For some reason, Jimin doesn’t believe that Minjeong plays chess. It’s a little ridiculous to the younger because they have known each other since Jimin’s family moved in years ago. Minjeong is pretty certain she was playing chess with her oppa in the lawn when Jimin had pulled her suitcase up the driveway. The older girl looked a bit surprised when Minjeong waved at her then. It was Minjeong who ended up blushing, though, when she received a toothy grin and a twice as enthusiastic wave in return. It’s a stretch to say they became fast friends after that, if only because they didn’t really. Not when they attended two different schools, Minjeong at the typical local school and Jimin at her performance arts academy. 

Once, that first spring, Jimin’s mom had invited Minjeong’s family to attend the girl’s dance recital, but Jimin was so embarrassed or horrified or maybe just too nonchalant that she didn’t acknowledge Minjeong’s presence, even at the dinner afterwards. Minjeong decided halfway through her bowl of rice that she wouldn’t put the older in that situation again. For Jimin’s sake, Minjeong had nodded silently to herself. So her parents continued attending recitals and concerts and musicals, praising Jimin’s progress throughout the years to a Minjeong who stayed home. She had to practice her own chess anyway. So maybe she never invited Jimin and her family to any chess games either. But what would non-chess players do at a chess tournament?

They’re not friends in the traditional sense. Jimin never came over for a sleepover or just because. She was a year above Minjeong in school. They didn’t show up to each other’s lives. Until Minjeong started hearing her parents whisper about the neighbors. Until Minjeong saw Jimin wiped tears away as she hugged her mom and saw Jimin crumbled when her dad drove her mom to airport. The next morning, Minjeong’s mom had woken her up an hour early with two food boxes. One with Jimin’s breakfast and one with Jimin’s lunch. Minjeong sat in silence that first time, watching a sluggish Jimin barely finishing half her portion. She went home and asked her mom to pack two breakfasts the next day. Jimin ate a little more with an eating companion. Minjeong received a hug on her way out with empty dishes at the end of the week.

Jimin learned to cook about six months in. It took another six for Minjeong to fully allow the older to be in charge of her breakfast. Still, she found herself eating questionable creations for another year. Minjeong had found the shortcut through the dining room’s window by then. Conversation flowed, each learning more about the other, although never quite touching on anything too invasive. Minjeong learned not to bring up Jimin’s mom and what to say when the older was in the mood to share. It took Jimin a soft thank you, handling Minjeong a lunchbox for the first time for the younger to realize her growing affection. She didn’t need to feed the lonely girl every day anymore, but she su