thea

h-h-hi it’s thea again ꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱

[hyejardin]

weird thing but i just thought id let you know ive always read your username as 'hyein sardine' idk why🥹

HELP WHAT KSJSKKWMSKSKKS. tho i can see Why.

[hyejardin]

i miss newjeans so much….

[hyejardin]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BELOVED HYEIN GRACE LEE I WILL LOVE U TILL THE END OF THE UNIVERSE <33333333

[fnzktn]

heart attack

dmd!haerin x bsed!fem!reader

synopsis: i’ll give you all my heart, take my heart! / surely we’re destiny / it shines fully tonight

or danielle invited haerin to sit in your literature class.

includes: college!au, dmd!haerin, nursing!hanni, r and dani are both education majors, slow burn!!!!, w*lliam sh*kespeare

word count: 2.2k (shortest fnzktn fic yet wow!)

a/n: this is a sneak peek of the upcoming dmd!haerin !

the classroom always smelled faintly like old paper and dry-erase markers. not strong enough to notice right away, but if you sat there long enough—long enough for the air conditioner’s quiet hum to fade into the background—you could start to separate the layers of it. dusty textbooks that had been handled by too many students, the faint sweetness of marker ink lingering in the air, and the sugary smell of someone’s bottled iced coffee sitting open somewhere behind you. 

you sat somewhere in the middle of the classroom, close enough to look attentive but far enough that professor wendy wouldn’t accidentally call on you if she decided to start asking spontaneous questions. most days that balance worked perfectly. today you were actually trying to focus, though your attention kept drifting back to the printed page sitting on the desk in front of you.

the whiteboard at the front of the room had already been filled before class started.

survey on english and american literature poetry interpretation activity

beneath it was a short list of poems written in neat blue marker.

your group had been assigned sonnet 29.

the printed copy lay between you, danielle, and hanni, its edges already soft from being passed back and forth while the three of you read the same lines again and again. danielle leaned forward with her elbow on the desk, pen tapping lightly against the margin while she reread the stanza in front of her with careful concentration.

across from her, hanni looked like she was regretting every decision that had led her into this classroom.

she wasn’t even supposed to be here.

she had walked in earlier with the casual confidence of someone who knew professor wendy wouldn’t mind another student sitting in for a lecture. apparently she had a long vacant before her next nursing class and had decided this was a better way to kill time than wandering around campus.

now she stared down at the poem with open suspicion.

“i’m just saying,” she muttered eventually, nudging the paper with the end of her pen, “this guy sounds miserable.”

danielle didn’t look up. “that’s the point.”

“yeah, but like… extremely miserable.”

you glanced down at the opening lines again.

when, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes, i all alone beweep my outcast state…

danielle tapped the second stanza. “he’s comparing himself to other people. look at this part—wishing me like to one more rich in hope. he wants the things other people seem to have.”

hanni squinted at the line. “so basically he’s jealous.”

“not just jealous,” you said.

both of them looked at you.

you shifted the page slightly closer and traced the stanza lightly with your finger. “it’s envy, but it’s also insecurity. the speaker isn’t just noticing that other people are doing better than him. he’s measuring his worth against them. every line is basically him listing what he thinks he lacks.”

hanni leaned forward slightly despite herself. “so he’s spiraling.”

“pretty much,” you said.

danielle nodded. “and it keeps escalating.”

“exactly. he starts with his reputation—disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes. then he moves to talent, friends, opportunities. everything becomes proof that he’s failing somehow.”

hanni tapped the paper again. “okay, but then the ending happens and suddenly he’s fine. that’s a huge emotional jump.”

“it’s not really sudden,” you said. “it’s a shift.”

danielle leaned closer. “how?”

you pointed to the final couplet.

“the whole poem is built on comparison. he keeps measuring his life against everyone else’s and coming up short. but when he remembers the person he loves, that comparison stops mattering.”

“because love fixes everything?” hanni asked skeptically.

“no,” you said. “because it changes what counts as success.”

before she could respond, the classroom door in the back opened quietly.

footsteps crossed the room. they were light, steady, unhurried.

danielle turned toward the door and immediately lifted her hand. “haerin! over here.”

your head turned before you could stop yourself.

haerin stood near the end of the row, scanning the room until her eyes found danielle.

then they shifted.

to you.

the pause was brief, subtle enough that anyone else might have missed it, but it still stretched slightly longer than it should have.

you hadn’t expected to see her here.

not today. not in this classroom.

she walked toward your table while danielle scooted her chair aside to make room. “this is us,” she said casually.

haerin nodded in greeting and sat down.

hanni looked between the three of you with growing confusion. “wait. another non-english major?”

danielle blinked. “oh—right. this is haerin. she’s in dental medicine.”

hanni leaned back. “why are there so many medical students here.”

danielle hesitated as realization crossed her face.

“…oh.”

she looked at you.

“…did i forget to mention she might drop by?”

you stared at her.

“yes.”

danielle winced. “my bad.”

hanni snorted. “great. now the dentistry student gets to interpret shakespeare too.”

haerin glanced down at the paper. “what poem?”

“sonnet 29,” danielle said, sliding the page toward her.

haerin lowered her gaze and began reading. the classroom gradually settled back into its low murmur of conversations as other groups continued their discussions, but your attention kept drifting back to the slow movement of her eyes across the page.

after a minute, hanni tapped the paper again. “we’re arguing about the ending,” she explained. “apparently one person can magically fix this guy’s entire life.”

haerin looked up slightly. “which line?”

you turned the page so she could see the bottom.

your finger rested beside the final couplet.

her gaze followed it.

“…it’s not really fixing his life,” she said after a moment.

hanni tilted her head. “no?”

“nothing actually changes,” haerin continued quietly. “he still believes other people are more successful than him.”

you nodded slightly. “right. the poem never says his circumstances improve. the shift is entirely internal.”

haerin glanced toward you, then back at the page.

“remembering someone interrupts the comparison,” she said.

“exactly,” you added. “the entire poem is built on comparison—talent, status, friends, everything. the moment he remembers the person he loves, that comparison stops mattering as much.”

danielle tapped her pen thoughtfully. “so the poem reframes value.”

“yeah,” you said. “earlier he measures himself against other people. at the end he measures his life by something personal instead.”

hanni crossed her arms again, though this time she looked less skeptical. “so remembering someone makes him feel rich.”

“richer,” danielle corrected.

“and it’s not just romantic,” you added. “the word ‘remembered’ is important. it suggests that even the thought of that person changes his emotional state.”

hanni blinked. “…okay, i kind of get it now.”

danielle circled the final couplet with her pen. “perfect. that’s our presentation angle.”

she looked up at the three of you. “we explain the emotional spiral first, then the shift in the final lines.”

hanni groaned softly. “why does this actually make sense now.”

“because we explained it,” you said.

she pointed at you accusingly. “you’re the one making this complicated.”

“it’s literature.”

“exactly my point.”

danielle laughed under her breath before nudging the poem toward the center of the table again.

class presentations started soon after. professor wendy clapped her hands lightly to get everyone’s attention, and the room gradually quieted as students shifted in their chairs.

“who had sonnet twenty-nine?” she asked.

danielle raised her hand. “we did.”

“perfect. go ahead.”

the four of you stood, and the shift from casual discussion to speaking in front of the room made the moment feel strangely formal.

danielle began first, explaining the speaker’s isolation and the way the poem opens with feelings of disgrace and abandonment. you followed, describing how the middle stanzas build tension through constant comparison with others.

“the speaker keeps measuring himself against people who seem more successful or more fortunate,” you said. “each comparison reinforces the idea that he’s lacking something essential. that repetition is what creates the emotional spiral we see in the middle of the poem.”

you gestured lightly toward the final lines.

“but the structure of the sonnet prepares us for a shift. after spending most of the poem focused on what he doesn’t have, the speaker suddenly remembers someone he loves.”

haerin stepped forward next.

“the important part is that his circumstances don’t change,” she said. “he still believes other people are more talented or more successful. the world around him stays exactly the same.”

her fingers rested lightly against the page.

“what changes is how he measures his own life.”

she read the final couplet softly.

for thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings that then i scorn to change my state with kings.

when she looked up again, her gaze landed on you.

“remembering that person interrupts the comparison. it reminds him that his life already contains something valuable enough that he wouldn’t trade places with anyone else.”

the room stayed quiet for a moment before professor son smiled. “beautiful interpretation.”

after the brief applause faded and everyone returned to their seats, hanni leaned across the table toward you and danielle.

“…wow,” she said quietly.

danielle blinked. “what?”

hanni pointed between you and haerin. “that was the most intense presentation about a love poem i’ve ever witnessed.”

danielle followed her gaze between the two of you and hummed softly.

“…interesting.”

class ended soon after that, but when you stepped into the hallway a few minutes later, haerin was still standing near the doorway as if she had been waiting.

students began packing their bags while conversations spilled into the hallway outside. hanni slung her backpack over one shoulder and glanced at you. “we’re getting food. you coming?”

“in a bit,” you said. “i need to return this.”

“okay. text us.”

hanni lingered beside the desk for a moment before flashing you one last suspicious smile. “very interesting class today.”

you sighed. “go.”

she laughed and followed danielle out the door.

the classroom emptied quickly after that. when you finally looked up again, haerin was still standing near the doorway, her bag resting against one shoulder as if she had been waiting.

you stepped into the hallway.

“you weren’t supposed to be here today,” you said.

“danielle mentioned the class.”

“she didn’t mention it to us.”

“i noticed.”

you leaned lightly against the doorframe. “so you just decided to show up to an english literature class?”

“i had time.”

“you’re a dentistry student.”

“i like listening.”

“to poetry?”

her gaze settled on you.

“…sometimes.”

“besides, i have a 3 hour vacant after my last class and i didn't want to go back to my apartment so,” she continued.

you held her eyes for a moment longer than you meant to.

“you looked surprised earlier,” she said.

“i was.”

“why?”

you exhaled softly. “because i didn’t expect to see you sitting across from me while we were analyzing a love poem.”

“you see me all the time.”

“not like that.”

the words slipped out before you could soften them.

haerin studied your expression carefully.

“you understood the poem quickly,” she said.

“i’m supposed to. it’s literally my major.” you laughed. “and it’s not a difficult sonnet.”

“it is if you’ve never felt that way.”

you frowned slightly. “felt what way?”

she glanced down the hallway briefly before answering.

“like someone changes how you see everything.”

your chest tightened slightly.

“that’s a lot to put on one person,” you said.

“it’s not about responsibility.”

“then what is it about?”

she stepped a little closer.

“recognition.”

you didn’t look away.

“the speaker doesn’t suddenly become happier,” she continued quietly. “he just remembers that someone exists who makes the rest of it feel smaller.”

you swallowed. “and the other person?”

she blinked once. “what about them?”

“do they know?”

the question lingered between you.

her eyes searched yours for a moment.

“…maybe.”

you let out a quiet breath. “that’s vague.”

“poetry is vague.”

you huffed a small laugh. “so the whole sonnet is basically someone realizing they care about someone and wondering if the other person notices.”

haerin shook her head slightly.

“not if they notice.”

“then what?”

her voice dropped.

“wondering if they already do.”

for a moment neither of you moved.

then she adjusted the strap of her bag and started walking down the hallway.

“are you going to the library later?” she asked.

you fell into step beside her.

“maybe.”

a faint smile appeared on her face.

“…me too.”

you walked down the corridor together after that, not rushing and not speaking, your shoulders brushing once when the hallway narrowed near the stairs.

neither of you stepped away.

and somewhere in the back of your mind, the final lines of the poem echoed again.

for thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings that then i scorn to change my state with kings.

for the first time since reading them that morning, they didn’t feel distant.

they felt uncomfortably close to the truth.

[hyejardin]

2 weekish late BUT IM HERE. we all thank user fnzktn for the meal!!!!!!! she ate as always love this so much thats my big sis 😭😭😭😭

[hyejardin]

im alive… kinda 😁💔

[hyejardin]

hyein is so tea bro....

and so are ur fanfics

Right. shes the most beautiful gorgeous supercalifragilisticexpialidocious girl. like. Ever. i love her sm jsjwksjei #imissmygf2025

and thank u boo 😜😜😜 dont glaze me be4 it gets into my head 💔💔💔

[hyejardin]

missing hanni pham so much… where’s my baby otter? ☹️☹️ also… the hanni fic…?

SO REAL i miss her phoning live where she yaps and plays mario kart and defends her unicorn plushie and speaks vietnamese </3 i miss hanni pham So much, i miss all five of them honestly kill me now 😭💔

oh uhm and abt the fic *nervous giggles* school started a few weeks ago and ive been so swamped w works i havent written a single word dawg… but i’ll try to push the fic out by the end of this month… i Hope. tbh i wanna finish writing for all members be4 2025 ends so pls bear w me guyz :’)

[hyejardin]

h-h-hi i’m oli-oli-oli-o-oliver 🩷

h-h-hi oli-o-oliver i’m t-th-thea 🤍

[hyejardin]

someone spotted hyein on a train and at a convenience store……. BRING ME MY NJZ BACK RN.

