"Achoooo!"

The a-lister blew out her nose for what felt like the thousandth time today. It's hardly even been over 48 hours since she came down with the flu and the girl had already went through one whole tissue box already.

This had to just be a new record for her at this rate..

"Ugh, I feel awful," Jimin groaned as she collapsed onto the welcoming embrace of her bed, shutting her eyes tight.

It had been a couple of days since her abrupt departure from Minjeong's place, following their... let's just say, rather... intimate encounter.

Not even given a further moment to process that situation properly... Jimin diligently went straight into rehearsing for her upcoming audition, dubbed as one of most important ones in her career by far, promising international success immediately... That alone was enough to set her nerves on edge... however, as she poured herself into line practice, having full determination to put on the best performance possible, amidst countless resisting, she suddenly found herself with a scratchy throat that she ignored at first... which only spiralled into a full-blown soreness, causing her voice to crack and falter.

And that was when she knew she was screwed.

Approaching someone with a 40-degree fever? Yeah.. definitely not the wisest decision Jimin had made.

There were self-isolation recommendations for a reason after all...

At the time, it might have seemed like a minor inconvenience, but now Jimin was learning first-hand why those rules existed in the first place.

Jun-woo wouldn't even be able to scold her if he had wanted to. Once he found out about the actress' current health situation, it was clear she would have to miss the audition again, despite it already being rescheduled once for her sake.

No one controls when they get sick after all...

Or perhaps in Jimin's case... considering all her parameters here, she could've controlled it a little bit... if she had only controlled herself a little bit.

But she was never going to let Jun-woo know that.

Not in a million years.

Besides the CEO might've been mad, but things did eventually worked out.

It was just her luck that the organizers of the audition seemed hell-bent on having her attend the event no matter what, going as far as pushing the schedule back yet again. And even though the a-lister wasn't there to see it herself, she had a good feeling Junwoo had practically bowed on a 120 degrees angle apologising to them and promising them that no matter what, he was going to make sure Jimin would be present next time.

That was great and all, but it meant the actress had less than eight days to get better. While it seemed like a lot of time, given her current state, Jimin didn't know anymore. Her fever didn't last as long, which was a relief, but her nose remained so blocked that she hadn't been able to get a good night's sleep at all. She swore that once she gets better, she would never take a good inhale through the nose for granted again.

But despite everything, she was honestly just growing weary of the stagnant air, thick with illness, that surrounded her.

She was sick and tired of being sick and tired...

DING DONG

"urgh" The actress quickly unveils the blanket that she had just pulled over her head.

The woman normally doesn't get visitors, but today was an exception. She had ordered a steaming bowl of hot chicken stew with ginseng, convinced by some article she had skimmed that it held the key to conquering her current bout of cold and flu.

The doorbell's insistent chime confirmed the arrival of her delivery, likely brought by her very own humble security guard. He was a veteran in his 50s who had just returned from a month-long vacation with his family overseas. Although they had known each other since Jimin first rose to popularity, their interactions were usually limited to brief greetings. Nevertheless, he had been her trusted bodyguard since the beginning. Despite the lack of deep conversation, the length of their professional relationship had fostered a sense of comfort between them. He was one of the very few people in the world with whom the actress felt at ease, allowing her to drop the facade of celebrity and reveal a more authentic side of herself. With him, she could meet without makeup, regardless of the occasion.

And boy, was Jimin really not feeling herself today.

She reluctantly dragged herself out of bed and glanced over at her wardrobe mirror, only to quickly avert her eyes in dismay.

Her nose was completely red from constantly blowing into tissues to the point she went through a whole box, her eyes had two very dark bags underneath them from her lack of sleep last night... Her lips were chapped, and her skin felt as dry as the Sahara desert, having abandoned her 15-step skincare routine since falling ill.

Yeah, as someone who cared deeply about her appearance in public, Jimin would die—DIE—if anyone was to ever see her like this.

