GIRLS / ONESHOTS

pretty face - winter x karina

The biggest thing Minjeong was scared of was messing it up. Not only would she destroy her career, but now she had her future group to think about. She needed to be perfect 24/7, or she'd be a failure. Minjeong needed to be the best, or she'd be nothing at all. She trained harder than everyone else, practiced longer, and worked harder than everyone else. She needed to, she told herself, or she wouldn't be good enough. She wasn't just a pretty face, she had power, and she would prove to the world that she wasn't just a carbon copy of one of her seniors. She was Winter.
Minjeong had already been a trainee a few months beforehand when Jimin joined SM. She was polite and friendly with her, like all the other trainees. Thoughtful, but distant. A subtle barrier separated the two of them. She didn't want to get too attached, they could both be sent home any day and Minjeong didn't want any pesky emotions to distract her.
But she quickly realized something. Jimin was better. She was a better dancer, a better singer, a better rapper, and much much prettier. No one failed to remind her of that. Jimin was the new face of SM. It made sense, she was gorgeous. Minjeong wasn't blind, she could see the obvious beauty in her elder's face. She simply ignored it. She was quietly trying, quietly failing, to regain her number 1 spot.
"Do you hate me?"
Jimin cornered her in the practice room, at an early hour of the morning when only Minjeong would be awake. Minjeong had been too tired to even notice Jimin come in, but all drowsiness had left her body when she saw the black-haired girl looking down at her with a cold expression. No one was lying about her being gorgeous.
"Hate you?" Minjeong repeated nervously, looking away at her bitten nails. "N-no. Of course not,"
Jimin raised an eyebrow, letting out an exasperated huff of air. "So why am I getting the silent treatment?"
Minjeong looked away. "That's just how I am,"
Jimin snorted but said nothing, instead moving to the wall and leaning against it, looking at Minjeong with an expectant expression that still revealed nothing. SM's new visual, indeed.
"Well, are you going to dance?" The older asked, a playful tone in her voice. Something about it made Minjeong feel small, childish.
Minjeong glanced at the clock and then back at Jimin, straightening her posture the more casual Jimin became. "It's 3 am,"
Jimin hummed in confirmation. "You came here to dance, right?"
"I didn't come here to dance with you,"
"Oh, surely that's not how you want to talk to your senior," Jimin chuckled dryly. "Besides, I don't want to start off on the wrong foot with you when we might be in the same group,"
"We might," Minjeong turned away, nails digging into the palms of her hands to try and hide her nervousness. "We might not,"
"Is it really so bothersome that I be here?" Jimin asked, more amused tone now bordering on exasperated and angry.
"It is," Minjeong said flatly. "You invited yourself in here,"
"So if we join a group together, this is how it'll be? Cold, calculating, heartless Minjeong who secretly hates me?"
Hate you? Minjeong thought. I don't think anyone could, with a face like yours.
"I don't hate you," Minjeong corrected her. "But you're a distraction,"
"Distraction from what?"
"From debuting," Minjeong said as she watched herself in the mirror, going through the moves of the dance as she spoke. Jimin's gaze burned a hole in the back of her head. "I won't make connections with anyone until my debut has been assured,"
"You're definitely going to be picked, all the staff love you," Jimin said with a raised eyebrow, her eyes following Minjeong's movements..
"Your pretty face will get you into the group, but I still need to work," Minjeong muttered, stopping for breath.
"Hey. Don't discredit the work I've put into this just because you think I'm attractive," Jimin scolded. "I work just as hard as you,"
"Really? Because I don't see you coming in here every night to practice. I see you eating snacks around the dorms. I am here for 4 extra hours every day. I never snack, and I never go out past curfew. I work harder than you can even imagine," Minjeong crossed her arms over herself, scowling.
Instead of getting angry like Minjeong expected, Jimin's face turned into concern. She sat up, eyebrows knitted together.
"4 extra hours? That isn't enough sleep," She said softly. "There is such a thing as working too hard,"
"Don't give me pity," Minjeong said indignantly, crossing her arms. "I don't need it. I need to focus,"
Jimin eyed her up and down. "Minjeong," She said sternly. "This isn't healthy,"
Minjeong ignored her, going back to repeating the choreography. She could still feel Jimin's presence in the room, which was making it awfully hard to focus. She could feel Jimin's stare on the back of her neck, and it made her skin crawl.
