ღ BE MY... GIRL?, P.M
"Everyday, Minju would go back to the same record store, just to see the cute guy she had a crush on. But what happens when she discovers that not everything is as she thought?"
warnings - fluff, strongly inspired by "The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All" and "Coffee Prince". Minju w pink hair coz she looks gorgeous n bc of aya :) wlw ofc
now playing - Apple Cider, by beabadoobee
"You said you liked my hair, so go ahead and touch it"
Minju kept coming back. Every freaking day! It wasn’t because of the records or the CDs, nor because of the cool music playing at the record store. It was simply because she couldn’t get the cute guy who worked there out of her head. It started out simple, actually—anyone nearby could tell why Minju was there so often.
It was Moka who first introduced Minju to the record store; it was near one of her favorite clothing stores, and then, one day when she went in to look for a specific record, all she could think about was her older bandmate. The next day, after rehearsals for “It’s Me,” the two of them were there as if it were a mission assigned to them—to explore the record store.
They walked through the doors as if they were about to discover a whole new world; Minju smiled at every record she found, holding some close and showing Moka others she knew would interest her. And then, it was as if the universe had sent her a message, as if everything had aligned so that the two girls would be there at exactly the right time and moment.
Minju’s eyes went beyond the uniform, beyond the cap or the mask covering part of the face.
She looked straight into his eyes.
With impeccable concentration, the mysterious boy worked, organizing the new shipment of records on one of the shelves. It would have been wonderful enough if that were all, but when the pink-haired girl’s eyes allowed themselves to focus on something else—other than the boy’s sparkling eyes—she caught a glimpse of some very familiar vinyl records. “Super Real Me” was being carefully placed next to Cortis’s “COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES,” just below Le Sserafim’s “UNFORGIVEN” and just above Aespa’s “Armageddon.”
Her feet seemed to have moved even before her brain registered what was actually happening, and for a moment she was completely mesmerized by the eyes of the boy she had seen for the first time just two minutes ago.
“Do you like illit? Her brain seemed to have regained control of her body the moment the words left her mouth, and even though she wanted to shrink back, she tried to act normal.
The boy looked up; he was crouched down, trying to finish the task he’d been assigned, and that was just one more reason for Minju to want to dig a hole and bury her head right there.
“Huh?” That was the only thing that came out of his mouth, and it was enough to make Minju’s cheeks turn the same color as her hair.
“Oh, sorry. It’s just that I love that girl group.” She tried again, pointing to the vinyl record he’d just placed on the shelf.
Looking in the direction she was pointing, the boy finally chuckled softly, stepping out of the bubble he’d been in to return to the real world—something Minju thanked her lucky stars for, because she was starting to think she’d have to simply apologize and turn around for distracting him.
“Well, you must have really good taste. This band’s albums are always the first to sell out.” Getting up from where he’d been sitting on the floor, the boy scratched the back of his neck lightly.
Minju’s eyes followed his hand; the silver rings and stylish bracelet piqued her curiosity—he was stylish. His hair was shiny, cut short at the nape of his neck, and for a moment she wanted to run her fingers through it.
“Do you want one?” He held out his hand, the CD bridging the distance between them. And even though Minju already have that album—because, goodness, she was a member of that group—she reached out and took it.
Her fingertips brushed against his, and it was as if an electric current ran through her entire body. Her heart was pounding, and she felt as though she might faint when she realized he was smiling beneath his mask.
She didn’t actually need to see the smile, because his eyes were smiling all on their own.
“Thank you,” she stammered slightly, as she watched the young man she’d just met wave and go back to work, smiling with those adorable eyes.
Maybe Minju was so immersed in the moment that she forgot Moka was there, too. Which meant she’d completely forgotten that she’d have to deal not only with the younger girl, but also with the illit members asking who the mysterious boy was that she was interested in. Minju wasn’t stupid; she knew the girls who lived with her, and maybe that’s why she reacted with near indifference when everything started to turn into a bit of a mess.
Yunah went into “mom mode,” telling Minju she’d have to be careful, asking if he knew who she was and what she’d talked to him about. Moka was there to fill in all the details the pink-haired girl might have left out or simply forgotten, with a little smile on her face and the sparkling eyes of someone who’d been watching everything closely. The maknaes seemed to be in the midst of the biggest gossip of the year—the kind not even Dispatch could have predicted: Park Minju falling for a guy at a record store. Wonhee was cracking jokes while Iroha laughed until her stomach hurt.