[hyejardin]

thanks for being my biggest supporter even tho i haven’t even posted anything yet loll. thank you sm for the advice as well🙏🏼

also do you have any viet au recs?? it can be for any kpop person, i’m a big multistan :)

and if you don’t mind me asking, what are your top fav kpop groups?? mine has to be new jeans, illit, ateez, enhypen, and got7 :)

also is your ult bias hyein?

also it’s so cool you live in vietnam!! i need to visit there soon again. i’ve only been to ho chi minh city and the surrounding area, never to the northern parts before so i’ll take you up on that offer to tour hanoi when i come if you’ll have meee :)

-🇻🇳 anon

let me present u my fav hanni fic of all time (if not my favest fic ever EVER.) - how sweet by user @amuyyi

its been so long since i last read it tbh i vaguely rmb the setting was in ho chi minh city or sth… anw the writing is so SO good it has me giggling for DAYS. the author’s writing is scrumptious the pacing is perfect hanni and y/n’s chem is PEAK. i love it so much i used to read it days on end js last year. u could also check out their other fics if u havent, its rlly rlly good too!!!

oh and tbh i dont rlly stan that many kpop groups… my only ult is njz but erm i think im pretty much into sm ggs (like rvv and f(x)) (heavy on f(x)). i love boa sm too i still listen to her music till this day, her newly released single is pretty good, u can give it a try if u want! i dont rlly know that much abt soshi (snsd) but i love taeyeon ❤️‍🩹

yesss my ult bias is hyein i rlly rlly RLLY adore her fashion + music taste (my fashion inspo acshually her style is so cute)

U DEF SHOULD!!!! if u want i can give u a ton of rcms for places u oughtta visit during ur stay there. i promise it’ll be worth every second of ur time </3

[hyejardin]

you don’t even know ִ ࣪𖤐 kim minji

pairing: football player!kim minji x fem!nurse!reader

synopsis: you had always harbored hard feelings toward kim minji, the campus football star. she was loud, popular and unbearably smug—just every thing you could ever dislike in a person. but when she kept showing up at your clinic with minor injuries she claimed to be fatal, you found yourself caught in a tangle of easy smiles and unexpected feelings you hadn’t prepared for.

word count: 8.6k

contains: fluff, one-sided pining, one-sided enemies to lovers, minji’s campus football star, reader is a student nurse, reader is annoyed w her half all the time n minji’s in love… oh! slowburn (??) i tried to slow the burn but idek n e more 😢😔🥀 listen to this song while you read!!!

you knew minji was trouble the moment your eyes laid on her.

confident posture. great sense of humour (though you thought that one was debatable). and a smile that could sweep half the campus off their feet—except you. you just found her irritating.

and god, it didn’t help that she was the college football star.

whispers clung to her wherever she went. people gawked at her like she was art. and the way minji seemed to relish in the attention made your eyes narrowed to slits, your jaw clenched.

to everyone on campus, kim minji was nothing short of a sensation. with her outstanding look, easy smiles, and reputation as the college’s star player, she had this charm most found hard to resist. a girl so perfect it looked as if she had just stepped out of a blockbuster film.

but to you? kim minji was just an obnoxious idiot who couldn’t clamp her mouth shut half the time. you found her smug demeanor irksome, and it felt like her arrogance soared to new heights with every compliment thrown her way.

you had no desire to maintain any form of interactions with her, less than be a part of her chaotic world.

but when minji kept showing up at your clinic with minor injuries she claimed to be fatal, along with her signature flirtatious grin you swore to despise?

for once, you were unsure of what was to come.

you felt like jumping off a cliff the first time minji stumbled into your clinic.

her nose was bleeding. there was a rolled up tissue paper loosely inserted into her running nostril, and you could see the redness seeping through the fiber. but that wasn’t the most remarkable part—she looked smug, too smug for someone who was bleeding her nose out.

you frowned.

“what happened?” you asked, already sliding into your chair at the office desk. minji casually took the seat across from you.

“practice went wrong, i guess. and to answer your question, i’ve a nosebleed. thought it was obvious enough, nurse,” she smirked lazily, her elbows propped on your table as she leaned towards you.

you grind your teeth at the name. nonetheless, you pulled out a health form to note down her information.

“may i have your name and major, please?”

“kim minji from international relations departure. though i bet you already know that, nurse,” she blinked up at you, that exasperating smile never quite leaving her lips.

you quickly scribbled down the piece of information, pretending to not hear her last part. god helps you, was it bad that you wish for nothing more than wiping the smug look off her face?

still, you kept a neutral expression, even though there was a raging storm brewing inside you.

“your injury isn’t serious, i’ll tend it quickly so you can go.”

“what do you mean ‘isn’t serious’, i’m literally running out of blood!” she gasped, her hands flying to her chest at lightning speed.

you fought the urge to roll your eyes at her dramatic.

“don’t overreact, nosebleeds can be managed with basic first aid.”

minji looked offended. “i’m not overreacting!”

you ignored her, already standing up to look for your mentor’s first aid kit. when you swiveled around, she was staring at you intently.

“pull the paper out for me, can you?” you cleared your throat awkwardly.

she did as told. but the moment the tissue slipped from her nostril, the blood stared oozing out again.

you cursed under your breath as minji let out a small yelp. reaching forward, you gently cupped her face and pinched the soft part of her nose.

“don’t panic, breathe through your mouth. and tilt your head slightly forward, alright?”

minji didn’t reply, only nodded faintly. you managed to caught glimpse of the way her eyes wavered for a fracture of a second.

scaredy-cat. you thought internally, snorting.

“how long do i have to continue sitting like this?” minji spoke up after some time, fingers mindlessly tapping the table out of boredom.

“a few more minutes, be patient.”

“oh, i’ve been patient enough. it’s been like half an hour or something!”

“if i pull back right now, the blood will continue dripping. worse, it’ll trickle down your mouth and get into your throat.”

that shut her up instantly.

ten minutes had passed, and you wasted no time releasing your hand from her nose. ten minutes of torturous silence and that felt like a reduction of your life expectancy. zero out of ten experience, you wouldn’t recommend.

“can i sit up now?” she asked, her eyes remained fixated on the stacks of medical paper.

“of course.”

fortunately for her, when minji looked up, her nose had stopped bleeding. however, there were clots smearing her philtrum from where the blood had previously rushed out.

“it actually did stop bleeding!” minji exclaimed, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

shrugging, you pushed a small handkerchief towards her. “clean your philtrum, there’s bloodstain on it.”

“you’re impressive, nurse,” she took the handkerchief and gently wiped her mouth, but not before throwing you a lopsided smile.

you scoffed. “it’s my job.”

“still impressive, though.”

you shrugged off her compliment and marched over, now standing before her. “look up at me.”

minji obeyed without another word, easing slightly into the chair when you tilted her chin up with your fingers, turning it sideway to examine the minor injury.

your eyes met hers once and you immediately looked away, cringing at the sudden eye contact.

minji seemed to have caught on shortly as she raised her brow questioningly. that maddening smirk you hated to the bone had resurfaced, and you already dreaded the following words that were about to tumble out of her mouth.

“you’re jumpy, nurse. do i make you nervous?” she asked smugly. you could feel her gaze—steady and unwavering—burning holes into your skin even when you were not looking.

“i’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” you answered calmly before letting go of her chin and changing the topic. “how’s your nose?”

“good, all thanks to you,” her tone sounded almost flirty, and the idea made you shudder.

you brushed it off in an instant. who were you kidding? this was the kim minji after all. she was probably trying to get under your skin, nothing more nor less.

you hummed back in return. “alright, if your nose is all fixed up, you can go now.”

she practically bounced off her seat. “thank you, nurse!”

you hated the way she addressed you more than you cared to let out.

just when you thought she had finally left you alone, minji suddenly leaned in—too close for your liking—making you involuntarily step back.

“you know what?” she began. “i like it here, maybe i’ll injure myself more often so that i have an excuse to drop by.” still plastering on that irksome grin, minji leaned back slightly. “goodbye, nurse.” and off she went.

you stood frozen on spot, your head still trying to wrap around what she had just said.

i’ll injure myself more often so that i have an excuse to drop by.

oh god, the universe was definitely playing a twisted, cruel trick on you.

despite having braced yourself for the worst (minji revisiting your clinic), you couldn’t suppress a sigh of dejection when she showed up the next time with a fresh cut across her left cheek.

“what have you gotten yourself into this time?” exasperation laced your voice as you tapped your pen impatiently against the thick stack of paper.

“don’t even get me started, nurse,” minji clutched her chest with a dramatic intake of breath. “it’s tragic.”

you only quirked an eyebrow.

she flashed you a half smirk, which somehow managed to rile you up even more. without a care in the world, she slid into her usual seat across from you.

“i tripped over the cones during practice and fell face first onto the field. you know those rubber granules can be deathly at times.”

you stared at her incredulously but didn’t press.

“sit. i’ll fix you up.”

“ooh~ didn’t take you for the bossy type, nurse. but don’t worry, i like that about you.”

“if you keep standing there with your cut untreated, you’ll get an infection in no time.”

minji pouted but didn’t protest. she only sat still, waiting for you to finish jotting down her medical record.

you washed your hands with sanitizer before pulling out a clean cloth from one of the drawers. then, you gently dabbed it on her wound. minji grimaced slightly as the sting from the cut flared up on her face, her lips tightening into a thin line. despite the discomfort, she managed to maintain eye contact with you throughout the entire process and it made your skin crawled.

what the hell is her problem?

“tell me if this hurt and i’ll lessen the pressure,” the truth was that you wanted to get over this as soon as possible.

“oh, of course not. not when you touched my face so delicately,” there was a teasing lilt in her voice, and it made your blood boiled at a hundred degrees celsius.

you pressed harder on the soft cloth and minji winced.

“ouch! that hurts!”

“good. because that’ll teach you the lost art of silence.”

“why are you so mean to me. . . it wounds me deeply, you know!”

“you’re being ridiculous.”

“ridiculously charming, i’ve heard that tons of time before—minus the ridiculous part, thank you very much,” she tossed you that oh-so-familiar toothy grin and you felt like throwing yourself off the bridge.

you heaved in a deep breath, attempting to calm your nerves before you decided to give up on your clinical intern and fled the scene right there and then.

ignoring her silly antics, you removed the cloth and applied a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the cleaned cut. if it stung minji, she didn’t verbally express it. though, you could see the way her eyebrows creased together, her body instinctively tensed up.

finally, you put on a bandage to cover the wound.

“all good. you may go now.”

“are you sure it’s thoroughly treated and there won’t be a possibility of me having an infection the moment i step foot out of here?” minji asked fearfully (you believed she was mocking you), all five fingers splayed on your desk.

you rolled your eyes. “you’re so dramatic.”

“it’s called self-care, you should definitely try it sometimes,” she crossed her arms triumphantly.

“coming from someone who injured herself five times a week was pretty rich, don’t you think.”

minji appeared unfazed at your words. if anything, her irritating smile grew bigger, and you squinted in distaste.

“you’re my savior, i owe it all to you. seriously, i don’t know how to pay you back.”

“then try not to hurt yourself and pester me every five minutes.”

“aw, didn’t know you would care, nurse.”

“you should double check your own definition of ‘care’, ‘coz apparently i don’t recall saying i care about you.”

“how cruel. . . do you usually say such cutting things to anyone else or is it just me?”

“luckily it’s just you.”

“guess i’m really that special, huh?” minji rested her cheek on her palm and tilted sideway.

you didn’t reply to that, already fixed on sorting out your mentor’s paperwork in reasonable order.

it irked you when minji smiled quietly like she knew something you didn’t.

when she finally scraped her chair backward and stood up, you let out a sigh of relief you didn’t know you were holding.

“i don’t plan on seeing you any time soon,” your eyes briefly flicked up to look at her. “which means, stay out of trouble and don’t let yourself get hurt.”

