Comfortable Clothes

Comfortable clothes. They honestly made the female body look better than mostly other pieces of clothing(except maybe sport attire). Joseph Park had seen it all, many idols being glammed up for all their brand endorsement, ranging from Dior to Louis Vitton to Tommy Jeans. You knew they looked gorgeous, you knew the appeal was there. But there was just something about comfortable clothing that made your brain go haywire. Something that made it feel like home.

He met Minji a long way back, it was in college where they were both studying for their psychology degree. He was shy and introverted but he loved to people watch. Going into class scanning and looking for patterns of people. That's when he saw her. Wearing a large hoodie that was so oversized that she practically drowned in it. But the moment she took the hood off, he was starstruck. Her hair was slightly messed up from the hoodie, she was barefaced, but when she put her hair back against her ears, Joseph folded. She looked so beautiful, so gorgeous, he couldn't take his eyes off her. He stared a bit too long before realising that he would start looking like a weirdo if he kept it up. Ever since that day, he admired her from afar, gazing at her beauty from a safe distance. She was an idol amongst men, and he would protect her space as it was.

Fate would have other plans for Joseph, as their lecturer decided that their assignment would be a collaborative observation assignment. It involves testing the impact of background music on cognitive recall. He enjoyed his music, coming from playing in a band in high-school on the drums, and mostly listened to pop punk like My Chemical Romance, Fallout Boy and Panic! At The Disco. He was scared that Minji might not enjoy that kind of music but to his surprised, she didn't really mind. Being an idol meant being exposed to all kinds of music, even ones that weren't really popular in Korea.

They decided to meet up in the park one day, the library would be detrimental and counter productive as they had to listen to music loud enough for the experiment to work. As he waited for her by the bench, she appeared. ​She was dressed for the heat of the day, unburdened by the pretense of formal wear. She wore a pair of well-worn cotton short pants that have softened into a pale, lived-in hue, hemmed just high enough to suggest a summer spent in constant motion. Above them, a loose-fitting, oversized white shirt is tucked haphazardly into the waistband, the fabric thin and breathable, billowing slightly with every gentle movement of the breeze. The sleeves are pushed up past her elbows, revealing forearms that look ready to handle whatever the afternoon might throw her way. She was stunning.

Joseph's brain fried at the appearance of her. It felt like a scene from the movie. Here she was, dressed in such simple clothing, yet she showed so much elegance and beauty from it. ​There is a quiet power in her stillness. She isn't posing for a lens or performing for a crowd; she is simply existing in the luxury of her own skin. Her hair is pulled back, perhaps held by a single clip that she likely keeps tucked in her pocket for just such moments, leaving the nape of her neck exposed to the cooling draft.

As they both got into the assignment, he learned more about Minji. The struggles of studying while in Kpop, the harsh reality of being perfect in many people's eyes, the criticism and judgement constantly being animated her and the group. And yet here she was, trying to complete a degree as well if this whole Kpop thing didn't work out. He admired her even more after that. As they spoke about the assignment and everything in between, the conversation flew naturally. Joseph didn't want it to stop, she captivated him in a way beyond appearance.

As the weeks went by, the semester ended. They scored an A for the assignment, the long hard hours and sleepless night finally paid off. To celebrate, they decided to a celebrate with some friend chicken and beer. Chimaek was the best way to celebrate their impressive grade. Joseph reached earlier to get them a place, he usually was earlier anyway as he just put on whatever he could find in his room. Just as he was about to call Minji to ask her where she was, you could tell she arrived.

The heavy glass door swings open, and with it, the humid, savory air of the chimaek spot—heavy with the scent of garlic, soy, and deep-fried perfection—is momentarily cut through by a breath of cool evening air. She steps inside, and the raucous, rhythmic clatter of metal chopsticks against plastic trays seems to lose a beat.

​She was dressed with an effortless, sophisticated polish that stands out against the casual bustle of the restaurant. She wore a pleated, midi-length skirt in a soft, muted tone that sways with a deliberate grace as she navigates the narrow aisles. Tucked neatly into the waistband is a crisp, silk-blend blouse, its sleeves tailored to perfection, catching the warm, amber glow of the hanging industrial lights. There is an intentionality to her attire—a blend of modesty and modern style that feels entirely at home in the vibrant heart of Seoul.

As the conversations went on, he kept taking glances at her. She was beauty personified, grace unspoken. It felt wrong to keep taking peeks at her. But he couldn't help it, even after spending all that time on the assignment with her, she was just so pretty it hurt. She noticed Joseph looking and called him out on it. Joseph was flustered but he took a big swing of his maekju, and with liquid courage in his veins, he confessed. He spoke about her unreal beauty, how her visuals enticed him, how stylist she was even when wearing simple clothing. But it wasn't just that, it was everything about her. How she portrays herself, how she was fighting on all fronts both in music and in studying. How she persevere and gave it all in everything she did. She was majestic to her.

Minji was surprised to say the least, she didn't expect such a confession from Joseph. He was sweet, helping out with the assignment, their conversation flowed naturally, and he didn't treat him like an idol at all, just Minji. But as his confession came and with how articulated he was about her, she found it very endearing. There would be complications especially with NewJeans such a big target for the media, but she wanted to live life to the fullest, getting a boyfriend would be the most normal thing for her. As the night went on, and after much discussion about how they would go about it, they became boyfriend and girlfriend. Joseph was ecstatic, he never imagine having a Kpop idol as a girlfriend, especially someone as pretty and famous as Minji, but everything just clicked, and he was beyond the moon.

Days turned into weeks which turned into months. They graduated with high honours, and Minji and Joseph were living their best lives. Between schooling, Minji's idol work and Joseph training to be a licensed psychologist, date night were hard to plan but they made it work somehow.

And this is where Joseph came to appreciate Minji in all her glory. As much as he had seen her in various styles, from retro cuts in her MV's to glamorous dresses for events, there was just something about her in comfortable and casual clothes. She was lied on the bed, wearing just a simple white singlet and short pants. This was Minji in anything that looked like the world famous Kpop Idol. This was just another girl, hanging out with her boyfriend together, being in each other presence. Joseph traced a finger on her back, remembering every detail of her. How the singlet embodied her to make her look stunning from something so plain and she was anything but. How her short pants showcased the outline of her sweet butt that looked so yummy, he wanted to bite on it(with consent of course).

She was sweet, she was beautiful and she looked best just being herself. Joseph valued Minji more than himself sometimes, but most of all, he was blessed to be able to see this all the time. Kim Minji, the person, in comfy clothes, lying on the bed with him, and everything was perfect.