After Jimin’s eventful entrance, the four girls sat around the coffee table and Jimin had immediately blurted out some explanation on how Minjeong and her met, to their friends’ surprise.
“So if I understand well,” started Aeri, turning towards a very much stressed looking Minjeong, who was nibbling on her thumb’s nail. “you bumped into Jimin, made her spill all the papers she was holding on the floor and felt apologetic so you helped her out?”
Minjeong sheepishly nodded. It amazes her how Jimin managed to carefully craft this story so quickly, but she felt incredibly thankful for it. She doesn’t know why the woman decided to hide their meeting from her friend by putting this lie together, but Minjeong felt really moved by this kind gesture.
Did Jimin see through her lies back in the empty classroom? Or did she just do it out of consideration for Minjeong who supposedly has terrible stage-fright?
Minjeong doesn’t really know. But one thing she knows for sure is that she’s not mentally ready to face Yizhuo’s disappointed face when she’ll learn that she has been hiding her biggest hobby away from her. Yeah, she was not ready to do this today at all…
So thank you, Yu Jimin! From the bottom of Minjeong’s heart!
Feeling satisfied, Aeri decided to drop the subject, and nudged Jimin’s arm all while suggestively wiggling her eyebrows at her. Minjeong didn’t miss the way Jimin’s ears reddened as she smacked her friend’s arm in return. And she yet again found herself finding the sight of an embarrassed looking Jimin to be the most adorable thing she ever saw.
Jimin abruptly got up from the couch, and grabbed her bass, putting its strap around her shoulder. It was a Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass. “ Basic, but a classic who does the job ,” thought Minjeong, in all of her nerd glory.
She had never imagined Jimin to be a bassist though. Usually, bassists are calm and quiet people who want to be as far from the spotlight as they can be. Quite the contrary of Jimin who seems to be an endearing and excited happy-pill, who can make a whole room be fully focused on her just by crossing the doorstep.
Following after Jimin, Yizhuo and Aeri also got up and made their way towards their own instruments. Yizhuo carefully sat down in front of the drum set, while Aeri picked her guitar up from its stand. It was a Gibson SG Special Ebony. And Minjeong knows for sure that those are so damn expensive. Is Aeri a rich girl or something?
However, the three girls did not give her the luxury to indulge in her thoughts for much longer, because Yizhuo was already giving them the tempo. And when the music started, Minjeong was stunned.
They decided to play R, from Roselia, a Japanese band. Minjeong suspects Aeri to have influenced this choice but nonetheless, it was such a good song that Minjeong could not complain at all.
She knows that the song starts with a very strong bassline, so her eyes immediately fell on Jimin. The woman’s expression completely changed, from her usual soft look to a much fiercer one. Flawlessly, she pulled the cords and played her lines to perfection.
The combination of the steady drums beat with the smooth bass sound and the precise melody provided by the guitar created an overwhelming harmony. It felt so good, yet so much at the same time. Minjeong felt her breath hitch with each note, with each beat.
The song is already an intense one, and is heavily centered on the piano. However, even without this crucial instrument, the group managed to make the sound feel complete. But the one who really shone here is Jimin. Minjeong did not think that the older woman was this skilled. But yet here she was, flawlessly hitting each note and basically sliding through the song with a nonchalant ease.
For a second, Minjeong even imagined herself standing there with them. With another guitar, their sound would feel even more complete. And Minjeong is certain that together, they would be the very best band the world has ever known.
But behind the vision of herself standing between the girls, she saw her mother’s disgusted and disappointed expression. One full of anger and frustration.
That’s right. Thinking about playing with those girls was nothing but just a fleeting dream, which would never come true.
Minjeong’s sound was bound to forever be a lonely one.
***
After parting ways with the other three, Minjeong made her way to her usual empty classroom, with a weird feeling at the pit of her stomach.
Was it stress? Or loneliness?
She wasn’t sure, but all she knows is that her stomach was tied in a tight and painful knot.
Listening to her friend’s music should have made her feel delighted. But instead, it left her with a feeling of emptiness and dares she says, jealousy.
Minjeong is not a jealous person per se. She is not selfish either, but she tends to not really care about what other people do or have. Their business is theirs, and her business is hers. So obviously, she doesn’t feel envious of what they have that she doesn’t, since she’s barely even looking in their direction anyways.
But at this exact moment, Minjeong thinks that she’s experiencing jealousy, mixed with a dreadful sense of loneliness.
Was her sound bound to be forever alone? Was she bound to forever be alone in this?
Minjeong opened her guitar case, grabbed the instrument and angrily started to scratch its cords.
It hurts. She was definitely applying way too much pressure on the strings with her fingers, resulting in them slightly bleeding, despite being rough enough to usually withstand the sharpness of the cords.
It hurts but she couldn’t bring herself to stop. She knows that her sound probably sounded uglily angry, full of venom and red feelings.
Red for her love for music. Red for her passion towards guitar. Red for the burning anger and frustration music brought her.
“Minjeong?”
Minjeong gritted her teeth and kept playing, ignoring the unknown yet familiar voice who had just called her. She didn’t feel like socializing anyways, and she hopes that person will get the hint quickly.
But apparently, they didn’t because Minjeong felt a small hand rest on top of her bloody one.
“Oh my god, are you okay?”
