Aeri knew that there was something going on with Minjeong lately.

 

If anything, she would be the first one to know. It’s like Minjeong’s one of those really interesting books and Aeri has every chapter, every word memorized. How could she not? The girl had been rooming with her for years now. Scratch that. She had always been really riveting since. 

 

And Aeri knows she could possibly have ignored the fact that it is, but what can she say? Minjeong was such a strong force that Aeri couldn’t understand why she can’t just… parry her. 

 

She knew she had little to no similarities with Minjeong, even on the day they had first met. As trainees, Minjeong was like if someone wanted to debut an idol, then one look at her would tell it all. You could say that she was the cream of the crop. Aeri was just Aeri. A new Japanese-Korean fella that had just stepped foot into the training grounds. 

 

So during those days, Aeri kept distance. 

 

Yet at the same time, she silently watches.

 

“Oh, hello there.” Her soft, meek voice echoed within Aeri’s ears as she realized that she had come across Minjeong in the comfort room. It was a warm spring night back then.

 

“Hello.” was Aeri’s only response, proceeding to wipe her hands. She’s really going to stare at the counter for as long as she likes to. Surely, she’d stride away like usual—

 

“Aeri, right?” Aeri turns to her, stupefied. Did Minjeong just initiate a conversation?

 

That's a good thing, right?

 

“Um, yeah.”

 

“You’re the new trainee… and Lee Oppa’s special student. I see.” Minjeong nods, figuring out if she was saying the right words. Her voice was somehow shaking, an indication of Aeri’s intuitions; Minjeong was indeed timid. 

 

She’d always be the first to get out of the practice room once the sessions were done, and Aeri noticed that she had only ever talked to Chaehyun or one of the older trainees like Jimin, to whom Aeri had already made familiar to as well. Jimin was totally the complete opposite of Minjeong. Sometimes, she wonders how they were even friends at some point. 

 

She doesn’t realize that she was falling into a trance until Minjeong clears , bowing slyly. “I have to go. Nice to see you.”

 

Aeri wasn’t sure if she had seen the faint curl of Minjeong’s lips that time, but she knew to herself that it left her petrified. 

 

“Y-you too.” Aeri almost whispers, and Minjeong is gone in a whim.

 

She came back to the practice room shortly, at one blunt corner that is probably a few miles away from the rest of the people. The instructor was announcing something about the rooming system, but Aeri was too preoccupied as her eyes roamed around the place, only to land onto a familiar gaze.

 

This time, Aeri’s sure that Minjeong beams her a smile, one that she would never be able to forget.

 

𓆉

 

As time went by, Aeri was beginning to warm up to the others. She discovers the acquaintance of Yizhuo, a longtime senior that joined the training as well. Aeri wonders why Yizhuo needed to, considering she had already gone off to the stage several times, but deep down, Aeri knew that Yizhuo already has her spot in the line-up. 

 

She deserved that, if anything. Aeri wishes she could tell herself that too.

 

“For the next room, let’s have Kim and Uchinaga. That’s about it, I think. Chop chop, everyone!”

 

Once the designation was over, all the other trainees began to lift their bags and went to their respective rooms. 

 

Aeri twists the doorknob on her end, opening the frame. She proceeds to place her duffel inside one of the cabinets, and she goes back to the middle of the room, where she sees the two beds that are opposite across each other. She’s definitely going to take the one on the right. It seems more comfortable and—

 

“Hi.” she almost startles, turning to the voice from behind as Minjeong raises a palm. “We meet again.” 

 

Aeri stares dumbfoundedly, raking her eyes to somehow examine Minjeong’s face. For the record, she hadn’t really seen her up close like this yet. Minjeong had really soft features. Her skin was like the snow. Her cheeks were another story, and Aeri thinks they resembled mandu dumplings on a cold Wednesday night. She goes on and lands on her neck, keeping a light chuckle to herself as she whispers in her head. 

 

Turtle neck. 

 

“Turtle?” Minjeong’s brows furrowed, seemingly confused all of a sudden.

 

Aeri widened her eyes. Did she say that out loud?

 

“S-sorry! I mumble things a lot. It’s not a bad thing, though. I just thought that you had a neck like a turtle’s. And turtles are small and cute. But I’m not saying you’re small! It’s really just the neck—I’m rambling again, am I…” 

 

Wooden floor, swallow Aeri right now. She shuts her eyes tightly, sighing in shame. So much for first impressions…

 

Minjeong chuckles, adjusting her grip on the napsack she was carrying. “That’s okay. I noticed you’ve got one too. A turtle neck, I meant.”

 

Aeri smiles at how Minjeong was returning the same energy. She reached out for the bag on Minjeong’s other hand. “Let me help you with this.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Once they were settled, they started deciding on which bed belongs to who. Aeri, who was ready to own the right bed, halts her prospect as she bites her lip upon Minjeong’s decision. 

