Minjeong is nervous.
It's her first day in class after the two weeks semester break. Everything is back to normal.
Well, except for one.
Aeri has yet to be seen. The class will start in five minutes and the Japanese girl is still out of sight. This should be the calm before the storm for Minjeong, but no. Not when she knows that something might happen later on.
If it's good or bad? Minjeong doesn't know herself.
Earlier, Jimin noticed the odd look on Minjeong's face, and she just knew right then and there that the girl was feeling really nervous. She tried to comfort Minjeong, telling the girl that everything will be okay, and it did help a bit.
Just a bit.
Because now that the door of the classroom opened, revealing the girl that Minjeong has been waiting for, she felt nothing but nervousness.
Their eyes met.
No one dared to look away. They are just staring at each other as if they're the only ones who are inside the room. Aeri slowly walked towards Minjeong and sat beside her.
Silence.
It's crazy how no one between the both of them is even speaking, but it's still deafening. The silence is deafening. There's a whole awkward atmosphere around them and Minjeong wouldn't even be surprised if their other classmates feel it too.
Minjeong bit her lower lip.
She wants to speak. She wants to break the silence, but she can't. She couldn't even look at the girl for God's sake, how will she do it?
"…How are you?"
The short haired girl flinched as soon as she heard Aeri's quiet voice.
Without looking at the girl, she answered. "I'm fine…you?"
"Can we talk later?" Aeri suddenly asked. Minjeong took a hold of the hem of her own shirt.
"S-sure."
"Thank you."
No one dared to speak after that.
Their professor came and Minjeong decided to focus on the lesson rather than overthinking about what might happen later.
Nothing changed, though.
She is still nervous.
____
"Up for lunch?"
"Uh…" Minjeong glanced at the room behind her. "Can't."
"Hmm, busy?"
"Kind of." Minjeong muttered to the phone. "Aeri and I will talk."
"Oh," Jimin mumbled from the end of the line. "Will you be okay, though?"
"Of course, I will. This is just Aeri, we're just going to talk."
Maybe.
"…Sure." Jimin responded. "I'll be at the cafeteria with Yeji and the others, okay? Call me if you need me."
"Okay." Minjeong said. "Bye, I love you."
"I love you too."
The call ended.
Minjeong turned to look inside the classroom again, seeing Aeri who's already finished fixing her stuff. She's now walking towards her.
"Minjeong," Aeri called as soon as she got closer.
The short haired girl cleared her throat. "Let's go?"
Aeri nodded. They started walking, the Japanese girl is a few steps ahead from Minjeong while the latter is just following her quietly.
Minjeong only realized where they're going when Aeri stopped in front of the door of the rooftop, opening it.
Minjeong continued to follow her until she saw Aeri stopping in front of the railings. She quietly went beside her.
Silence.
"Minjeong—"
"Aeri—"
They looked at each other.
"Uh…go on first."
"It's okay, you first."
"No it's fine, you can go."
"Let me hear you first."
"No, it's—" Minjeong stopped. "Why are we even fighting about this?" She muttered.
Aeri couldn't help but to let out a small smile.
"Alright, I'll go first."
The Japanese took a deep breath, before speaking. "I'm sorry, Minjeongie."
"Aeri—"
"I keep saying sorry, I know." Aeri chuckled softly. "And as long as I still feel the guiltiness in me, I will keep saying sorry again and again."
"I've been a bad friend," Her hands gripped tightly on the railings. "I was willing to hate you, Minjeong. Just for some petty feelings, just for Jimin. And I regret thinking of that."
"I was just so used to getting everything that this mere fact of not having Jimin in my life irked something inside me. It's…shocking, in a way, that I even wondered what went wrong. I wondered, what do you have that I don't? What does Jimin see in you that I don't have?"
"And, it's ironic, because without a doubt, I know you were also thinking about the same thing." Aeri looked at her. "You were discouraged, you felt like you can't give everything to her, that you don't deserve her because she's too far from you."
"But would you look at that," The Japanese smiled. "You didn't reach her first, she did. She's willing to defy everything just for you, Minjeong."
"But I just had to get on her way." Aeri looked down. "I just had to become selfish and try to get her away from you, because I thought I still had a chance."
"You had." Minjeong finally spoke, turning to look at Aeri.
"I guess I need to speak now."
Aeri slowly nodded at her.
"I'm sorry, too." The short haired girl said. "For saying that you're selfish."
"But it's true—"
"No, it's not." She cuts Aeri off. "You're not."
"Minjeong…"
"We both had our wrongs, you know?" Minjeong looked away from her. "Aeri, you took advantage of what I felt at that moment. But you know what's funny? I could've prevented that."
"You fought for her. You tried to reach for her, and I didn't. I could've done the same thing before. I was just a coward."
"You have all the right to do that because I don't own Jimin at that moment. We haven't committed feelings to each other yet—not that we know, at least. You still had all the chances." She chuckled. "Let me tell you another ironic thing, Aeri…"
"I was the one who was thinking that she could like whoever she wanted to like before, but I was also the one who said that you were selfish when the only thing you did was to become brave for her."
"Now, do you see it?" Minjeong glanced at her. "You aren't selfish. You're just brave, Aeri. Things aren't just meant to go on your way…"
"…And I'm sorry for realizing it just now."
Another silence.