“can’t promise,” she shook her head goofily. “you’re cute when you get annoyed at me.”

and then she was gone, slipping past the door like a shadow in the fading light, leaving you planting to your seat, stunned for a good three minutes.

kim minji, your life sworn no. 1 nemesis. oh, how you loathed her guts.

you should have gotten used to her presence by now.

but when she walked into your clinic with a different injury each time, smirking like she had you completely wrapped around her fingers, it felt like the first time she breezed through your door—face too smug for her own good—all over again.

and it drove you crazy.

she came to you a month ago with a small burn on her hand, whining that she was being scorched alive. two weeks later, she sprained her right ankle and limped into your room, insisting it was an emergency. just last tuesday, she showed up with a tiny splinter in her thumb and trembled like it was the end of the world when you pulled it out using a sterilized tweezer.

by her seventh visits, you were convinced she was out on a mission to aggravate and make your life a living hell. if that was the case, then kim minji had totally succeeded.

recently, she had given you a brand new reason to work with your undying hatred.

you didn’t intend to be mean, but it rubbed you the wrong way when you walked past the football field and saw minji’s friends (was her name hanni? you could only assume) nudged her ribs harshly, blowing whistles when minji turned to give you a flirty wink. the underclassman you recognized as danielle stood with her hands on her hips, mumbling something to the senior you couldn’t quite make out. and worse? minji doubled over laughing like she had won the lottery.

you didn’t know what minji wanted from you. but one thing was clear: whatever game she was playing was getting on your nerves and fueling your hatred up a notch.

you could hardly call it a surprise when she waltzed into your clinic on a random friday afternoon, hair tousled and jerseys clung to her back with beads of sweats from yet another practice. in her hand was a cup of hot coffee—well that was unusual.

“let me guess,” you spoke up before she had the chance to open her mouth. “you bruised yourself, again?”

“nope,” minji stressed on the letter p.

“you strained your muscle?”

“nuh-uh.”

“you got a shin splint?”

“nah. i’ve never been better, look!” minji plastered on a lopsided smile as she kicked her leg repeatedly into the air.

you crossed your arm over your chest, already feeling exasperated the longer this conversation stretched on.

“then why are you here? go back to practice or something.”

minji casually shrugged like she had all the time in the world. “why should i? i like it here, and you’re fun to be around.”

you furrowed your brows. “i’m this close to reporting you to your coach for purposely skipping practice and classes.”

“y/n, you wound me deeply,” she gasped. “and here i thought you had finally softened up for me!”

you nearly flinched at the way your name rolled off her tongue. “how do you know my name?”

minji nodded her head at your student card. “it’s literally written on your card.”

“oh,” that was all you said.

“you know what, you could at least try to be nice to me just for once.”

“i am being nice right now.”

minji looked anything but convinced. she leaned against the wall close to your desk, that infuriating smirk dangled from her lips. “by the way, you look really nice today.”

you blinked, her words slowly sunk in. “are you flirting with me?”

“what do you think?”

“i think you’re trouble,” the words tumbled from your mouth like it was the most obvious thing ever. minji only laughed, and god knows why the sound made you uneasy. “what do you want from me? spill it, i don’t have time for whatever game you’re pulling.”

she raised both her hands in feigned surrender. “chill. can’t i drop by with coffee for my favorite nurse?”

your eyes flickered down at the steaming cup of coffee clutched loosely between her fingers, then back to her face.

“you didn’t have to do that.”

“oh, but i wanted to,” she smiled innocently. for a fracture of a second you thought she looked so much like a puppy, or a bear, or maybe both. you internally cursed at the intrusive thought.

“keep it to yourself, then. i won’t—” but minji had already slid the cup, carefully tucked inside a plastic bag, towards you.

“it’s nothing, just take it,” she insisted. “goodbye, y/n.”

you watched her figure even after she had disappeared behind the closed doors. your gaze fell to the freshly poured cup of coffee before you, and you could still see minji’s fingerprints on the condensation coating its outside.

a medium cappuccino with light roast espresso. your usual order, and exactly how you liked it.

you had no idea why minji knew your favorite coffee order. yet, before you could even process it, a small smile had creeped its way up your face.

minji had been acting odd lately (not that she wasn’t odd before), but these days her acts seemed to be a bit more. . . intense?

and no, not the good kind of odd. god, you should have known nothing good ever comes out of intensity.

she kept showing up with injuries littering her body, sure. to be frank, you didn’t expect minji to leave you alone—not anytime soon, at least.

but these past few weeks she didn’t just breeze through your door like a walking injury—empty-handed, shockingly enough, she brought something with her.

that was new.

last week, she dropped by unannounced and brought a bun with her (you had become accustomed to her sporadic visits by now), claiming you had been skipping breakfast lately (you hated how your stomach churned at the way she noticed). minji was persistent, she refused to leave until she saw you actually eating the treat.

some days, minji would walk into your clinic with a steaming cup of coffee—your usual order. she then teased you about the dark circles that had formed under your eyes and laughed—not in a mean way (you supposed), but enough to get under your skin—when you grumbled something under your breath before finally snapping.

just yesterday, you found a small note tucked inside the book you always carried with you—so carefully placed that you might have missed it if you hadn’t flipped through the pages. the handwriting was neat, and at first, you didn’t recognize it. but as you read on, you saw a short sentence that said, “don’t skip lunch, nurse. wouldn’t want you to faint on me.” you hated how quickly you realized who the note belonged to.

you could practically see her smirking as she wrote down those damn words that made your chest swell, and you rolled your eyes. nonetheless, you gingerly slipped it inside your wallet. your heart felt warm despite yourself.

the acts didn’t just stop there, they stretched on for weeks. occasionally, a not-so-mysterious energy bar would appear on your desk. other times, a small note would be stuck to the mug you usually drink from. sometimes, there would be little sketches of you—prim and proper, looking almost too serious—on your laptop adorned with heart stickers.

and the worst part? you found yourself actually looking forward to the treats, the little notes, the irksome messages, and the cheeky doodles that accompanied them. you hated how you felt a twinge of disappointment on days when she didn’t drop anything off.

huffing out a breath of annoyance, you trudged your way back home, the grip you had on your sling bag tightened.

what does she want from you? why is she being so nice to you—of all people—all of a sudden? just last year she didn’t even bat a lash when you two crossed path in the hallway.

the questions persistently stuck inside your head like a broken mantra, and you were frustrated by how much her actions seemed to affect you—even though you were not ready to accept that yet.

you told yourself it didn’t matter, that she didn’t matter. but then you’d be lying.

after all, she was kim minji—your life sworn no. 1 nemesis. and you would never let her have the pleasure of entering your life and disrupting the peace you had tried so hard to built up as the years passed.

the sound of sniveling halted you in your track.

as you turned sideway, the sight of a girl no older than the age of 6 came into view. her face was stained with dried tears as she hiccuped between each words, quiet sobs clogged her throat.

your lips pressed into a thin line. you were just about to reach out when your gaze landed on the figure next to the child. and your heart sank.

it was none other than kim minji herself. she was crouching beside the young girl, her fingers laced with the latter as her thumb gently rubbed comforting circles, attempting to calm the child.

she was smiling—not the usual cocky, insufferable smile she always plastered—but rather a soft one, the one that made the world seemed to melt away even just for a fleeting second.

you could just walk away, pretended you didn’t witness the scene and let minji handle the situation by herself. but something anchored you in place, making you stand rooted to the ground and watch as it slowly unraveled.

“w-where’s my m-mom? i want mom!” the child sniffled, her voice hoarse from crying.

minji smiled tenderly as she reached out to brush a stray strand of hair away from the young girl’s tear-streaked face. and in a tone so soft it startled you, she said. “your mom left a while ago to buy you a gift. she told me to take care of you and that she’d be back soon. so don’t worry, alright?”

the young girl shook her head, her body trembling. “but it’s been so long, w-what if mommy doesn’t come back? unnie, can you go find mommy for me?”

minji gently wiped away her tears with one hand, while the other still rubbed circles onto the girl’s palm. “of course, unnie will bring mommy back to you. but first, dry your eyes, can you do that for unnie?”

the child stared up at minji with glossy eyes, then faintly nodded, her pinky outstretched. “p-promise me you’ll bring my mom back.”

her eyes softened as she locked her pinky and sealed the promise. “i promise. you’re a very brave child, you know. and i admire you for that.”

the air felt lighter as the child grinned—just a quirk at the corners of her lips, almost imperceptible—but minji noticed it still. and her eyes lit up even more.

“you’re kind, too, unnie.”

minji let out a light laugh at that before gently ruffling the girl’s hair. her eyes crinkling at the corners, she was smiling, teeth and all.

something inside you stirred.

“what’s your name?” she asked while holding the girl’s hands in her bigger ones.

“i’m gayun.”

“so gayun. . .” minji trailed as she searched through her tote bag. “since you’re a very courageous child, you deserve a candy!”

the girl stared down at the lollipop sitting on minji’s palm, then up again at her expectant eyes. slowly, she took it.

“thank you, unnie,” she was smiling now, not just a simple tug of her lips like earlier. like really smiling.

you watched as minji crouched even lower to reach the child’s eye level, her own eyes had basically formed into pretty crescents by now.

your stomach did that one thing you had been refusing to name yet again.

“gayun! there you are! i’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

the next moment was a blur as the woman whom you assumed was gayun’s mom sprinted forward and enveloped her child into a tight hug, burying her face in the girl’s shoulders.

“mom! i was so scared, i thought you f-forgot me!” gayun wasted no time throwing her arms over the woman’s neck.

her mom held her at arm’s length as she gave gayun the once-over. “are you alright? were you hurt? gosh, please never disappear on me ever again.

gayun only shook her head. “i’m fine, mom. i met a really kind unnie and she took care of me. she even gave me a candy, look!” the child exclaimed as she fanned out her fingers for her mom to see.

the woman finally flicked her eyes toward minji before slowly rising to her feet.

“thank you for taking after gayun, i seriously can’t thank you enough,” she bowed her head deeply at minji, who appeared flustered at the formality the elder displayed.

she waved her arms in the air dismissively, cheeks tinting pink. “ah, please stand up! it’s really nothing, gayun is a good child and it was my pleasure to have her around!”

you nearly chortled at her nervousness. nearly.

gayun’s mom straightened up after a while, a kind smile graced her lips as she gently tugged gayun forward. “gayun, say thank you to unnie over here for taking care of you.”

the girl beamed, her small hands loosely clasped around minji’s wrist. “thank you, unnie! for taking care of me, and for the candy, too!”

minji chuckled as she ruffled gayun’s hair. “no need to thank me. stick to your mom and don’t let go of her hand again, yeah?”

“okay!”

gayun’s eyes were glued to minji the entire time as she waved at her, the older girl smiled and waved back just as enthusiastically. she let her hand slipped into her pockets when the two rounded the corner.

you walked away before minji could catch glimpse of you. and for once, you didn’t ignore the way your heart was thrumming inside your chest.

the college air was still crackling with the aftermath of the football season. school ground littered with confetti. abandoned plastic cups strew across the benches. people chatted animatedly about the matches in the hallways, enthusiasm infused their voices.

and of course the number of patients visiting the clinic also grew. some came with a sprained ankle, some with muscles strains, and some were concussed and had to be carried with a fling.

you had never been busier, finishing paper after paper and filling out patients’ health forms. you liked it that way—more works, less thoughts. the thoughts here included her.

you had been so caught up in your internship that you found yourself thinking about her less these days. you convinced yourself it was for the best. after all, thoughts of her had filled your mind for quite a while, and those thoughts were anything but a good sign.

with a tired sigh, you slumped slightly against your chair as you organized a stack of medical paper. the clinic was noisier than usual, with people going in and out every minutes. a whimper of pain here, a soft click of thermometer on the metal tray there. the sounds simultaneously blended into the back of your head.

“i’m not sure, but i think my left shoulder is dislocated.”

you could swear you couldn’t have snapped your head up faster the moment you heard the voice.

there she was, lying limply on the patient bed with one hand by her side and the other loosely clutched the hem of her shirt. she looked like she was in agony (which she practically was), her brows scrunched together as she bit down on her lips to suppress a pained groan, her breath came in ragged, uneven bursts.

you frowned.

“stay still and try not to move your arm too much, i’ll be back in a minute,” with that, the clinician disappeared into the staff room.

you approached minji as she contorted her face in pain.

“minji,” you muttered, now standing beside her bed with your arms crossed before your chest.

she blinked, clearly not anticipating your presence. “hey, nurse,” you didn’t understand how minji still managed to smile even when she looked like she was a second away from blacking out. “long time no see.”

your fingernails dug into your arms as you stared down at her. “what did i tell you about staying out of trouble and don’t let yourself get hurt?”

minji shrugged. “got pushed to the ground during a tackle and fell,” then, her lips curled into that one smirk you swore to hate. “why? worried about me?”

“kim minji,” you said flatly, but there was a sternness underneath.

that made her stiffen up instantly. maybe she was imagining things, but minji had never seen you so serious, so worried—for her. and the latter made her chest nearly combust.

she swallowed harshly. “. . . yeah?”

you looked as if you wanted to say something, maybe scold her, calling her an idiot like you always did. but instead, you drew in a deep breath. held it. and then. . .

“does it hurt? like a lot?” you asked and plopped onto the chair next to her bed. your eyes narrowed as you scanned her left shoulder.

her mouth hung agape like she didn’t believe the words that had just tumbled out of your mouth. a beat passed, and she shook her head frantically.

