This scenery was familiar....

As the urban landscape gradually gave way to lush greenery and towering trees, Jimin found herself lost in thought, peering out of the car window. A nagging suspicion crept into her mind: was Minjeong leading her back to the same hiking trail as before, or perhaps to an entirely new one?

She wasn't a fan of the idea of another nightly bushwalk to say the least, but chose to held her tongue, remembering the promise the blonde had made her before they left off.

"I'm not going to make you hike, stop staring out the window like that," Minjeong's sudden voice broke the silence, catching Jimin off guard.

How did that woman manage to read Jimin's mind so accurately these days?

"Then why are there so many bushes already?" Jimin questioned, still peering out the window.

"Because Korea is set up funny. I don't know. Just trust the process," Minjeong replied, deftly manoeuvring the steering wheel as the gravel road veered sharply to the right. "Wahhhhh," She lets out cutely as she leaned into the direction of the turn.

....

....

"Wahh?" Jimin repeats with an eyebrow raised. Unable to decipher the blonde's alien language but nevertheless was slightly endeared by her cuteness.

"Wah," Minjeong affirmed with a small grin, now that the road had straightened out.

"You're weird."

"I'm cute"

"No."

"Yes"

"Nah"

"Yes I am" The blonde continues to insist.

"Yes, you are," Jimin finally agreed, unable to resist the playful banter.

"No, I'm not—HEY!" Minjeong protested as Jimin laughed, realizing she had fallen into the trap.

"Yes, you are cute, Minjeong. Yes, you are," Jimin giggled, her laughter filling the car before leaning back with a small smile,

She had a feeling no matter what Minjeong had planned tonight... despite not knowing the specifics of the shorter's plans for the evening, she had an innate feeling that whatever awaited them would leave her deeply fulfilled.

But for now as the sound of rubber wheels on gravel becomes more and more constant, turning into a therapeutic ambient noise, Jimin allowed her heavy eyelids to close completely. The exhaustion from the audition and the days leading up to it finally caught up with her, and she surrendered to the peaceful embrace of sleep as Minjeong continued to drive them to their secret destination that she promised would be amazing.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

As Jimin gradually emerged from her slumber, she was greeted by the rhythmic melody of water crashing against some surface nearby. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dimness of the surroundings. Turning towards the car window first, she found herself staring at the blanket of darkness outside, that had enveloped the landscape. Yet, amidst the obsidian expanse, she could still make out silhouettes of greenery extending into the velvety night sky.

And was that crashing noise...

Sounds of ocean waves she hears?

"We're still a bit early, feel free to sleep a bit more if you want"

Jimin's head immediately turns towards the source of that voice beside her.

Minjeong had her phone turned on and she was scrolling mindlessly through it whilst leaning back against her seat. Her window was opened by a crack.

"Where are we?"Jimin begins scanning her surroundings again "Don't tell me you took me to the woods again, I was seriously joking about you scamming me again Minjeong-"

"Oh my god" The blonde chuckles turning off her phone. "Just because you see green grass, doesn't mean it's the woods. Look outside clearly" Minjeong points ahead where Jimin followed her line of vision, only to be taken aback by the view ahead.

"Is that the ocean...?" she murmured, her eyes widening as she realized what lay beyond the darkness, the sound of crashing waves now making perfect sense.

"Yee, We're perched on a cliffside overlooking the ocean," she confirmed, her gaze drifting out into the darkness where the sea met the sky. "I went on drive to get some air the other day and stumbled across this place. It was deserted then, so I'm not surprised no one is here tonight either.."

"You took a drive for air all the way out here for fun?"



"Okay, you caught me, I was initially scouting for new hiking trails in the area. But as luck would have it, I fumbled upon this gem purely by chance. It's a bit off the beaten path, requiring a detour from the main road, but the journey is worth it, I don't think many people knows about this place."

"No, just serial killers"

"That joke is seriously getting old, Jimin," Minjeong playfully retorted, her tone teasing. "If you're awake, shall we get started?"

"Started with what?"

"Ohh," a wide grin spread across Minjeong's face, "just something that I noticed was a coincidence today."

"A coincidence?" Jimin felt like the blonde was speaking in riddles. "I don't get it."

