#newjeans minji x male oc
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Unlikely Duet - 6
length: +7k words
Genre: Fluff
NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)
(Author's Note: I could've taken another day to edit this, but I wanted to upload it asap so here it is :^) Hopefully my writing isn't too garbage and I hope y'all enjoy <3)
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★
Minji’s POV
I could do nothing but pace around my room, anxiety fueling every step. Danielle was supposed to be here 20 minutes ago to drive us to the fair, but on this particular day of all days, she decides to be late. My vice president, the one who I can lean on when I’m overwhelmed with responsibilities and even more of a stickler for rules and punctuality compared to me, is late.
The brunt of my morning was spent avoiding my parents like the plague, staying cooped up in my room and eating my meals as quickly as possible. To them, it probably seems like I’m giving them the silent treatment for what they said last night (which I’m still upset about), but in reality, I was riddled with anxious thoughts and simply avoided speaking in case I accidentally let it slip that I was planning on lying to them. I’ve done it tons of times before, but every single time is nerve wracking. While I hate that it’s gotten to this point, I owe a lot of my sanity to what I’ve been able to get away with by lying. Besides, it’s probably better this way - my parents still believe that I’m their perfect daughter and I still get to have some semblance of a social life.
Like the sonorous tones of a church bell, a resounding ding emits from my phone. They’re here. With shaky hands, I grab my tote bag from my bed and carefully tiptoe down the stairs. Right as I reach the front door, my father calls out to me from the living room.
“Minji? Where are you going?” He asks, a look of curiosity on his face.
“O-oh, uhh, I guess I forgot to tell you this but I was actually planning on going to the library to study with Danielle today.” I grin at him, trying my best to sound convincing. Our eyes lock as he studies my expression for what feels like an eternity. It might just be my stress causing my eyes to play tricks on me, but there seems to be a hint of sadness in his expression, as if he doesn’t want me to go. I shake it off and refocus on the task at hand.
“Well, I better get going-”
“Wait,” he interrupts before leaving the room for a moment. He comes back with a $20 bill in his hands and offers it to me. “Here.”
Panic began to set in. Did he find out I was actually going to the fair? If he did, why would he be giving me money? Shouldn’t he be angry at me for lying to him?
“Um, what’s this for? We’re just going to the library,” I reiterate in hopes that my initial worries were wrong.
“In case you two get hungry after, you should get some snacks. Food fuels the brain.” The relief I felt after he said those words is better than any award I got in my entire academic career up to this point. Normally it would raise red flags for my father to be doing something uncharacteristic like this, but I didn’t care. I’m just glad to almost be free.
“Thanks,” I say as I take the cash. “I’ll see you later then.”
“Don’t stay out too late. Don’t be messing around while studying. And-”
I shut the door behind me before I could hear the rest of his sentence. It was probably some other generic dad advice, like “Don’t talk to strange boys at night” or something like that. The sight of Danielle’s mom’s car parked on the other side of the street was like seeing a boat heading your direction after being stranded on an island for 15 years. Hanni beckoned me from the passenger’s side window, an excited grin painted on her face.
“Hurry up girl, let’s go!!” She shouted. As I open the door to the backseat, Hyein and Haerin wave back at me.
“Hi Minji!”
“Yo.”
“Hi guys, sorry, my dad wanted to talk to me before I left,” I replied as I got in the car. “Danielle, what took you so long, I was pacing around my room for the past 20 minutes anxious out of my mind!”
“I’m sorry, there was something I had to take care of before I could take my mom’s car,” she apologizes as she tampers with the rearview mirror, clearly annoyed with its inability to swivel properly.
Hanni pops her head from the front seat. “Okay y’all, we just need to take a deep breath and calm down. We’re going to the fair to chill out and have fun, let’s not let petty things like this ruin the day before it’s even started, alright?” Haerin and Hyein nod enthusiastically, peering over at me to gauge my reaction. I close my eyes and take a deep breath in order to allow my mind to forget about the stress from my morning. Today is the day that I get to let loose and forget about all the pressures I face in my regular life. Nothing else matters but having fun. As I open my eyes again, I am welcomed by the smiling faces of my four dearest friends (Danielle was especially happy about finally fixing the rearview mirror). My lips curl into a smile as I look back at them.
“Yeah, you’re right, Hanni,” I admit. “Okay, let’s go!!” We all cheer as Danielle steps on the gas. Hanni turns up the radio, blasting a loud pop song that blares out of the windows as we cruise through the neighborhood.
______________________________________________________________
The lights, the sounds, the smells, everything about the fair was overwhelming in the best way possible. Large groups of friends and families meandered along the concrete pathways, talking and laughing as they try their hand at classic carnival games or satiate their hunger with fried food and extravagant sweets. A giant ferris wheel sat in the background, the sunlight peeking through its rotors. A wave of nostalgia washes over me as I’m reminded of old family memories. Before they pressured me into trying to obtain some kind of impossible perfection, I used to be able to exist simply as their daughter, who they loved and played with like any other child.
“Hey Minji, are you okay?” Hyein asks me. I snap out of my thoughts to find the girls looking back at me with concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine, just thinking about something,” I reassure them. “What do you guys wanna do first?”
“I don’t know Ms. President, what do you wanna do?” Hanni asks with a wide grin.
“Well, I guess we can-”
I freeze as I see a familiar face in the distance, intermingled with the crowd. Yuno is here. With the convenience store girl.
______________________________________________________________
Yuno’s POV
“Where the hell did he run off to?” I grumble as I struggle to search for Yujin in the crowd. The fair was more overwhelming than I could’ve imagined - it was difficult navigating through the sea of strangers without accidentally rubbing elbows with them, all while trying to find oxygen through the constant stench of fried foods and sugar wafting through the air. At the very least, the lights were pretty to look at and I would be lying if I said the ferris wheel didn’t pique my interest.
Winter chuckles at my annoyance. “Relax, he’s just getting a corndog. See, he’s on his way over here right now,” she says, gesturing through a gap in the crowd. Lo and behold, Yujin skips towards us with a corndog in hand and a stupid grin on his face.
“Look what I got!” He presents his fried snack to us with the excitement of a child presenting a drawing to their parents. An ungodly amount of ketchup and mustard drips off the corndog, creating a gross glob of orange on the ground.
“Is that healthy?” Winter asks, concern laced in her voice. Her words fall on deaf ears as Yujin chomps off a large piece, covering his mouth in sauce. I chuckle in disbelief, both deeply disturbed and quietly impressed, while Winter hands him a pack of napkins from her purse.
I take the opportunity to look around at my surroundings again. As I gazed out amongst the crowd of smiling faces, I suddenly felt out of place in it all, like I wasn’t allowed to be here. Everything felt so foreign to me, I wasn’t sure if I should feel at ease or on edge. Whether it’s paranoia or just a hunch, I couldn’t get rid of this nagging feeling at the back of my head.
“Hey Yuno?” Winter nudges me.
I turn my attention towards her. “What?”
“Isn’t that the student council president?”
My heart stops for a split second as I look down the other end of her finger. In the heart of the crowd is Minji, huddled around her friends. She’s wearing a simple outfit of a gray collegiate sweater and jeans, yet my eyes were naturally drawn to her like a magnet.
“Y-yeah, that’s her,” I stutter, trying to maintain composure.
“Mm, issa Danielle? Les go shay hi!” Yujin exclaims with a mouth full of food, running toward them before I could stop him.
“God dammit…”
“What’s wrong, do you not wanna say hi?” Winter asks as we follow the trail through the crowd Yujin left behind.
“It’s not that, it’s just… Whatever, let’s just go.” With every step I take, my heart rate begins to accelerate as, once again, fate pulls me towards Minji Kim.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
He’s coming this way!! Why is he coming this way?? Did he see me? Should I run? No, why would I run? Pull it together, Minji!! Maybe if I pretend I didn’t see him, he’ll just walk past me. Why would I do that?? Agh!!
“Ketchup… and mustard,” Haerin blurts out, drawing puzzled glances from the group. Suddenly, a boy wearing a white eyepatch emerges from the crowd, carrying a corndog smeared with red and yellow condiments.
“Danielle!!” He calls out, waving excitedly. “Hi!”
“Yujin? What are you doing here?” Danielle questions, a hint of surprise present in her voice.
“I’m with my friends!” The boy, Yujin, exclaims as Yuno and the convenience store girl appear behind him, drawing an impish grin from Hanni. I couldn’t help but feel underdressed when compared to convenience store girl’s flowery sundress and cardigan. “I didn’t expect to see you here too! This is great!”
“Uh yeah, I guess it is,” Danielle responds awkwardly before turning to us. “Um, this is Yujin, I’ve been helping him and his grandma out recently.”
“We’re friends!” He adds enthusiastically.
“Yeah, I suppose we are.”
I couldn’t help but giggle at Danielle’s uncharacteristic awkwardness. Normally, she’s the serious voice of reason that stays calm under pressure, yet here she was, looking like an embarrassed older sister flustered by the antics of her younger sibling.
“It’s nice to meet you, Yujin,” I greet warmly. “I’m Minji, also a friend of Danielle’s.”
“Oh, you must be the student council president!” He replies eagerly. “These are my friends, Yuno and Winter. Yuno might look a little scary, but don’t worry, he only fights bad guys. He helped me and Winter out before! And Winter is really shy, but she’s really nice once you get to know her!”
“H-hello,” Winter stutters with a polite smile, while Yuno offers a simple nod. A flush of warmth colors my cheeks as our eyes briefly meet before we both quickly avert our gazes. Unfortunately, Hanni notices this and stifles a laugh, making my cheeks grow even warmer with embarrassment.
“Hello, I’m Hyein!” Our youngest chimes in. “This is Haerin, and that over there is Hanni! It’s nice to meet you all!”
As the group falls into casual conversation, I can’t help but peer over at Yujin’s eyepatch and be reminded of my conversation with Yuno last night. Despite his injuries, he’s chock full of energy and vibrancy that contrasts with Yuno’s usual solitary and soft-spoken demeanor. The difference in their personalities is cute in a way. Winter, on the other hand, shares many similarities with Yuno. Like him, she’s very soft-spoken and a little awkward, but has an aura of kindness around her despite that. I imagine the two of them got along well because of this - for some reason, this fact irks me.
“Since we’re all here to let loose at the fair, why don’t you guys join us? The more the merrier I always say, isn’t that right, Minj?” Hanni says, nudging my ribs with her elbow. I didn’t even have to look at her to know what kind of face she’s making.
Coincidentally, my eyes meet Yuno’s once again, and I quickly break away as I think of what to say. I would hate to butt into Yuno’s time with his friends, but a voice in the back of my head was telling me otherwise.
“Yeah, you guys can join us if you want to,” I say as I give into the voices. My lips curl into a smile, but inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling of butterflies in my stomach. Yuno appears taken aback at my answer as a slight pinkish hue grows on his cheeks. The group moves through the crowd looking for what to do first with Yujin leading the way and Yuno trailing close behind. I stay in the back, letting my complicated feelings fester.
“H-hello, Minji.” Winter’s soft voice interrupts my thoughts, and I turn to find her trailing behind the group alongside me. Her simple makeup look is subtle, yet it perfectly accentuated her natural beauty. Pair that with her cute outfit and she could have any guys she wants. A shiver went through my spine at the thought.
“What’s up?” I ask, trying my best to act natural.
“I just wanted to ask if you’re doing okay. I never got the chance to after what happened that night.”
My mind flashes back to when Yuno and Winter had saved me from that drunk man a couple days ago. I was too terrified and too weak to protect myself, yet this timid girl jumped in front of him to protect me. And here I am, feeling all weird because I think she looks prettier than me.
“I’m doing fine now. Thanks again for that, I owe you one,” I express.
She quickly shakes her head at my offer. “Y-you don’t have to do that. If you want, I can give you a can of pepper spray. I have a couple more of them at home.”
A chuckle escapes my lips, and Winter seems to loosen up at this. “I might have to take you up on that offer,” I say, half-jokingly. A wave of shame washes over me as I suddenly felt bad for being jealous of her. Maybe the events of this morning still have their effects on me or maybe I ate something bad earlier, but something feels off with me today and I’m not sure why.
“Guys, look over here!” Yujin shouts excitedly from the front of the group, pointing at a giant Spider-man plush sitting on a prize table for a basketball game. Two basketball hoops stood tall before him, much higher than a regular basketball hoop. “I HAVE to get this for my room!” He quickly pays the game attendant, who places three basketballs on the counter in front of him.
“Alright, the game is simple. All you have to do is make at least one basket and you get a prize,” the worker explains. Yujin takes the first ball and psyches himself up, giving the ball a couple dribbles before throwing it… And completely missing the hoop.
“Aw man,” he groans in disappointment. “Yuno, why don’t you try?”
Yuno accepts the challenge, gripping the second ball with steely determination. I watch with bated breath as the ball leaves his hands. It soars high into the sky… and completely misses the hoop. The ball shoots way over the hoop and ends up knocking a corndog out of someone’s hand. The girls and I struggle to stifle our laughter as Yuno’s cheeks turn a bright red.
“A-ah… Shit…” He curses under his breath. “M-maybe Winter should try…”
Winter steps forward, her hands shaking as she grips the final ball. We all freeze with anticipation as she shoots the ball towards the hoop. Miraculously, it arcs perfectly in the air and lands through the hoop with a satisfying swoosh. A scattered array of claps and cheers erupt from some bystanders that witnessed that moment, but none are as ecstatic as Yujin, who jumps and cheers with the excitement of a kid on his birthday.
“Congratulations, ma’am! Which prize would you like?” The worker asks her.
“T-the Spiderman p-please,” Winter stammers, accepting the toy and handing it to Yujin.
“Ahhh!!! Winter, you’re the best!!!” He screams, drawing a variety of reactions from passersby. Yuno flashes her a quick thumbs up while Hyein, Haerin, and Hanni shower her with compliments, which Winter modestly tries to brush away with a bashful smile. Meanwhile, Danielle is occupied with trying to contain Yujin’s overflowing energy.
“M-my dad really likes basketball, so he made me play w-when I was younger. I-it’s nothing really,” Winter explains. She’s kind, pretty, AND athletic? It’s almost as if God himself created the perfect person and placed them in front of me on a day I decided not to dress up. There’s no wonder I felt jealous of her. But why am I jealous of her?
“Are you okay?” Yuno asks me.
I startle slightly at his sudden appearance. “H-huh? Yeah, why?” I awkwardly chuckle. Yuno’s gentle gaze meets mine with genuine concern, momentarily distracting myself from my swirling thoughts. I found myself wanting to draw closer and get lost in his irises.
What?! Minji, what are you even thinking?! Have you gone insane?!
“You look… upset,” he admits shyly. “I just wanted t-”
Suddenly, a basketball bounces off of the other hoop and hurtles towards Winter. In a flash, Yuno turns and catches the ball right before it hits her in the face, his gentle expression replaced with a stern glare at the person who threw the ball.
“Watch it,” he growls in a calm yet menacing tone as he tosses the ball back. His face immediately softens as he turns back to Winter. “You alright?”
“Y-yeah. Thanks, Yuno,” she answers with an appreciative smile. I felt my heart drop from my chest as I watched their interaction, confusion and envy creating a storm in my mind.
“Sooooooo, you gonna make a move or no?” I jump as Hanni startles me from behind.
“W-what??” I sputter.
“I recognize that face anywhere. You’re jealous~.”
Heat creeps up my face as I struggle to find the words to explain myself. “Wha- I am not jealous!” I seethe, trying to keep my voice down. “I’m just… impressed by his reaction timing.”
“Mhm,” she hums, raising an eyebrow. “Well, I’m impressed by how close they look. Don’t you think they would make a cute couple, Minj?”
Her words leave a bitter taste in my mouth. “Y-yeah, I’m sure they would,” I reply, unconvincingly. “W-whatever, like I said I’m not jealous.”
“Oh sweet, sweet Minji,” Hanni sighs, shaking her head as she pats my shoulder. She follows the rest of the group as they move on, leaving me to watch Yuno and Winter as they walk side by side. No matter how hard I try, I can't rationalize this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach every time I see them together. I need to do something, but I don’t know why.
______________________________________________________________
We spent the next hour walking around, playing all the fair games, and filing our stomachs with an array of different snacks the fair offers. I tried to enjoy myself, but the pit in my stomach continued to grow and grow until it became unbearable. I even started to consider Hanni’s words, but no amount of inner turmoil would make me go that insane.
As the sun dipped low, casting an enchanting orange hue over the fairgrounds, it seemed like the perfect time to watch the sunset from atop the ferris wheel. As excited as I am to be able to watch the sunset, I still couldn’t get rid of this weird feeling as I watched Yuno chat with Winter and Yujin at the front of the group. Hanni seemed to notice this too.
“Girl, you look miserable,” she remarks, resting her chin on my shoulder with a sympathetic pout. “You’re supposed to be having fun.”
“I-I am having fun. This is my ‘having fun’ face.” I flash her a forced grin in a feeble attempt to mask my true feelings. Hanni sighs heavily right as we reach the front of the line.
“Each cabin only fits two people, so you’ll have to split into groups of two,” the ride operator explains. Naturally, Hyein and Haerin pair up together, waving excitedly at us as they eagerly step into the first cabin.
“Yuno, do you wanna ride together?” Yujin asks him. Before he could answer, however, Hanni takes matters into her own hands and pushes Danielle into Yujin.
“Hey Yujin, did you know Danielle is really scared of heights? She needs a big strong man protecting her while she’s up there.” Danielle silently curses at her with her eyes as Hanni pushes the duo into the next cabin. My eyes go wide with panic as I suddenly catch onto her plan.
“Winter, I love your dress! Let’s chat about it on the ferris wheel!” Hanni exclaims as she grabs Winter’s hand, pulling her towards the open doors of the cabin. Right before the doors close behind them, I catch a glimpse of Hanni flashing me a thumbs up. My heart threatened to explode from my chest as I found myself left alone with Yuno.
“S-soooooo… U-um, do you wanna, um, I-I gues-”
“Let’s go,” Yuno utters as walks ahead of me into the cabin. I mentally facepalm, cringing at my sudden inability to formulate a coherent sentence. I step into the cabin and sit across from Yuno. As the doors seal shut, the space suddenly felt a lot smaller and more intimate. I gaze out at the orange glow of the sun to distract myself, both mortified and oddly blissful.
______________________________________________________________
Yuno’s POV
My heart kept chugging like a speeding steam train, I worried that Minji could hear it echo off the walls of the cabin. Throughout the day, I could feel her gaze lingering on me and I don’t know why. Did she wanna talk about yesterday? Was something on her mind? Was there something in my hair? Did I smell? I would’ve showered before I left the house if I knew I was gonna bump into her.
A strange feeling fills my chest as I observe the way the sunlight reflects off of her skin. The same feeling that had been haunting me for the past couple of days. Minji constantly invades my thoughts, stirring emotions I couldn’t comprehend. Everything about her felt new and strange, but I couldn’t deny that being around her made me feel happy. I drop my gaze to the floor as she turns to me, hoping she didn’t catch me staring.
“Sooo…” She began, filling the silence. “Winter seems nice.”
I tilt my head in confusion at her sudden interest in Winter. “Uh, yeah. I guess so.”
“How’d you two meet?” She asks with an odd amount of intrigue
For the most part, Minji is an open book. I never have to guess what she’s thinking or feeling, and unlike her parents, she never seems to be hiding some ulterior motive beneath a gentle exterior - until now. At first, I thought maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me, but being the open book she is, it became clear as day that Minji was hiding something. But why? Maybe it wasn’t my place to pry, but my instincts told me otherwise.