"Jimin, just leave," Minjeong pleaded softly, her voice holding much less malice than she felt.
"No," The older girl replied simply. "What if I came to practice too?"
Minjeong bit her tongue and realized that Jimin was wearing athletic clothing, and carrying a bag and water bottle. Now Minjeong didn't have an excuse to avoid her. She was acutely aware that this was the first time she had ever been alone with Jimin, and tried to make herself look composed and calm. On the inside she was freaking out, she didn't want Jimin to hate her. But at the same time, she shouldn't get too close. How was she supposed to manage that?
She wasn't exactly good at making people like her. The staff only liked her because she never complained and always offered to help. There was a reason Minejong didn't have many actual friends.
"Do you want chips?" Jimin asked, pulling a packet of Doritos out of her bag. So that's why she brought that bag.
"Nope," Minjeong replied, but she could feel her stomach rumble as she heard the cracking of Jimin opening the bag and popping the chips into her mouth. Every once in a while she'd see Jimin pop one in her mouth, and envy made her feel sick. Then Jimin met her eyes in the mirror, and Minjeong felt something weird in her chest as Jimin licked her fingers clean of the dust.
"Do you have to do that here?" Minjeong snapped. "What are you even doing, eating at this hour?"
Jimin blinked at her and then shrugged. "I'm hungry,"
Minjeong dug her nails into her palms to keep from saying something she might regret. She couldn't help but eye the bag of chips with jealousy, wishing she could allow herself to have some. She couldn't, she reminded herself. Minjeong wouldn't mess up.
"Come on, you know you want some," Jimin held out the bag to Minjeong, smiling like she'd won. "A few won't hurt,"
They did sound good. Minjeong's stomach panged with hunger.
She slapped the bag away before she could let herself actually consider it. "Stop it, Jimin. I'm fine, I don't need anything from you,"
Jimin frowned. "No need to get so defensive. I was just trying to check up on you. If we debut together, I'll be your leader and I want to make sure you're doing okay,"
"But you're not my leader," Minjeong reminded her coldly.
"As your senior, then," Jimin crossed her arms.
"Barely," Minjeong muttered, glaring at her.
"As a friend then!" Jimin shouted in frustration, rolling her eyes.
Minjeong stepped closer to the older girl, getting in her face. "We are not friends. You are not anything to me,"
Jimin flinched, her cheeks reddened and she looked down.
"Do I really need to make it any clearer to you?" Minjeong asked. "I don't like you. I don't need you to look after me,"
"I...I was just trying..."
"You'd like to make yourself feel like the good guy," Minjeong sneered. "Poor Minjeong, huh? Friendless, awkward, pathetic,"
Jimin looked at her helplessly. "I promise, that's not why I came here. I wanted-"
"You've admitted the only reason you came here is to see me," Minjeong turned back to the mirror of the dance room. "So leave,"
Jimin pursed her lips, her eyes silently imploring Minejong to change her mind. After a moment her shoulders slumped and she slowly collected her things, shooting one more glance at Minjeong before departing through the door, finally leaving Minjeong alone.
She was too good to be true. Minjeong stared at herself in the mirror. Friends with me? Caring about me?
Minjeong had known girls just like Jimin. They acted all sweet, thoughtful, tried to get close to her and make her trust them. But you could only depend on yourself. Jimin needed to realize that if she wanted to survive.
She ran a hand through her hair, conflicting feelings making her stomach feel ill. She did want Jimin to make it. The girl was talented, even if she could get on Minjeongs nerves. Funny, even if it made Minjeong feel left out that she never got to be one of the girls laughing with Jimin during their dance lessons. Pretty, but in a way that made Minjeong feel small and insignificant in a way no one else ever had.
Minjeong sighed deeply, putting her hands on her knees and trying to stabilize her breathing. She felt a bit nauseous and her eyes were blurring, but that was common for this time of night. She just needed to power through it.
She looked up at the clock. 3:25. She had already wasted almost half an hour, and she was nowhere near done with mastering the choreography. Minjeong groaned, realizing she could've asked Jimin to help her. Of course, the brunette already knew the choreography, and could probably dance circles around Minjeong if she tried.
Then again, she did want to help me.
Minjeong shook the thought off. Jimin was long gone by now, and probably mad at her too. She'd just have to figure this out by herself. She'd done that enough times.