 

“I think I’ll go with the right one. What about you?”

 

Aeri wasn’t good at hiding her expressions, to which there was literally disappointment written all over her face. Minjeong felt like shrinking after realizing that, her voice following afterwards. “Actually, the left one looks good too. I’ll be glad to take that—“

 

“—I wanted the left!” Aeri yelped out, pursing her lips at the sudden aggression. “I-I mean, I’m taking the left bed. Which means you get to take right. Done!”

 

With that, Minjeong urged a sweet grin, the twinkle in her eyes leaving Aeri breathless. 

 

Oh.

 

“That’s good to know. Thanks so much, Aeri!” 

 

For once, Aeri doesn’t sulk about the fact that she didn’t get what she wanted. It’s just there’s this thing: Aeri suddenly has a stupid predicament about wanting to see more of that.

 

𓆉

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Aeri ties her hair up into a ponytail. “Out for a walk. Might as well get some snacks. What do you want?”

 

Minjeong drops the book she was reading, suddenly rising from her seat as she heads straight to the shoe rack, picking her favorite crocs from the ridge. 

 

“Wait, what are you?..”

 

“I’ll join you.”

 

“Seriously? I thought you like, turned Yizhuo and Yunjin’s offer down to go out because you wanted a little me-time?”

 

Minjeong shrugs, putting her footwear on. “I guess walking with you tonight is some sort of a me-time, now.” 

 

Aeri doesn’t know what to say to that. Instead, she ignores the heat surfacing her cheeks as she huffs in defeat. “Fine, hurry up. I need to complete four thousand steps today.” 

 

It was easy, back then. Being trainees meant there were no swarming fans or even hidden media outlets following you around. But Aeri wanted that at the moment. She needed an indication that she was really going to be one of those idols, and she’s willing to do what it takes for it to happen.

 

She thinks she’s thinking too deeply despite the cool air brushing against her nape. Shaking the thoughts away, her periphery registers Minjeong’s existence as they both walk along the pathway of the park just miles away from their dorm. 

 

When did they even become more… connected to each other? Aeri wonders amongst the foggy street lights and scrunched dried leaves that she’s stepping upon. They became roommates in spring. Autumn had just occurred today. 

 

“You think very loudly, Unnie.” 

 

“Ah. I didn’t realize that.” 

 

Minjeong chuckles. “When you do that, it bothers me.”

 

“Oh, sorry..”

 

“Not in a bad way, though. It’s just, I wish I could hear them more clearly so you don’t have to shoulder it all to yourself.” 

 

Aeri feels the weight on her soles becoming lighter. Slowly, the tight knots on began to untangle, and with a deep sigh, she set her defenses down. 

 

“I want to debut, Minjeong.”

 

“Don’t we all?”

 

“I know, but I want to not just because I would be off several stages and tours showing my skills and talents, but also because… this is who I am. Who I’m meant to be.”

 

Minjeong was the first to stop on her tracks. Aeri follows suit, wondering why she did that all of a sudden. Minjeong turns to face Aeri, her hands reaching out to place themselves over Aeri’s shoulders. 

 

“Let’s hold onto that then, shall we?” Minjeong raised her brows, her lips curving into a smile. Aeri stares, frozen in her stance until she loses the warmth on her shoulders, with Minjeong clearing as they went back to striding.

 

“Anyways, do you want to get some tanghulu?” Minjeong scratches her head, seemingly thrashy and sheepish and Aeri thinks it’s adorable.

 

She mirrors her with the same smile Minjeong offered. “You bet I do.”

 

𓆉

 

Aeri slides her arm along her eyelids, a small sniffle following after. 

 

She was never the type to cry easily. It just so happened that she was shot with the most gut-wrenching bullet she had ever received her whole life.

 

“Uchinaga, you blew it off again! You’re straying away from the end goal. What happened to wanting to debut?”

 

Funny how it was also pouring right now. Aeri had always romanticized about crying under the rain. This would’ve been such a sight for fifteen year-old her, except that it’s the fact that she’s crying because she messed up practice, again. 

 

She could feel herself shivering now. But she doesn’t care. She wants to be anywhere but there. 

 

Soon enough, she doesn’t feel the drops on her hood anymore. Soon enough, she decides to look up, seeing the familiar bear designed umbrella and she immediately knew. 

 

“Leave me alone, Minjeong.” Aeri lowered her head back down, burying it under her arms. She decided that she should just ignore her. Maybe she’ll grow impatient and would definitely leave her be.

 

But this is Minjeong we’re talking about. Minjeong who painstakingly followed Aeri’s figure as she ran off the practice room with tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. Minjeong who skipped tonight’s practice just to sneak out and look for her Aeri Unnie. Minjeong who would wait even another rainy autumn night just to convince Aeri that they should go back to the building. 

 

Aeri lifts her head as she notices that Minjeong was already sitting b