“We have english together, but we didn’t start being… ‘friends’ until a couple days ago. She and Yujin kinda just… inserted themselves into my life. And now we’re here,” I explain. Minji’s brow furrows in response.
“Wait, you only started talking a couple days ago? I thought you two were dating.” She hurriedly clasps her hand over her mouth as if she didn’t mean to let that out. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
“We’re not dating,” I say a little too quickly. “Just friends.”
The cabin falls silent as both of our cheeks turn a light crimson. Minji turns back to the window, and my eyes gravitate towards her face once again as if that’s where they’re meant to be. The light and the shadows dance on her skin creating a work of art right in front of me. She’s beautiful in the most impossible way, defying everything I know about the world just by existing. My heart pumps faster and faster as my mind begins to run wild, imagining the two of us together as more than friends. Going on dates and being close. Just like this. Maybe Minji wanted to know if Winter and I were dating because she’s interested in me. I quickly shot that idea down. Those kinds of thoughts only lead down a bad road.
“My parents used to take my brother and I to the fair when we were younger,” Minji says, snapping me out of my daze. “We would go around and play all the games, trying to win the prizes. The games were always rigged, so we never won any. One time, I got so upset that I couldn’t win a bear toy that I started crying. My dad ended up paying extra just so he could get me the bear.” A gentle smile graces her face as she recounts her memory.
“We would always ride the ferris wheel at the end so we could watch the sunset from the top of the ferris wheel, just like this. I was always too short, so my dad had to hoist me up so I could see through the window.” She chuckles lightly before her smile eventually fades from her lips and her gaze falls to the floor. “Sorry, being here must have made me nostalgic. It’s been awhile since I got to watch the sunset from a ferris wheel.”
“Don’t be sorry. I like hearing you talk.” My eyes grow wide with panic as I realize the implication of my words. “I-I meant I like you. I MEAN YOUR STORY!! I liked your story…” My face falls into my palms in an attempt to hide the deepening blush, and I let out a muffled “Fuck” under my breath. I can hear Minji trying to stifle her laughter, which only makes me feel worse. I wanted nothing more than to bury myself six feet under and stay there for eternity.
“I know what you mea- AHHH!!!”
I jolt my head up right as Minji jumps from her seat and into my lap. Bewilderment, accompanied by a million other emotions, runs through my mind as she wraps her arms around my head and hides her face in the crook of my neck.
“M-Minji, uhh w-what are you-”
“There’s a spider on the seat!” She exclaims, her voice tingling with fear. I maneuver my head around her and see the tiniest spider I’ve ever seen scurrying around the spot where Minji once sat. “Ahhh, I really hate spiders!!”
I try to pry her body off of me, but her grip is tighter than an anaconda. A wave of deja vu washes over me as I suddenly start to feel lightheaded.
“M-Minji… Y-you’re choking m-me…” Right before I feel like I’m about to blackout, Minji releases her grip on my neck and slides off of my lap into the space next to me. The seat is a little cramped, but it’s better than dying in such an embarrassing way.
“I-I’M SO SORRY, YUNO!!” She apologizes, her face a bright tomato red. She flinches as the spider continues to move around on the opposite seat, wincing with each movement. “I-I really, really, really, REALLY hate spiders.”
Even after she almost choked me to death, I couldn’t help but find her cute as she shields her eyes with delicate hands, her face nestled into my shoulder. A grin threatens to grow on my lips as I try to comfort her with a few gentle pats on the head.
“I used to be afraid of spiders when I was a kid,” I began in a calming tone. “Whenever I saw one, I always cried to my parents about it. One day, I found one in the bathroom, so I ran to my mom sobbing and told her to kill it. Instead of killing it, she held me in her arms and carried me to the bathroom where it was. I was just like you, hiding my face on her shoulder because I was too scared to even look at it. In a gentle voice, she told me about how it was alone and probably looking for its family. If I killed it, then its family would be sad. She told me that she would be sad if I was suddenly killed when I was out all alone. From that day on, I was never afraid of spiders. Every time I saw one, I would carry it outside so it could find its family.”
I chuckle under my breath. “I don’t think it actually works like that, but I don’t kill spiders because of her. Because of my mom.”
As I finish my story, I notice Minji’s eyes watering and her lip quivering as if she’s about to cry. “Ah shit, are you okay?” I ask with great concern.
“S-Sorry, that was just… really sweet,” she sniffles. I bit my lip, trying to suppress my smile as I simultaneously fought the urge to wipe her tears away. As she calms down, we sit together in silence, watching the tiny spider walk around the cabin.
“He’s just a little guy,” Minji utters, a cute grin on her face. “I wonder why I was so scared of you before.”
Just then, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I open up the notification to see a selfie of Yujin and Danielle with the giant Spiderman plush wedged in between them. Despite Danielle’s awful personality, Yujin seems to like her, so I guess it’s alright. If I didn’t know any better, I could’ve easily mistaken them for siblings.
“Aww, that’s cute. We should send one back,” Minji suggests, her eyes lighting up.
“O-oh, uh, sure. How do I…” After a minute of hopelessly fumbling through the labyrinth of options on the screen, Minji gently takes the phone from me and opens up the camera with a simple tap.
“Do you know how to use a phone, Yuno?” She teases.
“U-uh, no…” I answer, scratching the back of my head in embarrassment. Her eyes widened with surprise at my response. “It’s my first phone, and I just got it today so I haven’t really had a chance to properly look through it.”
“O-okay, well just press on this gray square over here if you wanna open up the camera,” she explains in a kind tone, free of any judgment. She raises her arm and I can see the two of us reflected onto the screen. “Scoot a little closer so we can both be in the frame.”
With a gulp, I scoot closer to her in the already cramped space. The flowery scent of her hair wafts through my nostrils, gentle and clean. Hypnotized by the scent, I don’t realize I’m staring at her until she nudges me with her elbow.
“Look at the camera,” she reminds me, a knowing smile playing on her lips. The phone camera manages to catch the redness of my cheeks as I glance back at my reflection. Minji snaps a few shots before reviewing her work.
“They came out pretty well, don’t you think?” She inquires, and I can only nod in agreement, despite my less-than-stellar appearance in the photos. Minji, on the other hand, looks as pretty as ever. Even when she’s not doing much, the camera seems to pick up on all her good sides. She fiddles with my phone for a little bit before handing it back to me.
“Here, I put my number in so you can send me the photos,” she says. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“N-not at all,” I stutter excitedly, my heart soaring in the air. Minji giggles at my elation and we share a laugh in that cramped ferris wheel cabin. In that moment, as the sunset bathes us in its warm glow, everything falls into place. The weird feelings, the incessant thoughts - they all lead to one undeniable truth. I’m in love with Minji Kim.
______________________________________________________________
As I step out of the cabin, I see the rest of our friends waiting for us at the front of the ferris wheel. Instinctively, I reach my hand out towards Minji as she carefully steps out, which she accepts with a small grin adorning her lips. Though the contact is brief, the memory of her delicate hand in mine etches itself into my memory.
“Soooooo, did you two have fun?” Hanni asks us with an unnerving smirk that could only mean trouble. Before I get a chance to answer however, Minji grabs her wrist and leads her away.
“I-I’m going to the bathroom, Hanni you’re coming with me!” Her voice echoes as she drags Hanni away, trailed by the rest of her friends like ducklings following their mother. Perplexed, Winter, Yujin, and I settle onto a nearby bench to rest in the shade.
“The ferris wheel was fun, I took a lot of pictures of the sunset!” Yujin shares, displaying the photos on his phone. Almost his entire gallery was full of sun from slightly varying angles, along with a few selfies with Danielle. Her gentler side she exclusively shows to Yujin is such a stark contrast from her usual coldness, it’s almost unsettling.
“I feel exhausted.” Winter slumps beside me, her head tilting to the side as if she was too tired to even hold it up. “Hanni is really nice, but I felt so drained after talking to her for five minutes. I don’t know where she gets all that energy from.” I quietly snicker to myself. That seems on brand for Hanni.
My mind wanders back to the epiphany I had earlier. “Um, can I ask you two something… odd?” Their heads perk up, looking at me expectantly. “Have you guys ever… ‘dated’ anyone before?”
“I’ve had crushes before, but I was always too scared to confess,” Yujin admits.
“What about you, Winter? Have you ever had a boyfriend?” I ask.
“Um, not exactly…” With a hint of reluctance, she retrieves her phone from her purse, revealing a polaroid tucked in her phone case - a snapshot of Winter with her arms wrapped around a girl with striking eyes and jet black hair.
Both of our jaws drop, simultaneously shocked and impressed.
“Oh shit…” I mutter before coming to my senses. She’s pretty, but not Minji pretty.
“Wow, that’s your girlfriend, Winter?!” Yujin exclaims. Winter smiles shyly as she puts her phone back in her purse.
“Y-yeah. She’s studying in Japan right now, so I don't get to see her often. I hope she visits soon; I think you guys would get along with her really well.” The look on her face as she thinks of her girlfriend reminds me of my mother’s face in old wedding photos. I don’t understand anything about love or relationships, but that face told me everything I needed to know. “Why did you want to know, Yuno?”
My cheeks suddenly turn warm. “Oh, uh… No reason.”
As if on cue, Minji and the rest of her friends return from the restroom, with Minji looking noticeably flustered and Hanni more excited than ever.
“It’s getting dark, so we were planning on heading back,” Danielle says. “Do you guys need a ride home?”
“O-oh, it’s okay, w-we were gonna take the subway home,” Winter replies.
“WAIT!” Yujin shouts suddenly before turning to her. “Winter, can we ride with them? Pleaseeeeee?” He grabs her sleeve and looks up at her with pleading eyes.
“I-I guess if it’s okay with them.”
“WOOHOO!” Yujin cheers. “I call shotgun!” He dashes toward the parking lot, his Spiderman plush bobbing in his arms.
“Hey, that’s my seat!” Hanni exclaims, running after him. In the midst of commotion, I sneak over to Minji.
“H-hi,” I stutter, brimming with nervous excitement.
“H-hey.” Even with the sun completely set, her smile manages to illuminate everything around us. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but the air felt different compared to the times we’ve talked before. That strange yet euphoric feeling still lingers in my chest, this time I finally know what that feeling is - I think. Maybe it’s love, maybe it’s the fumes of fried food decaying my brain. The only thing I know for sure is that I like being around Minji.
“Are you two going to come with us or no?” Hyein calls out to us while Haerin glares suspiciously in our direction. Flustered, we walk side by side towards the parking lot, following distantly behind the rest of the group. The scattered murmurs of the crowd begin to fade behind us, the chirping of crickets and the subtle crunching of rocks underneath our feet taking their place. An ombre of growing indigo looks down at us from a cloudless sky, dotted with specks of starlight thousands of lightyears away. Despite their distance, they shine brightly against the night sky, almost as bright as the girl walking next to me.
“Yuno,” Minji voice breaks through my daydreams, pulling me back to the present. “You’re staring.”
“Ah… Sorry…” I turn my head away to hide the heat creeping up my face, prompting a soft giggle from her.
“You know, you’re not what I expected at all.”
Curious, I turn my gaze back towards her. “What do you mean?”
Her eyebrows furrow as she thinks about her response, and I bite my lower lip to stifle my smile at her cute expression. “Ever since sophomore year, I’ve always heard whispers about this scary guy that goes around fighting people. I never believed it because I thought it was too cliche to be true,” she begins, shooting me a playful glance I scratch the back of my head, suddenly feeling sheepish.
“That is, until two years later, when I come face to face with the ‘scary guy’, all bloody and bruised from a fight that happened two seconds ago. When I first met you, I thought you were some jerk who liked hurting others for the fun of it. I was wrong and I’m sorry.” Minji looks up at me, eyes full of remorse. I’ve seen others use this look on the people I’ve hurt, but never on me. To be on the receiving end of it felt disconcerting.
“You don’t have to apolog-”
“You’re kind and caring and you never hesitate to stand up for what’s right even when no one else will. While I don’t agree with your methods, I think the reason why you fight is very admirable, and if people just stopped being scared of you for two seconds, they could see how cute of a person you are.” Her hand shoots up to her mouth while her eyes go wide with panic.
Did I hear her right? Did she just call me… cute??
“I MEANT GOOD!!” She exclaims, correcting herself. “I meant to say you’re a good person…” We stand there, turned away from each other, too embarrassed to fill the growing silence. The chorus of crickets is quickly drowned out by my heartbeat echoing in my ears. My entire body feels both uncomfortably warm and freezing cold at the same time. The sudden honk of a car horn makes us both jump.
“What are you two still doing? Let’s go!” I turn to see Hanni yell at us from the back seat of an SUV. It seems that Yujin got to the front seat first. Minji and I both trudge towards the car, too embarrassed to even look at each other. Hanni steps out of the car and reclines the seat forward to let us get into the back, where Winter is sitting alone with two empty seats on either side of her.
As we settle in the back seat, I immediately shut my eyes, hoping that falling asleep would make things better. One final thing stays in my mind as I slip into unconsciousness.
She thinks I’m cute.
______________________________________________________________
A gentle shake rouses me from my slumber.
“Yuno, we’re here,” I hear Winter say as my eyes slowly open, finding my bearings. Outside the window, I see the convenience store where Winter works at.
“Winter said you guys live around here, so I hope you don’t mind,” Danielle explains from the front seat. Minji and Hanni step out of the car, allowing for Winter and I to exit.
“See you guys around,” Hanni says, waving goodbye. My eyes meet Minji’s momentarily before we swiftly break away. Not even a second of eye contact and I can already feel my body temperature rising.
“Thanks for the ride! Byeeeeee!” Yujin exclaims as the car disappears down the street. The three of us say our goodbyes to each other before we go our separate ways.
A flurry of emotions fills my stomach as I look back on the oddly eventful day. What started as an excuse to get out of the house turned into my first time at the fair, with Minji no less. I couldn’t help but feel like I’m in some surreal dream and that I’ll wake up one day to find out that none of this ever happened. As odd as all of this feels, I have to admit that I did enjoy it. The ferris wheel especially was… fun.
As I enter my house, I see my dad sitting on the couch, watching some sitcom on the TV. Right. I completely forgot he’s “different” now.
“Hey, Yuno,” he greets, a bright smile on his face. It’s the first time in a while that I’ve seen his smile. “Did you eat? There’s leftover pizza in the fridge if you’re hungry. I tried to cook dinner, but it didn’t turn out right.” A hearty chuckle leaves his lips, a sound that I vaguely remember hearing years ago.
“I’m good. Thanks,” I say as I head towards the stairs. As my foot lands on the first step, a sudden impulse arises within me. “Uh, dad?”
“Hm?” His eyebrows perk up as he looks at me expectantly. I had no idea what I was planning on saying to him. Should I tell him about my day? Should I apologize? Should I tell him about my… “crush”? Is that what that is?
“Uh… Nevermind.” I hurry up the stairs, deciding against saying anything. My head was already filled to the brim with confusing emotions, I didn’t need to add more to the pile. I collapse onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling, the events of today playing in my mind like a broken record. I pull my phone out, fidgeting with the shiny piece of metal in my hand. Minji put her number in my phone. I can talk to her whenever I wanted to. And I do want to. My thumbs freeze right above the keyboard as I figure out what to say to her.
Maybe I should keep it simple with “Hey”. No, that’s too boring. How about “How are you feeling?” What am I, her doctor? Uhhh, maybe “I had fun today.” That’s stupid. Come on, think, Yuno, think. Fuck, I’m shit at this.
Is this what having a crush feels like? This sucks.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
“AGHHHHHHHHH!!!!” I scream into my pillow, hoping I don’t accidentally alert my parents to my “Teenage Angst”.
Minji!!! Why did you call him cute!? I mean, you’re not wrong, the way he got all embarrassed after missing the basketball hoop was kinda cut- WHAT!? WHAT ARE YOU EVEN THINKING RIGHT NOW!? ARGHHHHHH!!!
I hold onto my bear toy for comfort as I wrestle with the conflicting emotions in my head. Maybe this is just a result of all the stress from prom preparation clouding my judgement and sending me into a whirlwind of confusion. A day that was supposed to be full of leisure and enjoyment was instead full of jealousy and confusion. It wasn’t entirely bad though; riding the ferris wheel with Yuno was… nice. I feel my heart flutter in my chest as I recall that memory. Surely, Hanni’s teasing couldn’t be right… could it? Am I… in love with Yuno Lin?
#newjeans#kim minji#newjeans minji#kpop fanfic#kpop gg#minji x male oc#newjeans minji x male oc#minji x male reader#newjeans minji x male reader#fluff#minji fluff#newjeans minji fluff
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Unlikely Duet - 5
length: +5k words
Genre: Fluff
NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★
Yuno’s POV
The light patter of the rain was a reminder of how this all started. A chance encounter, a gut feeling, a gesture of kindness, all of these different choices were woven into the fabric of fate and led me here - eating dinner with Minji and her rich (and terrifying) parents. No matter how I twisted it, this is not at all how I thought I would spend my friday.
“The rain is getting bad out there. I’m so glad we caught you before you went out in the rain, we would hate for a friend of Minji’s to get sick,” Minji’s mom remarked, her warm, motherly smile concealing something that set off alarms in my head. I kept my guard up, no matter what.
Minji sat next to me, a worried expression painted on her face. She hasn’t said anything since discovering the blood stain on my sleeve from my altercation with Tyler. I wanted to say something to her, anything, but it was impossible in this tense atmosphere. The guilt of not being able to tell her the truth was eating me up inside.
“Dinner is served. Eat as much as you like, dear,” Ms. Kim says, gesturing to the food she had set on the table. An array of different side dishes I had never seen before surrounded a large roasted fish adorned with sauce and vegetables. My stomach grumbled at the sight. It was more food than I had ever seen in my entire life, and it didn’t help that I was also starving from not eating anything the entire day. Without thinking, I quickly grabbed a little bit of everything and piled it onto my plate. Right as I was about to dig in, I noticed the shocked expressions of Minji’s parents.
“S-sorry… I-I’m hungry,” I stuttered sheepishly, earning a small chuckle from Minji. I felt the heat cover my face as her parents got their food, taking much smaller portions than I had. Right as I pick up the spoon to my lips, Mr. Kim clears his throat.
“So, Yuno,” he begins, focusing his gaze on me. “How long have you been friends with our daughter? Minji never mentioned you before.”
Regretfully, I place down my spoon as I think of an appropriate response. “Uhh, we’ve been friends for…” I turn to look at Minji, hoping to find an answer, but her eyes are glued to her plate as if she’s lost in thought. “Three days. We’ve been friends for three days.”
Mr. Kim’s eyebrow rises slightly in surprise. “Really? And how did you two end up meeting?”
I gulped, my mind going back to the circumstances of our first meeting. Sure, I’ll tell one of my only friend’s parents that I met her in the detention room after beating someone up to the point of hospitalization. They’ll totally love me after that, right? Thankfully, I have an easy out due to Minji’s lie from earlier.
“We got partnered together for science class,” I state, trying my best to sound confident. Mr. Kim narrows his eyes as he studies my expression. I stare back, not wanting to show weakness in front of him.
“What do your parents do for work?” he asks. The questions were starting to feel a bit too personal, but I would rather not risk going against him.
“My dad works the night shift as a security guard,” I responded. Despite seeing him passed out drunk everyday, he somehow managed to maintain his job all these years. Either that or he never bothered to tell me he got fired.
“And your mom?”