Even after half an hour of training, Minjeong still couldn't seem to get the dance right. What was more concerning was that she felt like her legs were about to give way, and like her stomach was collapsing in on itself. It was too painful to ignore now, and Minjeong slowly sunk to the middle of the floor, clutching her stomach in pain as her eyes fluttered shut.
She was too weak to cry, even though she could feel her eyes glisten with tears. It'd been a while since she'd cried. It'd been a while since she'd done anything but practice until her body felt sore in places she didn't know it could.
She felt a hand on her shoulder, but didn't even have the strength to respond. She looked up bleakly, surprised to see Jimin's worried pout.
"Minjeong? What's wrong? Why are you in the middle of the floor?" Jimin asked loudly at first, then wincing at her own volume and quieting. She sat down beside the blonde, brushing the hair from her eyes. "Are you feeling sick?"
"Jimin..." Mineong repeated softly, her name feeling foreign yet comforting on her lips. She almost smiled, watching the older's girl's face change from amusement to concern.
"I'm here,"
"I was mean,"
Jimin nodded honestly. "You were," She frowned. "You worried me more than you hurt my feelings,"
"I was trying to hurt your feelings," Minjeong closed her eyes.
"I know," The smile was audible in Jimin's voice. "I figured that out once I'd left. Because I know you aren't a mean person, not really,"
Am I? Minjeong felt her eyes burn with unshed tears beneath her eyelids. Am I a good person?
"Don't want to be alone," Minjeong whispered. She opened her eyes and saw Jimin, and something came over her. Like a scared child, Minjeong crawled into Jimin's arms, seeking the comfort she'd denied herself for so long.
Jimin's face heated up as the younger girl fell into her and hesitantly wrapped her arms around Minjeong's waist. She felt so small in Jimin's arms, like something Jimin needed to keep safe. Her head rested against Jimin's chest and the older girl couldn't help but feel confused. They'd never even been alone together before today, and Jimin never even touched her friends like this. Being physical like this...
It doesn't mean to other girls what it means to you. Jimin reminded herself, a sudden hollow feeling in her chest.
"Hungry," Minjeong mumbled cutely, a pout on her lips.
"Hungry? Oh," Jimin pulled a candy bar from her back pocket. "Here, eat this,"
Instead of taking it from her, Minjeong just opened her mouth and closed her eyes, making Jimin smile to herself and unwrap the candy. She broke off a piece and fed it to Minjeong, the smaller girl humming happily. Jimin wanted to pinch her cheeks.
"Good?" Jimin asked.
"Yeah," Minjeong said dreamily. "I'm still hungry though,"
Jimin just handed her the candy bar this time, and chuckled as she watched confused, exhausted, famished Minjeong eat it in a few famished bites. The younger girl looked up at her with wide eyes, hoping for more, but Jimin shook her head.
"We need to get back to the dorm," Jimin reminded her gently, patting Minjeong's head.
"I'm tired," Minjeong admitted softly. "And you're warm," She closed her eyes and snuggled into Jimin further, bringing a deeper blush to the brunette's cheeks.
"We can't just stay here," Jimin pointed out.
"We can turn the lights off," Minjeong argued, already half asleep.
The lack of sleep was getting to Jimin too. She briefly put Minjeong down, going to the corner of the room and turning off the lights, then returning to the blonde.
Jimin sat in the corner of the room, propped against cushions, and let out a deep sigh. This place was quieter than the dorms, where there was always at least one girl awake and doing something. Here, it was almost silent, except for Minjeong's gentle snores and the hum of the air conditioning.
Minjeong had moved and laid down across Jimin's lap, wrapping her arm around Jimin's leg like a child would a toy. Jimin couldn't resist the urge to run her hands through Minjeong's hair, admiring her face as she slept. Minjeong was so peaceful, and Jimin could swear she might even see a smile on the blonde's face. She worried about all the trainees, and most of the time she was able to comfort and support them, but not Minjeong. Minjeong had always been so closed off, separating herself from the other trainees and not letting anyone close to her. Jimin knew that must be lonely.
Jimin had spoken to some of the other girls and learned that this was how Minjeong always was, silent and judging. But Jimin could sense that something was different about the way Minjeong acted towards her. She couldn't pinpoint the emotion in Minjeong's eyes when they interacted, was it envy? Hatred? Wistfulness? She just wanted to know Minjeong better, to make sure that she could be the best leader possible.
