You can't blame Jimin for thinking that. 

It's really not her fault for believing when everything that happened prior felt like a set up. Sue her for putting meaning behind everything. 

She's just an innocent (the right word is assuming) girl.

Or gullible.

Maybe even a little ambitious — it definitely inflated her ego just a little (small, teeny, diminutive!) bit. 

But honestly, Jimin just didn't know any better. 

Bless her sweet heart. 

***

It was only the second year she's gone camping with the group. 

The first year, Jimin was a bit apprehensive from going. Freshly freed from the shackles of university, Aeri, her childhood friend, almost got down on her knees to convince her to go.

It's not like Jimin didn't want to, it's just that she wasn't very close with everyone else. Despite running in the same group of friends since high school, Jimin wasn't even sure if she would call the rest of them her friends aside from Aeri. 

Most of them were a year younger and she had never spoken more than five sentences with some of them. Jimin was afraid she would feel left out.

That and also she had a feeling that Aeri needed another driver (user-friendly!).

But Aeri, the ever social butterfly, made a great argument that even Jimin's mom had to agree. 

"Seriously, Jimin, you need to experience your youth! We just graduated uni. Live a little!" 

"Listen to Aeri, sweetheart," Jimin's mom spoke. "You're starting to get me worried. You haven't even introduced a nice girl to me, ever!" 

Jimin could only roll her eyes at her mother. That was nothing new. Ever since she had 'grown into her face' (whatever that means) and came out to her parents, her dear old mother had been badgering her to 'get herself out there' because 'it's a waste' to hide her 'newfound beauty' under thick-rimmed glasses. Her father just quietly agreed on the sidelines (betrayal!). 

But the bribe to let her drive her mother's new SUV was hard to say no to so she reluctantly agreed (which by the way, she was right, that Aeri needed another driver but it wasn't such a big deal because Aeri took care of her the whole camping trip). 

It was fun.

Jimin was a bit awkward (like she always was) but none of them made her feel like an outsider. Jimin just chose to be quiet, a little reserved, or mysterious even. So she sat around the campfire listening to their stories like she was listening to a podcast. 

She found the company comfortable despite how loud they were (so loud, they almost got kicked out of their camping site). But even then, Jimin liked being with them. Having spent most of her uni life either studying or working part time, she figured that yes, maybe it is time to get herself out there and make the most out of her 20s.

So this time, Jimin made an effort to get closer to them. Knowing it was Yizhuo and Minjeong's and other same-aged friends last year in uni, Jimin took it upon herself to invite the group to have breakfast at her house before they drive off to the countryside.

Jimin's mother was thrilled (an understatement, really). She prepared a feast big enough to feed the whole neighbourhood and constantly whispered in Jimin's ear about how cute the girls were (it was her first time meeting some of them) and pointing at which one she thought would vibe with Jimin. 

Horrified at her mother's blatant attempt at being a wingwoman, Jimin had to pull her mother aside and whisper-screamed, "You can't just play matchmaker, omma! You don't even know if they like women!" 

"Sweetheart, aren't kids nowadays more open?" 

"Still! Omma, please act like a mother!" Jimin hissed, really getting tired of her mother's antics. 

"I am a mother. I'm a cool mom!" 

Seriously, screw Aeri for letting her mom watch Mean Girls with them. 

But the girls loved Jimin's mom! To the point that they had planned an afternoon of making kimchi in their backyard after they'd come back from camping. 

"Omoni, I am so good at making kimchi! I used to help my halmeoni," Minjeong said, mouth full of kimbap. 

Jimin could only look at Minjeong not really knowing if the girl is serious about hanging out with her mom. Feeling eyes on her, Minjeong turned to face Jimin and winked (my gosh, Jimin's little gay heart flailed) as she took a bite of the egg roll Jimin helped cook. 

The rest of the girls responded in chorus and Jimin couldn't do anything about it anymore. Yeji, who was one of the girls her age, had already penciled in "Kimchi-making with Jimin's mom" on her calendar.

It was official. 

Jimin sneered at Aeri who was laughing beside her mother, clearly enjoying the whole exchange. 

Jimin could only sigh and accepted that her mom is THAT cool mom. She's lucky enough she isn't a mean old Korean omma who would fall for one of those culty religious groups and thinks that women belong to men only (Jimin shuddered at the thought).  

She's thankful, for sure. But it can be a bit too much. Nonetheless, she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Jiminie, sweetheart, are you all packed up?" Jimin put the last of the bags and closed the trunk of her car (her own car she bought with her hard earned money from her big girl job) before turning around, nodding at her mom. "Careful on the road, okay, Jimin? And take this with you in case you get hungry on the road." She grabbed the little tinfoil of kimbap before hugging her mom goodbye.

Before they could leave, Jimin's mom had reminded everyone to be careful, putting more attention to the boys who were going with them. Some of the girls who had gotten boyfriends the last year (Aeri included) had brought them along. And while Jimin's mom is a self-proclaimed cool mom, she's still a mother who worries in the end. 

"Shotgun!" Minjeong called out before dashing towards the passenger seat. Grinning devilishly at Yizhuo, she stuck her tongue out, stupidly proud at beating her friend.

Yizhuo huffed, throwing Minjeong the middle finger before she opened the back door. She slid inside, gagging as she saw Ryujin, Yeji's high school sweetheart, buckle the seatbelt for her. 

"Do you not have hands, Yeji unnie?" Yizhuo asked bitterly. Yeji just