“She’s, uhh…” I glance at Minji for a brief moment, hesitating to answer. “She’s dead.” The room falls silent as each member of the Kim family looks back at me with a mix of shock and sympathy on their faces.
“I-I’m sorry to hear that, dear,” Ms. Kim says, her intimidating demeanor replaced with genuine compassion.
I shrug in response. “It’s fine, it was a couple years ago. I’m okay now.” I stare down at my plate, unable to look any of them in the eye. Truthfully, I was never completely okay with my mother’s death, but what was I supposed to do? Cry in front of them?
Mr. Kim opens his mouth to say something, but his wife stops him. “Honey, you should let him eat,” she says in a stern tone. Mr. Kim relented, and a sense of relief washed over me as I was silently grateful for her intervention. Not only was the onslaught of questions exhausting to face, but I was also still hungry. The rest of the dinner was spent in silence, aside from the clinking of silverware against porcelain and the rhythmic downpour outside.
______________________________________________________________
I lean back in my chair, completely stuffed. Every single bite of food had more flavor than I’ve ever had in my entire lifetime. As intimidating as Minji’s parents were, they were also amazing cooks. I peer outside and notice that the rain had stopped. Taking my chance, I stand up and excuse myself from the table.
“Thank you for the meal, but I should really get going now.” Before they had a chance to respond, I swiftly exit the room, grabbing my backpack. Right as I reach the front door, Minji’s voice calls out to me.
“Wait!” she exclaims, trailing after me. “I’ll walk you home.” I give her a confused look as she turns to her parents. “It’ll give us a chance to talk about the project some more. Just like you say, every second counts.”
Mr. Kim contemplates for a moment before nodding. “Alright then. Be careful, and don’t be out too late. Your mother and I want to talk to you once you get back.”
Minji follows me outside and shuts the door behind us, releasing a long sigh as she leans against the wall. “That was soooooooooo stressful. I’m sorry you had to go through all that, Yuno.”
I chuckle lightly, joining her on the wall. “It’s alright. I’ve survived worse.” We stood together in silence for a while, the chilly evening air gracing our faces, infused with the lingering scent of rain. Minji is the first to break the silence as she turns to me, a look of sadness in her eyes.
“I’m sorry about your mom. I had no idea she was…” Her voice trailed off as she avoided saying “the word”.
“It’s okay, Minji. Really.” I give her a reassuring look as we both head start walking towards my house, the gentle moonlight guiding our path.
“She died in a hospital fire three years ago,” I began, my voice carrying the weight of the past. Minji looks up at me, listening intently. “She was a nurse. Very caring and loved helping people. Even as the building was burning all around her, she spent the last moments of her life helping people.” I fall quiet as my gaze falls to the ground in contemplation.
“Yuno…” Minji reaches out and pats my shoulder reassuringly. “I’m so sorry.”
My legs freeze in place as I turn to look at her. The chorus of chirping crickets and the subtle howl of the evening wind created a backdrop as I met Minji's saddened eyes. What was she apologizing for? The fire wasn’t her fault. It was an act of fate, a cruel twist beyond anyone’s control. Some higher power up there decided that my mother’s life would be cut short, whether I liked it or not. There was nothing I could do about it.
“Minji…” I call out her name as I unravel my sleeve, revealing the blood stain. “I got into another fight. Tyler McGraw.” I did my best to keep a straight face, but my heart was thumping with anxiety. “He was beating up a freshm… He was beating up my friend. I couldn’t control myself. I’m sorry.”
Fate has a sick and twisted way of working. It brings people together, and tears people apart. Any single one of us could drop dead without a single warning if it willed it. Our entire lives we spend making decisions that we think will matter in the end, but at the snap of a finger, all those efforts could be in vain. Yet, here I stood, disclosing my vulnerabilities to the person I expected the least. Whether this is a blessing or a curse is yet to be seen, and I’ll be damned if I don’t see this until the end.
Minji’s expression shifted from sadness to disappointment to confusion as her mind processed the information. I could do nothing but stand there, vulnerable and exposed as I awaited her response.
She lets out a heavy sigh. “How is your friend?” she asks, her gaze fixated on the ground. Her disappointed tone felt like a knife stabbing through my heart.
“He’s okay, I think. Your friend with the glasses helped us out.”
“Danielle?” she says, looking up at me with a surprised look before clearing her throat. “Well, that’s good. What about Tyler?”
I scratched my head, averting my gaze as I searched for the right words. “He’s uhhh… He’ll be out for a few days. Maybe a week. Or two,” I admitted sheepishly. Minji pinched the bridge of her nose as I stood there like a child who was caught red handed.
“You were just… protecting your friend. I’m not gonna fault you for that,” she says, pushing past me. I was left in shock at her unexpected understanding. “What are you standing around for? I said I’d walk you home. Come on.”
I pick my jaw up off the ground and catch up to her, leading the way to my house. We spend the rest of the walk in silence, tension hanging in the air. I stole a couple glances at her, but I couldn’t read her expression at all. Is she mad? Disappointed? All of the above? Before I knew it, we were face to face with my front door.
“This is my house,” I say bluntly.
“Okay. Bye,” Minji says with an unusual coldness, turning to leave.
“W-wait,” I stammer, calling out to her.
She turns around, her expression blank and unreadable. “What?”
“Are we… still friends?” I cringed, feeling a pang of embarrassment at the vulnerability of the question. Minji chuckles in response, a genuine smile gracing her face for the first time in a while.
“Yes, we’re still friends, silly.” The tension in the air dissipated and my heart felt as light as a feather as a sigh of relief escapes my lips. “You’re a good person, Yuno. I just wish you would stop getting into trouble.”
“Cool. Um, good night, Minji.” I wave awkwardly at her as she leaves. “U-uh, get home safe!”
Minji giggles, the sweet sound of her voice echoing through the air. “Good night, Yuno!” Her smile imprinted itself into my brain as I watched her silhouette fade into the night.
I’m greeted by the dark and desolate state of my living room as I enter my house, but all of it fades away as an unfamiliar feeling of elation stirs in my chest. I trudged to my bedroom and collapsed onto my bed, the events of the evening taking their toll on me. Meeting Minji’s parents was exhausting, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy that she considered me as a friend. As my eyelids slowly flutter shut, visions of Minji flashed through my head, invading my dreams.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
As I walk through the door, I see my parents sitting on the couch waiting for me. I gulp as a steady tension fills the air.
“Minji. Have a seat dear, your father and I want to talk to you,” my mom says in a serious tone. A thousand thoughts fill my mind as I wonder what they could possibly want to talk about.
My dad clears his throat, his eyes meeting mine. “This Yuno boy… We don’t want you hanging around him.”
I felt my heart drop in my chest. “W-what? Why?”
“He seems… sweet, but we don’t think he’ll be of any benefit to you in the future,” my mom explains. “Once you two are done with your science project, we want you to cut all contact with him.”
A mix of anger, confusion, and sorrow welled within me. “B-but-”
“No buts, Minji. You should be grateful that we still let you talk to Hanni,” my dad interrupts. “If you want to be successful in life, you must surround yourself with those that are like minded. Frankly, I don’t see that boy amounting to anything.”
I tried to argue, but my voice got caught in my throat. It would have been pointless anyways since they never listened. Without another word, I stormed upstairs to my room.
“Minji!” I ignored my father’s calls as I slammed my bedroom door behind me before collapsing onto my bed. Why were they always like this? Why couldn’t I just be friends with anyone? Tears welled in my eyes as I pulled out my phone, calling Hanni. After just one ring, she picks up.
“Hey girl, looks like you got your phone back, I wonder who gave it to you,” she answered, giggling.
“Hi Hanni…”
“Oh no, what happened?” she asked, her tone shifting as she noticed the sadness in mine.
“I’m just so… frustrated with my parents. It hasn’t even been a full day since they’ve been back, yet I’m already so exhausted.” I snuggled with my bear plush, hoping it would make all my problems go away.
“I’m so sorry, Minj. Do you wanna talk about it?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “Not really. I’d rather forget all about it.”
“Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t we go to the fair tomorrow with the girls? You’ve been stressed enough with all the prom junk, you deserve to have a break.” she suggested.
“Ehhh, I’m not sure, Hanni. I would love to, but I’m not sure if my parents would let me go.”
“Girl, just tell them you’re going to the library with Dani to study. They’ll have to say yes!”
I hesitated for a moment, contemplating the pros and cons. On one hand, my parents would absolutely kill me if they found out, but on the other hand, a break does sound nice. For the past couple months, my life has been nothing but school work, studying, student council meetings, and prom preparations. I’ve rarely had any time to just have fun. Steeling my nerves, I made up my mind.
“Okay. Let’s do it then,” I say, my heartbeat quickening with excitement and anxiety.
“WOOOOOO!!!” Hanni cheered through the phone. “We’ll pick you up at three, you better be ready by then.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her elation. “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow then. Good night, Hanni.”
“Good night, girllllll.”
I hang up the phone, placing it on my night stand before falling onto my pillow with a sigh. Tomorrow would be fun for sure, but what about after that? What if my parents found out that I lied to them and went to the fair? Would I be able to live with the consequences? I shake my head, trying to dispel the worries from my mind. Regardless of what will happen afterwards, I was determined to have fun and mess around for one day.
______________________________________________________________
Yuno’s POV
I jolt awake from an aching pain shooting down my back. My body had gotten so used to sleeping at Minji’s house that I forgot how shitty my own mattress was. Heading downstairs, I’m surprised to see my father not only completely conscious, but he was also cooking breakfast. And it smelled amazing.
“Uh, hey dad,” I grumbled, half-convinced I was in a dream.
He startles, almost as if he was surprised to see me. “Yuno. M-morning,” he stuttered nervously. “U-uh, why don’t you have a seat? I cooked up some breakfast.”
My hunger trumps my confusion as my legs carry me to the table, adorned with a traditional breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes. I quickly dug into the feast, almost choking on a piece of bacon in the process.
“Slow down there,” my dad chuckles lightly. “I guess I haven’t been doing a great job of feeding you, huh.” The gloom and regret in his tone were palpable while his eyes were fixated to the floor, avoiding mine.
I pause mid-bite to look up at him. “It’s fine. I managed.”
“It’s not fine.” Anger tinges his voice, directed more at himself than anyone else. “S-sorry, I just… I should’ve been taking care of you. Your mother’s death was hard on both of us, but that’s not an excuse for me to neglect you. I want- No, I need to make things right, Yuno. Will you ever forgive me for being a terrible father?”
A flood of emotions overwhelms me, freezing my body in its wake. After my mom died three years ago, my father turned to alcohol to numb the pain. I never blamed him for it; she was a bright light in both of our lives and her absence left us completely shattered.
I gulped, suppressing the swirl of emotions bubbling within me. “Y-yeah, dad. I forgive you.”
A smile grows on his face - the first time I’ve seen him smile in years. “Thank you, son. I promise I’ll be here for you from now on.” A strange choking feeling constricts my throat as tears begin to well within my eyes. I rise from the table, turning my head away.
“Where are you going?” my dad asks. “You should eat some more if you're hungry.”
“U-uh, I just remembered, I uh have plans with some friends today,” I lied impulsively. I’m not sure why I lied, but all I knew is that I needed to get out of the house.
“Friends? That’s great, Yuno. Go out and have fun, don’t worry about me.” The smile that grew on his face only made me feel worse about lying. I quickly grab a hoodie and $20 from my room, not bothering to change out of my sweatpants. Right before I leave through the front door, I turn to my dad, who’s washing the dishes.
“Bye, dad,” I called out to him, a memory of my five year old self doing the same thing flickering in my mind.
“Bye, Yuno. I’ll see you later,” he waves as I close the front door behind me.
My dad sobering up after all these years is a great thing. I should be happy for him. Yet, I couldn’t knock this strange feeling in the back of my head. I took a deep breath in, hoping the cool morning air would help clear my mind. The sun casts its warmth on my face as I begin walking aimlessly. With no plan in mind, I decided to head to the convenience store.
The familiar jingle of the convenience store door chimes as I step inside, the pungent scent of cooking hotdogs assaulting my senses.
“Good morning, welcome to- Yuno!” Winter greets me with a mop in her hand, her demeanor much more upbeat than what I’m used to seeing from her.
“Oh, hey. Didn’t know you were working today.”
“I’m just filling in for one of my coworkers who’s out sick. Are you looking for anything in particular? We just restocked on the ramen you got last time,” she offered.
I hesitated, contemplating the answer myself. “No thanks. I just needed to get out of the house.”
“Are you alright, Yuno? Did something happen?”
“No? I don’t know, I’m all conf-”
“YUNO!!”
A short figure appears out of nowhere and attempts to tackle me from the side. My instincts kick in, allowing me to dodge the attack and grab the back of the assailant’s collar.
“Who the fuck-” My eyes widen in shock as I see that my attacker is none other than Yujin. A white medical eyepatch covers his black eye, but the rest of the wounds on his face seemed to have healed overnight. “Yujin? What are you doing here?”
“He came to visit me at work,” Winter answers, mopping the floor. “It’s been a bit slow this morning, so he offered to come hang out until my shift ends.”
“Yeah, I even told her all about your epic battle with Tyler!” Yujin says, beaming up at me. I release my grip on the back of his shirt as my cheeks burn slightly from embarrassment.
“It wasn’t epic, it was… Whatever. Where the hell is the ramen?” I groan as I drag my feet towards the ramen aisle.
______________________________________________________________
The three of us sit at a table in front of the store, enjoying the gentle breeze. Warm, spicy ramen broth slides down my throat as I finish the bowl.
“It’s such a nice day outside,” Winter comments. Her eyes are shut with contentment as she leans against the table.
“We should all do something fun since the weather is so nice!” Yujin suggests, his eyes beaming with excitement.
With no actual plans for the day, I had no choice but to agree. “Sure. Why the hell not.”
Winter nodded in agreement. “Where do you guys wanna go?”
My mind went blank. I have no idea what people do for fun, let alone these two. When was the last time I had fun anyways?
Yujin hopped out of his seat, a twinkle of elation in his smile. “We can go to the fair! It’s been forever since I last went. What do you guys think?”
I scratched my head in contemplation. It’s not how I imagined spending my weekend, but my life hasn’t exactly been predictable as of late. The fair did sound… intriguing. “Okay. I’m down.”
“M-me too,” Winter added. “I haven’t been to the fair since I was seven. I wonder if they still sell those chocolate chip cookies I used to love.” As if on cue, her stomach loudly grumbled. I couldn’t help but chuckle as her cheeks grew pink with embarrassment. A group of students walked past us, entering the store.
“I-I should get back to work now. I’ll text you guys when I’m done,” Winter said before disappearing into the store.
“We’ll see you later, Winter!” Yujin called out to her before turning back to me. “Hey Yuno, what’s your number? I’ll make a groupchat with the three of us.”
“Don’t bother. I don’t have a phone,” I said before walking off. Yujin followed closely behind me, bewilderment painted on his face.
“What?! What do you mean you don’t have a phone?! How do you even live?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Never needed one,” I answered simply. It was the truth - up until now I had no one to text or call. Social media seemed like a waste of time and my dad was always too drunk to wonder where I was when I went out.
“That’s crazy. Let’s stop by my house real quick, I can lend you my old phone,” Yujin says.
“You don’t need to do tha-”
“You helped me out twice, alright? This is the only way I can repay you, so just take it.” There was an adamance in his voice that made it difficult for me to refuse.
I relented with a sigh. “Fine. Lead the way.” Yujin grinned at me before pulling me in the opposite direction towards his house. The bright rays of the sun washed over us, filling me with a sense of calm. With how weird the last couple of days have been, it felt nice to be outside.
“By the way, my grandma doesn’t speak much English, but I can translate for you. I don’t bring friends over often, so she’ll probably want to talk your ear off,” Yujin says, chuckling to himself.
“That’s fine. What about your parents? I ask rather bluntly. His expression darkens, sending a pang of guilt into my chest. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
“It’s okay, Yuno,” Yujin reassures me. “I lived with my parents back when I was still attending my old school. I wanted to stay with them, but they thought it was best for me to live with my grandma after they found out how bad I was being bullied. They would freak out if they ever found out I was being bullied here too…” His gaze fell to the floor and his shoulders slouched, his usual vibrant energy dissipating in front of my eyes. Feeling guilty, I place a hand on his shoulder supportively.
“Don’t worry about it. No one’s gonna mess with you anymore.” I awkwardly patted Yujin on the back, hoping it would cheer him up even a little bit. Thankfully, it ended up working as his frown was replaced with a small yet hopeful grin.
“Thanks, Yuno. I think my parents would like you.” I kept my mouth shut, grappling with the uncertainty of whether Yujin’s parents would like their son hanging around with someone who kicks the shit out of bullies just because he can. We soon arrived in front of Yujin’s house, which was similar to all the houses in the neighborhood, save for the pair of rocking chairs decorating the front porch.
“Before my grandpa died, my grandma and him would sit in those chairs to watch the sunrise together. That’s kinda cute, don’t you think?” Yujin’s words hung in the air as he unlocked the door. I could only offer a nod as my understanding of romance and the like was nonexistent.
Upon stepping into his home, we were immediately greeted by Yujin’s grandmother, resting in a large reclining chair. The two of them exchange words in a language I can’t recognize, and Yujin says something makes his grandma smile.
“Grandma said that you’re very tall and handsome,” he says, chuckling. A rush of warmth tinges my cheeks, caught off guard by the unexpected compliment.
“O-oh, uh, tell her I said thanks. I guess.” Yujin relays my message, triggering a bout of laughter from his grandma that eventually transforms into a coughing fit.
“Yujin, are you back alre- Oh jeez.” Danielle suddenly rounds the corner, carrying a saucer with a cup of tea balancing on top of it. Her casual attire of a simple yellow t-shirt and jeans was a far cry from the cold aura she normally exuded in her school uniform. She places the cup of tea on the table next to Yujin’s grandma before turning her attention back to me.
“Yuno. Hello,” she greets, glaring at me through her glasses. I nod back, bewildered by her presence in Yujin’s home.
“Danielle and her mom are helping me take care of grandma. They’ve been really helpful ever since yesterday.” A genuine smile illuminated Yujin’s face, inadvertently softening Danielle’s expression. It immediately hardened as her gaze went back to me. “I just stopped by to give Yuno my old phone to borrow since he doesn’t have one of his own. Isn’t that crazy?” he explains to Danielle.
She scrutinized my expression with steely eyes, sending chills down my spine. Minji’s parents may have been scary, but Danielle was a completely different beast. “You’re just giving it to him? He’s not, I don’t know, threatening you to give it to him?” she interrogates. I instinctively rolled my eyes at her words while Yujin simply laughed it off.
“It’s the least I could do to repay him for…” He gestures to his eyepatch, cautiously glancing at his grandma, who drifted off to sleep without anyone of us noticing. Yujin’s phone suddenly buzzes in his pocket, revealing a text from Winter. “We should hurry, Winter’s shift is ending soon. Come on, Yuno!” he says before running up the stairs. I quickly follow behind him, not wanting to be left alone with Danielle.
Yujin’s room is the epitome of a stereotypical geek’s paradise. The walls are lined with a colorful variety of superhero posters, accompanied by some drawings he had done himself. On the far side of the room, a shelf is filled to the brim with action figures, fake weapons, and a single first place trophy for a “Junior Art Competition”. His desk is the complete opposite of Minji’s, half-finished drawings, eraser shavings, and colored pencils scattered along its surface.
“Sorry about the mess, I would’ve cleaned up if I knew you would be coming over,” Yujin says as he rummages through a drawer on his desk, pulling out a phone. “Here. It’s not much, but you’ll be able to call and text people, and you can download some games on there if you want.”
