Jimin wasn’t having it. 

She was already stressed and emotional over everything that just happened, and now, an old issue is coming back to life.

Ryujin's jealousy of Minjeong.

It slipped in her mind that her ex used to resent her current lover, and even until now, she doesn't know why. She had asked her ex about this before, but Ryujin always drops the topic. She would have totally forgotten about it, but Ryujin's current look definitely made her remember.

Ryujin is now sporting blonde shoulder-length hair, a look Minjeong was known for when she was in high school.

Jimin doesn’t want to think badly and wants to brush all of this as a coincidence, but knowing Ryujin, she knows it's definitely intentional.

"...I can't believe you," Jimin scoffs as walked away for the nth time.

She is done with all of this and is not in the right mind to talk to her ex. She was getting tired of it all. She can already feel the exhaustion of her body, but she wants to push through and find her.

Her Minjeong.

"Jimin, wait."

Ryujin tried to hold on to Jimin’s hand again, “don’t touch me!” However, the long-haired girl wasn’t strong enough. She can feel strong hands on both of her arms, “Let me go, Ryu!” She couldn’t get away anymore from the grasp of her ex-lover.

What she didn’t expect that would happen next was for a pair of lips on hers. Jimin was too taken aback by this, it took her a while to respond.

A familiar lips, but...an unfamiliar feeling?

Unfamiliar...unsettling feeling… for a familiar moment.

It was then that Jimin regained her senses and pushed the other girl away. 

*Slaps*

Jimin could feel her hand throbbing after the contact, and the other over her lips, mindlessly trying to wipe whatever trace of her ex-lover’s lips on hers.

She couldn't believe this was happening. 

Breathlessly, Jimin slowly backed away to leave when she saw them.

Her friend, Yuna, who looked so shocked and her,

Her Minjeong.

Her Minjeong that she loves so much.

Her Minjeong looked really hurt, reminiscing to five years ago, when she pushed her away. No…no…

“Min...” She sees Minjeong looking away, “No, wait. Minjeong,” Jimin’s weak voice tried to call out, “Min-”

She felt a strong grip on her arm, she looked over only to find it was Ryujin. “Ryu, please...Minjeong!” she resisted and begged, “let me go, please.”

She needs to go to Minjeong.

She can’t lose her.

Not again.

“Jimin..”

“Ryu, please,” Jimin tries to remove Ryujin’s grip but she was too weak, “I need to go,”

She needs to go, or else,

She will lose Minjeong.

Again.

That thought itself makes her dizzy.

She was losing hope.

A tiny voice suddenly clouded her mind. She will leave you, just like everyone.

Minjeong will leave you.

No, she thought. Jimin knows Minjeong loves her. She knows she won’t leave her.

Are you sure?

Stop, please just stop, she can’t have these thoughts.

She’s tired of everything.

She can’t think of Minjeong leaving her.

It will break her once again.

She’s tired.

Of everything.

Jimin was on the verge of falling and losing consciousness when she felt a familiar warmth around her.

A familiar perfume she likes.

A familiar comfort she always wants to go back to.

A familiar arms she wants herself to be wrapped with.

Minjeong?

------------

A scene she thought would never happen again, appeared in front of her.

She sees Ryujin kissing Jimin.

Her Jimin.

What? 

It came back to her, the memories of seeing Jimin with Ryujin, the pain she felt when Jimin chose Ryujin before.

Is this happening all over again?

Minjeong remembered what Yeji and the others were saying a while ago, 

Did you forget? You’re a nobody, remember?

she’s unreachable, untouchable even, and yet, a nobody like you was able to get under her pants.

Jimin will never go for her unless she’s something,

Ryujin’s back though,...you, a nobody, should back off.

She then heard a slap which brought her out of her head.

Jimin slapped Ryujin.

What?

She couldn’t comprehend what was going on.

Then she caught her eyes.

Jimin’s eyes.

It was full of emotions.

Her eyes were full of anger,

Frustration,

It was tired,

Terrified.

Jimin…

MInjeong wants to reach out and be with her. Help her.

But memories of the past clouded her mind once again. The pain and agony she felt before, Minjeong doesn’t want to go through it again.

She looked away in fear.

Fear of being hurt.

Fear of being on the losing end.

