their actions now that they've confessed to one another. It's like walking around a house that you've been living for years, only to discover a part of it that you've never known - it felt home, and yet something more than that, much deeper and complex. As if Minjeong's reading a book that she had for the longest time, a different and new genre from all her old ones - and yet getting enraptured in it as if it has been her salvation all these years.

Their walk felt the same, everything was the same except for their stares and intertwined hands. Minjeong felt some tension in the air but then they brush it off with conversations that flowed naturally between the two of them, "How's Ning?" Jimin asked.

Minjeong smiles at the question, remembering her friend who sent her a random picture just last night. A meme of someone pining over their best friend, "She's having fun teasing me."

"Oh, about what?"

"Just me and my feelings for you," Minjeong said absentmindedly, only as she's too late to realize her words, that she suddenly wanted to take it back. "I mean, she and I, Ning's just being her usual sarcastic self, you know?" she awkwardly laughs.

When there was no answer, Minjeong chanced a look at Jimin, but the latter was only quiet, her face looked troubled and spilling something to ask, and when they looked at each other, Minjeong cleared , calling Jimin's name to ask her if she heard her.

"Are you uncomfortable with this?"

This, this being them.

Minjeong was perplexed with the question, shaking her head, "No, god. Why would you think that?" she asked worriedly, thinking about her words earlier if it may have caused this kind of thing to bother Jimin.

The older girl sighed, biting her lips as she hesitated, "Well, I just thought we never actually talked about it, about what we are, and we never told it to anyone yet. Save for the others that were there." she mumbles all for her and Minjeong to hear.

"And you thought I was uncomfortable with this?" Minjeong's felt herself cooing, it is a new sight to have Jimin looking like this. All her life, she knows the girl to be so sure of herself - the air of confidence, with a little bit of dorky and playful side with the right people. But to witness this Jimin, it was a sight she never thought would happen - not until that moment.

"I, yeah," Jimin lets out a breath and chuckled in embarrassment, "I really want to make this right, and I'm not sure with what to do. So, like, god. Minjeong, I love you, I really do." and they already halted their steps, that moment only looking at each other. "And I want to love you right, so I'm quite awkward because I know I need to be careful, I've wasted enough years Min."

"Jimin..."

"I won't dare to waste more and mess up now," Jimin ended with a smile, "so, let me know if you're uncomfortable - "

"No," Minjeong cuts her off, "we're together, and I'm not uncomfortable. I just never thought that this would happen, honestly."

Just like that, Jimin smile at Minjeong, looking at her curiously, "What did you think would happen when you confessed?"

"Well, I do know that you like me too," Minjeong bites down a smile.

"Conceited, I like it. And?"

"I did not actually think that far ahead," Minjeong laughed which was followed by Jimin, "but believe me when I say that I'm in love with you, terribly so."

"We're quite new to this, aren't we?"

"We sure are, but I'd do it in a heartbeat with you." Minjeong answered softly, pulling Jimin closer to her, their warmth enveloping one another as they continued their walk. Because she knows, that if she were to grow another heart in that lifetime, she would always find ways to love and be in love with Jimin - again, and again, and again.

/

Jimin stares at her reflection, her long-sleeves dress covering her whole body, enough to protect her from the cold and be acceptable for a Christmas dinner happening at Minjeong's house. She felt nervous, this is the first time that they'll be spending the holidays together, as in together and her mind still could not entirely grasp it. For the record, her parents still do not know about it and Minjeong said that she has still hasn't mentioned it to her mother.

They've been approaching this in a slow and careful manner, as both were on the same page of wanting to take things slow. Perhaps, Jimin felt it too slow, but it was nice, it's giving them time to savor the moment as them alone. Spending time together was nothing new, but the lingering touches and stare makes them both feel alive and thrilled now that they know the intensity of their emotions for one another.

"Do I look okay?" Jimin asked when she saw Eunchae entering her room, the younger girl looked at her for a moment before laughing.

"Unnie, we're just going to Minjeong's," she said and smirked, "you don't have to be that nervous."

Jimin sighed, she doesn't even know why she asked that question to Eunchae when she already expected this kind of answer from her. "I know but it's different this time, you know?"

