Jimin
Jungkook has been pacing around endlessly, driving everyone crazy. Everyone is worried that maybe the situation is worse than Minji said but I trust her. If she really needed our help, she would tell us. ‘I’m going over to their house. I can’t just sit around – I need to make sure she’s okay.’ He says as grabs his jacket.
‘I’ll come with you.’ I offer because in all honesty I want to be assured as well. Jungkook nods and I put on my jacket. I throw the mask towards Jungkook while I put mine on. We grab our things and hurry outside while we get into the car. Jungkook takes the wheel and begins to drive to her house. ‘She’s okay Kook. You know how tough she is.’ I say.
‘I know and I know how strong she is and that she is a good fighter but I need to be sure.’ He says with a sigh. ‘She’s been through enough.’ He adds, barely above a whisper.
‘I know and I agree. She didn’t deserve to go through any of that.’ I say. I see his fingers tightening against the steering wheel. ‘I bet you never thought that she would be like this huh?’ I ask and I see him relax a bit.
‘Not really but what can I say? It’s always interesting with her, it doesn’t get boring.’ He says. ‘Besides, I couldn’t ask for someone better. Sure, she’s got a bad temper and always ends up mixed in some fight but she has a good heart.’ He says.
‘She does, like her brother.’ I say and I see him smile a bit. I smile as well as I grab the water bottle, * it open and go to drink.
‘Hyung… is there something going on between you two?’ He asks so suddenly that I spit out the water faster than a water fountain. ‘Aish! You’re making a mess.’ He scolds. I gulp and look at him. An angry Jungkook is a scary Jungkook. ‘Hyung, I asked you a question and I want you to be honest with me.’ He repeats.
‘I heard you but um… I think you should ask that to her.’ I say as I run my hand through my hair.
‘Hyung, I’ve known you for years and I have known her for weeks. If I go ask her about it, she’ll probably tell me it’s none of my business.’ He says.
‘Then, there you have your answer.’ I say. He gives me a side look and I gulp once again. ‘What even makes you think so?’ I ask, trying to play cool. He snorts and lets out a laugh.
‘It’s not like you don’t make it obvious. I see the way you look at her and you worry about her just as much as I do but in a different way.’ He begins. ‘You’re always sitting next to each other and pairing up and I saw you going into her room last night.’ He says as he gives me a quizzical look.
‘Kook – nothing happened. We just watched a movie, I swear.’ I say, feeling my cheeks heat up.
‘Why should I think something happened hm?’ He asks. ‘Come on hyung just tell me.’ He says.
‘I want there to be something and I thinks she wants it as well. We did um… kiss.’ I admit.
‘I knew it. It’s when you went walking together after she told us her story right?’ He asks.
‘How do you know?’ I ask, my eyes going wide and my voice going high in pitch. He just starts to laugh.
‘She’s my twin.’ He says with a wink and I sigh as I slide further into my seat. ‘Besides, your faces said it all. You couldn’t stop smiling and she couldn’t stop looking at you. She had a special look in her eyes - like a certain twinkle.’ He says.
‘Really? You think so?’ I ask, getting excited all over again and Jungkook nods. That means she’s just as excited about the date as I am. ‘And how do you feel about it?’ I ask.
‘I feel blessed. I don’t have the right to get in the middle of who she dates but I’m happy it’s you. I know you hyung and I know you would never hurt her and that you’d protect her. I know you’ll love her with your whole being but I need you to promise me that you’ll be careful because of the media.’ He says.
‘Yeah I know what you’re saying. She’s not an idol so they’ll try to do anything to find out who she is and might even lie and I know that haters will try to tear her apart so I need to protect her even more. We’ll need to be careful but I will do my best to keep her safe.’ I say, running my hand through my hair for what feels like the twentieth time.
‘I know you will. So, have you asked her out yet since you kissed her already?’ He asks and I nod. ‘Good, have you thought about where you’re taking her? It’s got to be something special.’ He comments.
‘I was planning to do some research on some date spots and whatnot tonight. I don’t want to do fancy restaurants and things like that. I want to keep it simple in a way she can have fun and enjoy it and that allows us to talk and get to know each other.’ I say.
