Chapter Text
It all started at a bus stop.
That evening, she was detained at school. As the class monitor for 3-E, she was also required to attend various meetings held by the student council. So, for a whole hour after the last class, which ended at 4:00 PM, she sat on the second floor at a table with monitors from the other classes. Then she was detained and asked to take her journals to the staff room. Which she did, and so she was the last of all the students to leave.
As she closed the school doors behind her and descended the steps, she glanced at her watch in the side pocket of her school bag. The last bus wouldn't be here for another half hour. She'd missed the one that was about to pull up. The walk to the bus stops itself took a maximum of 10 minutes, as it was located just around the corner from the school. A short climb up the hillside where the girls' school is located, and she was there.
This evening was especially delightful with its springtime ambiance. A warm breeze gently played with the tops of the Japanese sakura, their pearl-colored blossoms blooming. The sun had just set behind the horizon, casting its final orange glow on the passing clouds across the darkening sky.
The girl inhaled deeply the scent of blossoms, ran a hand through her sea-green hair, looked around, taking in the beauty of nature before her, and walked toward the bus stop. Silence followed her all the way to the stop, her anxious heart pounding with every step. No one was around, only her. She wanted to walk slowly, but her steps quickened, and soon she was sitting on a bench, waiting for the bus.
A few minutes later, she heard the click of heels on the pavement and soon saw their owner. A short girl with light pink hair cut into a bob, adorning her already beautiful features. She wore black satin pants and a black top that exposed her tanned navel, showing off the muscles of her arms. Seeing the girl seated, she bowed, sat down next to her, and smiled faintly.
“Have you been waiting long?” she asked.
“No, I just arrived,” she answered after a pause.
Silence again, but at least it wasn't unsociable. There were 15 minutes left before the bus arrived, and I didn't want to be silent any longer, so:
- I like your hair color. It reminds me of a cherry blossom petal or a strawberry.
- Strawberries, I really like strawberries. And your color reminds me of mint candy. I’m Song Chaeyoung, born in 1999.
- Nice to meet you, Chaeyoung, I'm Kim DaHyun, born in 1998.
*
It all started with a trip to the cinema.
Evening landscapes always captivated her with their beauty. Nature bestowed its special charm at such moments, enchanting any passerby who dared to venture outside. The last rays of the setting sun were reflected in the upper-story windows of apartment buildings. She stood before the open window, watching the last reflections, waiting for the evening shadows to fill the city. She loved these moments when the bustling streets quieted down and nature could be heard.
The ringing of the telephone interrupted the peace and quiet. She turned, leaving the window slightly open, walked over to the desk, and picked up her cell phone. The name flashing on the display was best not ignored.
- Yes?
- Minari, we're waiting for you downstairs! Hurry, the movie won't wait for us!
“I’m already on my way, Momo,” she said softly, turning off the phone, reaching for the bag that was lying on the chair, also took the jacket that was hanging on the back of the chair, straightened the tight black dress that her friends had bought her as a birthday present, and left the house.
The elevator arrived surprisingly quickly. She stepped in, greeting her neighbors who were also descending—a young couple who had apparently just started dating, because their gazes were fixed on each other. Mina was a very shy and timid girl, so all these public displays of affection brought an embarrassing flush to her cheeks, and she averted her eyes. The elevator stopped on the first floor, the doors opened, and the young couple exited first. She followed and was immediately scooped up by her two best friends, who invited her to see some sci-fi movie based on a Marvel comic.
“We’re late, Minari,” she heard as she was being dragged out of the house and onto the street.
"We still have plenty of time," Sana repeated over & over to her worried friend. "Our tickets are for 9:00 PM, and it's only 8:25 PM now. We'll make it in half an hour."
"But if something goes wrong, the bus or something else might break down along the way. Where are the tickets? Do you have them, Sana? Show me."
"I showed them to you five minutes ago, Momo. We better get going already, otherwise we really will be late, and not because of Mina, but because of you," Sana said, nudging the girl and holding Mina's hand in hers, pointing her toward the cinema.
Her noisy friends, as always, filled the empty space she had left for herself in the evening. But she loved them; she loved the way Sana held her hand, intertwining her fingers with hers; it made her feel less alone. Momo, too, was especially close to her, with her calm side and strong character. Although you couldn't say the same about her now, seeing how eager she was to get to the movies.
It was a warm evening, the sweet scent of cherry blossoms wafted in, the noise of the traffic gradually faded, and it became so calm and comfortable. The silence was drawing her in again; if it weren't for Sana's chatter and Momo's reminders of the movie, she would have been completely immersed in it.
Surprisingly, there was practically no one near the cinema. There was no crowding. Not a soul in sight, as if a comic book movie wasn't supposed to be released today.
"We're supposed to be here today, right?" she asked timidly, glancing at her friends. Momo nodded eagerly, Sana squeezed her hand reassuringly and smiled.