It was smaller and less impressive than most phones I’ve seen people carry, but I couldn’t complain. It was better than anything I’ve had before (which was nothing). “Thanks,” I utter as I take the phone from his hands. “I’ll, uh, keep it safe.”
Yujin chuckles as he leaves his room. As we reach the bottom of the stairs, he suddenly stops. “Oh shoot, I should probably give you the charger too,” he says before darting back to his room. I turn around to wait for him in the living room, only to find Yujin’s grandma beckoning me with a wrinkly hand. As if I was in a trance, I suddenly started inching towards her, like a snake being hypnotized by a flute. She muttered in my ear in perfect english: “Please take care of Yujin.” Her message was plain and simple, yet I was still filled with questions. Before I could ask any, however, she was already fast asleep. I was starting to wonder whether or not I imagined the whole interaction.
“What are you doing?” Danielle asks from across the room. Somehow, I failed to notice her presence this entire time.
“N-nothing, she just… Sorry,” I stutter awkwardly. With impeccable timing, Yujin appears from the stairs with a phone charger in hand, saving me from this awkward situation.
“Here you go, Yuno. We should head out now, Winter oughta be done with her shift by now,’ he says. “Bye, Danielle!”
Danielle waves at Yujin as we leave, shooting one final glare directed at me right as the door closes. I inspected his old phone, turning it around in my hand. Aside from a couple essential apps, it was completely bare bones, and even the lock screen was nothing but a plain blue rectangle.
“I should probably add your number to the group chat now, huh,” Yujin says, pulling out his phone. After a brief moment, I feel the phone vibrate in my hand with an audible buzz. A notification on the phone reads, “You have been added to a group chat!”
“There you go! If you ever need to talk to either of us, just send a message and one of us is bound to answer!” He flashes me a wide toothy grin that I silently snicker at. A vivid memory of my childhood suddenly plays in my mind - a timid only child playing with his imaginary siblings. I never brought it up with my mother when she was alive, but I always wanted a younger sibling to play with and take care of. That want manifested itself into an imaginary younger brother that played with me when no other kid would. Of course I’ve long outgrown that phase by now, but something about Yujin is eerily similar to the imaginary younger brother I had before. Or maybe I’ve finally gone insane.
“So.. the fair. What’s it like?” I ask him.
“What?! You’ve never been to the fair before either?! How on earth are you even alive right now?!” Yujin exclaims, his eyes growing wide with disbelief. “As your friend, it’s my job to ensure that you have a fun day at the fair. Now let’s hurry up, Winter is probably waiting for us.” He grabs my arm and pulls me forward, running to the convenience store. A small grin grows on my face as the wind blows past my ears.
______________________________________________________________
“Are you two ready?” Winter asks us as she steps out of the convenience store. She’s dressed in a flowery sundress with a forest green cardigan layered over the top, a contrast to her plain work uniform.
“Yup, we’re all ready! I got some extra cash for the subway,’ Yujin says.
“Subway?” I ask. My hand shoots into my pocket, fingering the $15 I have left and regretting my decision to buy ramen that morning.
“Don’t worry about the subway, we can just use my metrocard,” Winter says, pulling out a shiny plastic card from her purse. I let out a sigh of relief, although I can’t help but feel bad for not being able to pay for myself.
“Alright, let’s hurry before the lines get too long!” Yujin skips ahead of us with the excitement of a child bringing home a new toy, eliciting a giggle from Winter.
The sun flashes its light into my eyes, casting its warm glow on my skin. A light fluttering fills my heart with each step, and for the first time in years, I felt hopeful for what the day would bring.
#newjeans#kim minji#newjeans minji#kpop fanfic#kpop gg#minji x male oc#newjeans minji x male oc#minji x male reader#newjeans minji x male reader#fluff#minji fluff#newjeans minji fluff
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Unlikely Duet - 1
length: 3k+ words
Genre: Fluff
NewJeans Minji x Male OC
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★
“Yuno Lin! Detention! NOW!”
The sight of Principal Geier’s screaming face was nothing new to me. The bright shade of red on his furious expression combined with his shiny bald head made him look like a ripe tomato. I’d chuckle at the thought if my chest didn’t hurt every time I so much as breathe.
A crowd of students and teachers had huddled around Bryce Merten’s unconscious body. The football player’s face was all bloodied and bruised, but he was breathing, for better or for worse. I grabbed my bag I had tossed on the ground and trudged my way back into the main building of the school.
It was the end of the school day, so some students were still hovering around their lockers, getting their stuff or talking to their friends. The echoes of my footsteps reverberated throughout the hallway, alerting others of my presence. The look of fear and confusion as they see my face full of cuts and bruises is also nothing new to me. I pay them no mind as I walk the familiar route to the detention room.
I pushed open the door, its creak announcing my entrance. Instead of the usual stern expression of Ms. Rusnak’s wrinkly face, I am suddenly face to face with Minji Kim, the golden girl of Evergreen High School. She’s the student council president and ranked #1 in the entire school, basically the poster child of perfection.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” Her voice, laced with an unexpected sincerity, caught me off guard. She stood up from her desk and walked towards me, her face full of concern. I shrugged, ready for the usual judgment or disdain, and walked past her, taking a seat in the front row of desks. She sat back down at the teacher’s desk where she had been working on a pile of paperwork before my arrival and glanced at me with a worried expression, tracing my wounds with her eyes.
“What happened to you?” she asks.
I hesitated for a moment, not used to the genuine concern in her voice. Reluctantly, I recounted the events that led to the fight, how Bryce had been tormenting a freshman for weeks, and how it ended up with him face down on the concrete.
Minji listened, her expression shifting from stern to contemplative. When I finished, she sighed, her shoulders slumping.
“Look, I get it. You just wanted to help, but you can’t be doing it like this. You could get expelled. You should have spoken to a teacher about it,” she suggested, her voice gentle yet firm.
I scoffed, bitterness seeping into my tone. “You think they would have done anything? They knew about it the entire time, but that fucker is on the football team, so they turned a blind eye to the whole thing.” I let out a deep breath, glaring at her. “He needed a good punch to the jaw. I just happened to be the one doing it.”
Minji frowned, her eyes searching mine. “I know it’s frustrating, but taking matters into your own hands isn’t the solution. You could get expelled for this, and then what? You won’t be able to help anyone.”
I avoid meeting her eyes, my gaze fixed on the scuffed surface of the desk. “I had to do it,” I muttered. “No one else would.”
She sighed, realizing the impasse between us. “Just… be careful. I’m sure your friends wouldn’t want to see you hurt,” she remarked as she turned back to continue her paperwork with a sigh.
Her words stuck in my head as I continued to stare at the desk. She was right. Of course she was right. If the teachers actually did their job and reprimanded the bullies the first time, then I would have never had to fight. Hell, I never enjoyed fighting in the first place. But I had to do it. Someone had to knock some sense into these sons of bitches and that responsibility was unfortunately bestowed upon me for whatever reason. And… Did she say “friends”? What friends? Everyone was too afraid to even look at me. Surely she knew that… right?
The minutes ticked along, our conversation lingering in the air. Eventually, a bell sounded on the PA system, signaling the end of detention. Without a word, I gather my bag and start to leave, but something stops me. I glance out the window and notice the darkness settling over the school grounds. It would be easy for me to just leave and move on with my life, but a voice inside at the back of my head was urging me to do the right thing. Despite my better judgment, I turned back around.
“I’ll walk you home,” I said, the words leaving my mouth before I have the time to process them.
She looked up at me, a look of surprise in her eyes. “O-oh, you don’t have t-”
“It’s dark outside,” I interrupted, my tone leaving no room for argument. “It’ll be too dangerous if you walk home alone.”
Minji offered a small smile, appreciating the sentiment. “Thank you for the offer, but I can manage. I don’t live that far anyways.”
“Let me walk you home then,” I insisted, my voice surprisingly unwavering. “If you don’t live far, then I’ll be out of your hair in no time. Just let me make sure you get home okay.”
She studied me for a moment, uncertainty flickering on her face. Finally, she relented with a small nod. “Fine. But just this once.”
I merely grunted in response as I held the door open for her. We walk through the dimly lit hallways and exit the main building into the cold, gray night. A heavy silence hung between us as we left the campus, greeted only by the faint glow from a couple street lights casting long shadows on the pavement.
We walked side by side, the echoes of our footsteps reverberating through the empty streets. Minji seemed lost in her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. I maintained a distance from her, not wanting to make her uncomfortable as we approached the street that led to her house.
As we near her house, the first droplets of rain pattered onto the pavement, foreshadowing the impending downpour.
Minji glanced up and snapped out of her trance, her expression shifting from contemplation to annoyance. “That’s just great. We’re gonna get soaked.” Without exchanging words, we quickened our pace, hoping to reach her house as soon as possible.
Our slight jog turned into a sprint as the rain intensified. The glow of her porch lights beckoned to us like a lighthouse guiding us toward its welcoming shine. Reaching the shelter of her porch, we stood there and watched the rain get heavier and heavier, transforming the world around us into a blurry, mesmerizing dance of droplets.
Deciding it was time to leave, I shifted my weight, preparing myself to step back into the heavy downpour. But before I could move, I felt Minji’s hand gently touch my arm, stopping me in my tracks.
“Wait,” she said, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain hitting her roof. “Stay here.”
I glanced at her, my eyes wide in confusion. “What?”
Her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink as she shakes her head. “I-I mean until the rain lets up.”
“I'll be fine. It’s just a little rain,” I say. As if on cue, the sound of thunder booms in the distance.
Before I could protest anymore, Minji opened her front door and gestured for me to come inside. “You’ll catch a cold if you go out like this. And it’s the least I can do to repay you for walking me home.”
I glance back at the unrelenting rain one last time and sigh. “Okay. I’ll leave once the rain lets up.”
Minji smiled at me, leading the way inside. The warmth of her home enveloped me, a welcome contrast to the cold rain outside. I stood awkwardly near the entrance, the sound of the rain becoming mere background noise as Minji shuts the door behind us.
“Wait here, let me get you something dry to wear,” Minji says as she kicks off her shoes and disappears up the stairs. Curiously, I peer into her living room while I wait for her, being careful not to drip any water onto the carpet. A comfy-looking brown coach faces a large flat-screen TV, one that I’ve only seen in the electronics aisle at Walmart. Various pictures line the shelves around the TV, including family photos, a wedding photo of what could be her parents, and a graduation photo of an older boy I haven’t seen before.
The sound of Minji’s footsteps breaks me out of my thoughts. She appears in front of me with a blue sweater and black sweatpants neatly folded in her hands. “Here. It’s my older brother’s. He’s away for college right now, so I’m sure he won’t mind if you borrow them.” She hands them to me, a small smile on her face.
I took them from her, scanning her outfit. She had changed into a simple graphic T-shirt and black cotton shirts, a far cry from the usual school uniform that I see her wearing. Then, a sudden realization hit me - by some odd twist of fate, I was standing inside Minji Kim’s house. The atmosphere shifted and I brought my guard up in this unfamiliar setting.
“Thanks, Minji,” I muttered, unsure of what else to say.
“No problem, uhh…” Minji’s voice faltered as she suddenly brought her hands up to her face, the light pink hues of blush peeking through the cracks of her fingers. “Oh my god… I never asked for your name…”
I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the oversight. “Yuno. Yuno Lin.”
She uncovered her face as her embarrassment transformed into a sheepish smile. “Right, Yuno. I’m so sorry, it’s been a long with the rain and all this work I had to do.” She walked past me, into the living room area, avoiding my gaze. “There’s a bathroom right around this corner that you can change in. I’ll make us some tea in the meantime,” she said with an apologetic look on her face. I simply nod and kick off my shoes before following her deeper into her house.
I enter the bathroom while she disappears into the kitchen, presumably to make the tea. I strip off my uniform shirt, completely drenched from the rain, and examine my upper body in the mirror. A fist-sized blob of bluish-purple and red adorned my chest like a shitty tattoo, alongside another bruise on my arm and a couple more cuts on my cheek and lips. I shrugged. Not the worst thing that’s happened to me.
I quickly remove the rest of my wet clothes and change into the clothes Minji gave me, leaving my soaked school uniform in a messy pile on the bathroom counter. The warm fabric felt foreign, but welcoming. As I stepped out of the bathroom, the comforting scent of black tea hit my nose, leading me to the kitchen where Minji was steeping two cups of the stuff.
She turns to me, a warm smile on her face. “The tea is almost ready.” I watch as she reaches into a drawer and pulls out a first aid kit. “Let me help you with the cuts.”
I shake my head, “I’m fine.”
Minji frowns at me and gently pushes me back into a chair. Before I can protest, she’s already cleaning the cuts on my face with antiseptic, her touch surprisingly gentle. I feel an odd sensation in my chest as I steal a glance at her, her face almost uncomfortably close to mine as she focuses on her task.
“There,” she says, finishing up with a small bandage on my cheek. “You’re good to go.”
I grunt in response, still feeling a little flustered. Minji hands me a cup of warm tea, our fingers brushing briefly. I take a sip, the warmth of the liquid heating me up from the inside.
“Thanks,” I muttered, avoiding her gaze as I stared down at the contents of the mug in my hands.
Minji, seemingly oblivious to the hint of awkwardness that I feel, takes a seat on the kitchen counter across from me. “No problem. It’s the least I can do.”
I take another sip of tea, unsure of how to navigate this foreign scenario. I try to rack my brain, searching for something to say, but nothing comes out. Thankfully, Ms. student council president manages to save the day.
“Soo…” she starts, her eyes peering into her cup. “What do you usually do when you’re not getting into fights?”
I glanced up at her, surprised by the sudden question. “Um… I don’t know. Nap, I guess.”
Minji giggles softly, trying to lighten the mood. “Really? That’s quite… unique.” She flashes a bright smile at me.
I shrug, feeling a little embarrassed by her reaction. “What about you?” I ask after a pause.
Minji chuckled, a smile lingering on her face. “Well, when I’m not studying or dealing with student council stuff, I like to sing.”
I look up at her, genuinely curious. “Really? I would’ve never guessed that.”
“Yeah, I haven’t really told anyone this aside from a few close friends. Sometimes I would tell my parents that I’m studying at the library, but in reality, I’m at the karaoke place with them.” She giggles to herself before her expression suddenly darkens and her gaze drops to the floor. Minji lets out a sigh before saying, “My parents would never approve. They want me to go to a good college and probably become a doctor or something.”
The room fell into a thoughtful silence, aside from the thunder and rain that continued to pour outside. I saw a side of Minji that was kept hidden behind the cheerful facade she usually wore. Despite the two of us being strangers before today, I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards her. I racked my mind, thinking of something to say that could offer her comfort.
“I-I’m sorry,” is all I managed to stutter out. I mentally facepalmed myself for not being able to help her more.
Minji looked up, her eyes meeting mine, and for a brief moment, I could see a deep sadness within them. She managed a small smile before looking back down at her mug. “It’s okay, Yuno. It’s just a silly hobby anyways.”
She steps off of the kitchen counter and downs the remainder of her tea before placing her mug in the sink. I watch as she peers over at the clock hanging on the wall, the arms pointing to 9:00. “It’s getting late, but…” Her gaze turns to the window above the sink, a sigh escaping her lips. “The rain isn’t letting up.”
I stand up from my chair, mentally preparing myself for the treacherous walk home. “It’s okay Minji, I ca-”
“You can spend the night here.”
My eyes grow wide in shock, staring at the back of her head as she continues to face the window. “H-huh?”
A million thoughts run through my head as her unexpected offer hangs through the air. Spending the night? At Minji’s place? It felt like I had suddenly woke up in an alternate reality and didn’t notice until now.
Minji slowly turned to look at me, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush as she met my bewildered gaze with a sheepish smile. “Yeah… Look, it’s pouring outside and you could get sick. My parents are both gone for a business trip, so they won’t be back until this weekend.”
I hesitated, completely baffled at the situation I was faced with. No words come out as I continue to stare at Minji in shock. “I-I uhh… w-what?”
Minji briskly walks past me without another thought. “You can crash on the couch. I’ll get you some blankets.”
I suddenly find myself alone in Minji’s kitchen. Me. In Minji’s house. Alone. With Minji. I don’t know how long I stood there in silence. I was like a deer caught in headlights, completely still despite the feeling of impending doom heading my way. My mind was running at a thousand miles a minute.
“Yuno!”
My head snaps towards the source of the sound. Minji’s head pokes out behind the wall leading to the living room. “Are you okay?”
I scratch my head, feeling a bit awkward. “Y-yeah, I’m good.” I come to my senses and walk towards the living room, where Minji placed a couple of pillows and two neatly folded blankets on the couch.
“Make yourself comfortable. Oh, I went ahead and put your uniform in the wash. It should be all nice and dry in the morning.” She says, flashing me a reassuring smile. I notice a twinge of anxiety deep within her eyes.
“T-thanks,” I reply sheepishly.
“If you need me, I’ll be upstairs in my room. Just knock.” Minji begins to walk away but stops at the foot of the stairs. “Um… Good night, Yuno.” She gives me a small smile before disappearing up the stairs.
I plop myself onto the couch and stare at the ceiling, unsure of what to make of this day. I replay the events in my head - The monotonous school day, followed by me kicking Bryce Merten’s ass. Meeting Minji in the detention room. The rain. And now I’m in Minji Kim’s house, drinking Minji Kim’s tea, and sitting on Minji Kim’s couch. What the fuck.
I lay down on the couch, the exhaustion of everything catching up to me. The plush cushions carry me gently, enveloping my body in comfort. My eyelids begin to get heavier and heavier until my vision eventually goes black.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
“Hanni!! What should I do?!” I whisper-screamed into the phone.
“Girl, you’re gonna have to explain all that again, I could barely understand you,” I hear my friend reply in a snarky tone.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves before I relay the events again. “Okay, so I was just doing paperwork in the detention room because Ms. Rusnak was out and all of a sudden this guy named Yuno walks in with his face all bloody because he got into a fight somehow, and then I was gonna leave after detention ended, but he offered to walk me home, which was nice I guess, but then it started raining so I invited him to wait inside until the rain calmed down because I didn’t want him to get sick, but for some reason, the rain NEVER calmed down, so now he’s sleeping on my couch.” I stop to catch my breath at the end of my rambling, waiting for Hanni’s response.
“Wait, Yuno? As in Yuno Lin? The guy who knocked out Bryce Mertens?” she asked.
“Y-yeah… I think so.” I hesitantly admitted.
“I mean, I didn’t know you were into bad boys, but whatever floats your boat,” Hanni teases.
I groan in annoyance. “Hanni now is not the time for jokes! My parents will kill me if they find out I have a boy staying over!!”
I hear Hanni chuckle at her own joke. “Relax, Minj. Your parents won’t be back for three more days, you’ll be fine.”
I collapse face first into my bed, feeling defeated. “I guess so…” My muffled voice says into the mattress. I let out a long sigh, turning onto my back and staring at the ceiling.
“Sooo, what’s he like?” Hanni asks. “I always see him alone all the time, so I assumed he was just some creepy weirdo or something.”
I pause, contemplating my answer. “He’s… different from what I thought he would be. He’s not a creepy weirdo at all. He’s quiet and a little awkward, but he means well and seems nice enough.”
Hanni’s curiosity peaks. “Oooh, mysterious bad boy with a soft heart sleeping with the student council president. Sounds like a plot to a K-drama.”