"Right, when will you tell mom and dad, by the way?"

"It's not, we decided that we're going to take it slow," Jimin explained and walks to her bad, sitting down beside Eunchae who was laying down, "Just savor the moment, enjoy the holidays together together?"

Eunchae looks at Jimin and chuckles lightly, "Wow, you two are lame and dense."

"What?"

"You really think that I'm the only one who thought that you and Minjeong will be together in the future?" Eunchae asked, sitting up with an amused smile as Jimin only stared at the younger girl with a dumbfounded look. "Unnie, I think everyone's just waiting for it to happen, there's a reason why we're not that surprised, you know?"

"You mean that mom and dad..."

"It's always been obvious, unnie, especially Minjeong's side," Eunchae smiles reassuringly, "we're just waiting for you to do your thing, we didn't want to step in."

"Oh."

"I'm happy unnie," Eunchae said and rested her head against Jimin's shoulder, "you've always been at your happiest whenever Minjeong-unnie's there."

Jimin didn't fight back the smile that formed in her face, nodding her head quietly because it wouldn't make sense now to deny it when everyone knew it from the beginning. It was just Jimin being stupid for all those years, wasting it for something this great. Even with a mere thought of the bookworm, Jimin feels her soul being touched to the core - like her life has always been tied with hers, and hers alone. She has been utterly afraid of losing Minjeong, that she's depriving herself of being this alive. To have someone this close to her, seeing her and understanding how astronomers study stars - because for Jimin, Minjeong has always been a star that she held close to her, to study and understand. A star that was meant to be loved and cared for, and Jimin is willing to be the sky for Minjeong to be with.

Arriving at the party, Jimin along with her parents and Eunchae was welcomed by familiar faces even Yuna and Chaeryeong are there with their families, along with Minju. She smiled at them, but she was then pulled by her parents to greet some guests that have been looking for her since last year. It was a small party of their close friends, the tradition that Jimin and Minjeong's family made which turned into this - a medium-sized one to catch up with everyone.

Jimin socialized with them, somehow happy to see the familiar faces but of course, she's there to see a certain someone as well. So, when she was given a chance to walk away and mingle with her friends, she did not hesitate to walk over to Yuna and the others, with Eunchae already there. "Hey, Merry Christmas to you guys," she greeted with a smile which was returned by everyone.

"Merry Christmas," Minju smiled and offered her a brownie, "they really have good brownies there," she said and pointed at the table in the kitchen.

Jimin laughed and took one from Minju, "Where's Gyu?"

"Oh, he's out in their garden with his buddies," Yuna answered and took a sip from her juice, "if you're going to ask about Min, I think she's upstairs doing god knows what."

Jimin smiles sheepishly at the group, as the others can only laugh at her not being discreet with it.

"Oh please, go to her and go down here," Chaeryeong and waves Jimin off, "you two better not do anything funny," she whispered for their group to hear which earned a slap from Jimin, but she still went up the stairs laughing at the teasing looks that the others were giving her.

Walking the familiar hallway, Jimin smiles as she found the room that she will always barge into when she was just a child. She wonders what Minjeong was doing in the first place as she expected the latter to be mingling downstairs. Knocking three times, Jimin heard the muffled voice before pushing the door open, greeting the younger with a smile. "Hey, you."

Jimin watches the younger girl standing up from her seat, and she was engulfed in a warm hug. Minjeong was simply wearing some beige trousers and white sweatshirt, looking all soft and cuddly that Jimin couldn't help but to tighten her hug. "What are you doing here being all alone?" she asked as inhaled Minjeong's scent.

Pulling away, Jimin saw the sheepish smile in the girl's face and the glance that she did to the                   open book on her desk. "I got into reading, sorry."

"Well, are you about to finish the chapter?" Jimin smiles and gently tugged Minjeong to her desk, "we can stay here for a minute so you can read some more."

Minjeong smiles at her gratefully which she returned with a kiss on the cheek, giggling at how the younger girl blush in a flash.

"I didn't know that you were this clingy," Minjeong said with a laugh.

"Why, don’t you like it?"

"I love it, don't worry." Minjeong answered and pecked Jimin's lips, something that they've been doing for a while whenever they'