chapter nine | she is gone but she used to be mine
One week passed since the last time Minjeong saw Jimin, and the only thing that kept her mind away from thinking about the raven-haired is the exam week. She can't let her thoughts wander around.
Same goes for Jimin.
Ever since the conversation with Minjeong last week, Jimin lost her motivation to study. She didn't visit the dojang too, and it made Aeri worried.
"Are you okay? Is this about Minjeong?" The brunette sat beside the gloomy Jimin at their usual spot by the cafeteria. It was crowded, bunch of students were enjoying their meal before their next class while Jimin sat there like a negative energy.
Jimin looked at Aeri with a blank expression, then she sighs. "Yeah."
"Damn the news spread too fast."
"It's my fault for not telling her too." Jimim mumbles.
"Yeah, and to be honest, if I was her I wouldn't know what to say." the brunette remarks, trying to keep the mood as light as possible. "But she's smart, maybe she figured there's a reason why you can't stand up against your father this time."
"I know that."
"Hmm? Then why are you sulking? You know she can't fight for you even if she wants to."
"I like her, Aeri. I like her so much."
"Jimin..."
"She never once said that she likes me too but I don't want her to leave me. I don't want whatever's going on between us to end."
"You can't do that Jimin.." Aeri tried to interrupt but Jimin wouldn't stop.
"I want to keep her by my side even if I can't have her."
The following words stunned the brunette. Her friend is clearly not thinking right anymore. "Jimin. Stop being selfish."
"How is that being selfish? She don't like me anyways, it's fine if I'd still see her—"
A slap.
A slap resonated the whole cafeteria. Everyone turned their head towards the source of the commotion only to be surprised. Aeri has never been into arguments with Jimin, everyone knows that.
With lips tight, no one dared to break the deafening silence that surrounded the cafeteria. They could only stare at Aeri's shocked face and Jimin's almost-teary eye.
When Jimin came back to her senses, she felt her cheek sting a little. And when she looked up to Aeri, she felt even more pathetic. The brunette was looking at her with a gaze she's never seen before. There was pity and a hint of being upset in her eyes.
Jimin surely messed up this time.
"I-I'm sorry." the older mumbles, looking anywhere but the crowd surrounding her. It was embarrassing but it's her fault, there's no excuse that she lost herself back there.
Aeri didn't waste another second before she grabbed the older by her hand and stood up from their seat. Then she drags Jimin with her outside, away from the crowd.
Once they reached an empty classroom, she lets Jimin go. The latter didn't bother to even look up and kept her gaze on the ground.
"I'm sorry too." Aeri breaks the silence with a soft voice, then she takes a step closer to the raven-haired. "But Jimin," she held Jimin by her shoulders firmly. "Don't you understand? She's distancing herself from you because she likes you too." the words made Jimin raise her head to look at Aeri. Then the brunette continues, "She don't want to get attached even more knowing it won't lead to anything. So if she respected your decision I hope you also respect hers."
"I-I...I'm sorry." those words were all it took for Jimin to breakdown and cry on the brunette's shoulder. Aeri quickly placed a hand by her waist for support before she put the other on Jimin's head, making the older lean more on her. "Hush now, it's fine."
The hopeless cry that goes beyond sadness was heartbreaking for Aeri to hear. All she could do was hug the raven-haired tighter in hopes of her warmth being enough to bring comfort to her.
-
"You should go now." Minjeong mumbles, voice barely a whisper.
As soon as Jimin turned around and walked away, Minjeong lets a shaky breath she's been holding back the whole time.
She likes Jimin. And if it was also up to her, she wouldn't think twice of saying it.
If Jimin thinks of Minjeong as her sun then Minjeong thinks of Jimin as her moon. Luminous, cold, and the beauty it posses through the lonely night was immaculate. It was something Minjeong adored.