Minjeong raised her head, and her teary gaze met Jimin’s caring eyes. She didn't even know when those tears had appeared, and did not even realize it, too engrossed in her blinding anger. And as soon as she noticed Minjeong’s tears, Jimin immediately squeezed Minjeong’s hand.
The sensation was so foreign to Minjeong that it almost made her actually cry. Everything hurts. Her head because of her inner battle against her own feelings. Her fingers from the sharpness of the strings. Her heart from the unbearable feeling of wanting to just enjoy her passion freely, but also from the frustration that comes with all the external factors restricting her from doing so.
Everything hurts. But the second Jimin held her hand tightly, all the pain vanished. The action made her feel grounded again, and it felt so weird yet so peaceful.
Minjeong is terrible with physical touch. Maybe it comes from her parents who had never been that affectionate with her, or just from her aloof personality in general.
Even Yizhuo knows about this, and respects the girl’s awkwardness with it.
But Jimin obviously doesn’t. Heck, they barely know a thing about each other.
So why does her touch feel so comforting? Usually, Minjeong’s skin itches when someone else touches her, so why is it almost tingling now?
Seeing the lack of answer on Minjeong’s side, Jimin quickly rummaged through her handbag, and grabbed a bunch of Shin-chan themed band-aids.
She carefully grabbed Minjeong’s hands, and started wrapping the bandages around each of her injured fingers. And Minjeong let her.
When Jimin was done, she looked at Minjeong again, and her gaze was the softest Minjeong had ever seen before.
“Is everything okay..?” hesitantly asked Jimin, who in the process of nursing Minjeong, had been kneeling down in front of her.
Seeing this, Minjeong abruptly got up, (carefully) casted her guitar on the side and grabbed a chair so Jimin could sit on it. The confusing action made Jimin a bit stunned at first, but she then giggled quietly, before muttering a small thanks.
Minjeong might be going through things right now, but she’s still a gentlewoman at heart! She usually never does that for anyone but she doesn’t feel like explaining why Jimin gets the princess treatment. Not a thing to address right now.
She was glad that the other woman seemed to be giving her the time and space to breathe. Jimin didn’t bombard her with questions, and just sat there, looking at her with worry painted all over her face.
“Sorry… I just..” Minjeong awkwardly started. She shuffled a bit in her seat, before looking at Jimin in the eyes. “I’m sorry you had to witness that and… thank you for treating my injuries..”
Jimin sent her a warm smile, and approached her hand from Minjeong’s. However, it stayed hung up in the air, while Jimin silently asked for her permission to hold her hand yet again.
And who was Minjeong to deny feeling this soft and comforting touch again? So she nodded, and Jimin squeezed her hand again.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me anything Minjeong,” she smiled. This sentence alone made Minjeong want to literally spill all of her internalized angst and trauma to Jimin. But it wouldn’t be fair for the older girl.
“Thank you…” She found herself squeezing Jimin’s hand back, to her own surprise. But before she could notice the woman’s reddening ears, Minjeong remembered something.
“I’ve been meaning to ask but, why did you cover for me back in the club room?”
To this, Jimin just shrugged with her free hand. “I’m not sure. I just felt like it wasn’t my place to reveal your secret, yknow?”
How can someone be so socially aware? Minjeong could never, to her utmost dismay. But still, the sole thought of Jimin thinking this far to just protect her, a girl she barely knows, was enough to move Minjeong greatly.
“Thank you for everything Jimin,” she breathed, her chest pounding a tad rapidly when Jimin flashed her a bright grin in response.
“Of course, anytime!”
Minjeong feels like they should switch instruments, really. Guitarists are usually bright and in the middle of the spotlight, while bassists are all gloomy and quiet.
And here was Jimin, a literal beaming sun, while Minjeong herself could only be rightfully described as a gloomy moon.
“Oh yeah!” Jimin interrupted Minjeong’s thoughts, successfully getting her attention. “Can I get your number or something?” She looked a bit awkward asking this mundane question.
However, Minjeong, already feeling way better than before, felt like teasing her a bit. “What, are you flirting with me or something Yu?”
Jimin’s face immediately flushed, and she messily waved her hands in front of her face, in a futile attempt of hiding her crimson face. “N-no! I mean you’re very pretty and stuff but… ugh!”
Minjeong giggled, and as a revenge, Jimin squeezed her hand way harder than she should be, earning a small yelp from Minjeong who immediately retracted it in a desperate attempt to escape the pain.
“I just want to be friends with you!” blurted out the older girl. Minjeong, who was now holding her poor squeezed hand, looked at Jimin, a grin escaping her lips.
“You’ve seen more of me than my friends have ever seen, so I guess I’ve got no choice…”
Jimin pouted at Minjeong’s half-assed answer. “It’s fine… I won’t force yo-”
Minjeong snatched Jimin’s phone from her hands, and typed in her phone number. She had never done something like this before, but there’s a first time for everything right?
She gave the phone back to Jimin, and grinned to herself. “There you go, the pretty girl gave you her number.”
She stood up, packed her stuff and quickly made her way outside of the room, all while Jimin sat there, seemingly frozen.
Minjeong, who still felt a bit bold, turned towards the older girl. “I’ll be expecting your call tonight.” And with that, she was off, leaving a very much stunned Jimin in the room.
For once in her life, Minjeong has the feeling that maybe, her dull and gray routine will evolve into something much brighter.
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