"Jimin, your return to Instagram just brightened up my day!"

"Finally, the queen has graced us with her presence on Instagram!"

"Can we talk about how stunning you look in that photo, Jimin? Absolutely radiant!"

"Love the new vibe, Jimin! Your happiness is contagious!"

"Jimin, you're glowing! Whatever you're doing, keep it up!"

"Seriously, Jimin, who's the lucky person making you smile like that? spill the tea!"

"Big shoutout to whoever captured this moment! You've captured Jimin's joy perfectly!"

"Jimin, you're like a breath of fresh air on my feed! So glad to see you back and looking amazing!"

"Can we just take a moment to appreciate Jimin's genuine smile? It's everything! "

"Jimin, your happiness is our happiness! Keep shining, queen!"

"Wow, such a different vibe from your usual posts, you look happy!"

"Jiminnnn! I'm in love!!"

"Awww Jimin, you look so much happier!"

"WHO WERE YOU WITH TO MAKE YOU SMILE LIKE THAT JIMIN!"

"I don't know who the photographer is, but THANK YOU, JIMIN YOU LOOK SO HAPPY!"

Happy

A wide grin stretched across Minjeong's face as she scrolled through the comments on Jimin's latest post,

That being the candid shot, Minjeong took the other day when they were at the aquarium.

And it was the one and only image Jimin had shared for her recent post... and to Minjeong's surprise, the actress hadn't even mentioned it to her at all... Minjeong just stumbled upon it herself later that night, after coming back from their little aquarium date....

But it didn't matter...

Because watching this Jimin get so many welcoming engagement made Minjeong happy.

Her fans are right, I am a bloody good photographer, and she doesn't look good, she looks perfect!

The blonde began humming to herself, her feet dangling from the side her bed as she continued to scroll through the comment section. Each compliment of Jimin within the photo making her chest feel ever so lighter as she secretly wanted to like every single comment that had complimented her girlfriend.

Earlier, Minjeong had whispered sweet goodnights to Jimin, planting affectionate kisses on her cheek before heading off to her own room, preparing for the big day awaiting her on the film set. The actress had a hectic big day tomorrow, being the first day of filming tomorrow, it was going to be filled with hustle and bustle... so with that in mind the two women mutually agreed to call it a night earlier than usual.

This sudden filming session was abrupt too, Jimin technically should have had another week of practice, but the directors wanted to introduce the other co-lead who would be serving as Jimin's character's love interest within the movie, and thought it would be a good idea to have a few simple key shots filmed while everyone was gathered for a small greetings and introductions.

Apparently this co-lead announcement was suppose to be a big deal too, considering his revealment had been kept completely secret from the public and currently hired actors and staff as well.

Which brings us to the reason why Minjeong found herself slipping into her pyjamas a good two hours ahead of her usual bedtime. However, unable to easily succumb to sleep at her without it being her accustomed hours, she decided to extend her night for a quick scroll through social media. And what could lift her spirits more than witnessing the outpouring love and adoration directed at her girlfriend through the safe compounds of the comment section? Especially when Minjeong had played a part in capturing that perfect photo.

Call her a whipped girlfriend...

But she just loved seeing the support Jimin was getting.

It just makes her feel justified...

Because she too also thought Jimin was the most amazing women the blonde had ever layed eyes on.

However, that little happy high of hers could only last for so long...

Because as she continued to scroll through with little worry of the world, on her stomach now as her legs were waving back and forth... Abruptly, her thumb came to a sudden halt, frozen mid-swipe, as her eyes caught sight of a comment that demanded a double take of her attention:

"I bet the person who took your photo is Jihoon! That must be why you look so happy today"

Jihoon.

Lord, why does that name seem to always conveniently pop up at the worse of time... whenever the blonde had completely forgotten about him too.

Right...

He was still in the picture after all.

Everyone still thinks Jimin and Jihoon are still dating.....

well...

'Dating'

The relationship that should've lasted around 2 months ended up breaking that record by 4 times and it's still going.

Suddenly, scrolling felt like a chore, and the comments, once uplifting, now seemed to mock her. All Minjeong could focus on was the absence of any official statement from Jimin or Jihoon's company confirming the end of their little made up relationship.

Minjeong's felt her jaw tighten as she hastily swiped her phone screen off, plunging the room into darkness and plopping her back right onto her mattress. And just like that... she layed still for a moment, hoping that the quiet solitude of her dimly lit bedroom would offer her some form of peace.... but it was of no use. Her mind just wouldn't shut up.

Rolling onto her side now, the blonde squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to banish the images of Jihoon and Jimin together that seemed to only want to race through her head further. Yet, like stubborn shadows, they lingered on... clutching for dear life... refusing to go away.

