One Month

A Chance At Redemption

Jimin sat on her bed, staring at her phone. The conversation with her friends from the night before lingered in her mind, pushing her to swallow her pride. She began typing a message to Minjeong, hesitating only briefly before hitting send.

Jimin: Hey, can we meet up at the park near campus? We need to talk.

Minjeong, who had been anxiously debating whether to reach out to Jimin herself, was surprised when she saw Jimin's name pop up on her screen. She quickly replied, agreeing to meet her at the park.

---

When Minjeong arrived at the park, she found Jimin sitting on a bench under a large oak tree, her long wavy black hair catching the sunlight. Jimin looked up as Minjeong approached, a mix of emotions playing on her face.

Minjeong took a deep breath and spoke up first, not wanting to let the silence stretch out too long. "I'm sorry for canceling our date, Jimin. I hope you can forgive me?" She watched Jimin's expression closely, her heart pounding in her chest.

Jimin shook her head, causing Minjeong’s anxiety to spike. "No, Minjeong," she began, and Minjeong’s stomach dropped. But before she could panic further, Jimin continued, "I'm sorry for being selfish."

Minjeong blinked in surprise. "You weren’t—"

"Yes, I was," Jimin cut her off firmly. "I was only thinking about myself. You don’t have to deny that just because you like me, Minjeong."

"I thought you would still be mad at me," Minjeong admitted, her voice soft.

Jimin raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eyes. "You really think that badly of me?"

Minjeong’s eyes widened, her voice quickening. "No, not at all—"

Jimin chuckled, interrupting her again. "Relax, Minjeong. I was just kidding."

Minjeong let out a relieved breath, feeling some of the tension drain from her body. "Does this mean that I can still take you out on a date?"

Jimin leaned back on the bench, her expression thoughtful for a moment before she smiled. "Well, I did promise to give you a chance, so why not?"

Minjeong’s heart swelled with happiness. "How about we go on one right now? If you don’t have any plans, that is."

Jimin glanced at her phone, considering her schedule. "I have something later, but I’m free now. So yes, you may take me out on a date now, Minjeong. But wait, I’m not properly dressed."

Minjeong’s eyes scanned Jimin from head to toe, taking in her casual but stylish outfit. She smiled warmly. "You look perfect to me, Jimin, as beautiful as always."

Jimin felt a warmth spread across her cheeks at the compliment. "Oh, shut up, Minjeong," she said, trying to sound dismissive but failing to hide her blush.

Minjeong grinned, feeling a sense of pride at having made Jimin blush. She knew she still had a long way to go to truly win Jimin’s heart, but for now, she felt hopeful. "Shall we go then?" she asked, extending her hand to Jimin.

Jimin hesitated for just a moment before taking Minjeong’s hand, allowing herself to be led away from the park. Maybe, just maybe, this date would be the start of something special.