Thank god it's just him... I don't have to try at all

She thought to herself before draping her fluffy blanket over her back to cover the PJ's underneath and finally making her way downstairs.

She really needed that hot stew and fast...

Opening her front door, expecting to look up at a taller middle aged man... Jimin instead, had to slightly lower her head.. to meet a particular blonde, holding a big paper bag with both hands, with large dough eyes staring right back at her...

"Oh Jimin!" Minjeong greets, her expression brightening as soon as the door opened to reveal the taller in front of her.... her sunshine happy aura seriously juxtaposing against the dark gloomy aura from Jimin's flu..;"

.

..

...

....

BAMMMMM

"Wait, Jimin!" Minjeong called out, startled as the door shut abruptly in her face whilst had dashed right upstairs back into her room.

OUT OF EVERYONE OF COURSE IT HAS TO BE HER

Immediately, it was like a hurricane wooshed through her room as she began frantically searching for any of her millions of products that she could use to slap on to look barely human again.

She just wasn't ready!

She wasn't ready at all!

Her skin was too dry, she hadn't even had the chance to moisturise it!

Where was her BB cream!? She needed to cover up her dark eye circles stat!

Oh lord chapsticks! Where the hell did Jimin put her chapsticks!?

Did she even properly brush her hair once today!?

The actress was a rushing mess, barely able to coordinate any of her essentials.

Damnit Damnit Damnit

Not right now...

Jimin really didn't need Minjeong to see her like this..

Out of all the times the blonde could surprise visit her, why did it have to be right now.

She hopes to god, the blonde didn't get a good look at her sick ghastly face at all... she swears if she turns around and sees the girl right there again, she was seriously going to internally curse at herself, but she was going to do it very VERY loudly.

"JIMIN!"

'SHIT'TAKE MUSHROOMS!!

"Minjeong!" The A-lister scrambled to cover herself with a blanket, attempting to hide her self-perceived less-than-glamorous appearance. "How did you get in!? I swear I slammed the door on you."

"You slammed it so hard the door bounced right back open. Now, why in the world would you do that?" The blonde took a step closer, prompting Jimin to retreat. "Jimin?"

"Stay back!"

"What why!"

"Minjeong, I swear to god if you get sick again we are never going to make it to my audition!"

"Oh come on, you know the reason you're sick was because you barged into my room just like this last time, I can't get myself sick from getting you sick back to myself twice after being sick with the same sick okay, so don't worry"

...

...

...

".... that doesn't even make any sense-" The taller thinks her brain might've just lost two braincells trying to decipher whatever the shorter had just spouted up.

"And why are you hiding behind your blanket like that?" Minjeong continued to walk forward until Jimin's back was pressed up against the wall. She panicked as Minjeong reached out to touch her blanket, threatening to pull it down from her face. "No, stop!"

"Jimin..."

"I'm not ready- You can't see me like this"

"They can't see me like this- Please Minjeong get me out I can't I can't let them-"

Those familiar words evoked a slight melancholy in the blonde as she watched the A-lister continue to try to hide herself...

"Hey..." She reached out to caress the actress's cheeks through the blanket. "It's me, okay? It's just me," she reassured.

"It's because it's you! You definitely can't see" Jimin insisted, holding up the blanket even higher than before to block Minjeong out.

"I won't judge you. I like the way you look without makeup, remember? I think you look beaut-"

"No! This is different, I have a cold and I look ugly!"

"No you don't!"

"Yes I do, I have panda eyes and my lips are so dry they bled a little this morning... BLED, Minjeong. My lips are never that dry for it to rip!"

"Huh... that's true, I suppose," Minjeong replied, her gaze softening as she remembered their intimate moment. "I would know. They felt luscious when they touched against mine..."

...

...

...

Ok in all fairness, Minjeong winced internally at her own lack of filter, realizing she'd spoken before she could consider the consequences of her verbal actions

So when Jimin went ahead and forcefully pushed her as a result, she gladly accepted that as her punishment. She supposed she deserved that for her tactless big mouth...