“There’s nothing going on between me and him! I just think he’s a nice guy!” That’s what she said to throw them off the trail. Even though Yunah narrowed her eyes in disbelief and the other members kept laughing and singing little songs about how she was going to marry the mysterious boy.
“Here it is!” The husky voice snapped Minju out of her daydream. Right in front of her was Gorillaz’s album “Humanz”. The cover was beautiful, and even though it wasn’t exactly the kind of music Minju usually listened to, she took the album from the boy’s hand with a smile worthy of a true fan.
It was the third time that week Minju had gone to the record store, and even though no one had actually asked why she was going there almost every day, she felt that going there and not buying anything was starting to look suspicious. So, in a moment of desperation, she decided to do the most rational thing she could think of at that moment: ask for a vinyl recommendation to the reason she was really there—the cute boy.
“Have you been a fan of theirs for a while? I really think they’re so cool.” He wasn’t wearing a cap that afternoon, and Minju swore she’d faint every time he tossed his hair back.
“I… yeah, I mean…” Stammering, the girl with pink hair lowered her gaze to the album, thinking it best to focus on something other than the eyes that were making her feel too weak. “I’m kind of new to this style of music.”
“Oh, that’s cool. You don’t have to be embarrassed,” he said, assuming the pink hue on her cheeks was because of her new experience with the band—without even imagining that it was because she couldn’t keep her composure when he was looking at her. “They’re really cool; I think you’ll like them. And if you don’t, you can always come back for more recommendations!”
His tone was catchy, and he truly loved what he was doing. Minju noticed how much he seemed to genuinely love music; she noticed the passion with which he talked to her about every album or EP. Sometimes, Minju found herself wondering how he would react if he found out she was an idol.
The kissing sounds Wonhee was making interrupted Minju’s memories, and Iroha’s voice once again cut off her train of thought.
“So you guys just talk about music? Hasn’t he ever even tried to flirt with you?” The younger girl’s question made Minju’s head spin.
Flirt? If only you would even try to flirt with her.
“Have you heard this one?” The boy raised his hand; the record he held was blue, and Minju quickly recognized the woman on the cover—“This Is How Tomorrow Moves.”
“Beabadoobee!” she exclaimed. “I love her.”
Getting up from where he’d been sitting—on the floor—the boy in the mask laughed softly, brushing the dust off his black jeans and leaning against the record shelf that separated him from Minju.
“I like your hair.” Minju’s heart suddenly raced. Those simple words made all the blood in her heart pump faster.
What does that mean? She had dyed her hair pink for the “It’s Me” promotions; it wasn’t permanent. Did he think she was stylish because of that? Would he still like her when she went back to her normal hair color?
“Huh?” It was the only thing Minju could stammer out, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, while—once again—she began to blush as red as a tomato.
“You know, that song,” he began. “You said you like my hair. So go ahead and touch it.”
If Minju could have blushed any more, she would have exploded. Of course, you weren’t actually flirting with her.
“Yeah, ‘Apple Cider,’” she replied, her voice a little lower and softer than usual.
“Yeah! That’s the one. Man, that song is really good.” Crouching down again, he picked up the empty box—which had once held the records that were now lined up on the shelves. “But you know, I really do like your hair.”
She kept going to the store almost every day—maybe three or four times a week. She’d spend a few minutes there, just long enough for a conversation about records and music, nothing deep enough for names or any other personal information to be exchanged. After all, she was still Minju from Illit. And you were still just the cute guy at the record store, right?
“Girl, she’s 100 percent into you!” Nico, your coworker, exclaimed. It had been at least ten minutes since the two of you had opened the store, and the first thing he said to you was about the girl with pink hair.
It had been a week since you and she had met—at least in the strange way that the two of you do. Nico had questioned why you’d never asked her name, or anything like that, since, to him, she was clearly into you.
“Hey, you're back!” you exclaimed, seeing the girl with pink hair walk into the store. She always wore a black mask—just like yours—along with glasses and a cap.
At first glance, it was almost concerning how much she looked like a fugitive, always seeming to be in disguise or on constant alert for anyone coming through the door or out on the street. But after a while, you got used to the cute girl who showed up almost every day to talk about music with you.
“I need a birthday gift for my friend,” she said, smiling as always, removing everything that hid her face, as if the store were a safe haven.
It was almost strange how you didn’t even know her name, but her smile always made your heart skip a beat. It was something about the dimples that appeared when she laughed, or how cute she looked when she closed her eyes to laugh.