I quickly sit up, my cheeks burning red with embarrassment. “Hanni!! It’s not like that at all!!” Hanni’s laugh can be heard from the speaker of my phone. I hang up and collapse back on the bed, too tired to deal with her for tonight. I let out a sigh and tightly shut my eyes, hoping that I’d wake up and find out all of this was just some weird dream.
#newjeans#kim minji#newjeans minji#kpop fanfic#kpop gg#minji x male oc#newjeans minji x male oc#minji x male reader#newjeans minji x male reader#fluff#minji fluff#newjeans minji fluff
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Unlikely Duet - 4
length: +7k words
Genre: Fluff
NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)
(Author's Note: Kinda went crazy with this one, don't know if it's a good crazy or a bad crazy yet. Also, TW: Blood and violence.)
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★
Yuno’s POV
The English teacher, Mr. Fillips, was droning on about Shakespeare or some other dead writer, but my mind was too preoccupied to pay attention. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about earlier this morning.
______________________________________________________________
I randomly awoke in the dead of night, finding myself with my arm wrapped around Minji’s waist. Panic surged through me as I attempted to disentangle myself, but she suddenly tightened her grip, anchoring us together. Sweat beaded on my forehead as the warmth from her body was becoming unbearable.
“Minji?” I whispered. “You awake?” I waited for what felt like an eternity, but silence was the only response I received. Any efforts to remove my arm from her grasp proved futile as her grasp only strengthened with each attempt. I had fought members of the school’s wrestling team before, but all of them paled in comparison to sleeping Minji’s anaconda-like grip on my arm. I silently cursed my predicament, praying to whatever god out there that Minji never found out about this.
She began to quietly murmur in her sleep. Most of it was incomprehensible, but I managed to make out some of it: “Yuno… stay with me… please…”
My face turned warm as she uttered words I probably wasn’t supposed to hear. I tried one last time to free myself, but my body gave out from exhaustion and I surrendered myself to my unfortunate fate. My heart was beating too hard for me to fall asleep, so I had no choice but to lay there in silence, Minji’s sleeping body pressed against mine. I couldn’t help but stare at the peaceful expression on her face, illuminated by the moonlight peeking through the window. Her soft lips curved slightly into a grin and the faint scent of roses emanated from her silky black hair. Even when she was wearing a simple oversized tee shirt, she still somehow managed to look so…
“Mr. Lin!”
I jumped in my seat as I was forcefully torn from my daydreams. Mr. Fillips loomed beside me, a disapproving glare in his eyes. The entire class watched, looks of confusion and fear etched into their faces as they anticipated my reaction. In the corner of my eye, I notice Tyler McGraw and his band of goons snickering to themselves.
“That’s the third time I’ve asked you to read the passage, Mr. Lin. Are you paying attention now?” he asks in a stern tone.
“Y-yeah, I am. Sorry.” I awkwardly clear my throat, trying my best to focus on the class while images of Minji flash through my mind.
______________________________________________________________
“A-are you alright, Yuno?”
I turn to see Winter appear next to me as I make my way towards the cafeteria for lunch. Truthfully, all three of my classes were incredibly difficult to focus on. No matter what, I couldn’t get Minji out of my head and I didn’t know why.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I lied.
“Are you sure? You seem distracted. Is this about what happened yesterday?”
I panicked for a moment before realizing that she was talking about the attack and not the “sleepover” incident. My train of thought is interrupted as Yujin spots us from the end of the hall and waves.
“Hey, you guys!” He exclaims, causing a scene. Yujin runs up to us with a goofy smile on his face, attracting looks of disdain as he bumps into upperclassmen in the process. “What are y’all talking about?”
I quickly go through the lunch line and grab my food, the two of them in tow like baby ducks following their mother. My body shivers at the unpleasant thought, only for it to be swiftly replaced by Minji yet again. I faceplant into my usual lunch table and groan, my own mind becoming my worst enemy.
“S-some drunk creep attacked the student council president last night and Yuno jumped in to save her. I think he’s a little shaken up over it,” Winter explains. I was too busy suffering in mental anguish to correct her.
“Wow, Super Yuno swoops in to save the day again!” Yujin beamed.
I snapped my head up and glared at him. “Don’t. Call me that. Please,” I muttered before lowering my head back onto the table.
“Okay, we can workshop the name a little, but…” Yujin rummages through his backpack and pulls out a notebook. He flips through the pages before revealing a pencil drawing of me wearing a Superman-esque outfit. “What do you think about the suit? Pretty sick, right?”
“Oh w-wow, that’s really well drawn, Yujin,” Winter compliments. I nodded in agreement, both impressed and slightly repulsed by the lifelike drawing of me in a cape and tighty whities. “D-did you really draw that?
“Yup, spent all night on it. Here,” Yujin says, ripping the drawing out of his notebook and handing it to me. “Consider it a token of my appreciation for saving my life.”
I reluctantly accept the drawing, placing it into my backpack. “Thanks. It’s… nice.”
“So, what exactly happened yesterday? Tell me everything and don’t spare a single detail.” Yujin gazes at the two of us expectantly, an excited glint in his eyes.
“W-well,” Winter begins. “I was working the night shift at the convenience store and-”
“You work at the convenience store? So cool,” Yujin interrupts. Winter giggles at his innocent reaction before continuing the story.
“Y-Yuno came in and bought some things, but he forgot his change, so I followed him outside and saw him protecting the student council president from a drunk man.”
“Who’s the student council president?” Yujin asked.
“Minji Kim,” I mumble in response, staring blankly at my tray of food. “And I didn’t do anything; it was Winter who pepper sprayed him.”
She shakes her head in disagreement. “Y-you stepped in front of Minji. I just happened to be there.”
Yujin was too busy excitedly jotting something down to listen to her protest, mumbling to himself about “pepper superpowers”. Before I knew it, the end-of-lunch bell rang without me taking a single bite of food, my appetite lost from my mind being plagued with visions of Minji. I toss out the contents of my tray and leave for my next class.
“See you guys later!” Yujin says before running through the crowd of students trying to exit the cafeteria.
Winter waves at him as he leaves. “B-bye, Yujin,” she called out to him, but her quiet voice was drowned out by the surrounding chatter. “Bye, Yuno.”
I give her a nod as I take my leave. A sudden shiver runs down my spine as I sense a familiar set of cat eyes glaring at me from the edges of my vision but the presence disappears as soon as I turn to look at it.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
The calm silence of the library usually offered me solace, but I couldn’t help but feel helpless as I stared at my phone, the source of my distress. My parents hadn’t texted me since this morning, yet the suspense of waiting for their next message crushed me like a bug underneath a heavy boot.
“Minj, are you alright, girl?” Hanni asks me, her expression filled with concern. She accompanied me to the library while I worked on prom preparations, but it was impossible to work under these conditions.
“I’m fine,” I lied unconvincingly. Despite knowing for the past week that my parents would be flying in today, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread. They were hardly ever home due to constantly having to go on business trips, but when they were home, my mental health went down the drain. Even the thought of having to be face-to-face with them made me dizzy.
Hanni gently rubs my shoulder in an attempt to comfort me. “I can go home with you if you want. Your parents looooooove me,” she jokes.
My lips curl into a faint grin. “I don’t know if ‘love’ is the word I would use,” I shoot back, prompting her to playfully punch me in the arm. “Anyways, I think I’ll be okay. I’ll have to face them alone eventually.”
“It’s your funeral. The offer is always on the table if you need it, Minj.” Hanni flashes me a reassuring smile, momentarily easing my nerves.
“Thanks, Hanni.” I return her smile with one of my own before looking back at the pile of work I need to do for prom. Picking a prom theme, finding a venue within the school’s budget, setting up events for the week leading up to prom - each responsibility felt like a massive weight on my shoulders. It was already super stressful with the entire senior class depending on me to host a successful prom, I didn’t need my home life to add to that stress.
Hanni shakes me from my thoughts. “Girl, you’re making that face again.”
“What face?” I ask, my head tilted in confusion.
“That face you make when you're stressed and stuff. Like, you scrunch up your eyebrows and your face gets all serious,” she explains while making the expression. I opened my mouth to protest, only to realize that, indeed, my eyebrows were scrunched.
My attention is diverted to the library entrance as Yuno walks through the doors. Hanni laughs at me as I instinctively hide my face with a stack of papers. The memories of accidentally spending the entire night in his arms flood my mind, and a warm blush creeps onto my face.
“Oooooh, are you all nervous with your little boyfriend around?” she teases, her words making me squirm.
“He’s not my- Shut up, Hanni!” I retort, my face growing warmer with each passing second. Yuno briefly exchanges words with the librarian before turning around, our eyes locking inadvertently. His cheeks tint with a faint pink and his eyes grow slightly wider, almost as if he’s surprised to see me. Hanni, sensing an opportunity for mischief, beckons him over.
“W-what are you doing, Hanni!?” I panic, smacking her arm. She chuckles, undeterred, Yuno makes his way towards our table. I bury my face in my hands, wanting to disappear from this moment.
“Heyyyyyy, Yunooooo,” she calls out, earning a shush from the librarian which she promptly ignores. “What are you doing around here?” Her signature impish grin is etched onto her face, a sign that she’s up to no good.
“Just need to print something out.” Despite his gruff tone, his eyes shift nervously back and forth. I had never seen him look so anxious before.
“That’s coollllll. Minji’s here too, you got anything to say to her?” Hanni gestures toward me, and I offer a shy smile, trying my best to act composed despite the unmistakable blush on my face.
Yuno stutters for a moment before managing, “U-um… Hi.” He nods awkwardly before hastily retreating behind a bookshelf, tripping slightly on the shelf’s edge. A chuckle escapes my lips as he disappears from view.
“That’s the guy that everyone’s so afraid of? The one that beat up Bryce?” Hanni asks, her eyebrow raised in disbelief. “He looks like he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
I shook my head, a flashback of my first encounter with Yuno in the detention room vividly playing in my mind. His face had been marked with fresh cuts from his fight with Bryce just moments before. At first, I thought he was just another brute who liked causing trouble, but the past few days with him have proved me wrong.
“I mean, he did beat up Bryce, but he had his reasons. I don’t necessarily agree with him getting into a fight, but he’s not a bad guy. Maybe people should try to get to know him better instead of just assuming he’s just another delinquent. He’s kind, and thoughtful, and he has a good heart, a-and…” I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, realizing I had been unintentionally rambling about Yuno. Hanni stared at me in awe, the corners of her lips curling upward.
“OMG, Minj… You have a crush on him!!” she squeals. Panicking, I clamped my hand over her mouth.
“N-no I do not! Can you please shut up, Hanni!?” I struggled to silence her as her whole body shook with laughter.
“You totally do, Minji!! Just look at yo-”
“SHHHH!!!! Ladies, this is a library!” Both of us freeze as the librarian glares at us with contempt.
“S-sorry…” I mutter before gathering up all my papers. Ignoring the sounds of Hanni giggling behind me, I quickly exited the library, eager to escape the embarrassment. My mind, already burdened with student council responsibilities and the impending meeting with parents, is suddenly occupied with a third weight - Yuno. Images of him fill my thoughts as I think about what Hanni said.
“I-I don’t have a crush on him. I can’t. My parents would never approve… I-I mean, he’s nice and all, and he did help me a lot yesterday. B-but we’re just friends… I guess? Friends can cuddle after a traumatic experience, right?? Omg, Minji, you are doomed…”
The stress that had gripped me earlier increased tenfold as I made my way towards my next class, uncertainty plaguing my mind with each step.
______________________________________________________________
Yuno’s POV
As the school’s printer whirs to life, I mentally facepalm myself for acting like an idiot in front of Minji. It didn’t help that I tripped on the shelf like a moron.
“Hey, Yuno!” A voice from behind calls out to me while I wait for my papers. I turn and see Minji’s friend - Hanni, I think it was? - approaching me with a phone in her hand. “Minji forgot her phone on the table before she left, do you think you could give it to her later?” She punctuates her question with a mischievous smile.
“Why can’t you do it? You’re her friend,” I ask, questioning her intentions.
“Because, I have, uhh… stuff to do.” My skepticism only grew as she flashed me another offputting smile that made it obvious she was up to something. Before I could decline, she shoved the phone into my hands and skipped away without another word. Regretfully, I placed the phone into my pocket and grabbed my papers from the printer, leaving the library with more questions than I entered.
Walking through the halls back to class, I hear a commotion coming from the boys’ bathroom. I try to ignore it and keep walking, but something in my gut stops me from moving on. I push open the door, and the voices from within become much clearer.
“You little shit.” *THUD* “Not so tough without your little friend, huh?” *THUD*
I round the corner and my heart instantly drops. Yujin’s normally cheerful face was painted with cuts and bruises, blood dripping from his mouth and nose like a leaky faucet. His limp body was being held up by one of the football players while Tyler took free shots at him.
“Get the fuck out of here before I-” Tyler turns around, noticing my presence. His eyes go wide with fear, but he keeps up his tough guy act, scoffing at me. “What the fuck do you want, Yuno?”
My heart pounds in my chest with anger. It’s taking every fiber of my being to stop me from smashing his skull against the porcelain sink. “Let him go. Please.”
Tyler laughs defiantly in my face. His friend, on the other hand, loosens his grip on Yujin, dropping him to the floor.
“What the fuck are you doing!?” Tyler yells, glaring at his friend. “Pick him back up, you idiot!”
He looks back and forth between me and Tyler, his hands fluttering nervously. “S-sorry, Ty, b-but I’d rather live,” he stutters before running out of the bathroom.
I pushed past Tyler and kneeled beside Yujin, examining his condition. His chest rose with shaky breaths while his droopy eyelids glanced up at me. A faint grin appears on his face.
“H-hey… S-super Y-Yuno… C-coming to the rescue…” He mutters, wheezing with every word. Enraged, I stand up and turn towards Tyler, dropping my backpack on the ground. His tough guy act completely melts away, revealing a terrified boy underneath.
“M-my dad w-will sue y-you if y-'' His words hang in the air, cut short as my hand clamps onto the back of his head. With a swift, forceful motion, I slam his face onto the tiles of the bathroom walls, the sickening sound of bones breaking echoes between the walls.
A guttural wail escapes Tyler’s lips, muffled by his hands clutching his broken nose. Thick, crimson liquid seeps through his fingers, coating his hands and face. The metallic scent of blood permeates through the air, a scent that I’m all too familiar with. I shove my foot into the side of his ribs, the impact punctuated by the wrath filling my veins. Tyler crumples to the ground, writhing in pain. The sound of my heart thundered in my ears, drowning out the world around me. Hovering over Tyler, I draw back my elbow, ready to deliver the final blow. With all my power, I drive my elbow into his already battered face. The impact sends a shockwave throughout his body, knocking him out cold.
I stand over his unconscious body, the acrid taste of adrenaline lingering on my tongue, and slowly unclench my fists. I swallowed hard, attempting to steady my breathing while the ringing in my ears faded away. The anger I once felt is now replaced with a slight guilt as my mind travels back to Minji, her unapproving expression from my fight with Bryce echoing in my mind. I shake my head and turn my attention back to Yujin.
Kneeling beside him, I carefully sit him up against the wall. “Can you stand?” I ask, my throat feeling dry from the sight of his battered-up form. Yujin tries to stand up on his own but groans in pain from the slightest movements.
I turn around, offering him my back. “Get on. I’ll carry you to the nurse.” Carefully, he wraps his arms around my neck while I carry him in a piggyback. Grabbing my bag, I step over Tyler’s unconscious form right as a freshman boy enters the bathroom. A look of shock paints his face as he scans the blood on the wall and the body on the floor. His body shivers in fear as I loom over him, his legs frozen in place, preventing him from escaping.
I try my best to look less threatening and give him what I hope is a reassuring smile. “He slipped and fell. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” I pat his shoulder and exit the bathroom, Yujin resting on my back.
______________________________________________________________
My already sullied faith in the education system manages to go even lower as I find the nurse’s office completely empty, with no nurse in sight. I sign in frustration, opting to find help off campus instead of waiting for someone who might never come.
As I round the corner on my way to the exit, I inadvertently bump into a girl, jostling the glasses from her face. “Oh, I’m so sorry about that,” she apologizes, hastily retrieving her glasses from the ground. “Are you alr-” She freezes as she secures her glasses, undoubtedly shocked at the sight of Yujin’s unconscious body. “What did you do to him!?” she exclaims, hurriedly checking on Yujin.
Confused, I took a defensive step back, shielding Yujin from her. “I didn’t do this. It was Tyler McGraw.”
“As if I would believe someone like you. Why didn’t you take him to the nurse!?” She slaps my arm in exasperation. I scoff, slowly becoming more and more irritated.
“The nurse wasn’t there, so unless you’re a doctor or something, get out of my way, or else he might die,” I snapped, glaring at her. Her irate look melts into one of sympathy, a look I’m not used to receiving.
I clear my throat, attempting to ease the tension. “S-sorry,” I stutter awkwardly. “I just need help. Please.”
She studies my expression for a moment before sighing, relenting to the urgency of the situation. “There’s a first aid kit in the student council room. Follow me, it’s closer.” I followed her silently, wondering why her face looked so familiar.
The student council room exuded an air of organized chaos, with papers sprawled out all over the table in the center of the room. The floor was littered with various colored paper scraps, a by-product from the posters advertising prom that line the hallways. A whiteboard on the far end of the room was covered with notes, important due dates, and random drawings. On the opposite side of the room, a well-worn green couch sat, its fading color a testament to years of use by both former and current student council members.
The student council girl grabbed a first aid kit from a cabinet while I gently lay Yujin down on the couch. His chest slowly rises and falls with each shaky breath.
“Th-thank… Thank you… Y-Yuno…” he wheezes in a strained voice. Yujin reaches out with a trembling hand, finding mine in a weak grasp. An unfamiliar tenderness wells up within me as I squeeze his hand reassuringly. The girl sits beside Yujin and begins delicately cleaning the dried blood from Yujin’s face. She meticulously applies antiseptic to his cuts, the clinical scent stinging my nose.
As she worked, her eyes briefly flickered toward me. “So,” she starts, her tone measured. “What happened to him?”
A heavy sigh escapes my lips as I relive the past hour in my head. “Tyler and one of the other guys on the football team were beating him up in the bathroom, so I stepped in and…” My words trail off as I catch the unmistakable glare she’s directing at me. I gulp, suddenly feeling sheepish in front of her. Shaking her head, she diverts her attention back to aiding Yujin.
“I don’t know what Minji sees in you,” she mutters under her breath. My ears burn at the mention of Minji, and then it hits me - this girl is one of her friends I saw two days ago (Danielle, I think). Despite not talking to her at the time, I remember the distinct icy stare she gave me that day.
“H-how is Minji?” I stutter awkwardly. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her this morning after the incident last night, except in the library where I… My body shivers at the embarrassing memory.
Danielle abruptly stands up, staring daggers at me from behind her frames. Despite being much shorter, I suddenly felt like an insignificant bug as she loomed over me. “I don’t know what you're planning here, but you better stay away from Minji. She has enough going on already and she doesn’t need a troublemaker like you to add to that,” she snapped, fire in her eyes. We stood there in tense silence for what felt like years before she went back to tending Yujin’s wounds.
I open my mouth to argue, but stop, considering her words. What was I planning with Minji? We’re not exactly friends, but we’re not strangers either. I mean, I slept over at her house. Hell, we slept in the same bed together. What could she even gain from being close to me? My head begins to ache as I get more and more confused.
Danielle gets up from the couch, breaking me from my thoughts. “I did all I could with the first aid kit. I think it’s best to alert his parents,” she states.
