Unlikely Duet - Ch. 11
Genre: Fluff, Angst
Length: +11k words
NJZ Minji x Male OC
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Minji's POV
"Are you sure about this, Hanni?" I ask.
"Just try it on!" she says, her voice muffled behind the walls of the changing room.
"I don't know if this'll fit."
"Did you even try it on?"
"Uh…"
I stare at the mocha brown one piece dress Hanni and Hyein picked out—and all I can imagine is what Yuno will think about it. It's cute, but will he like it? Does brown clash with my skin tone? Will he think my arms look weird in it?
A knock comes from the other side of the door. "Haerin found more clothes for you," I hear Danielle say. "I tried to talk her down, but she's persistent."
With a sigh, I put on the dress. My reflection doesn't look half bad. Maybe my arms do feel a tad bit exposed, but it is getting warmer. I could try a jacket, or a cute cardigan, but will my glasses look good with—
Another flurry of knocks. "Minj, hurry up, we wanna see!" Hanni groans.
"Okay, just give me a sec!"
Tentatively, I smooth down the dress before pushing open the door. Four pairs of eyes look back at me in silent judgment. "Well?" I ask. "What's the verdict?"
"It's cute!" Hyein exclaims, clapping like a seal.
"Definitely a change from what you usually wear," Danielle adds. "A good change."
"You think so?" I glance down at the dress, watching how the fabric contorts to my body. "I feel like my arms look kinda awkward, and—augh!"
Haerin dumps a mountain of clothes into my arms, each one with some kind of crazy pattern or feathers where there definitely shouldn't be feathers or way too many metal adornments to be considered clothing.
"Try these on next," she utters flatly.
"M-maybe we can take a break? We've been at it for an hour, I feel like a barbie doll." I nearly collapse from the weight of the clothes. Haerin simply squints at me before walking off without another word, dragging Hyein along with her to no doubt find more clothes. I wonder if this is some weird prank she's pulling or she actually thinks these look good.
"See? I told you it would suit you," Hanni says, marveling at her pick. "And I bet your new boo thang would love it—"
"Hanni!" I clap my hand over her mouth, barely stifling her giggles.
"So, you two are official now?" Danielle asks.
Warmth spreads through my cheeks. "Kinda? We agreed to start things slow and not worry about any labels. Neither of us have any experience in, um, dating, but I'm optimistic."
I can't help but smile at the thought. Is this what those two sweethearts in the art club feel like every day? My heart feels like it's about to explode in the best way possible.
"Oh, to be young and in love," Hanni teases. "Seriously though, I'm happy for you, Minj."
"Me too." Danielle pats my shoulder, and I have to physically restrain myself from bursting into tears of joy.
Suddenly, Hyein comes running back with a panicked look on her face. "Uh, a coat rack fell on Haerin."
"Oh my god, is she okay?!" I exclaim.
"Well, she's not hurt, but she won't get up," she explains. "She said it's too comfy."
Danielle sighs, getting to her feet. "I got her. Lead the way."
The two of them go off to solve the Haerin-related predicament, giving me a break from playing dress up. Between home, school, and now this whole new relationship, it's been a while since I've gotten a moment to myself. Here, I get to feel like everyone else—just a normal girl, hanging out at the mall with her friends.
"You should wear that out," Hanni says, eyeing my dress.
"You think so? I feel kinda… exposed." I wrap my arms around myself, unused to the breeze on my arms.
"Nothing wrong with showing a little skin."
"Hanni."
She giggles. "Just saying, all you wear is jeans and sweaters, and the only time you ever dress up is for your parents' business stuff. Wouldn't it be nice to get all dolled up on your own terms?"
My gaze falls onto a nearby mirror, tracing my reflection. It is a cute dress. I shift in my seat, crossing my legs, brushing my hair over my shoulders—I'll admit it, I look good. Hot, even.
"Alright," I sigh. "I'll wear it out."
Hanni pumps her fist in the air. "Noice!"
I furrow my brow at her. "Since when did you start saying 'noice'?"
She shrugs. "I don't know. Just now. It felt right."
Danielle and Hyein come back, pushing along a smirking Haerin. "We have to leave," Danielle says with the air of a disappointed mother.
"Why? Are they kicking us out?" I ask.
"No, but I'm too embarrassed to show my face in here ever again," she sighs. Haerin's grin only grows wider at the sound.
"Alright, then…" Haerin as usual, I guess.
As we head towards the cash registers, I hear my phone buzz in my bag with a text from my father:
Father: How is the studying going? It's good to see you so focused on your academics.
I type up a quick response and shove my phone back into my bag, pushing down the gnawing feeling I get every time I lie.
Minji: It's going great! I'll be back home by dinner.
What they don't know won't hurt them.
The air in the plaza feels a little colder on my shoulders, but at least for a little while, they feel free of any burden. In this little bubble with my friends, I don't have to be the refined daughter of my parents, or the upstanding student council president—I get to be me without any other mask.
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Yuno's POV
"Sorry," I pinch the bridge of my nose, "explain this to me again?"
Yujin slumps his shoulders, somehow walking backwards without bumping into anyone in the crowded mall.
"Like I said, it's about this college professor that got bit by a radioactive grasshopper, so obviously he gets all the abilities of a grasshopper, like jumping really high and spitting out acid, and naturally, he becomes a superhero called 'The Hopper' and he uses his newfound abilities to fight crime and stop this one villain named 'Prime Ape' from turning the whole world into monkeys, and…"
I shoot a confused look at Winter, who's nodding like she understands everything he's saying. "But why does he want to turn the whole world into monkeys?" she asks. My mind melts into a thick goo as Yujin drones on about evil monkey man and how he thinks 'evolution was a mistake'. Whatever makes the kid happy, I guess.
We arrive at the comic book store, aptly named "Nerd Herd Comics", and the musk of paper and ink fills my nostrils. Rows and rows of comic books line each shelf like a maze of brightly colored drawings. Yujin skips ahead of us, leaving Winter and I to navigate this place by ourselves.
"Did you ever read any comic books, Yuno?" she asks.
I shrug. "Maybe when I was younger. You?"
She grabs a random comic book off the shelf and fingers through the pages. "I have an older cousin that's into superheroes. He'd show me his new collectibles he bought whenever I went to visit." Winter places the book back, a small grin on her face. "It was nice, seeing him so passionate about something. He's pretty quiet most of the time, but it's like his eyes lit up every time he got a chance to talk about his interests."
"Yeah, that does sound nice." I notice Yujin at the corner of the store, getting into a lively discussion with three other guys. At first glance, I wouldn't even think that they were all complete strangers until this point. Even if all this comic book stuff isn't my thing, I'm glad to see how happy he is here.
"Hey, I'm gonna look around for a bit, maybe find a gift for my cousin," Winter says. "Will you be okay by yourself?"