“Well, tell me what she likes, and I can give you a recommendation!” You loved it when she came by. It wasn’t that busy in the store in the afternoon, so when she showed up, it always made for a nice chat for you.
“Well, she’s Japanese, she really likes fashion, her family owns a coffee shop, and she likes Illit, just like me,” she said, resting her elbows on the counter and propping her face in her hands. The mischievous smile on her face said everything you needed to know, and all you did was laugh and roll your eyes.
“Haha, very funny. You know I need more details than that!” The girl with pink hair laughed when she saw you roll your eyes playfully, knowing she was going to make things complicated for you.
“You have to know. I mean, you’re the music master! Give me something my friend might like based on just the little information I gave you!”
It was almost routine by this point. She liked to watch you think and squirm as you tried to recommend songs with the very few clues she gave you. You weren’t sure, but you were almost certain she just wanted to see you struggle.
“Urgh! Fine.” Walking over to a shelf, you thought for a moment, reaching out just to grab a small CD and return to where the girl with pink hair was waiting for you. “Here! No refunds if she hates it!”
Stifling a laugh, the girl kept a indignant expression on her face. You chuckled slightly, just because her acting was really bad!
“But it was your recommendation.”
“Blah, blah, blah!” With your hands over your ears, you pretended not to hear her.
The girl in front of you rolled her eyes, pulling her wallet out of her pocket and tossing a few wons onto the counter.
“Geez, you’re so childish sometimes. You’re lucky I like you.”
“She doesn’t like me! She must work somewhere around here, and she seems to really like music, especially that girl group, Illit,” you said, continuing to wipe down the record shelf.
“DID SOMEONE SAY ILLIT?!” The moment the shrill voice pierced your ears, your head jerked back, hitting the top of the shelf and making you let out a hiss of pain.
“Ouch!” Putting your hand over the spot where you’d hit your head, you stood up, looking at the culprit behind your startle—who was now shyly cowering next to Nico. “Lena, why do you have to be so loud?”
Pouting, the younger girl tapped your shoulder, a look of offense taking over her face. Nico tried to hold back his laughter as he continued unpacking the new batch of CDs and tried not to get in the way between you two.
“You idiot, I’m not loud! I just got excited when you mentioned Illit! They’re my favorite girl group!” Rubbing your arm, you rolled your eyes, glancing briefly at Nico before deciding to tease him.
“You know what, Nico was right when he said you were loud.” That simple sentence turned the place into complete chaos in a second.
“WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT ME?” Voices began to mingle; Nico tried to defend himself while you laughed at the situation.
Lena’s slaps landed on the spiky-haired boy’s arms, and the voices echoed freely through the empty store. You loved working with them because you knew they made the day fun no matter what. The loud commotion, the banter—it all made the world feel muffled.
Not just the world, but the doorbell at the front of the store, too.
You didn’t hear the doorbell, or the footsteps—you didn’t even notice the figure standing near you. Lena’s slaps were very precise, and watching Nico try to run away was like guaranteed entertainment. But then, your favorite show seemed to have been interrupted by the loudest scream Lena had ever let out in her entire life.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” It was as if a whistle were blaring in your and Nico’s ears. Both of you covered your ears in record time, and your eyes tried to follow Lena as she abandoned the boy with spiky hair to run behind you. “OMG, YOU’RE PARK MINJU!”
You were about to tell Lena to shut up and be quiet, but you could barely get a word out when you turned around. It was her—the girl with pink hair—because Lena was throwing a fit. It was hard to understand why, but it was as if the girl you’d been talking to this whole time was more than used to being treated this way.
She just smiled and waved.
As if it were perfectly normal to have a complete nutcase screaming for you.
But how did Lena even know the girl’s name?
“Lena, how did you…?” Your question trailed off before you could even finish it, because in less than two seconds, Lena was already doing what she did best again.
Talking.
“Guys, this is Minju! Minju from Illit!” she said aggressively, turning to you and Nico just to give them a scowl. “Sorry about my friends—they’re a little slow!”
Her words seemed to blur in your mind; you knew who Illit was—I mean, it was almost impossible not to, given how many times Lena had made you and Nico listen to her talk about the group for hours on end. You and Nico furrowed your brows anyway.
“Illit? Like the group you talk about twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week?” You weren’t even looking at Lena anymore. Your eyes were locked with Minju’s—at least now you knew her name.
“Yeah, of course, Yn!” she replied, barely turning toward you before continuing to talk to Minju as if they were friends. “Sorry about her. Yn is practically a cave girl.”
