it's always been you | minqi

suitors

Soojin could only sigh as she watched Shuhua talk to Yuqi  with such excitement and happiness in her eyes.

"I wish I could take it back." Soojin thought, her eyebrow raising when Minnie and Yuqi chalked up a conversation, Shuhua was alone now.

"This is my chance here." Soojin took a deep breath before she cleared her throat, walking over towards the younger girl who seemed indifferent about seeing her.

"Hey Shuhua." Soojin started awkwardly, as Shuhua laughed lightly at her failing attempt to start a conversation.

"If you wanted to talk, you could have just said so, unnie." Shuhua giggled, as Soojin could feel the corners of her lips turning upwards, something she really, really missed, besides the girl herself.

"Noted. How is everything?" Soojin asked, as Shuhua sighed contently, taking in the still as ever beauty of the girl in front of her.

Soojin would probably look like a goddess for the rest of her life, Shuhua was sure of that.

"Pretty good, actually. I'm happy with my job, that I get to do what I love. How is the studio?" Shuhua allowed for the conversation to flow freely, just like old times.

Soojin was so grateful for that.

"The studio is doing really well, actually. Soyeon and I have a collaboration event coming up." Soojin explained, as Shuhua nodded.

"Yuqi and I are reporting there too." Shuhua let out a snicker, as Soojin mirrored her smile.

"I guess we were destined to meet again, huh?" Soojin teased, as Shuhua ignored the hidden message in that joke, laughing with her.

"Yeah, I guess so. Have you found a suitor yet?" Shuhua asked boldly, as Soojin's eyes widened: target acquired.

"Uh, no, I haven't dated anyone since, you know." Soojin choked out, as Shuhua's eyebrows tilted upwards in confusion.

Although it hurt, she was definitely expecting for Soojin to have a boyfriend of some sort. The girl was very pretty and would be a magnet for anyone attractive as well, except for Shuhua herself, as she thought.

"Wow, really? I thought you would have a boyfriend or something by now." Shuhua mumbled, looking down in slight embarrassment as Soojin stared at her quizzically.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Soojin asked daringly, as Shuhua's face went bright red, making the latter laugh.

"Well, you're very pretty, unnie." Shuhua admitted, as Soojin cooed from her cuteness.

"Too pretty for me." Shuhua thought, as Soojin could sense the disorient on her face.

"Is everything alright?" Soojin asked, concerned, putting her hand on Shuhua's shoulder as she grabbed the younger girl, pulling her closer.

"Yeah, everything's perfectly fine." Shuhua lied, offering a grim smile.

Soojin didn't believe her, she liked to believe that she knew the other girl well, but with how much Shuhua has matured, she wasn't sure if that was possible anymore.

"What about you? Do you have a suitor?" Soojin countered, trying to prolong the conversation for as long as humanly possible, she missed the other girl's presence more than she should've.

"Not currently, no. We'll find our suitors though, unnie." Shuhua smiled brightly, as Soojin could feel her heart hurt.

"She doesn't love me anymore, does she? That's what I get for ruining things, huh." Soojin blamed herself for her actions; they were no one's fault but hers.

"Shouldn't Mark be here?" Yuqi asked, as Minnie looked at her in confusion.

"Mark, your fiancé?" Yuqi clarified, as Minnie nodded in understanding, laughing slightly that she forgot the name of the man she would be marrying in about a couple of week's time.

"That's right, I'm getting married to someone who isn't Yuqi." The reality of things made Minnie groan slightly as Yuqi looked at her with caution.

"Ah, he doesn't really like cake." Minnie explained, as Yuqi nodded, the brunt of what she was doing had yet to have an effect on her.

She missed Minnie enough to ignore that she would never end up with her.

"Are you excited for the wedding?" Yuqi shifted the conversation as Minnie nodded hesitantly, worried that her true feelings would unravel as soon as she finally got them together.

"Yes, it should be fun. You and Shu are coming, right?" Minnie asked, as Yuqi nodded.

"At least I can have you there." Minnie thought.

"Yes, I'm watching you get married to someone who isn't me. How fun!" Yuqi smiled bitterly, as silence overtook the two once again, the desperation of a conversation, or of some sort of communication after half a decade was intoxicating.

"Is your father walking you down the aisle?" Yuqi asked, which made Minnie stop what she was doing completely, the question had caught the girl off guard.

Minnie could sometimes still hear the sounds of Yuqi's cries in her dreams, when her father abused and took away the one thing she loved. She was sometimes happy that he was no longer there, although she wouldn't ever admit that to anyone.

"My father passed away a couple of years ago, from stress, perhaps, so no." Minnie nervously laughed, as Yuqi's eyes widened at the grim news.

"I'm really sorry, Min." Yuqi rubbed Minnie's shoulder, releasing a small smile from the bride to be.

"She called me Min! This is a win in my book!" Minnie mentally celebrated as Yuqi allowed for her to think, reveling in her own emotions as well.

"The man finally got his karma. I knew it would happen one day." Yuqi smirked a little, hiding it the minute Minnie raised her head to look her in the eyes.

"I've really missed you, Qi. I'm so glad you're back." Minnie smiled sincerely.

"I've missed you too, Min. I'm glad I can accompany you on your special day!" Yuqi cheered, as she saw the corners of Minnie's lips falter, her mind going into a panic mode at what she could have possibly said wrong.

"What the fuck did I do? Should I dip like Jay does?" Yuqi asked herself, but stopped when she felt Minnie's arm on her wrist.

"Thank you for coming, although it wasn't by choice technically." Minnie cheered, making the younger girl laugh, and thus, the awkwardness was gone in a snap.

"Girls, we need to choose now!" Miyeon called everyone back into the room, having them stand in a circle.

Soyeon looked over at both Minnie and Yuqi, who snuck glances at each other.

"It's unfortunate when you want someone that you can't have." Soyeon sighed, as she watched Yuqi's stare linger on Minnie for longer than it should've.