Minjeong thinks of Jimin as her moon for she could only her meet once in a lifetime but it was worth more than years to remember—like an eclipse. The day she collides with her sun, it would be dark and gloomy for everyone, but to each other, it was a fleeting moment that will linger through them for the following years. It's worthwhile, the aching, the yearning, and everything that makes them feel alive.
Nothing's more tragic than being a lover of the moon if you are its sun. Both are bound to never collide until a solar eclipse.
-
The whole university became more busy after the finals, the profs got occupied with computing grades while the students spent the following week to rest with light activities in school.
"It's February. In a few weeks, graduation is coming." Yizhuo, who's sitting in between Minjeong and Doyeon on their one shared class, speaks.
Doyeon gave her a knowing look. "Are you thinking of something about February other than our graduation day?"
The question immediately made the red-haired's cheeks crimson red. "N-no!" Yizhuo fumbles through her words before lightly smacking the older's arm.
Doyeon just laughed it off. "You still haven't talked to Aeri?"
"It's not that..." The shy reply from the red-haired gave it away for her.
"Hmm? What happened to you two?"
"She said we should take things slowly." Yizhuo spills, voice laced with a hint of disappointment.
But Doyeon thinks the other has a point. "Oh, then that's still great?"
"That's why I told you I have no date on Valentine's day!"
"Aw!" the brunette groans, "Well at least you have something. Unlike her."
"Unlike who?" Yizhuo gave her a confused look. Doyeon pursed her lips and the red-haired follows her line of vision only to see Minjeong who was sitting with them, busy reading yet another book.
As if feeling someone staring at her, the blonde looks up from her book and caught the two. "What?"
"N-nothing." Yizhuo
"We were just talking about Valentine's day." Doyeon
"Oh." Minjeong mumbles.
"Do you have a date?" Doyeon
"No." Minjeong timidly replies.
"What happened to Jimin—Aw!" Doyeon didn't finish what she was saying when she felt a pinch on her waist. Yizhuo shot her a glare, telling her to read the room.
"No thanks, I don't want to be a mistress." Minjeong retorts, eyes on the book she's reading.
"But you got her first." Doyeon complains in a whisper, "And they both said they're not dating yet." Yizhuo follows.
The blonde heard them loud and clear. "It's whatever. Anyways, have you taken your graduation pictures already?" Minjeong diverts the topic.
The other two could only sigh and let it got as well.
"Hmm, not yet. We're waiting for Heejin and you. Let's take it all together." Yizhuo speaks.
"Let's take it at the usual studio we got to?" Doyeon suggests.
Yizhuo nods her head in agreement before she turns to look at the blonde across them, "Min?"
"I'm fine with anything."
"Great, it's settled then! Let's go there this weekend."
-
Minjeong was watching her favorite film, it was recently released and the actors were her favorite. Though they're still rookies, she's completely in awe with the female lead's acting skills. And the fact that she directed it makes her even more proud.
Yes, she's watching the short film they produced with Jimin as the female lead.
"Do you like the moon?" the female lead speaks to the young man beside her.
"Hmm, I don't. But I like you."
The smile on Jimin's eyes and lips captivated him.
And maybe a certain blonde too.
"Dumbass." Minjeong cusses to herself. "Why is she smiling like that?" she adds, pertaining to the scene of Jimin looking hopelessly in love with the man in front of her.
"Ah this is annoying. Why did I write this script again?" the blonde continues to rant.
"Why did you ask? Do you like the moon?"
"No, I think I like the sun more."
"Why?"
"Everyone likes the moon, because it won't harm them. I feel bad for the sun."
"But isn't there a reason why they don't like the sun? It will burn you."
"That is if you're dumb enough to get close to it."
"Still, there's no reason to like the sun."
"Well the moon likes her."
"Huh? They don't even collide."
"Solar eclipse."
"What?"
"They meet once every two and a half years during a solar eclipse. And there, they greet each other with warmth and a tender kiss that they've been yearning while they were separated."
The blonde laughs sarcastically to herself. "Funny how this became a true to life story that no one will know."