‘Last time we were talking, she mentioned that she has missed going cycling. How about you go cycling and you can go to that park? I forgot its name but it’s very popular for dates.’ He says.
‘That’s actually a great idea.’ I say nodding, pleased with the idea. ‘We could feed the swans there and then I can take her to lunch, the arcade and then finish off with a movie.’ I say.
‘Sounds perfect to me.’ He says and I nod. Yeah it does but will she like it? We stop talking for a moment as he pulls into the parking lot. We get out of the car and we hurry to their apartment. I can’t help but think how just three nights ago, their place was completely thrashed. We reach their room and Jungkook rings the doorbell. Within seconds, Yun opens the door and sighs when she sees us.
‘I thought you were her.’ She says. It’s clear that she is worried too. ‘Come on in, I’ll make you some hot cocoa.’ She adds. We follow her to the kitchen and sit down there as she starts to prepare the drinks.
‘We’re sorry to bother you so late, we just wanted to check in on her.’ Jungkook explains as Yun hands us two mugs.
‘Hey I understand and it’s no bother at all.’ She says as she sits down on the chair between us. ‘I’m actually really glad you’re here. I just worry about her. I know she’s your sister and not mine but we grew up together so she is pretty much like one to me.’ She says.
‘Hey I know you’re like sisters. Actually, scratch that, you’re not like sisters, you are sisters just like my hyungs are my brothers.’ Jungkook says and I nod.
‘Kook is right. Blood is not the only thing that makes you family.’ I say and she smiles and then sighs. Suddenly, we hear the door opening and we all turn to look as Minji walks in with a confused look on her face and wearing a man’s blazer, probably her father’s. She must have gotten cold. Yun stands up and goes to her and gives her a smack on the head.
‘Yah! What was that for?’ Minji yells as she rubs her head while she stares at Yun. Yun seems to pout before she pulls Minji into a tight hug. I smile, knowing Yun is actually quite emotional and trying to hide it. Although we all know that Minji can hold her own in a fight, the thought that she was outnumbered and they had weapons made everyone anxious as hell. Minji looks at us even more confused and the two of us shrug. ‘Yah! What’s up with you tonight? You’re acting like I was almost killed or something.’ She says. Yun pulls away from the hug and hits her another time. ‘YAH!!! STOP THAT!!’ Minji yells. Jungkook looks at me just as confused as I feel.
‘Don’t even joke about that.’ Yun scolds her, making Minji gulp. It’s quite hilarious to see – Minji who is not afraid of anyone is actually scared by Yun.
‘Sorry Yun.’ Minji says, biting at the insides of her cheeks as she lowers her head. Yun huffs and crosses her arms across her chest. ‘So, what brings you two here?’ Minji asks, turning to us.
‘They were worried about you dummy. Everyone was! So do you want to explain what happened?’ Yun asks, placing her hands on her hips making her look like a mother scolding her daughter.
‘Do I have to?’ Minji whines but one glare from Yun makes her straighten up. ‘I heard fighting, I went to check it out and saw four people beating up a guy and then someone said his name and I got into the fight.’ She says.
‘With no backup at all? What are you? An *? Why didn’t you call the police first?’ Yun says.
‘She’s worse than you are.’ I whisper to Jungkook as I pull myself closer to him. He nods at me but I can see him smile. I know he probably wanted to say these things to her himself but was keeping back.
‘I don’t know Yun. I guess I got too mad.’ She admits. Yun goes to smack her but she ducks. ‘Oh no you don’t - not this time.’ Minji tells her and Yun frowns. ‘Anyways, I managed to beat them and I took Byung to the police station and Appa was there so we ended up taking him home.’ She finishes explaining as she removes her father’s blazer. My eyes instantly fall onto the bandage on her arm and I think Jungkook realizes it as well as we both stand up at the same time.
‘I thought you said you didn’t get hurt.’ I say. She follows my gaze and then smiles.
‘It’s nothing. It’s just a scratch. I was fighting with one of those guys and when I went to get out of his grip, he nicked me a bit but it’s nothing.’ She says, trying to reassure us.
‘Then why is it bandaged?’ Jungkook asks, not believing her.