"Urgh!" Even behind the blanket, Jimin's embarrassment was very noticeable. Minjeong, feeling the force placed upon her chest, fumbled back a couple of steps before rebalancing herself...

"Sorry..." her voice softened with sincerity. "I just mean, Jimin, you're beautiful, okay?" She took a cautious step forward, closing the distance between them. "I really mean it." Her hands gently touched the fabric of the blanket once again., "And I saw you just now at the door, didn't I? You look really pretty! Even when you have a cold, you look beautiful."

...

"You really think so?" Jimin finally peaked her eyes out, just enough to meet Minjeong's.

"If you haven't noticed by now, I'm not exactly skilled at telling lies," The blonde admitted with a sheepish smile.

With Minjeong's gentle encouragement, Jimin hesitantly allowed the blanket to be drawn away, unveiling her flushed cheeks and nervous expression.

"Oh..." the shorter's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight before her. "You're stunning..." Her voice was barely above a whisper as she gazed at Jimin with admiration and affection.

She honestly had no idea what the actress was on about one bit or why she was afraid of showing her face so much....

Because even like this Jimin... just looked so freaking to perfect to her...

The woman had a beautiful red hue dusted across her cheeks... her sleepy eyes gazing back at Minjeong with such intensity that it took all the blonde's willpower not to let her jaw drop to the ground in astonishment. Her flawless skin retained its radiant glow, devoid of any dryness, resembling a luminous moon in the night sky. And her lips, oh, they remained as luscious and inviting as ever, defying Jimin's attempts to convince Minjeong otherwise.

Crap... I think I'm in love..

Perfect... Jimin is just so perfect no matter what happens, that constance will never change in Minjeong's eyes.

As Minjeong continued to gaze at her with unabashed bewilderment, Jimin found herself unable to look away, ensnared by the intensity of their shared aura. In that moment, time seemed to stand still as the two became lost in a small trance...

And soon.. they couldn't hear a thing around them, completely oblivious to the world around them.

Not the chirping of birds outside.. or the ticking of Jimin's large analogue clock mounted to her baby blue wall

All they could hear was the loud thumping of their heartbeats, synchronizing in rhythm...

Minjeong's eyes followed Jimin's gaze as it slowly moved lower, and she found herself drawn to the soft curve of Jimin's lips... Those very lips that had captivated her, drawing her into a blissful euphoria not even that long ago...

As that particular memory fills up her sense once again for what felt like an endless amount of time now, It was as if that same sparkly, pink, heavy tension had once again filled the room around them.

With every ounce of restraint she possessed, Minjeong fought the urge to lean in, feeling as though even the slightest nudge would send her tumbling into Jimin's embrace once again...

"Why are you here, Minjeong"

...

"Hu- huh?" The blonde blinked a couple of times, finally snapping out of her trance to Jimin's voice as the older was the first to break away their eye contact. "Oh!" She promptly holds up the bag she was holding up to the older after registering her words "I brought ingredients, you probably wouldn't have any energy to cook for yourself right? So I thought I will cook for you today instead!"

Jimin eyed the bag carefully, listening to every word Minjeong had said. "You can cook?"

"Of course, I can cook! What—" Minjeong's confidence faltered as Jimin interrupted.

"I find that seriously hard to believe."

"Hey! What do you mean" >:(

"Minjeong, I've been to your place before. I saw those opened containers of instant noodles everywhere, and also I saw opened noodle wrappers in your car the first time I ever stepped in. Remember? Thinking about it now... why the hell were there noodle wrappers in your car... do you eat them raw...?"

"I—" The blonde shut her mouth into a small line, knowing she wasn't going to win this one. "I cook when I have time alright... Like today!" She held up the bag above her head with a bright smile. "Besides, why are you calling me out here? I've hardly ever seen you eat any real food outside of salad and that concoction you call coffee."