I nod. "I'll live."
As we part ways, I make a beeline straight to the front of the store. Almost immediately as we walked in, my eyes drifted towards it like a magnet—a key chain of a bear wearing headphones. Bears? Music? This practically screams Minji, how could I not get this for her?
"Um, excuse me?"
I feel a tap on my shoulder. "Yeah?" A tall guy built like a twig is eyeing the key chain in my hand. His hair is done up in a greasy ponytail, and the air around him smells violently of fast food.
"Do you know who that is?" he asks with an accusatory finger.
"Uh… The bear?" I turn the key chain over in my hand, wondering if this has sentimental value to him or something. "Uh, no, I don't know."
He scoffs at me, and I already know I'm going to hate this interaction. "Actually, that's DJ Grizz, he's from a niche yet beloved run of comics originating from Australia. Y'know, you should really read through the source material before carelessly buying merchandise of a franchise you know nothing about."
"Alright, dude, I—"
"I actually have the entire first print in mint condition, I would lend it to you, but I don't want to potentially have my collection touched by someone who so blatantly disrespects the work of—"
"Hey, Yuno!" Like an angel come to save me from this greasy Hell, Winter walks up to me, some books tucked under her arm. "Yujin s-said he'll be done soon."
The guy freezes at the sight of Winter and awkwardly wanders off, grumbling under his breath about "females".
"Thanks," I sigh in relief. "I couldn't stand another second of that."
She shoots me a confused look. "Was something going on?"
I shake my head. "Nothing." Better to bury that memory now before it festers.
"Aw, that's cute," she says, pointing at the bear key chain. "Are you going to buy it for Minji?"
"How'd you know?"
"A hunch." She smiles at me knowingly. "I think she'll love it."
"Yeah?" I gaze at the key chain in my palm; we're something now. This key chain will be the first thing I give her as a something.
Yujin reconvenes with us, cradling a large stack of comic books in arms. "I'm done! Those guys over there gave me some great recommendations!" he beams. "Ooh, is that a DJ Grizz key chain?"
I clap his shoulder, ushering him towards the cash registers. "Yeah, sure, can we leave now?" Hopefully, that stack lasts him a lifetime and I never have to step foot in here again.
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The mall food court is probably the closest thing I'll ever experience to an active war zone. Crying babies, a sea of hungry bodies, and barely enough breathing room to take two steps without brushing elbows with a stranger. Somehow, in the midst of the chaos, we manage to snag an empty table.
"I love the hot dogs here!" Yujin yells over the noise, setting down his plate of what looks more like a pile of condiments with a side of hot dogs.
"How can you even eat it like that?" I ask.
He's already mid-bite through his dog, hands and face painted a gross orange. "Ech lick wuh?" he says through a mouth full of food.
"I can grab some napkins," Winter offers, but I stop her.
"I got it. You might get lost in this crowd."
I descend into the sea of bodies once again, going in the vague direction of the napkin dispensers. There has to be rules about this or something, most of the people in my way aren't even in a food line. I swear I passed by that same guy from the comic book store openly discussing the "superior ship" in DJ Grizz with five other people, whatever the hell that means. Couldn't find anyone at Nerd Herd to talk to, so you had to do it in the most inconvenient spot ever?
Finally, I make it to the dispensers, taking a moment to catch my breath—and there, right in front of me, is Minji.
"O-oh. Hi," I mumble.
"Yuno." Her lips curl into a smile as our eyes meet. It feels good to be the reason for that. "Hi. I didn't know you would be here."
"Yujin wanted to check out the comic book store," I explain. "What about you?"
"Just shopping with my friends," she replies.
My eyes can't help but scan the brown dress adorning her body, simple yet elegant. I'm convinced she could wear a table cloth and still look better than most supermodels. I still can't believe that this girl likes me.
"I, um, I like you dress," I say with all the suave of a banana peel.
"Really?" Minji beams with delight, smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric. "I actually just bought this today. Hanni said I should try dressing up on my own terms, so… that's what I'm doing."
"It suits you," I add, "Like the, um, shape and the color go really well with your, uh…" I gesture vaguely in some lame attempt at trying to sound like I know what I'm talking about.
Despite my poor attempt at flirting, she laughs, and that makes everything feel okay. "Thanks, I think I get what you mean."
My hand falls to my side and I feel a small bump in my pocket—the key chain. "Uh, actually, I have something for you."
"Oh?" Minji tilts her head, watching as I produce the DJ Grizz key chain from my pocket. "Aww, that's so cute!"
"I saw it at the comic book store and it reminded me of you. Cuz you like bears. And music." Our hands touch for a brief moment as I hand it to her, leaving little bolts of electricity in my fingertips.
"This was really sweet of you, Yuno. I love it." She holds my little gift to her chest, right on top of her heart. That awkward interaction with greasy ponytail guy suddenly seems worth it.
"Yeah? I'm glad," I utter, pretending as if my insides aren't shooting off a billion fireworks right now.
"It was nice seeing you here, Yuno." She sighs, her lips forming a cute pout. "I should probably head back to my—"
Suddenly, a screaming kid comes out of nowhere, shoving Minji forward. Before I can think, I step in, my arm looping around her waist to catch her. All at once, the noise of the mall dims to a low hum as I find myself a mere hair's width away from her face. I trace over Minji's familiar features—the soft plump of her lips, the almond shape of her eyes, the rounded point of her nose—mesmerized by how someone could look so perfect.
It wouldn't be too hard to kiss her like this. All I'd have to do is lean in and we'd be back to where we were at the banquet. A small moment of bliss before everything went to shit. But we could reclaim that moment, paint that moment over with something new, something beautiful; our first kiss as a something.
All I'd have to do is lean in.
"Huy, come back here!" An irate mother comes stomping after the child, and the moment is over in an instant. Minji backs away, blushing profusely. Her lips tremble like she's forgotten how to smile.
"I should, um, probably get back to my friends," she stutters, gripping the skirt of her dress.
"Y-yeah, go ahead, uh…" I hastily rip a handful of napkins from the dispenser. "I'll, uh, see you around then?"
"Um, maybe—er, yes! Definitely! I mean—" she shakes her head. "I will see you around. Um, bye!"
"B-bye, Minji."
We scamper off in separate directions. Fuck. I have the grace of a snail on a unicycle. All I had to do was talk like a normal person and I couldn't even do that much. Being a something is harder than I thought.
I toss the crumpled pile of napkins onto the table, a low sigh pushing out of my lungs.
"Are you okay?" Winter asks. "You were gone for a while."
"I, uh, got lost."
The two of them seem to buy my lie and leave it at that. Or, they do know something is up but decide not to push me further. Either way, I'm fine with replaying that little moment in my head again and again while they carry on with their own conversation.
Next time, I'm leaning in.
