Jimin's only ever had one panic attack in her life – back during her Junior year of high school.

It was the first time she came out to her family and it was a terrifying experience. She had been thinking about coming clean for a while, but she always talked herself out of it at the last minute. However, with everything happening between her and... she figured it was now or never.

Jimin had the bright idea to tell her parents and Grandma at the same time one night after Sunday dinner. That was back before her parents' divorce so it was still easy to get everyone in one room together. She practiced her speech in the mirror a million times that day and yet she nearly didn't get the words out when it came down to it.

Being caught up in her head runs deep and it's a habit she still has yet to break.

Would they accept her for who she is with open arms? Would they turn around and disown her? Would they still love her? Would they look at her completely different although she's the exact same person she was before she uttered the words?

She had no idea and all that unknown and uncertainty and heart- wrenching fear was all-consuming. It gave her ultimate fears a safe place to burrow in and wreak their havoc. It was even worse back then because she had no one to turn to. No one to let her know that no matter what happens, they'll always be there for her.

Her best friend, that's who she was meant to lean on but – she couldn't. Two fragile people using each other for crutches? That only leads to a nasty fall.

Jimin had to learn very quickly that, she had to be that person for herself. She couldn't count on anyone else. But when the time came; time to admit the truth, she froze. All she had to do was say two words, but she couldn't despite all her practicing.

Instead, it felt as though she were choking on them.

She remembers how her chest heaved that day, searching for a breath of air that wouldn't come. That made it even worse and because she couldn't breathe she started to panic and the panicking intensified the lump lodged in her throat and that made her start to reconsider coming out but the thought of hiding any longer made her skin crawl and then...and then...and then.

Jessica thought Jimin was going to pass out. Jimin thought so too. She felt nauseous and dizzy but just as everyone surrounded her, worry in their eyes and her dad just seconds away from calling a doctor – Jimin finally spit it out.

I'm gay.

And as agonizing as the lead up was, it was over with just as fast.

Apparently, when you dress up as Uncle Jesse from Full House as many times as she did growing up coming out as gay is sort of a given.

They looked at her like she had three heads for a moment and Jimin fully believed that this was it – this is the moment everything changes – but it didn't. At least, not in the way she feared.

Her family embraced her, surrounding her in their love despite all her worrying. All of the horrible outcomes her head created to throw her off, to scare her into a corner, ended up being dead ends because when it came to her family – they loved her no matter what.

─

This time, her chest heaves just as it did that day.

What the hell did Yunjin and her mom see that Jimin didn't? How can a look convey everything she's been trying so hard to conceal? Has she reached a new level of acting or are her feelings that obvious now? Maybe Yunjin and Jessica are just hopeless romantics, seeing whatever they want to see?

That has to be it, because how transparent can she really be?

When Jimin hears a knock at the door, she's hoping that it isn't her mom coming to check on her. She knows Jessica will ask what's wrong and what happened and is everything okay, but Jimin can't trust herself at the moment to be able to come up with an answer. All she has is a head full of flashing lights telling her to quit being a punk and just admit it already – tell the damn truth.

But she can't.

She refuses to because it wasn't part of the plan and who knows what would happen if her dirty little secret ever came to light. When feelings are involved, nothing good ever comes of it. She knows that from personal experience.

There's another knock and it pushes Jimin closer to the edge. She hates this feeling of being backed into a corner; no way out aside from the way she came and that is being closed off by—

"Jimin?"

It's Minjeong and Jimin hates how her entire body relaxes at the sound of the blonde's voice. Even in her last-ditch effort to push it all away, her body turns on her.

Minjeong tries again with a soft tap at the door, "It's me."

Jimin shuts her eyes as if it's enough to shut out the world. Maybe if she keeps quiet, Minjeong will lose interest and leave?

"I can hear you, you know," Minjeong points out. Jimin frowns. So much for that.

"Yeah well," Jimin grumbles. "I can't hear you."

"Then how come you're talking back?"

Jimin rests her head against the door and lets out a frustrated sigh although it does nothing to help calm her. Why can't Minjeong just leave her alone? Why can't she have a moment to herself so she can figure this shit out?

"Can you let me in?" Minjeong asks.

"I don't know."

She can hear Minjeong's soft laughter from the other side of the door. "Do you want me to pick the lock again?"