“no! i’m fine, injuries happen during sports all the time,” minji chuckled. just as she attempted to raise her arm to prove you that she was indeed fine, a wince brushed past her at the sudden movement.

“stop that,” you huffed. “didn’t you hear what the clinician just said? don’t move your arm.”

minji bit her lips, the sharp pain numbed her shoulder. somehow, a throaty laugh escaped her as she looked at you, endearment filled her eyes.

“you look cute when you’re mad. even when you scowl at me. especially when you scowl at me,” she laughed, light and easy before leaning closer, your faces centimeters apart. and your stomach flipped. “makes me want to break every bone in my body just to see you getting so worried about me, again.

“shut up,” you made a face at her statement and instinctively leaned back. however, heat creeped up your ears, tinting them a bright shade of red.

just then, someone drew the privacy curtains, making you both snapped your head toward them.

“y/n?” your mentor looked surprised to see you, but then her expression softened to a small smile. “what are you doing here?”

“um—i was checking up on. . . her?” you jabbed your thumb at minji. “she looked like she was in pain.”

the elder woman chuckled. “always so kind and considerate. but you shall not worry, i’ll take care of her now. you may go aid those who’re waiting outside.”

hesitancy was evident in the way you lingered a second longer by her bed, the way your eyes flickered up at hers, the way you stared at her hand like you wanted to hold it but decided against it.

heaving a breath, you pulled yourself up and nodded at your mentor. you threw minji one last glance, opening your mouth to say something then closing it like you were carefully choosing the right words.

“take care of yourself, and don’t do anything reckless.”

you didn’t see the way minji’s eyes crinkled as you slipped past the curtains.

but your mentor did, and she for sure wouldn’t let you hear the end of it.

“so. . . your girlfriend—”

“she’s not my girlfriend!”

“oh yeah?”

“i’m serious!”

you groaned as your head hit the office desk. since yesterday’s event, your mentor had made every attempt possible to ensure you could never live it down.

“have you seen the way she looks at it you, kid? she’s practically glowing.”

“she’s giving me death glares.”

“correction: she’s looking at you like you’re the only person in the room.”

“you’re imagining things.”

your mentor leaned against her desk, arms crossed over her chest, seemingly amused by your desperate attempts to deny the palpable tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

“hm, so the not-my-girlfriend girl—”

“ms. jo, i swear to god!” you dragged your hand down your face, deadpanned.

“—is doing well. her injury isn’t too serious. all she needs is a sling and she’s fine,” the elder interrupted, her smile knowing.

“why are you telling me this?”

“just because,” she flicked your forehead, and you let out an ouch as you rubbed it. “i know you care about her, even though you’re not ready to admit that yet.

“i do not care about her!”

“sure, kid,” ms. jo giggled as she slipped into her jacket, her car key dangling from her index. “keep telling yourself that.”

“why are you like this?” you muttered, pouting.

“relax, i’m only messing with you,” she laughed at the way your glares burned holes into the back of her head. “go home soon, and don’t forget to lock the door when you leave, yeah?”

you nodded. “bye bye, ms. jo.”

you stayed behind to finish your due work. the room was completely still, saved for the occasional sound of rustling paper and the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock. the faint odor of disinfectants clung to your clothes like a second skin.

when you left, the sky was already painted a soft hue of orange. fatigue pressed down on your shoulders as you fumbled with the bunch of keys, letting out a curse when it slipped from your fingers. eventually, you clicked the door closed, followed by a soft thud.

just as you were about to turn around and leave, a figure blocked your way. you yelped, jumping back slightly in shock.

you should’ve known it was her (it always had been). minji stood before you with a sling supporting her left arm, her hair tousled from the wind. there was no trace of that irritating smirk she always wore, but rather a much calmer expression.

you grimaced when your eyes landed on the tiny wound just above her eyebrows, the cut already dried of blood.

“minji?”

“hey,” she started, a gentle smile graced her face.

“why are you here?” you mumbled, suddenly hyper aware of how close she was to you, the tips of your shoes nearly touched. “what happened? are you hurt?”

you didn’t wait for her answer, already turning around to unlock the clinic door and treat her wound. but her uninjured hand reached out and gently wrapped around your wrist, tugging you backward just slightly. your whole body froze in place.

“no need to do that, i’m fine. just. . . wanted to see you,” she trailed off at the last sentence, her words coming out so softly that they were almost imperceptible. you managed to catch it still, and your breath hitched.

your gaze flicked down to the warmth of her hand on your wrist, before drifting back up to meet her eyes.

“let’s find a seat, then. i’ve to treat that cut before it gets infected.”

minji didn’t answer, didn’t protest. she only tightened her hold on you as she dragged you toward a nearby bench. you let her lead the way and didn’t pull back once. your willingness to stay close to her startled you.

she didn’t let go of your wrist even when you two had settled down.

“um—you can let go now,” you said awkwardly, cringing at the sound of your own voice.

she stared at your joined hand, as if reluctant to release her grip. but after a fleeting moment, her hand fell limply to her side, and you hated how your wrist missed the warmth of her touch.

minji remained silent throughout the entire process of you tending to her injury. she winced every time the alcohol stung her wound, and you found yourself biting your lips, easing the pressure on the cotton pad to ensure her maximum comfort.

“you always come to me whenever you’re injured. it won’t be a stretch if i say i haven’t seen you in good condition once,” you mumbled, already packing the first aid kit back into your tote bag and standing up.

minji followed, rising to her feet. “can i propose something to make up for all the times i’ve pestered you, then?”

you quirked a brow in suspicion. “how?”

“how about grabbing a coffee with me sometimes?”

you blinked, trying to process her words. you opened your mouth. closed it. then: “what?”

“you heard me,” she casually shrugged like she hadn’t just dropped the most staggering question on you.

“it’s not ‘make up’ if you still pester me,” you rolled your eyes, yet, you couldn’t help the smile that painted your lips.

her eyes lit up at the sight, a small grin brightened her features. “so. . . what do you say?”

“no injuries,” you shifted your weight, arms crossing as your stared up at her.

minji tilted her head. “huh?”

“i’ll hang out with you with one condition,” she perked up at your words. “promise me you’ll show up looking less like a walking disaster and without any cuts.”

she let out a breathy laugh. “should’ve expected that from you.” then, with utmost care, minji tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear, doing it so delicately as if she feared the moment might break.

you were sure your cheeks couldn’t possibly burn any brighter.

it had been two weeks since you last saw her.

no—two long weeks since you last shared a proper conversation with her. you still saw her on campus, breathless with laughter and surrounded by friends. but every now and then, her eyes would find you amid the crowd and you could swear they flickered with a hint of softness when they landed on you. you still saw her lounging at the quaint coffee shop she frequented, humming a broken tune under breath—one that you recognized as her favorite song.

but she didn’t reach out to you, didn’t show up at your clinic and try to get under your skin like she always did.

you had tried to convince yourself that it was probably for the best—her not following you around like a lost puppy. yet, deep down, you couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow even worse without her by your side.

without her, the silence seemed to stretch on longer. the hollowness inside your chest seemed to carve holes onto every fibre of your being.

by week two, you had prompted that that was it, that was the end of whatever it was between the two of you. still, the bitterness scratching at the back of your throat didn’t fade away. if anything, it only intensified, weighing your heart down in ways you couldn’t quite name.

you let out a deep sigh, frustration flared your veins as you closed the clinic door behind you. just as you were about to step away, you found yourself being unexpectedly pulled toward the narrow alleyway beside the building. you let out a shriek of horror, your eyes closing instinctively as you swung your bag, repetitively hitting the culprit.

“ouch, ouch! stop, it’s me!”

as the sound entered your senses, your mouth parted slightly opened, both hands reluctantly dropped by their sides.

“minji? what are you—”

“don’t tell me you already forgot about our little date, nurse,” she cocked an amused brow.

your ears turned pink as you glanced down at her shoulder, realizing the sling was gone. a wave of panic crashed over you, hitting all at once.

“ah! sorry for hitting. well—technically i didn’t realise it was you. oh gosh, are you hurt? have you healed properly? why did you already put away the sling? what if the bones haven’t snapped back in place yet?”

minji didn’t reply, only staring at you with a knowing look (it made your skin crawled). there was a hint of amusement and something more thriving in the depth of her eyes.

you dropped your shoulders, squinting. “what?”

“nothing, you look cute when you drop your grumpy act and actually worry about me,” she leaned down slightly, narrowing your distance and effectively catching you off guard as you shifted back.

“i do not worry about you!”

“sure, said the girl who just bombard me with questions about my well-being.”

“whatever,” you rolled your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest. you could feel the heat slowly creeped its way up your cheek.

minji laughed at the sight. “nothing, so. . . about our date.”

you tossed her a glare. “there’s no date.”

minji gasped dramatically, her hands flew to her chest in faux hurt. “you broke your promise! you said we could go out after i’ve healed!”

“that including taking care of yourself, idiot. are you even allowed to take your sling off, yet?”

“of course! only if i limit heavy lifting or overhead activities, then i’d fine. i asked your mentor personally, you know!”

you backed down at the the mention of your mentor. with an exasperated sigh, you

“you better behave.”

“you bet, i’ll be as good as a puppy follows its owner.”

your nose wrinkled at her words. “you’re gross. do you even hear yourself just now?”

that same smirk reappeared on her annoyingly attractive face. “see you at the coffee shop near campus on saturday, then?”

“whatever.”

minji booped your nose. “don’t be late for our first date, love.”

your brain short-circuited.

the coffee shop smelt faintly of cinnamon rolls and vanilla beans as you stepped inside.

it was cozy, calm, and quiet—the kind of quietness you always enjoyed. since the sun had just barely broken, there wasn’t that many people inside, and you liked it that way.

mjnji was already there by the time you arrived, scrolling through her phone with her chin resting on her palm. her expression was strangely unreadable. she wore a navy denim shirt, undone by two top buttons, and her hair fell messily over her face. most notably, she had on black glasses, and you had to mentally slap yourself at how good she looked in them.

wordlessly, you slid into the seat across from her and dropped your bag on the chair beside you.

minji finally looked up from her phone, her eyes lighting up and the corners of her mouth curved into a small smile when she saw you.

“morning, nurse.”

you scoffed. “stop calling me that.”

her grin only widened at your annoyance. “what should i call you, then? love? honey? sweetheart?”

“if you lead me all the way here just to get under my skin, then i’m leaving,” you narrowed your eyes.

“wow, scary much,” she chuckled fondly, her arms folding neatly on the table.

“what?”

she pouted at the tone of your voice. “nothing, just don’t leave me high and dry here, all alone.”

“you’ll manage just fine.”

“hmm, true,” she blinked innocently. “but i like having you by my side.”

you almost choked on the cup of free water at her words. almost.

the way she tossed those words around like it was the most natural thing in the world. like she actually meant them. and you couldn’t help but feel the butterflies that fluttered their wings ever so gently in the pit of your stomach.

but before you could utter another word, the cafe worker served your drink with a kind smile that seemed to say. “enjoy.”

you raised a questioning brow.

“i ordered it beforehand, figured you don’t like waiting. it’s your favorite, by the way.”

your fists involuntarily clenched under the table. she was too observant. too thoughtful. you hated it. you hated more that you didn’t know whether to be annoyed or touched.

you didn’t have an answer for that so you remained silent. besides, you couldn’t trust your voice, not now. with a soft outtake of breath, you took a small sip of the drink and the familiar taste of your usual order entered your tastebud, warming your chest despite yourself.

“thanks,” you mumbled, your voice barely above a whisper.

she intertwined her fingers and let her chin rested on it, her tone teasing. “i’ve always known you have a soft spot for me, nurse. even though you’re always trying to deny it. it’s cute, though.”

“stop putting words into my mouth.”

minji only chuckled, hands flipping mindlessly through the menu.

you barely even registered it when her movement halted midair, and you could see something red dripping from her fingertip.

“did you just cut yourself on a menu?” you immediately shot up from your seat, brows knitted together in concern. without another word, you rummaged through your bag to fish out the pack of bandages you always carry along.

when you looked up, minji was casually wiping at the cut with a piece of tissue, her movement surprisingly leisure. she beamed and mumbled a soft thanks when you handed her a bandage. in the calmest manner you had ever seen from her ever since you two met, she wrapped the strip of band around her fingertip, her face void of any dramatic emotions she usually displayed.

you stared at the scene, stunned.

minji looked up and caught your intense gaze, a smirk tugging at her mouth. “what? enjoying the view?”

“you’re not a scaredy-cat,” you muttered in utter disbelief.

she quirked a questioning brow at that. “should i take that as a compliment?”

“no, absolutely not. that wasn’t a compliment, idiot,” you deadpanned.