Yujin, with the very little energy he has left, shakes his head. “N-no… Don’t… D-don’t tell… m-my parents…” he grunts.
Danielle frowns. “Why not?”
“I-I live w-with… M-my grandma… D-don’t… Worry her… P-please…” A single tear rolls down from his swollen eye. Danielle holds his hand reassuringly, her expression full of sympathy.
“Okay. I won’t,” she assures before turning to me, her expression hardening instantly. “He can rest here for the rest of the day. I’ll let his teachers know to excuse him from their classes. You, on the other hand, need to go back to class. I’ll watch over him.”
I nod, surrendering Yujin to her care. Despite her intense distrust toward me, I acknowledge that she can do a better job of taking care of him than I ever could. Grabbing my bag, I leave the student council room, stealing one last glance at Yujin. He grins and gives me a small wave right as I close the door.
A splotch of red stains my sleeve, a symbol of the violence I committed. Feeling disgusted at my lack of self control, I roll it up to hide the part of me others are scared of.
______________________________________________________________
The bell rings, signaling the end of the school day. I quickly grab my things and make my way towards the student council room, the crowd parting as I walk by. Upon barging in, I find the room empty aside from a folded-up note on the couch with my name on it. Curious, I unfolded it and it read:
Hey Yuno, thanks for saving me again. I owe you one, big time! Danielle said her mom is a nurse and she offered to check me out for free so I don’t burden my grandma with any hospital bills. Her mom is giving me a ride home from school early, but I didn’t want to leave without saying anything, so I’m writing this note to you. Danielle and I talked a lot after you left and she’s really nice! I tried to convince her that you’re a cool guy, but she still seems skeptical. Don’t worry though, I’ll change her mind eventually :) Anyway, my hand is starting to hurt now, so I’ll end the note here. See ya tomorrow! - Yujin
I smirk to myself and fold the note, placing it in my pocket. As I place the note inside, I feel something strange and smooth, and I suddenly remember - Minji’s phone. With everything that went on with Yujin, I completely forgot to return her phone. Rushing out of the building, I scan the courtyard, looking for Minji, but she’s nowhere in sight. I flinch at a tap on my shoulder and turn to see two more of Minji’s friends - the tall one and the one that looks like a cat.
“Hello!” the taller one greets with a bright smile. “Your Minji’s friend, right? Haerin told me to get your attention. I’m Hyein by the way, it’s nice to meet you again!” She sticks out her hand, which I clumsily shake. The shorter girl, Haerin, steps in front of her and stares at me with an odd, unreadable expression that sends a shiver down my spine.
“You are looking for Minji,” she states matter-of-factly.
I stagger backward, taken aback by her accuracy. “How did y- never mind. Do you know where she is?”
“She went home early,” Hyein says. “Her parents are flying from their business trip today, so she rushed home to go see them.”
I nod and turn to leave before Haerin stops me. “What’s your relationship with Minji?” she interrogates.
“We’re uhh…” I hesitate, uncertain about my answer. Shaking my head, I decide to change the subject. “Minji left her phone in the library. I’m just trying to return it.”
Haerin’s eyes narrow, studying my expression for a moment. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as her feline eyes stare into my soul. Minji’s friends always find a way to make me feel uncomfortable.
Hyein steps in, smacking Haerin on the shoulder. “We’ll let you go on then. Tell Minji we said hi!” She tugs Haerin away, nodding apologetically. It looks like she’s the only normal out of Minji’s friends.
As I walk along the familiar path towards her house, the once serene blue sky suddenly fills with gray clouds, reminding me of my first meeting with Ms. Student Council President. If I had just left the detention room instead of offering to walk her home, would fate still have pushed us together? Would she have gotten hurt last night if I hadn’t bumped into her by chance? In the grand scheme of things, what does meeting Minji Kim mean? Droplets of rain start to fall as I ponder these questions, the weight of uncertainty bearing down on me like the rain clouds above. The thread of my life has changed directions after meeting Minji, now woven with hers, for better or for worse.
Before I knew it, I found myself in front of her house, an unfamiliar and expensive-looking car in her driveway that must belong to her parents. I gawk at it for a moment, wondering how loaded her family is, before knocking on the front door.
The door swings open, revealing a tall and impeccably groomed man, donning a perfectly tailored suit that I’ve only seen in movies. His eyes, sharp and calculating, seem to dissect me with every glance. “Hello there, can I help you?” he greets, his deep voice as polished as his appearance.
I gulp, my confidence dwindling in the face of his stature. Everything about him reminds me of a world of privilege and opulence that I could never hope to be a part of. “U-uh, hi, I-I’m Yumo- I mean Yuno,” I stammer, my throat suddenly becoming dry.
He raises an eyebrow in concern. “Okay… Can I help you, Yuno?”
I shake my head, mentally facepalming. “R-right, sorry, uh Minji forgot her phone in the library, I’m just here to return it.” I take the phone out of my pocket and show it to him, my hand trembling slightly, betraying my nerves.
He squints, scrutinizing my expression with an intensity that could rival Medusa’s. A woman - Minji’s mother - glides into view from behind him, adorned in fabrics that are equally as elegant and intimidating as Mr. Kim’s.
“Who’s at the door, honey?” she asks him, her voice exuding authority and lavishness. I suddenly felt self-conscious in front of the pair, crossing my arms to cover my shabby-looking school uniform.
“He’s a classmate of Minji’s. He says he’s returning her phone which she forgot in the library,” Mr. Kim says, his eyes still nitpicking my every move.
“A friend of Minji’s, how wonderful!” Ms. Kim exclaims. “Come in dear, let’s have a little chat.” She gave me a warm welcoming smile, yet lingering underneath the surface, there was a subtle glint of concealed intentions that sent a shiver up my spine.
“U-um, okay…” I reluctantly accepted, fearing the consequences if I declined. Ms. Kim ushered me inside her home, unaware that this was the third time I’d been here in a row. At this point, I’ve seen more of Minji’s house than I have my own.
“Minji dear, your friend is here,” Ms. Kim calls out.
“Is it Hanni? I told her she didn’t have to-” Minji rounds the corner, and our eyes lock in a moment suspended in time. She’s dressed in an elegant white blouse that amplifies the innocence of her natural beauty, paired with a simple black skirt that accentuates the grace in her every movement. Minji exuded a completely different aura compared to when she’s wearing her school uniform or the oversized T-shirts she wears as pajamas. It was almost as if she was a different person entirely.
“Y-Yuno! What are you doing here?” She asks, a hint of anxiety in her voice.
I snap out of my trance and hand her the phone. “You forgot your phone in the library. Hanni asked me to hand it to you.”
“Oh my god, thank you so much! I’ve been looking everywhere for it!” Her face lights up in a grateful smile that makes my heart skip a beat. My cheeks flare up with warmth and the corners of my lips instinctively curl upwards, which I try to hide with my hands.
“Yeah no problem, I should probably get going now-” As I turn to leave, Ms. Kim places a hand on my shoulder, stopping me
“Yuno dear, why don’t you stay for some tea? Sanghoon and I would love to get to know another one of Minji’s friends.” Despite her cheery tone, there was something in her voice that let me know she wasn’t just asking - she was commanding. I reluctantly comply, taking a seat on the couch.
“Minji, come help me in the kitchen,” Ms. Kim commands, pulling Minji with her. Minji gives me a sympathetic look before she disappears, leaving me alone with her father. Mr. Kim sits on a reclining chair, leaning forward as he stares me down. I fought guys that were triple my size before, yet none of them intimidated me as much as he did.
“So,” he begins, his expression unreadable. I gulp as I await the inevitable onslaught of questions. “What are your grades like, Yumo?
“U-uh, it’s Yuno. Sir,” I stammer. He grins at me with amusement, like a predator playing with his food.
“My apologies, Yuno.” Mr. Kim leans back in his chair, a sign that he doesn’t view me as a threat. Even with his relaxed demeanor, I couldn’t let my guard down.
“R-right, u-uh my grades are alright.” I clasp my hands together in an attempt to hide my trembling. He raises an eyebrow at my answer, unconvinced. My gut is telling me that I said something wrong.
“What are your goals for the future?” He continues.
“I-I’m not really sure yet. Still thinking about it,” I lie. Up until recently, I’d always assume I would die young from getting mixed in with the wrong crowd, so I never even humored the thought of actually having a future.
“That’s normal for kids your age,” Mr. Kim says, nodding in understanding. “You might wanna hurry up though; it’s best to get a headstart on college.”
I breathe a sigh of relief, his genuine advice easing my nerves a bit. However, I could still feel alarms going off in my head, the tension in the room at dangerously high levels. Something was hiding underneath their kind facade that made the hair on the back of my head stand up on end.
“I’m sure you were expecting me to ask you this, but what is your relationship with my daughter?” He folds his arms, expectantly awaiting my answer.
I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. The answer to the question has evaded me the entire day, my mind clouded with uncertainty like the rain clouds outside. It would have been easier for me to lie and make up an answer, but my gut was stopping me. I needed an answer, right here and right now.
I take a deep breath to clear my mind, hoping the answer will come to me at the last second. “Minji and I are-”
“The tea is ready!” Minji swoops in, briskly placing a tray of mugs on the coffee table. “Actually, I forgot to tell you this, but Yuno and I are working on a project for science class.” My eyes widen with confusion, but before I can react, Minji grabs me by the sleeve and pulls me up the stairs. “We’ll be in my room if you need us!” she announces. I catch a glimpse of her parents’ bewildered look right before we turn the corner. She pushes me into her room, shutting the door behind her.
The walls of her bedroom were covered in posters of various singers and groups with odd names, like “Red Velvet” and “Twice”. Various stuffed animals were neatly arranged on top of her bed, a testament to her meticulous nature as student council president. A desk sat in front of the window, its surface covered with random stickers, polaroids with her friends, and sticky notes containing due dates and reminders. I would’ve been impressed with how cozy the room was, if it weren’t for the fact that I was inside MINJI’S BEDROOM, alone with MINJI.
A thousand- No, a million questions fill my head as I glance at Minji, who’s begun pacing nervously around the room. “U-uh, Minji?”
“I’M SORRY, I PANICKED!” She covers her mouth almost immediately after her outburst, offering an apologetic look. Taking a breath, she sits on her bed, fiddling with her fingers. “I’m sorry about my parents, they can be a bit much, even for me. Especially my dad. I’m sure he means well, but he has a tendency to push his ideologies onto others. I suppose he is a businessman after all.” Minji grabs a stuffed bear toy, holding it for comfort. I bite my lip in an attempt to stifle a grin at how… “cute” she looked.
“It’s cool, I didn’t even notice,” I lied, feeling the sudden urge to look impressive in front of her. Instead of looking impressed, however, she giggles in my face.
“No offense, Yuno, but I could hear you stuttering from the kitchen.” My entire face burns red from her words. I pretend to inspect one of her posters in an attempt to hide my embarrassed expression.
“Sooo… Why did you tell them we had a science project together?” I ask, changing the subject. “I’m not even taking a science class this year.”
Minji sighs, squeezing her bear toy. “My parents are always hypercritical of my friends, they have been since I was born. If they find even a single flaw, they’ll tell me I can’t be friends with them anymore. Hanni is the exception, of course, they couldn’t get rid of her no matter how hard they tried,” she explains, chuckling at her own joke. “I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable, so I lied to get you out of there.”
There’s that word again - “Friend”. This whole time, I had been thinking about whether or not I thought of Minji as a friend. But… Did Minji see me as a friend? The thought was unfathomable, but I needed to know the answer.
“Minji,” I say, getting her attention. She looks up at me expectantly, her dark brown eyes making my heart flutter. “A-are we… friends?” I avert my gaze, awaiting the rejection. To my surprise, the rejection never comes.
“Of course I do, why wouldn’t I? It would be weird if we weren’t friends after everything we’ve been through,” she states.
My body suddenly felt lighter, as if a thousand-pound weight had lifted off of my shoulders. The question that has been stuck in my mind all day finally had an answer. My lips instinctively curl into a smile, the first one I’ve had in a long while.
Minji giggles at my reaction. “I’ve never seen you smile before, Yuno. You should smile more, it’s nice,” she compliments. The room falls silent as a warm, pink hue graces both of our faces. Minji covers her face with the bear toy while I turn towards the wall, hiding the goofy smile that continues to grow on my face. I had been called a plethora of things under the sun - son of a bitch, motherfucker, and piece of shit, to name a few. Never in the last four years of my existence has anyone complimented my smile.
A strange and unfamiliar feeling bubbles in my chest. It wasn’t fear, anxiety, or anger; It was happiness. Minji Kim had given me a compliment, and it made me happy. I can’t help but wonder if I had knocked one of my own screws loose during my altercation with Tyler.
Minji looks up from her bear, her face still as pink as cotton candy. However, her face instantly darkens with concern as she tosses her bear on the bed and grabs my arm.
“Yuno, is that… blood?” she asks, inspecting my sleeve. Unknowingly, my sleeve had unfurled, revealing the crimson stain. The joy from Minji’s compliment sours into guilt as her worried eyes meet mine. “A-are you alright? Did you get hurt or something?”
My throat grows dry as I search for an answer, my mind devolving into chaos. The thought of her disappointed face if I told her the truth sent a pang through my chest, a pain more acute than any punch I’ve ever received. Frozen in place, I stood helpless as the weight of my actions slowly crushed me.
A knock at the door jolts me from my thoughts, and Minji’s mother peeks her head in, breaking the uneasy silence. “Hey you two, just wanted to know how the project is going. You left so abruptly that the tea got cold.”
Minji swiftly steps forward, shielding my blood-stained sleeve from her mother’s view. “Sorry about that, mom. The project is going well, we’re just brainstorming some ideas right now,” she says, her composure unbreaking.
“Alright then. Yuno dear, will you be joining us for dinner?”
I clear my throat, attempting to keep up a normal facade. “S-sorry Ms. Kim, but I should probably get going. My dad is waiting for me at home,” I lied. Truthfully, I have no idea where my dad is, but that didn’t matter at the moment. I roll up my sleeve and walk past her, beelining it towards the front door, only to be greeted with a curtain of pouring rain. To add insult to injury, a bolt of lightning rings out from the sky.
Ms. Kim places a hand on my shoulder from behind, and as I glance back, I catch a subtle tinge in her eyes that sends a shiver down my spine. She hid it well behind her warm smile, but I could tell there was something off about her.
“Oh no, looks like it’s raining,” she says, feigning concern. It was almost as if she somehow made it rain to keep me trapped here. “Why don’t you stay here until the rain dies down? It’ll give us a chance to get to know you better.”
I gulp as she shuts the door, prying me from my chance at freedom. The ominous feeling in the air intensifies as I reluctantly agree to stay, unsure of the web I’m becoming entangled in. Minji’s worried expression mirrors my own as I’m pulled towards the kitchen, the front door fading from view.
#newjeans#kim minji#newjeans minji#kpop fanfic#kpop gg#minji x male oc#newjeans minji x male oc#minji x male reader#newjeans minji x male reader#fluff#minji fluff#newjeans minji fluff
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Unlikely Duet - 3
length: +4k words
Genre: Fluff
NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)
(Author's Note: This took longer than I thought because of finals and I'm flying to the Philippines to see my family. Will probably take a while for the next chapter to come out, but I'll try my best :) )
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★
Yuno’s POV
As I enter my house, the stench of alcohol immediately assaults my nostrils. I turn to my left and see the familiar sight of my father’s unconscious body on the couch, crushed beer cans littered on the floor around him.
“Hey dad,” I muttered, my words dissipating in the stale air.
I go up the stairs to my room and toss my backpack onto my bed, grabbing my makeshift piggy bank I made out of an empty tin of peanuts from my desk.
“Only $20 left,” I sigh. “I’m gonna need to find a job again soon.”
As I go to change out of my school uniform, I take out the $10 bill I got from Winter out of my wallet. “Looks like I’ll be able to eat dinner tonight. Thanks Winter,” I smirk to myself.
After donning a comfortable hoodie and sweatpants, I descend the stairs, carefully maneuvering through the graveyard of beer cans. Before stepping outside, I stop and take one more glance at my father, still out cold. I grab a nearby blanket and drape it over him before stepping outside.
The chilly afternoon air hits my face as I walk to the nearby convenience store. The sunset paints the sky a gradient of bright tangerine with streaks of violet to contrast. The chime of the door signals my arrival as I enter the store. I grab a cup of ramen and a soda before heading to the front to pay.
“Cash or ca- Yuno?”
I glance up and see Winter on the other side of the counter, wearing the store’s uniform.
“Oh. Hey,” I utter, placing my items in front of her. “Didn’t know you worked here.”
Winter’s lips curl up into a smile. “I-it’s my first week here actually, I’m still getting used to everything.” She giggles shyly as she fumbles with the scanner. After a minute, she successfully rings up my items. “Y-your total is $12.59.” I take the $10 bill out of my pocket and sigh, disappointment evident on my face.
“A-actually,” Winter starmmers, nervously wringing her hands. “W-we’re having a 50% off s-sale today, s-so your t-total is six bucks.” She flashes me a nervous smile.
I study her expression for a moment, her unconvincing smile starting to waver. I knew she was lying out of pity, but considering the alternative is to sleep hungry, I eventually gave in.
“I’ll pay the rest next time,” I say, handing her the $10 bill. Relief washes over her face as she takes the dollar with her trembling hands. I grab the plastic bag with my food and turn to leave.
As I open the door, Winter calls out, “W-wait! Your change!”
“Keep the change. It’s your money anyways.” I give her a small nod before exiting the store, the chime of the door echoing behind me. Turning the corner toward my house, I’m suddenly knocked to the ground as someone collides with me.
“Fuck, watch where you- Minji?” I look up and see the perpetrator to be none other than Minji, her face filled with fear as she silently mouths, ‘please help me.’
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
I stretch my arms upwards as I let out an exhausted yawn. “That meeting took longer than I thought it would.”
Danielle and I walk side by side as we exit the campus, the sun already setting after the prolonged student council meeting. “Well, prom is happening next month. It’s a lot to prepare for,” Danielle says, mirroring my exhaustion with a yawn of her own.
My stomach grumbles, signaling my hunger. “Let’s stop by the convenience store on the way back. I’m starving.”
“I wish I could, Minji, but I have to get home ASAP to work on an english project,” she replies with an apologetic look. “Maybe next time.”
I sigh in disappointment. “I guess so. I’ll see you tomorrow then.” We wave goodbye as we part ways. On my way to the convenience store, I take a shortcut through an alleyway, hoping to get there before it gets too dark. Suddenly, a gray cat comes out of nowhere and looks up at me with its large seafoam green eyes.
“OMG, HI BABYYY,” I call out to it in a high pitched voice. The cat meows before walking up to me, rubbing its body against my leg. I crouch down and gently pat its head, the cat reciprocating my affection with a purr. “You’re a friendly little guy, aren’t you?”
Before I knew it, the once-orange sky had turned pitch black. I grimace as I realize I got too distracted playing with the cat. Suddenly, the cat skitters away as I hear footsteps approaching from behind me. I stand up and turn around, shivering as I see a rather disheveled looking man stumble towards me. As he gets closer, I can smell the strong stench of alcohol emanating from him.
“Heyyyy, you lost, girly?” he asks, slurring his words.
I slowly back away from him, not daring to make any sudden movements. My heart feels like it's about to burst out of my chest with each step he takes. “I-I’m fine. J-just trying to get home.”
He scoffs at me. “C’mon, come have a couple drinks with me first. Just a couple drinks, I won’t tell no one.” His pace increases, attempting to close the gap between us.