"It isn't locked."

"So let me in."

Jimin holds her head in her hands for a moment. She knows she'll have to open this door at some point. She just hates that it's Minjeong on the other side of it. She's been in this position before, feeling the shift of control being handed over to someone else – someone who was meant to care for her.

This time, Jimin won't be so willing though. She's not going to chance getting hurt all over again, she barely recovered the first time.

Still, this is the furthest she's ever gotten with another person since then. It makes her wonder why the hell she let Jaemin talk her into doing this fake relationship thing in the first place. If she didn't listen to him then she wouldn't be sitting on her bedroom floor freaking the hell out!

If it wasn't for him, she would've never let herself feel like this.

But that's not really fair, is it? Blaming him for the way Minjeong makes her feel isn't his fault, it's hers. At some point since they started this, Jimin let her guard down. She got too close, too attached to someone she shouldn't. She vowed something like that would never happen again.

And it won't.

"Jimin," Minjeong tries once more. "Come on. Your mom's worried."

Jimin knows it's time to take the reins. She knows how this goes, bottling up everything so that she can get back to her comfort zone. So she begins to think of how she can spin this so that it won't raise suspicion. She'll have to come up with something good considering her dramatic exit. Plus it has to be enough to work on her family and Minjeong.

She knows she can't keep the girl in complete darkness though; at least when it comes to throwing off her family. If she wants to downplay what happened, she'll probably need Minjeong's help to do it.

─

Once Jimin clears the way, Minjeong takes a tentative step in. The blonde looks around the room until she spots Jimin on the floor hugging her knees. She joins her in an instant, but still keeps her distance.

"You okay?" She asks hesitantly.

Jimin doesn't answer. She's so stuck in her own head, trying to figure out her next move that she barely hears Minjeong. It's all about moves and countermoves but she struggles to form a believable game plan. God, why'd she have to crack under pressure like that?

"So I told everyone we came in here to make out. Thought it might buy us some time."

Jimin's eyes widen, "You did what?!"

"Kidding," Minjeong smirks. "I was just trying to get a reaction. Make sure you weren't in shock or something. Jessica said you looked a little green when you rushed off."

"Great," Jimin lets out a sigh. "How fucking embarrassing."

"You don't look so green to me though," Minjeong comments. "More like a delicious almond milk."

Jimin forces herself not to smile, "Not funny."

"I wasn't aiming for funny. I was aiming for a smile," Minjeong replies. When Jimin can't help but give her one, Minjeong cheers. "There it is!"

Yeah, Jimin's so screwed. Who wouldn't find themselves slipping for someone like her?

"So," Minjeong bumps her shoulder. "You going to tell me what's going on?"

Jimin looks up and hesitates because she's sure if she were to open her mouth now, the truth would burst out and she can't have that. She can't welcome the possibility that someone like Minjeong could ever reciprocate the way she thinks she feels. She's not that lucky.

For all she knows, her judgment is just clouded by lust brought on by being sex-deprived for months! It would explain how she keeps slipping up, especially at Johnny's.

"Yunjin asked me to be a bridesmaid," Jimin admits instead.

Minjeong quirks her brow, "And that made you freak?"

It's not exactly a lie but it's not the truth either so it works. Still, she really has to sell this in order for Minjeong to believe her.

"Yeah," Jimin groans. "I can't think of doing anything worse."

"Really?" Minjeong laughs. "You're in a fake relationship with me and you can't think of doing anything worse?"

Jimin gives her a look, "It's not funny. I don't do weddings."

"Why not? They're great! I mean, I've only been to one but it was super cute. I loved it."

"Yeah, well...," Jimin falters. Maybe this excuse wasn't as good of a cover as she thought? "I've got a huge family so I've been to many weddings. I've never gotten into them and all that lovey-dovey BS. It's sickening."

"Shocker," Minjeong chuckles. "Yu Jimin's too cool for weddings. Why did I even ask?"

"Being in the wedding party is even worse," Jimin goes on.

"How come?" Minjeong asks, seemingly taking the bait.

"Because it's so much work! You're basically the bride's bitch for however long they want."

"Awh, poor baby," She coos playfully but the term of endearment makes Jimin's heart clench. "Having to actually put in some effort for a change."