“then why are you looking at me like i just knocked off your clinic’s medical supplies?” minji leaned forward with her chin resting on her palm, seemingly amused by your. . . state.

“you—you didn’t faint!”

“oh, you want me to?”

“of course not—wait, maybe yes but that’s not the point! usually, you look like you wouldn’t faint from the sight of blood alone!”

“your point is?”

“just now, you cut yourself and bandaged the wound and didn’t flinched once.”

a breathy laugh brushed past her, and your stiffened shoulders dropped.

“what?”

“nothing, you look funny when you fuss over the scaredy-cat thingy.”

“you’re telling me you’re not a scaredy-cat?”

“‘course not,” she shrugged, humour glinting in her eyes.

“then why?”

minji tilted her head sideway, her eyes remained glued on you. “because that’s the only thing i could do for you to notice me.”

you froze, clearly not anticipating her sudden revelation. for an agonizingly long moment, you found yourself at a loss for word.

“what do you mean?” you managed after what felt like forever, uncertainty laced your voice.

“i’ll leave you to figure that out,” she shrugged in a way so casual that made you grimace.

a beat passed, and minji leaned in—close enough that you could see the yellow specks of the fluorescent light above swirling inside her eyes—and tucked a stray hair strand behind your ear.

“you probably don’t know it, but i’ve always liked you.” her voice was soft, too soft that you heart clenched. “oh, well i guess you do now.”

it was as if she had just dropped a bomb on you. you opened your mouth, then closed it but nothing came out. maybe it was just a cruel joke—a dare, most likely—you convinced yourself. maybe she was messing with you like she always did. but you knew better than that—than to lie to yourself.

her words burned the back of your mind, latent and simmering. kim minji was fooling around—she must be.

“you didn’t even bother to glance my way when we crossed path last year. not that i’m complaining, of course. just. . . stop whatever cruel jokes you’re playing and act like you care when you clearly don’t.”

“that’s not true, i’ve liked you long before you ever knew my name.”

for all the time you had known minji, you were completely, utterly stunned. for once, you had no snarky comebacks to wipe the usual smugness off her face. except this time there wasn’t a trace of unseriousness you had expected. you hated that she sounded genuine. you hated more that a part of you wanted that she meant what she said.

the air was thick enough to be cut with a knife. you kept nibbling on your straw, attempting to look everywhere else but the girl before you. but you couldn’t ignore the lingering glances that set every fibre of your skin ablaze.

“wanna go outside? it’s getting stifling in here,” minji finally offered, already grabbing her purse and standing up.

you said nothing in return, only slinging your bag over your shoulders and fell into steps alongside her.

you both walked in awkward silence, with neither party knowing what to say. your eyes were glued on the cobblestone road the whole time, occasional kicking a random pebble when the white noise began to hurt your head.

her pinky skimmed yours, its warmth thawing your ice, startling you. then, without a word, she carefully intertwined your hands. you froze for a fracture of a second but didn’t pull back, the heat that radiated from her palm enveloped yours.

the silence stretched on as the two of you walked side by side. every now and then, you would steal glances at her, at the way the wind tousled her dark locks and at how calm she appeared. though, you were quick to avert your gaze elsewhere when she glanced your way. if minji noticed the redness of your ears, she didn’t mention it.

just then, minji halted abruptly, making you stumble slightly backward. she quickly stabilized you, her grip tightened on your arm.

your breath hitched, suddenly hyper aware of your closeness. minji was staring intently at you, her breath fanning your cheek. her eyes slowly dropped down to your lips for a second too long, and you found your heart stuttered inside your chest. when she looked back up, you saw something unreadable wavered in her eyes.

“can i. . .?” she started, her voice barely above a whisper as shyness seeped in.

you didn’t answer, only closing your eyes and leaning in. that was every thing minji could ever ask for as she closed the gap and crashed her lips onto yours.

any lingering awkwardness melted away as you found yourself focused solely on how right it felt to kiss her, how perfectly her mouth fit against yours. she kissed you slowly and tentatively, as if afraid that this fragile moment might slip from her grasp. when she smiled against your lips, you instinctively clutched the fabric of her shirt, desperately trying to ground yourself amid the overwhelming dizziness.

when you two pulled apart, breathless and momentarily speechless, not quite believing the event that had just took place. minji smiled brightly, teeth and all as she looked at you like you held the secrets of the world. and your heart did somersaults against your ribcage.

“god, kill me. you don’t know how long i’ve been dying to do that,” sun glares weaved their way into the brightness that was her smile.

you secretly hoped she didn’t notice how loud your heart was heating, how the heat of the day had slowly creeped up your neck and tinted the tips of your ears a glaring shade of red, how your knees felt unbelievable weak and you had to held on her for support.

“don’t say that,” you grumbled softly under your breath, mentally and physically couldn’t afford to let her see your disoriented state.

“what? i’m banned from stating facts now?” she grinned cheekily, her hands sliding down your waist.

“i still hate you though,” you cleared your throat, turning away as your heartbeats blared your ears.

“right, of course you do, babe.”

your breath was knocked right out of your lungs as minji stole yet another a quick kiss on your cheek.

[fnzktn]

THEA PUTTING OUT BANGERS AFTER BANGERS THIS IS SO GOOOOOOOOOOOD

like this is better than the breakfast i made for forhaerin and i bro i swear i could've read this for breakfast and i would be full for the whole DAY. got me kicking my feet and shit squealing, screaming, blushing

[hyejardin]

HOW COME I DIDNT RECEIVE THE NOTIF FOR UR REBLOG????? @/tumblr 👩‍🦯👩‍🦯👩‍🦯

user fnzktn njzblr no.1 GLAZER 💔💔💔 the concept of my fic making u full for the whole day is lowk crazy *shyly giggles* (stop glazing me) (that coming from my goat fnzktn…)

still waiting for u to post that minji fic btw so i can eat it up 😛😛😛 i alr know its gonna be SO SO good (whos even surprised its andrea the goat after all 😝)

[hyejardin]

i also began to write a hanni fic to be set in a city in vietnam😅 i suck at writing tho so i keep deleting the words i type but hopefully one day i’ll finish it and have the courage to post🤞🏼

but i’m very excited for your upcoming fics, i love the stories you come up with and the way you write :)

btw did you see the recent update a fan posted on twitter of hanni? she has orange hair now and seems to be doing well🥹

i still can’t believe we didn’t have a new jeans banger this summer💔 miss my girls

and i actually don’t live in vietnam. hbu, do you reside in vietnam?

-🇻🇳

oh trust me i’ll be ur BIGGEST supporter when that hanni fic comes to light 😤😤😤

i love reading and writing viet au fic sm 😫 maybe its due to the fact that ive lived there my whole life… oh and pls dont say ur writing sucks 😭 ik the self belittlement is lowk crazy (i suffer from it too). till this day im still a bundle of nerves whenever my finger hovers above the publish button.

i also rlly hate the proofreading part coz oftentimes i’d find my writing too stiff or the dialogues seems too unnatural/cringey for the most part and lose my will to post the fic completely. but when the notes come flooding in and pp begin leaving compliments on my fic i feel like all the time ive wrestled w my inner oppositions is SO worth it 😩 ygs are honestly so nice 😢🤍

but i think the most important tjing is that uve passion for what u write. its essential u find joy in writing coz then the words would flow DAMN easy. writing is a hobby for me, i only write when i feel like doing it. i try my best to avoid stressing myself out whenever i write, tbh ive to constantly reminded myself that its just a part time hobby! i drop immediately once i feel unmotivated and only pick up the pen when ive it in me to invest in the act of writing (or when ive ideas thay must be worked ok be4 it burns into oblivion…)

all i wanna say is that take ur time writing, u dont have to push urself over the edge to quickly finish a fic. i’d say im lowk a perfectionist i tend to overanalyze my work to the point i decide its too bad and scrap the whole draft 😭 but then i realise that u dont rlly have to use all those big words or complex wordings for it to be enjoyable. pp would appreciate ur works once yhey feel yhe effort uve put into it!

and yesss ive seen hanni new update (its been months sobs) shes soooo prettyyy ❤️‍🩹 im glad shes doing fine and having a great time. i miss my family so much, summer ainy rlly summer without newjeans </3 ive gotten used to their annual summer releases it feels empty thay yheyre radio silence this year. but ofc their mental healths r priority! im alr happy theyre enjoying their lives as of lately, as long as they still keep in contact, i rlly couldt ask for more 💟

hehe and as ive stated above ive lived in vietnam my whole life :D if u have the chance come visiy hanoi maybe ill give u a tour round the city 😎

[hyejardin]

as a viet as well and a hanni bias, yes pls we need a hanni viet fic! <3

-🇻🇳 anon

CHÀO BRO 🫡🫡🫡

oh u bet ive SO many ideas that i want to carry out on hân phạm viet fic 😛 idk if its worth to be counted as spoiler but the setting’s gonna be in hà nội!

yêu hân vl shes such a cutie pie 😭☹️💗

[hyejardin]

man ur minji fic was FIRE yo make more PLEASE like yo….😭🙏

TYSM!!!!!! </3😭😔🥀🤍 im glad u enjoyed it lol i kept procrastinating the fic im still amazed it managed to come to light… (me and my procrastination tendencies smh smh)

tbh i was planning on writing a hanni fic (vietnam au… maybe… me thinks…) i want to write for all the members in thr age order so i’ll prolly push out another minji fic after ive published a haerin one (and maybe hyein too coz shes my bias i love writing for her tho ive alr posted 2 hyein fics sobs)

hjskwk anw ty for reading my fic im giggling staring at ur ask coz funny how i was one bad mood away from ditching the whole draft… glad it survived so…

[hyejardin]

minji fic finally out!!!!! (after millenniums i know…) hanni fic next prolly, me hope 🤓☝️

[hyejardin]

you don’t even know ִ ࣪𖤐 kim minji

pairing: football player!kim minji x fem!nurse!reader

synopsis: you had always harbored hard feelings toward kim minji, the campus football star. she was loud, popular and unbearably smug—just every thing you could ever dislike in a person. but when she kept showing up at your clinic with minor injuries she claimed to be fatal, you found yourself caught in a tangle of easy smiles and unexpected feelings you hadn’t prepared for.

word count: 8.6k

contains: fluff, one-sided pining, one-sided enemies to lovers, minji’s campus football star, reader is a student nurse, reader is annoyed w her half all the time n minji’s in love… oh! slowburn (??) i tried to slow the burn but idek n e more 😢😔🥀 listen to this song while you read!!!

you knew minji was trouble the moment your eyes laid on her.

confident posture. great sense of humour (though you thought that one was debatable). and a smile that could sweep half the campus off their feet—except you. you just found her irritating.

and god, it didn’t help that she was the college football star.

whispers clung to her wherever she went. people gawked at her like she was art. and the way minji seemed to relish in the attention made your eyes narrowed to slits, your jaw clenched.

to everyone on campus, kim minji was nothing short of a sensation. with her outstanding look, easy smiles, and reputation as the college’s star player, she had this charm most found hard to resist. a girl so perfect it looked as if she had just stepped out of a blockbuster film.

but to you? kim minji was just an obnoxious idiot who couldn’t clamp her mouth shut half the time. you found her smug demeanor irksome, and it felt like her arrogance soared to new heights with every compliment thrown her way.

you had no desire to maintain any form of interactions with her, less than be a part of her chaotic world.

but when minji kept showing up at your clinic with minor injuries she claimed to be fatal, along with her signature flirtatious grin you swore to despise?

for once, you were unsure of what was to come.

you felt like jumping off a cliff the first time minji stumbled into your clinic.

her nose was bleeding. there was a rolled up tissue paper loosely inserted into her running nostril, and you could see the redness seeping through the fiber. but that wasn’t the most remarkable part—she looked smug, too smug for someone who was bleeding her nose out.

you frowned.

“what happened?” you asked, already sliding into your chair at the office desk. minji casually took the seat across from you.

“practice went wrong, i guess. and to answer your question, i’ve a nosebleed. thought it was obvious enough, nurse,” she smirked lazily, her elbows propped on your table as she leaned towards you.

you grind your teeth at the name. nonetheless, you pulled out a health form to note down her information.

“may i have your name and major, please?”

“kim minji from international relations departure. though i bet you already know that, nurse,” she blinked up at you, that exasperating smile never quite leaving her lips.

you quickly scribbled down the piece of information, pretending to not hear her last part. god helps you, was it bad that you wish for nothing more than wiping the smug look off her face?

still, you kept a neutral expression, even though there was a raging storm brewing inside you.

“your injury isn’t serious, i’ll tend it quickly so you can go.”

“what do you mean ‘isn’t serious’, i’m literally running out of blood!” she gasped, her hands flying to her chest at lightning speed.

you fought the urge to roll your eyes at her dramatic.