‘Ask Byung. He’s the one who kept insisting.’ She says with a shrug. ‘It’s pretty late, want to stay over for the night?’ She asks. Jungkook and I both look at each other and then nod.
‘Sure, if it’s no problem for you.’ Jungkook says.
‘It’s not. I can sleep with her and you can take my room. At least this time nobody will be sleeping on the couch or floor.’ Yun says.
‘If you need anything don’t hesitate to just look around. Please make yourself at home.’ Minji says with a smile. ‘I’m going to get a shower.’ She says.
‘Yeah you should because you stink.’ Yun replies not even bothering to look at her.
‘Yah! You’re going to be like this the whole week, aren’t you?’ Minji asks. Yun crosses her arm and walks away to the living room, with her head held high. ‘Yah!! Stop being so annoying.’ Minji whines.
‘Are these the same girls that were with us during the weekend?’ Jungkook asks me and I nod, trying to hide away my chuckles. Minji seems to notice as she gives me a look which is kind of scary. I try even harder to stop myself from laughing until she walks away.
‘She looks even cuter when she’s mad.’ I say. ‘How can she look cute and scary at the same time?’ I ask Jungkook who shrugs.
I wake up in the middle of the night, needing to drink. I tiptoe out of the room and walk into the kitchen and I go around blindly, trying to look for a glass. I walk into the table making a loud thud. ‘Ow.’ I mutter as I rub my thigh. Namjoon may be known for destroying things but Taehyung and I are actually more clumsy than him. We keep bumping into things and falling. I reach the cupboards and I try to remember which one holds the glasses.
‘Looking for a glass?’ Minji asks, making me jump. I hear her chuckle as I do so and I glare at her even though she can’t see it. She walks next to me and opens the cupboard and pulls out two glasses. She goes to the fridge and pulls out a water bottle and pours in for the two of us. I watch her as she places it back and then grabs the two glasses and hands one to me. ‘Here you go.’ She says.
‘Thanks.’ I say with a genuine smile as we clink the glasses together. We drink in silence and then she takes my glass and places it in the sink. In the small light that is coming through the window, I see the bandage and I trace my finger on it.
‘I’m really okay Jimin.’ She says and I see her smile. I sigh as I let go of her arm.
‘Can you promise me that you’ll be more careful from now on?’ I ask and she nods.
She leans closer and gives me a quick peck on the lips. ‘That’s to seal the promise.’ She says, making me smile with her. I grab her hands and hold them in mine for a while as I look at her lovely hands. I caress them with my own thumbs before I finally look back at her and I realize she is staring at my face. I pull her closer to me as I wrap my arms around her and embrace her in my arms. I rest my head in the crook between her head and neck while she rests her head against my chest. I hug her even tighter to me.
‘You better keep that promise.’ I say and she nods. We stay like that for a while and then we let go. ‘Can I get another kiss?’ I ask. I see her smile as she leans closer to me and our lips collide together. It’s a gentle kiss and it reminds me of everything sweet. Our tongues hit against each other as our lips move in sync when we suddenly hear footsteps approaching. We look at each other in panic and she takes my hand and pulls me down. We end up crawling under the table just as a sleepy Yun walks in. Her hair is all over the place and her eyes are practically still closed.
We watch her as she moves by muscle memory or something as she grabs a glass and pours water for herself. ‘Aish she forgot to bring the groceries.’ She says while yawning. I look at Minji who gently slaps her own forehead and gives me an innocent look which makes me laugh. ‘What was that?’ Yun asks as she looks around. Minji places her hand on my mouth so that I don’t make any more noise. ‘Must be still half asleep.’ She says as she yawns again and leaves the room. As soon as she does, Minji lets go of my mouth and she begins to crawl out. I go to move but end up hitting my head against the table.
‘OW.’ I mutter as I rub my head. She looks at me and blinks several times before she shakes her head.
‘I think you’re the one who should have promised to be careful, not the other way around. You’re a disaster.’ She says while smiling. ‘Good night Chim.’ She says as she walks away, leaving me in the kitchen to rub my head.
I wake up in the morning to Jungkook shaking me. ‘Come on, wake up. We’re not in our dorm, remember?’ He says loudly. I open my eyes and look at him and nod.
