Winter sat hunched over her phone, her fingers idly swiping through an endless stream of Instagram accounts, each one bearing names that bore no resemblance to the delicate syllables of "Jimin." The luminous glow of the screen illuminated her face in the dim light of her room, amplifying her frustrations. Despite her dedicated searches, no one matched the enigmatic portrait she had been given. It was almost as if Jimin existed in a realm beyond social media—an elusive specter that darted away whenever she felt close.
She mused over the peculiarities of this girl who had captured her imagination. Jimin was undoubtedly a private individual, a trait that was becoming increasingly apparent. Winter had gathered enough scraps of information to form a rudimentary profile: no social media presence, an affinity for meticulously penned letters instead of hastily captured photographs, and a formal style of writing that hinted at a past both distant and mysterious. The most fantastical notion, albeit irrational, flitted through her mind: perhaps Jimin was a vampire. Surely, such creatures were relegated to the realm of fiction. The idea was ridiculous, and yet it lingered like a shadow, taunting her.
As days stretched into weeks, which in turn morphed into months, Winter found herself ensnared in an unspoken riddle. She and Jimin had exchanged countless letters, revealing fragments of their lives but not the fundamental truths about their contrasting timelines. Winter had broached the topic several times, her curiosity gnawing at her, but Jimin's skilled evasion of the question had thrown up a barrier of silence that left Winter feeling disheartened. The once curious questions turned into an unspoken agreement to leave that thread untangled, but the weight of the unasked lingered heavily between them.
Her social life had spiraled into obscurity. Winter rejected invitations from Giselle and Ningning, sidelining friendships that had once brought her joy. Instead, her world had shrunk down to the intimate exchanges that transpired through letters. A ritual had formed: as she exited her home each morning, she would leave a carefully crafted letter for Jimin, and upon her return, she would look forward to finding another awaiting her. Jimin's rapid responses both thrilled and astonished Winter, a testament to the enchanting pull this girl had on her.
Jungkook, her long-time friend, was all too aware of the burgeoning feelings that had begun to blossom within Jimin. As he watched her intently fixate on the collection of letters that had accrued over the months, a knowing smirk spread across his face.
"What's with the big smile?" he teased, knowing full well the source of her cheer.
Jimin hastily averted her gaze, a coy smile dancing on her lips. "Nothing."
"Ah, 'Nothing'—that's a new name for you," he quipped, relishing in the playful banter. It was a familiar game they had played since childhood, often resulting in Jimin's mock indignation at his relentless teasing.
“Yah! At least I'm liking someone and not dying alone!” her voice was imbued with a simmering exasperation, tinged with the underlying nerve of embarrassment. The truth was that Jungkook’s romantic interests remained as elusive as Jimin's enigmatic crush. He had never been one to serenade girls or openly fawn over anyone, leaving Jimin to wonder if he had simply lost interest in the girls within their town—or perhaps, whether his affections lay elsewhere, a conclusion she deemed unlikely yet amusing.
"I'm not dying alone. I just prefer to keep my love life low-key for now," he retorted, maintaining his evasive demeanor while secretly snatching one of Winter’s letters from the pile.
"Dear Jiminie." The words leaped off the page, and Jimin felt the heat of embarrassment wash over her face. Jungkook inspected the letter with a mix of curiosity and mischief, his eyes flitting between Jimin and the letter, each second igniting his playful smirk further.
“Look at this! ‘Dear Jiminie?’ Oh, how romantic.” The jovial teasing was relentless.
Flustered, Jimin made a vain attempt to retrieve the letter from the taller boy’s grasp. “Give it back, you jerk!”
"Man up, Jimin. Confess to her before she finds someone else!" The sentiment struck a chord deep within Jimin. Abruptly feeling the weight of Jungkook's words, she abandoned her futile quest to reclaim her letter. Instead, irritation propelled her out of the room, where she found solace in her writing desk, ready to draft a confession of her own. Was it too soon to reveal her feelings?
• • •
“Win, it’s lovely outside—why don’t you come out and enjoy the sun a bit?” her mother’s voice drifted in from the other side of the door, a gentle reminder of the world outside her cocoon of thoughts.
Winter was ensconced in her bedroom, the walls adorned with remnants of correspondence: a colorful diary of her growing affection for Jimin. Hours melted away, consumed by the careful weaving of words meant for Jimin’s eyes alone.
"Greetings Winter,
Jungkook has been mercilessly teasing me today. He insisted that if I don’t confess my feelings for the special someone I can’t seem to stop talking about, I’d inevitably die alone."
Winter chuckled to herself, picturing Jungkook’s cheeky grin as he delivered his playful jibes.
“I keep reiterating that I do fancy someone. However, I cannot divulge the identity just yet.”
Intrigued by her words, Winter felt a prickle of excitement. Who could this mystery individual be? She found herself grappling with a disconcerting realization: she was at a crossroads, oscillating between her burgeoning feelings for Jimin and the excitement of infatuation itself.
Could it genuinely be infatuation, though?
“Please share your thoughts on this matter. I eagerly await your response.”
Yours truly,
Jimin.
A pang of disappointment surged through Winter upon finishing Jimin's letter. "So, you like someone now, do you?" She was heartbroken by the implication. Just as she began to embrace her own feelings, she felt the sting of Jimin's affections directed elsewhere.
Jimin, meanwhile, curled beneath the cherry blossom tree, her heart heavy with unvoiced words. Jungkook spotted her desolate figure, seated under the tree's blooming branches, and approached, concern overtaking his typically jovial demeanor.
“Why the long face?” he inquired, breaking through the silence that enveloped her.
"Winter's not responding to any of my letters," Jimin confessed, her voice tinged with despair.
“Did you say something that you shouldn’t have? Do you think she might not like what you wrote?”
Jimin contemplated Jungkook’s probing question but shook her head resolutely. “I only told her that I like someone, but that it’s a secret for now.”
The gears began turning in Jungkook's mind, and he clapped his hands together in an exaggerated manner. "Aha! She's jealous."
The accusation bewildered Jimin. “Jealous? Why would she be jealous?”
"You told her you fancy someone without telling her who it is. She’s likely made assumptions that it’s not her!" Jungkook's logic struck true, igniting a flicker of dread within Jimin.
Jungkook suggested something, tilting his head expectantly as if the suggestion were the simplest solution in the world.
The haunting worry tugged at Jimin's heart. Winter's feelings were becoming too intricate—an artful tapestry woven of desire, insecurity, and the hope of connection. Would she risk it all to unravel the threads binding them? The weight of unanswered letters loomed over Jimin, and a decision crystallized within her: she would confront the very essence of her hidden feelings, even if it meant exposing her vulnerabilities.
"Why don't you meet up with her or something?"
YOU ARE READING
ATTACHED • Winrina
FanfictionWinter kept receiving letters from an unknown recipient. One day, the recipient wrote her name and date. She discovered they were decades apart. ❗Winter × Karina❗
