Serendipitous | Haerin x Minji

17

Minji raised her shaking hands to grab onto Haerin's shirt lightly, her heart was beating erratically fast and it wasn't helping that Haerin was looking right at Minji's direction. "Minjibear, you can take them off, I trust you." Minji lifted Haerin's shirt slowly, swallow gulps of nonexistent saliva, and looking everywhere but at Haerin. It took Minji what felt like an eternity to remove Haerin's shirt and when she did, she was shocked at the sight of what she as seeing. No, it wasn't anything sexual or disappointment, it was just plain... shock.

Haerin had a sports bra on, covering her areas, but other than that, everything was exposed, scars of long and short was visible, bruises that seemed like it had been there for quite some time, and also just right near Haerin's left breast was this scar that looked like a star. Minji looked on as Haerin shifted uncomfortably, knowing Minji was looking everywhere at her half-naked self. She hated herself, her insecurities weren't helping at the moment and what she had now was just her, making sure that she wasn't scaring Minji. 

"Minji... It's okay, you can say anything you want. I trust you, I know I'm ugly." Minji broke out of her train of thought to see the shorter girl nervously caressing her arm, she bit her lips out of nervousness and was looking at the floor, as though she was ashamed of herself. "Haerin, you're beautiful. Why are you saying that you're ugly?"

"You can stop lying to me Minji, I know you're just comforting me. It's fine, all I wanted was just for you to see the scars and bruises I have on me. Minji, I'm broken, I'm not like the girls you see outside. They have friends, they can hang out and meet up to go for manicures, they can go shopping at malls, have a girls' night. Minji, I'm broken goods, please. I don't want to become a burden to anyone, it already hurts me enough that I can't really see. I'm fine all alone, I'm independent, I'm strong. I'm-..." 

The girl paused after rambling on, Minji looked at the girl attentively, listening to whatever the girl wanted to say. But what happened after that shook Minji, Haerin started crying, tears of sorrow dripped down on the floor as Haerin sobbed and sniffed. "Haerin, are you okay?" Minji asked while taking a step forward worriedly, "Stop, let me." That was all Haerin said while putting her hands up, stopping Minji from getting closer. "I-" she went on. 

"I'm strong Minji, a decade. A decade of persevering, a decade of blindness, a decade of taking in everyone's opinion, a decade of bullying and a decade of hope. I'm strong, but for only how long... I want someone to rely on, I want someone to turn to when I'm sad, I want someone to lean on, and I want to know that no matter what happens, someone will be there for me. Are you going to be that someone Minji?"

Haerin ended her rambling whispering the last question. Are you going to be that someone Minji? Those words slammed into Minji hard as Minji, for the first time ever, questioned herself if she was capable of doing what she did. She was her dad's star daughter, she had amazing grades, she excelled in dance, she excelled in almost anything she did. Except relationships, of course no one is perfect, the inability in handling a relationship was Minji's greatest flaw and Hanni was the perfect example. What Haerin was asking her was to be there for her always and Minji had no answer to that, she didn't know what to say, she didn't know if she could do it. For the first time in Minji's life, she had no confidence in whatever she could do. Sure Haerin was broken goods, but Minji always thought she had the ability to calm Haerin and make sure that Haerin was taken care of, her father wasn't home most of the time anyway. It was only Haerin, her and Ajumma. Right! Ajumma, she had to know something, she had been here since Minji was born and she was older than Minji was, she must have some wisdom to impart to Minji.

"Haerin, can you wait here for me for a bit? I'm going to find Ajumma." It almost came out as a plea as Minji hoped Haerin would nod, and that was what Haerin did. "Sure Minji, take however long you need. I'll just be in bed." Hearing what Haerin said, Minji bolted, she ran into Ajumma's room, closing the door behind her as she gasped for breath. Ajumma, who was on her bed, jumped when Minji ran into her room and slammed the door behind her.