Perfect [Oneshot]

[erodedveins]

Title: Perfect [part two]
Author: erodedveins
Rating: PG-13 (for language)
Genre: Angst
Pairing: Minkey
Word-count (in total): 9083

"Minjung was scared of being a lesbian."


~~

Gwiboon couldn't help feeling that her relationship with Eunsook was at a standstill, though. It wasn't going anywhere.

"Ahhh!" she screamed into her pillow. She was extremely frustrated. Suddenly, an idea came to her that left her wondering why she didn't think of it sooner. She called her best friend. She'd known Junghee forever, since they lived near each other

"Hey Junghee? I need some advice," she scoffed on the other end of the line.

"What is it, Gwiboon? I'm busy right now," Gwiboon could practically smell the nail polish through the phone.

"Well there's this girl I like--," "Hold up. I thought you were dating Eunsook," Junghee interrupted. Gwiboon sighed in irritation.

"You always interrupt. Anyway, there's this girl I like. She's in my grade, and I've kinda sorta befriended her. We started talking, yaddayaddayadda. You know the drill. I'm still dating Eunsook and I'd hate to break her heart, but I'm just not content with the relationship anymore. I feel like it's going nowhere fast," Junghee sighed.

"So, obviously, you tell Eunsook that. Tell her that you're not happy anymore. She'll get over it and maybe even thank you for not dragging her down with you one day. It won't be soon. You should know that. Anyway, out of curiosity, what's this other girl's name that you like?" Gwiboon half-smiled.

"Her name's Minjung," she heard Junghee gasp, and she heard the thump of something falling. Probably the nail polish that Junghee had been using on her toenails. Gwiboon frowned. It wasn't like Junghee to get so surprised.

"Don't," Junghee advised her and groaned. "Fucking-a. You always manage to get into such a mess Gwiboon." She scowled, feeling annoyed.

"Stop talking in fucking circles, Junghee, and explain to me why I shouldn't like Minjung. Also... how the fuck do you know her?" Junghee was silent on the other end.

"She goes to my church. She's one of my best friends, and she thinks I hate gay people. She has no idea that I'm gay, and I pretend not to notice that she is too. Look, all I'm going to say is that her story is a lot like yours. But she doesn't even notice. Her parents are fucking monsters," Junghee sounded angry. Gwiboon was surprised. She hadn't expected Junghee to know Minjung, much less be friends with her.

"It's a small world," she murmured into the phone and Junghee nerely hummed a response. "Please? Will you tell me about her? She already knows about me, I've told her already." Junghee sighed.

"There's nothing to tell, really. Except that she has good reason to be afraid of telling her parents she's a lesbian. Because her parents would beat her to death if they ever found out. And all she's worried about is her parents disowning her," Junghee scoffed.

"Oh my god are you fucking serious? No wonder she's so scared," Junghee agreed.

"And her parents have this image of her that she tries so hard to fit into, but it's not her at all," Gwiboon was truly sympathetic to Minjung. She knew what that felt like.

"Thanks, Junghee. And despite what you say, I'm going to fall for Minjung," she smirked. "You can't turn your hormones off. Or your feelings."

"Well, just a fair bit of warning. Minjung is highly sensitive to what other people think of her, so if you do wind up going out, she will act like she doesn't even know you in the hallways," Gwiboon nodded, and hummed in response.

"I wonder if she'll continue to eat lunch on the rooftop with me, then," she mused out loud.

"Minjung lets you see her eat? I was being serious when I said she's self-conscious to what other people think of her, and that includes the way she eats," Gwiboon was proud of herself. "If you hurt Minjung, I will personally come over to your house and kick your ass from here to the US." Gwiboon didn't laugh because Junghee sounded dead serious.

"Yes ma'am," she smirked when she heard Junghee start whining about how she wasn't that much older than Gwiboon. "Anyway," she said, interrupting Junghee's whining. "Thank you for the advice. I think I might break up with Eunsook tomorrow. You know I'm kind of abrupt with that kind of thing." Junghee hummed.

"Alright. Well, I gotta go now because my mom's screaming at me for getting purple nail polish on my floor. Later," she didn't give Gwiboon a chance to say bye before she hung up. Gwiboon threw her phone down next to her and sighed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

~

Eunsook cried when Gwiboon broke up with her. Gwiboon felt extremely guilty, even though she'd explained that she felt like they weren't going anywhere in the relationship.

"I unders-stand. I do. It'll take time but I'll get over it, Gwiboon," Eunsook hiccupped through her tears. "I'll b-be okay." Gwiboon still didn't feel good about the situation, and she gave Eunsook a last kiss. She didn't think the teachers would mind since it was the student council president. Or maybe they would mind more. She didn't care, and she didn't think Eunsook would care either.

Lunchtime found Gwiboon standing on the rooftop, walking determinedly towards Minjung. She wasn't going to confess today, or even tomorrow because that would make it seem like she'd broken up with Eunsook for Minjung. Even though technically she had. But she was going to at least make it more obvious that she liked Minjung. She plopped next to Minjung and immediately started complimenting her.

"Your hair looks really good today, Minjung," Gwiboon said honestly. Minjung touched her hair self-consciously.

"Really?" she asked, like she'd never been told before. Gwiboon nodded.

"Yeah. It compliments your face shape and makes you look prettier than you already are," Minjung blushed hard.

"W-why are you saying this stuff? This isn't normal for you," it was kinda freaking her out. She wasn't used to being complimented.

