"Present!"
"Ji Hansol?"
"Here!"
"Ko Eunji?"
Roll call happened randomly every other day to check if trainees were present during their schedule, but Minjeong knew something was up. The room was packed with people, more so than a regular day. On days where it was like this, it was usually because the company's higher-ups were checking in. It may be to announce a special project they were going to work on, or it may just be a regular company announcement.
"Lee Taeyong?"
"Present!"
"Finally, Yoo Jimin?"
Minjeong slowly looked up from her phone as whispers started to circulate the room.
"Present!" A deep yet feminine voice calls out from one corner of the room.
"Everyone," Their dance instructor starts. "This is Yoo Jimin. She'll be joining us starting today."
"Wow, look at her face!" One trainee whispered.
"She's so tall!" Came another trainee.
"I feel like I've seen her before."
Whatever the other trainees were going on about, Minjeong didn't mind. Among all those standing to take a peek at this Yoo Jimin, Minjeong still stayed crouching on the floor.
"Alright, everybody spread out and start stretching. I'll be announcing something in a while."
With that, the trainees scattered around the room. Most huddled with their friends in small groups while the rest started stretching on the ground they stood. Minjeong decided that she'd get up in a while, starts tapping away on her phone again. Oblivious to her surroundings, it takes her a minute or so to realize that somebody was looming over her shoulder.
"Hi!"
For a second, Minjeong's breath was taken away. A beautiful girl with a small face was looking down at her. A blush rises from her neck up to her face at the proximities of their faces.
"Uh, hi." She greets back in a small voice and puts her phone away.
"I'm Yoo Jimin, though you've already heard." The girl chuckles and stands back up to her full height. She offers her hand with a smile.
She is tall, Minjeong thought before taking the hand before her. She's pulled up to stand, the soft hand gripping hers firmly.
"Kim Minjeong." She mumbles, starting to feel intimidated by the taller girl's height and visuals.
"I hope we can be friends Minjeong." Her voice was so endearing.
Minjeong could easily get lost in the light that seemed to be shining in Jimin's eyes.
"Alright!" Their instructor's voice echoes out the speakers. There was a screech from the mic before he continued. "Line up, please, then we can begin. Young men here, ladies over there."
////////
Before their instructor could get on with their announcement, Jimin was called up to the front to introduce herself to the other trainees formally.
What Minjeong learned in those two minutes that Jimin was born on the 11th of April 2000, making her Minjeong's unnie, and a dancer who has competed in inter-school dance and singing competitions.
Her visuals were eye-catching. Her long hair was pulled back into a pony-tail, giving a full view of her small and slender face. Her eyes were wide, and she had a pretty nose. Her lips were full and painted dark pink. She also looked taller than she was, her denim shorts showing off her legs. The more Minjeong stared at her, and recalling back what that one trainee said; she had definitely seen Jimin somewhere before, she just didn't remember where.
"Now, I want everybody to group into fours, two boys and two girls. Once that's done, I'll be playing a song to give you all a hint of this project we are about to do."
It didn't take very long, and Minjeong found herself with Mark and Jaemin, still missing one person.
"Yoo Jimin!" Mark yelled, arms flailing around. "Over here!"
Jimin jogs her way over, an appreciative smile on her face. Introductions were made with the boys while Minjeong just stayed silent with her eyes averted away. It was later announced that there would be performing an intermission at one of the director's weddings, and it was to be performed in pairs.
Because of the large number of trainees, almost thirty or so, they needed to call in extra instructors to facilitate better. The music was played two times before they were brought to their positions. The dance moves were executed for the trainees to follow, and around their third routine, most have already got the hang of it. It was nothing hard, very easy for the eyes, and Minjeong wasn't surprised when Jimin got it perfectly executed on their fourth round.
They practiced a few more before they were dismissed for the day. Just as Minjeong was ready to leave for home, she noticed the practice room's doors still wide open and the lights were on. As she drew closer, she could hear the music's mellow beat and some squeaking on the wooden floors. She peeked over the doors to see Jimin dancing away. Her two-toned sweater was discarded on the floor, and she was only left with a white tank top tucked into her shorts. Her pants only got louder as the beat climbed up to a climax, which she tried to control by breathing through her nose. Jimin's eyes were entirely focused on her reflection as she stopped for her ending pose, a look of discontent on her pretty face. It was then when she noticed the small figure by the door.
"Minjeong-ah, I didn't see you there."
Beautiful, Minjeong thought upon seeing the older girl's bright smile. "Aren't going home yet?"
"I will be; just needed to finish this up," Jimin says as she reaches for her phone and sweater, then looks at her with hopeful eyes.
"Can you wait for me? This place gives me the creeps when it's dark."
The younger girl nods and watches as Jimin reaches for the speakers to turn off, followed by the ceiling lights. She steps back so Jimin could close the door before they start heading for the exit. As they walked, Minjeong couldn't help but glance at the older girl, and she looked so familiar, it was at the tip of her tongue.
"You're leaving quite late, too, Minjeong-ah."
"I didn't know it was getting late," Minjeong confessed. She got too wrapped up in singing in one of the practice rooms to notice the time.