"That's okay, like I said, it's still early; you'll see later. Come on," Minjeong exclaimed, eagerly exiting the car. Left alone, Jimin followed Minjeong's movements through the window from left to right, until she appeared on the other side, opening the door for Jimin. "You're hungry, right?" Minjeong extended her hand, which Jimin hesitated to take for a moment before finally allowing herself to be pulled outside.

"Yes but I don't see any restaurants around here"

"Ah man Jimin, you really don't see highly of me at all." She tugged Jimin further away from the car, positioning herself in front of Jimin to ensure the woman's view was blocked as to keep her surprise intact. "Ta dahhh," she exclaimed, turning around with her arms wide open as soon as they walked far enough, a bright, sunny smile adorning her face as she made her grand reveal to the actress.

On the fluffy grass there was a nice big blue picnic blanket sprawled out just metres away from the edge of the flat cliff, giving a wide overview of the scenically calm moving ocean underneath. The fresh air felt nice and cold to the touch as a whiff of wind elegantly blows against Jimin's long hair.

Upon the blanket rested a woven basket, brimming with an array of snacks, fruits, and sandwiches, all meticulously arranged. Beside it sat a platter of sushi and assorted small dishes, accompanied by a bottle of wine chilling in an ice bucket. Plates, cups, and utensils were neatly arranged nearby as well in which Jimin had absolutely no idea how the shorter was able to set this all up with the short amount of time she had or how she magically had it placed in a way that nothing there had been blown away with the wind. There were also small candles decorated around their picnic area, the flames protected by glass covers to prevent them from being extinguished by the breeze.

"Minjeong.. this.." Jimin begins to stammer "This is.."

"My treat to you" Minjeong's cheery tone meshed melodically well with the soft blowing wind, her shoulder length hair flows foreward with the breeze casting before it. "As I said earlier, I had a feeling you would do well in your audition. I couldn't let you leave without celebrating properly. I know you prefer low-key celebrations, so I thought a simple picnic with this stunning view might do last minute... sorry, if this doesn't seem all that proper... I didn't have too much time to-

"It's perfect Minjeong." Jimin said so quickly with one breath.. the blonde had almost missed it.... but hearing that from the very girl that's been infiltrating her dreams on a nightly basis... she couldn't help but allow that wide genuine smile curl up on her lips even more..

"Come come" The blonde waves at her before kneeling down onto the blanket and carefully taking out the contents of food within the basket, placing up a meal on a plastic plate. "Well? What are you waiting for?" MInjeong stops what she was doing to look back up at a rather stunned Yu Jimin just staring back at her from afar "Didn't you say you were hungry? Food's here" With the latter still rooted to the ground, Minjeong took matters into her own hand. Placing a few more food items on the plate she got onto her own two feet and made her way to the actress "Here"

"Oh-" Jimin gaze settled down to her hands now holding the plate... It was full, very full. Minjeong had made sure she had at least one of every food item on the plate. "Thanks..." she murmured softly, her words trailing off as her mind struggled to process the thoughtful gesture from her manager.

A picnic at a secluded, breathtaking cliff overlooking the serene seaside, cascaded under the stars with a light soft breeze that caressed her cheeks gently.

It was faultlessly unexpected....

But it did wonders in making Jimin feel absolutely flabbergasted... she was completely starstruck.

And Minjeong somehow, was able to orchestrate the whole thing.... all by herself..

Kim Minjeong...

That bleach blondie...

She just seemed so brightly gorgeous to Jimin right now...

It may have been dark... but to Jimin, the woman gleamed like radiant ray of golden sunshine...

Burning so bright...

Jimin wonders if she would go blind soon....

All her life... the actress had went about her days in a shade of gray... a black and white photograph in a silver picture frame. It had structure and integrity, but it lacked elaborate detail. A missing layer that she had purposely avoided...

Yet now... With Minjeong here... by her side...

Suddenly that shade of dull was filled with colour. Bright ones.

Warm ones.

Giving her once bland world a spice of life.

Jimin in that moment had never felt so alive....

So happy...

Could you believe, at some point in her 24 years of being on this planet.. she had actually lost touch with what it really meant to be happy?

That she had forgotten that very delicate feeling...

Allowing it to fade away into the deepest part of her mind... threatening to never reach the light of day again...

That was...

Until the short bleach blonde barged into her life so subtlety... yet with so much impact, it completely through Jimin's usual familiar routine out the window...