"I'll have you know, Kim Minjeong," Jimin declared, dropping the blanket she had been hiding behind and placing her hands on her hips, her fear of showing her bare face when sick long behind her. "That is single-handedly the best coffee in existence."

"Coffee? You mean your mango milkshake with a tiny dash of coffee flavour in it" The girl retorted, holding up her index finger and thumb that were mere millimetres apart from touching each other to emphasise her point.

"Whatever..." Rolling her eyes, the taller promptly plopped herself back onto her bed. "What do you have in there anyway?" She pointed at the bag.

"Oh, you know, some pork belly, tofu, green onions, gochujang, stock, and kimchi, all ingredients for—"

"Kimchi Jjigae..." The actress finished Minjeong's sentence..

"I read that it's the perfect food to heal the sniffles and fix hunger at the same time" Minjeong continued with a cute warm smile.. "Would this be something you'll like to eat?"

"I love kimchi jjigae," Jimin mumbled with a glint of sparkle in her eyes, hearing that it was what Minjeong had in mind to make. Her stomach began rumbling straight away just imagining the dish...

In all honesty, Jimin rarely finds herself in the kitchen these days. With her skyrocketing fame, grocery shopping has become a luxury, and she often relies on delivery services for meals at home. When her schedule is packed, the company provides meal plans, and lately, if the formers are not viable options she just makes Minjeong grab her whatever she wanted to eat.

Truth be told, Jimin couldn't recall the last time she enjoyed a homemade dish..

Delivery had really taken over that part for her..

"Oh!" Jimin exclaimed, a sudden recollection of her chicken stew that she had ordered earlier dawning on her. "Sorry, Minjeong, I actually ordered a stew... It's probably on its way by now, and it's too late to cancel."

The blonde's raised arms suddenly drops back down. "Oh... " Her shoulders slumped down a few inches "That's ok.." Her disappointment was evident, realising her cooking plan wasn't going to be in fruition today... though she put on a small smile in an attempt to cover that up. "They were just old ingredients in the house anyway, it was going to go off if I didn't use it quickly, so no big deal at all, if you already have other plans."

"Right.."

Minjeong had said that, but somehow knowing the girl's instant noodle consumption habits now, Jimin found it seriously hard to believe that the shorter just so happened to have had random ingredients lying around the house, just like that, which also just so happens to be the very ingredients used for this particular stew that was good for colds.... Looking over towards the blonde, her eyes couldn't help but travel down towards her jean pockets... specifically. towards a white docket paper that had peeked out from the opening.

A receipt that had been shoved in there after a grocery run... if she had to guess.

Jimin's eyes travelled back to Minjeong's face, where she found the blonde pouting and staring at her fidgeting feet. "Actually, I can eat both. I'm feeling quite hungry anyway," Jimin offered, hoping to lift the mood.

Minjeong's gloomy expression immediately brightened at Jimin's words. "Really?" she asked, her excitement bubbling up.

"Absolutely. And if not, we're two people. I only ordered one portion, but we can finish two stews,"

"You're right! You're so right. Wow Jimin, you're so smart" Minjeong exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious, as she practically skipped out the door. The girl was acting way too sunshine happy over the idea of cooking a stew, "Your kitchen is on the left right?" The girl, prancing now, enquires as she turned to her right.

"Left, Minjeong, it's on the left, downstairs" Jimin had to yell out to correct the younger despite her slightly sore throat.

She listened as Minjeong's footsteps pattered around the house, stopping and turning back past her room, followed by a triumphant "Ah huh!" Signally to Jimin the blonde had found what she was looking for.

With a small grin, the actress quickly looks down and shakes her head amusingly.

"Cute," she whispered, but her words were interrupted by a sudden cough, a reminder of her lingering illness that she had momentarily forgotten from Minjeong's antics.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

Jimin nestled into the cozy embrace of her living room couch, the soft cushions providing a much-needed refuge from her achy body. From this spot, she had a prime view of the bustling kitchen where Minjeong darted around like a whirlwind, her blonde hair bouncing with each hurried step, grabbing seasoning, utensils and began chopping up her ingredients. There was a certain charm to the way the blonde navigated around.. and for the first time in a long time it felt like Jimin's typically unused kitchen suddenly found it's purpose again.. Minjeong didn't even have Jimin tell her where anything was, she just tinkered around until she figured everything out on her own, giving the taller woman a chance to rest her throat.

