More Than Just a Cookie

Jimin couldn’t help but smile as she waited for her call to be answered.

She knew that Minjeong was at home at this time, probably studying or taking the time to rest if she just got home.

Plus, with their new-found comfort, calling each other on the phone wasn’t weird anymore. And Jimin just wanted to make this quick.

The sound of ringing stopped, and she smiled when Minjeong’s face was seen on the screen. Minjeong was about to say something, but Jimin pointed her phone at her current companion.

Jimin smiled at the camera and then back at the police dog who was sitting obediently next to her. The K-9 unit needed extra hands with cleaning up for the dogs and Jimin volunteered immediately.

And since it was downtime, she thought showing Minjeong the babies was a great idea. Minjeong did tell her that she missed being around the dogs from her previous job.

“Oh! Who’s that?” Minjeong asked, her face looked like it was going to explode from excitement.

Jimin ran her hand over the dog’s head. “This is Tan. He’s our sniffer dog,” she said and then looked at him. Giving him more pats and smiling when the dog leaned into her touch. “He’s also a very good boy. Ain't that right?” She was about to look back at Minjeong, but the dog started licking her face.

She couldn’t stop giggling, much more when she heard Minjeong giggle as well. Jimin tried to pry the eager dog’s face away from her. “Okay he won’t stop licking me.”

“He is!” Minjeong responded happily, she was cooing and gushing, even baby talking to the dog for a bit. Then she let out a sigh. “Oh, Jimin. I was having such a rough day at work, but this really cheered me up,” she said, almost like she was crying and Jimin could only look at her in surprise. Then Minjeong smiled softly at her. “Thank you.”

Jimin softened her look as well, feeling her heart warm up from the sight and the situation. “Glad I can be of service.”

//

“Look at our new recruit,” Jimin said over the phone after she propped it on the desk and picked the four-month puppy up from the ground to show it at Minjeong.

Minjeong was currently reading something, but she glanced up at Jimin and when she locked eyes with the camera, Jimin giggled when Minjeong immediately dropped her pen to slap both her palms on her cheeks.

“Jimin!” she gasped, then she whined. “Please tell me you’re joking,” she said, then whined again, brows furrowing cutely and making the skin between them crease. “Please tell me you’re going to bring the baby back to your apartment!”

Jimin couldn’t help but smile at her neighbor. She cradled the puppy, so it was comfortable and looked back at the phone. “No, Minjeong. I can’t. The puppy is going to go to service training once she’s old enough.”

Saying that was supposed to appease Minjeong and her cute whining, but Jimin felt a tug in her heart again when Minjeong pouted.

“But—“ Minjeong jutted her bottom lip outwards even more. Then she exhaled, her shoulders slumped. “But she’s a baby.”

The sight of Minjeong like this made Jimin want to jump into the screen, hand Minjeong a thousand puppies and then grab the girl to kiss her silly.

But for now, she could only smile at Minjeong fondly.

“I know.”

//

9:57 AM

Minjeong: Hi
Minjeong: I made cookies.

Jimin: For me? :D

Minjeong. Yes, silly. Now get over here.

Jimin: Going!

Minjeong smiled widely at how quick Jimin was to reply. She didn’t even get the chance to put down her phone.

It also didn’t take too long for Jimin to knock on her door. Minjeong giggled at herself as she got up from her couch to open the door.

She blinked when she saw Jimin smiling stupidly at her and holding up a mug with something steaming inside. “I brought you coffee,” her neighbor said.

Minjeong broke into another smile and grabbed the mug to let Jimin inside. “Really? How thoughtful of you.”

Jimin shrugged. “I mean, it’s like my form of payment for the cookies you keep baking for me.”

They both knew this was starting to become a habit.

Minjeong gave her cookies, then Jimin returned the gift with making her coffee. It wasn’t established verbally. They both just knew this was the habit.

Then again, Minjeong would bake cookies for her neighbor even without receiving anything. She would do it in a heartbeat. Willingly. Anything for Jimin.

“I accept this exchange,” she said instead. “Thank you, Jimin.”

//

“Hey, wanna have dinner with us? Mina unnie and Chaeyoung are at the apartment.”

Minjeong perked at the offer. She clutched her phone closer to her ear. “I’d love to! I'm actually on my way back from work.” She was fighting the urge to run from where she was to home so she could take a bath. “What time?”

Jimin chuckled, and it made her feel tingly inside. “7? I can pick you up?”

“I’m just next door,” she said, unamused. But she could imagine Jimin smirking at her like always. The silliness of this person was starting to get the best out of her heart, but she was also an expert at hiding how she was feeling.

So not yet.

Jimin snorted but giggled right after. “Don’t care. See you then.”

—

Chaeyoung crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on the counter, closer to her girlfriend. She didn’t know how to describe what she was looking at, but it amused her.

Maybe because she hasn’t seen her roommate be like this in a while. And it was so obvious to her and Mina that Jimin wasn’t the only one feeling something.

The thought made her huff. “She didn’t even wait to take off her coat so she could try out Jimin’s hotpot,” she whispered, leaning even closer to Mina.

Mina took a look behind her and then back at what she was doing, smiling to herself. “Hush, love. Let them be,” she responded endearingly.

Chaeyoung could only shake her head.

The moment Jimin was done cooking, Chaeyoung was about to go out to call Minjeong, but their neighbor probably knew what was going on since she knocked on their door unexpectedly.