It was Minjeong's actions... her cuteness... her mind... her affection....

Her willingness to put Jimin first...

All of it...

It was the finest treasure Jimin had ever been given in this lifetime... and something she will choose to cherish as long as she's placed on this Earth.

She swore it to herself then... watching Minjeong glow right before her... she would never allow that radiant flame to flicker out. She wanted nothing more than to witness Minjeong continue to shine, brighter than the sun itself.

"How did you even manage to do all this?" Jimin finally kneels down onto the picnic matt, "The audition was three hours max... not 5 or 6...? How could you plan this up, drive back here, pick me up and come back here to have everything all ready and set up like this."

"That's a secret for me to keep and for you to enjoy," Minjeong chuckled before gently booping Jimin's nose once more. "Didn't I tell you? I'm the most awesome and amazing person, and the best manager you've ever had. And this is just a glimpse of what the most awesome and amazing person is capable of." She said brightly, though a small sweat droplet trickled down her temple, her hand discreetly gripping her phone that had been buzzing for the past 30 minutes or so.

From a certain someone whom she may or may not have coerced away from their late-night plans to run a few errands and make a few setups for her...

In exchange for not exposing a few embarrassing photos to Uchinaga Aeri, whom Minjeong had claimed she totally had the number to and was definitely on a friendly basis with (she is not, for either one).

***

From Dr Ning The Wise

Minjeong I swear to god, you did not just freaking drag me away from my only time off to setup this stupid picnic of yours. You owe me! YOU OWE ME BIG TIME

Also from Dr Ning The Wise

OK LOOK. I got the food basket, wine, utensils and picnic matt okay? I have the items, I'm not going to just leave you stranded now, just delete those photos. Pretty please?

From Airhead Kim

No.

From Dr Ning The Wise

Minjeong I swear to flipping sky daddy if you don't delete those photos RIGHT BLOODY NOW, THERE WILL BE BLOOD.

From Airhead Kim

Sending to Aeri.... annnnd NOW

From Dr Ning The Wise

SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW I EXIST WHY THE HELL SHOULD I CARE.

Also From Dr Ning The Wise

Hello...? HELLOOOO?

Also From Dr Ning The Wise

OK FINE, I'LL SET IT UP, I'LL DO THE DIRTY WORK, JUST DON'T DO WHAT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO

From Airhead Kim

Very good ;)

***

Was it right to lie?

No.

Would Minjeong recommend blackmailing others so one could get their way?

Definitely not.

But is committing a few sins worth it if one was to do it, to make someone very special to them happy?

Observing Jimin's overly ecstatic expression as she gasps in excitement before digging thought the basket in pursuit of getting into some of her favourite food and snacks...

Well.. for Minjeong at least.... Let's just say...

It totally was.

If that person you're making the effort for was anyone like the definition of cuteness before her that is....

Moreover, the blonde had to pick up another special gift in the meantime while Jimin was busy auditioning away. She couldn't have been in two places at once, and there was no way she could possibly set up that picnic in time alone.

So she got herself a helping hand...

That's all...

Nothing wrong with that...

From Dr Ning The Wise

You're there now right? You see the picnic? I even went out of my way to leave a lighter next to the basket in case the candle flames extinguishes. See aren't I so thoughtful? Running out of breath so you can finally get your girl who BY THE WAY you should've went out of your way to make officially yours AGES AGO. NOW CAN YOU PLEASE DELETE THOSE PHOTOS.

ALSO From Dr Ning The Wise

Hello!? Minjeong HEY! ANSWER ME! DELETE THEM-

Minjeong holds the off button before turning off her phone completely. She knew she was going to need to deal with Ningning wrath sooner or later... but for now, she wanted to focus all her attention on what's most important to her right.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"Oh-" The blonde's gaze dropped to her empty plate. She had been so preoccupied ensuring that Jimin had everything she needed that she had forgotten about herself.

But, in all fairness, she wasn't sure if she could even swallow a bite of food even if she wanted to.

She was just so nervous...

And she wasn't even entirely sure what she so nervous about...

But it created a little bump in her stomach, making it difficult for her to muster up any appetite. Despite not having eaten a single meal the entire day, she found herself unable to focus on food. Her mind had been consumed by thoughts of Jimin's audition and then the meticulous planning of the picnic setup...