“...Minjeong!” Minjeong hears Jimin’s weak voice calling out her name.

Jimin…

Suddenly a tiny voice in her mind echoes, are you going to give up just like that?

She’s calling out for you.

Are you just going to give up...over a kiss? 

Over the words of other people? 

Over uncertainty?

“...let me go, please.” It was faint, but Minjeong was sure,

It was Jimin.

“Ryu, please,” her weak voice was trembling, “I need to go,”

Minjeong clenched her hand hard as she tried to move past her fears and hear more clearly.

Jimin was calling out for her.

Jimin was clearly pleading to go back to her.

Minjeong can now hear it clearly.

She knows what she needs to do.

Minjeong put her and Jimin’s stuff on the floor, which made Yuna wake up from the shock and hastily go to them.

On time, she was able to catch Jimin before the other girl fell and gripped Ryujin's wrist.

“Let. Her. Go.” Minjeong's cold words silenced all of them. She stared at the other blonde-haired girl, challenging to let go.

But Ryujin wasn’t backing down.

It made Minjeong more pissed. “I said,” Minjeong spoke coldly, “Let. Her. Go.” She gripped more on Ryujin’s wrist, showing how serious she was with what she said.

She’s not playing around.

She’s not backing down.

She’s facing Ryujin head-on.

Ryujin still didn’t listen.

Minjeong was on the verge of snapping when Yuna got in between them and pushed Ryujin away.

“Ryu, stop! For Pete's sake, know your place.” In the end, the other blonde-haired girl let go, which in turn, made Minjeong let go also.

Yuna looked back at them and apologized silently.

Minjeong could only give her a small smile in appreciation.

Once they left, Minjeong’s attention was now on Jimin. “Ji-”

Jimin leaned on her and weakly hugged her. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry...” Jimin repeats again and again. Minjeong could feel the pain and her heart broke. 

“Hey,” Minjeong reciprocated the embrace, making sure to steady themselves. “Jimin, it's okay.”

“I’m sorry, Minjeong,” Jimin cries out weakly, “please. Please don’t leave me. Please. I’m sorry,”

Minjeong backed away a little to face her, “Yooji, baby, listen to me.”

She cupped her face and tried to wipe Jimin’s tears away. She stared directly into the other girl’s eyes and whispered softly, “I’m not leaving you, I will never do that. I’m here, I’m here. I'm always here.”

“She..she kissed me,” Jimin spoke weakly as her tears fell down, “but..but I didn’t kiss back, Minjeong. I didn’t,”

“Ssh,” Minjeong hugged her tightly once again, “I know. I know.”

Jimin softly cries more in her arms.

------------

Minjeong’s car has now parked in front of the other girl’s house. After a long night, it was time for them to rest.

Minjeong looks over to the passenger seat and sees Jimin sleeping peacefully.

Everything that had happened tonight was too much for the raven-haired girl, and it was evident.

Jimin nearly collapsed due to exhaustion after crying her heart out in Minjeong’s arms.

Minjeong could only sigh.

She sees Jimin’s slightly bruised arm, reminiscing of what happened ago. Ryujin gave her that bruise. It made Minjeong’s blood boil thinking about it. If she didn’t let go of Jimin, Minjeong might have done something she might regret (or not, it depends).

She had a gut feeling something was going down tonight, she just didn’t expect it was that bad. She didn’t expect Jimin to be the target of all the pain. If only she could take all of Jimin’s burden, she will.

She caresses Jimin’s face, “I’m sorry, Yooji,” she softly whispered, “I will do better, to protect you.”

She kissed Jimin’s forehead. “I promise,”

Minjeong got out of the driver’s seat and went out of the car. She opened the passenger seat, knelt down, and carefully woke up the other girl, “Yooji, Yooji, baby, hey. Wake up. Baby,”

“Hhhmmm,” Jimin slowly stirred up from her sleep. As she opened her eyes, Minjeong greeted her with a warm smile, “Hey, babe.”

“Minjeong,” Jimin tiredly stretched out as she looked around, “where are we?”

“In front of your house,” Jimin hummed in response.

“Do you want me to help you go up to your room?” Minjeong softly asks as she remembers how weak Jimin’s state was now.

Jimin weakly smiled and shook her head, “it’s okay, Minjeong. I can do it.”

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