‘I’m up, I’m up. What’s the rush?’ I ask as I begin to sit up.
‘Yun is cooking breakfast and Minji needs to leave soon. It’s Monday so she starts her lectures early and I want to drive her there.’ He says.
‘Ah okay. Got it.’ I say as I get out of the bed. We walk into the kitchen together and see Minji and Yun there. Minji is working around the oranges as she places eight oranges at the ready. ‘Here, let me help.’ I say as I take the manual orange squeezer and she nods. She slices the oranges and hands me the halves while I squeeze. Jungkook is helping Yun serve the food as he goes around and places them on the table. We sit down and eat breakfast and I see Yun looking at me and Minji every now and then while Minji looks anywhere but at her as she munches on the food.
We finish breakfast and we help Yun clear everything while Minji gets ready. She waves at Yun and then we get into the car as Jungkook begins to drive. ‘Thanks for the lift Kooks. You’re the best.’ She says as she sits next to him while I sit in the back.
‘Sure thing. I don’t know if I’ll be able to come to the coffee shop tonight.’ He says.
‘That’s okay. Don’t worry about it.’ Minji replies. Jungkook switches on the radio and as usual, the three of us begin to sing along to whatever song comes on until we arrive at her university.
‘Have a good day Minmin.’ Jungkook says and she nods. She suddenly looks up and I see a worried look on her face.
‘What is it?’ I ask from the car. She closes her eyes and sighs and then shakes her head.
‘I think one of the girls just recognized you and she isn’t too happy to see me with you.’ She says. ‘Don’t worry about it. Have a good day.’ She says before she closes the car door and starts to walk away.
‘You think she’ll be okay?’ I ask Jungkook who nods.
‘If she can take down four armed men, some girl can’t stand a chance against her.’ He replies, almost sounding proud. Well, I would be too.
Minji
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday roll by quickly and today is finally here. I feel surprisingly calm even though I am quite excited, even if it’s a first date. I guess it’s because Jimin and I have spent time alone together before today so I’m just looking forward to spend the day with him. ‘You look beautiful.’ Yun says.
‘Are you sure? I don’t know, I mean he did say I should dress comfortably and casually so nothing fancy.’ I say as I look at myself in the mirror. I’m wearing a white sweater with grey sleeves, a pair of comfortable black skinny jeans and my white sneakers. I’ve left my hair naturally wavy without straightening because it actually looks better. Yun even did my make up which is normal, light day make up with just a bit of peach eyeshadow, some light pink blush and the normal thin line of pencil and mascara.
‘Yes, I’m sure. I don’t know why you’re worried. He’s already seen how you look in the morning and, in your work uniform and if he liked that, he’ll love this. Besides, this is more you than fancy dresses anyways.’ She says and I nod.
‘I was never one for dresses. I barely owned any much to Eomma’s dismay and every time I needed one, I’d end up looking through your closet.’ I say, remembering when were younger.
‘I had to wear a lot of dresses because of the music competition. It was like a dress code or something that you need frilly dresses and shiny shoes.’ She says laughing.
‘Yeah I remember that. Minho and I used to tell you that you look like a princess but instead of a crown, you had instruments.’ I say and she nods.
'Do you remember when I was twelve and played that difficult piece on my violin and I was wearing that red dress? I could barely move at first.’ She says laughing.
‘I do but I also remember everyone staying silent for a few seconds and then everyone stood up and was clapping like crazy.’ I say.
‘Are you going to do some lipstick?’ She asks as she opens the beauty box to show a number of them. ‘I think this colour would suit you well.’ She says as he takes one, opens it up and rolls it upwards. It’s a lovely shade of pink and I nod. ‘Sit down.’ She instructs and I do as she starts to do it for me. ‘I’ve missed doing this for you.’ She murmurs before her hand freezes. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.’ She says.
‘It’s okay Yun. I know this is going to sound strange but I suddenly feel okay to talk about Minho and about what happened. It’s like ever since I told the others about it, like my mind started to accept it and the truth is I feel excited and alive. I haven’t felt this alive in a long time.’ I say.