"I'm not that hungry"



"Don't be ridiculous." Jimin starts placing random food items onto Minjeong's plate. "Out of everyone who could say that, I believe you the least. Besides, it's awkward to eat alone."

"Never knew you were a social eater"



"Not typically, but it's not flattering to eat alone where there's another person in front of you, no?"



Chuckling lightly, Minjeong finally took a bite of the sandwich that she left Ningning to collect from the market. Never realising just how hungry she was until finally swallowing her first bite of the day.

As the two women settled into each other's company, the sound of soft waves crashing against rocks faded into a gentle melody, leaving Minjeong and Jimin enveloped in their own little world.

With most of the food now consumed and their glasses having already clinked, Jimin leaned back against her palm, savouring the beautiful sight ahead: the bright moonlight sparkling over the ocean, creating a shimmering pathway that seemed to lead directly to the moon itself.

It was utterly captivating, leaving Jimin completely enraptured and unaware of the blonde beside her, who was similarly enchanted but by something entirely different.

Minjeong couldn't tear her gaze away from Jimin. In this quiet moment, there was something about the actress that made her heart swell with emotion....

No... actually...

Now that she thinks about...

It's not just this instance alone...

Jimin had always made MInjeong feel this way... where every time she even catches a glance of the taller, it's as if time slows down. With a contented sigh, Minjeong reached for Jimin's hand. At the touch, Jimin startled slightly, but as she realized it was Minjeong, her shoulders relaxed, and she allowed their fingers to intertwine together.

For a while, they simply sat there, basking in the peacefulness of the night and enjoying each other's quiet company....

Until a murmur of human buzz reaches Jimin's ears, seemingly from just underneath the cliff they were on... It sounded like a big gathering of a crowd too

"Oh- There's people-"

"Don't worry, they won't come up here, they're just getting ready for the event tonight," Minjeong assures Jimin, her thumb gently stroking the back of Jimin's hand.

"Event? What event?"

"It's a coincidence. I saw on a flyer that today was a lantern festival, and it just happened to be underneath this spot I found the other day. When I heard about it, I knew I just had to take you here today."

"Lantern..." As if on que to Jimin's words, the sky above them began to fill with a myriad of colourful lanterns. Each one glowed softly, casting a warm and ethereal light over the scene below. They rose gracefully into the night sky, carried by gentle currents of air, creating a breath-taking display that seemed to stretch on for miles.

Jimin's breath caught in her throat as she watched, her heart swelling with wonder and awe. Beside her, Minjeong's tighten their intertwined fingers as she continued to watch the taller who was in absolute astonishment as she continued to gaze upon the soft glow of light swirling around them as the soft sound of laughter and music drift up from below making this night even more enchanting than it had already been.

Minjeong swears... she could just watch Jimin's starstruck expression forever...

"It's beautiful..." Jimin voice came out barely a whisper...

"Wait here.."

The actress' gaze finally snaps away from the magical atmosphere around her, following the blonde as she dashes back to her car with her arms extended behind her, giving Jimin a sudden imagery of Sonic the Hedgehog.

She returned seconds later, dashing back just as fast, but this time she was clutching something in her hands. "Here," she said breathlessly, her eyes shining with anticipation. "I got you your own lantern! Take it."

Jimin stared at the lantern, her eyes wide with surprise, before slowly accepting it, feeling the weight of it in her hands. As soon as she did, Minjeong immediately grabbed a lighter from next to the picnic basket and touched the flame to the bottom of the lantern, igniting it with a soft glow.

The lantern, now feeling the warmth of the flame beneath it, began to ascend from Jimin's grasp, carried a woosh of wind that passed by them. Both women's eyes followed it intently as it journeyed upwards, their faces illuminated by the flickering orange light, lost in the mesmerizing sight.

"Look! Jimin!" Minjeong exclaimed in excitement. "Your lantern is soaring higher than all the others" She points at the floating object with her index finger.

Jimin's chest suddenly filled with a bubbly sense of warmth as she continued to watch the floating lantern soar higher and higher, pushing past the others in the process, its light illuminating the night sky. "You're right! It is..." She said in awe, her eyes shimmering with excitement as she turned to Minjeong with a golden smile lighting up her face. "It's the best one!" She laughed out loud, overwhelmed with happiness, before looking back up to admire the scenery above, lost now in her own little world of wonder.

