"Through pictures taken by another, you will be able to see yourself through their eyes."

Is what Jimin had read on a particular webtoon on her phone that she's found herself engrossed into whilst lazing on her couch, waiting on Minjeong. The actress had convinced the younger woman to accompany her to the aquarium today, with no other commitments on their schedules aside from Jimin's script practice.

It may have been something she should have been tending to for hours on end each day. But after a week of intense practice, she felt the need to escape the confines of her house or her company. Otherwise, she feared she might actually go crazy.

After all, even the most dedicated employees needed a holiday now and then. And what better time for this impromptu adventure than during school and work hours? It was a of genius—no crowds, no chaos, just the serene tranquility of an aquarium on a weekday.

Still scrolling through her phone, she had finally reached the of the story she was reading before hearing soft footsteps behind her that prompted her to turn her head.

"Ready?" Minjeong said with a smile, all dressed up now as if she was ready for an adventure.

"Took you long enough," Jimin teased, arching an eyebrow "What were you up to anyway?"

"Looking for my toolkit and bringing a small travelers pack with me" The blonde holds up a small rolled up toolset and presented it in front of her.

"What..?" If Jimin's eyebrows were raised before... they were surely about to leap off her forehead at this rate. "Why in the devil's are you bringing a toolkit"

"Just in case, on the slim chance you tell me again this relationship isn't working, so I can shove this in your face," Minjeong quipped with her tongue stuck out to tease the older, with her left hand holding up the toolkit before darting off to the front door. "I'll be waiting for you in the car!" she called out as she dashed away.

Jimin's eyes followed the whirlwind of Minjeong's departure, left in a mix of confusion and amusement until the blonde was out of sight.

"Imbecile," Jimin muttered with a smirk, shaking her head in fondly before finally getting up and following closely behind.

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"So why the aquarium anyway?" Minjeong finally broke the silence, her voice laced with curiosity as she stole a glance at the actress beside her, who had returned to reading her webtoon, a newfound hobby that the woman had found for herself recently...

But in all honesty, Jimin's dive into these stories wasn't solely for entertainment. There was a professional aspect to it as well. Given her upcoming movie role, which demanded a departure from her usual style, she sought inspiration from diverse characters. It was about immersing herself in varied narratives to enhance her portrayal and capture the essence of her character.

"I just needed a change of scenery" The taller finally shrugs, a hint of weariness in her voice. "Honestly, lately, it feels like work infiltrates every aspect of my life. I can't even read or watch a drama without dissecting the characters. It's like I'm always trying to draw parallels to my own movie character, and it's starting to get tiring.... feeling the need to always be in character is starting to get tiring" Jimin finally puts her phone away and leans her head against the window.... trying hard not to let her droopy eyes get in the way of her consciousness. 

"Filming starts soon.. so I understand" Minjeong responded not being able to help but feel sympathy for Jimin's situation... After all, being by her side, the blonde witnessed it all firsthand— from the initial script readings to the exhaustive rehearsals. With Jimin now having her scripts for preparation, she no longer needed to visit the company as frequently, lightening some of Minjeong's workload. However, this shift only magnified the intensity of Jimin's commitments, consuming every moment of her time with relentless script analysis and rigorous practice sessions. Hours upon hours were spent delving into character intricacies, every spare moment dedicated to perfecting her craft.

Call her naive... but Minjeong had never truly grasped the extent of effort required from actors to embody their characters. In her ignorance, she once believed these individuals were among the most overpaid in the entertainment industry.... yet seeing the way Jimin had been pulling hair, trying to get her character to perfection... had completely shattered that misguided perception for her entirely....

"And also, I figured it's high time I updated my Instagram; it's been ages since my last post," Jimin finally adds, feeling Minjeong's hand gently brushing against hers, a tender gesture she warmly welcomed as they intertwined their fingers together.

"You have an instagram?"
 

"Minjeong, I'm a celebrity, all celebrities do"
 

"Touche...." The blonde fought the temptation to reach for her phone and delve into her newfound favorite Instagram account, keeping her gaze soley on the road ahead "I bet your photos are stunning."

"I hardly have any; I don't post that often, maybe only around twice a month? And if not, then just whenever it's promotion times."

"And why's that?"

"What's there to post? I never go out, and I hardly think my living room is all that entertaining for a post. This is just a once-in-a-blue-moon treat for the fans so they're aware of my life-or-death status."

"Dark," Minjeong chuckles, hitting the brakes as they come to a red light. "But you know, I don't think you need a change of scenery to post a picture. I reckon just a selfie of yours would be enough to stir your fandom into a frenzy."

"I actually take selfies quite often, but if I'm being honest, I can never seem to choose a good one to post. I just end up staring at them for too long until they start looking ugly to me."

Minjeong immediately snapped her neck towards Jimin, her expression... extremely... and she means EXTEMELY offended "What do you mean 'Ugly'!? You take that back right now!"

Jimin smirked in response, unfazed. "I said the picture looked ugly, not myself," she clarified, swiftly pulling out her phone with her free hand and turning on the camera to check her makeup. "I always make sure I'm pristine before I head out."