Jimin had offered to help out of politeness, but Minjeong brushed off her concerns with a wave of her hand. "It's my fault you're sick, Jimin. Don't worry about a thing; I'll take care of you," the blonde declared. Jimin was relieved to hear this, as she lacked the energy to assist anyway. And perhaps she had subtly emphasized that desire to rest by phrasing her offer as a casual, "Hey, need a hand?"

So now here she was, cocooned in a cozy blanket, nestled into the depths of her oversized couch, her fingers flicking the remote to switch on the colossal TV screen. Meanwhile, Minjeong buzzed around the kitchen with unwavering energy.

"Here," Minjeong's voice cut through the air, drawing Jimin's attention away from the drama unfolding on the screen. She looked up to see a mug filled with steaming lemon tea being offered to her. "For your throat," Minjeong added with a gentle smile.

Jimin accepted the mug, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Since when did you become so considerate?" she teased, raising an eyebrow in mock surprise.

"Well, for one, I am your manager, so thoughtfulness is in the job description. And two, since you started coughing every 5 seconds."

"And whose fault is that?"

"I mean, considering you were the one that leaned into me, I think it's actually yours-"

"ALRIGHT!" The actress's face turned a shade of red as she shoved the blonde away with her free hand. "Leave me be already, I'm watching a drama!" She tried to exhale away her rising heartbeat.

"What are you watching anyway?" Minjeong responded, chuckling at the way Jimin had reacted... and perhaps liking it bit too much than she should have.

"Same show, as before, Secretary Secrets."

"Oh wow, that's still airing?" The shorter promptly turns to face the TV. "It's been ages. I heard production went on hiatus due to a scandal involving one of the male actors."

"It's probably the guy who plays the CEO's fiancé."

"Huh! How did you know?" The blonde snaps her head towards Jimin, surprised the girl had guessed correctly.

"You can just tell by looking at him. It's usually the actors who are not so great that cause problems. Probably because they've only just started and the fame has gone to their heads."

"Oh..."

I wonder if that's from personal experience...

DING DONG

"That must be my security with the delivery."

"I'll get it!" Minjeong immediately rushed towards the door, ensuring Jimin didn't have to lift a finger, staying true to her word to take care of the actress.

It ignited a spark within Jimin, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time, slowly realizing what it truly meant for someone to pamper her.

"You're security guard is intimidating," the blonde shudders upon returning with a new delivery bag in her hand.

"He's a veteran, don't make him angry, please."

"Scary..." Her words trailed off before she quickly stored the stew in the oven to keep it warm.

As Jimin observed Minjeong's attentive gestures from a distance, she found herself gradually losing interest in the ongoing drama and becoming increasingly drawn to the blonde's nurturing demeanor. There was something about the way Minjeong cared for her that stirred unexpected emotions within her.

It evoked a sense of warmth and happiness within Jimin,

It made her feel soft and giddy.

It made her feel... important...

The domestic scene that was unfolding before her eyes just felt comforting and familiar, as if it belonged in the sanctuary of her own home.

In that moment, Jimin couldn't help but entertain the thought of having Minjeong's company more frequently.

She really wouldn't mind... the idea of sharing moments like these with Minjeong just little bit more...

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

"FOOD IS READY!" Minjeong's radiant voice filled the room as she carried a bowl over to Jimin, placing it delicately on the coffee table in front of the couch. With a cheerful smile, she returned to the kitchen to fetch another bowl for herself, unable to contain her excitement as she settled next to the taller woman.

Caught off guard by Minjeong's anticipation, Jimin raised an eyebrow. "What are you staring at?" she asked, meeting the blonde's eager gaze.