But Minjeong once again found herself unable to fully appreciate the spectacle that Jimin was enjoying. No... she just couldn't focus on the lanterns illuminating the night sky at all...

Rather the only thing that had completely took up the woman's visual frame... was the actress herself. Jimin... somehow... unwittingly, had become the focal point of Minjeong's attention yet again..

This moment right here reminded the blonde of the first time she had taken Jimin out to a viewing point, after the older had fought her graciously to even get through the hiking trail. It reminded her of how absolutely gorgeous Jimin had looked gazing among the city lights below them that night...

It's funny... how many months had it been since then?

She couldn't quite remember anymore...

But what she did know was, the feelings that stirred up inside of her that night, was nothing compared to how Minjeong felt right now...

Could you believe... she had once naively thought that the silver glisten of the bright moonlight had been the best light to ever illuminate over Jimin... to enhance her already beautiful features into something that was more beautiful than a classical painting....

God had she been wrong...

Dead wrong.

The flickering hues of orange and gold enveloped Jimin like a gentle embrace, casting her in a warm glow. With each shimmer, her eyes danced with a sparkling gleam, reflecting the enchanting light. And her smile, oh, her smile, it beamed with a brilliance that outshone even the most radiant of lights.

This Jimin...

Right here.

Right now...

Was a picture Minjeong had captured permanently in her heart.

An image she swears she'll never forget.

Beautiful didn't even define it any longer.

Jimin was just so much more than the mere word of beauty...

And though there weren't enough words in the dictionary to describe the very essence that is Yu Jimin to Minjeong right now...

The blonde knows in her heart... those feelings that cannot be named will never fade...

They will burn, brighter than those lanterns above them...

Brighter than the sun...

All because of Yu Jimin...

A Diva of the industry...

And an absolute angel to Minjeong's world.

"Jimin..."

As Jimin shifted her gaze back to Minjeong, the faint yellow light still danced in her eyes, casting a mesmerizing glow that seemed to envelop her entire being. In that moment, Minjeong felt utterly spellbound... Jimin wasn't human... There was no way... she's transcended for beyond the mortal realm already... resembling closer to one of a celestial being...

She's just...

She's just so perfect.

No.

What's after perfect?

Does that even exist?

Would that even be possible?

If it did then it's certainly called Yu Jimin... there no doubt about it...

In that pivotal moment, Minjeong felt an overwhelming surge of certainty wash over her. If there was ever a perfect moment to take that leap of faith with Jimin, it was now or never. With her heart pounding in her ears, Minjeong turned to face Jimin directly, summoning every ounce of courage she could muster.

"Minjeong?" The actress' eyebrows had furrowed now... staring back at the blonde who looked like she was in a daze... just standing there and looking back at her as if she was in a trance... The silence between them stretched, and Jimin couldn't shake the feeling of self-consciousness with that prolonged stare... "Is something the matter?"

"Yes.. Jimin I-" Minjeong turned into a lump in her throat.. unable to come out properly.... but she swallowed it down hard... needing to try again... "I think- I think...

She took a step back... trying her best to relax her tense body but to no avail...

"I'm in love with you"

...

Jimin's felt her heart skipped a beat as Minjeong's words hung in the air, electrifying the space between them. She felt her breath hitch as own eyes began to widen slowly in disbelief with the shorter woman's words slowly registering in her brain...

For a second...time seemed to stand still as Jimin processed the weight of those precious words—words she hadn't heard, or ever expected to hear directed at herself in a long time. This wasn't like the casual mentions on social media or the adoring murmurs from fans where that precious L word would be thrown around carelessly without any consequence...

No... this was different.

This felt much more genuine... more from the heart.... and more meaningful...

Her lips parts in desperation... wanting to say something.. anything back to Minjeong.. but nothing could come out... not even a small breath of air... she was speechless... literally dumbfounded.