It was tormenting...

Minutes felt like they were being stretched into an eternity as she tossed and turned, trapped in a vortex of these never-ending spiral of uninviting thoughts....

It seemed... sleep wasn't going to come to her any time soon despite her best efforts to quiet her mind...

But why did she even have any of these troubles in the first place?

The relationship was fabricated.

They were all lies...

Minjeong knows that.

She knows that very well,

it's a fact...

The very falsehood of it's existence should have been enough to soothe any concerns, yet here she was laying waste to her own insecurities.

It wasn't logical, she knew that much. The relationship was a charade, a carefully crafted illusion for the sake of the public eye. But logic seemed powerless against the relentless tide of emotion that swept through her.

It was bizarre, and in all honesty, perhaps even a bit of an immature thought process... but the mere existence of that fake relationship.. made her own relationship with Jimin feel rather diminished...

if that made any sense at all...

The idea of hiding their real relationship behind a façade for the sake of public image didn't sit right with Minjeong. It felt like denying their truth, burying their genuine connection beneath layers of falsehoods created for the public eye. Yet, she recognized the relentless hold of industry standards, and for Jimin's sake, there wasn't much she could do but play along, remaining in the background and letting events unfold without interference....

Besides... what could she do?

She and Jimin...

They were both women...

Considering Jimin's a-lister status, disclosing their relationship in a conservative country where her career was built would only serve to harm the actress'

And Minjeong refuses to be that very reason...

There was no way, she was ever going to bring even the mere idea of that up with Jimin...

Ever...

So why...?

Why can't her heart just settle already?

Why can't she just let these never-ending feelings go.. or rather.. why can't they leave her alone?

Why does she just feel so uncomfortable with the whole ordeal.... of some made up web of lies.. in which she knew were lies...?

Was... it...

Was it because those lies, once constructed, could incentivize actions to make them become the truth..?

Minjeong doesn't know ... she just doesn't know what to do anymore.. to get rid of that feeling..

Sleep... she just wants to sleep.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

Something was wrong...

Jimin could feel it... as she sat in the passenger seat beside Minjeong, who was driving her to the set today...

They were in silence... which isn't exactly unusual on an early morning like this...

But it was the fact that this silence... was extremely EXTREMELY loud.

Too loud...

The shift in Minjeong's behaviour had been apparent from the moment Jimin started her morning routine. Stepping out of bed, she had expected her usual spread of pancakes with maple syrup, or perhaps waffles with eggs cooked to perfection... or some form of breakfast in that variety...

To her surprise, she was greeted by a simple bowl of brown cornflakes and milk, a far cry from the elaborate breakfasts she had grown accustomed to. The meal was prepared by the blonde, who usually delighted in creating morning feasts....

Now don't get Jimin wrong here.

She doesn't always expect the blonde to wake up in time to prepare an extravagant breakfast—or any breakfast at all, for that matter. After all, they haven't explicitly discussed such arrangements... and no real official agreements have taken place yet.

It's just since the blonde had moved in... she basically just assumed the role being Jimin's personal cute little private chef... and because of this... Jimin... may or may not have been seriously spoiled by that arrangement... rendering her completely accustomed to the constant pampering she had been receiving.. especially from Minjeong's golden retriever energy... which basically showered her in affection daily....

and this may sound a tad overindulgent and blatantly entitled on Jimin's behalf... but she had become so accustomed to Minjeong's nurturing ways that any deviation from their established routine left her feeling somewhat adrift.

In fact they tended to weigh heavily on Jimin's mind...way more than she would like to selfishly admit...

Just like right now.

But it wasn't solely the breakfast changes that made her feel something was off about the blonde today.

The woman had been slouchy all morning... and when the a-lister did ask her about it... Minjeong would just wave it off, attributing it to a lack of sleep the night before, but she refused to comment further on the matter... as if she was going out of her way to keep silent as to avoid the topic.

And that was the other thing too.

Minjeong's rambling mouth... it was as if someone pointed a remote to face and pressed the mute button.

Because the girl hasn't really said a word this morning unless prompted with a question.. but even then her replied were short and lacked any of her usual enthusiasm...

or 'barking' nature.

Is what Jimin likes to call it.

Usually by now... she would've shared with Jimin an odd fact that the latter would have never asked for...

Or narrate her actions throughout her morning routine...

Rr perhaps just randomly breaking into spontaneous song

But today, Minjeong hadn't done any of that...

Those were usually the actions Jimin would typically complain to the blonde about, telling her that she was being too noisy. But now, without them, she just felt a lonely sense of silence that she didn't realize how much she actually despised until now.....

