“Have you noticed?” Belle nudges Ningning. They’re sitting in their university lecture together; Belle is on her phone and Ningning is scribbling doodles into her notebook—neither really paying attention to the long, stretched-out lecture carried out by one of their slow professors.

“What? Huh?” Ningning blinks.

“Jimin and Minjeong.” Belle whispers.

“What about them?” Ningning blinks like a frog. What could possibly be up with her two best friends?

“I think they’re dating.” Belle says. “All their Instagram posts match up.”

“So? They’re best friends.” Ningning shrugs. “Aeri and my Instagram match up.”

“Sweetie, the two of you are dating .” Belle snorts.

“Oh. True, but I’d know if they were dating. Those two grew up together like sisters since elementary school.” Ningning dismisses it. “They’re definitely not dating.” 

 

˚ ༘♡ ·˚ ₊˚ˑ༄ؘ

 

They are most definitely dating.

 

“Baby, it hurts.” Jimin whines.

“No one told you to style your hair without me.” Minjeong sighs.

 

Jimin is sitting on Minjeong’s vanity stool, pouting and looking up at her after burning her forehead with the curling iron wand. Minjeong knew it was strange that Jimin in her room was being too quiet after she left to pick out a pair of shoes. The next thing she knows, Minjeong is standing in front of her, cleaning the burn mark as Jimin holds her waist. 

 

“But I didn’t want to waste time.” Jimin pouts.

“Well, now we are.” Minjeong smiles. “But it’s okay; we can’t always be early. Besides, it’s just a party; no one needs to arrive early for that. Now which plaster do you want?”

 

Jimin looks at the assortment in the palm of Minjeong’s hands and picks out the Bo Chan one from her favourite cartoon.

 

“Knew you’d pick that.” Minjeong chuckles at her before focusing on putting the plaster on the right spot. Jimin watches her with a bright smile, adoring Minjeong’s habit of sticking her tongue out when she’s focusing on something like a puppy. “Aaaand, there! Good as new.”

“Am I still pretty?” Jimin grins, leaning up for a kiss with her lips puckered.

“You’re beautiful, babe.” Minjeong chuckles, cupping Jimin’s cheek as she kisses her chastely. “Now let’s go before we don’t want to anymore!”

 

Jimin and Minjeong haven’t been dating all that long. It’s been a little over four months of bliss ever since Jimin kissed Minjeong on New Year's Day on the backyard porch at their friends get-together when Minjeong wanted to get some air. It was sudden but Minjeong welcomed it with warm cheeks. Although they haven’t been dating for long, Minjeong and Jimin have known each other since they were learning how to spell. It was easy to become friends because Minjeong didn’t like to speak and she rather looked out of the classroom’s window, dreaming about running on the grass at recess, while Jimin was seated next to her. Little Jimin, who couldn’t sit still, chatted Minjeong’s ear off, but somehow, Minjeong welcomed the noise and Jimin welcomed the silence. So from then on, Minjeong followed Jimin everywhere and Jimin stuck right by Minjeong’s side like glue. 

 

It was only up until their second year in university that Jimin began her romantic advances, which Minjeong thought were normal jokes and didn’t think much of. They were roommates and the only pair of friends that actually went through with the dream of living together after high school. So in their quiet small apartment together, Minjeong showed Jimin her affections boldly and flustered Jimin on more than one occasion. In public, however, even before they were dating, Jimin liked to tease and fluster Minjeong often and Minjeong’s cheeks would light aflame and she’d attempt to flee, lest the grip Jimin had around her waist.

 

So when it was December of last year and Minjeong’s ears were buzzing because of the noise inside Julie Han’s party, she couldn't have expected Jimin’s next action, but it felt right and she wasn’t too surprised. She was sitting on the wooden backyard porch, knees pulled to her chest, waiting for the countdown as she stared at the starry sky. 

 

“Aren’t you cold, Kim Ppoppi?” Minjeong turns and sees her best friend, Jimin, approaching her. 

“It’s not that cold.” Minjeong shrugs, automatically smiling up at Jimin. She pats the spot next to her. “Sit, sit.”

 

Jimin chuckles softly at Minjeong’s enthusiasm and nonchalantly takes off her jacket, draping it over Minjeong before taking the spot next to her and stretching her legs out.