"And I, um," Minjeong continues, her voice trembling, oblivious to Jimin's sudden distress. "I know this is sudden and quite selfish of me, honestly... You just went through the biggest audition of your life, and here I am unloading my thoughts and feelings onto you. But... but I... Uh..." She takes a deep breath through her nose and out through her mouth, subtley wiping her sweaty palms on the side of her shorts "I don't know what's coming over me right now.. but I just really want you to know.. Jimin.. you mean a lot to me and um-.. I wanted to do something special for you today to celebrate you getting your part, I really did... But under these lanterns... and the moonlight... and in this scenery... you just... you just looked so perfect... and my chest feels like it's getting filled to the brim with the amount of butterflies you're causing me, and my head is so filled with thoughts of you, it gets overwhelming... and all I can think of in that second was, 'Wow... Minjeong, if you don't confess now, when will you ever be able to?' So I just... I..." She closes her mouth in a thin line.

"I'm sorry," she finally says again after stopping her rambling self. "I've always had a problem with mouthing out my thoughts uncontrollably. Sometimes I need to consciously shut it up for it to stop... I don't know why I'm doing it even now... I must be nervous... I..." She stops herself once more, lowering her head as she closes her eyes and takes in another deep breath. "I think what I'm trying to say is..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Yu Jimin... I- I-"

Oh lord... this was hard.. and Minjeong usually never has issues with just speaking her mind...

But this... this was something else...

"Minjeong-"

"I love you, Yu Jimin," she finally said through one whole breath. "And I always want to be there for you through thick and thin. I want to be there. I promise I'll stand beside you—even if the whole world turns against you, I'll always be behind you, supporting, pushing you forward... I want that more than anything... So please... Jimin..." The girl consciously straightens her arms so her hands would stop shaking. "Will you be min-" She cuts herself off abruptly, not because of any other reason... but because...

Seeing tears, like glistening gems, roll down Jimin's cheeks.. to put quite simply... literally sent Minjeong into an absolute panic frenzy.

"JIMIN, OMG-" The blonde quickly paced forward, her hands cupping the taller's cheeks as she wiped away those tears with her thumb softly. "Did I say something wrong? Did something hurt you!? Are you okay?" Her words were interrupted again, but this time it was because Jimin immediately shoved her head into Minjeong's shoulders as her own hands clasped onto the blonde's shirt.

"How..." The taller woman shook between small sobs. "How are you able to say stuff like that so easily, Minjeong?" Her grip tightened, crumpling the shorter woman's shirt in the process. "How are you able to say your thoughts and confess your feelings like that so effortlessly.. how are you so easy going... how does it just come so naturally to you?.. and why.. Minjeong- I don't understand, I don't get it at all, why do you keep putting in so much effort for me? Why is it when every time I'm with you, I feel like I'm all you see.. why do you make me feel like I'm the only person in the world.... Why Minjeong!" Her words were getting louder now, before finally lifting her head back up, revealing misty eyes "Why do you make me feel so happy!? But so scared at the same time.. like I shouldn't be liking any of this... as if I should be feeling guilty for enjoying what you're doing for me- to me. Like I should brace myself, in case all this goes away one day... because I can't stand that. I can't even bear the thought of it, Minjeong. Just... why? Why are you doing this?"

"..." Minjeong was taken aback, unsure how to address those questions. "I- I don't know... I think," she paused, pondering for a moment. "I think it's just when I'm with you, those thoughts become so overwhelming, they just come out of me without thinking... Jimin... It's because I love you. I really love you—so much. These days, I can't fall asleep without thinking about you. You're the only thing that spirals through my head every day... It's actually insane. I see you when I close my eyes, and when you're not there... I miss you so much it hurts. I think I'm going crazy... I mean, we see each other so often, I work for you, for God's sake, but yet I can't bear the second you're not there... I can't put any other explanation to it. There's no other excuse..." She gently angled Jimin's head so she could look into the actress' glossy eyes. "It's just love... Jimin... I just love you. That's why I want to do all this for you. Wholeheartedly. It doesn't tire me one bit, because I know it's for you. So please don't hold back... not from me... don't feel scared... I'm here... I'll always be here. I won't leave you, I won't stop cherishing you. I just want you and only you... So Jimin..."

I want to love you.. I want to keep being here.. with you... days feel more meaningful when I'm by your side... so... will you let me continue to be by your side..? as more than your manager... more than your friend... Yu Jimin... I love you."

Jimin wanted to say something—anything. She desperately wanted to say those three words back. She reached deep within and tried to claw them out.

But nothing.

Nothing would come out.

Those words had been something she had caged so deep into her heart.... it was almost impossible to reach... Throughout her life, saying them genuinely had only caused her the greatest curse.... of all time...