And turning her head to look at the blonde woman now, who seemed to have her attention solely on the road, not even sparing a random side glance at Jimin...

yeah...

The actress didn't like it.

She didn't like it at all.

As a last resort, both to test the waters and to grab a hold of Minjeong's attention, Jimin let out an audibly loud sigh. Crossing her arms, she stared out the window on her side, hoping that her actions had been loud enough for the blonde to hear, prompting her to question Jimin about it.

...

...

Nothing...

So Jimin sighed again, but this time even louder.

...

...

...

Still nothing

Really!?

Jimin snapped her head around, struck by the haunting silence once again, to check if the blonde had even blinked. But to her disbelief, Minjeong was still just staring ahead at the road... like some sort of tired zombie...

This wasn't like Minjeong...

This wasn't like her one bit!

She would have been completely tentative by now... asking Jimin if she was alright.. or if she wanted to listen to music... or a quick kiss- or just something.. anything her rambling mouth would've conjured up with..

Not- whatever THIS was.

What is even going on!

Jimin didn't even know what to do anymore...

This was a stark departure from anything she'd experienced with her typically lively golden retriever blondie. It was as if Minjeong didn't even register Jimin's presence at all!

Minjeong wasn't giving her any of her needed attention today...

And boy... was Jimin just attention hungry...

But Minjeong usually never leaves her attention hungry!

Whatever

Rolling her eyes... she resolved to lean further away to her side and stare out the window aimlessly...

It's not like Jimin hadn't already probed Minjeong earlier, asking the blonde if anything was amiss, only to receive a flimsy excuse in return.

With a looming day of filming ahead, Jimin rationalized that her focus should be on preparing for the work ahead, regardless of the current tension with Minjeong. After all, small scenes or not, a day on set required her full attention and she can't spend the whole day just silently speculating potential reasons for Minjeong's sudden behavioural changes...

Right?

As Jimin continued gazing out the window, she attempted to absorb the passing scenery, but it all blurred into a forgettable backdrop. It was as if her eyes were open, but her mind had wandered far away from the view outside.

Like she was consciously looking... but her eyes couldn't see anything...

Instead... all that consumed her mind was none other than her precious golden retriever.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

"We're here..." Minjeong's voice cut through the tense silence as their car pulled up to their destination. The engine's hum ceased, leaving another wave of silence to elude over them. Neither woman had exchanged a single word throughout the entire journey, each lost in her own thoughts.

"You should go first. I'll grab your things," Minjeong suggested, breaking the stillness with a practical offer.

Jimin hesitated for a moment, her hand lingering on the door handle. She glanced at Minjeong one last time... giving her one last chance to come clean with what in the devil's was going on this morning...

However... receiving nothing with Minjeong unable to hold eye contact and shifting her gaze immediately... the actress finally gave up on her pursuit.

Audibly unbuckling her seatbelt, Jimin swung open the car door and stepped out onto the pavement. With a deliberate thud, she closed the door behind her, her movements slightly louder than usual.

Ah- I must've made her mad

Resting her forehead against the wheel, Minjeong heaved a heavy sigh, consumed by regret for her earlier actions. She knew, without a doubt, that Jimin must have found her behavior puzzling at best.

And replaying her earlier behaviour in her mind over and over again... only added to that regret....

She couldn't quite explain her actions either if she was being completely honest... like... she had no idea how to even address it...

All Minjeong knew was once she had found herself in that state.. there was no turning back... It was as if an invisible switch with no off button had been flipped, and she was powerless to stop herself from acting against her best interest.

The negative emotions that had brewed since the previous night lingered into the morning, casting a shadow over Minjeong's thoughts...

And now it's caused such a commotion already...

I need to make it up to her later- ah.. maybe I should talk to her before filming starts... No, we might not have enough time, and I don't want this to affect her performance today.

"Damnit..." Minjeong rolls her forehead against the wheel completely frustrated at herself for allowing thing to brew so far...

She had absolutely no idea how to fix what she had started... But surely her mind, however scattered, would come up with something...

but for now...

She resolved to focus on her duties as Jimin's manager for the time being.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

As Minjeong hurried through the bustling facility, tracing what she hoped were Jimin's steps, she searched eagerly but found no sign of the actress. Disappointed, she greeted the staff with her usual warmth, quietly assuming that Jimin had already headed to her personal trailer. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach, refusing to dissipate as she pressed on.

Instantly, regret flooded Minjeong as she grappled with her next course of action. She knew she owed Jimin an apology—that much was certain....

But the problem here lies in where, how and when...

Naturally, now with a sense of urgency riling up inside of her, this was something she would like to settle as soon as possible...

