AUTHOR

I was fixing some plotholes that's why this took a bit to post. Thank you for waiting!

VERY IMPORTANT ENDNOTE AT THE END. PLEASE READ. THANKS!

The fluorescent lights of the supermarket glowed softly overhead as Minjeong navigated the aisles, her mind focused on the errand her mom had entrusted her with. She moved with purpose, searching for the specific item her mom needed for tonight's dinner. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she picked up the item and placed it in her basket.

Just as Minjeong was about to head to the checkout counter, her gaze met Kazuha's. This was their first encounter after that eventful day at the bowling alley. Minjeong couldn’t help but feel that there was something different—there was an air of vulnerability around her that Minjeong hadn't noticed before.

Minjeong approached the counter, her curiosity piqued. “Hey,” she greeted, offering a friendly smile.

Kazuha looked up from her task and returned the smile, though her expression was tinged with a hint of apprehension. “Hey, Minjeong. It's been a while.”

“Yeah, it has,” Minjeong agreed, her brow furrowing slightly. “Is everything okay?”

Kazuha let out a soft sigh before responding. “I've been wanting to talk to you about what happened that day. I… I owe you an apology.”

Minjeong blinked, taken aback by Kazuha’s unexpected admission. “Apology? For what?”

Kazuha's gaze dropped to her hands, which fiddled nervously with a receipt. “I acted terribly that day. I was… well, I was jealous, and it clouded my judgement. And I wanted to piss Jimin off. I didn’t realise that I made you uncomfortable. I shouldn’t have done that. I'm truly sorry, Minjeong.”

Minjeong nods in understanding. She remembered the tension that had filled the air that night and the unspoken competition that had taken place in the parking lot. But hearing Kazuha’s confession brought a sense of relief she hadn’t anticipated.

“Thank you for saying that,” Minjeong replied gently, her smile softening. “Honestly, I was hoping we could put all that behind us. I'm glad that we had this conversation.”

Kazuha nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Yeah. I admit I do have a bad temper. I've been engaging in some self-reflection lately. My friend Yunjin was utterly flabbergasted, asking who I was and what have I done to the ‘real’ Kazuha.”

Minjeong leaned against the counter, a warm understanding spreading through her as she laughed at Kazuha’s story. “Your arc of redemption might have been a shocking revelation. ”

Kazuha scoffed in disbelief; her lips curled into a genuine smile. “How dare you assume that I’m not capable of having a good redemption arc?” she plays along.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, but you assumed.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

As they shared a moment of understanding and laughter, the tension between them dissipated immediately, allowing them to find common ground and mend what happened in the past.

“You know, we could all hang out again sometimes,” Minjeong suggested with a smile.

Kazuha chuckled, a genuine warmth in her voice. “I'd like that, but I don’t think your girlfriend will be happy to see me.” But she burst out laughing when Minjeong’s face reddened like a tomato immediately.

With their conversation drawing to a close, Minjeong and Kazuha exchanged smiles as they went their separate ways. The supermarket's automatic doors slid open, and Minjeong stepped outside into the late afternoon sun, her paper bag of groceries in hand. She took a deep breath of fresh air, her heart feeling lighter. The encounter with Kazuha had been unexpected but good. Even though Kazuha’s blue arrow was present throughout their exchange, it didn’t hinder her from making a good connection with the person.

The moment she received this ability, Minjeong was always anxious about how she would act towards other people, careful not to trigger any reactions or their love arrows. Well, as the days went by, she’d learn that people's love arrows do not only represent their love interest but also their emotions and such. Although she's still not entirely sure, she still has a lot more time to learn about the love arrows, so she’s not in a hurry. 

As she walked towards home, Minjeong's thoughts drifted to Jimin. For now, she’s more focused on meeting her girlfriend later. She looked forward to telling her about her conversation with Kazuha. Minjeong blushed at the thought of Jimin being her girlfriend for real. They've been dating for weeks now, and it still feels surreal. 

She couldn’t help but blush more, remembering what Jimin had done to her this morning. They were, as always, making out when Jimin pinned her on the bed with a bit of force, and it was creating a whirlwind of fluttering feelings in her stomach whenever Jimin was being so intimate with her. She couldn’t help but smile and feel excited for later.

Minjeong's steps grew slower as she approached the local playground. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue across the neatly manicured grass and colourful play structures. It had been a while since she had been here. 

The last time was when she and Jimin went for ice cream before her trip to Japan. 

Unexpectedly, Minjeong saw Yizhuo sitting on one of the swings, gently pushing herself back and forth with one foot. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, lost in thought. She had hoped to run into Yizhuo again after their last encounter, but now that the moment had arrived, her hesitance was palpable. 

She took a deep breath, the fading sunlight warming her skin. Gathering her courage, Minjeong approached Yizhuo, each step feeling heavy and uncertain of what’ was about to happen. She cleared softly, unsure of how to break the silence between them.

“Hey, Yizhuo,” Minjeong said tentatively, her voice full of uncertainty.

❖
 

The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden hue over the park where Yizhuo often found solace. She sat on a bench, absently twirling a strand of her brown hair, lost in her thoughts. Her gaze was fixed on a group of children playing near the fountain, their laughter echoing in the air. She sighed, her heart heavy with a mixture of emotions she struggled to understand.

"Hey, Yizhuo," Minjeong’s unexpected voice said softly, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Yizhuo's head snapped up, surprise flashing in her eyes as she locked onto Minjeong's gentle gaze. Her heart raced for a moment before she hastily schooled her expression into a neutral mask.

"What do you want?" Yizhuo's tone was sharper than she intended, laced with the bitterness that had grown between them.

Minjeong took a step back, her smile fading slightly. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."

Yizhuo clenched her fists, her internal struggle evident in the tightening of her jaw. She wanted to push Minjeong away, to reinforce the wall she had built around her heart, but something deep within her ached to hear Minjeong's voice, to see that carefree smile that had captured her heart.

"I don't need your pity or concern," Yizhuo retorted, the harsh words falling from her lips before she could stop them.

Minjeong's shoulders sagged, confusion flickering in her eyes. She took another step back, as if physically distancing herself from Yizhuo's bitterness.

"I'm not trying to pity you," Minjeong said quietly, her voice tinged with confusion. "I just thought… maybe we could talk and try to understand each other."

Yizhuo's heart wavered, torn between the anger that had driven her for so long and the flicker of curiosity that Minjeong's words ignited.

"Why would I want to understand you?" Yizhuo spat, her words laced with venom, yet her eyes betrayed a hint of vulnerability.

Minjeong took a deep breath, her gaze steady as she met Yizhuo's stormy eyes. She approached cautiously, unaware of the tension that had grown between them. "Yizhuo, I think—"

Yizhuo cut her off, her tone icy and sharp. "I don't want to talk to you. I don't want anything to do with you."

Minjeong's shoulders slumped, a flicker of hurt, but confusion was more evident in her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her composure. "I don’t understand why you're angry with me, but whatever that is, I want to try to mend things between us."

"Mend things?" Yizhuo laughed bitterly, her eyes flashing w