"Yeah, you're right. Poor me!"

The attention shifted to the wedding instead of what's going on in Jimin's head is actually helping to steady her nervous heart. The more they focus on it, the less they spend on dissecting the real reason why Jimin bolted which works for her.

Avoidance and denial are her specialties!

"Knowing Yunjin," Jimin goes on. "She'll probably make me go with her to all the dress appointments and makeup trials and menu tasting. Although, I can probably get out of the last one if Bruce gets the munchies."

"So shopping, makeup, and free food," Minjeong lists. "That doesn't seem so bad?"

"It's the company I'm worried about," Jimin says. "Yunjin can get carried away sometimes."

"How bad can that be?"

Jimin lifts her brow, "You know what my uncle got her for her Quince? A private jet. After her party, we were meant to take a ride down to Miami because he had booked her a super nice room."

"I'm failing to see the issue?" Minjeong jokes.

"Yeah same until the little psycho had the sudden idea that we should all go sky diving," Jimin tells her. "I'm thinking, we're not even old enough to do this without parental consent right? We're totally safe, but no. My uncle pulled his strings and that's exactly why to this day I believe he's involved in some sort of mafia."

Minjeong raises a brow, looking unsure.

"Next thing I know, we're landing on some sketchy rooftop where a helicopter awaits," Jimin continues. "I remember getting strapped in and thinking wow I'm seconds away from plummeting to my death and I haven't even had my first girlfriend."

"Wow," Minjeong laughs. "Even in your dying breath your priorities are still out of whack."

"I was a kid, okay?" Jimin grumbles.

"You couldn't just like...say no?" Minjeong asks.

"Are you kidding?" Jimin exaggerated. "I couldn't just say no – mama didn't raise no bitch!"

Minjeong shakes her head and laughs.

"We made it to the hotel eventually," Jimin waves off. "But...at what cost, you know? If people were meant to be falling from the sky at that rate, we'd all have wings or something. Never again."

Minjeong watches her with an amused grin, "So you're going to turn her down then?"

Jimin thinks about it for a moment before relenting with the shake of her head.

"No, she's family. Plus I don't want any flack from my mom and Grandma," Jimin sighs. "Yunjin's kind of my favorite cousin even though I hate her."

Minjeong looks to Jimin and smiles, "You have a habit of being kind to people you say you hate."

Jimin averts her gaze knowing exactly where this is going. Still, she plays coy.

"Do I?"

"Yeah," Minjeong grins. "I'm a prime example."

"Well," Jimin tries brushing her off. "It's different with you."

"Why's that?"

"Because it is."

Jimin struggles to come up with something better with the way Minjeong's staring at her. It makes Jimin feel fluttery and nervous all at the same time which is exactly why she can't let this thing between them grow into anything.

She can't lose control.

"You're just...you're you," Jimin adds like it would help.

Minjeong barks out a laugh, "And what the heck does that mean?"

Once again, the truth is just begging to break free. Thankfully, Jimin has a better handle of her feelings than when Yunjin and Jessica ambushed her before!

"What's with the 20 questions?" Jimin grumbles. "I feel like I'm being interrogated."

"You know," Minjeong sighs. "You're surprisingly very grumpy for someone so pretty."

Jimin quirks a brow, "Was that an insult and a compliment?"

Minjeong shrugs, "You're starting to rub off on me, I think."

Jimin finds herself chuckling, "Don't make me laugh. I'm in distress."

"It'll be fine," Minjeong assures her.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because you're you."

Jimin gives her an unamused look and it makes Minjeong laugh.

"I mean, you always find a way to have a good time especially if there's an open bar around," Minjeong explains.

Jimin ponders that, "You're not wrong. I do love me a free drink."

"I know. You love several free drinks," Minjeong giggles. "So you'll be fine. It'll be the perfect environment for a newly single Jimin to thrive in."

Jimin freezes and looks to Minjeong to find her smirking knowingly.

Shit, shit, shit!

But despite her screaming thoughts, Jimin's voice comes out timidly soft.

"You heard us." Jimin gulps. "From the other night..."

"I did," Minjeong confirms as she picks at the edge of her shirt for a distraction. "You and Jaemin don't really have inside voices so."