“I-I should really get home, I have school tomorrow,” I try to reason as I stagger backwards, beads of sweat forming on my forehead.
“What are- what are you afraid of, huh?” he hiccups. “You think… you think you’re too good for me, huh? Fuc… fuckin’ bitch!” His drunk expression turns angry as he lunges to grab me. I swat his hand and make a run for it, weaving through the dark streets using the dim streetlights. Despite his intoxicated state, he manages to stay close behind me, just barely grabbing onto my backpack. As I turn the corner, I accidentally knock someone to the ground.
“Fuck, watch where you- Minji?” the person grumbles.
A wave of relief washes over me as I see that it’s Yuno I knocked to the ground. My voice hitches in my throat as I mouth a silent, ‘please help me,” towards him. In a flash, Yuno is on his feet, grabbing the drunk man’s wrist right as he’s about to grab my shoulder.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Yuno questions in a threatening tone as he shoves his man’s hand aside. I instinctively hide behind him, clutching onto his shoulders for support.
The man stumbles back, his eyes narrowing in anger. “Who the fuck… Who the fuck are you, man?”
“H-he’s my… um…” I stutter, struggling to find the right words that would make this man go away. Suddenly, my thoughts are interrupted as I hear Yuno speak.
“I’m her boyfriend.”
“Y-yeah, he’s my… what!?”
______________________________________________________________
Yuno’s POV
I cringed at myself as those words escaped my lips, silently cursing my impulsive response. Fortunately, I couldn’t see Minji’s reaction as I focused my sights on the piece of shit who was chasing her.
“Boyfriend?” He throws his head back in laughter, teetering dangerously. “Whatever man, we were just- just having a fucking conversation, that’s all,” he slurred, staggering towards us. I braced myself for a potential confrontation, feeling Minji’s grip on my arm tighten with each unsteady step he took.
Suddenly, Winter appears out of nowhere, brandishing a can of pepper spray that she directs at the assailant's eyes. He crumples to the ground, shrieking in pain as he desperately tries to rub the stinging sensation from his eyes. I grab Minji’s wrist as the three of us run back to the convenience store, the attacker’s screams of agony echoing behind us.
“A-are you two okay?” Winter asks, her breath shaky with anxiety and exhaustion.
I nod, secretly feeling impressed by her swift reaction despite her typical timid demeanor. “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks, Winter,” I say before turning around to check on Minji.
“Are you alr-”
My words are cut off as Minji envelops me in a tight embrace, her sobs muffled against my chest. I stand there, my body tensing up while my mind goes blank from the sudden contact. Heat envelops my cheeks as I feel the warmth of Minji’s body against mine. Unsure of how to respond, I awkwardly pat her head.
“Uhh there, there,” I murmur in a feeble attempt to sound comforting. “You’re alright, Minji.” Winter ushers us towards one of the nearby tables in front of the store. It takes a while for Minji to regain her composure, her face still pressed against my chest as her tears slowly subside.
“How did you know we were out there?” I ask Winter while trying to subtly pry Minji off of my body.
“W-well, I originally followed you out to give you your change, but then I saw what happened and something just came over me. I-I always carry pepper spray just in case, but I’ve never had to use it until today,” she explains, her hands still trembling slightly as she tries to give me the money.
I sigh, succumbing once again and accepting the money from her. Despite her unassuming appearance, she’s surprisingly stubborn. Minji, who’s now calmed down, finally releases her grip on me, revealing her puffy eyes from all the tears.
“Th-thank you…” she sniffles, nodding towards Winter. “A-and sorry about your jacket, Yuno…” Minji tries to wipe away the wet spots on my hoodie, but to no avail. I glance down at the damp spot, then back at her.
“Don’t worry about it,” I responded in a soft tone.
The three of us sit in contemplative silence for a while, the only noise coming from the chirp of the crickets and Minji’s occasional sniffle. Winter is the first to break the silence.
“I-I should head back inside now or else my manager will yell at me,” she says, standing up. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Yuno.” I nod at her as she leaves before turning my attention towards Minji.
“I’ll walk you home,” I state.
“Okay… Thanks, Yuno…” She sniffles in response, her gaze fixated on the ground. I grab my bag with the food that I bought and turn to lead the way, but I’m stopped in my tracks as Minji tugs on my sleeve. “Please… let me hold onto you… while we walk…” I nod in understanding, offering my arm.
We walk in silence towards her house, her fingers gripping my sleeve the whole way. I steal a glance at her to see if she’s okay, but her black hair covers her face, obscuring her expression. Her uncharacteristic silence mixed with the subtle eeriness of the night created a somber atmosphere, and I couldn’t help but feel bad for her.
We eventually arrive at the steps of her front door. I gently shake my arm to let her know we’re here, causing her to pop her head up as if she broke free from a trance.
“Are you okay?” I ask, my head tilted in concern.
“Yeah, I’m okay…” Minji replies in a small voice. She goes to open the door, but stops with a trembling hand over the door knob. “Y-Yuno…”
“Yeah? What’s up?”
“Can you… stay with me a little longer…?”
My body tenses at her odd request. I considered making up an excuse to leave, but I knew it wouldn’t be right to leave her like this, especially after what happened.
“Sure, I guess I can stay for a bit.”
Minji offers me a weak smile as we enter her house together. The familiar sight of her home feels weirdly calming despite me feeling out of place. I follow Minji to the kitchen and place my food on the counter.
“You should eat something. Maybe it’ll make you feel better,” I suggest, surrendering my ramen to her,
“Thanks…” she mutters, her eyes glued to the floor. As if on cue, her stomach grumbles, signaling her hunger. I hide my grin with my hand as her cheeks turn a slight shade of pink from embarrassment.
I take out the cup of ramen and fill it with water before popping it into the microwave. Deja vu washes over me as the two of us stand in her kitchen in silence, the microwave humming in the background. I take the can of soda I had bought and crack it open, trying to make small talk to distract her from the earlier events.
“So,” I began, awkwardly taking a sip. “How did your student council meeting go?”
Minji slowly glances up at me with a downcast expression, her glossy eyes reminding me of a sad puppy. Suddenly, she bursts into tears, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
Caught off guard, I scramble to figure out what to do. “Aw shit, Minji, what’s wrong? A-are you okay? Do you need something?” I ask, panic evident in my voice.
Minji wipes away her tears with the back of her hand, struggling to compose herself. She takes a deep breath before speaking, her voice shaky.
“I-I’m sorry, it’s just… everything,” she admits, exposing a vulnerable side of her that I’ve only seen briefly during our last encounter. “There’s a lot on my mind with the student council, and my parents are coming home soon, and then that guy in the alley– I thought he was going to… I don’t know, and then I bumped into you and now…” Her words trail off into a choked sob.
I hesitantly place a reassuring hand on her shoulder just as the microwave dings, signaling that the ramen is ready. I set it on the table, pulling out a chair for Minji to sit.
“Here, eat up,” I say in a gentle tone.
Minji nods and takes a seat. We sit there in silence as she eats, the sound of her slurping noodles filling the quiet kitchen. She steals occasional glances at me, her eyes no longer reflecting sadness, but something else - something I couldn’t decipher. She sets her chopsticks down, finally breaking the silence.
“Back there… Why did you say you were my boyfriend?” she asks, her voice steady but curious.
My cheeks flush with embarrassment from her question. I’m not sure if I knew that answer myself. I could have easily said ‘brother’ or ‘friend’, but for some reason ‘boyfriend’ is the word that slipped out. I hesitate, grappling for an explanation.
“U-uhh, y’know, it just, uhh, kinda came out. I thought it was the quickest way to get him to back off. Although, I guess it didn’t really work in the end…”
Minji chuckles at my awkwardness, her lips forming a small smile. “It’s okay. Thank you for that, I really appreciate it.”
Feeling a bit sheepish, I stand up to leave as she finishes the rest of her food. “I should probably get going now.”
“Wait,” Minji calls out. She looks down at her hands, seemingly lost in thought. “Yuno, would you mind… staying the night again? I just… don’t wanna be alone right now.”
She looks at me with pleading eyes, making it impossible to say no. After a moment’s consideration, I give in. “Uhh, yeah. I guess I can sleep on the couch again.”
“I’m not gonna make you sleep on the couch again, Yuno,” she says, sporting a grin. “You can sleep in my older brother’s room.” Minji gently grabs my wrist, leading me upstairs before I can utter a word. She swings open the door, revealing a nearly barren room with just a double bed in the corner and a drawer on the far side. “It’s not much, but it should be more comfortable than the couch.”
“Uhh, thanks, I guess,” I mumble, scratching my head.
Minji flashes me a bright smile, a welcome contrast to her earlier glum demeanor. “I’m gonna change into some pajamas. Make yourself at home,” she says as she disappears into her room next door.
I sink onto the bed, exhaling deeply. The mattress feels firmer than my own, likely due to being unused for a long while. As the room’s silence and emptiness offer no distractions, my mind swirls with numerous thoughts. Fate seems to be steering me toward Minji, though I can’t understand why. Mere days ago I could’ve gone an entire day without so much as thinking about her, but now I can’t go more than a couple hours without some unexpected encounter. On top of that, I’m suddenly met with new people that don’t avoid me like the plague. Yujin, Winter, even Minji’s friends don’t look at me the same way that other people do (Well, most of them at least). It all feels confusing and weird. But… It doesn't feel all bad.
My train of thought is interrupted by a knock at the door. “Can I come in?” Minji’s voice filters through the door.
I shake my head, ridding it of any stray thoughts. “Yeah, sure.”
She opens the door, revealing an armful of pillows and blankets barely contained in her grasp. “I brought some stuff so you’ll be more comfy. And, um…” she pauses, averting her gaze. “I’m gonna sleep in this room too, if you don’t mind.” I look at her in disbelief, which is quickly washed away as I watch her expression darken. Minji sits next to me on the bed, fiddling with her fingers. “I-I’m sorry if this is a lot, Yuno, I really am. I’m just really freaked out right now because of what happened earlier. A-and I know we don’t know each other that well, but I just feel… safe around you.”
My eyes widened slightly, feeling stunned by her words. “I didn’t really do anything though, it was Winter who stepped in,” I mentioned.
“I-I know, but if I’m being honest, I’d rather be with you right now than Winter.”
I felt my cheeks start to burn as she spoke. Minji’s eyes widened in realization at what she said, her face turning a bright pink. Flustered, she shakes her head at me. “I-I mean, umm, y-y’know because uhhh, I-I know you more than Winter kinda a-and, um, she uhhhh, w-well I just met her t-today a-and-” She grabs a pillow and buries her face in it to halt her rambling.
I couldn’t help but snicker at her reaction. I had never seen the student council president get so flustered about anything. It was almost cute, in a weird way.
“I know what you meant. Don’t worry about it,” I reassure her.
Minji removes the pillow from her face, still pink from embarrassment. “A-anyways, we should get some sleep now. I’ll, uhh, sleep on the floor.”
“No,” I protested. She freezes and turns to look at me. “You can take the bed. I’m not gonna make you sleep on the floor in your house.”
Her lips form into a smile, her expression softening. “I appreciate your kindness, but you’ve done a lot for me already. This is the least I can do for you,” she says, using the pillows to create a makeshift bed on the floor.
“Minji-” She turns to face me and I suddenly find myself staring straight into her large, round eyes, mere inches away. I gulp, my body freezing as if it’s stuck in a trance. Everything goes silent except for the sound of my heart pounding in my chest. We stood there for what felt like years, the concept of time slipping from my mind as I analyzed the details of her appearance. The way her long, black hair frames her round face. The slight plumpness of her cheeks. Her heart-shaped lips. Unconsciously, I find myself slowly leaning in out of a desire to see more of her. I never noticed how soft her lips looked…
“U-um!” Minji exclaims, breaking me out of my trance. I quickly back away, not realizing how close I had gotten. “W-we can just share the bed, I guess.”
“R-right,” I stutter, my mind too jumbled to think about the implications of what she said. I fan myself, suddenly feeling very hot.
Minji picks up the pillows off the floor and uses them to create a barrier in the middle of the bed. “I-it’ll be fine as long as we don’t cross the line. Right?” she asks, looking to me for reassurance. I nod mindlessly, still reeling from our impromptu “staring contest”. We awkwardly lay on the double bed together, separated by a loose line of pillows. I turn my body away from her, feeling too embarrassed to even look in her direction.
“Um, goodnight, Yuno.”
“N-night, Minji.” I forcefully shut my eyes, praying that this was all just a weird dream.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
Hours passed as I lay there in my brother’s bed, staring at the wall. The exhaustion was killing me, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw that man’s face again. I would normally call Hanni at a time like this, but I didn’t want to disturb Yuno, who was snoring softly right next to me. I can only imagine what the girls would say to me if they ever found out about this…
While deep in thought, I felt Yuno shift in his sleep and suddenly found his arm wrapped around my waist. The barrier of pillows had somehow collapsed as I could feel the warmth from his body pressing against my back.
“U-uh, Yuno? Are you awake?” I whispered. I waited for a response, praying that he was awake, but all I heard was the sound of his snoring. Panicking, I gently tried to lift his arm off me, but his grip on me only tightened. My exhaustion completely drained me of my strength, making it impossible for me to shimmy out of his arms. In the end, I gave up and surrendered to his embrace. I’m not sure if I was going delirious from the lack of sleep, but I felt oddly comforted by his touch. My eyelids felt heavier and heavier as I lay there, feeling warm and safe. Instead of seeing the face of my assailant, all I could see was Yuno’s kind face as I felt myself fall into a deep sleep…
______________________________________________________________
“Minji! Minji! Minji!”
Thousands of people cheered my name as I finished my last song of the night. Lights flickered all around me like stars in the night sky. My heart swelled with joy as I stood upon the stage in front of my fans. It felt like a dream come true to be able to perform in front of everybody.
“Thank you all for coming tonight! You were a great crowd!”
“MINJI!!!” I heard a voice yell out in the crowd. Suddenly, the entire stadium fell silent as the spotlight shined on the source of the voice - Yuno. Confusion washed over me as he made his way towards the stage. Was he always this bold?
“Minji,” he said, taking my hands. “I have something I need to say to you.”
I tilted my head in uncertainty. Despite performing for this enormous crowd, I suddenly felt embarrassed with Yuno’s eyes on me. “U-uh, yeah? What is it, Yuno?”
His grip on my hands tightened slightly as he leaned into my ear, his warm breath on my earlobe. “Minji… I love you,” he whispers sweetly.
The crowd roars with cheers and screaming. I felt the blood rush to my face, rendered speechless by his unexpected confession. The previous chants of my name were now replaced with “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Yuno began leaning towards me, his lips puckered. With my body suddenly frozen in place, there was nothing I could do except shut my eyes and wait for the inevitable. The echoes of the crowd began to fade away until it was completely silent.
After a moment of nothing happening, I open my eyes, faced with the egg shell white wall of my brother’s room instead of Yuno’s puckered lips just moments before. Sunlight peeked through the blinds of the windows, melting away my drowsiness. A wave of relief and a slight bit of disappointment washed over me as I realized that everything that happened was all just a dream. As I moved to get up, a weight on top of me stopped me. I look down and see Yuno’s arm still wrapped around me. The relief I felt turned into embarrassment upon the realization that I slept in bed with a boy the entire night. A boy that I met three days ago.
I nudged his arm off of me, hoping that he didn’t wake up, and swiftly got out of the bed, tiptoeing to my room. After shutting the door behind me, I paced around my room, a thousand things running through my mind.
“We didn’t technically do anything, so it’s all good, right? But we slept in the same bed together… OMG THIS WAS MY IDEA!! MINJI, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? It’s okay, it’s fine, we just… cuddled for a bit. Cuddling is okay, right???” I thought to myself, my hands squeezing my brain for an answer. The weight of my actions was too heavy for me to bear, causing me to collapse face first into my bed. My internal debate is interrupted as I hear a buzz from my phone. My stomach drops as I see it’s a text from my dad.
Dad: Me and your mom are on our final flight back from the conference. We’ll be home by the time you get out of school.
Minji: Okay. I’ll see you then.
I hit send and toss my phone on the bed. It hasn’t even been an hour since I woke up and yet I’m already under a lot of stress. With not much else to do, I decide to go and get ready for school, hoping that the rest of the day will be better.
______________________________________________________________
After showering and putting on my uniform, I peek into my brother’s room to wake up Yuno only to find the bed tidied up with a note perched on top.
“Went home 2 get my uniform. C u around,” it read. A subtle smirk forms on my lips at his thoughtful gesture. I shove the note into the pocket of my blazer and head downstairs, exiting the house. The morning air of spring fills my lungs as I step outside. Flowery scents waft through the gentle breeze of April. I shut my eyes, momentarily forgetting about all the worries I had earlier.
The buzz of my phone pulls me back to reality. Frowning from being broken from my trance, I take out my phone and discover a text from Haerin.
“Meet me in the lunchroom before class. I got you a coffee.”
My frown immediately turns into a smile at the promise of coffee. I quicken my pace, putting a little pep in my step. Walking through the gates of Evergreen High School, I exchange greetings with students and teachers as I make my way towards the cafeteria.
“Hello!”
“Morning, Minji!”
“Good Morning, Ms. Kim.”
The warmth from these greetings never failed to make my morning. I spot Haerin and Hyein sitting together at an empty table, smiling at me as I approach them.
“Good morning, Minji,” they say in unison as Haerin slides an iced americano towards me. I gladly accepted the drink and took a sip, savoring the refreshing notes of espresso as it revitalized my senses.
“Good morning, girls. Thanks for the drink, I definitely need it this morning,” I greeted them. “So what did you two want to talk about?”
Hyein shrugs. “Haerin just said to come with her to meet you here. I’m not exactly sure what this is about.”
Glancing over at Haerin, I find her staring at me with an odd intensity. “Uh, what’s up Haerin?” I ask, confused.
“I had an odd dream last night, a premonition if you will, and I think you’re the one that will be able to explain it,” she begins, her cat eyes unwavering. “You see, in the dream, I saw you getting attacked by this lanky-looking monster with red eyes, but then this shadowy figure came and rescued you. You started crying a bunch, and then I saw you cuddling with the shadow guy all night long. Did something happen last night, Minji?”
All the stress from earlier suddenly came back as Haerin recounts her dream. They sound eerily similar to the events of last night, but surely it’s just a weird coincidence. Even if she did manage to witness Yuno saving me, how did she know he slept over? Beads of sweat form on my forehead while Hyein dismisses Haerin’s revelation with laughter.
“Yah, have you been watching those cryptid videos again, Haerin?” she teases, chuckling. “I told you to stop watching those late at night, they give you weird dreams.” Haerin ignores her jab, her piercing eyes still fixated on me. Thankfully, the bell rings, saving me from potentially revealing something out of nervousness.
“Y-yeah Haerin, you need to stop watching those silly videos. A-anyways, I gotta go, bye!” I grab my americano and quickly exit the cafeteria, feeling Haerin’s piercing gaze lingering on the back of my head.
#newjeans#kim minji#newjeans minji#kpop fanfic#kpop gg#minji x male oc#newjeans minji x male oc#minji x male reader#newjeans minji x male reader#fluff#minji fluff#newjeans minji fluff
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Text
Unlikely Duet - 2
length: +4k words
Genre: Fluff
Newjeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★
Yuno's POV
I’m walking through the familiar halls of Evergreen High School. The usual crowd of students walk past me like shadows, indifferent faces that I never bothered to remember in my almost three years of being a student here. The sun casts a warm glow through the windows, shining much brighter than usual. It was a welcome contrast to the darkness and rain from the other day. Suddenly, none other than Minji Kim bumps into me, a wide smile on her face.