The greatest heartache of them all...

It had caused her world to shatter over and over again, leaving behind a trail of broken promises and shattered dreams. Each time she had uttered those words they had been met with disappointment, betrayal, and heartache, leaving scars that ran deep within her soul.

To protect herself from further pain, she had locked those words down deep within herself, burying them beneath layers of fear and mistrust. She vowed to never let the locks see the light of day ever again, fearing that if she dared to speak those words once more, they would only bring more destruction and sorrow into her life. So, she kept them hidden, shielding herself from the vulnerability they represented...

but now.. in this moment... that one thing that she kept so carefully hidden... was also the only thing she wanted to give back to Minjeong...

The only cage she ever wanted to unlock...

But she couldn't- She can't... she just couldn't find the key...

It was held back by her shadow... that shadow of fear.... fear that if she said it, history would repeat itself once again and she would spiral into that devilish dark void just like before...But this time, the stakes were higher, the consequences more dire. For the person she risked losing was none other than Minjeong herself. The mere thought of it sent a shiver down her spine, a chill that echoed the depths of her soul.

"I- I" Jimin attempted again... as if she was fighting against herself...

It wasn't fair... it wasn't fair on Minjeong at all.. if she didn't say it back soon. These emotions, this love that she harboured for Minjeong, it was vast and all-encompassing, stretching beyond the confines of her heart and soul.

So why- Why can't she just say it.

Why can't she just say those three damn simple words that defines everything she's ever felt for the younger?

Why is it... even now she's still unable to break free form the chains of her own fear...

Her body felt tense... her throat felt dry. No air would come out. Nothing.

There was nothing...

And it frustrated Jimin so so much.. her tears poured out even more as she continued to struggle with her internal turmoil... with her eyes shut closely together...

Before...

She felt a soft touch on the back of her head, pulling her in, into a gently yet soft protective cocoon...

"Shhhh, Jimin... It's okay..." Minjeong murmured soothingly, her voice was as gentle as the night breeze. "Don't force yourself to say it, if you're not ready.. I understand... You don't owe me anything okay." She pressed a tender kiss to Jimin's forehead, her lips lingering there for a moment as she silently promised to be the anchor that would keep Jimin steady in the storm. "You don't have to worry about saying the right thing to me Jimin.. The world had been a cruel place to you.. and I all want to be, is someone who can shine a torch for you when things get too dark... or someone who is able to lift that mountain with you, so you don't have to bear the weight alone.. or whatever you're lifting it doesn't have to be a mountain-" Minjeong quickly facepalms herself as she came to realise her analogy didn't come out as smooth as the way she wished it did. "My point is Jimin.. You don't need to say it. Not right now.. Because to me, you just being here is already everything I could ever ask for... and when one day, you are ready to say it... or if it ever happens.. I'll be right here... still beside you, no matter what."

"..." Hearing that from the blonde only made Jimin cry even more...

How...

Just how was Minjeong like this?

How is she so gentle with her words...

How is she so genuine...? So kind... ?

It's just not real... it's too good to be true... No one has ever said anything alike that to Jimin before...

No one has ever treated Jimin with such sincerity.. such softness...

Such love...

She's everything... everything and more than Jimin could ever ask for...

Yet here she was.. still speechless... absolutely flabbergasted.. unable to speak even a word after the blonde had basically poured her heart out.

"But.. Jimin.. I.. um" Minjeong wasn't done just yet... a certain vulnerability and uncertainty began clouding her eyes... it was a dark colour that tugged at Jimin's heartstrings making her wanting to wash away that colour immediately... "I want you... to myself... exclusively," she confessed, her voice tinged with a raw honesty that left Jimin breathless. "I want you to be mine.. and only mine... because- because I'm just selfish...very selfish... I don't want to share you with anyone else- I can't even handle thinking about it... so Jimin.. will- Will you be mine..?" Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of her raw confession, as she nervously awaited Jimin's response. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for whatever answer might come, steeling her heart against the possibility of rejection, yet hoping against hope... that maybe... just maybe Jimin would accept her....

...

...

Seconds past in silence... enough for the blonde's anxiety to build-up.. but just as she began to thought she had said way too much and had shoot way beyond her shot-

"Yes"

...

...