"Shit," Jimin feels a combination of embarrassment and guilt. It feels like everything has come back to bite her all at once and she doesn't even know where to start in order to do damage control. It's like one thing after another; she has to be the unluckiest person ever!

"My question though is how do you expect to break up with me without pissing off your entire family," Minjeong asks. Her eyes are back on Jimin with her smirk deepening. "They all clearly love me so, I don't think it would go over so well."

Despite feeling like her entire world is crashing down on her, Jimin finds a bit of solace in Minjeong's playful tone.

"I...figured I could say you were the one to end things."

"That's right," Minjeong replies sarcastically. "So you can capitalize on the breakup and take home some random girl to mend your broken heart and no one would think twice about it."

Jimin gulps, "Something like that?"

Minjeong shakes her head and chuckles, "I can't believe you want to make me the bad guy. That's not even in character for me. This is why we're supposed to come up with these things together. We clearly work better as a team."

It's not at all how Jimin expected Minjeong to react. Minjeong isn't hurt by overhearing her conversation with Jaemin; what a freaking miracle! Her eyes suddenly widen though at another realization; the breakup plan wasn't all that was discussed that morning.

"Yeah, I know. It's a work in progress," Jimin replies. She attempts to approach the next question causally although her stress levels are peaking once again. "So was that all you heard? The breakup plan?"

Minjeong shrugs, "Yeah. Why?"

"No reason," Jimin floods with more relief. "Jaemin was just oversharing how the rest of his night went. I didn't want you to be scarred by the details too."

"Oh gross," Minjeong chuckles as she scrunches her nose. "Well lucky me, I missed that part."

"Yeah," Jimin tries to put on a convincing smile. "Lucky."

"You know," Minjeong starts a little more seriously. "When it comes to wrapping this thing up, it might be nice to include me in the plan – especially if you're setting me up to do the heavy lifting. We have to be on the same page."

"Yeah no, you're right," Jimin agrees wholeheartedly. "Of course. I'm sorry. I really haven't given it too much thought, that was the first time."

Minjeong nods and they sit in silence like that for a moment. That lightheartedness from a minute ago is replaced with something somber and it has Jimin threading her fingers together in her lap like a scolded child.

"Well," Minjeong says just as the silence was verging on unbearable. "I guess if the end is near then we should probably work on a proper plan."

Jimin swallows dryly at the thought, "Yeah. I guess we should."

Minjeong nods and once again they plummet in silence. Jimin assumes that Minjeong's trying to use her genius brain to come up with a believable solution just as she did at the beginning of this when they needed a good response to the inevitable question of: how'd you two meet?

Jimin wants to help, give her own two cents, but her heart does weird things whenever she thinks too long about the end nearing. It's probably for the best that Minjeong takes the lead for now, at least until she figures herself out.

They can just focus on the rest of the trip before they tackle something big like that?

"So," Minjeong breaks the silence again and bumps her shoulder with Jimin's. "You think you're ready to get back out there?"

Jimin gives her a surprised look, "We're not even broken up yet."

Minjeong chuckles, "I was meaning are you ready to get back to the party?"

"Oh. Right."

Jimin fights the blush as she tries to gauge whether or not she's got a strong enough handle on things. Considering that slip-up, maybe not? She's at least in a much better place than before, but that's not saying much. Still, she'll have to pull it together if they want to make it through the rest of their trip.

"I think if we spend any more time up here, they might actually believe we're making out."

Jimin side-eyes Minjeong, "You didn't really tell them that, right?"

Minjeong only shrugs, but her grin gives her away.

─

Despite Jimin's moment earlier, when she rejoins the party no one pays her too much attention other than Jessica. Everyone's too preoccupied with socializing and lunch and making sure the kids don't break an arm as they scale the giant oak tree. For once, Jimin's thankful for the kids being so distracting. It gives her enough time to dismiss her mom's worries by coming up with the greatest of excuses: her stomach hurt.

It's a classic, tried and true, and it works like a charm.

However, that excuse then prompted Jessica to make her some special tea to help settle it which contained a very questionable mix of ingredients. If she didn't have a stomach ache before, she's going to have one now.

Jimin had to pretend to drink it in order to play along, but that's the thing about lies. Once you tell one, you don't stop and sometimes that means you have to pretend to drink gross tea because of it.