 

“Can you see Sirius?” Minjeong points up at the sky.

“Your favourite star?” Jimin hums.

“Mhm! Doesn’t it look brighter tonight?” Minjeong says and Jimin doesn’t ever get a clue into Minjeong’s mind, but she’ll always follow along.

“Maybe because it’s your birthday.” Jimin nudges her.

“It’s New Year’s silly.” Minjeong giggles.

“It’s your birthday right after, so your day matters more.” Jimin grins.

“Okay, okay,” Minjeong rolls her eyes, a faint blush on her cheeks illuminated by the moonlight.

 

The countdown begins and Minjeong startles when she hears all the people inside chanting the seconds until the New Year. 

 

“Wanna go back inside?” Minjeong asks.

“Why are you asking me?” Jimin chuckles, poking Minjeong’s cheek. “You don’t even want to go back in.”

“I don’t want to assume.” Minjeong pouts.

“Well, you can assume with me.” Jimin smiles, brushing the apple of Minjeong’s cheek with the side of her index finger. 

 

Jimin wraps an arm around Minjeong and pulls her into her side, pushing Minjeong’s head to rest on her shoulder. Minjeong freezes for a second at Jimin’s suddenness but she relaxes because she isn’t in any danger.

 

Jimin pats Minjeong’s shoulder to the timing of the countdown and Minjeong’s gaze stays focused on Sirius’ glowing form in the sky. Unbeknownst to her, Jimin hasn’t taken her eyes off Minjeong since the party started.

 

When the New Year finally arrives, Minjeong turns to Jimin with a bright grin and she doesn’t have enough time to recognise the affectionate gaze that drips honey from Jimin.

 

“Happy New—”

 

Minjeong’s eyes widened.

 

Jimin’s kissing her. Jimin’s lips are on hers. They’re kissing!

 

Jimin’s touch is featherlight, caressing Minjeong’s jaw with a shaky hand, contrasting her confident lips that kiss Minjeong. Jimin pulls away with a soft smile and Minjeong’s cheeks are completely red.

 

“Happy birthday.” Jimin says softly. “Be my girlfriend?”

 

To say Minjeong was simply dazed was an understatement. Every running thought in her mind ceased to run as she gazed at Jimin's crooked grin. Jimin was nervous but she was being brave and Minjeong felt like she could be brave too. So she said yes without any hesitation.

 

˚ ༘♡ ·˚ ₊˚ˑ༄ؘ

 

Now, it’s not like no one knows they’re dating. It’s just that no one really believes them and they think it’s female solidarity when they get asked out by random guys. And also, because they’ve been best friends for so long, people don’t think they’d suddenly date. Honestly, Minjeong didn’t think she’d suddenly be thinking about marrying Jimin in her future other than the time they said it to each other when they were seven. 

 

The first time Jimin and Minjeong told someone was Minjeong’s younger cousin, who grew up with her like a brother, Wonbin. Wonbin didn’t believe them and played it off as a joke. Their families grew up alongside each other too, so they didn’t believe Jimin and Minjeong either. Up until they kissed, they went everywhere holding hands and even went as far as cuddling each other every moment they got. By then, everyone had a bit of an inkling of their romance.

 

However, getting it through to the minds of university students is an entirely different story. 

 

There’s a university gossip blog; God knows who it’s run by, but Minjeong and Jimin have been on there a couple of times before they started dating. They dated other people until Jimin felt it was wrong because her affections were growing stronger day by day and Minjeong just somehow ended up spending more time with Jimin. So when they’re no longer on the blog, people begin speculating for no good reason.

 

So it brings them to a party hosted by a good friend of theirs, Johnny. Jimin already wants to go home and Minjeong’s tugging her along into the house. It’s almost as if their roles have reversed. Ever since Jimin’s been Minjeong’s girlfriend, she’d rather spend her time inside their apartment cuddling and doing their own thing. Minjeong thinks they’re indoors too often so she makes Jimin come out more.

 

“Look who came!” Aeri finds them first and Jimin sags with relief.

“Dude!” Jimin whines, letting go of Minjeong to put Aeri in a chokehold of a hug.

“You’re heavy!” Aeri complains, trying to push the girl off of her.

“Where’s Ningie?” Minjeong giggles.

