2014

"Pretty unnie!"

"Oof!"

Halla's iron grip on Minju's waist had no effect from the captive's squirming and persistent hisses of "Y-Yah. Suji-yah. Yah, Lee Suji!"

"Aigoo!" Halla's bubbly soft voice was muffled by her blazer, a burst of giggles pouring out of . "Oh, I'm so proud of you!" And she proceeded to bring the elder up from her feet and moved around in circles in her excitement.

Minju's quirky grin appeared as she laughed along, mildly worried she might fall. "Y-Yah. Hahahaha. Are you that happy, Suji-yah?"

Halla nodded, childish smile on point to her pure charm. "You're finally free from high school, unnie."

Minju's smile twitched. "Yeah I broke from prison the right way. I'm still going to college you know."

Halla whined, placing Minju on her feet. "At least you get to pick your classes! I don't want anymore of math, unnie! Wah!"

Minju tsked. "You're lazy when it's math." She remembered all the tutoring sessions they had in the library that ended up being play time for the tall kid. She was a lenient tutor anyway, not in the mood for more modules and problem-solving. Now that she thought about it, she agreed to Halla's every request.

"That's why I'm lucky to have you. Heehee." Halla beamed her smile.

Minju slowly smiled back taking her hand. "So umma wants to celebrate this event of mine, come with me?"

"Well, when is it?"

"This friday at the Hanson's Steakhouse? Some new restaurant in town. They say they have grade A beef!"

"Say no more. Count me in!"

- - -

When the time for the celebration came, Halla was inside the Jeon's house, yelling at her pretty unnie to hurry up.

"We're going to be late! Are you done now?" She whined.

"Okay okay!" Minju's holler was muffled behind the door. Her voice flowed out of the opening, revealing herself to Halla. "Geez, you're so pumped for this."

Halla grinned childishly, looking up and down on Minju's attire: a yellow sunday dress, platforms and black clutch. She looked absolutely beautiful, and it reminded Halla of the first time she met the girl. Although she couldn't remember it clearly, Minju's and her mom's photo albums completed her memory: a faded photo of a child with wavy hair looking absolutely cute in a puffy yellow ballgown beamed down at Halla's 5 year old self who was gripping on one of Minju's legs. They always laughed and outed each other when they look back at it.

"Halla-yah?"

Halla snapped back into focus on Minju's curious face. "Did you say something?"

Minju's lips tilted to one side. "I said you're not even the one who graduated but you still look so happy."

Halla instantly smiled back, beaming her rayful of sunshine smile. "But this is a good moment for me too, and I feel that I should make more happy memories not just of my achievements, but yours too unnie so that one day I can look back at endless memories in faded photographs like our parents do."

Minju reached out to pat the top of Halla's head cooing to her like a mother to a child, "Seriously..." She shook her head and dragged Halla down the stairs. "Aish. Let's just go now... and help me navigate our way there to the place."

The moment they arrived at the restaurant, a group of boys came out of the place. Halla recognized them to be her schoolmates, her eyes set to one in particular.

"Oh, hey Kookie!" She called out, stopping Minju.

Jungkook turned to her voice instantly smiling. "Suji Q! Nice to see you here."

Minju stood off Halla's side, feeling like an outsider. She only met the boy once, having heard of him greatly from Halla. She waved a hand at Jungkook who returned the gesture to her too. "Um, I'll go inside first?" She asked Halla.

Halla nodded at her, already onto Jungkook's side with her loud laugh. Minju felt a weird sensation in her stomach when she saw how close they've become. She remembered Halla saying they were stuck by the hip---and by no choice either, since they're stuck in the same class again this year---like a grumbling kid but in her sight, something different was brewing in their friendship.

And it was really weird, but she felt threatened to lose her baby Suji.

Minju pored over her relationship with Halla at the dinner table, deep in thought amidst the chatter of her own family. She felt absolutely lost at the idea of having no whiny kid around her side, and she knows there's a chance Halla won't dedicate all her time to her. Sure, she could spend her days with Yuna at her college dorm room and sneak off campus after curfew and run all over the night stalls of never ending bustling Seoul. But it's just different to her. Minju felt incomplete without Halla. That was simply it.