“Hey…!”
“Girl…?”
You both stopped mid-sentence, speaking at the same time. Your eyes met again, and it was as if something had clicked inside Minju’s head. The bright eyes, the long lashes, the slightly hoarse voice—but not deep enough to be a boy’s… it was as if everything was starting to fall into place in a really crazy way.
“Can you give me an autograph?” Lena’s voice cut through the fog of Minju’s thoughts. And your eyes met for the first time.
Her hands holding the pen seemed to tremble, and her eyes could barely focus on the disc Lena had given her to autograph. You were a girl, not a boy. You were a funny, friendly, cool girl—and someone Minju had become interested in. Someone she’d been coming to the store to see practically every day.
How could she be so invested if she didn’t even know your gender?
Minju left the store just after signing Lena’s autograph. It was a lot to take in. Of course, she didn’t feel betrayed, nor was she even angry with you; she knows she had no reason to feel that way. She was the one who assumed you were a boy; she was the one who never asked your name or showed any more interest in you than was necessary.
Minju had a career to protect, and as much as she wanted to trust you and tell you who she really was, she couldn’t afford that luxury—at least not yet. She had to sit down, assess the situation, and take a good, hard look at herself, because her heart hadn’t stopped racing since she left the store.
The convenience store where she settled down was almost directly across from the record store, just two or three shops away. She could sit in a spot by herself—just her and her thoughts—but still close enough to see the activity inside the record store. She could see who was coming and going, and the possibility that you might walk out through those doors made her heart beat just a little faster.
When she saw you closing the store’s doors, a small sense of relief washed over Minju. You were still there; she still had a chance. Her cover was already starting to slip—especially after she’d had to take off her mask to eat the ramen she’d bought a few hours earlier—so the moment she saw you start walking away from the store, all she could do was go after you.
Her feet moved at an impressive speed, and her heart felt like it was going to leap out of her mouth at any moment. You didn’t hear the footsteps, nor the slightly labored breathing that was starting to come your way. The headphones that were always hanging over your shoulders were now faithfully covering your ears, like a shield from the world—or from the words Minju was about to utter.
Fortunately, the girl with pink hair managed to catch up to you, raising her hand just to see you startle when she touched your shoulder. You turned around quickly, almost too startled for your own good, and for a moment, your heartbeat matched Minju’s rapid heartbeats. Two different kinds of adrenaline coursing through your veins.
“Hi…” The words came out a little muffled in your ears as you reached up to lower your headphones. “Can we talk?”
Minju recognized the song that was practically blasting from your headphones: “Apple Cider.” Beabadoobee’s voice was slightly muffled, but the guitar and the shrill drums could still be heard clearly. Minju felt afraid for the first time since she’d met you.
“Sure… what do you want to talk about?” Your voice was always calm, and now it made so much more sense.
She didn’t think she’d stop liking your voice even if you weren’t a boy. In fact, she loved it even more.
“I’m sorry for leaving without any explanation today,” she began. You shook your head.
“I understand—you didn’t want anyone to know you were an idol,” you replied, your voice as genuine as ever—the same genuine voice that had enchanted Minju from day one.
“No, you’re not listening. I didn’t leave because of that…”
“Minju, it’s okay. I’m not mad at you. I really like you and the conversations we’ve had; I understand that you have to keep your identity private.” Minju was deeply grateful for your generosity and understanding, but it was starting to get on her nerves.
“No, listen to me. I didn’t leave because I didn’t want you to find out that I’m an idol!” Her voice was slightly choked with tears, and her eyes looked at you with a hint of desperation, as if she were about to lift the heaviest burden in the world off her shoulders. “I left because I like you. I mean, I really like you!”
You froze for a moment. Because even though Nico had already told you that a million times, hearing it from Minju was completely different.
“And I don’t know how it happened, but I just can’t help but be drawn to you ever since the first time I saw you!” Her slightly desperate tone made you tilt your head to the right, your eyebrows furrowed and your mouth a thin line beneath your black mask. “But I was sad—sad about myself. Because how can I be so in love with you and not even realize that you’re actually a girl!”
Every word that came out of her mouth left you even more shocked, and for a moment, you thought you might have lost her. But then, she kept talking.
“Minju...”
“And I swear, I’d never felt this way about anyone before—I really hadn’t. I tried to avoid it, at least at first, but every time, I felt the urge to come back here to see you.” Her words sounded more desperate.
“Minju...”