“Somewhere in the kitchen, probably gossiping with her batch mates!” Aeri tells her.

“Jimin, are you good to be alone?” Minjeong asks her. “I’m going to find Ning.”

“Sure! I’ll stick with Aeri.” Jimin beams.

“Don’t get too drunk.” Minjeong chastises her.

“I won’t!”

 

Minjeong finds Ningning in the kitchen in a heated discussion with her music theory classmates. 

 

“Ning,” Minjeong taps on Ningning’s shoulder and greets everyone. 

“Hey! You came!” Ningning hugs her.

“Of course.” Minjeong beams. “Can’t miss out on another one of Johnny’s parties.”

“He’s DJing tonight too!” Ningning points to the second floor, where Johnny is controlling the music. 

“No way,” Minjeong laughs.

 

Ningning takes a good look at Minjeong, thinking about what Belle said in class earlier. She side-eyes Belle, who’s talking to her friends Natty, Hangul and Julie, and Belle’s already looking at her with a pointed look.

 

Belle is right somehow. Minjeong has been looking prettier and lighter these days. Any guy she’s ever been with has never made her glow like this. 

 

“Hey, did you bring Jimin with you?” Ningning asks casually.

“Of course.” Minjeong beams. “I’ve been trying to get her out of the apartment more. All she wants to do is spend time with me indoors.”

“Clingy.” And sus… Ningning thinks.

“It’s cute.” Minjeong shrugs.

“Are you guys—”

“Oh, Sungchan’s here!” Minjeong waves at a tall, brown-haired guy from across the party. “Wait, Ning, I’ll come back!”

 

Ningning opens and closes like a fish.

 

Minjeong bounces her way over to Sungchan and he hugs her tightly, twirling them around with the minimal space between them.

 

“Chanie, Chanie! Hi! What are you doing here?” Minjeong giggles.

“I’m here with the soccer team.” Sungchan grins. “We got off practice early.”

 

Sungchan and Minjeong became friends first at orientation after Minjeong lost sight of Jimin and bumped into Sungchan’s tall frame. They talked and walked around until they found a common interest in the soccer club, but Minjeong dropped out of the club a year later since the funding for the women’s team wasn’t enough. She found Jimin later and had Sungchan’s number because she decided to introduce him to her cousin.

 

“What about Binnie?” Minjeong refers to her cousin, who is also Sungchan’s boyfriend.

“Too lazy, but he said he’d pick us all up later.” Sungchan smiles.

"Oh, how nice of him. And typical.” Minjeong snorts.

“Where’s Jimin-noona?” Sungchan asks.

“No clue; let’s go look for her.” Minjeong shakes her head.

 

She hopes Jimin isn’t drunk.

 

But she is and she’s a bumbling mess trying to win a beer pong game.

 

“Whoop! I won! Oh yeah—”

“Yu Jimin.” 

 

Jimin is halfway through her victory dance when she hears her girlfriend’s chilling voice behind her. She turns around slowly and finds Minjeong glaring at her with her arms over her chest, with a very tall Sungchan trying to stifle a laugh behind her.

 

“I-It’s not what it looks like.” Jimin grins wryly.

“Come now. You need water.” Minjeong sighs, turning around to walk to the kitchen and Jimin follows her like a wet puppy. 

 

Minjeong feeds a water bottle to Jimin, who rubs against her side like a whining puppy.

 

“I’m not that drunk.” Jimin pouts. 

“Drink the water.” Minjeong huffs.

“What happened here?” Aeri snickers.

“Jimin-noona’s drunk.” Sungchan snorts.

“I’m not!” Jimin whines.

“Your cheeks are literally flaming red.” Ningning deadpans.

“It’s hot in here!” Jimin complains.

 

No one bats an eye at Jimin’s arm around Minjeong’s waist except Ningning, who feels a bit crazy.

 

Later in the night, Wonbin picks Sungchan and Thing 1 and Thing 2. Jimin passes out in the backseat, clinging onto Minjeong’s hand and Sungchan has to help drag Jimin upstairs to her apartment.

 

Unbeknownst to them, the next scoop for the college blog is captured and uploaded. 

 

The next morning, Jimin wakes up with a headache and Minjeong is blinking at her phone like a frog.