"Sorry I'm late everyone!"

Minju noticed Halla's hand on her shoulder as she turned around. Halla fixed her hair back into place, all smiles and cheery as ever.

"So what did you talk about?"

Halla paused her spoon in the air, "What?"

"You and Jungkook." Minju raised an eyebrow, a smug smile fixed on her face. "So then?"

Halla mirrored her look. "Um, we just chatted?" She realized Minju wasn't backing out until she said something. "You know, dance and school. And pokemon. Just ordinary stuff."

Minju's smug smile softened as she inwardly sighed in relief, but then Halla continued her words.

"Oh, and he asked me if I wanted to hang out with the guys at the beach next week."

Minju swore her heart stopped at that moment. "He did what?!"

The whole table went silent. Minju mumbled an apology, blushing furiously.

"Yeah, he did." Halla couldn't stop the grin on her face to widen. "I haven't swam for months, so I'm really excited." She was so thrilled she was oblivious to her unnie's degrading state.

Minju calmed her fast-beating heart, dropping her spoon as gently as she could. She reminded herself that it was just a friendly outing, no more.

But then Jungkook's face showed up in her mind.

Minju haven't felt so dismayed before. What was happening to her?

- - -

"Okay, Minju. Drop the pencil and look at me."

Yuna's voice seemed far away in Minju's ears. Her hold was rudely smacked away to the end of the table and her seat swung to let her face Yuna's frowning face.

"I was working on a history paper, Yuna. Make this worthwhile." Minju sighed.

"Jesus..." Yuna's English murmur twisted in a worrying tone. "I haven't seen you this exhausted since middle school. What is happening to you?"

"Nothing is wrong, Yuna. I'm fine." Minju wanted to pull her chair back to face her table but then Yuna gripped the sides of it. "I'm fine!" She whined.

"You're lying." Yuna pressed on.

"I'm normally tired anyway! What makes this any worse than other days?"

"You haven't gone out for the past two weeks."

"I do---"

"Out from the school, the library, basically the whole campus." Yuna got Minju trapped. Yuna sighed, down to a whisper. "Just... what happened, Minju-yah? Talk to me, okay? We've been best buds since middle school, don't close up on me now."

Minju really wanted to talk. She wanted to say something to her best friend, but how could she if she didn't even know what was wrong with her?

Yes, she's tired. And she badly needs a break. But she doesn't want one. She wants to fill up her schedule to the point that she doesn't know what day it is, what time is it now, and what is happening to the world outside of her textbooks and lectures and modules and everything college.

"Did something happen between you and Halla?"

Minju's hands turned to fists. She didn't face Yuna's scrutinizing stare.

"Look, I don't know what's going on between you two. If it was a fight or a misunderstanding, whatever, I don't care. But please, please try to call it off a day right now?"

Minju didn't know that her phone was blowing up calls and messages and chatboxes all from the same person until Yuna showed it to her. Would it be called a fight if they didn't even have one? Isn't it funny, how Halla had nothing to do with it but she also was the primary cause of it, this distance between them, this sudden murky opressive thought lurking back and forth in Minju's mind.

After a long silence, Minju spoke up. "I'll go to the cafeteria with you today."

Yuna fixed her study table and closed the night lamp. She pulled Minju up and held her hand in an iron grip. "That's great. But after that, we're going off campus. You need some more fat in your cheeks than I do."

Minju knew Yuna was trying to cheer her up, and she felt so guilty for ignoring her for so long. And not just her, just about everyone around her social circle. She closed off to herself, desperately seeking help but not wanting any of it the slightest bit.

Something was wrong with her. She didn't like it. But she couldn't help it. Maybe in due time, she'll be able to assess this... newfound conclusion but right now... it's just so wrong to her.

Sigh.

How will she ever get away with this?

- - -

On a normal day in college, Minju rises early to refresh her mind with the notes spread out on the table. Yuna would still be sleeping under the covers, earphones coiled around her ears from late night sleeping music in her ears.

She should have realized today was a different manner with her roommate out of bed, and her school materials piled up neatly, closed and out of her reach from her bed.

