Monochromatic

Day 8

"Heejin if you don't pose for me right now, I'll set you on fire." Jimin threatened as she pointed her camera at Heejin and Jake."

I am a fire breather, a fire dancer, and a fire eater. Not your next Instagram post." Heejin sassed playfully.

"Say that to yourself when you post your next selfie." Jake teased. Heejin gave him a look before smacking his face.

"Children please," Minjeong approached them, kissing Jimin's cheek. "I need you for later. You bring mama the profit. So no fighting until after 10."

"And pose for Jimin." Jimin added.

Minjeong chuckled. "And pose for Jimin." Minjeong smiled to Jimin.

Heejin rolled her eyes. "Jesus, you're whipped." Heejin said as she posed with Jake a warrior-like pose with her fiery batons and his fiery chains.

"I'm not!" Minjeong protested as Jimin giggled and took the picture.

Heejin and Jake only laughed as they walked away and Minjeong pouted. Jimin kissed her cheek. "It's okay, I like you whipped and all."

"Sounds kinky." Minjeong winked.

Jimin blushed and snapped a quick picture of Minjeong before smacking her arm. "Perv."

Minjeong only smirked and kissed Jimin's lips gently. "Can I see the pictures?" she asked.

Jimin nodded and handed Minjeong her camera. Minjeong looked through the pictures on Jimin's camera, a smile on her face as she looked through each one. "You're really good. This is great."

"Thanks." Jimin smiled, leaning her head against Minjeong. "I've been thinking about something."

Minjeong hummed, signaling Jimin to continue.

"Can we go to the lake so we can talk without anyone interrupting us?"

Minjeong nodded. "Sure." She said softly before taking Jimin's hand and walking to their secret spot. Or Minjeong hoped it was theirs.

The two sat down by the edge of the dock, taking off their shoes and letting the water touch their feet.

"So what's up?" Minjeong asked, tilting her head.

Jimin pursed her lips. "I love the circus."

Minjeong chuckled. "I figured since you're there every day." She replied.

"And I love you."

Minjeong stared at her with wide eyes at the confession.

Jimin quickly regretted letting the words slip out of her mouth. They hadn't known each other very long. Only seven days. But since when did love have a time limit? It sure didn't with Jimin.

The two stayed silent for a long time, both staring into the lake and it's sparkling wonder.

"We shouldn't have let this go too far."

Jimin stared at Minjeong with a confused look. "What?"

"I leave in two days. You'll probably never see me again." Minjeong sighed. "What did we do?" she spoke mostly to herself than Jimin.

"We fell in love." Jimin blurted out before her cheeks reddened. "Or at least, I did." Jimin stammered, looking down at the floor.

Minjeong stayed quiet.

The silence terrified Jimin.

"I began to sing again because of you." Jimin spoke up quietly. "I started to smile again. And I started to see the world in every shade and color. I started to daydream happy things. I started to feel happy again Minjeong, don't you dare take that away from me."

"And then what? I leave and you go back to being miserable? I shouldn't have looked for you." Minjeong groaned. "We're going to get hurt."

"Everyone's going to get hurt eventually. At least in this case, we chose to get hurt." Jimin told her.

"At what cost though, Jimin?" Minjeong questioned, running a hand through her hair as she kicked the dirt in front of her. "We're going to hurt each other when we realize five days aren't enough. You'll go your own way and I'll go mine. That is how our story ends."

"Regardless how our story ends, we'll still be hurt. But I rather our story ends with us hurting, but still happy that we had this. It's special. We're special. I can't be the only one who feels this way." Jimin whispered.

"Don't you get it, Jimin?" Minjeong suddenly exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm not stable. I'm not meant for anyone. I can't give you what you want."

"And what do you think I want?"

"Someone who stays." Minjeong whispered. "And...I can't stay for you."

"Then let me go with you."

Minjeong immediately shook her head. "No, no... Jimin ...no!" she shook her head. "You're not coming with me. I'm not letting you."

"Why not? If you can't stay for me then I'll go for you." Jimin told her. "I can... I can help promote the circus. You said my photographs are good. I can do something with them. I can work in the circus somehow and we'll be together. It's as simple as that."

Minjeong ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. "It's not simple." She turned to Jimin. "You have a life ahead of you Jimin. One that doesn't involve me. You have SMU to go to in the fall and an amazing author to become. You have something going for you that I can never give you. And that's a future. A bright future. The circus is not for everyone, Jimin. It's not for you."

"It's not for you either but you're still there."

"Because I have no control over my life. None. That's... that's my life whether I like it or not. That is all I have."

"That's not true." Jimin whispered. "You have me."

"For two more days."

"Because you won't let me stay for longer. Just let me go with you. Who cares about SMU and all of that when I have you? I love you, Minjeong. You can't just let me stay here and you go everywhere." Jimin's eyes watered.

Minjeong sighed. "I think... I think you shouldn't come back to the show tonight. Or the next one. Or... the next one. Just... don't come back." She whispered.

"Minjeong... please-"

"I'm gonna go." Minjeong kissed Jimin's forehead. "I'm so sorry for making you believe the circus was for you." She stood up to put on her shoes and started to walk away from Jimin.

Tears slid down Jimin's cheek. "I love you!" Jimin called after her. "Does that mean nothing to you?"

Minjeong wiped away a tear. "Yes." she managed to say.

"I'm yours... does that mean nothing?" Jimin shouted.

"It's not enough." Minjeong kept walking.

"So my love for you isn't enough?"

Minjeong kept walking.

Jimin didn't go to the circus that night.