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Minji's POV
I take another lap around the food court to waste time, cradling the bear keychain in my hands while I replay that moment over and over again in my head—his lips were right there. If only there weren't so many people around, I would've dove into them like a thirsty woman into the ocean.
Jesus Minji, get a grip.
Eventually, I head back to my table, where my extended absence doesn't go unnoticed.
"Are you okay?" Danielle asks, eyeing my tomato red cheeks.
"Oh, uh, it's nothing, just a little warm I guess." I quickly hide the keychain in my bag and dig into my greasy plate of Americanized-Chinese food, hoping they don't prod anymore.
Even still, my heart won't stop pounding in my chest. Those "boy crazy" type characters in those old rom-coms always seemed so silly, but I think I get it now. Yuno has those strong arms and that bad boy thing going on, which I hate to admit is painfully attractive, but then he's also so adorably awkward and his hair gets a little fluffy when it's humid, and—
"Yo, Earth to Minji," Hanni says, waving a hand in front of my face. In my enamored stupor, I neglected to notice the four pairs of eyes staring back at me.
"W-what? Is something on my face?"
"Nothing bad," Hyein reassures, "Just a smile."
"A creepy one," Hanni adds.
I shrug. "The food is just, uh, extra tasty today—"
"She's lying," Haerin interjects. She puts a hand up, grabbing our attention, and sniffs the air for a couple moments. "Yuno is here."
"What?! How did you know—" I slap a hand over my mouth, but it's too late. The girls now see me for who I really am: just another "boy crazy" psychopath. Curse that cute face of his.
"Ha! I knew something was up!" Hanni exclaims with a giddy smile. "Dani, you owe me $20!"
"You were placing bets?"
"You were gone for a while," Danielle says, begrudgingly handing $20 to Hanni. "Hanni insisted that it had something to do with Yuno, and I thought she was crazy, but a broken clock is right twice a day I guess."
"This broken clock has 20 more dollars, fool," Hanni chuckles, flaunting her crisp bill.
"What a nice coincidence!" Hyein says. "What did you guys talk about?"
"Uh, y'know, just said hi and stuff." Among other things. "He's here with his friends so I didn't wanna take up too much of his time. Anyway, if we're done eating, shall we go to karaoke now?"
The mall has this one section dedicated to these Korean style karaoke rooms that look near identical to the ones I would go to with my cousins when I visited Korea. We go there so often that the old man who owns the place knows us by name and even gives us a free 40 minutes every time. The place is usually packed with people, but if we call ahead of time, he'll reserve a room for us without fail. It's practically a second home for me, where I can sing my heart out without worrying about what my parents think.
We barely make it five steps away from our table before Hanni elbows my side. "Look, it's your little boo thang," she says, pointing at the "nice coincidence" that's heading in our direction.
I bite back a grin. "He's here with his friends, I don't wanna bother—"
"Dani!" Yujin comes jumping towards Danielle, a paper bag of comic books swinging wildly in his hand. "I didn't know you would be here too!"
And so, our groups intermingle, and I find myself staring straight into Yuno's eyes again.
"Hello. Again," I utter, my face aching as a smile forms on my lips.
"Hey. Again."
The heat comes back to my cheeks tenfold, but I don't care. Hanni can poke fun at me all she wants; she doesn't have a something as exciting as this going on.
"Where are you guys headed to?" I ask.
"I don't know, I think we're just gonna look around. You?"
"We're going to the karaoke place nearby."
"Oh. Cool." His lips curl slightly, and I have to grip my skirt to keep from pulling him into a kiss. God, where's a mint when you need one? "I don't think I've ever heard you sing before."
"Well…" The thought of singing in front of him is both absolutely terrifying and sickeningly adorable. Is it bad that I've already mentally prepared a set list full of songs dedicated to him? Have I actually gone off the deep end?
"Minji!" Hyein calls out. "Can they come to karaoke with us?"
Yuno and I exchange glances. "I mean, I'd hate to butt into your time—"
"I don't wanna get in the way—"
"—Maybe some other time—"
"—I'm not much of a singer anyway—"
"We'd love to," Winter interjects, breaking us out of our endless cycle.
Yuno clears his throat. "I mean, yeah, it sounds like fun."
"Totally." I feel my heart burst from my chest and soar into the clouds above. Things have been going pretty okay lately. Maybe not the best, but I want to hold onto this little piece of happiness for as long as I can.
Yuno and I straggle behind the rest of the group as they head towards the karaoke place. An electric tension dances in the space between us and I'm not sure if I should move away or get closer.
"Minji," Yuno says. The way my name floats past his lips makes my stomach do a somersault.
"Yes?" His face turn the slightest hint of pink as I turn to look at him. So cute.
"Can I, um…" He reaches a shaky hand towards me, and without hesitating, I lace my fingers with his. The electricity in the air concentrates in between our palms, sending a current that runs back and forth between us. I've never felt this feeling before, but I wish it would last forever.
"Is this what you wanted?" I ask.
"Y-yeah, uh… Thanks," he mutters, not quite able to look at me. I can see his cheeks twitch as he tries and fails to suppress a smile and I can't help but laugh.
"You're very welcome," I say, giving his hand an experimental squeeze. I feel him squeeze back. I squeeze again. He squeezes a little harder. Haerin looks back at us with a blank expression. Oh well. Let her look. Let the whole world see how cute and cheesy I am with my something.
There's nothing that could ruin this perfect day.
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It's been a while, but the karaoke room is just as I remember it: a big TV playing old Kpop music videos, a disco ball overhead bathing the room in a rainbow of colors, a box of tambourines and silly hats in the corner, and a lush velvet couch to collapse on after singing your heart out.
With three new additions to our session, the couch is a little snug. I conveniently get squished up next to Yuno after Hanni makes up some lame excuse about wanting to "stretch first" before singing. Not that I necessarily mind—on the tier list of places I'd want to be, sitting right next to Yuno is pretty high on the list.
"Alright, chumps," Hanni says, grabbing the giant remote for the TV. "Who wants to go first?"
The room stays silent. Yuno, Winter, and Yujin exchange nervous glances, while the others flip through the thick book of songs, trying to decide which one to sing first. Right—they've never been to karaoke before. I suddenly feel bad for derailing their day and making them join us just because I wanted to be around Yuno.
Maybe I should go first and break the ice? But what would I even sing? Something popular that everyone knows? I don't even know what kind of music they like. Maybe Disney? No, that might be too cheesy. A ballad, so I can show off a little? But that might make them more nervous if I do too well. How about—
"Ugh, you guys are taking too long." Hanni types in the code for a song, and all of a sudden, a distorted synth starts blaring from the speakers. 'Bang Bang Bang' by Big Bang—a classic of the mid 2010's. Whether you know the song or not, it'll be stuck in your head for a good week after listening to it.