They are probably already in the hall now, waiting for the film to start.
That's what Mina thought as they entered the cinema, as they showed their tickets, as they climbed the steps, as they found their seats. After she sat down, she realized the theater was too quiet. She glanced around the room and realized that the only other person in the room was the girl sitting in front of her.
“Um, Sa - tang,” she whispered, her friend looked at her, but Mina was so embarrassed that she shook her head and said nothing.
"We have tickets for the very latest screening, Minari. Apparently, people decided to stay home rather than go now. We would have stayed home too, if it weren't for one particular person sitting next to me," Sana said quietly, secretly, pointing at Momo.
"Hey!" Momo said indignantly as quietly as possible, but the girl heard and turned to face them. "Sorry," she said, falling silent, looking down.
"Actually, I thought the same thing as your friend," the dark-haired girl said honestly, smiling warmly at all three of them. Her two front teeth, in particular, caught everyone's attention with their gleaming whiteness. "When I got here, no one was there, and I thought, 'Why did I even buy a ticket for such a late hour?' I was already thinking about returning it or exchanging it for tomorrow, but then you came, and I breathed a sigh of relief. After all, I won't be sitting here alone. Since there will only be four of us watching, I have an idea: let's sit in the same row and closer to the screen; it will be better that way. We'll get to know each other better."
She's as chatty as Sana, but she has kind eyes and a sweet smile. She must be a good person.
Thinking about this, Mina sat down next to the unfamiliar girl, involuntarily peering deeper into her dark chocolate eyes, which were examining her with curiosity. The girl extended her hand:
- Hello, Im Nayeon, 1995.
- Miyu Mina, 1997 – she gently shook the outstretched hand, lingering in the warm palm for a split second, enjoying the comfortable feeling.
Releasing her hand, she unknowingly watched with envy as Nayeon squeezed Momo and Sana's hands, sharing her warmth. When her hand was free of pressure, Mina longed for that comfort again but was too shy to ask.
The commercials ended and the film began. The opening scenes caught her interest, and she was immersed in the film's story when she felt a strange hand on hers. She wasn't afraid, for she felt a familiar, comfortable warmth. Her heart fluttered and a blush graced her cheeks. For some reason, Mina was happy.
*
It all started with a trip to karaoke.
Music has been an unavoidable part of her life. She grew up in a musical family – her father was a composer, her mother a former singer, and her brother a talented pianist. She followed this path too, becoming a member of the group 6mix after 10 years of training at the renowned music company JYP. She was happy performing on stage and happy when her fans sang along with her.
Now their group had a day off, rewarded for their efforts and hard work. A whole week of freedom. The members left Seoul, traveling to different countries, enjoying peace.
She couldn't live a day without music, so it's no surprise that some fans met her at karaoke the next evening.
There were three people in the small room that housed all the karaoke equipment. Yoo Jeongyeon, her best friend ever, and she, Park Jihyo, and another stranger, who had been asked to wait there until their room was ready. Jihyo was usually a bold woman, easily able to strike up a conversation and thus quickly make friends, but here she seemed numb. The girl sitting across from them was incredibly beautiful, pure and innocent. It was impossible to tell from her expression whether the girl liked being there or not.
JiHyo looked desperately at Jeongyeon for support, who shrugged, then sighed, clearing her throat, and addressed the stranger:
"What song would you like to choose? Until the room gets ready, let's have some fun together. My name is Jeongyeon, and this is JiHyo," she looked questioningly at the black-haired girl, but she remained silent and simply looked at them.
"Yes, we've booked for a long time, so feel free to choose," JiHyo confirmed, smiling warmly, trying to catch any hint from the girl, but she remained silent. Then she took out a notepad and pen and wrote something down. She handed the notepad to Jeongyeon and smiled sweetly.
- "Hello, I'm Tzuyu from Thailand. I've been in Korea for three weeks."
"Oh, then I understand! Well, the language barrier isn't a problem for us, is it, Jeongyeon?" She nodded affirmatively. "We'll have a great time. Welcome to our team, Tzuyu," she said, extending her hand for a handshake, smiling kindly.
Both girls learned that Tzuyu was supposed to meet her unnie after school, but she texted her and said she was running late for a meeting. She asked her to start without her, which Tzuyu did by going to karaoke. Their room was booked under the name DaHyun, her unnie's name, but Tzuyu arrived early, so the owner brought her there.
Quite a funny situation.
After the initial awkwardness passed, JiHyo discovered that Tzuyu was quite an interesting person. Behind her facade lurked an insecure girl with the purest heart. She wanted to protect that heart at all costs.
….
The vanilla-candy period in their relationship continued happily ever after...
Never has the world seen so much tenderness and love...and never will it take it away...after all, such a feeling only happens in centuries, when kindred spirits are born...