“don’t overreact, nosebleeds can be managed with basic first aid.”

minji looked offended. “i’m not overreacting!”

you ignored her, already standing up to look for your mentor’s first aid kit. when you swiveled around, she was staring at you intently.

“pull the paper out for me, can you?” you cleared your throat awkwardly.

she did as told. but the moment the tissue slipped from her nostril, the blood stared oozing out again.

you cursed under your breath as minji let out a small yelp. reaching forward, you gently cupped her face and pinched the soft part of her nose.

“don’t panic, breathe through your mouth. and tilt your head slightly forward, alright?”

minji didn’t reply, only nodded faintly. you managed to caught glimpse of the way her eyes wavered for a fracture of a second.

scaredy-cat. you thought internally, snorting.

“how long do i have to continue sitting like this?” minji spoke up after some time, fingers mindlessly tapping the table out of boredom.

“a few more minutes, be patient.”

“oh, i’ve been patient enough. it’s been like half an hour or something!”

“if i pull back right now, the blood will continue dripping. worse, it’ll trickle down your mouth and get into your throat.”

that shut her up instantly.

ten minutes had passed, and you wasted no time releasing your hand from her nose. ten minutes of torturous silence and that felt like a reduction of your life expectancy. zero out of ten experience, you wouldn’t recommend.

“can i sit up now?” she asked, her eyes remained fixated on the stacks of medical paper.

“of course.”

fortunately for her, when minji looked up, her nose had stopped bleeding. however, there were clots smearing her philtrum from where the blood had previously rushed out.

“it actually did stop bleeding!” minji exclaimed, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

shrugging, you pushed a small handkerchief towards her. “clean your philtrum, there’s bloodstain on it.”

“you’re impressive, nurse,” she took the handkerchief and gently wiped her mouth, but not before throwing you a lopsided smile.

you scoffed. “it’s my job.”

“still impressive, though.”

you shrugged off her compliment and marched over, now standing before her. “look up at me.”

minji obeyed without another word, easing slightly into the chair when you tilted her chin up with your fingers, turning it sideway to examine the minor injury.

your eyes met hers once and you immediately looked away, cringing at the sudden eye contact.

minji seemed to have caught on shortly as she raised her brow questioningly. that maddening smirk you hated to the bone had resurfaced, and you already dreaded the following words that were about to tumble out of her mouth.

“you’re jumpy, nurse. do i make you nervous?” she asked smugly. you could feel her gaze—steady and unwavering—burning holes into your skin even when you were not looking.

“i’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” you answered calmly before letting go of her chin and changing the topic. “how’s your nose?”

“good, all thanks to you,” her tone sounded almost flirty, and the idea made you shudder.

you brushed it off in an instant. who were you kidding? this was the kim minji after all. she was probably trying to get under your skin, nothing more nor less.

you hummed back in return. “alright, if your nose is all fixed up, you can go now.”

she practically bounced off her seat. “thank you, nurse!”

you hated the way she addressed you more than you cared to let out.

just when you thought she had finally left you alone, minji suddenly leaned in—too close for your liking—making you involuntarily step back.

“you know what?” she began. “i like it here, maybe i’ll injure myself more often so that i have an excuse to drop by.” still plastering on that irksome grin, minji leaned back slightly. “goodbye, nurse.” and off she went.

you stood frozen on spot, your head still trying to wrap around what she had just said.

i’ll injure myself more often so that i have an excuse to drop by.

oh god, the universe was definitely playing a twisted, cruel trick on you.

despite having braced yourself for the worst (minji revisiting your clinic), you couldn’t suppress a sigh of dejection when she showed up the next time with a fresh cut across her left cheek.

“what have you gotten yourself into this time?” exasperation laced your voice as you tapped your pen impatiently against the thick stack of paper.

“don’t even get me started, nurse,” minji clutched her chest with a dramatic intake of breath. “it’s tragic.”

you only quirked an eyebrow.

she flashed you a half smirk, which somehow managed to rile you up even more. without a care in the world, she slid into her usual seat across from you.

“i tripped over the cones during practice and fell face first onto the field. you know those rubber granules can be deathly at times.”

you stared at her incredulously but didn’t press.

“sit. i’ll fix you up.”

“ooh~ didn’t take you for the bossy type, nurse. but don’t worry, i like that about you.”

“if you keep standing there with your cut untreated, you’ll get an infection in no time.”

minji pouted but didn’t protest. she only sat still, waiting for you to finish jotting down her medical record.

you washed your hands with sanitizer before pulling out a clean cloth from one of the drawers. then, you gently dabbed it on her wound. minji grimaced slightly as the sting from the cut flared up on her face, her lips tightening into a thin line. despite the discomfort, she managed to maintain eye contact with you throughout the entire process and it made your skin crawled.

what the hell is her problem?

“tell me if this hurt and i’ll lessen the pressure,” the truth was that you wanted to get over this as soon as possible.

“oh, of course not. not when you touched my face so delicately,” there was a teasing lilt in her voice, and it made your blood boiled at a hundred degrees celsius.

you pressed harder on the soft cloth and minji winced.

“ouch! that hurts!”

“good. because that’ll teach you the lost art of silence.”

“why are you so mean to me. . . it wounds me deeply, you know!”

“you’re being ridiculous.”

“ridiculously charming, i’ve heard that tons of time before—minus the ridiculous part, thank you very much,” she tossed you that oh-so-familiar toothy grin and you felt like throwing yourself off the bridge.

you heaved in a deep breath, attempting to calm your nerves before you decided to give up on your clinical intern and fled the scene right there and then.

ignoring her silly antics, you removed the cloth and applied a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the cleaned cut. if it stung minji, she didn’t verbally express it. though, you could see the way her eyebrows creased together, her body instinctively tensed up.

finally, you put on a bandage to cover the wound.

“all good. you may go now.”

“are you sure it’s thoroughly treated and there won’t be a possibility of me having an infection the moment i step foot out of here?” minji asked fearfully (you believed she was mocking you), all five fingers splayed on your desk.

you rolled your eyes. “you’re so dramatic.”

“it’s called self-care, you should definitely try it sometimes,” she crossed her arms triumphantly.

“coming from someone who injured herself five times a week was pretty rich, don’t you think.”

minji appeared unfazed at your words. if anything, her irritating smile grew bigger, and you squinted in distaste.

“you’re my savior, i owe it all to you. seriously, i don’t know how to pay you back.”

“then try not to hurt yourself and pester me every five minutes.”

“aw, didn’t know you would care, nurse.”

“you should double check your own definition of ‘care’, ‘coz apparently i don’t recall saying i care about you.”

“how cruel. . . do you usually say such cutting things to anyone else or is it just me?”

“luckily it’s just you.”

“guess i’m really that special, huh?” minji rested her cheek on her palm and tilted sideway.

you didn’t reply to that, already fixed on sorting out your mentor’s paperwork in reasonable order.

it irked you when minji smiled quietly like she knew something you didn’t.

when she finally scraped her chair backward and stood up, you let out a sigh of relief you didn’t know you were holding.

“i don’t plan on seeing you any time soon,” your eyes briefly flicked up to look at her. “which means, stay out of trouble and don’t let yourself get hurt.”

“can’t promise,” she shook her head goofily. “you’re cute when you get annoyed at me.”

and then she was gone, slipping past the door like a shadow in the fading light, leaving you planting to your seat, stunned for a good three minutes.

kim minji, your life sworn no. 1 nemesis. oh, how you loathed her guts.

you should have gotten used to her presence by now.

but when she walked into your clinic with a different injury each time, smirking like she had you completely wrapped around her fingers, it felt like the first time she breezed through your door—face too smug for her own good—all over again.

and it drove you crazy.

she came to you a month ago with a small burn on her hand, whining that she was being scorched alive. two weeks later, she sprained her right ankle and limped into your room, insisting it was an emergency. just last tuesday, she showed up with a tiny splinter in her thumb and trembled like it was the end of the world when you pulled it out using a sterilized tweezer.

by her seventh visits, you were convinced she was out on a mission to aggravate and make your life a living hell. if that was the case, then kim minji had totally succeeded.

recently, she had given you a brand new reason to work with your undying hatred.

you didn’t intend to be mean, but it rubbed you the wrong way when you walked past the football field and saw minji’s friends (was her name hanni? you could only assume) nudged her ribs harshly, blowing whistles when minji turned to give you a flirty wink. the underclassman you recognized as danielle stood with her hands on her hips, mumbling something to the senior you couldn’t quite make out. and worse? minji doubled over laughing like she had won the lottery.

you didn’t know what minji wanted from you. but one thing was clear: whatever game she was playing was getting on your nerves and fueling your hatred up a notch.

you could hardly call it a surprise when she waltzed into your clinic on a random friday afternoon, hair tousled and jerseys clung to her back with beads of sweats from yet another practice. in her hand was a cup of hot coffee—well that was unusual.

“let me guess,” you spoke up before she had the chance to open her mouth. “you bruised yourself, again?”

“nope,” minji stressed on the letter p.

“you strained your muscle?”

“nuh-uh.”

“you got a shin splint?”

“nah. i’ve never been better, look!” minji plastered on a lopsided smile as she kicked her leg repeatedly into the air.

you crossed your arm over your chest, already feeling exasperated the longer this conversation stretched on.

“then why are you here? go back to practice or something.”

minji casually shrugged like she had all the time in the world. “why should i? i like it here, and you’re fun to be around.”

you furrowed your brows. “i’m this close to reporting you to your coach for purposely skipping practice and classes.”

“y/n, you wound me deeply,” she gasped. “and here i thought you had finally softened up for me!”

you nearly flinched at the way your name rolled off her tongue. “how do you know my name?”

minji nodded her head at your student card. “it’s literally written on your card.”

“oh,” that was all you said.

“you know what, you could at least try to be nice to me just for once.”

“i am being nice right now.”

minji looked anything but convinced. she leaned against the wall close to your desk, that infuriating smirk dangled from her lips. “by the way, you look really nice today.”

you blinked, her words slowly sunk in. “are you flirting with me?”

“what do you think?”

“i think you’re trouble,” the words tumbled from your mouth like it was the most obvious thing ever. minji only laughed, and god knows why the sound made you uneasy. “what do you want from me? spill it, i don’t have time for whatever game you’re pulling.”

she raised both her hands in feigned surrender. “chill. can’t i drop by with coffee for my favorite nurse?”

your eyes flickered down at the steaming cup of coffee clutched loosely between her fingers, then back to her face.

“you didn’t have to do that.”

“oh, but i wanted to,” she smiled innocently. for a fracture of a second you thought she looked so much like a puppy, or a bear, or maybe both. you internally cursed at the intrusive thought.

“keep it to yourself, then. i won’t—” but minji had already slid the cup, carefully tucked inside a plastic bag, towards you.

“it’s nothing, just take it,” she insisted. “goodbye, y/n.”

you watched her figure even after she had disappeared behind the closed doors. your gaze fell to the freshly poured cup of coffee before you, and you could still see minji’s fingerprints on the condensation coating its outside.

a medium cappuccino with light roast espresso. your usual order, and exactly how you liked it.

you had no idea why minji knew your favorite coffee order. yet, before you could even process it, a small smile had creeped its way up your face.

minji had been acting odd lately (not that she wasn’t odd before), but these days her acts seemed to be a bit more. . . intense?

and no, not the good kind of odd. god, you should have known nothing good ever comes out of intensity.

she kept showing up with injuries littering her body, sure. to be frank, you didn’t expect minji to leave you alone—not anytime soon, at least.

but these past few weeks she didn’t just breeze through your door like a walking injury—empty-handed, shockingly enough, she brought something with her.

that was new.

last week, she dropped by unannounced and brought a bun with her (you had become accustomed to her sporadic visits by now), claiming you had been skipping breakfast lately (you hated how your stomach churned at the way she noticed). minji was persistent, she refused to leave until she saw you actually eating the treat.

some days, minji would walk into your clinic with a steaming cup of coffee—your usual order. she then teased you about the dark circles that had formed under your eyes and laughed—not in a mean way (you supposed), but enough to get under your skin—when you grumbled something under your breath before finally snapping.

just yesterday, you found a small note tucked inside the book you always carried with you—so carefully placed that you might have missed it if you hadn’t flipped through the pages. the handwriting was neat, and at first, you didn’t recognize it. but as you read on, you saw a short sentence that said, “don’t skip lunch, nurse. wouldn’t want you to faint on me.” you hated how quickly you realized who the note belonged to.

you could practically see her smirking as she wrote down those damn words that made your chest swell, and you rolled your eyes. nonetheless, you gingerly slipped it inside your wallet. your heart felt warm despite yourself.

the acts didn’t just stop there, they stretched on for weeks. occasionally, a not-so-mysterious energy bar would appear on your desk. other times, a small note would be stuck to the mug you usually drink from. sometimes, there would be little sketches of you—prim and proper, looking almost too serious—on your laptop adorned with heart stickers.

and the worst part? you found yourself actually looking forward to the treats, the little notes, the irksome messages, and the cheeky doodles that accompanied them. you hated how you felt a twinge of disappointment on days when she didn’t drop anything off.

huffing out a breath of annoyance, you trudged your way back home, the grip you had on your sling bag tightened.

what does she want from you? why is she being so nice to you—of all people—all of a sudden? just last year she didn’t even bat a lash when you two crossed path in the hallway.

the questions persistently stuck inside your head like a broken mantra, and you were frustrated by how much her actions seemed to affect you—even though you were not ready to accept that yet.

you told yourself it didn’t matter, that she didn’t matter. but then you’d be lying.

after all, she was kim minji—your life sworn no. 1 nemesis. and you would never let her have the pleasure of entering your life and disrupting the peace you had tried so hard to built up as the years passed.

the sound of sniveling halted you in your track.

as you turned sideway, the sight of a girl no older than the age of 6 came into view. her face was stained with dried tears as she hiccuped between each words, quiet sobs clogged her throat.

your lips pressed into a thin line. you were just about to reach out when your gaze landed on the figure next to the child. and your heart sank.

it was none other than kim minji herself. she was crouching beside the young girl, her fingers laced with the latter as her thumb gently rubbed comforting circles, attempting to calm the child.

she was smiling—not the usual cocky, insufferable smile she always plastered—but rather a soft one, the one that made the world seemed to melt away even just for a fleeting second.

you could just walk away, pretended you didn’t witness the scene and let minji handle the situation by herself. but something anchored you in place, making you stand rooted to the ground and watch as it slowly unraveled.