“I—I never asked your name, or asked to see your face or anything like that, because our conversations were so good that I forgot about any physical appearance." She shook her head, her hands folding near her chest as her eyes darted around before meeting yours again. "Appearance wasn’t even close to being the most important thing to me when I was with you; I just wanted to hear you talk the whole time, because every time you’re talking about something you like, your eyes start to sparkle, and I think that’s beautiful...”
“Minju!”
For the first time, she stopped talking, looking at you as if everything you were about to say could either shatter her heart into a thousand pieces or keep it warm and safe.
“Did that feeling go away when you found out I was a girl?”
The question made her let down her guard; her chest rose and fell as she tried to catch her breath after her earlier speech, and for the first time, she allowed herself to say what she was thinking out loud.
“No.” She smiled, looking at you as if the fear that you might turn around and walk away wasn’t there. “I just want to get to know you even better. I’m still just as in love as before.”
It was almost cliché the way it was all unfolding. I mean, nothing’s more romantic than confessing your love to the girl you like on a quiet street. Minju didn’t care; all she wanted to hear was your answer, because no matter how much she was pouring her heart out right then, she still didn’t know what was going through your mind.
"You know, the first time I saw you, I asked myself if I was going crazy. You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen in my life, Minju. And I’d be crazy to say I never felt anything for you during all those weeks.” The words flowed into the pink-haired girl’s ears like a perfect melody, and she smiled like a child who’d just been given a toy.
“So you like me too?” She took a step closer to you, asking as if she needed at least one more confirmation to put her mind at ease.
“Like I’ve never liked anyone before!” Your answer was enough for her to move even closer.
The moment seemed to have transported the two of you to another dimension. Minju seemed to be acting carelessly, but at that moment, she really didn’t care. Her eyes locked onto yours, never looking away for a moment; the two of you seemed like the only people on earth at that moment, and even though you both knew that wasn’t quite true, neither of you seemed to care.
”Can I?” Minju’s hands reached for the straps of the black mask you wear every day. And your eyes didn’t leave hers as you nodded.
“Yes.”
Her fingers gently removed the mask, and for a moment, her eyes sparkled as if they’d stolen the stars from the sky. You were beautiful—more beautiful than anything Minju could ever have imagined. Your facial features seemed to have been drawn by the most whimsical of gods, and every detail appeared to have been crafted to fit together perfectly. And Minju might just start getting used to being obsessed with things other than just your eyes.
“You're beautiful.” Her eyes were fixed exactly where they never seemed to stray—on your eyes. But the moment you smiled, your smile filled Minju's entire mind.
Your smile was perfect; even more perfect than seeing it reflected in your eyes was seeing your smile in person, with her own eyes. And Minju knew that all too well.
“I love your smile,” she blurted out.
“Really…?!” The question made the girl with pink hair nod slightly in affirmation, smiling just like you as she tried to keep her composure. “Well, I love your smile, too. I’ve loved it since the day we met.”
“Oh, that’s not fair. You could see me smiling all the time. This is the first time I’ve actually seen you smile.” Her hands rose, and you froze the moment you felt her fingers trace your lips.
“It’s true. I forget that we didn’t really know each other.” The words made Minju furrow her eyebrows slightly, wrinkling her nose along with them in that little expression of displeasure that you always found cute.
She didn’t believe it; she might not know everything, but she still felt like she knew you.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Yn.” Raising your hands, you gently pulled Minju’s beanie down, hiding her as much as possible as a group of teenagers ran past you.
“I’m Minju.” She smiled slightly.
The idea of going back to the day you met was funny to you, since you seemed to have known each other for a long time, even though you didn’t even know each other’s names properly.
Suddenly, the pink-haired girl’s fingers stopped tracing your face. Her eyes shifted from your features to your eyes, and the very next second, she was on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around your neck. Her head was buried in your sweatshirt; it smelled like you, and for a moment, she thought that everything had happened exactly as it was meant to.
“Are you going to be my girlfriend from now on?”
“Absolutely, Park Minju!”
I know I don’t have many Illit fans here, but I’ve been craving a cute Minju fic and came up with this idea last night while watching Super Illit. I love The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All and Coffee Prince, so I had to combine the themes. Anyway, there aren’t that many Illit fanfics out there, so I wanted to write this one.
I have one about 2ning and Kazuha coming up next. Sorry to the Kats stans—I confess I’ve been feeling a little unmotivated to write for them lately. But I don’t plan on stopping writing for them; I’m just not very motivated right now.
Anyway, take care, drink water, and stay safe.
xoxo, spider.