"I'm waiting for you to taste it first," Minjeong replied, her enthusiasm beaming out of her.

Suspicion clouded Jimin's expression as she inspected the stew. "Why?" she questioned. "Wait. Why? Are you trying to make me your guinea pig because you're not sure how it turned out?"

Minjeong's eyes widened in disbelief. "No! Oh my god, can you give me a little more credit? I just want you to compliment me on my cooking, okay?"

"Are you sure—" Jimin began tentatively.

"YES!" Minjeong exclaimed, holding a spoonful of stew up to Jimin's face. "Now, try."

With a hesitant glance, Jimin accepted the spoon. "I don't know—" she started, but Minjeong's determined gaze silenced her. "Okay, okay!" Jimin relented, opening her mouth to the generous portion of food before allowing the blonde to effectively feed her the stew.

Minjeong leaned in with anticipation, her eyes fixed on the actress as she chewed. "Well...?" she prompted eagerly "How is it?"

"I don't know, I have a blocked nose and I can't taste a thing," Jimin deadpanned.

"AH—" Minjeong dramatically flopped onto her side on the couch. "But I worked so hard—"

"I'm kidding" Jimin burst into laughter, finding Minjeong's exaggerated reaction endearing. She covered her mouth with her hand, shaking with giggles as she watched the blonde's playful display of expression that made her turn over into even more laughter...

As Minjeong watched Jimin laugh, she should have been annoyed, but instead, she found herself enchanted by the genuine joy on Jimin's face. It was infectious, and despite her initial urge to be irked, Minjeong couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through her at the sight.

That unrestrained laughter, the sincerity in her smile...

Yeah...

It was official. Jimin's raw, laughing, and smiling face had officially become Minjeong's favourite thing in the world.

"Stop laughing," Minjeong pouted, trying to maintain a stern expression.

"Can't," Jimin replied, unable to suppress her giggles.

"Stoppp!" her pout deepens

"It's good, Minjeong," Jimin said with a smile, her laughter subsiding. "Your Kimchi Jjigae is delicious. I love it."

"You do..?" The blonde's surprise was evident in her expression. "Really?" Her eyes sparkled with delight as a wide grin spread across her face, unable to hide her elation from the A-lister's compliment. She practically bounced on her seat right then and there before grabbing her own portion and eagerly digging in. "Ah, you're right! I'm an awesome cook!"

"Don't flatter yourself too much now,"

"Of course I'm going to! You like my cooking, that's all that matters," Minjeong replied, taking another scoop of stew. "I hope to cook for you more now. Let's add that into my managerial duties from now on, at least once a week."

"You wouldn't find that extra task exhausting?"

"For you?" Minjeong's sincerity shone through her words. "Never."

As long as I can see that smile on your face again... any extra work will be worth it...

And for the second time today, Jimin found herself thinking that she really, really wouldn't mind having Minjeong around like this for a long time to come.

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

With their meals wrapped up in front of the television, Minjeong quickly gathered the now empty dishes and loaded them into the washer before settling back onto the couch next to Jimin. They dove back into their binge-watch of 'Secretary Secrets,' the drama they had silently agreed would be their show to watch together from now on.

The story was interesting enough for the blonde to follow, despite it being romance and an unorthodoxed one at that. Although there were times where the lack of action packed thrill would leave Minjeong yawning into her hands, the plot all in all, was enough for her eyes to remain zoned in onto the screen. Plus, it was something to share with Jimin. Glancing over at the taller woman who unlike herself, was completely engrossed in the unfolding drama, Minjeong felt a sense of contentment knowing that even if the show might lose its appeal for her, she could still find entertainment in observing Jimin's immersed reactions.

Because honestly... She could watch Jimin's expressions for hours with a small grin, finding endless amusement in the subtle nuances of her reactions.

Throat feeling rather parched now, the blonde promptly grabs her glass of water from the table and takes a quick swig.. eyes never leaving the television...