Hanni grabs the mic and jumps around, turning the small karaoke room into her own personal Coachella stage. The room immediately perks up, with everyone cheering her on and bouncing to the music. Even Yuno and his friends look a little more at ease thanks to her shenanigans.
With Hanni kicking things off, it's not long before we get a queue of songs going. Danielle kills it with Britney Spears, Hyein and Haerin do a cute duet to a Disney song, Yujin sings the opening of his favorite anime in near-perfect Japanese. Hanni even gets Winter to sing, and she surprisingly has a really nice voice. (Seriously, is there anything that girl can't do?)
During it all, I can't help but sneak peeks at Yuno, watching him laugh and smile with everyone else. He looks so happy. This boy that's been through so much, that everyone is afraid of based on rushed assumptions, gets to be really and truly happy for once.
I don't care what anyone else thinks. Yuno is my something and I will protect his happiness as if it were my own.
"Minji!" Hyein yells over the music, shoving the remote in my face. "What song do you wanna sing?"
Yuno glances over at me expectantly. This is it. I have to pick something good. A cheesy love song might be too much. Maybe a ballad, but that might kill the mood. Ugh, I don't know, I need to think about this first.
"I'll be right back," I say to Yuno, "I'm gonna get some water real quick."
Besides the muffled sounds of people singing in the other rooms, the hallways are quiet enough to give me a chance to think about my song choice. This is an important one—not only is this my first time singing in front of people outside of my immediate friend group, but this is the first time I'm singing in front of Yuno. It has to be perfect. I shudder at the thought of my voice cracking in front of him. We haven't even been a something for that long, what if he breaks up with me over my lack of vocal talent?
As I round the corner, I suddenly faceplant into someone's chest.
"Oop, sorry, I—"
"Minji?"
I look up—it's that slimeball again.
"Sunghoon," I grimace, "What are you doing here?"
"Just hanging out with some friends." His tone sounds all light and friendly, as if we weren't fighting just days earlier. "Are you here alone? You should come and join us."
"Actually, I'm with my friends, so—"
"Great!" Sunghoon steps in front of me, blocking my path back to my room. "They can come along too. One of my buddies told me he's been eyeing Hanni lately, maybe you can play cupid and introduce them?"
I can barely contain my disgust. "Ugh, no thank you." I try to leave, but he just gets in the way again. With only one exit, my options of escape are becoming very limited.
"C'mon, don't be like that," he says, flashing that greasy smile. "Are you still upset about what I said before? Look, I'm sorry, okay? I've been really stressed out recently, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Will you forgive me, please?"
Ugh. Everything about him is so fake, even down to his sorry excuse for an apology. Stress? What 'stress' could he possibly be going through right now? He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, his parents coddle him relentlessly and turn a blind eye to how much of a terror he is, and he actually wants to follow in his father's footsteps instead of secretly harboring a dream that would greatly disappoint his parents if they found out about it.
Sunghoon wouldn't know the meaning of stress even if it was written on the palm of his hand.
"Can you please just let me go?" I say.
He chuckles as if this is all just some big joke to him. "Just one song? I'd love to hear you sing—"
Yuno steps out into the hallways and immediately spots me and Sunghoon. The smile he had just moments ago drops as he clenches his fist by his sides.
"Oh. My. God." Sunghoon looks back and forth between us, a creepy grin growing on his face. "You're fucking kidding me."
Without a word, Yuno gets in between Sunghoon and I, pulling me behind him. Sunghoon chuckles in disbelief.
"Holy shit." His eye twitches like a madman. "I actually can't believe it. You two? Seriously? This is all just fucking hilarious, huh?"
I cling onto Yuno's arm, hoping to calm him down before he gets pushed too far.
"Tell me your secret, man." He jabs a finger against Yuno's shoulder. "How'd you bag that? C'mon. Man to man. I can keep a secret, just whisper it into my ear."
Sunghoon's entourage, noticing the commotion, starts pooling into the hallway, and all of a sudden, there's a whole audience here to bear witness Sunghoon's hysterical ramblings. I feel Yuno tense up. Don't. Please don't.
"Let her through," Yuno utters calmly.
"Why? Am I interrupting your little duet here?" Sunghoon laughs to himself. "How about this: why don't you sing us a little song and I'll let you through? That's fair, right? We're at karaoke after all." His entourage chuckles in agreement. Some of them have their phones out, recording this whole interaction as if it'll go viral or something. I'm sick of it. I want to go home.
Yuno tries to step past him, but Sunghoon just gets in the way. "Woah, hold on, we didn't get our song yet. Ah, my bad, maybe you just need a little encouragement!" He starts clapping and hollering, and the other boys follow along like their audience members to a show. People from other rooms begin to peak their heads out, wondering what all the noise is about.
I take Yuno's hand and squeeze it. "Just ignore him," I murmur. His expression doesn't change, but I feel him relax under my touch.
Sunghoon's face darkens at the sight of us holding hands. "You nervous, Yuno? You need someone to hold your fucking hand for you like a god damn fucking baby?" He laughs in his face and tries to push him, but Yuno doesn't budge.
"Move. Please," Yuno mutters.
"Aww, look at that! The gorilla has manners!" Sunghoon's entourage dissolves into a fit of obnoxious laughter. The noise is getting too much. All I wanna do is run away and forget this whole thing ever happened.
Yuno's eyes soften as he looks at me. He gives my hand a gentle squeeze before forcefully pushing past Sunghoon.
"Hey, don't be such a fucking buzzkill!" Sunghoon screams after us. "It's not like your fucking drunk of a father is dead yet!"
Both of us freeze in our tracks. Yuno shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath. Maybe I could learn a thing or two from him about keeping my cool, because before I know it, I'm stomping towards Sunghoon with a vengeance.
"What is wrong with you?!" I push him with everything I have. He barely stumbles back, but that flicker of shock in his eyes is enough for me. "Why can't you just leave us alone, you jerk?!"
"Relax, I'm just messing around," he says, flashing that snide smirk of his. "Look at him, you think a couple words could hurt him? Stick and stones, am I right, Yuno?"
I don't believe violence ever being an answer, but I've never wanted to punch someone as much as I do now. "God, you're such—such an asshole!"
"Yo, chill out." One of his friends pushes me back. "Seriously, we're just—AUGH!"
In an instant, the boy crumples to the ground, clutching his now bloody nose. The hallway goes silent as if all the air had been ripped out, leaving nothing but the sound of Yuno's heavy breathing.
The look of death in his eyes makes my spine shiver. He's almost indiscernible to the guy that shyly gave me the bear keychain, or the guy that was smiling with his friends during karaoke.
"Yuno," I mutter, worry in my voice.
A wave of guilt suddenly washes over him as he looks at his hand, dotted red with blood, as if it isn't his own. "S-shit… I—"
"Hey, hey! No fighting!" The owner comes rushing in and grabs the back of Yuno's collar. "All of you, out! Or I call police!"
