HANNI & HER WAYS || Bbangsaz

paint me like one of your French girls

I had my legs crossed, my chin resting on the palm of my hands and eyed the red spray paint smudge on Minji's face. She had not said anything yet, and I was starting to get nervous.

"Do you remember coming here in this very playground as a kid?" She asked, and started to rub her legs as if to warm herself up.

"Yeah, all of us did." I nodded, and named Minji, Sunghoon, and Jake. I touched the ceiling of the dome and reminisced my childhood days when I would huddle in here for a game of hide and go seek. "This was actually my favourite hiding spot." I added.

She stared at me for a moment, and asked,

"Do you remember when we would jump on puddles and play with snails?"

"Uh... Pardon?"

"Never mind- I thought..." Minji looked away and was embarrassed all of a sudden.

A memory came into mind when she said jumping on puddles and playing with snails. A memory of a little girl's hand holding mine while we both cry because we thought we would never see each other again.

"You're her." I said in realization, and pulling my knees to my chest.

"So you remember?" Minji asked, looking surprised.

"How could I forget? You stole my first kiss." When I said that, Minji turned beet red.

"Does that really count? We were so little. No way, that counts." Minji said, shaking her head in amusement.

"I can't believe you're nji." I chuckled, peeking at her from my knees. "Why go with Minji? nji is a beautiful name."

"nji's my middle name, and my parents preferred calling me nji rather than Minjielle. I don't- I just don't want to be associated with my parents anymore, and the old nji. I wanted to start fresh when I moved here so... I go by Minji. I like Minji way better than nji."

"I like Minji too." I said and smiled at her.

"Hanni?"

"Hm?"

"I don't care if you're not ready to go out in public with me. I know what you're thinking that maybe this isn't fair for me- but please trust when I say that I want to be with you. I will wait until you are ready."

It was my turn to be speechless while I cannot help but feel the fluttering in my stomach. She had read me like an open book. Here I thought I was hiding my thoughts to myself but Minji knew all of what I have been hiding from everyone.

"So please, I am saying this from the bottom of my heart. There is so much more to look forward to rather than focusing on hating what is truly us." Minji crawled beside me and placed her arm around my shoulders. I realized then that I was starting to get cold, and she was so warm that I can't help but bury my face in her chest.

"How do you that?" I asked.

"Do what?"

"Be naturally amazing." I said, now looking up and grinning at her. "Please don't stop being you."

"You're so lame." Minji replied, rolling her eyes and playfully pushing me away. I didn't budge, and was still holding on to her.

We stayed in the dome for a while, talking. She talked about why she was doing graffiti and that it was for her art portfolio. I talked about how talented she is and that I would pay money for her art. She talked about saying she would make something for free if I agreed to be her muse. I asked dramatically, "Do I have to lay in front of you naked while you paint me like one of your French girls?"
"It would be an honor to see you naked." She replied. My tongue was somehow tied and I couldn't give a comeback. Then she smirked like she won or something.