Which she soon realised, served as a small mistake... as the tranquility around them evaporated immediately the moment the two characters on the screen proceeds to take things...

Let's just say..

Further than M rated.

It was an explicit scene.

Of two women being all over each other... that pushed the boundaries of what could be considered appropriate for television.

Now usually that wouldn't be that weird... she's seen scenes that go way further in other American films before... but for some reason seeing that right now... for whatever unbeknownst force... it stirred an unexpected reaction within Minjeong with a particular person suddenly coming to mind...

Without even realizing it, her eyes met Jimin's, and right at that second, a flood of thoughts and emotions rushed through her mind... that may or may not be related to the very scene on screen. Minjeong couldn't help but wonder what Jimin was thinking, and if by a small chance.. she also had the same... thoughts... as her, in her mind as well. Realising that she was staring for a bit too long, she turns away immediately and inadvertently, makes a mistake by taking another gulp of water at the worst possible moment, causing her to choke violently.... her face growing red as she struggled to regain her composure...

Jimin at the same time as well, in her flustered state, attempted to avert her gaze, cheeks burning with embarrassment as her hands instinctively reached for the remote, determined to change the channel and break the tension. But in her haste, the device slipped from her grasp, tumbling between her fingers until it clattered to the floor. Reacting quickly, she lunged after it, accidentally colliding with the blonde in the process.

The sudden impact sent them both tumbling, with Minjeong landing on the bottom, her back having crashed against the cushioning underneath whilst Jimin sprawled on top.

Their eyes locked once again, sparking an undeniable tension between them causing even more steam to erupt from their heads...

Jimin, being the one that panicked the most out of the two, felt her heart race as she tried to push herself off, but to rub more salt to the wound, her hands slips off the edge of the couch, resulting in her falling down even further..

So now..

There she was.. her body on top of Minjeong's...

heir bodies pressed close together...

their breath mingling in the air

And their lips just inches apart.

Their chests rose and fell in sync, they can feel their rising heartbeats beating in sync with each other...

Holy f- I'm actually about to go insane

Jimin shut her eyes tightly, feeling a surge of butterflies coursing through her body at the newfound closeness. Their faces were mere inches apart, and she could feel Minjeong's warm breath on her moist lips...

Right then... all she could think about was their kiss from a couple of days ago...

Okay scratch that.

To be completely honest, that kiss had been living in her mind rent-free since the day it happened.

Constantly circling around at the forefront of her brain.. making it hard for her to even look towards her manager's direction at times...

But now that they were back in this familiar position, with not only their shared kiss hanging in the air but also the explicit scene playing out on the screen between two women, you really couldn't blame Jimin for feeling a particular heat spreading from within her.

A heat that will only make her burst.. if Minjeong just so happens to choose to move even a centermetre closer... which will close the gap between them and completely send Jimin's little brain right now to an absolute overdrive-

"It's okay Jimin"

"Huh..?" Opening her eyes, she found the blonde had looked away, and was facing towards the side, before adjusting herself upwards slightly... so instead of lying completely down, her upper back was now leaned against the armrest section of the couch, causing Jimin to subsequently slide down until her cheek was rested against Minjeong's chest as the blonde strokes the back of her hair soothingly.

"The scene's over now, you can look. They're fully clothed now"

What-

"You think I'm twelve or something?" The girl lifts up her head to glare at the blonde.

"you juggled that remote like you are"

"Well, at least I know how to drink water properly, unlike this two-year-old over here! Ah-"

"Aish," Minjeong interrupted, pressing down the hand that was behind Jimin's head to force her cheeks back down. "Just watch the drama. It's getting to the good part now, look," she pointed at the TV with her free hand. "They almost just got caught again from underneath the table..."

Well... Jimin supposed that was one way to avoid an uneasy silence that would have definitely settled between them if nothing had happened... and if by some magical push, they did decide to... kiss... again—well, that wouldn't be a good idea, considering Jimin wasn't feeling well.