Thanks to her quick hands though, Jimin was able to swap it out for wine when Jessica left the room and that made the rest of her day a whole lot easier.

─

Later, Jimin's resting in the living room once the last of the guests have finally said their goodbyes. The house is in complete disarray and she's so not looking forward to helping clean it all up. It's then that Minjeong wanders in from the backyard; her face is a little pink from being in the sun for so long and it has Jimin admiring the way her freckles seem to be even more noticeable.

"How's your tummy?" Minjeong asks as she joins Jimin on the couch. She's been in on Jimin's lie since they returned to the party so she amped up the act of doting girlfriend for all their spectators to enjoy.

"It's fine," Jimin replies and holds up her mug. "Mom's tea did the trick."

Minjeong peers into Jimin's cup and lifts a brow, "That looks and smells like Sangria."

"It's tea," Jimin dismisses.

Minjeong doesn't say a thing as she steals Jimin's mug and gives it a taste. After a sip, she shakes her head and hands back the cup.

"Sneaky," Minjeong smirks. "Bet you just said you were feeling sick so you don't have to help clean up."

"You read my mind."

Minjeong chuckles, "I wish. I just know that you're the Queen of Bullshitting."

Jimin smirks, "Finally. Something I'm better at than you."

"For now," Minjeong points out. "Don't forget that I'm a quick learner."

Something about that seems a little foreboding, but Jimin does her best to ignore the feeling. For all she knows, it's just their usual banter which she'd much rather prefer than to go back to spiraling out the way she did before.

"Oh hey, I forgot to show you. Look what I found while I was helping to clean up," Minjeong says and pulls out a plastic egg.

"Guess the kids missed that one," Jimin notes.

"Guess so," Minjeong replies before offering it to Jimin. "For you."

Jimin takes the egg in her hands. Minjeong leans a little closer as Jimin presses along the sides until the halves break apart to reveal what it contains. It's like the two hang in suspense until a Hershey's kiss is revealed.

"A kiss!" Minjeong cheers.

The sound has Jimin looking to the blonde, but her eyes can't help but fall to pink lips. She watches the way they curve into a pretty smile and for a second, time moves slowly. She remembers their moment from before when Minjeong ambushed her with cascarones then subdued her just as quickly with a kiss.

She remembers the way it had her slow to react, how she completely bent to Minjeong's will.

"Do you want it?"

Jimin's brows rise as her eyes meet Minjeong's but she finds herself tilting her head in confusion.

"The kiss," Minjeong giggles. "In your hand?"

"Oh," Jimin blushes at the realization.

Minjeong narrows her eyes as she reaches for Jimin's mug and replaces it with the kiss.

"No more tea for you," She says.

Jimin smiles, "Good idea."

When alcohol is involved, she's in a weakened state. She'll just have to swear off drinking until this thing is over. For a college student under the kind of pressure she's under, that can't be too hard. Right?

─

Once the aftermath of the party has been dealt with and the house is back in order, everyone gathers in the living room to wind down with some tv and leftovers for dinner. Everyone's changed into comfy clothes and lounge around the room. Grandma turns on a new episode of this kdrama her and Minjeong are all about and the pair of them gossip back and forth in broken Korean.

Jessica, Taecyeon, and Jimin nod along – not entirely invested as they are. Jimin's more focused on how well Minjeong's doing chatting with Grandma in a language she's been teaching herself for only a few weeks. Certain pronunciations need a little work, but overall Jimin thinks Minjeong's killing it.

She also thinks Minjeong speaking Korean is kind of hot too but she can just add that to the pile of secrets she'll never tell.

About halfway through the episode, she wordlessly lets Minjeong stretch out on the loveseat they share. She allows the girl to use her lap as a pillow but reaches for a throw pillow to make sure Minjeong's comfortable. Does it help Jimin curb her desire to hope for things she shouldn't? Nope! But at least the position gives Jimin a chance to comb her fingers through Minjeong's soft hair.

Because this is the closest she knows she can get. And if time's running out then she might as well indulge herself before she can no longer use the crutch of acting as an excuse.

While they still have an audience, this is fine and maybe that's the excuse Jimin tells herself as she continues raking her fingers through it. If it's for the sake of preserving their act, it's perfectly fine.

No harm, no foul.

─

After the show ends, Grandma excuses herself for bed and the rest of the room settles into a comfortable quiet.

