One Month

Ultimatums and Tensions

Friday dawned with a heavy sense of foreboding for Minjeong. The air between her and Jimin had grown thick with unresolved tension, and despite her desire to fix things, Minjeong found herself paralyzed by fear of making the situation worse. Jimin had continued to avoid her all week, and Minjeong, respecting her need for space, had reluctantly decided to give it to her. But with every hour that passed, the distance between them felt more suffocating.

In her heart, Minjeong wanted to chase after Jimin, to demand an explanation, to remind her of the bond they shared. But instead, she focused on her tutoring duties with Minju, even though her mind was elsewhere.

Minju, aware of the strain between Minjeong and Jimin, decided that maybe she could help. She felt partially responsible for the misunderstanding and thought that if she could just talk to Jimin, she might be able to clear the air. Minjeong had no idea that Minju was planning to confront Jimin, hoping to resolve the situation herself.

Later that afternoon, Minju found Jimin sitting alone in a secluded part of campus, her expression distant as she scrolled aimlessly through her phone. Steeling herself, Minju approached, her heart racing.

"Hey, Jimin," Minju greeted, trying to sound casual.

Jimin looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Minju?" she replied coolly. "What do you want?"

Minju noticed the hostility in Jimin’s voice and took a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened in the library."

Jimin's expression darkened, her patience wearing thin. "Minju, not to be rude, but I don’t think you should meddle in something that has nothing to do with you."

"It obviously does have something to do with me," Minju countered, her tone firm. "You’re mad at Minjeong just because she was talking to me. That’s not fair to her."

Jimin's jaw clenched, and her eyes flashed with anger. "If I were you, Minju, I would keep my mouth shut."

Minju refused to back down. "Why? Because it’s true? I think you’re just insecure, Jimin. You’re scared that Minjeong’s feelings for you will disappear."

"Minju," Jimin warned, her voice low and dangerous.

But Minju pressed on, undeterred. "Well, you should be scared, Jimin. Someone might just take her away from you if you keep pushing her away."

With those words, Minju pushed past Jimin, intentionally bumping her shoulder against hers. Jimin stood frozen, her anger boiling over. She clenched her fists, trying to control the rage that now consumed her.

Jimin couldn’t shake the image of Minjeong laughing with Minju from her mind. Her insecurities, already gnawing at her, were now screaming in her head. Minju's words echoed, feeding the doubts she had been trying so hard to suppress.

In the late afternoon, Jimin finally decided to confront Minjeong. She sent her a terse message, asking her to meet at the field. Minjeong, who had been anxiously waiting for any sign from Jimin, hurried to the location as soon as she got the text. Her heart raced, half in relief that Jimin wanted to talk, and half in dread of what might come next.

When Jimin finally arrived, Minjeong's heart skipped a beat. But the moment their eyes met, she could tell something was seriously wrong. Jimin's usually warm eyes were cold, and her posture was rigid.

"Jimin," Minjeong began, her voice tentative, "I’m glad you came. I’ve been worried about you."

Jimin crossed her arms, her gaze hard. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

Minjeong blinked, taken aback. "What are you talking about?"

Jimin let out a bitter laugh. "Don’t pretend that you didn’t send Minju to talk to me about our problems."

Minjeong’s confusion deepened. "I didn’t send Minju anywhere, Jimin. I had no idea she even talked to you."

"Oh, so you didn’t send her to confront me?" Jimin’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

"No, Jimin. I would never do that," Minjeong insisted, her frustration growing. "I didn’t know she was going to talk to you."

"Forget it," Jimin snapped, her eyes blazing. "Don’t even think of contacting me or looking at me until you cut Minju off."

Minjeong felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her. "Cut her off?" she echoed, disbelief coloring her voice. "You’re asking me to stop tutoring her?"

"Yes, stop tutoring her," Jimin demanded. "Or lose me."

Minjeong’s breath caught in her throat. She opened her mouth to respond, to argue, but no words came. The ultimatum hung heavy in the air, suffocating her.

"Jimin—" she started, but Jimin cut her off, her voice sharp and filled with hurt.

"Never mind. I’ve got your answer, Minjeong."

Without another word, Jimin turned and walked away, leaving Minjeong standing alone in the field. The pressure of the situation crashed down on her all at once, frustration and sadness swirling inside her.

Minjeong’s hands shook as she watched Jimin’s figure grow smaller in the distance. The weight of Jimin’s ultimatum pressed down on her, suffocating her with its unfairness. She felt torn between her responsibility as a tutor and her deep feelings for Jimin.

As she finally moved to sit down on the grass, Minjeong buried her face in her hands, struggling to hold back tears. She had never felt more lost.