"Are you hungry?" Jimin asks suddenly. The pair was already outside the company doors.
"Not really." Minjeong answers while adjusting her bag straps. She reaches into her pocket to check if her phone was still there, keeping a mental note of texting her mother in a bit.
"Let's go to this café, my treat." Jimin points at the one across the street.
Minjeong freezes and gives her a look. "Are you serious? We just met, you know."
"Yeah, I want us to be friends. I want to get to know you more."
The older girl suddenly takes her hand as they cross the street. There was a blush forming on the younger girl's face. She turns her head to avoid Jimin seeing.
"As long as you're paying."
//////
They settled in a booth beside the window. The café was cute, decorated with wooden figurines and yellow lights, giving it a homey vibe.
"What would you like?" Jimin asks, her eyes didn't leave the menu in her hands.
"A latte, please."
"Anything else? Order whatever you like. It's my treat." The older girl insisted, to which Minjeong softly declines.
A waiter arrives to take their order; his name was Jihoon, and he was already acquainted with Minjeong as she often visited the café. She doesn't miss the scowl on Jimin's face as Jihoon jots away on his little note pad. Because they were the only customers to come in that late, their orders were served five minutes later. While Jimin was busy taking pictures of her plate of pasta, Minejong dips her draw into her glass.
She hums in delight as the sweet drink runs down her throat, too distracted to notice the older girl looking at her.
"Minjeong-ah, look at me."
Her eyes glance up to see Jimin's red-cased phone propped up in her hand, pointing in her direction. Before she could react, she hears the shutter snap once, twice. Minjeong whines as she feels heat rushing up to her face again. Jimin lets out a series of insincere apologies, her thumbs busy tapping away on her phone.
"I'm sorry you just looked so cute." The older girl flips her phone and shows Minjeong her picture, caught in the moment of drinking her latte.
The picture was already posted on some social media platform. It was when her eyes land on username, she starts to remember where she's seen Jimin.
"You're-it's you!" Minjeong points at her accusingly. "You're that pretty girl on Instagram my classmates have been gushing about for weeks now."
Last month, Minjeong's classmates recently discovered a girl who
was said to have 'model-like features.' She had over a hundred pictures on her page, a new one being added every other day. One day, the posts stopped coming, leaving her classmates bummed out.
"Ulzzang," the younger girl mumbled. Jimin smiles sweetly at her before putting her phone down.
"Yep, that's me." the older girl affirmed. "I had to disappear because, you know, company rules. Although it makes me happy that I have some fans in your school."
"They're going to flip once they know I had dinner with you."
////
And their little dinner dates kept coming. Months flew by fast, and soon enough, it was only a week before their performance. During that time, Minjeong purposely stayed behind just to walk home with Jimin, the older girl who never complained once. For sure, they got closer. Minjeong later learns that they had a lot in common. From midnight snacking to being scouted by the company in odd ways, the younger girl felt a sense of comfort with Jimin.
One day, Minjeong had a little trouble with some parts for their performance, and Jimin happily offered to stay and help. Step by step, Jimin guided her. With her hands on her arms and her chest close to her back, Minjeong was scared of the older girl hearing how fast her heart was beating. By the time they were done, they were sitting cross-legged in front of each other.
Jimin's visuals once again enchanted Minjeong. She really couldn't believe the monster of a dancer Jimin was could turn into a softie when she was with her. Once Jimin caught on to her staring, she quickly finds the floor more interesting.
She could hear Jimin's chuckle resonate in her ears and sees the girl shift closer from her mid-peripheral.
"Minjeong-ah, look at me."
When she doesn't, a hand cups her chin and lightly forces her to look up. She meets Jimin's gaze, her eyes twinkling and looking into hers with only pure adoration. Minjeong freezes up, lips parting at how close their faces were. Her breathing starts to labor when Jimin leans closer, so close that there was only a centimeter before their lips would touch, and Jimin does exactly that.
At that point, Minjeong's head goes blank. All of her senses were directed to the soft feeling on her lips. Her stomach flips, and she hears blood rush into her ears. Finally realizing what happened, she abruptly pulls away and suddenly feels lightheaded. Her mouth hangs open, and she puts a hand up.
"Minjeong..."
"I have to go," the words leave her mouth faster than she anticipated.
"Hold on a sec, I-"Jimin attempts to touch her, but the younger girl dodges her.
Before Jimin could attempt anything else, Minjeong fetches her bag and runs out the door.
////////
They didn't speak for days. Minjeong avoided any of the older girl's advances, and she didn't stay back for her by the practice room anymore. There has been a change of plans to their performance, so there really wasn't any time for chitchat as they needed to practice the new moves. The only times they communicated was during their practices when they needed to. It was also for the sake of Mark and Jaemin to not say anything, but the duo noticed the apparent shift in their dynamic. They did witness how close the girls were getting.
"Hey, did you and Jimin get into a fight or something?" Mark asks in curiosity. "I mean, it's not my place, but you guys were getting along fine."
Mark was Minjeong's designated partner for the dance, and they have known each other since Min Jeong arrived four months ago as a new trainee.
"We're fine, Oppa. I think it's just stress." Minjeong insisted with a smile.
