Under the Cherry Tree

cherry blossoms

Swiping a red lipstick over her lips, Minjimi sighed heavily, staring at her face in makeup through the mirror, wearing a blue silk dress that reached down to her ankles.

Her mother appeared behind her, running her cold fingers on her daughters shoulders. "I'm so glad you finally decided to change. A beautiful lady you are...it's good that you came to your senses and stopped hanging out with those gross...trash animals of humans."

Minjimi knew she was talking about Jeongguk and Jimin. Anger boiled inside her, but kept her composure. "The gentleman will be here in a few minutes, Minjun is going out on a date, so he won't be here." Her mother informed, moving her fingers to run through Minjimi's soft, long hair. "You'll make a perfect rich wife."

Just that statement made Minjimi lose herself. 

Standing up, she scowled at her mother, walking out of her room and down the hall to where the stairs were. Sliding down the banister and heading towards the door, which she swung open and jogged down the patio steps, going around the side of the house.

Looking down at the chickens curled up in the warmth of their shed in the brisk morning, Minjimi grabbed a brown chicken, putting it under her arm, she saw one of her cats sleeping on the fence, which she grabbed as well, heading back inside. Sneaking behind her mother who had just come downstairs, she went back up quickly, having to be careful of how she ran since her dress kept trying to tangle up in her heels.

Getting back to her room, she stuffed the chicken under her covers and put the cat on her fur carpet, which curled back up again under the softness, much preferring her carpet over the fence.

She smiled a little, getting back to her plan, she hurried to her window, spotting a black mustang pulling up, she smirked and opened her window, turning back to her bed and sitting down on the edge, careful not to harm the chicken.

Reaching for her perfume, she sprayed a little on her neck, putting it back and sitting up straight, remembering the many failed attempts at training her of how to become a lady, she put it to use.

Back straight, chest up, head held high, soft hands gently folded over each other, ankles crossed under the dress, a small discreet smile on her lips.

The door to her bedroom opened, and a tall framed man walked inside, looking at her, she stood up, keeping her formal posture as she bowed to him. 

"Minjimi, this is Hangyul, he's quite a sweet heart already." Her mother introduced, the tall man bowed, smiling at her, she nodded, inviting him to sit down on her bed.

Her mother left the room after patting the man on the back. She took her seat again, and Hangyul sat down on the bed. Completely unaware of what was under the covers. It took everything inside her not to giggle. 

"So, Hangyul, what do you do for a living?" She asked, distracting him from the sudden movement under the sheets. "I uh...do carpeting." He responded, glancing between her and the sheets. 

"A carpenter? That's the first one I've ever met..." She put her chin on her palm, staring into his eyes. "What do you do?" He asked politely, even though she could tell he was uncomfortable. "Me? Oh...nothing...I used to be free, that's what I used to do, I decided to come back to my senses, as my mother says, and be the way I supposed to be. But I sure do miss the cherry blossoms." She sighed, Hangyul looked at her confused. "Cherry blossoms?"

"The cherry tree, never heard of it? It's the prettiest place I've ever seen." She looked at the covers, Hangyul shifted nervously, since the chicken had now began moving towards him. "Are you okay?" She tested, Hangyul nodding trying to ignore it, but he couldn't. "W-what is under your covers?"

"Oh? There?" Minjimi grabbed the edge of the covers, lifting it up and smirking, the chicken clucking at him and biting at his knee, he gasped, backing up off the bed, but kicked the cat in the process, who hissed loudly, attacking his legs.

"I was willing to change, and then my mother called me the perfect rich house wife. I'll take my chances of being killed over being a house wife." Minjimi giggled, running to her window, she slid out through it onto the roof, taking off her heels on the other side, she shut the window behind her and slid down the side of the roof, finding a pole down to the patio, which she clung onto for dear life and slid down.

Reaching the ground, Minjimi could see in through the window an abundance of people running up the stairs having heard the mans pleads, she smiled and hopped off the white patio and took off running down the steps.

She couldn't go to Jeongguk or Jimin about her successes, they'd be furious with her. She had nowhere else to go, other than her cherry tree.

Running down the road and into the apple orchard, she passed by Namjoon, who looked at her confused as she bolted for the trees.

Since she had no shoes on, she cut her feet up in the thorns and sticks laying in the ground, but the pain eventually went away as she reached the green field of grass and the cherry tree in the middle. 

Running up the small slope to it, she caught her breath as she sat down under it, the tree providing her shelter from the sun that grew higher up into the sky. 

It was once again the same peaceful feeling she always got. Ruining her chances of becoming a proper lady, just to be bad. What kind of stupid idea was that? Trying to change for the better? 

However, just because she rebelled, didn't mean that she could have her best friends with her. Jeongguk and Jimin were at risk of having the same execution fate as her. If she rebelled, and they didn't come with her, she could be saved. And there would be no need to hide them. She'd much prefer her life to fall apart rather than theirs.

"So the princess came back."

She took back her thoughts. She'd much prefer to be in the room conversating with Hangyul.

"What do you want, Seokjin? Weren't you supposed to be getting arrested?" Minjimi hissed, looking up at him as he stood over her, shrugging. "I might not have money but I know how to talk my way out of situations."

"Yeah and you talked me into getting rid of the only two people I really love and their now gone in my life." 

"I did it to protect you."

"I am quite capable of protecting myself thank you very much. Why do you even care?" Minjimi glared at him, Seokjin scoffed, crossing his arms. "Because I care. You don't have to die so young, there's no point, you have a life you've barely even tried to live out!"

"I've lived it to the fullest I want to. Sneaking out at night, smoking, getting drunk as hell, brawls, stealing, I've even sat down during my mothers boring lectures about how to be a good wife! I've lived the life I want to live." Minjimi stood up, facing Seokjin, getting up into his face even though she was much shorter than him, but he only looked amused. "You try so hard to be something you're not. You think living a poor life is fun? You think it's something to laugh and joke about? You think it's that great? Come live in the world I live in, you'll be begging to go back to the rich mommy and daddy protection you were gifted with." Seokjin smirked.

"Again...why the hell do you care what I want and don't want? You aren't the person in control of me, I didn't even know who you were until you came to claim my cherry tree that rightfully belongs to me." Minjimi narrowed her eyes, her fist clenching, ready to punch him if he said anything stupid-

"Maybe because I like you."