Minjeong opened her eyes...

...

...

...

"Yes..?" She wasn't sure if she had heard correctly.

"Yes Minjeong!" Jimin repeated her eyes still filled to the brim with tears.. but her lips were curved with the biggest smile of relief the blonde had ever seen... "YES! I want you too- no I need you... I want to be with you too, I want you to be beside me... all the time- I want that more than anything. Yes Minjeong! Yes!"

It's funny really...

Jimin had struggled so much to get even an air of word out before...

But saying yes to being Minjeong's? Yeah.. that came out so easily...

So naturally....

like she had prepared in front of the mirror everynight for that moment to say she wanted to be with her idiot blondie...

And perhaps...

Maybe.. just maybe... she did practice... a little bit..

But only in her head.

And never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she would be uttering her practice into fruition through an endless faucet of tears.

"YES!" Minjeong repeats ecstatically, unable to stay still as she felt her body getting all giddy "YES!" She said again, wanting to practically star jump over the huge moon above them. "Then Jimin- does that mean you'll be my girlfriend?"

"Oh my god- what kind of question even is that you just asked me-" Jimin halts herself... she would be lying if she had said she expected anything else from THE Kim Minjeong "Yes Minjeong, that means I'm your girlfriend" She said a matter of fact.

And the blonde... well...

Happy probably isn't a the right word to describe what she was feeling right now.

Because the woman was basically in her own paradise.. utterly elated and relieved now that Jimin had agreed to be official with her...

It was just so surreal...

'Then- then..." Minjeong continued again... trying her best to contain herself. "Can I kiss you?"



And with a small, but sure nod from the actress...

Minjeong didn't hold back any longer...

Closing the distance between them, her touch feather-light, she cupped Jimin's face in her hands, allowing her lips to meet Jimin's in a tender embrace.

Fireworks from the lantern festival began sparkling around them as the crowd cheered underneath in celebration for the amazing event..

But neither woman could hear it..

It was all just a distant noise behind them...

As their entire attention was completely captured onto each other.

As soon as Jimin felt Minjeong's lips on hers, she felt a surge of longing and desire course through her veins. Without hesitation, her arms instinctively wrapped around the blonde's neck, pulling her closer in a desperate embrace. Their kiss, at first gentle, quickly ignited into something more profound and passionate. Each touch, each caress, fueled the flames of desire between them, transforming their innocent kisses into a dance of intertwined longing and passion... a fire that burned with such intensity it threatened to consume the both of them at once.

Their bodies melded together seamlessly, as if they were two halves of the same whole..

As if they were just made for each other...

As if they were soulmates.

"Mine.. Minjeong murmured amidst their passionate kiss.. her words barely audible as she struggled for air... yet she still clung to Jimin with an unyielding grip, unwilling to release her for even a moment longer.

"Yours..." Jimin responded, breathless. Her words a pledge of her unwavering devotion to the shorter woman "All yours"

Minjeong had said to her once.. that when the time came and she gets to kiss the actress first for a change... she had wanted it be perfect... but never in Jimin's wildest dreams did she expect the younger to actually pull through with that plan.... because this wasn't just perfect...

It was everything and beyond...

Their hold on each other tightened, their bodies drawn together as if bounded by an unbreakable force before collapsing onto the plush grass beneath them. But even as their physical embrace deepened, their lips remained locked.. not daring to break away from each other apart for a few split seconds where one needed to come back up for air...

Above them, the fireworks has reached it's crescendo, showering the night sky with a pattern of bright shimmering rain as it neared it's finale, rapidly firing golden rocket flowers after flowers.... to deem itself worthy for such a beautiful night...

But for Jimin and Minjeong...

Though the fireworks had ended...

Their radiant journey together had only just begun—a journey filled with uncertainty, challenges, and countless possibilities... yet through that uncertainty came a constance... and one constant only... They finally had each other to navigate through this rollercoaster called life....

and as for Jimin...

well...

For herself... let's just say... she's finally realised something quite profound tonight....

It was something that took her a while to acknowledge fully... although for some time now, she had always suspected it to be true...

That very world she had lost... all those years ago... it was finally here.. right now... in her own two arms...

Kim Minjeong... the one that she didn't know her heart had been searching for this entire time...

Her new world...

And the only world that she wanted to be placed in... for the rest of her life...

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