The audience starts to clamor for the exit, but Sunghoon lingers behind for a moment, relishing in his 'victory'. "I hope you had your fun, Minji. Don't say I didn't try to warn you." He chuckles to himself as he walks off.
"Minji?" Yujin and the others peek out of the room, watching with confusion as the owner drags Yuno away. "What's going on? Did something happen to Yuno?"
"I-I…" I stammer, my mind still reeling from everything that just happened. Right before Yuno gets tossed out, he turns back and mouths one last thing: I'm sorry. "I-I don't—"
"Minji, don't invite bad guy," the owner says, wiping his hands like he just threw out the trash. "Bad guy is bad for business. I don't want to see him again."
"B-but…" But he's not a bad guy. He was just protecting me. He made a mistake.
But the words die in my throat, along with the hope I had for a perfect day.
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Yujin and Winter left shortly after to check on Yuno. I know I should've went with them, but this ball of anxiety that's been festering in my stomach kept yelling at me to get home as soon as possible.
That whole thing was recorded. And knowing Sunghoon, it's only a matter of time before he sends it to my parents. Who knows what they'll do after that. I'm screwed.
Danielle drops me off, but I practically sprint towards the front door, praying for even the smallest chance that I still had time to fix this somehow.
But, it's too late. The grave look on my parents' faces as they wait for me in the living room is answer enough. I gulp and step inside.
"Um, I'm home," I mutter, trying to mask my nervousness.
"Sit down," Father commands. My legs turn to jelly as I sink onto the couch facing him. Mother's gaze stays on the floor, as if she's too disgusted to look at me.
"What is this?" He turns his phone towards me, showing me what I had feared most—the video of Yuno punching that boy in the face. Next to him is me, clear as day. There's no lying out of this one.
"Um…" I suck in a deep breath. "I can explain—"
"I specifically remember you telling us that you would be going to the library to study." His voice is still, but it's enough to make my skin crawl. "This doesn't look like the library, Minji."
"I-I know, I'm sorry, I…" It's impossible to get the words. They're clogged in the back of my throat, choking me slowly and painfully.
"We took pity on that boy, but that was not permission for you to go ahead and fool around with him, let alone lie to us about it!" Mother interjects. "Seriously, Minji, are you even thinking?! He could've seriously hurt Sunghoon, and then what?!"
I gulp. "I-It's not like that, Yuno was just trying to protect me—"
"How can we trust you?" Father's words are like knives to my chest. "You lied to us about where you were going, how do we know that you're not lying about this? How can we know for sure that what you say is the truth? Hm?"
I clam up. The walls start to close in, confining me to where I sit and making it harder to breathe. My heart batters against my ribcage like a prisoner begging to be set free, to be heard by its captors. It has so much to explain, the truth is desperate to be said.
But he's right—how can I be trusted anymore? All these little white lies have compounded up to this point like an Everest of my own hubris. After all this time, did I even need to lie? Would things have been better if I had just been honest from the start? Would my parents have listened if I tried?
"We're pulling you out of Evergreen for the remainder of the year," Father says.
"You—What?!" My whole high school career flashes before my eyes—my friends, my student council experiences, Yuno—all I can do is sit there, frozen, while it's ripped away from me.
"You will be here, in this house, everyday, working with the best tutors we can find," Father continues, his soulless eyes staring back at me. "If you succeed and if you can prove to us that you can be trustworthy, only then will we consider giving you back your privileges."
"But that's—!" That's not life, that's imprisonment! I'd be stuck in here against my will for God knows how long!
"No 'buts', Minji!" Mother all but yells. "You brought this upon yourself! At every turn, you've defied our instructions, and for what? That boy?"
The way she constantly skirts around his name makes my blood boil. His name is Yuno. He's sweet and kind and tries everyday to be better. Despite what life has given him, despite the mistakes he makes, despite what other people think of him, he still tries. And that's more than I can say about my parents.
"We're only doing what's best for you," Father says. "Now, hand over your phone."
"No." It comes out before I can even think to stop it.
Father creases his brow. "Minji."
"No!" This one comes out a little louder. It's too late to go back now. "I-I'm not doing this anymore."
"Minji! You're being childish!" Mother adds. I grip the skirt of my dress and take a deep breath. I need to be heard, even if it kills me.
"I admit it, I lied. I lied about a lot of things, like going to the library when I'm really hanging out with my friends." Their eyes widen and lips twitch like they're revving up to scold me again, but I continue on. "But how can I not lie when you two don't let me have a social life? My entire life has been nothing but academics and being told what I can and can't do. 'Take these classes', 'Don't talk to that person', 'Focus on your studies', it's suffocating."
"Minji," Father huffs as if he's holding back his anger, "A social life at your age is a distraction. How are you expected to be the best when—"
"I don't want to be the best!" It barely registers that I've shot up to my feet. The height is almost dizzying. "I've done anything and everything you two have ever asked of me! My transcript is perfect, I'm ranked first in the entire school, I won the vote for student council president in a landslide! And yet, the second I do something for myself, the second I try to live a normal life, you want to take that away from me?! Are you… insane?!"
I almost regret my choice of words as Mother suddenly towers over me, glaring straight into my soul. Despite my shaky breathing, I don't dare look away. "How dare you?! That is no way to speak to your parents!"
"And you think this is an acceptable way to treat your own daughter?" I bite back. If I'm going down, I'm going down swinging. "Taking away my phone and keeping my locked up in here every day is your idea of good parenting? Thank God you two didn't have a third child!"
A vein pops on my mother's forehead. I fear I may have taken it a little too far. "I-I didn't mean—"
"You…!" She jabs a finger at me, her nail like a blade against my chest. "You ungrateful little—!"
"Enough!" Father pulls her back, keeping her from doing whatever it is that she was going to do. "Minji, go to your room."
I stomp up the stairs and slam the door shut behind me. My body lingers by the door, unable to move towards the comforting safety of my mattress. All I can do is wait.
Wait until the fire leaves my lungs, until the sound of my own thoughts isn't so deafening. By then, the sun had set, clouding my room in shadows. I collapse to the floor and the tears start to fall like a sudden downpour. All the anger and emotions have drained from my body, and all that's left is the heavy weight of exhaustion.
I yelled at my parents. I said some things I shouldn't have. I've likely doomed myself to an even bleaker punishment to the one they already proposed. But at least it's all out of my system. Everything that I've kept bottled inside now stains the walls of this house, unavoidable and inescapable.
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Yuno's POV
"Oh, I know this one!" my dad exclaims, mouth full of the hospital's chocolate pudding. "It's coconut shrimp!"
One of the contestants on the TV buzzes in. "What is 'coconut shrimp'?" she answers. A nice 200 points is added to her score.
