one summer | winrina

➥ ten

Minjeong and Jimin hadn't yet defined their relationship, but Minjeong was sure as hell enjoying it: stolen kisses in the pool at night, cuddling on the couch, hugging in the kitchen, sweet nothings in the wee hours. Jeno was confused at Jimin's sudden lack of interest, obviously, but one knowing glance from Jaehyun and Minjeong wasn't worried about the boys.

Ning noticed, obviously. It took a little longer for Aeri to notice, but when Jimin rushed into her living room giggling, pulling Minjeong by the hand, she picked up fast. Especially since the reason Aeri was in Jimin's living room was that she was wrapped around Ning like a sweater, and the two were making out on the couch.

Minjeong had blinked and vanished so fast that it was like she had teleported. Jimin ran after her immediately, continuing to laugh.

Ning and Aeri had shrugged it off and gone back to their business.

Minjeong's parents called her occasionally, and Minjeong had been careful to leave her relationship with Jimin out of it.

Dinners with Haesun and Kyunghoon were getting progressively harder as Minjeong resisted the urge to kiss Jimin in front of everyone. Jimin shared the same longing looks with Minjeong as they ate. 

No one noticed.

And it hurt a little.

Their relationship had blown from nothing, to talking, to friends, to making out in the bathroom in a matter of days.

It was so fast.

And Minjeong was starting to get friction burn.

Everything about her- her commitment to long-term things, her studying mind, her meticulous spirit. Everything resisted Jimin and this nameless thing they had.

Jimin seemed to sense it too, so she spent more time with Minjeong, as much as she could.

But Jeno was always there. Others were there too. And Jimin couldn't shake it.

"What are we?" Minjeong questioned one evening, as the two of them lay intertwined on the couch. Jimin's parents were out at a friend's house, and the two of them had taken advantage of their time together.

"Friends with benefits," Jimin answered promptly.

"Are you sure?"

"Why, you don't want to be?" Jimin asked incredulously, turning to Minjeong in shock.

"No, I do! I mean. Whatever, forget about it."

"Okay," Jimin replied, confused, leaning back on the couch.

❃

Minjeong began packing that night, tossing clothes into her open suitcase with intention.

Jimin stopped by briefly, but Minjeong's concentrated expression seemed to clearly indicate that she didn't want to talk.

So Jimin left.

Minjeong felt guilty, obviously, but Jimin's absence was kind of like the one push she needed to focus on the life ahead of her- the one crashing down.

Minjeong was a sophomore, and junior year meant looking at colleges to prepare for senior year. She knew she was getting ahead of herself, but that was kind of Minjeong's thing- if you prepared for everything in advance, you'd never hear any surprises.

However, that wasn't what Jimin was like- she was spontaneous, new, and something Minjeong didn't get at all sometimes.

Yes, she liked it a lot. But it also scared her.

The entire unknown scared her. She preferred to focus on the things she knew.

Minjeong turned on her phone and opened the Notes app, listing everything she knew at the moment.

1. She was a sophomore, going into junior year at SM High.

2. She loved studying, reading, and eating.

3. Her favorite K-drama was Business Proposal.

The list went on, darting between random things and things that Minjeong actually cared about, until she looked back on the list and realized that she'd scribbled something absentmindedly.

15. She was hopelessly whipped for Yu Jimin.

Shoot, shoot, shoot, no. Minjeong's finger reached for the delete button, but she couldn't make herself do it.

Maybe because deep in her heart, she knew she was right- and that the sky would turn the color of rainbow sorbet before Jimin ever loved her back.