She also didn't expect to hear that familiar funny laughter outside the door.

"Teach me some more stuff next time, unnie!" And then the door opened, the voice clearer than ever to Minju's ears. "I seriously need to ace this test--Oh unnie! You're awake!"

Halla in all her glory smiled so wide her whole face seemed to stretch. Yuna looked over between the two of them, making a small smile of her own.

Minju had a feeling Yuna caught up to her weird state.

"You good for nothing meanie unnie!" Halla shouted, pointing a finger at her. "How dare you ignore me for so long!"

"S-Suji-yah---"

Minju's breath was knocked off, very surprised at the sudden embrace by the younger lass.

"I was so worried for you!" Halla's worried voice woke Minju up. "You didn't answer my calls or texts, and I've tried waiting for so long but I just can't." Halla pulled away, face fresh with small tears, but sad nonetheless that it threw Minju off in her mind.

"I-I..."

"You don't know how much I missed you, okay? I almost cried out in the park! You hear me?" Halla let it out, pulling her heartstrings. "Please, unnie. Don't ignore me anymore okay?"

All of Minju's resolution ended in vain just looking at her. Without a thought, she nodded. Halla's whole being jumped on top of her, the two rolling seamlessly on Minju's bed.

"I-I'm sorry. It's not your fault, okay? You did nothing wrong." Minju's choice of words changed in a sweeter tone, sensing Yuna out of the room for their privacy. "It's just... er...b-but anyway! I promise not to leave you alone ever again."

"Promise?" Halla peeked from under the blanket, raising her pinky.

Minju felt so nostalgic just looking at it. "I promise," she wove her pinky around the girl's. "Come here to my side kid." She patted the space beside her, already feeling the burden of Halla's weight on her.

Halla rolled to the side pulling the covers to them both. She sighed. "I like the smell of your sheets. It's just like you." She sniffed.

Minju wiggled around trying to find a perfect position until Halla closed the gap in between them, clasping their hands together.

It's funny, Minju thought, how the holes in their fingers fit snugly with the other. She watched Halla lead their hands wave side to side smiling adorably.

"How'd you get here anyway?" Minju asked, knowing visitors weren't allowed so early in the morning in the boarding house.

Halla continued the round route of their hands answering, "I texted Yuna unnie to help me up by the window on an obscured area in the perimeter. You should have seen us, wearing caps and glasses like suspicious girls."

"How'd you get out of your house, like," Minju turned to look at the wall clock, "you had to be out at five to have come here before breakfast hour."

"I snuck out," Halla shrugged.

"Don't follow my bad habits."

"I learned it from you since back then, you know. You were the one who dragged me out to play in the garden while the oldies mingled with their fancy schmancy deals and talks. Not my bad."

Minju rolled her eyes.

Halla released a hand, face closer to look at her. "You really need some sleep, unnie."

Minju buried her face in her pillow, eyes trained on Halla's. "You need it too. How about we have some shuteye for an hour or two. I only have afternoon classes anyway." She murmured.

Halla did the same on her bent arm. "Yes please. I'd like that."

Minju knew how difficult it was for Halla to settle in without the proper angle of her head while sleeping, so she took it on herself to raise her head and to rest it right under her chin, on top of her shoulder.

Halla's face almost touched Minju's neck, settling close but not tight.

Soon enough, both fell in a deep sleep, wondering of nothing but sweet dreams and proper rest for the afternoon to come.

Minju unconsciously thought, hand on hand with Halla, she can never get away from the girl. Ever. And she never wanted it any other way.

"And I lie on to my friends to them, no wonder why I wait for thee.

Will you be there, when the day's done, under the same sun?"

XXX

Update: 22.09.2015 [dd/mm/yyyy]

I am telling you right now the love part spreading hereon can be interpreted in many ways, and subtle in the romantical sense.

I am aware that I am mixing two otps from two groups: one straight and the other [dominantly] curve.

So for all HalKook shippers reading this, there will be a period here concentrated for them too. Even though HalJu is the main, Jungkook is an important factor and may or may not be a key for the turning point for this story.

The angst will begin. Or has it? :---)

-feefaifoefangirl aka Jun ♡