‘I’m really happy for you. I know how much relationships scare you so I’m really glad you’re taking the plunge. Jimin is quite special and I see the way you look at him and it’s not a secret that he looks at you in the same way.’ She says. ‘There, that looks perfect.’ She says and I smile as she takes a mirror and lets me see and I nod. As I do, I hear the doorbell and I feel my heart skip a beat.
‘He’s here.’ I say and she nods. Moments like these, she doesn’t feel like someone who is my age but like my older sister. We used to joke around that if we were blood sisters, our mother would not be able to handle our craziness. I stand up and grab my bag as Yun pushes me to the door. I take a deep, deep breath and open the door to find Jimin there. He looks quite cute with his black shirt which has a paw on it, black jeans and beanie.
‘You look beautiful.’ He says and I smile. He offers me his hand and I take it as we go down the stairs of the apartment.
‘I have a surprise for you.’ He says and I look at him curiously until we arrive outside. I see two bicycles and two helmets waiting and I look at him. ‘Jungkook mentioned you love cycling but haven’t gone in a while.’ He says nervously. It’s obvious that he’s anxious to know whether I like the idea or not so I decide to not to keep him waiting anymore.
‘I love it.’ I say as I give him a quick kiss on the cheek. ‘I don’t have to wait until the end of the date to kiss your cheek, do I?’ I ask to tease him.
‘No, you don’t.’ He says with a smile as he takes the white helmet which has butterflies on it. He puts it on for me and then closes it off under my chin before he kisses my lips in a light, quick peck. ‘I don’t have to wait either, do I?’ He asks cheekily which only makes me smile.
‘No, you don’t.’ I reply still smiling as I put on the mask while he does so too. We get on the bicycles and begin to cycle next to each other. It takes some getting used to in the busy streets but we take some other less busy routes and I realize we’re going to the park. ‘I’ve missed doing this.’ I say to him.
‘I’m glad you’re enjoying it.’ He says. ‘It’s a great way to see the city.’ He adds and I nod.
‘And it’s even more beautiful because we’re doing it together.’ I say. Even though he’s wearing a mask, I can tell he’s really happy with what I said.
We reach the park and we get off the bicycles and tie them to the bike post. We walk next to each other as we talk about random things from favourite colours, animals and food to things that are important to us. We stop by the swan pond and I smile. ‘Whoa. They’re so beautiful and majestic.’ I say as Jimin offers me a bag of bread crumbled in pieces.
‘They really are amazing creatures.’ He says as he comes from behind me. He wraps his arms around me from behind, enclosing the space between us as he rests his head on my shoulder. I feel my heart beat faster as I feel him so close to me so I start to throw the bread at the swans who swarm to pick it up, trying to distract myself. It doesn’t work because as I do, I feel Jimin nuzzling my neck and I smile.
This is not first date behaviour but I don’t really care. Jimin has already seen me at my worst moments – he’s seen me during my panic attacks, he’s seen me when I’m angry and frustrated, he’s seen me helpless and feeling defeated but he’s also seen me laughing and having fun. I want him to see more of that side of me.
This is behaviour of two souls who were meant to be together. I know it's too early to say that but when it's right, you know immediately. My relationship with Minho was the cliché of two friends who fell in love but this feels different. It doesn’t mean I’ll ever forget Minho or let him go completely but I finally feel like I can move forward thanks to Jimin. From the moment my eyes fell on him in coffee shop, my heart knew. It was like my heart was calling for him. It finally feels like the missing pieces are coming together – my brother, my friends and Jimin. There will always be a missing piece – Minho – but I can be happy. He’d want me to be happy.
‘You look so serious right now. What are you thinking?’ He whispers against my ear. I place my hand on top of his and hold them for a moment.
‘I was thinking that because of you, I get to feel butterflies in my stomach again after such a long time. I can feel my heart beating faster every time you get close to me. For the longest time, I have been afraid to let myself care for someone in this way – afraid I’ll get hurt or lose that person but now I don’t feel so scared. I feel like I am finally able to shed some of the guilt off and be truly happy.’ I say, my eyes not leaving a particular swan which is looking at me. It keeps staring at me, almost as if it can understand what is going on with me. ‘I feel like I’m worthy of being loved.’ I whisper.