Mark accepts her response and takes both her hands in his own so that they could proceed with the routine. As practice drags on, Minjeong couldn't shake away the feeling that someone was watching her; she didn't need to know who it was.
When practice was over, Minjeong quietly makes her escape and goes into one of the vocal training rooms. It was small enough to fit three chairs, a keyboard, and one big speaker.
She takes her seat on the keyboard and connects her phone to the speaker. As soft music starts to blast out the speakers, her thoughts go back to that night with Jimin. Her fingers reach up to trace her lips. Never in her sixteen years of existence has she felt the thrill of getting a kiss. Sure, she's had a couple on her cheeks and one on the lips from a boy in her neighborhood back when she was still a kid. They were far from Jimin's and certainly didn't give her the feeling of sitting on clouds.
Jimin also made her feel a lot of things. Her heart constricted and did flips whenever Jimin gives her a big smile, her lips forming a heart. Her sides ached at Jimin's stupid jokes, and how her chest swells when Jimin scrunches up her nose from her dumb jokes. Her body longing for those tight hugs they shared before they parted ways for home.
Her train of thought is broken once she hears the door hinge creak upon opening. It was Jimin. Her forehead had a thin layer of sweat; her hair pulled into a messy bun. She had a grey sweatshirt on and black spandex shorts, her chest rising up and down as she panted. It looked as if she had been running around for a while.
"There you are." Jimin breathes out a sigh of relief. "I've been looking for you."
"And you've found me." Minjeong mumbles.
She reaches to pause the music on her phone. She doesn't bother to escape with Jimin blocking the door.
"I want to talk." The older girl grabs a seat and brings it in front of Minjeong.
The younger girl averts her gaze once Jimin takes her seat. Her ears only filled with the sound of her heart beating fast.
"What happened that night in the practice room, I shouldn't have done it." Jimin's voice was tight. "I wasn't thinking about how you would feel, and my feelings just took over."
Feelings? Was she saying that she has feelings for me? Was I developing feelings for her?
A million thoughts ran through her head, almost forgetting that the older girl was ranting out her feelings.
"...or hate me, so I would completely understand if you don't want to be friends anymore."
There was silence, and Jimin has had enough of that coming from the younger girl.
"Please say something. Look at me, Minjeong-ah." She begged, and to her surprise, Minjeong listens.
She was amused at how red Minjeong's face was getting. She lets out a shaky breath before finally looking at her in the eye.
"Don't say that. You're irreplaceable to me."
At those words, Minjeong's face burns while Jimin releases the air she didn't know she was holding. Jimin attempts to reply, but the younger girl holds her hand up.
"I don't hate you, and I don't ever want to not to be friends with you." Minjeong's voice was small, but Jimin heard it loud and clear. "I actually want to be more than...that."
At her confession, Jimin's jaw drops, and Minjeong wanted nothing more than wish for the ground to swallow her whole.
"Okay." Jimin blinks and nods. "Yeah, okay. Definitely."
The older girl swallows hard, still nodding. "It could work. We could work. Oh my god, this is real."
It was Jimin's turn to find herself turning pink. She reaches for the younger girl's hands and gives her the brightest smile, lips forming a heart.
"I'm so happy."
Minjeong only displays a shy smile and takes Jimin's hands.
"Do you want to get dinner with me? Or no, are we going to fast?" Jimin starts to ramble.
Minjeong giggles while shaking her head. She stands up, and Jimin follows suit, hands still together as the older girl rambles on.
"Should I take you somewhere else? We can go somewhere else if you want. I'll walk you home, too, and-"
The younger girl suddenly pulls Jimin's face down to her level, only inches apart.
"Calm down, Unnie. I'm not going anywhere."
"Sorry, I'm just really excited," Jimin replies sheepishly, then her eyes focus on Minjeong's parted lips. "Can I?"
Minjeong doesn't reply, only leaning in to press their lips. When Jimin finally catches on, she sighs in contentment. They were going to be okay.
//////
"Congratulations on your debut, Minjeong-ssi." Jihoon smiles at her before sliding her latte over the counter.
"Thank you, Jihoon-Oppa." Minjeong smiles back and hands over some bills.
They chat for a while before Minjeong bids goodbye and steps out of the cafe. She finds her group leader looking at her with a scowl, arms crossed, and a pout on her face.
"Why were you looking at him like that?"
"Looking at him like what?" Minjeong throws her a confused look and opens up her cup of coffee.
"Like the one you do whenever you look at me, and only me." Jim points out as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You're ridiculous!" The younger girl laughs. She takes hold of Jimin's arm as they walk back to the company doors across the street. "Want some?"
She offers her cup to the older girl's lips, which she takes. Her pout slowly turns into a look of distaste.
"Four years, and I still cannot stand to like coffee."
"We've still got the rest of our lives until you'll like it, so don't worry." Minjeong smiles at her girlfriend before taking a sip.
"Minjeong-ah, look at me."
Even before she completely faces the girl, Jimin dives in a steals a kiss. The latte and strawberry lipgloss made a weird taste, but she didn't mind. As long as it were Minjeong's, she still had the rest of her life to like it.