"I could totally win if I was on this show," Dad boasts as he shovels the last bits of pudding into his mouth. My cup stays uneaten. Pudding has never really looked that appetizing to me, let alone on today of all days.
"Something on your mind?" he asks.
"Uh… it's nothing." I quickly brush it off. "How're you feeling?"
He sets the empty cup down on his tray and pauses the TV. "Eh, ups and downs, but I'm feeling more up lately. Doctor says I should be good to go by tomorrow," he grins.
"That's good."
"I have to say, I will miss the hospital food. Three warm meals a day, and I don't have to move a muscle? I should get sick more often," he chuckles. "Sorry, bad joke."
I offer him a small chuckle and hand him my untouched pudding cup. "I can cook more at home. If you want."
He shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I like cooking, gives me something to do." Dad tears off the lid and brings a spoonful of pudding to his mouth, but stops. "I used to make lunches for your mom, way back when. She was always so busy with nursing school, and even busier when she first joined her residency program. I'd get all fancy with the recipes, and maybe they didn't always turn out great, but my favorite part was hearing all her notes of what she liked and didn't like."
His eyes turn glassy, but the smile on his face stops any tears from falling. "What did you do when she didn't like what you made?" I ask.
"I mean, it didn't feel great knowing that I made something she didn't end up enjoying," he explains, "but, to her, it wasn't the end result that mattered. She just appreciated the fact that I was putting in the effort to be better, that I truly listened to her notes. I'm no Michelin star chef, but I'd like to think I got the hang of it thanks to her."
The effort to be better. He makes it sound so simple—just do better. But how can I really be better if I keep making these same mistakes over and over again? How do I unlearn the habits I've survived with for years?
My dad gently squeezes my shoulder. "You alright, Yuno?" I meet his eyes, and all the tension I've been holding in leaves my body, dissipating into the air like smoke.
"I just… I feel like no matter how much effort I put into being better, I make one mistake and all that effort is wasted."
He takes a breath, letting my words seep in. "Yuno, I've made more mistakes in this lifetime than you can even imagine. And I can't take back those mistakes, no matter how much I want to," a flash of guilt passes his face, but he continues, "In spite of those mistakes, what keeps pushing me forward is the people around me, the people that I love and care about. I want to be better for them, and yeah, I'll make even more mistakes along the way, but I know that not a single ounce of my effort is being wasted if it's for the people I love."
Man—when did this guy become a philosopher? "Thanks, that's… wow."
My dad chuckles. "I know, right? Can you believe I thought of that just now?"
For once, I let myself laugh freely. There was a time not too long ago when I thought a conversation like this with my dad wouldn't be possible. Even after going through all the shit that fate has thrown at me, the highs like these make it all worth it.
I want to be better—a better son, a better friend, a better something. I'll undoubtedly trip and fall and make a huge mess of things, but if I get to live more days like this with the people I care about it, then I'll strive to be better even if it kills me.
Dad unpauses the TV and goes back to enjoying his pudding. "Y'know, I can change the channel if you want. The catalogue on this thing is endless."
I lay back in my seat, feeling as light as a feather. "It's okay. Things are fine the way they are."
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Minji's POV
I wake up to the afternoon sun poking at my eyelids. My limbs feel like cinderblocks as I try to pull my covers off me.
Unused to waking up so late, my whole body feels downright awful despite the extra hours of sleep. How do people function like this? Half the day is already gone by the time I produce my first coherent thought. After that whole shouting match with my parents, I'm not sure if I even want to do anything.
My phone is full of notifications, but only one catches my eye:
Mother: Your father and I will be out until later tonight.
I scoff audibly. The first time I vocalize my truth and they just want to avoid the consequences completely. I wouldn't be surprised if they all of a sudden have an "emergency business trip" they have to get to and leave me alone for another six months. Maybe I'd finally have some peace of mind that way.
Whatever. There's no use moping around. I leave my phone on my nightstand and grab a hoodie, aiming to wander outside for a couple hours until all my problems are magically solved.
Thankfully, unlike all those cliche movie scenes where it rains furiously after the main character has an already terrible day, the weather is actually pretty nice today. It's hard to be all mopey and depressed when you're underneath a cloudless blue sky and the sun is feeding you vitamin D straight into your skin.
Still, I can't help but linger back on last night's argument. Replaying scenes in my head, thinking up different rebuttals and assuming different responses. It's ultimately futile, but it does reinforce the fact that I finally let them know how I feel. Maybe I could've gone about it in a better way, but what's done is done. I just have to hope that they'll come around eventually.
It would be such a shame if I spent the entire school year stressing about prom, only to be pulled out and imprisoned in my house before I had the chance to enjoy it. I'm sure Hanni and the others would think of some elaborate plan to sneak me out, no doubt involving a body double and a fake pizza delivery. Knowing Hanni, she'd probably find a way to get Yuno to pick me up on horseback like some kind of old fairy tale. I smile at the thought. He would look good on a horse…
Ugh, I shouldn't have left my phone at home. With everything that happened, I haven't had a chance to text him. I need to let him know that none of this is his fault, that I hope he's okay, and—
A pang of hunger hits my stomach, making it rumble like a monster truck. Right—I haven't eaten all day. My need for food unfortunately trumps my need for Yuno as my feet lead me to the nearest convenience store.
As soon as I walk in, I'm greeted with Winter, sweeping the floors.
"Minji!" she says, her eyes lighting up for a moment before noticing my bedraggled state. "Um, are you okay?"
"Eh, I could be better." I wrap an arm around my stomach to keep it from rumbling again. "Starving, actually."
"I just restocked our egg sandwiches if you would like one," she offers. "They're… decent."
"I would love that, honestly." Anything sounds preferable to starvation. "And, uh, Winter?"
She pauses, looking back at me.
"If you have time, do you think we could talk for a bit?"
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Winter was right—these egg sandwiches are decent.
A breeze blows past us as I munch my breakfast/lunch/dinner, which she adamantly gave me for free despite my numerous attempts at paying for it. She doesn't look it, but she's surprisingly stubborn.
"Have you talked to Yuno since yesterday?" I ask.
"Yeah, he explained everything that happened with Sunghoon back at the karaoke place," she says. "I'm sorry we ended up ruining karaoke with your friends."
"No, no, it wasn't your fault at all." I tear a piece of the crust off and squeeze it between my thumb and index finger. "It was that stupid slimeball's fault. Ugh."
"Are you okay?"
"Uh… I think so." I toss the smushed piece of crust into my mouth. It tastes like bread. "I got into an argument with my parents last night."
"Oh, I'm so sorry that happened. It must've been hard," she offers.
"In hindsight, it's probably good that it happened. I finally let them know everything I've been keeping bottled up for years. Still not a great feeling, but I'm… lighter, I guess."
"I've never met your parents, so I can only go off what Yuno has told me. They sound very, uh… strict."