Maybe even too quiet.

Minjeong's head feels a little heavier in her lap, but their positions make it hard for Jimin to check if she's still awake. Her legs are definitely asleep but the possibility of making Minjeong move is also a risk she isn't willing to take. So she sits still, keeping up the slow combing of her fingers through Minjeong's hair while she keeps her eyes trained on the tv screen ahead of them.

"You should get her to bed," Jessica whispers.

Jimin glances to her then down at Minjeong. She was so hypnotized by the melodic movement and the slow rise and fall of Minjeong's side that Jimin almost forgot they weren't alone.

"The couch can't be that comfortable," Jessica adds.

Jimin bites her cheek; if only she knew where Minjeong slept at night.

"I will in a sec," Jimin answers just as quietly. "I don't want to wake her just yet."

Jessica nods, "The kids really tired her out today."

"Yeah. The little heathens. I barely got to see her earlier, they took up all of her attention."

Jessica and Taecyeon chuckle at that and it makes Jimin's cheeks feel warm.

"She's good with them," Jessica tells her. "They loved having someone else to play with."

Jimin knows that wistful tone and quickly glances over.

"Don't go getting any ideas," She jokes. "Like I told Yunjin, I'm so not ready for that. I'm too young to be tied down." Jimin hears herself and quickly corrects the statement, "To be tied down by kids, I mean."

"I know that," Jessica smirks. "What's the harm in daydreaming? Now that I've seen this side of you, I can actually hope for more. Maybe even grandkids one day."

"Now, now. You don't want to scare her off with that kind of talk," Taecyeon jokes. "Let her be young for a while longer."

Jessica smiles as she looks back to Jimin, "I'm just happy that it's an option, you know, at some point in time – whenever you're ready. Before, I couldn't really picture you settling down and starting a family. I didn't think it was your thing, to hold onto someone for so long."

Jimin gulps; where is she going with this?

"But seeing you with Minjeong," Jessica shrugs and a proud grin starts to form. "I can see that something's changed within you. Whatever it may be, it's a good change – one that will help you later on. Maybe even help you get a foot in the door at the firm in the future if that's still something you want."

Jimin freezes. This is it, she's finally done it. She's finally convinced Jessica that she's worthy, but why doesn't it feel as good as she thought it would?

Probably because all that convincing is based on a great big pile of lies? Maybe she's not so deserving of this acceptance after all?

Suddenly, Minjeong starts to stir.

Jimin pulls away and watches as Minjeong goes to sit up. She looks around the room with tired eyes and Jimin watches as she begins to blush when she finds Jessica and Taecyeon watching from across the room.

"Sorry," She mutters when she looks Jimin's way. "I didn't even realize I fell asleep."

"It's okay."

She glances over at her mom to see if there will be any continuation of their conversation, but there's only a pleased smile on Jessica's face. That's a good sign, so she probably should quit while she's ahead.

"We should get to bed," Jimin says. "Lots of traveling tomorrow."

"Okay," Minjeong yawns. "This trip went by so quickly. I feel like we just got here."

"Time flies when you're in good company," Jessica jokes before she pats Taecyeon on the knee. "Sleep sounds like a good idea. It's been such a long day."

Jimin would have to agree. It's been a long week in her eyes.

─

Back in Jimin's room, Minjeong's crouched down by the foot of Jimin's bed with her usual comforter and pile of blankets. They move around each other in silence, but Jimin figures that's because Minjeong looks half- asleep.

She thinks if she offers her bed again now, Minjeong might just take her up on it.

That's exactly why Jimin keeps her mouth shut though. She can't welcome that kind of closeness, there's no telling what she might do considering how her body sort of acts on its own instincts when it comes to Minjeong.

"Did I interrupt back there?" Minjeong asks quietly.

The sound of her voice nearly has Jimin flinching, but the girl plays it off and looks back at Minjeong. Mixed in with her tired eyes seem to be a familiar bashfulness and it has Jimin softening.

"You mean downstairs?"

Minjeong nods.

"A little but it was right on time," Jimin assures her. "Mom was probably going to keep singing your praises and you know how much I love listening to that."

"Oh," Minjeong giggles the bashfulness away. "What'd I nail this time?"

