one summer | winrina

➥ thirteen

FIVE MONTHS LATER

"Somi-yah!"

"Aish, what?"

Minjeong sat on the couch, controller in hand, staring at the screen intently. It was winter break, and as it happened, Minjeong's parents were taking another backpacking trip and had promised to come home for Christmas- days after Christmas actually took place. They'd be pretty late, but Minjeong didn't mind, because it meant more time at home with her energetic best friend.

Jeon Somi was an interesting girl. Blonde-haired and bright-eyed, they'd hit it off instantly, Minjeong's studious personality melding perfectly with Somi's more happy one. The two often went out to get food together, chatting over assignments or playing video games til late at night. Nothing had ever happened between them, however; Somi was currently obsessed with some girl called Chaeyoung over in apartment 4F.

"Can you grab drinks from the fridge, please? I've almost got this guy beat."

"You say that every time," Somi whined, but opened the fridge and removed the neon-colored sodas anyway. Today was one of their off days, and Somi wore pajama pants and an oversized shirt just like Minjeong as the two sat in their apartment gaming and eating all day long.

It was perfect, in Minjeong's opinion.

"Thanks!" Minjeong crowed as the victory! message played across the screen and a tinny fanfare echoed from the television's speakers. "What did I say?"

"You said thanks," Somi retorted, taking a long sip from the soda and then wrinkling her nose. "Ew. Why do you even like this stuff?"

"Got used to it after a while," Minjeong replied, picking up the second controller and tossing it to Somi. "Now, come on. Your parents will be home in two hours and what will they say if we've been playing this long and haven't totally trashed the final boss yet?"

Someone had once told Minjeong that opposites attracted, and that was how she felt with Somi. She'd come out of her shell a lot and shared details of her life with the other girl, and they had become fast friends. 

One detail in particular.

Jimin and Minjeong had barely texted since their little summer fling, and Jimin hadn't replied at all to what Minjeong had said to her right before Minjeong's flight left. Minjeong had endlessly berated herself since.

Why had she told Jimin that? And at such an inopportune time too?

Luckily, Somi had been there for her as soon as junior year began to talk her through everything- handing her tissues during crying sessions, dictating awkward texts, keeping them both awake during late-night study sessions during which Minjeong couldn't stop thinking about her ex-fling.

"I guess you're right," Somi responded, taking another swig of the gross drink and mashing the controller buttons. "When do you have to go?"

"Two hours," Minjeong answered. "I have that paper, remember?"

"Oh yeah!" Somi laughed and she started the next round in the game, talking in that broken video game slang. "I did- Jump, Min!- it already but I'm pretty sure I- no no take the left exit- will fail, Ms. Kwon hates my- oh God I missed the power up- guts because I put salt in her coffee one day by accident."

"How'd you manage that?" Minjeong snickered.

Somi burst into giggles as she remembered, and they spent the remaining two hours gossiping about teachers and classmates, until-

"You know Haechan in biology likes you, right?"

"Excuse me, what?!"

Minjeong's eyes snapped up to gaze at Somi confusedly. The Canadian-Korean girl grinned at her, mashing the controller again, and then speaking. "He told Ryujin last week, hoping to get her to tell you or get you interested or something. Yujin overheard and told me. Crazy, right? I totally thought he was into Yeji."

The most Minjeong could offer was a weak scoff, still in shock. "Y- yeah, as if. She's down bad for Ryujin, it's so obvious. But... really?"

"Yeah, he likes you! He's planning to ask you out before Valentine's. No one wants to be alone on Valentine's, you know? Hey, maybe I'll ask out Chaeyoung..."

Somi continued to babble as Minjeong sat there in surprise. It'd been ages since she'd last entered onto the romantic scene with anyone. There had only been one person she'd ever felt that way about.

Karina Jimin Yu, who was currently doing whatever New Yorkers did in New York for Christmas. Probably partying the night away.

"...and yeah! Hey, you listening?"

"Uh, oh, yeah. My bad. But... what do you think I should say if he asks?"

Somi quieted, giving Minjeong an honest stare. "Truthfully? I think you should see how it goes. If Karina was any indication, you fall really fast for people. But if you're not over her yet-"

"No, no, I am!" Minjeong insisted quickly. Then she nodded her head slowly. "I'll just see how it goes."

a/n: i think i'm gonna go for a triple update, in a writing mood today :))