“w-where’s my m-mom? i want mom!” the child sniffled, her voice hoarse from crying.

minji smiled tenderly as she reached out to brush a stray strand of hair away from the young girl’s tear-streaked face. and in a tone so soft it startled you, she said. “your mom left a while ago to buy you a gift. she told me to take care of you and that she’d be back soon. so don’t worry, alright?”

the young girl shook her head, her body trembling. “but it’s been so long, w-what if mommy doesn’t come back? unnie, can you go find mommy for me?”

minji gently wiped away her tears with one hand, while the other still rubbed circles onto the girl’s palm. “of course, unnie will bring mommy back to you. but first, dry your eyes, can you do that for unnie?”

the child stared up at minji with glossy eyes, then faintly nodded, her pinky outstretched. “p-promise me you’ll bring my mom back.”

her eyes softened as she locked her pinky and sealed the promise. “i promise. you’re a very brave child, you know. and i admire you for that.”

the air felt lighter as the child grinned—just a quirk at the corners of her lips, almost imperceptible—but minji noticed it still. and her eyes lit up even more.

“you’re kind, too, unnie.”

minji let out a light laugh at that before gently ruffling the girl’s hair. her eyes crinkling at the corners, she was smiling, teeth and all.

something inside you stirred.

“what’s your name?” she asked while holding the girl’s hands in her bigger ones.

“i’m gayun.”

“so gayun. . .” minji trailed as she searched through her tote bag. “since you’re a very courageous child, you deserve a candy!”

the girl stared down at the lollipop sitting on minji’s palm, then up again at her expectant eyes. slowly, she took it.

“thank you, unnie,” she was smiling now, not just a simple tug of her lips like earlier. like really smiling.

you watched as minji crouched even lower to reach the child’s eye level, her own eyes had basically formed into pretty crescents by now.

your stomach did that one thing you had been refusing to name yet again.

“gayun! there you are! i’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

the next moment was a blur as the woman whom you assumed was gayun’s mom sprinted forward and enveloped her child into a tight hug, burying her face in the girl’s shoulders.

“mom! i was so scared, i thought you f-forgot me!” gayun wasted no time throwing her arms over the woman’s neck.

her mom held her at arm’s length as she gave gayun the once-over. “are you alright? were you hurt? gosh, please never disappear on me ever again.

gayun only shook her head. “i’m fine, mom. i met a really kind unnie and she took care of me. she even gave me a candy, look!” the child exclaimed as she fanned out her fingers for her mom to see.

the woman finally flicked her eyes toward minji before slowly rising to her feet.

“thank you for taking after gayun, i seriously can’t thank you enough,” she bowed her head deeply at minji, who appeared flustered at the formality the elder displayed.

she waved her arms in the air dismissively, cheeks tinting pink. “ah, please stand up! it’s really nothing, gayun is a good child and it was my pleasure to have her around!”

you nearly chortled at her nervousness. nearly.

gayun’s mom straightened up after a while, a kind smile graced her lips as she gently tugged gayun forward. “gayun, say thank you to unnie over here for taking care of you.”

the girl beamed, her small hands loosely clasped around minji’s wrist. “thank you, unnie! for taking care of me, and for the candy, too!”

minji chuckled as she ruffled gayun’s hair. “no need to thank me. stick to your mom and don’t let go of her hand again, yeah?”

“okay!”

gayun’s eyes were glued to minji the entire time as she waved at her, the older girl smiled and waved back just as enthusiastically. she let her hand slipped into her pockets when the two rounded the corner.

you walked away before minji could catch glimpse of you. and for once, you didn’t ignore the way your heart was thrumming inside your chest.

the college air was still crackling with the aftermath of the football season. school ground littered with confetti. abandoned plastic cups strew across the benches. people chatted animatedly about the matches in the hallways, enthusiasm infused their voices.

and of course the number of patients visiting the clinic also grew. some came with a sprained ankle, some with muscles strains, and some were concussed and had to be carried with a fling.

you had never been busier, finishing paper after paper and filling out patients’ health forms. you liked it that way—more works, less thoughts. the thoughts here included her.

you had been so caught up in your internship that you found yourself thinking about her less these days. you convinced yourself it was for the best. after all, thoughts of her had filled your mind for quite a while, and those thoughts were anything but a good sign.

with a tired sigh, you slumped slightly against your chair as you organized a stack of medical paper. the clinic was noisier than usual, with people going in and out every minutes. a whimper of pain here, a soft click of thermometer on the metal tray there. the sounds simultaneously blended into the back of your head.

“i’m not sure, but i think my left shoulder is dislocated.”

you could swear you couldn’t have snapped your head up faster the moment you heard the voice.

there she was, lying limply on the patient bed with one hand by her side and the other loosely clutched the hem of her shirt. she looked like she was in agony (which she practically was), her brows scrunched together as she bit down on her lips to suppress a pained groan, her breath came in ragged, uneven bursts.

you frowned.

“stay still and try not to move your arm too much, i’ll be back in a minute,” with that, the clinician disappeared into the staff room.

you approached minji as she contorted her face in pain.

“minji,” you muttered, now standing beside her bed with your arms crossed before your chest.

she blinked, clearly not anticipating your presence. “hey, nurse,” you didn’t understand how minji still managed to smile even when she looked like she was a second away from blacking out. “long time no see.”

your fingernails dug into your arms as you stared down at her. “what did i tell you about staying out of trouble and don’t let yourself get hurt?”

minji shrugged. “got pushed to the ground during a tackle and fell,” then, her lips curled into that one smirk you swore to hate. “why? worried about me?”

“kim minji,” you said flatly, but there was a sternness underneath.

that made her stiffen up instantly. maybe she was imagining things, but minji had never seen you so serious, so worried—for her. and the latter made her chest nearly combust.

she swallowed harshly. “. . . yeah?”

you looked as if you wanted to say something, maybe scold her, calling her an idiot like you always did. but instead, you drew in a deep breath. held it. and then. . .

“does it hurt? like a lot?” you asked and plopped onto the chair next to her bed. your eyes narrowed as you scanned her left shoulder.

her mouth hung agape like she didn’t believe the words that had just tumbled out of your mouth. a beat passed, and she shook her head frantically.

“no! i’m fine, injuries happen during sports all the time,” minji chuckled. just as she attempted to raise her arm to prove you that she was indeed fine, a wince brushed past her at the sudden movement.

“stop that,” you huffed. “didn’t you hear what the clinician just said? don’t move your arm.”

minji bit her lips, the sharp pain numbed her shoulder. somehow, a throaty laugh escaped her as she looked at you, endearment filled her eyes.

“you look cute when you’re mad. even when you scowl at me. especially when you scowl at me,” she laughed, light and easy before leaning closer, your faces centimeters apart. and your stomach flipped. “makes me want to break every bone in my body just to see you getting so worried about me, again.

“shut up,” you made a face at her statement and instinctively leaned back. however, heat creeped up your ears, tinting them a bright shade of red.

just then, someone drew the privacy curtains, making you both snapped your head toward them.

“y/n?” your mentor looked surprised to see you, but then her expression softened to a small smile. “what are you doing here?”

“um—i was checking up on. . . her?” you jabbed your thumb at minji. “she looked like she was in pain.”

the elder woman chuckled. “always so kind and considerate. but you shall not worry, i’ll take care of her now. you may go aid those who’re waiting outside.”

hesitancy was evident in the way you lingered a second longer by her bed, the way your eyes flickered up at hers, the way you stared at her hand like you wanted to hold it but decided against it.

heaving a breath, you pulled yourself up and nodded at your mentor. you threw minji one last glance, opening your mouth to say something then closing it like you were carefully choosing the right words.

“take care of yourself, and don’t do anything reckless.”

you didn’t see the way minji’s eyes crinkled as you slipped past the curtains.

but your mentor did, and she for sure wouldn’t let you hear the end of it.

“so. . . your girlfriend—”

“she’s not my girlfriend!”

“oh yeah?”

“i’m serious!”

you groaned as your head hit the office desk. since yesterday’s event, your mentor had made every attempt possible to ensure you could never live it down.

“have you seen the way she looks at it you, kid? she’s practically glowing.”

“she’s giving me death glares.”

“correction: she’s looking at you like you’re the only person in the room.”

“you’re imagining things.”

your mentor leaned against her desk, arms crossed over her chest, seemingly amused by your desperate attempts to deny the palpable tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

“hm, so the not-my-girlfriend girl—”

“ms. jo, i swear to god!” you dragged your hand down your face, deadpanned.

“—is doing well. her injury isn’t too serious. all she needs is a sling and she’s fine,” the elder interrupted, her smile knowing.

“why are you telling me this?”

“just because,” she flicked your forehead, and you let out an ouch as you rubbed it. “i know you care about her, even though you’re not ready to admit that yet.

“i do not care about her!”

“sure, kid,” ms. jo giggled as she slipped into her jacket, her car key dangling from her index. “keep telling yourself that.”

“why are you like this?” you muttered, pouting.

“relax, i’m only messing with you,” she laughed at the way your glares burned holes into the back of her head. “go home soon, and don’t forget to lock the door when you leave, yeah?”

you nodded. “bye bye, ms. jo.”

you stayed behind to finish your due work. the room was completely still, saved for the occasional sound of rustling paper and the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock. the faint odor of disinfectants clung to your clothes like a second skin.

when you left, the sky was already painted a soft hue of orange. fatigue pressed down on your shoulders as you fumbled with the bunch of keys, letting out a curse when it slipped from your fingers. eventually, you clicked the door closed, followed by a soft thud.

just as you were about to turn around and leave, a figure blocked your way. you yelped, jumping back slightly in shock.

you should’ve known it was her (it always had been). minji stood before you with a sling supporting her left arm, her hair tousled from the wind. there was no trace of that irritating smirk she always wore, but rather a much calmer expression.

you grimaced when your eyes landed on the tiny wound just above her eyebrows, the cut already dried of blood.

“minji?”

“hey,” she started, a gentle smile graced her face.

“why are you here?” you mumbled, suddenly hyper aware of how close she was to you, the tips of your shoes nearly touched. “what happened? are you hurt?”

you didn’t wait for her answer, already turning around to unlock the clinic door and treat her wound. but her uninjured hand reached out and gently wrapped around your wrist, tugging you backward just slightly. your whole body froze in place.

“no need to do that, i’m fine. just. . . wanted to see you,” she trailed off at the last sentence, her words coming out so softly that they were almost imperceptible. you managed to catch it still, and your breath hitched.

your gaze flicked down to the warmth of her hand on your wrist, before drifting back up to meet her eyes.

“let’s find a seat, then. i’ve to treat that cut before it gets infected.”

minji didn’t answer, didn’t protest. she only tightened her hold on you as she dragged you toward a nearby bench. you let her lead the way and didn’t pull back once. your willingness to stay close to her startled you.

she didn’t let go of your wrist even when you two had settled down.

“um—you can let go now,” you said awkwardly, cringing at the sound of your own voice.

she stared at your joined hand, as if reluctant to release her grip. but after a fleeting moment, her hand fell limply to her side, and you hated how your wrist missed the warmth of her touch.

minji remained silent throughout the entire process of you tending to her injury. she winced every time the alcohol stung her wound, and you found yourself biting your lips, easing the pressure on the cotton pad to ensure her maximum comfort.