Jimin turns me around so that my back is resting against the rail as he looks at me with a very intense look. ‘You are worthy of being loved Minji, much more than you think so and you deserve to be happy. I don’t know Minho but I think, if someone loved you that much, they’d want you to be happy.’ He says and I nod. That does sound like Minho! I sigh as I wrap my arms around his waist and place my head against his chest.
‘Doesn’t it feel like we’ve known each other for forever even though it has only been around two months?’ I ask.
‘It does feel like that.’ He replies when suddenly my stomach growls rather loudly and I hear him chuckling. ‘Someone’s hungry. Let’s go grab lunch. I have the perfect place in mind.’ He says.
‘Okay.’ I say as I let go of the hug. I turn, ready to start walking when he grabs my hand as we walk. I know it’s risky, even though we’re wearing caps and masks but I don’t really care as long as it doesn’t bring him trouble. We reach our bikes and get on as we start to cycle.
We stop next to a street food van which has a few tables set up. ‘This place might not be too fancy but it has the best sweet and sour pork.’ Jimin says.
‘Then I have to try that.’ I say and he nods. I sit down while he places the order and within a few minutes, we get our food. ‘Ah you weren’t kidding. This is so good. I can’t believe I’ve never tried this before.’ I say and I see him laugh.
‘I love pork and chicken a lot. We’re lucky that Jin is such a great cook. We’ve all gotten quite a bit better, well most of us anyways.’ He says as he chuckles.
‘I know what you mean. For me it’s Yun. I mean before we moved in, I could barely do a toast without burning it but I’ve learned a bit from Yun. I’m nowhere close to her but I can survive and there are some dishes I do well. I can do some mean pasta.’ I say.
‘Then one day, we’ll have to try that.’ He says and I nod.
‘Seems like someone is already thinking of future dates.’ I tease him.
‘Why? You aren’t?’ He asks as he pops a piece of pork in his mouth and chews happily.
‘I definitely am.’ I reply.
After we finish lunch, we walk a bit around and go to the arcade where we end up laughing more than actually playing. We go to the archery sport which is one of my favourites and I see Jimin looking at me uncertainly. ‘Don’t be nervous. You’ve done this before.’ I say and he gulps.
‘Then you know I’m not exactly the best at this.’ He says and I just smile as I grab an arrow and hand it to him. He takes position and I go behind him.
‘Here, let me help you.’ I whisper. I feel him shiver and I can’t help but be happy that I have that type of effect on him. I help him position himself better as I arrange his grip. ‘There.’ I say. He lets go, almost hitting a bullseye.
‘Whoa! That’s the best I’ve ever gotten.’ He says with a smile. I cheer for him and then lean in and give him a kiss on the cheek. His smile only grows wider. We stay at the arcade a little more, playing different games, sometimes playing for fun and other times getting quite competitive.
The rest of the day was just as eventful. We returned the bicycles which he rented for us and then went to a cafeteria for some cake and then we went to the cinema to watch a movie together. We sat at the back, the two of us holding hands and sharing a large bucket of popcorn. Eventually, the movie ended and the two of us begin to walk towards my home because he kept insisting he wanted to walk me. We pass an old lady who is selling roses and he turns to me.
‘Wait here.’ He says as he jogs to her. I see him talking with her and I see her smile… of course she would, Jimin can make anyone smile with him. He comes jogging back with a rose in hand. ‘For you.’ He says as I take the rose and bring it up to my nose.
‘Smells wonderful. Thank you Chim.’ I say. He smiles and nods as we continue walking before we finally reach my apartment and I turn to him. ‘Today has been so amazing. I had a lot of fun and I can’t wait to do it again.’ I say.
‘So, does that mean I can call you my girlfriend?’ He asks with an expecting look on his face.
‘Yes.’ I say. He looks at me with nothing but affection in his eyes. He climbs up the stair and kisses me. I kiss back immediately and we stay like that for a moment before we pull back. ‘Text me when you get home, okay?’ I ask.
‘I will. Good night… jagiya.’ He says.
‘Good night jagi.’ I reply as I wave at him. I watch him as he leaves and I then walk inside, with a big smile on my face. Yes, the future does look bright.