I almost laugh. "That's putting it lightly." I finish off my sandwich and wipe the crumbs off my hands. "After learning that I had lied about going to the library, they threatened to take me out of Evergreen and force me into homeschooling for the rest of the year."
"Oh my god!" she gasps. I forget that other people's parents aren't as comically deranged as mine.
"I don't think they're gonna go through with it now," I say. "They're probably gonna drown in their work as an excuse to distance themselves from me. Tsk. I'm like this because of them. Shouldn't they at least answer for it?"
Winter gives me solace in the form of a soft pat on the shoulder. It feels bad, trauma dumping on her out of the blue, but I'm a broken faucet at this point. I could fill buckets upon buckets worth of repressed childhood trauma and still have more leftover to spare.
"Sorry for throwing all of this on you, Winter," I say, rubbing my palms against my eyes.
"Hey, it's okay," she soothes. "I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through, but I'm more than willing to lend an ear if you need one."
I smile at her. "Thanks. That really means a lot." And to think, I used to be jealous of her. Shame on you, Minji. Shame.
"So, what are you gonna do now?"
"I… am not sure," I sigh, peeling a splinter off of the picnic table.
"How about, what do you want to do?" she asks.
I ponder for a long moment. Rarely do I ever get asked what I want to do. For my whole life, it's been 'do this, do that' without consideration for my own feelings.
"I want to hang out with my friends and have a social life without having to hide it. I want to pursue music without feeling like a disappointment to my parents. And I want to be with Yuno without people inserting their own opinions into our relationship." I face Winter. "Sounds pretty impossible, right?" I utter dryly.
"I think that sounds perfectly possible, Minji," she says with a smile. It's hard not to feel optimistic at that. I take a breath, letting the tension leave my body, and pull her into a hug.
"Thanks for listening, Winter," I murmur.
"Happy I could help."
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Monday comes around. I'm getting ready for school when I hear a knock on my door.
"Breakfast is ready," she says. It's the first thing she's said to me since our argument. I'm not naive enough to expect an apology from them, the utterance of three words like she's reading off a script is more off putting than her usual heat.
When I arrive downstairs, Father is busy taking a call in the living room while Mother tends to the dishes. Neither of them really acknowledge my presence aside from a vague gesture towards the Spanish omelette sitting on the dining table. Fine, be that way. If they don't want to talk, I won't force them.
I pick at my food in silence, unable to stomach my breakfast with all this tense silence. Part of me wants to come out the gate swinging, reigniting our whole shouting match, but I'm just so tired. I—We can't keep on living like this unless something changes.
Somehow, I finish my omelette and place my dishes in the sink. Before I can even attempt to clean them, my mother stops me. "Don't worry about it," she says, "Go, or you'll be late for school."
I take a breath. "Okay."
As I move through the living room towards the front door, I'm stopped again, this time by my father. "Would you like a ride to school? It looks like it might rain," he offers.
I glance outside—light gray clouds are loosely scattered across the sky with patches of pristine blue peaking through. "I think I'll be fine," I dismiss.
"Wait." He rummages through the coat closet and produces an umbrella. "Just in case," he says as he hands it to me.
"Oh. Thank you."
"Have a good day at school, Minji." I can see it written all over his face—remorse.
I nod. "Good bye, Father."
A breath I didn't know I was holding finally escapes my lungs as I step outside. The smell of last night's rain hits my nose. Is it too optimistic to say that it smells like new beginnings? I've known my parents my entire life, experiencing first-hand the rigidity of their ways. It would be foolish to think they can change overnight, maybe even at all. But if they truly cared about me, then they would at least try to be better. I'd like to think that this morning, as awkward as it was, was the first hint of them trying. It's not much, but it's a start.
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I always found it funny how Monday acts as a reset of sorts. Not in a bad way—just odd.
My life practically turned upside down over the weekend, and yet, I still find myself settling into familiar patterns as I walk through campus. Students and teachers greeting me as I walk past, student council members sending me updates, the lighthearted discussions of past weekend activities among friend groups. It's all very grounding—no matter what happens, the Earth will keep turning, so all I can do is make the most out of my time.
As I round the corner towards the student council room, I suddenly freeze—Sunghoon and his parents are heading in the direction of the Principal's office. That slimeball notices me looking and shoots me a smirk that makes me sick to my stomach.
I have to do something. But what? The Parks have never listened to me before when I told them about Sunghoon's wrongdoings, why would they suddenly believe me now? No doubt he's shown them that stupid video by now, conveniently leaving out all the horrible things he said to Yuno.
Dread fills my lungs like smoke, making it hard to breath. How am I supposed to help Yuno?
"Good morning, Minji," Danielle greets. As she notices my expression, her brows furrow with concern. "What happened?"
"Sunghoon and his parents are here," I explain. "I think they're going to get Yuno expelled for the video."
"What? But Yuno didn't even touch him, why would Sunghoon get involved?" she asks.
"Because he's hated Yuno from the start. Because he's hated me from the start." I pace back and forth in frustration, my mind racing for a solution. "Danielle, what do I do?"
"Just breathe, alright?" She ponders for a moment, forehead creased in deep concentration. Suddenly, she whips out her phone and frantically punches in a phone number. "The karaoke room should have security cameras, right?"
"I-I think so."
"If I can convince the owner to send us the footage from that day, we might have a chance keeping Yuno from getting expelled."
There it is—an inkling of hope. "You really think he'll just hand over the footage like that?"
She pats my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry about it. Just let me handle it, okay?"
I take a deep breath, waiting anxiously as the phone rings.
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Yuno's POV
I've witnessed and even gotten used to the iciness that Minji's parents often display towards me, all thinly veiled behind lifeless smiles and passive-aggressive comments. Sunghoon's parents, however, made them look like mere snowflakes next to a raging blizzard.
With back straight and eyes sharpened, the two of them glare at Geier as he watches and re-watches the incriminating video of me punching one of Sunghoon's lackeys. In all my fuckups, I have never seen Geier so speechless as he tries to conjure up some rationale that would keep me from being expelled.
"As you can see here," Mrs. Park speaks, "Yuno Lin blatantly assaulted one of our son's friends. All he wanted to do was enjoy a weekend at the karaoke rooms, and yet, he was attacked for no reason."
I try to defend myself. "It wasn't for no reason—"
"Pray tell, what could have our Sunghoon possibly done that would've warranted such violence?" Mrs. Park shoots back, glaring furiously.
A hint of a smirk catches on Sunghoon's face. I dig my fingernails into my palm to keep me from making another decision I'll regret. "That guy put his hands on Minji—"
"Minji? Sunghoon and Minji are friends, and they have been since they were children. Who are you to police their dynamic?"
Fucking hell. It's impossible to get a word in with this woman.