“you always come to me whenever you’re injured. it won’t be a stretch if i say i haven’t seen you in good condition once,” you mumbled, already packing the first aid kit back into your tote bag and standing up.

minji followed, rising to her feet. “can i propose something to make up for all the times i’ve pestered you, then?”

you quirked a brow in suspicion. “how?”

“how about grabbing a coffee with me sometimes?”

you blinked, trying to process her words. you opened your mouth. closed it. then: “what?”

“you heard me,” she casually shrugged like she hadn’t just dropped the most staggering question on you.

“it’s not ‘make up’ if you still pester me,” you rolled your eyes, yet, you couldn’t help the smile that painted your lips.

her eyes lit up at the sight, a small grin brightened her features. “so. . . what do you say?”

“no injuries,” you shifted your weight, arms crossing as your stared up at her.

minji tilted her head. “huh?”

“i’ll hang out with you with one condition,” she perked up at your words. “promise me you’ll show up looking less like a walking disaster and without any cuts.”

she let out a breathy laugh. “should’ve expected that from you.” then, with utmost care, minji tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear, doing it so delicately as if she feared the moment might break.

you were sure your cheeks couldn’t possibly burn any brighter.

it had been two weeks since you last saw her.

no—two long weeks since you last shared a proper conversation with her. you still saw her on campus, breathless with laughter and surrounded by friends. but every now and then, her eyes would find you amid the crowd and you could swear they flickered with a hint of softness when they landed on you. you still saw her lounging at the quaint coffee shop she frequented, humming a broken tune under breath—one that you recognized as her favorite song.

but she didn’t reach out to you, didn’t show up at your clinic and try to get under your skin like she always did.

you had tried to convince yourself that it was probably for the best—her not following you around like a lost puppy. yet, deep down, you couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow even worse without her by your side.

without her, the silence seemed to stretch on longer. the hollowness inside your chest seemed to carve holes onto every fibre of your being.

by week two, you had prompted that that was it, that was the end of whatever it was between the two of you. still, the bitterness scratching at the back of your throat didn’t fade away. if anything, it only intensified, weighing your heart down in ways you couldn’t quite name.

you let out a deep sigh, frustration flared your veins as you closed the clinic door behind you. just as you were about to step away, you found yourself being unexpectedly pulled toward the narrow alleyway beside the building. you let out a shriek of horror, your eyes closing instinctively as you swung your bag, repetitively hitting the culprit.

“ouch, ouch! stop, it’s me!”

as the sound entered your senses, your mouth parted slightly opened, both hands reluctantly dropped by their sides.

“minji? what are you—”

“don’t tell me you already forgot about our little date, nurse,” she cocked an amused brow.

your ears turned pink as you glanced down at her shoulder, realizing the sling was gone. a wave of panic crashed over you, hitting all at once.

“ah! sorry for hitting. well—technically i didn’t realise it was you. oh gosh, are you hurt? have you healed properly? why did you already put away the sling? what if the bones haven’t snapped back in place yet?”

minji didn’t reply, only staring at you with a knowing look (it made your skin crawled). there was a hint of amusement and something more thriving in the depth of her eyes.

you dropped your shoulders, squinting. “what?”

“nothing, you look cute when you drop your grumpy act and actually worry about me,” she leaned down slightly, narrowing your distance and effectively catching you off guard as you shifted back.

“i do not worry about you!”

“sure, said the girl who just bombard me with questions about my well-being.”

“whatever,” you rolled your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest. you could feel the heat slowly creeped its way up your cheek.

minji laughed at the sight. “nothing, so. . . about our date.”

you tossed her a glare. “there’s no date.”

minji gasped dramatically, her hands flew to her chest in faux hurt. “you broke your promise! you said we could go out after i’ve healed!”

“that including taking care of yourself, idiot. are you even allowed to take your sling off, yet?”

“of course! only if i limit heavy lifting or overhead activities, then i’d fine. i asked your mentor personally, you know!”

you backed down at the the mention of your mentor. with an exasperated sigh, you

“you better behave.”

“you bet, i’ll be as good as a puppy follows its owner.”

your nose wrinkled at her words. “you’re gross. do you even hear yourself just now?”

that same smirk reappeared on her annoyingly attractive face. “see you at the coffee shop near campus on saturday, then?”

“whatever.”

minji booped your nose. “don’t be late for our first date, love.”

your brain short-circuited.

the coffee shop smelt faintly of cinnamon rolls and vanilla beans as you stepped inside.

it was cozy, calm, and quiet—the kind of quietness you always enjoyed. since the sun had just barely broken, there wasn’t that many people inside, and you liked it that way.

mjnji was already there by the time you arrived, scrolling through her phone with her chin resting on her palm. her expression was strangely unreadable. she wore a navy denim shirt, undone by two top buttons, and her hair fell messily over her face. most notably, she had on black glasses, and you had to mentally slap yourself at how good she looked in them.

wordlessly, you slid into the seat across from her and dropped your bag on the chair beside you.

minji finally looked up from her phone, her eyes lighting up and the corners of her mouth curved into a small smile when she saw you.

“morning, nurse.”

you scoffed. “stop calling me that.”

her grin only widened at your annoyance. “what should i call you, then? love? honey? sweetheart?”

“if you lead me all the way here just to get under my skin, then i’m leaving,” you narrowed your eyes.

“wow, scary much,” she chuckled fondly, her arms folding neatly on the table.

“what?”

she pouted at the tone of your voice. “nothing, just don’t leave me high and dry here, all alone.”

“you’ll manage just fine.”

“hmm, true,” she blinked innocently. “but i like having you by my side.”

you almost choked on the cup of free water at her words. almost.

the way she tossed those words around like it was the most natural thing in the world. like she actually meant them. and you couldn’t help but feel the butterflies that fluttered their wings ever so gently in the pit of your stomach.

but before you could utter another word, the cafe worker served your drink with a kind smile that seemed to say. “enjoy.”

you raised a questioning brow.

“i ordered it beforehand, figured you don’t like waiting. it’s your favorite, by the way.”

your fists involuntarily clenched under the table. she was too observant. too thoughtful. you hated it. you hated more that you didn’t know whether to be annoyed or touched.

you didn’t have an answer for that so you remained silent. besides, you couldn’t trust your voice, not now. with a soft outtake of breath, you took a small sip of the drink and the familiar taste of your usual order entered your tastebud, warming your chest despite yourself.

“thanks,” you mumbled, your voice barely above a whisper.

she intertwined her fingers and let her chin rested on it, her tone teasing. “i’ve always known you have a soft spot for me, nurse. even though you’re always trying to deny it. it’s cute, though.”

“stop putting words into my mouth.”

minji only chuckled, hands flipping mindlessly through the menu.

you barely even registered it when her movement halted midair, and you could see something red dripping from her fingertip.

“did you just cut yourself on a menu?” you immediately shot up from your seat, brows knitted together in concern. without another word, you rummaged through your bag to fish out the pack of bandages you always carry along.

when you looked up, minji was casually wiping at the cut with a piece of tissue, her movement surprisingly leisure. she beamed and mumbled a soft thanks when you handed her a bandage. in the calmest manner you had ever seen from her ever since you two met, she wrapped the strip of band around her fingertip, her face void of any dramatic emotions she usually displayed.

you stared at the scene, stunned.

minji looked up and caught your intense gaze, a smirk tugging at her mouth. “what? enjoying the view?”

“you’re not a scaredy-cat,” you muttered in utter disbelief.

she quirked a questioning brow at that. “should i take that as a compliment?”

“no, absolutely not. that wasn’t a compliment, idiot,” you deadpanned.

“then why are you looking at me like i just knocked off your clinic’s medical supplies?” minji leaned forward with her chin resting on her palm, seemingly amused by your. . . state.

“you—you didn’t faint!”

“oh, you want me to?”

“of course not—wait, maybe yes but that’s not the point! usually, you look like you wouldn’t faint from the sight of blood alone!”

“your point is?”

“just now, you cut yourself and bandaged the wound and didn’t flinched once.”

a breathy laugh brushed past her, and your stiffened shoulders dropped.

“what?”

“nothing, you look funny when you fuss over the scaredy-cat thingy.”

“you’re telling me you’re not a scaredy-cat?”

“‘course not,” she shrugged, humour glinting in her eyes.

“then why?”

minji tilted her head sideway, her eyes remained glued on you. “because that’s the only thing i could do for you to notice me.”

you froze, clearly not anticipating her sudden revelation. for an agonizingly long moment, you found yourself at a loss for word.

“what do you mean?” you managed after what felt like forever, uncertainty laced your voice.

“i’ll leave you to figure that out,” she shrugged in a way so casual that made you grimace.

a beat passed, and minji leaned in—close enough that you could see the yellow specks of the fluorescent light above swirling inside her eyes—and tucked a stray hair strand behind your ear.

“you probably don’t know it, but i’ve always liked you.” her voice was soft, too soft that you heart clenched. “oh, well i guess you do now.”

it was as if she had just dropped a bomb on you. you opened your mouth, then closed it but nothing came out. maybe it was just a cruel joke—a dare, most likely—you convinced yourself. maybe she was messing with you like she always did. but you knew better than that—than to lie to yourself.

her words burned the back of your mind, latent and simmering. kim minji was fooling around—she must be.

“you didn’t even bother to glance my way when we crossed path last year. not that i’m complaining, of course. just. . . stop whatever cruel jokes you’re playing and act like you care when you clearly don’t.”

“that’s not true, i’ve liked you long before you ever knew my name.”

for all the time you had known minji, you were completely, utterly stunned. for once, you had no snarky comebacks to wipe the usual smugness off her face. except this time there wasn’t a trace of unseriousness you had expected. you hated that she sounded genuine. you hated more that a part of you wanted that she meant what she said.

the air was thick enough to be cut with a knife. you kept nibbling on your straw, attempting to look everywhere else but the girl before you. but you couldn’t ignore the lingering glances that set every fibre of your skin ablaze.

“wanna go outside? it’s getting stifling in here,” minji finally offered, already grabbing her purse and standing up.

you said nothing in return, only slinging your bag over your shoulders and fell into steps alongside her.

you both walked in awkward silence, with neither party knowing what to say. your eyes were glued on the cobblestone road the whole time, occasional kicking a random pebble when the white noise began to hurt your head.

her pinky skimmed yours, its warmth thawing your ice, startling you. then, without a word, she carefully intertwined your hands. you froze for a fracture of a second but didn’t pull back, the heat that radiated from her palm enveloped yours.

the silence stretched on as the two of you walked side by side. every now and then, you would steal glances at her, at the way the wind tousled her dark locks and at how calm she appeared. though, you were quick to avert your gaze elsewhere when she glanced your way. if minji noticed the redness of your ears, she didn’t mention it.

just then, minji halted abruptly, making you stumble slightly backward. she quickly stabilized you, her grip tightened on your arm.

your breath hitched, suddenly hyper aware of your closeness. minji was staring intently at you, her breath fanning your cheek. her eyes slowly dropped down to your lips for a second too long, and you found your heart stuttered inside your chest. when she looked back up, you saw something unreadable wavered in her eyes.

“can i. . .?” she started, her voice barely above a whisper as shyness seeped in.

you didn’t answer, only closing your eyes and leaning in. that was every thing minji could ever ask for as she closed the gap and crashed her lips onto yours.

any lingering awkwardness melted away as you found yourself focused solely on how right it felt to kiss her, how perfectly her mouth fit against yours. she kissed you slowly and tentatively, as if afraid that this fragile moment might slip from her grasp. when she smiled against your lips, you instinctively clutched the fabric of her shirt, desperately trying to ground yourself amid the overwhelming dizziness.

when you two pulled apart, breathless and momentarily speechless, not quite believing the event that had just took place. minji smiled brightly, teeth and all as she looked at you like you held the secrets of the world. and your heart did somersaults against your ribcage.

“god, kill me. you don’t know how long i’ve been dying to do that,” sun glares weaved their way into the brightness that was her smile.

you secretly hoped she didn’t notice how loud your heart was heating, how the heat of the day had slowly creeped up your neck and tinted the tips of your ears a glaring shade of red, how your knees felt unbelievable weak and you had to held on her for support.

“don’t say that,” you grumbled softly under your breath, mentally and physically couldn’t afford to let her see your disoriented state.

“what? i’m banned from stating facts now?” she grinned cheekily, her hands sliding down your waist.

“i still hate you though,” you cleared your throat, turning away as your heartbeats blared your ears.

“right, of course you do, babe.”

your breath was knocked right out of your lungs as minji stole yet another a quick kiss on your cheek.

[hyejardin]

writing a viet au fic would be so fun…