"Can I still be brave?" Aeri spoke. "Do I still have a chance, Minjeong?"
Minjeong looked at her. "With Jimin?"
"No," Aeri smiled. "With you."
Minjeong's eyes widened.
"I want to be brave again." She said. "Not for Jimin, but for you."
She then faced Minjeong.
"Because I want my best friend back."
Minjeong smiled, her lips trembling.
"…God," She looked up. "This is making me cry."
Aeri chuckled while fanning her eyes. "I know."
The short haired girl looked at her again, opening her arms wide.
"Come here, silly."
Aeri didn't waste her time to go into Minjeong's arms. She hugged the girl tightly, sobbing on her shoulders.
"The last time I heard you cry like this..." Minjeong chuckled while rubbing Aeri's back. "Was when I dissed your celebrity crush and you ignored me for days. What is his name again?"
"Damon Salvatore." Aeri cried—or more like whined.
"Yeah, that guy." The short haired girl smiled.
Aeri continued to cry for a few minutes and Minjeong was just there, rubbing her back and trying to comfort her. Her eyes are also reddening.
"…I just want you to know," Aeri pulled away from her shoulder. "That I'm happy for you, Minjeongie. I'm happy for the both of you. And thank you for still being my best friend."
"You were the first friend that I had here, Aeri. You won't be replaced by anyone." Minjeong smiled at her. "So, thank you for still wanting to stay."
"Of course I would stay, duh." Aeri wiped the tears off of her face. "I still want to see how Kim Minjeong acts when she's in love."
"Oh God," Minjeong sighed. "Come on."
"You'll never get away from me, Minjeongie." Aeri laughed.
Minjeong playfully glared at her. "Shut up. Let's just go to the cafeteria, I think they are still there."
"Okay," Aeri wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go. I want to say something to Jimin."
"What is it?"
Aeri winked at her. "You'll see."
____
"I know you're worried," Yeji said while keeping Jimin in her place. "But can you like, calm down? Even just for a minute?"
"I…" Jimin trailed off. "I don't know. I'm just feeling nervous. I have no clue about what's happening between them right now."
"Trust Minjeong, Jimin."
"Yeah, trust Minjeong." Yuna butted into the conversation after taking a bite on her pizza. "Even though I think I'm the most clueless one here." She pointed at every one of them. "You guys don't tell me anything."
"That's because you're stupid." Ryujin retorted.
"I'm not!"
"And oblivious."
"Oblivious?!" Yuna exclaimed. "The most oblivious one here is Chaeryeong!" She pointed at the girl in front of her.
Chaeryeong pointed at herself. "Me?"
"Yeah, you!"
"Why me?"
"Because you don't realize that I like you!"
"For your information," Chaeryeong placed her spoon down calmly. "I do."
"You do?!"
"Yes, but you kept playing so I'm doubting it now."
"See? You're really stupid." Ryujin laughed.
"Girls," Jisu held Yuna before the girl could even get a hold of Ryujin's neck and choke her. "Stop. Aeri and Minjeong are here."
They all looked at the direction where Jisu was looking, and saw Aeri and Minjeong talking to each other…with a smile on their faces.
"After a million years, finally." Ryujin muttered, which made Yeji laugh at her.
"You're exaggerating."
"Hey guys!" Aeri greeted as soon as they got closer to the table.
"Hello." Jisu greeted with a smile. "You're in a good mood."
"Of course." Aeri said and sat on the chair, pulling Minjeong close. "You're sitting with me, Minjeongie."
Minjeong shrugged at Jimin who's already pouting at her, before sitting beside Aeri.
"Stop pouting, Yu." Aeri rolled her eyes playfully. "I still have something to say. Specifically, to you."
Jimin gulped. "What is it?"
"Do not. Hurt. My best friend." Aeri pointed a fork at her. "Understand?"
Jimin nodded repeatedly. "Understood."
Aeri nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I like you, but I love my best friend more. So if you make her sad," She pointed the fork at her again. "You know where this fork will go."
The taller girl smiled awkwardly.
"Y-yes, I won't hurt her. I promise."
"That's scary," Ryujin said. "But can I have my fork back now?"
Aeri handed the fork to her.
"Thanks."
"So…" Yeji muttered. "Are you guys okay now?"
Minjeong nodded. "We are."
Chaeryeong smiled. "That's good—"
"Can you guys just tell me what the hell is happening?" Yuna exclaimed.
Everyone groaned at her.
"I like Jimin." Aeri started.
"And I like her too, but that was a secret." Minjeong added.
"Aeri pursued Jimin, Minjeong decided to avoid the two." Jisu said.
"But Jimin likes Minjeong, so Minjeong can't get away." Yeji said.
"Confession inside the Arena, then trip to Japan…" Chaeryeong muttered.
"Drama started, blah blah blah, Minjeong not being a coward anymore, then tada! Jiminjeong happened!" Ryujin exclaimed.
Jimin looked at Yuna. "Do you need me to add something more?"
Yuna's jaw slowly dropped.
"…HUH?!"
"You know what," Minjeong stood up. "I'm just gonna get my Lasagna."
"Me too." Aeri stood up. "Wait for us." She then pulled Minjeong away.
Ryujin watched the two, before looking at Yuna.
"So, you're believing me now?" She grinned. "That you're stupid?"
This time, Jisu didn't stop Yuna from choking her cousin.