I need to make her eat more in the morning. Jimin noted to herself. She's too thin.
Jimin laid her head back on the cushion and released an exhausted breath. She didn't want to sleep, but she couldn't help the tiredness taking over her body. Jimin let her eyes shut, muttering a goodnight to Minjeong as falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When Minjeong woke, she was in a strange place, and the lights of the room made her squint as she opened her eyes. Did she pass out in the practice room again? Her body felt sore, which made sense for someone who had just slept on the floor, but her head was laid on something soft.
She heard the ping of a phone above her and looked down in the realization of what-or who- she was laying on.
"Hey there," Jimin said drowsily, locking her phone and looking down at the blonde. "Did you sleep okay?"
"How long did I sleep?" Minjeong whispered, dreading the answer.
Jimin looked down at her phone. "It's 7:30, so about so about 3 hours,"
Minjeong cursed under her breath. "I'm an hour behind schedule,"
"You mean to tell me you wake up at 6:30?" Jimin asked incredulously. "But you went to bed at 4,"
"Yeah," Minjeong muttered. "Like I said, I work hard,"
"That's not working hard, that's exhausting yourself," Jimin frowned. "That's not okay, Minjeong,"
Minjeong sat up, her body literally shaking from hunger and tiredness. She looked dazed, like she hadn't gotten any sleep at all. Jimin couldn't let her continue like this.
"I have to get ready for examinations," Minjeong said softly, slowly climbing to her feet. "Thank you for...you know,"
"Do you want another candy bar?" Jimin asked with a soft smile.
"No no, I don't eat on examination day," Minjeong shrugged weakly.
Jimin's jaw dropped. "At all? I didn't see you eat anything yesterday either,"
Minjeong scowled at her, suddenly becoming hostile. "Are you keeping tabs on me?"
"No, it's just," Jimin stood up and approached her. "Worrying to see you like this," She put her hand on Minjeong's shoulder.
Minjeong brushed her off. "I'm fine,"
Jimin shook her head, crossing her arms. "You're not. You can barely stand," She gestured to Minjeong's legs, which were already wobbling.
"I'm not your responsibility. If anything, you should be happy I might mess up, less competition for you," Minjeong said bitterly, collecting her things slowly.
Jimin groaned. "Stop it. I don't think of you as just more competition. Why can't we just support each other?"
Minjeong stopped moving, back turned to Jimin.
"You should think of me as competition. It'll make it easier when you beat me," Minjeong said quietly. "That way you don't get too attached,"
Jimin was taken aback. How could a girl as talented and pretty and amazing as Minjeong honestly think she'd get sent home? Socially awkward and cold, sure, but undoubtedly one of the best voices in SM's trainees.
"Really, thank you," Minjeong said as she twisted the door handle. "I appreciate it,"
"Minjeong, eat something. Please," Jimin begged. She looked at the younger girl desperately, pleading her to see reason. For a moment Minjeong just stared at her, and then she sighed and came back to Jimin's side.
"What would I eat?"
"Wait you're actually listening?" Jimin said in surprise.
Minjeong shrugged. "You said it cutely, and I owe you one,"
Jimin blinked, then ran over to her bag and pulled out a protein bar. She held it out to Minjeong, and the blonde took it slowly.
"How many calories are in this?"
"I swear to god, Minjeong, just eat it,"
Minjeong blushed and unwrapped it, grimacing as she took a bite, making Jimin grin and clap her hands. Minjeong took a couple of bites before handing it back to Jimin, shaking her head.
"I can't afford to eat more," She whispered, eyes filling with tears. "I'm sorry,"
Jimin frowned, eyebrows furrowed. "Minjeong..." She pulled the blonde closer, hugging her gently. The girl was so bony that Jimin felt like she was crushing her. "I'm worried. Really worried. You're not okay,"
Minjeong relaxed slightly into her. "I just got to get through examinations," Her breath tickled the side of Jimin's face.
"Then you'll take a break from all this? The fasting, the extra practice,"
Minjeong sighed. "A tiny break. That's all,"
Jimin smiled and nodded. "Okay. We should go, the exams are in less than an hour,"
Minjeong swallowed nervously. "I'll um, see you there I guess,"
"You will," Jimin patted her head. "I'll be cheering for you,"
Minjeong decided to save the task of assessing the butterflies in her stomach for a later date.