THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT US. winrina

O2: Oddball

“You don't know who I am?”

Minjeong wants to laugh at how flabbergasted the woman looks as of now. But she doesn't, and she instead wonders if Karina Yu has ever met anybody who doesn't give a flying fuck about her fame and popularity at all. And if she really hasn't, well, Minjeong can be the first.

“I do know you,” Minjeong replies, her voice monotone. She gives the slightest of a smile to the woman. “That's why I said ‘Oh, it's you’.”

“But..!”

She watches as Karina stumbles over her words, becoming a stuttering mess as she tries to figure out what to say and how to say it. Minjeong reckons the woman is finding a solution on how to explain the fact that she's a massive celebrity in the country — maybe even the biggest and most important as of current — and failing quite miserably. Although it is pitiful, Minjeong has to at least chuckle.

“I'm, like, a hot topic in the nation right now. Surely, you know me!” Karina exclaims as she pushes herself off the fridge to stand upright.

“And I said that I do know you,” Minjeong says without missing a beat. “I think you're missing my point here.”

Karina's arms drop to her sides. Her mouth hangs open and Minjeong worries that flies might end up crawling into it for a second. “No, I think you're the one who's missing my point.” She persists, with wide eyes and everything. “I'm an artist. People would pay hundreds to be in your shoes right now.”

Minjeong lightly snorts before she's walking out of the aisle and heading towards the cash register. “I'll gladly take the money, then.”

She can hear the artist's footsteps not far behind her. Karina is moving faster than she expects and the next thing she knows, the woman is at her side once again. She's standing so close that Minjeong's almost certain she can feel Karina's breath on her face. That is, if her body isn't playing tricks on her mind.

“You know,” Karina says slowly. She stays mum for a split second, watching as Minjeong hands a few bills over to the clerk who is unfortunate enough to work the night shift on a weekday. As the clerk digs through the bottom of the cash drawer for Minjeong's change, she continues her unfinished sentence. “You are, by far, the most uninterested person I have ever met.”

Minjeong doesn't need a minute or two to think of a reply. Her mouth is running by the time she's stuffing her change inside her pocket and she's unable to stop herself before the words escape. “I'm surprised you've even met any.”

Karina follows after her as she saunters over towards the cooking station. “Most of them were elderly people so it makes sense but,” Minjeong begins pouring hot water into the cup of dry ramen. “I thought the younger ones would've known me for what I do by now.”

“Yeah? Well, not everyone is as invested or interested.” Minjeong deadpans rather harshly. She didn't mean it. But what's done is done and Karina doesn't seem too affected by it, either.

Instead of dwelling on the hurtful words from Minjeong, she gives a curt nod. She has this look on her face that screams seriousness but also a hint of innocence that had Minjeong in a dilemma. Is this woman trying to be the adorable version of herself that's for show, or is she actually this cute in real life? Because with that face, Minjeong can't exactly tell.

“I guess you're right...” Minjeong hears Karina mumble when she whizzes past her to set down her cup of ramen on an empty table, letting it soften as she goes to heat up her corn dog.

Karina leans against a shelf, watching Minjeong move about the station like it's her own kitchen, wordless. It's a weird experience, in Minjeong's opinion. Usually, she would be all over the place, an absolute mess, whenever someone watches over her as she's doing something. Her heart would pound twice its pace and she'd break out into cold sweat. She'd be nervous, jittery, clammy. But with the artist watching her, Minjeong feels none of those. Plus, it almost feels — shoot her for saying this — domestic to have Karina there with her. Not nerve-wracking, or headache inducing, or even nauseating. It's just.. Yeah.

“I thought I said I wasn't interested.”

There's an interval of silence as Minjeong keeps her eyes trained on Karina who's now sitting across from her at the table. She scans the artist's face for a moment, taking in her perfectly straight brows and full lips that are surely her main attractions, and all Minjeong can think about right now is Yizhuo's constantly repeated monologue about how ‘Karina is so gorgeous. Oh my god.’ and her ‘I feel so gay?’ moments whenever she talks about Karina. She thinks it's safe to say that maybe, just by the tiniest sliver of agreement, Yizhuo's right.

And then Karina is grinning, looking charming with her pretty smile. Minjeong finds herself so captivated that she almost misses what Karina says. “I know. But my favorite people right now are the ones who aren't so interested in my life like everyone else is.”

Karina has a way with words — and women. She gets told that a lot by none other than Ning Yizhuo who throws a tantrum every time a new video of a fan call event drops and it's of Karina flirting with other female fans. Yizhuo says it's about some sort of parasocial relationship or something; she really can't be bothered to make sense of it. And Minjeong does see her point with the way Karina's staring at her so intensely.

So Minjeong brushes it off instead. “Are you just going to sit there?” She asks as she moves to unwrap a pair of wooden chopsticks.

Karina tilts her head. Her features are tinted with a hint of confusion. “What?”

“I'm going to eat,” Minjeong gestures down at her cup of now soggy ramen. “It's either you join me or you watch me.”

The artist chuckles when she realizes. “Oh, no. I'm on a diet, actually. I'll watch you.” She pauses, and Minjeong can already tell that she's thinking of ways to deliver a clever pick-up line just from the way her bottom lip nestles between her teeth. “Unless you'll feed me?”

Ignoring the last line, Minjeong makes a quip before she begins her feast. “Aren't you supposed to be rebellious or something?”

“Meaning?”

“You like to bend the rules, don't you? I remember that you ran past your bodyguards and into a crowd of fans during that concert of yours.”

Karina is smirking as she leans on her arms, shortening the distance between them despite the table. “Thought you said you weren't interested ten seconds ago.”

Minjeong squints. “I still am. But I have a roommate who doesn't stop yapping about you and your face. The only time I don't have to listen to random facts about you is when she's asleep.”

A guffaw bounces off the glass panes around them. Karina's eyes shine with mirth as she runs a hand through her long black hair. “I want to meet your roommate. Take me back to your place?”

“The dorms are strictly students only.”

Karina pouts. “Aw man,” she drawls. “Can't you just sneak me in? I'm Karina Yu, for heaven's sake.”

Shaking her head, glaring at the artist, Minjeong frowns. “Do you always use your fame and popularity on people like this?”

When Minjeong starts slurping away all the broth from her ramen, she sees horror in Karina's eyes and can't help but let out a laugh. “No.. Not really. Just..” The smile is, however, wiped off her face the moment Karina opens her mouth to speak. “Reserved for a special girl with a strange way of eating ramen.”

“I don't appreciate this disrespect.” Minjeong glares objectively harder.

“Why would someone in their right mind finish the broth first and then the noodles?” Karina mimics a full body shudder, shaking her head and dismissing Minjeong's look of hurt. “Downright psychopathic.”

Minjeong rolls her eyes. This woman is just harassing her at this point. “Whatever, casanova.”

Karina laughs. “Okay, oddball.”