Halloween Party (Part 2)

Minjeong had to rush what she was doing before Jimin arrived. Making this much cookies wasn’t really new, but she just hated herself for not doing it ahead of time.

She woke up late that morning, more like lunch time, really. There was a big test coming up the next week and Minjeong wanted to do as much studying as possible. But sometimes she would get too deep into what she’s doing that she loses track of time, and next thing she knows, the sun was already rising.

Now she’s trying to rush, there’s about more than an hour before the said time of the party, she has one more batch of cookies that she needed to place in the oven and then she could bathe to change into her costume.

What a scatterbrain she was right now. Didn't help that Jimin was coming over and Minjeong was still battling her unwanted feelings towards her, but she knew for a fact that even if she was doing that, she couldn't deny Jimin and her company.

She kept telling herself to avoid juggling several issues at a time. Now she felt like she was going to explode. Minjeong hoped that things will go smoothly, because any minor inconvenience might make her drop down and cry. If she was willing to be a little bit silly, that is.

There was a knock on the door, the pattern was familiar, and she knew that it was Jimin.

Minjeong sighed, placed the measuring cups down and wiped her hands on her apron, quickly fixing her hair before she rushed to the door. “Coming!” She called out and before she opened it, she fixed her hair again, then swung it open. “Hi—”

“Oh, lord have mercy,” she said to herself, internally panicking as the sight of Jimin was starting to register in.

Minjeong loved looking at a clean and dapper person, and she loved formal events because it was nice to see people wear suits and ties, cocktail dresses, or maybe executive themed clothing.

Now, if her trying to handle what Jimin looked like in her police uniform was hard enough, this Jimin was going to kill her.

Blazer, white button down, black neck tie, hair in a ponytail and that dumb smile on her face.

“Hi. How are you?” Jimin asked politely, not fazed that Minjeong was basically staring at her. Minjeong finally shook her head to snap out of it.

“I-I’m fine. Just making the last batch of cookies.” She opened the door wider for her neighbor to enter but stopped midway when she realized she didn't know what her costume was. “Uh… what are you supposed to be?”

“Oh—“ Jimin looked down at her costume and chuckled, rubbing her hand over the necktie. “I’m Agent J, you know, from Men In Black?” Then she pointed at her face. “It’s more convincing with my shades and my prop but I left it in the apartment. Aeri is supposed to go as my partner, so I’m hoping she shows up like this too, it would make more sense.”

“Right, we talked about that movie the other day.” Minjeong nodded and tried to register what Jimin said, not wanting to be distracted at how dashing Jimin looks in a simple suit and tie. “A-anyway, come in.”

Jimin walked in, leaving her shoes by the doorway and visibly inhaled the scent of the kitchen, ogling at the many cookies that were on top of Minjeong’s kitchen counter.

Minjeong stopped when Jimin suddenly took off her blazer and placed it on top of one of her dining chairs. Then she started folding her sleeves.

“May I use your bathroom?” Jimin asked, looking at Minjeong while she was still folding them.

Minjeong cleared her throat and pointed to the direction to her extra bathroom that was for guests. “Yeah sure, it’s in the room to the left.”

Jimin nodded, fixing the folded sleeves and Minjeong could not stop looking at how her arms flexed as she was doing so.

“Biceps,” She immediately thought in her mind as Jimin turned around to go to the bathroom. Then she shook her head. “Wait no, stay back, Jimin!”

Minjeong was acting weird, from what Jimin has noticed since she got inside her apartment. Was it because of her outfit? It was odd because Jimin was just wearing an ordinary suit and tie that she borrowed from her cousin.

But Jimin shakes the thoughts off, she felt like she was being delusional because there was no way that Minjeong would ever like her in that way.

However, the thought of making Minjeong flustered, which the woman was, enticed her.

"Some harmless flirting wouldn’t hurt, right?" Jimin thought to herself and that made her crack a smile. Then again, Minjeong might not even notice it being flirting because she was straight. Despite them being on that blind double-date with Aeri and Yizhuo, Jimin held back the thoughts of Minjeong thinking that what they had was a date. Maybe she expected it to be a guy as her date. Maybe Jimin being the one who showed up was a consolation prize because she already knew her.

She didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to assume. It’ll just lead her to hurt, and she wanted, as much as possible, to avoid it. Minjeong has the right to think whatever she wanted about that night and Jimin was sure she was okay if Minjeong thought about it as a friendly get-together.

Jimin patted her hands on the back of her slacks as she exited Minjeong’s bathroom. She should probably start helping her neighbor out with the cookies since they had about an hour before their party was going to start and Minjeong looked like she wasn’t done yet. Plus, she knows Chaeyoung and Mina had to pick up Sana from her hotel, so there was no use staying inside the apartment doing nothing and waiting again.

She somewhat liked the idea of spending her time waiting by being graced with Minjeong’s company, or silence. Either one, Jimin didn’t mind.

Plus, it seemed that her neighbor really needed the help. Judging from the size of the containers that were laid out, she made a lot of cookies. Since they were of the same size that Jimin had, the exact same one where she finished within a week. She wanted to be ashamed of herself but one can’t really deny a good cookie, can they? Definitely not Jimin.

Maybe she really was addicted to them. But was it because of how it tasted? Could be. Was it because it was homemade? Definitely, Jimin loved anything homemade.

Was it because she knew it was Minjeong who made them? Definitely maybe. But no one is asking, so she won’t confirm it. Not out loud.

Jimin walked closer to a busy Minjeong, who was sifting the flour into a bowl. Jimin had her arms behind her back and stood close to her neighbor.

Minjeong sensed her presence and looked up at her, “Yes?”

She leaned in closer. “Aren’t you going to let me help you?”

Jimin noticed how Minjeong’s eyes weren't focusing on her anymore, the way they were darting back and forth, every direction that made it obvious she was avoiding eye contact.

“You might get your costume dirty,” her neighbor muttered.

Cute.

“I don’t mind,” Jimin said, then she displayed her arms in front of Minjeong. “I even folded my sleeves.”

Minjeong’s ears turned red, still looking away, but then she pointed at Jimin’s body. “Apron.” The brunette left her spot to grab an extra apron that was hanging close by, then she walked back and handed it to Jimin.

She stared at the thing for a good second and then smirked. Jimin was feeling playful again.

Minjeong furrowed her brows when Jimin decided not to budge. “Aren’t you going to take it?”

Jimin kept her gaze at Minjeong. “You should put it on me.”

“What?”

She lowered her head, leaning even closer to Minjeong. If she was being honest, her actions were making her flushed as well, but Jimin wasn’t going to back down so easily.

“Put it on me.”

Minjeong rolled her eyes, handing the apron again. “We’re going to be late to the party. Wear it, please.”

“Then put it on me already.”

The brunette sighed, she brought the strap of the apron behind Jimin’s neck and started tying a knot through the hole.

For some reason, Jimin focused on the face in front of her. She always wondered what Minjeong’s skin care routine was; because she had flawless skin, no pores, a clear, cute dimple on her left cheek, and for some reason, she always smelled like a freshly powdered baby, even when she’s covered in flour or baking soda.

Jimin’s eyes wandered over Minjeong’s face, intrigued by her facial expressions, the way her eyebrows furrow and how her eyes disappear whenever Jimin cracks a joke.