“Hey Yuno, mind if I walk with you?” she asks, her attitude much giddier than her usual composed demeanor.
I blinked, my usual guard lowered by her smile. “Sure, whatever,” I utter.
We walk together through the maze of hallways with no destination in mind. Minji’s arm brushes against me as she hums a tune of a song I’ve never heard, the subtle contact sending a jolt down my spine. I instinctively flinch, eliciting laughter from her. Shrugging off the moment, I turn my head away, attempting to conceal the embarrassment on my face.
“Y’know, Yuno,” she says, her voice lowering to a whisper. “You’re not as tough as people think you are.”
I raise an eyebrow at her, caught off guard by the random comment. Before I could respond, Minji suddenly pushed me against a nearby locker, her face dangerously close to mine. “But I like that about you,” she confesses, a hint of mischief in her voice.
My eyes grow wide as a flush of warmth spreads across my cheeks. I open my mouth to protest, but no sound comes out. Minji starts closing the gap between us, her eyes shut and her lips puckered. I tried to back away, but to no avail. My heart starts to pound in my chest as she slowly gets closer and closer. Without any other option in sight, I shut my eyes, bracing myself for the inevitable…
*BANG BANG BANG*
My eyes shoot open as I jolt awake. I look around at my surroundings, feeling disoriented. Couch. Window. Minji Kim. Flat-screen TV. Wait…
“Yuno! I’ve been trying to wake you up for the last 20 minutes!”
I whip my head around to the source of the voice. Minji is standing in front of me wearing her school uniform, a frying pan and a metal pot in her hands.
“W-what?” I grunt, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My heart rate starts to calm down as I realize that everything that just occurred was a dream.
“You’re gonna be late for school at this rate. Here,” she says, placing my now clean school uniform on my lap. “Your breakfast is probably cold by n-”
“Breakfast?” I interrupt, wondering if I was hearing things. As if on cue, my stomach begins to rumble, signaling my hunger.
Minji’s cheeks turn pink as she averts her gaze, her fingers toying with her hair. “Uhh yeah, I made some waffles if you want, I don’t know if they’re any good…”
Without warning, my legs guide me to the kitchen as the scent of food beckons me. On the table, I see a plate of waffles, stacked three high and topped with whipped cream, maple syrup, and a couple sliced strawberries. I grab the fork lying next to the plate and begin digging in, scooping large forkfuls of waffle into my mouth.
“O-oh,” Minji stutters, her mouth forming into an amused smirk. “I’m glad you like them, Yuno.”
“...Fhanksh,” I mumble through a mouthful of waffle. Minji turns her face, attempting to stifle her laughter. I go back to finishing my first home cooked meal in a long while, feeling sheepish.
“I have to go in early today for a student council meeting, do you mind locking the door on your way out?” she asks, placing a house key next to me on the table.
I turn to her, my eyebrow raised in disbelief. “You’re giving a stranger a key to your house?”
“You’re not exactly a stranger, Yuno,” Minji reassures me, flashing a warm smile. I feel my heart skip a beat for some odd reason.
She retrieves her phone from the pocket of her blazer, studying the screen with a serious expression. She sighs, tucking her phone back into her pocket. “Look, I really have to go, can you just please do me this one favor?” she pleads, slowly backing away.
I gave her a nod, knowing I didn’t have any other choice. Minji mouths a quick ‘Thank you’ before disappearing down the hall and out the front door. I finish the rest of my breakfast and place my dirty dish in the sink.
“What the hell have I gotten into?” I ask myself as I look out at the sun through the window, its warm glow looking much brighter than usual.
______________________________________________________________
I step out the front door of Minji’s house and lock the door behind me, sliding the house key into the pocket of my uniform pants. The fabric of the uniform feels softer than I remember. Must be nice to be able to afford good detergent.
Heading toward Evergreen High School, I followed the familiar path I had walked with Minji the night before. Upon reaching the campus, I made a beeline to my first period class. Thanks to Minji’s wake up call, I end up arriving five minutes early, a stark contrast to my usual tardiness.
Before I could take my seat in the back corner of the room, an announcement echoed through the PA system, summoning me to the principal’s office. “Yuno Lin to the principal’s office, Yuno Lin to the principal’s office. Now.”
I feel everyone’s gaze fixate on me, their faces betraying a mixture of curiosity and fear. I shrug it off and start walking to Mr. Geier’s office, anticipating the same inevitable conversation that awaits me.
______________________________________________________________
“You’re lucky I convinced them not to press charges,” Principal Geier says as he stares me down from behind his desk. His heavy breathing and his furrowed brows signify the anger he feels, a look I’m all too familiar with.
I lean back in my chair, uninterested with whatever else he has to say. Principal Geier always does the same old song and dance everytime this happens. I kick someone’s ass, Geier does his whole brownnosing routine to get the parents to not press charges, and then he yells at me meaninglessly for half an hour. It happens so often that I’ve almost started to grow fond of these talks.
This time however, Mr. Geier lets out a long sigh instead of going on his angry tirade like usual. “How’s your father?” he asks, his voice sounding uncharacteristically sympathetic.
I raise my eyebrow at his sudden change of tone. “Why do you care?”
Mr. Geier leans forward, his hands folding on his desk. “Yuno, I know things have been tough for you since your mom’s passing. It’s not an easy situation to handle alone.”
I narrow my eyes, raising my guard. “What the hell does this have to do with Bryce’s parents not pressing charges?” I retort, poison seething in my voice.
“Because you can’t keep doing this, Yuno,” Mr. Geier asserts, raising his tone. “Look, I get that you're still upset that your mom died, really, I understand that.” He clears his throat before continuing, his demeanor much calmer. “But you can’t keep this up. How do you think your father would feel with his wife gone and his only son in jail?”
I shoot up out of my seat, slamming my hands against his desk. “What the fuck do you know!? What the fuck does that have to do with anything!?” I scream, tears welling up in my eyes.
Mr. Geier rises, leaning towards me. “Yuno, I will not have you disrespecting me in my office. I’m only trying to hel-”
“I don’t need your help!! I never fucking asked you to help!!”
“YUNO, Y-”
Suddenly, the door swings open, revealing Minji standing there, a bewildered look on her face. I turn my head away from her, furiously rubbing the tears from my eyes.
Mr. Geier clears his throat. “Yes Minji, did you need something?” he asks, his tone much calmer compared to the screaming competition two seconds ago.
“U-uh, I just needed to drop off some paperwork,” Minji stammers, her voice filled with concern. “S-sorry, is this a bad time?” Her eyes flicker nervously between us.
“N-no, it’s fine, just give it here,” Mr. Geier replies, reaching for the papers.
Minji gingerly places the papers into his hand before backing off, stealing a brief glance at me. “I-I’m just gonna go, Principal Geier.” An awkward laugh escapes her lips as she exits, shutting the door behind her.
Silence envelopes the room as Mr. Geier and I remain, the tension palpable. “I’m going back to class,” I mutter, storming out before he can say another word.
______________________________________________________________
The rest of my first period goes normally without any hiccups. I wouldn’t consider myself a model student, but I do the work and take the notes. Once the bell rings, I gather my things and head to my second period class, English. Upon entering the classroom, I walk through the row of desks to my regular spot in the back corner of the room. Without anything else to do, I survey my surroundings. A group of popular students talk loudly on the far right side, while some students at the front are quietly reading or working on homework for other classes. I notice the popular group start whispering amongst themselves and laughing while pointing at a girl reading a book at the front. Suddenly, one of the boys departs from the group and walks towards the girl, a malicious look on his face. I recognize him as Tyler McGraw, one of Bryce’s friends and another member of the football team. I keep my guard up, sensing trouble.
“Hey Winter, what are you reading?” Tyler asks as he snatches the book out of the girl’s hands. He pretends to skim the pages before tossing the book behind him, laughing. The girl - Winter, I think her name is - simply watches in fear, her hands shaking. “Anywho, I heard from my friend Veronica that you called her a bitch behind her back. Is that true?” He gestures to his friends, and one of the girls (presumably Veronica) bursts into laughter.
“N-n-n-no, I-I didn’t s-say that at all,” Winter stutters, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Well, I have a few witnesses that say otherwise.” Tyler claims, triggering more laughter from his group. The commotion captures the attention of the entire room. “So I guess we’re just gonna have to sue for defamation of character.”
Winter’s eyes grow wide in shock. “W-w-w-what? But I-”
“We could sweep this entire thing under the rug for a fee,” Tyler interrupts, mimicking a “money” gesture with his fingers.
Tears start to well up in Winter’s eyes. The rest of the students simply watch in anticipation, not daring to intervene. “I-I-I d-don’t have any m-money…” Winter whimpered, her voice breaking.
“That’s just too bad, Winter. I guess your old man is gonna have to pay for it then,” Tyler snickers. Witnessing her distress, I exhale wearily, rising from my seat and heading towards them. Bystanders gradually retreat, anticipating a potential fight. I position myself between Winter and Tyler, squarely facing him. The entire room fell silent, even the popular group halting their laughter.
“The fuck do you want?” he sneered, practically spitting in my face.
I reach into my pocket, retrieving a couple crumpled dollar bills from my wallet. “Here. That should be enough to pay your stupid fee,” I gruffly declare, shoving the money into his chest. “Now go sit down.”
He grabs the money and scoffs, retreating towards his group of friends. I turn around and kneel in front of Winter. “You alright?” I murmur, trying my best to sound reassuring. Winter offers a small nod, wiping away her tears. “Good,” I state before standing up and retrieving her book that got thrown, placing it on her desk and returning to my seat.
Not even two seconds later, the English teacher enters the room, completely oblivious to what just went down.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
Replaying the unsettling scene from Principal Geier’s office in my head sends a shiver down my spine. Their muffled screams echoed through the walls, revealing a side of both of them that I have never witnessed before.
Part of my duties as student council president is handing out various paperwork to the teachers, which grants me the extra luxury of skipping my first two classes. I was ahead in both of them anyways, so it’s not like I was missing anything. My next stop is Mr. Fillips, the English teacher. I peer through the window to his classroom and notice that he isn’t there. Instead, my attention was drawn to Tyler McGraw, engaged in a conversation with a visibly distressed girl. I can’t quite make out what he’s saying, but whatever it is, it’s making her cry. Ready to intervene, I hesitate once I see an unexpected person emerge - Yuno. My eyes widen and I instinctively clutch the stack of papers to my chest, fearing Yuno might be drawing into another fight.
My worries are laid to rest as Yuno shoves something into Tyler’s chest and says something, causing him to back away. I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that the situation didn’t escalate any further. Yuno further surprises me with an unexpected display of kindness as he kneels beside the crying girl, offering comfort. He doesn’t act anything like how Hanni made him sound. He’s… gentle and kind and caring. I don’t condone his previous actions, but maybe there’s more to him than the rumors suggest.
Suddenly, Yuno stands up and turns towards the windows, causing me to instinctively kneel down behind the windows, away from his vision. An odd thought crosses my mind - Why am I hiding from him? It’s not like he hasn’t seen me before.
“Uh, are you okay, Minji?”
The sudden voice startles me as I look up and see Mr. Fillips, a quizzical expression on his face. “Yeah, I just dropped something, hehe…” I get up off the floor, brushing the dust off my skirt. “Actually, I was just looking for you. Here you go,” I say as I hand him a small stack of papers.
“Thank you, Minji. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m a little late to class.” He gives me a small nod before entering his classroom. As I start to walk away, my gaze lingers on Yuno for a second, an unexplainable flutter resides in my chest.
______________________________________________________________
Yuno’s POV
The next two periods continued on as normal with no further incidents. The bell rings, signaling the end of the third period and ushering the much-needed lunch break.
Entering the cafeteria, I quickly move through the lunch line and get my food. I then head to an empty table at the edge of the room. I sit alone as everyone is too afraid to get within five feet of me. Or so I thought.
While picking at my food, an unusual hush fell over the room. I glanced up, only to find a familiar looking boy with black hair nonchalantly placing his tray next to mine.
“Hi. Yujin Han at your service,” he greeted with a goofy smile, extending his hand towards me.
Momentarily taken aback, I hesitated before accepting the hand shake. “Uh, I’m Yuno,” I mumble awkwardly.
Yujin enthusiastically shakes my hand. “I wanted to personally thank you for helping me out with Bryce. Since he’s been in the hospital, I feel like I can finally breathe again.”
Puzzled, I began, “What do you…” Then, it dawned on me - this was the freshman that Bryce had been tormenting.
Yujin leaned back in his chair, a mix of gratitude and relief evident in his eyes. “I just moved here not too long ago. I thought things would be different here, but I guess being the new kid put a target on my back.” His expression shifts to a more introspective gaze. “It was like hell for weeks. I thought it would never end. But then you stood up to him. You saved me.”
Yujin’s expressions of gratitude felt foreign to my ears. I didn’t know how to respond. I just did what I always do and kicked some guy’s ass. I never expected to get thanked for it.
“Yeah, no problem,” is all I can mutter. I groan as I feel my head start to ache, the sudden influx of social interaction in the last two days starting to take a toll on me.
As if on cue, another person appears at my table.
“C-c-can I sit here?” a small voice asked. I glance up to see the girl from my English class, Winter, standing across from me.
Before I could even open my mouth, Yujin answered, “Yeah, sure! The more the merrier!”
I sighed and gave Winter a reluctant nod. A hint of a smile appears on her face as she takes a seat next to me. My headache intensifies slightly as I find myself suddenly surrounded by two people.
Winter clears her throat. “I-I just wanted to thank you for helping me earlier.” She pulls a $10 bill out of her pocket and hands it to me. “I know it’s not much, but I hope this is enough to pay you back.”
I eye the money in her hand and shake my head. “It’s fine. You don’t have to pay me back.”
She shoves the money into the palm of my hand. “I insist. Please accept it as a token of my gratitude.”
I tried to hand the money back to her, but she was surprisingly strong. After many futile attempts, I sighed and pocketed the money. “You really don’t have to do this.”
“I insist. You saved me.”
Yujin pipes up. “He saved you too? Wow, you’re like a superhero or something, Yuno!”
I groan, the throbbing in my head slowly increasing. “Don’t call me that. I’m not a hero.”
“But you totally are, dude! Right, uhh… What’s your name?” Yujin inquires, motioning towards Winter.
“M-my name is Winter,” she mumbled in response.
Yujin reached over me, extending his hand towards her. “Yujin Han, at your service.” She timidly shook his hand, casting a nervous smile.
“I-I agree with Yujin. Y-you are like a hero, Yuno,” she utters. Despite their good intentions, I can’t help but feel irked at the label.
“I’m not a hero, alright. I just don’t like bullies,” I responded curtly.
The “end of lunch” bell rings and I immediately toss out my trash, briskly walking towards the exit of the cafeteria.
“See you around, Yuno!” I heard Yujin yell from behind me, drawing unwanted attention in my direction. I increase my pace without looking back.
I’ve spent the last two years at Evergreen with people being too scared to even breathe around me. Now, I’ve talked to a total of three people in the past two days, a new record as far as I’m concerned. A part of me felt drained from the sudden social interaction, but in the back of my mind, it felt… nice.
______________________________________________________________
The remainder of the day unfolds smoothly. As I approach the front gate to leave campus, I spot Minji talking to a group of girls and remember that I have to return the house key she gave me.
“Minji!,” I called out, catching her attention along with a mix of reactions from her friends. A girl with cat-like features whispers something to the tallest one, while the one with glasses shoots me an unreadable glare. The shortest in the group gives me a mischievous smile while nudging Minji in the ribs. Retrieving the key from my pocket, I hand it over to Minji.
“Here’s your house key. I made sure to lock the front door before I left,” I mention, doing my best to sound casual.
Minji stutters, a noticeable blush painting her cheeks as she takes the key from my hands. “O-oh, thanks, she responds, slipping the key into her blazer pocket.
As I turn to leave, the short girl stops me, an impish grin on her face. “Hold on, why are you leaving so soon? Minji, aren’t you gonna introduce us?” She nudges Minji, who now sports an even deeper shade of pink.
“U-uh, I guess. Girls, this is Yuno. Yuno, these are my friends Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein.” Minji introduces, trying to regain her composure.
Her group of friends gives me varying looks, ranging from curiosity to amusement. Hanni, the short one with a weird smile, extends her hand towards me. “Nice to meet you, Yuno. Tell me, how do you know our dear Minji?,” she interrogates.
I sigh, realizing that I have to navigate yet another social interaction. “We met in detention,” I answered curtly.
“Hmm, and how did you have Minji’s house key?” Hanni continues. Despite her innocent look, the smile on her face is like a red flag, warning me to leave the conversation as soon as possible.
“That’s between me and Minji,” I say in a slightly annoyed tone. I glance at Minji, who’s as red as a tomato at this point. “If you're done with your little interrogation, I’m gonna go,” I give them a nod before turning around and leaving, their gazes burning a hole in the back of my head as I set my sights towards my house.
______________________________________________________________
Minji’s POV
I step towards Hanni, my hands on her shoulders as I shake her in disbelief. “Hanni, what is wrong with you!?” I exclaim, frustration evident in my voice.
Hanni giggles, her eyes shut in laughter. “Whaaat, I’m just trying to get to know your new frienddd,” she teases, her mischievous grin widening.
Haerin examines my expression with her cat-like eyes. “Are you two dating?” she asks, genuine curiosity written on her face.
“NO!” I retort, feeling my face heat up with embarrassment. I narrow my eyes at Haerin. “We barely even know each other.”
Hyein interjects with a playful smirk. “You should invite him to hang out with us! He seems nice!”
Danielle adjusts her glasses, giving Hyein a disapproving look. “He’s not, but I’ll explain that later.” She turns to me, a serious expression on her face. “As your vice president, I advise that you stay away from that boy; he could ruin your reputation. And you can do a lot better than him, Minji.”
“C’mon Dani, give Yuno a chance,” Hanni says, leaning her arm on Danielle’s shoulder. “He already spent the night at her house, isn’t that right, Minji?” The atmosphere suddenly turns tense as Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein wear looks of disbelief on their faces. I cover my face with my hands, wanting to disappear from this awkward moment.
Haerin’s eyes widen as she exchanges a surprised look with Hyein. “I never thought I’d see the day our Minji brings a boy home.”
Hyein nods in agreement, clearly taken aback. “Yeah that’s… unexpected. B-but good for you, Minji,” she stammers, trying to be supportive.
Danielle, who usually maintains her composure, drops her jaw in shock. “Wait, you slept with him? Are you serious, Minji?”
I scramble to find the right words to explain myself, feeling the weight of their stares. “I-it’s not what you think! He offered to walk me home after detention, a-and it started raining, and… and, well, it’s not like we did anything! He slept on the couch, and I was upstairs, and…”
Hanni wipes a tear from her eye, still chuckling. “You should see the look on your face right now, Minj. It’s hilarious!”
“A-anyways, I have a student council meeting to attend. I’ll see you guys later,” I say before briskly walking away, my gaze fixed on the ground.
Danielle clears her throat, regaining her composure as she follows behind me. The rest of the girls say their goodbyes as we part ways. As we navigate through the school corridors, my mind drifts back to Yuno. This mysterious boy has suddenly entered my life, throwing it for a loop. A sense of foreboding travels up my spine as I imagine what could result from that fateful meeting.
#newjeans#kim minji#newjeans minji#kpop fanfic#kpop gg#minji x male oc#newjeans minji x male oc#minji x male reader#newjeans minji x male reader#fluff#minji fluff#newjeans minji fluff
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