But even so...

why was she feeling slightly disappointed right now?

She knew she was sick, but still...

Did Minjeong really have to avoid her like that?

Whatever...

The actress tried to shake away that feeling and pushed herself off the blonde, only to be stopped by two arms.

"No. Stay," Minjeong tightly wrapped her arms around the actress to keep her in place.

"Why?" Jimin tried to resist again but to no avail.

"You're warm, I like it."

"But I'm sick."

"And I already told you: I can't get myself sick from getting you sick back to myself twice-"

"OKAY" Jimin slammed her head right back down onto Minjeong, causing the girl to let out a small "Ooft..." She just really didn't want to hear the blonde absurd explanation again...

And just like that, with her cheeks still lightly dusted pink they fell into a mutual silence as the TV continued to stream before them.. although Jimin couldn't help but puff her cheeks slightly, not quite letting go of Minjeong's avoidance of her lips.

It was strange though...

Despite Minjeong's calm demeanor, Jimin could hear the rapid thud of her heartbeat, echoing in the quiet room. Even with Jimin leaning against her, it seemed like Minjeong's heart was accelerating instead of calming down.

Glancing up at Minjeong, Jimin noticed how coolly the blonde was behaving, her gaze fixed on the TV screen as if unaffected by any inner turmoil. It was a contradiction—a display of calmness on the outside

Yet her heart betrayed her...

Maybe this closeness was affecting her more than I originally thought...

It must've been her attempt at bravery—an effort to maintain composure in a situation where Jimin herself couldn't find the courage to proceed forward with. Despite Jimin's own hesitations, she found herself oddly appreciative of Minjeong's boldness. If it weren't for Minjeong's initiative, Jimin realized she would never have been the one to take the first step—not like this, anyway.

As the series continued to play double episodes back to back, an hour slipped by unnoticed. Jimin, feeling the warmth of Minjeong's embrace coupled with her own cold, felt her eyelids growing droopier by the minute.

The drama became nothing more than background noise, and Jimin found herself drifting into a half-conscious state—somewhere between deep sleep and daydreaming... a twilight zone.. if you will...

Noticing Jimin's drifting state, Minjeong reached for the remote with her free hand and lowered the volume of the show. With gentle care, she brushed a few stray strands of hair from Jimin's face, tucking them behind her ears.

Thinking the actress was sound asleep now...

Minjeong leans down and lightly kisses the woman on top of her head.. her lips lingering for a couple of seconds with her eyes closed.

"I wanted to kiss you so badly today, Jimin, you have no idea," Minjeong whispered softly, her voice barely above a breath. "When I first saw you, when we were in your room, when you said you liked my cooking, and even now..." She paused, ensuring not to disturb the actress's slumber before continuing, "But I told myself I wanted to kiss you first, and I wanted that kiss to be perfect. So when that time comes and I get to kiss you again, I'll make sure it's anything but flawless." With tenderness, she placed one final peck on Jimin's forehead before settling back against the armrest, closing her own eyes in attempt to rest herself...

And as for Jimin...

Well... she remained perfectly still, not daring to move or open her eyes, determined to maintain her facade.

But truthfully... after Minjeong's whispered words, she fully emerged from that half-asleep state, feeling more awake and aware than ever before. A warm, fuzzy feeling filled her chest, chasing away any lingering disappointment she had before that stemmed from during that little drama watching incident

In that moment, Jimin realized something profound...

She really.. really wouldn't mind being with Minjeong like this.. In her warm embrace... enveloped by her comforting presence... relishing every bite of her delicious cooking, and savouring their time together without any expectations or duties.

Even if they spent the day lounging around, watching a romantic drama or simply enjoying each other's company in silence....

For some reason to Jimin...

She couldn't imagine anything else she would rather do..

It was more than enough...

The blonde was more than enough...

She just wanted moments like these to last with Minjeong...

And she really REALLY wouldn't mind to have Minjeong stay by her side....

Forever.

She wanted that more than anything...