"I know, I can see that, I see it everyday. You're beautiful..." the blonde remarked, a sense of pride and joy filling up her chest as she found herself marveling over how Jimin could even make small actions look so perfect. "That's it, when we get there, I'm holding onto your phone so I can take your photos. No matter what, I'm going to make sure once and for all, you recognize just how amazing you are, whether it's through your photos or your own reflection."

"I presume you also see the importance of ones outside beauty then?"
 

"Did I imply it was merely about your outward appearance? When I call you beautiful or perfect, Jimin, I'm referring to the entirety of who you are, not just superficial attributes," the woman clarifies, sincerity evident in her tone.

"Minjeong" Jimin cuts in bluntly "We're talking about a photo here, a static image cannot show anything but the superficial outskirt"

"No I completely disagree.. I know it's a weird concept to grasp, but I believe a photograph can encapsulate more than just physicality. With care, it can capture the essence and depth of a person's soul..." She pauses and gives Jimin's hand a squeeze. She was about to put that rambling mouth of hers to good use and gush over just exactly why she thought Jimin is the perfect embodiment of that sentiment, but their moment is abruptly interrupted by the sudden beep of the car behind them. Turns out, they had missed the moment the red light had turned green. "Ah, shi-" Minjeong's cursing was even cut short by the reckless driver, who adds insult to injury with another blast of his horn, fueling the blonde's fury even more.

As Minjeong pressed down on the accelerator, the driver matched her speed, his aggression made very known even from within the safety of their car, forcing Jimin to hide her face in discomfort as Minjeong bore the brunt of the man's road rage...

It was clear, the blonde had wanted to give that guy a piece of her mind.... but for the sake of Jimin, she held back her tongue closing her window to mute out the road rage further.

And just like that, their conversation came to an abrupt end, swallowed by the cacophony of angry honks and muttered curses, leaving Minjeong to stew in her frustration while Jimin grappled with the lingering echo of the blonde's words...

It's almost funny, really. For the better part of her life, the actress had been fixated on surface-level beauty.

Even now, that fixation persists to a somewhat absurd extent.

After all, within this industry a pretty face is what can get you furthest among anything else.

It doesn't matter how difficult you are to work with, how mean-spirited you become, or how much of a diva you embody. As long as you're pretty, you can often get away with just about anything—well, anything legal, at least.

"Your father and I gave you a pretty face... go use that to your advantage... use that to survive in this world"

It really was irony.

Completely utter irony...

how despite cutting ties with her mother, those toxic parting words she left her had a strange way of lingering on... becoming the exact embodiment of how Jimin ended up choosing to live her life....

In fact, she stood by it religiously... in spite of whatever strong disdain she had for the very woman who had cursed her life aside...

It was the reality.

A universal truth...

Yet...

For some reason...

Strangely, when it came to Minjeong, those superficial standards didn't seem to apply. Despite a lifetime of experiences reinforcing the idea that a pretty face was all that mattered, Minjeong's perspective challenged that notion in Jimin's mind. In a world where people had come and gone, each reinforcing the standard that outward beauty was paramount, Minjeong stood out as an exception. She didn't judge based on appearances alone, and her presence defied the shallow expectations Jimin had grown so accustomed to.

The blonde woman consistently reinforces the idea... that Jimin was more than just her face... that her beauty extended beyond her appearance...

She couldn't understand how someone could be so adamant about something that had been repeatedly proven true in Jimin's experience. But over time, the actress couldn't ignore the sincerity behind Minjeong's words. It was in her eyes—those eyes that seemed incapable of telling a lie.

It was a different feeling...

But it was feeling she never knew how badly she needed until now...

Re-assurance of her own individuality... , something she felt had slipped away from her ever since the day she felt that her world had collapsed.... the day where she had truly lost everything....

But now, as she glanced at her girlfriend beside her, with her cute little eyebrows furrowed and her cheeks red and puffed out in frustration, making her look like a small pouting puppy.

Jimin knew for a fact... she had now gained more than she could have ever asked for...

It appeared that perhaps God truly was fair... balancing what they took and what they bestowed.

From her point of view... Minjeong is like the sun.

Her own personal little ray of sunshine..

Casting her radiant and warm yellow glow over every aspect of her life....

Banishing all the shadows and illuminated even through the darkest corners that the woman had engulfed herself into... ensuring that Jimin's days were never dull like they once were.

These thoughts often danced through Jimin's mind whenever she looked at Minjeong, though she never vocalized them. But to the actress, that's exactly what Minjeong was: the most precious gift she had ever received from above.

and..

Right in this moment... as she felt herself lost in the presence of her little golden retriever once again... despite the latter's attention no longer being on her and strictly now on the road in front of her...

Jimin couldn't help but wonder... just what had she looked like from Minjeong's point of view...

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

As they stepped into the aquarium, Jimin and Minjeong were met with an unexpected sight: absolute silence and emptiness. They had anticipated sparse crowds due to their unconventional visit time, but the utter solitude of the place caught them off guard.

Jimin had even taken precautions, donning a mask and hat for anonymity, but it seemed