◞ ི⠀ YOO ⠀JI-MIN

LA MENTIRA

Ji-min had always been the type of girl people developed crushes on without meaning to. It wasn’t even something she tried to do. She was just her.

Everybody gave her this stupid nickname, rina, but it suited her so well.

She was pretty in that almost unfair way. Tall, effortlessly put together. She never seemed to rush anywhere, never seemed particularly bothered by anything. Even when everyone around her was losing their minds, she’d simply sit there with that faint, unreadable expression on her face.

She was laid back, quiet, and hard to read. Unless she was around people she actually liked. Then, every once in a while, you’d catch a glimpse of the girl underneath all that composure. You had fallen for her eventually, of course you did. Everyone did. The difference was that you were painfully aware of what you were getting yourself into.

Ji-min had a reputation; she didn’t mean to hurt people. She just had this way of getting close enough to make someone feel special before retreating the second things became too real.

You didn’t even want to know how many people had their lips on hers before you. You had promised yourself you wouldn’t become another one of those people. You’d even laugh at your own thoughts, for thinking you could be different

You thought you would be the one who changes her, maybe it was a bit too cocky to think about, maybe you were being a bit too delusional for your own good. But you tried, you really had.

You noticed how you immediately started becoming way too attached, you felt different, you felt like an imposter in your own skin.

And eventually, you started wondering what it would feel like if that beautiful mouth of hers actually called you ‘mine’. That’s when you knew you were done for.

You were always a staring type, you didn’t even realize how obvious you were until ‘rina’ caught you. Again.

That stupid fucking nickname.

You had been watching her across the room while she talked to one of her friends. She was smiling, not her polite smile, the real one that made you feel like you were on top of the moon.

You were so distracted that you didn’t notice her friend saying something to her. She looked over, and she looked straight at you. You froze, feeling your heart skip multiple beats. She looked concerned, almost. You immediately looked away.

When you glanced back a few seconds later, she was still looking. And then she smiled, not a big smile, just that tiny, slight knowing curve on her lips.

You felt the blood rush to your cheeks, your face went warm. For some reason, whenever she caught you staring, you felt like the prettiest girl alive.

And it was really annoying, because you knew she knew, and she knew it well.

At this event at the college, you saw her again. Ji-min was standing with her friends near the back of the bleachers, where it wasn’t quite as crowded.

You tried not to look, and you ended up failing miserably. Her friends noticed, one of them turned around and looked at you. They whispered something to the other friend, that same friend turned around, then another. Soon, the entire group was exchanging glances.

You felt your stomach drop, because oh my god, they were laughing. Not loudly, but enough that you could tell. Then ji-min looked over, for a moment, she just stared at you.

Her expression was softer than usual, almost fond. Then came that tiny smile, that little smile that made you forget how to function completely. She turned back to her friends, and they immediately started laughing harder.

Ji-min shoved one of them lightly, you couldn't hear what she said, but you could tell she was embarrassed.

Later, you would find out exactly why they’d been teasing her about it. Ji-min most likely liked you back. Her friends noticed her behavior around you, and it was different than any usual girl. Ji-min denied all of it, obviously, she was very good at lying.

The event had ended late, you were walking towards the exit before you heard footsteps behind you.

“Hey.”

You turned, and there she was. Ji-min. She had tucked her hands in her pockets, looking absurdly casual.

“Hi.” You greeted back, feeling the butterflies in your stomach multiply by ten.

“Are you leaving?” She asks, stating the obvious.

“I mean, we are at the exit.”

Ji-min chuckled under her breath, she found you amusing. “You’re funny.”

“I didn’t take you for the humor-ish type.”

There was something strange about how she said it, like she knew things about you that you didn’t know she knew.

The two of you stood there for a moment, before ji-min broke the silence and pulled out her phone.

“Give me your phone number.”

You blinked, The Ji-min, was asking for your phone number?

“...What?”

“Your number.”

“Why?”

She looked at you with that same unreadable expression. “Because I want it.”

Your brain almost stopped functioning. She held her phone towards you, you slowly typed your phone number in. When you handed it back, she looked at the screen and smiled.

“Thanks.”

You were confused, is that all that she came over here for?

“That’s it? what did you want?”

She shrugged, "I don't know.” you both went quiet for a second, before she said. “I’ll see you around.”

And just like that, she walked away. You just stood there staring at her, wondering what just happened.

The next morning, ji-min didn’t look at you. You sat two seats away from her, and still yet, nothing. She didn’t smile at you or even took a quick glance to see what you were doing.

You started wondering if you’d imagined the entire thing. Maybe her asking for your number meant nothing, maybe she did that with everyone, maybe you read into too much, your train of thoughts were quickly cut short after the teacher walked in.

"Today we're starting your presentation project. I'll be assigning partners." You barely listened until you heard your name, and ji-min’s name together.

Your head shot up, ji-min finally looked at you. There was that smile again. Small, almost smug, like she knew this was coming.

You stared at her, and she tilted her head. Then she mouthed; “Hi.” You nearly lost your mind. After class, you approached her.

"So… We're partners." You said matter-a-factly. Ji-min looked into your eyes, she could tell you were nervous.

Ji-min cleared her throat, “Looks like it.”

You changed the topic, “You could’ve atleast said hello this morning.”

Ji-min smiled, “I did.”

“No you didn’t…”

She let out a huffed chuckle, “I thought about it.”

“That doesn’t count.” You rolled your eyes. She laughed, and that was when you realized something. Ji-min wasn’t hard to read, she just liked making you wonder.

Ji-min casually said, “You can come over.” You looked up, quite confused.

“To your house?”

She positively hummed. “Yeah.”

“Why?”

“My place is quieter, we’d get it done a lot faster there.”

You tilted your head to the sigh, taking a breath in. “Are you sure?”

She gave you a look. “I asked you, didn’t I?”

So that same exact weekend, you showed up at her house, and you immediately regretted having eyes.

Ji-min opened the door wearing something simple, her hair slightly messy, looking completely different than her campus self that everyone knew. You obviously stared, and she noticed.

Her mouth twitched, fighting a smile. “You’re doing it again.” You were taken aback.

“Doing what?” You retorted.

“Staring.”

You looked away, “I wasn’t.”

Ji-min knew you were lying, she caught on quick. “You were.”

You made up a quick excuse, “I was looking behind you.” Ji-min glanced over her shoulder. “There’s nothing but a wall there.”

You groaned, knowing she wouldn’t let this go. She laughed, and it made everything worse.

You both worked for maybe twenty minutes, then thirty. Neither of you were really looking at the presentation anymore. Ji-min was sitting beside you, and she was close. You could smell that cologne she wore, slightly faint, and it made your head spin, you wanted to put your head on her chest and inhale her.

“Don’t you want to get to know eachother a bit more?” Ji-min asked, a slightly teasing hint in her voice. She stared at your lips, then quickly darted her eyes to yours. You noticed, she saw that you noticed.

Ji-min slightly leaned back, “You know, you’ve probably made alot of people jealous by now.” That sentence made you irritated, why would she bring that up suddenly?

You rolled your eyes, “Jealous of what?” Ji-min chuckled softly, “maybe because they think we’re dating now?”

Your heart thudded at the word dating, but it didn’t sound too bad at all. You quickly realized what you were thinking about, you knew you were in this too deep to come back out.

Ji-min shifted closer, she made eye contact with you, her head tilted. “We compliment eachother well, I don’t think it’s a bad idea.”