"Everyone, please," Geier says in a shaky attempt at a soothing tone. "I understand tensions are high, but we need to stay calm in order to keep this conversation productive, alright?"
Mr. Park ignores him, slapping a manila folder onto Geier's desk. "After the incident, we did some digging into Yuno's background and found a long history of school violence. And yet you, as principal of this school, have continued to enable him, thus putting your students in harm's way."
Geier opens his mouth, but no words come out. He doesn't even have to open the folder; he knows that he's right.
"Now, we can do this the hard way and I can sue you for criminal negligence of these students," Mr. Park threatens, "or you can do right by your students and expel Yuno Lin."
A sinking feeling in my stomach eats me up from the inside. All of my mistakes have finally caught up to me, and not even Geier can pull me out of this mess.
Sunghoon did it. He won.
"Wait!"
Minji barges into the room, panting heavily. "Yuno is innocent!"
Mr. and Mrs. Park look at her incredulously; Sunghoon gazes at her in panic.
"What is the meaning of this?" Mrs. Park asks.
"Yeah, Minji." Sunghoon rises up to meet her. "What are you doing here?"
I almost jump out of my seat, but Minji shoves him aside and gives her phone to his parents. "Look. See for yourself the kind of person that your son really is."
"W-wait—!"
On the phone, security camera footage from that day at the karaoke plays, revealing everything that led up to the altercation. Sunghoon stands frozen in shock as all the insults he hurled at me can be heard loud and clear—including the one he said about my dad.
"Sunghoon!" Mrs. Park gasps, unable to fully grasp that her 'pride and joy' could say such horrible things. I bite back a grin seeing Sunghoon stand there like a deer in headlights. They continue watching up until the point where I punched that guy.
"See?" Minji says. "Yuno only stepped in after that guy put his hands on me. I don't agree with what he did, but he was only trying to protect me." She meets my eyes, determination swelling within them.
Mr. and Mrs. Park are rendered speechless, still trying to come to terms to reality. Minji continues, "Sunghoon has been this awful since we were kids. He was nothing but a bully to me, always ripping up my drawings and making fun of me and harassing me to no end."
Minji glares at Sunghoon with that same iciness that her parents aim at me. "Not once has he acted like a real friend towards me."
My spine shivers the same way it did when I first met her parents. I guess it runs in the family.
"Minji dear, I am so sorry," Mrs. Park says, trying to diffuse the situation, "We had no idea—"
"If Sunghoon ever bothers me or my boyfriend—"Boyfriend?"—ever again, I will personally ensure that the partnership between our families falls through."
"No need to make such rash decisions." Mr. Park smiles apologetically before firmly grasping Sunghoon's shoulder. I swear he winces a bit. "We will have a very stern talk with Sunghoon about his behavior. I guarantee that he won't be a nuisance to you or your, um, boyfriend ever again. Now, apologize," he commands Sunghoon.
"I-I'm sorry, Minji," he mutters like a little boy getting scolded. God, I wish I was recording this right now.
Geier clears his throat, reminding everyone that the office is still his. "About Yuno's punishment, he will serve one—no, two months of after school detention where I will personally observe him and make sure that he harms no other student as long as he is in this school," he states.
Mr. and Mrs. Park share a glance at each other before nodding. "We can agree to those terms," Mr. Park says. "Please, excuse us." The two of them drag Sunghoon away, taking away the frigid tension that they had brought with them.
Minji and I look at each other, and smile. Sunghoon is gone. My name is cleared. I'm not expelled. Finally—we won.
"That was, uh… really something, Ms. Kim," Geier says, tossing the manila folder into the trash bin. "So, you two are…?"
"Yeah," Minji says without hesitation. "We are." If Geier wasn't here, I'd kiss her right now.
"That's great." He grins at us, which only makes me feel awkward at the fact that our principal of all people now knows about our relationship. "If you'll excuse us, Ms. Kim, I'd like to speak to Yuno alone for a bit."
"Of course." Minji leaves the room, not before giving me a cute little wave that makes my cheeks swell with a smile. Of course, the smile drops from my face as soon as I'm alone with Geier.
He sits back in his chair, letting out a long, exhausted sigh. I can't help but feel bad for the guy. He's had to deal with me for years and all of it nearly went to shit today. "Uh, I'm sorry about all of that. And for everything that I did before that. Probably wasn't easy dealing with my shi—uh, issues on top of being principal and everything," I utter.
Geier looks at me and snickers. "You've really turned over a new leaf, Yuno. I bet I have Minji to thank for that."
"Uh, yeah probably," I admit sheepishly.
"A woman willing to barge in here and defend you like that is a woman worth keeping around," he says. "Be good to her."
"I, uh, plan on it."
"Good. Now get out of here. I don't wanna see your face until graduation," he says, waving me off.
I start to gather my things, but pause. "What about detention—"
"Just go."
I skip out of his office, catching Minji waiting for me in the hallway. She approaches me, eyes wide with worry.
"What happened? What did he say to you?" she asks.
"Just, uh, y'know, principal things. Nothing bad," I assure her.
She breathes a sigh of relief, sliding down to the floor. "Thank God, I was worried he might've taken back his decision or something."
"He can't get rid of me that easily." I sit down next to her, our shoulders brushing together. "Thanks for saving me back there. You were really cool."
Minji giggles, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. "You should thank Danielle. She's the one who convinced the owner of the karaoke place to send us the footage. She even got you unbanned."
"Danielle? Really?" My brow shoots up in confusion. "I thought she hated me or something."
"Maybe you're more likable than you think," she grins.
Meekly, I offer my hand to her and she takes it, filling in the gaps between my fingers with her own. I squeeze. She squeezes back. I squeeze a little harder. She tries to crush my hand with a smile on her face. This cheesy couple-y shit rules.
"Back there," I say, "you called me your boyfriend."
Minji gazes into my eyes with a softness I've never known. "Yeah, well, you are. Right?"
"Yeah. It just… felt nice to hear you say it." My ears grow warm at the thought. Our something isn't just a something anymore. I'm officially Minji's boyfriend. It's not just a simple change in title. To me, it means everything.
It means I really have to be better now.
"Look, I'm sorry for always dragging you into these messes and for making you worry so much," I murmur. "I promise that I'll do my best to be better. I know I've said it a thousand times already, but I—"
It passes by in just a flash, but the tingling feeling of electricity lingers on my cheek like a tattoo. She kissed my cheek.
"You can make it up to me," the most gorgeous smile dances across her lips, "by taking me out. On a date."
"Y-yeah?" I stutter, still barely processing the kiss. "Uh, w-what do you, um, what do you wanna do?"
"Surprise me," she giggles. "I have to get to class, but I'll talk to you later?"
"Y-yeah, definitely."
Minji skips away, and as soon as she leaves my vision, I collapse onto the ground like a lovestruck pile of goop.
I would do anything for that girl.