"Being some kind of kid whisperer," Jimin rolls her eyes playfully. "Which by the way, you told me you didn't like them."

"I never said that," Minjeong laughs. "I just haven't been around a lot."

Jimin eyes her curiously, "Uh-huh."

"It's true!" Minjeong tells her. "I can't help that I'm naturally good at so many things."

"Here we go..."

Minjeong smirks at another one of Jimin's infamous eye-rolls, "They're cool and all, but I doubt I could hang out with them every day. They have so much energy! I'm glad I gave up my childhood dreams of being a teacher, I wouldn't be able to hack it."

Jimin raises a brow, "You wanted to be a teacher?"

Minjeong shrugs, "Among other things. I wanted to be the kind of teacher that I didn't have growing up, like Professor Kang. He doesn't try fitting students in a box."

Jimin watches Minjeong get lost in her thoughts before the playful smile is back.

"So now that I've snagged more brownie points, you any closer to getting what you want?"

Jimin looks to her curiously, "What I want?"

"Yeah," Minjeong chuckles. "Approval or something? Surely, we're nearly there?"

Jimin pauses. Technically she did get what she wants but then again, she didn't and that's what keeps her from telling Minjeong the truth. She can't just dump Minjeong so soon after getting Jessica's approval. That wouldn't be believable, especially after what she and Yunjin pointed out earlier. A breakup now would be so out of the blue, everyone would be taken by surprise. What would their reasoning even be anyway? An energy exchange or something equally ridiculous?

No, they've got to keep this thing going just a little while longer to at least be realistic.

"I think so?" Jimin answers before busying herself with fluffing her pillow. "I thought it was going to happen today but Yunjin kept butting in."

"She's funny," Minjeong replies. "She gave me twenty dollars for complimenting her dress."

Jimin shakes her head, "Yeah. She does that. The girl thinks money grows on trees."

"I think I might miss her once this is all over," Minjeong mentions and it has Jimin looking to Minjeong once again. The blonde has her eyes averted though as she rifles through her clothes for a pair of pajamas.

"Really?" Jimin asks because maybe she just wants to hear it again, hear how Minjeong might miss this thing they've created.

"Well yeah," Minjeong answers simply. "I didn't expect it but I've kind of gotten attached to everyone. I've always wanted to be a part of a big family so I'll miss it: your mom and Grandma, Yunjin and Taecyeon too."

Jimin didn't consider how this all might affect Minjeong. It makes her wonder how her family will react too, have they grown just as attached? Jimin has a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that suggests she knows the answer to that question already.

"Did you hear how Grandma complimented my Korean earlier?" Minjeong asks excitedly. "She was so impressed."

Jimin can only smile, "Well you're pretty impressive."

"Yeah. I'd hate to be in your shoes whenever you break it to them that we're over," Minjeong jokes.

That has Jimin's smile falling and her stomach churns at the thought, but Minjeong doesn't seem to notice.

"I'll be forever dubbed The One That Got Away," She continues.

Jimin bites her lip at the sound of Minjeong being so nonchalant about the inevitable breakup hurtling towards them. How can she so easily joke about it? Won't she miss this? Apparently not considering Jimin wasn't included in Minjeong's little list. She won't miss her – she'll miss her family which is an interesting turn of events.

But, it's the kind of reality check Jimin needs to realize that things between them could never go past what they currently are – all make- believe, pretend, fake. And when Jimin thinks of it that way, it's much easier to play along.

"I hate to break it to you, but that title is taken already," Jimin replies.

Minjeong finally looks up at her and whatever expression she sees there has brown eyes glancing to a picture on the wall, the one that contains a long-haired brunette smiling beside a 17-year-old Jimin.

"That's right," Minjeong nods as she goes back to fiddling in her suitcase. "Your mysterious first love is the true One That Got Away."

Jimin scoffs as she looks away, "She's not mysterious. She's in that picture right over there. You've seen her face."

"And yet, I can't put a name to her," Minjeong points out. "I've never heard you even say her name."

Jimin stiffens. When she looks to Minjeong, the blonde's looking right back. There's this expectant look on her face, as if she's waiting for Jimin to finally shed some light on the girl in the picture but Jimin doesn't.

"You got me there," She says before making her way towards the bathroom to get ready for bed.

____

poor jimin :(

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