But Jimin was about to start filming soon....She feared that addressing it now might only worsen Jimin's mood, potentially undermining the hard work she had put into preparing for this week.

And Minjeong did not want to be the reason for any additional stress or distraction on such an important day for Jimin....

As Minjeong approached the A-lister's designated trailer, she couldn't shake the hesitation that gripped her. Despite her swirling emotions, she reminded herself of her duty as Jimin's manager. Stepping inside, she was immediately enveloped by the familiar scent of makeup and hairspray that permeated the air, instantly transporting her into the world of on-set preparations...

But that didn't faze her as her eyes began to roam all over the room..

For any signs of Jimin...

"Excuse me," Minjeong quickly approached the nearest makeup artist, who was busy tidying up her equipment. "Was Yu Jimin just here? I'm her manager, and I need to speak with her," she inquired, her tone polite but urgent.

"Jimin?" The woman blinked a couple of times at Minjeong, her hands juggling a couple of makeup brushes. "She just left not too long ago to get her costume fitted, she should be out now. I'm not sure why that girl even bothered sitting down here with me today, her makeup was already completely well done. I don't even think I'm needed here... If she keeps that up, I'll be out of a job," the makeup artist continued, her tone a mix of jest and seriousness that left Minjeong unsure if she was joking or not.

Mumbling a quick thanks, Minjeong dashed out of the trailer, her footsteps quickening with each stride. She didn't even know why she was suddenly in such a hurry, but the nagging feeling that something was amiss between her and Jimin refused to let her linger. It gnawed at her, urging her to address whatever discord had arisen between them. So, she pushed forward, determined to unravel the mystery and set things right.

Outside, the bustling activity of the set greeted her, a familiar symphony of motion and noise. People hurried about, setting up equipment and arranging props with practiced efficiency. It was a scene Minjeong knew all too well, having worked in a similar capacity before becoming Jimin's manager. In those days, the air was always alive with the sounds of equipment shifting and voices issuing commands.

However, what struck Minjeong as unusual was witnessing this activity firsthand. Typically, all the preparation work was completed before the actors and directors arrived on set.

Filming today must've really been a last minute decision indeed...

Minjeong's eyes began searching relentlessly again... her personal feelings aside... it was her responsibility to know the whereabouts of her client.

After a few more moments of searching, Minjeong's eyes landed on Jimin as she emerged from another trailer, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight. Jimin's costume, tailored perfectly for the ballroom scene she will be filming today with he co-lead, was an elegant masterpiece that draped her figure in flowing fabric, accentuating her every movement.

The dress seemed to shimmer against the bright lights that brightened the room... with its intricate details catching the light and casting a soft glow around Jimin as she stepped gracefully onto the set. Minjeong couldn't tear her gaze away.. her heart skipping a beat at the very sight of her.

But the longer Minjeong's eyes lingered on Jimin, the more she realized that it wasn't merely the dress that was enhancing her beauty. It was Jimin herself who made the dress look stunning...

It was in the confident sway of her movements, the twinkle in her eyes, and the genuine warmth within her presence that captivated Minjeong's heart.

Jimin possessed a natural charisma that made everything around her shine brighter... and as Minjeong observed her, she couldn't help but feel a surge butterflies gushing around inside her stomach...

Indeed, it wasn't just the dress adorning Jimin's figure—it was the essence of her being, radiating through every glance and gesture, that made her truly beautiful.

Jimin was beautiful inside and out.

Despite her reservations... her intentions.. with Minjeong at least had always been pure...

And Minjeong knew that... it had only been made more and more clear with each passing day of being with the woman...

So why was Minjeong so upset earlier again...

Over nothing but a comment?

One single comment...

Out of thousands of positive ones.

It was ridiculous really... Here she was, Kim Minjeong getting insecure over some post that a clueless person had left... when she literally had her world right there in her hands. She should have been overjoyed, ecstatic even, to be by Jimin's side. Yet, she had allowed a single stupid comment to affect her entire mood, a ripple effect that had only extended to Jimin as well.

"I'm an idiot" Minjeong mumbled to herself as her hand slowly made it's way to slap her forehead....

She definitely needed to make it up to Jimin...

definitely...

While she's in the middle of filming, maybe I'll slip out and buy her some flowers... or perhaps I'll plan a surprise outing to somewhere nice again... or maybe... I'll offer to cook her up a feast as an apology...

As Minjeong stood there, still lost in her thoughts, the bustling atmosphere around her suddenly stilled as the movie director's authoritative voice cut through the air.

"Attention, everyone!" The director's commanding presence drew all eyes to him. "Firstly, I want to thank each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication. I understand today is technically only day one, but for us to even be here today means that we've come a long way, and I have every confidence that this film will be a success."

His words were met with murmurs of agreement and appreciation from the crew, acknowledging the collective effort poured into the project.

"Now," the director continued, his tone brimming with anticipation, "it gives me great pleasure to introduce the co-lead for our film, alongside the talented Yu Jimin." He gestures at Jimin with a smile "I know this has been a long time coming and we are all just dying to know who exactly is going to play our fellow love interest"

The air seemed to crackle with anticipation as everyone awaited the announcement. Even Minjeong felt a surge of curiosity, the knowledge having been kept under wraps for some time now.

And then, the director's voice rang out with clarity, filling the space with a name that sent shockwaves through Minjeong's senses.

"I'm delighted to announce that the co-lead for our film will be none other than Kang Jihoon."

It felt as though time itself froze, as if a fault line had cracked through the fabric of reality. The announcement echoed through the air, heralding the arrival of the man himself, drawing forth a wave of jubilant cheers and excitement from the gathered crowd.

But Minjeong felt rooted in place... her eyes slowly widening as she watched the actor walk out with a wide grin on his face.. welcoming the excited crowd... before turning to Jimin and giving the woman a knowing wink....

What... what's going on... this has to be a joke right...?

Minjeong didn't even know what to think right now.... not being able to do anything but watch on as Jihoon stood next to Jimin...

her Jimin...

And snaked a hand around the very A-lister's waist.

Her heart pounded with a mixture of shock and unease, unable to tear her gaze away from the scene unfolding before her.

As Jihoon thanked the director with a charming smile, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, Minjeong's grip tightened on the edge of her shirt. She could feel the tension just mounting widely within her.

"Thank you, everyone, for this opportunity," Jihoon began, his voice carrying through the air. "I'm thrilled to be here and to work alongside such talented individuals."

"We're glad to have you on board, Jihoon," the director responded, his tone warm and welcoming. "We're all excited to see what you bring to the project."

Jihoon paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the assembled cast and crew. "And speaking of excitement," he continued, a hint of eagerness in his voice, "I have to say, I'm particularly looking forward to collaborating with Jimin. She's not only an incredible actress but also someone very special to me."

Her heart skipped a beat in the worse way possible, his words lingering in the air like an unwelcome guest. Minjeong felt a lump form in her throat, a cold shiver coursing through her veins as the implications of Jihoon's statement dawned on her. She swallowed hard, trying to dispel the tightness in her chest, but it stubbornly remained.

Unconsciously, her jaw clenched, teeth grinding against each other in a futile attempt to mask the rising tension. Her fist tightened into a small ball at her side, knuckles white with the effort to control the surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

It was a strange sensation... she's never felt like this before....

What even is this?

Anger?

Worry?

Hurt?

She couldn't put a finger on it... but it didn't matter... because one things for sure... Minjeong didn't just hate this feeling...

She freaking despises it...

On the other side of the set however, Jimin's body was tensed up as if she was under a spell, unable to shake off the uncomfortable weight of Jihoon's hand on her waist. Despite the lively atmosphere surrounding her, her senses were heightened, each sound and movement amplified as she scanned the crowd and equipment over and over again...

Her eyes were piercing through every section....

Searching and searching... until they finally landed on a familiar figure that was the only thing that was able to calm her nerves in this shocking time....

Minjeong....

Their gazes locked across the sea of faces, and in an instant, Minjeong's initial dark and fiery expression softened. It was replaced with a look of sincere worry and concern as she couldn't help but notice the unease reflected in Jimin's eyes.

In that moment...

Minjeong's heart clenched with the urge to dash over and liberate Jimin from the man's hold. She felt an intense longing to whisk her away, to cocoon her in safety and shield her from whatever discomfort awaited. Her sole desire was to gather Jimin close, to escape with her together to wherever they can go as long as it was far away from here.

But she couldn't.

In the current landscape of the industry, it reigned as the one and only King.

And the monarch has announced that the 'lovers' must perform together in the year's most anticipated film.

And the sheer knowledge of that was absolutely killing Minjeong on the inside.

So there she was...

Unable to do anything but stand there and watch her girlfriend be wrapped in the arm of another man...... Minjeong could do nothing but brace herself for whatever rollercoaster of a storm she had a feeling was coming her way...

But despite her own sense of unease about the entire situation.... the blonde wasn't concerned about herself at all...

She just wanted to make sure that Jimin was okay...

"Breaking news: Power Couple of the Year, Kang Jihoon and Yu Jimin to Star as Romantic Leads in Highly Anticipated Film"