"Just because. You deserve to be complimented, Minjung. Don't ever believe that you don't," Gwiboon smiled crookedly. "You don't have to try to be perfect."

Minjung teared up, because she believed Gwiboon. Gwiboon's voice held a note of sincerity and gentleness that she'd never heard from anyone else. Not even Taeyeon had sounded as sincere as Gwiboon. She let the tears fall while Gwiboon just held her hand.

Things seemed to get smoother after that. Minjung got used to all the touches Gwiboon gave her, but she still teared up every time Gwiboon complimented her. Her parents were always pushing her to do better, but Gwiboon was telling her it was okay to be who she was. She didn't know who to believe. The more she listened to Gwiboon, the more she started to feel embittered towards her parents. Ever ready to point out her every flaw. If she came home with less than an A on her semester report, they never missed an opportunity to shove it in her face.

Minjung was with Taeyeon one day after school when Minjung came to a realization. Taeyeon was talking about a random boy band that had come along and everyone was raving about when Minjung looked over at Taeyeon.

"I think I might be in love with Gwiboon. Enough that I feel like I can stand up to my parents as long as she's there with me," Taeyeon choked on the words in her throat. She looked at Minjung incredulously.

"Are you serious?" Minjung nodded and Taeyeon broke out in a smile. She hugged Minjung tightly. "That's great, Minnie. I'm so happy for you." Minjung smiled a little.

"But Gwiboon hasn't made a move, and I am not about to make myself look like a total idiot by confessing if she's still dating Eunsook," Taeyeon looked at Minjung with surprise.

"You didn't know? Gwiboon and Eunsook have been broken up for like a month. I thought Gwiboon had already told you," Taeyeon smirked. "But it's good for me and you at least. Since I can try to win Eunsook over, and you can finally get Gwiboon." Minjung gave Taeyeon an annoyed look, but the sting was taken out of it with the blush on her cheeks.

The next day at school, Minjung sat through her classes anxiously. She couldn't wait for lunch, when she could finally see Gwiboon and ask her why she hadn't mentioned her breakup with Eunsook. It puzzled her. When the lunch bell finally rang, Minjung couldn't get to the roof fast enough. And besides, Gwiboon was always later than her anyway. She ran all the way to their usual spot on the roof and she was startled when Gwiboon was already there. Her eyes widening were the only indication Gwiboon had that she'd startled Minjung.

"Why didn't you tell me you'd broken up with Eunsook?" she asked softly. "Was that the reason you started complimenting me?" Gwiboon's cheeks heated up in embarrassment.

"Yeah, it was the reason I started complimenting you," she muttered. "But I meant every word of it. I promise. And I didn't tell you about Eunsook because I didn't want to get your hopes up. I had actually planned on telling you today, but you already know." Minjung processed what Gwiboon said, and she nodded once in understanding.

"So does that mean you don't like me? You said not to get my hopes up," she mumbled, and couldn't help feeling the disappointment in her stomach.

"No, Minjung that's not it at all. I just meant get your hopes up for me to ask you out right away. Because it was too soon, and Eunsook was crying when I left her, and it would've just looked bad if I was in a relationship so soon after my breakup with her. It would've actually looked like I left her for you. Fuck, it still doesn't sound right," Gwiboon sat down and sighed. "Please believe me. I'm telling the god-honest truth." Minjung sat down next to her and grabbed Gwiboon's hands gently.

"I believe you. I've never believed someone half as much as I believe the things you say. You could lie to me so easily," it startled and unsettled Minjung to realize just how true that statement was. It scared her a little how much Gwiboon had changed the way she thought in not even a year's time. But Gwiboon's hand squeezed hers and that signature smirk eased her fear.

"I'd never lie to you Minjung. I respect you too much to lie to you," Minjung's fears completely disappeared at the honesty in Gwiboon's voice. She sighed.

"Gwiboon, can I ask you something?"

"Hm?" Gwiboon was planting kisses all along the inner side of Minjung's wrist.

"Will you come with me today and be by my side when I tell my parents about being a lesbian?" Gwiboon's head shot up and she looked at Minjung with evident shock. "I'm terrified to tell them. But I feel like I can do it if you help me." Gwiboon nodded.

"I'll be there," the conviction in her voice made Minjung feel much better about the situation and she smiled gratefully to Gwiboon.

"Thanks," she leaned her head on Gwiboon's shoulder and scooted closer to make herself more comfortable. It felt even better than the first time she'd ever had sex with Taeyeon, and right then she felt that everything might just turn out okay.

~

At the end of the day, Gwiboon waited for Minjung at the gate. They held hands as they walked, and Gwiboon could feel the nervousness radiating off of Minjung by the way her hand was tightly gripped. Her shoulders were hunched in on each other, and she was beginning to hyperventilate.

"Hey, shhh. Calm down," Gwiboon rubbed her back soothingly and some of the tension vanished. At the very least, Minjung could walk upright. She was starting to wonder if it was such a good idea after all. But she had no time to back out because Minjung pointed to a house on the hill signalling it was hers. Gwiboon's fingers gently wrapped around Minjung's and gave a squeeze. "If I see one time where your parents are about to hit you, we're getting out of there. But first, we're gonna go up to your room and pack your stuff. I have a feeling you're gonna need it." Minjung nodded and Gwiboon suddenly hugged her tightly.

"I'm really glad I asked you to come," Minjung's voice was rough from the effort to not cry. "Thank you." Gwiboon nodded solemnly.

"Of course. That's what I'm supposed to do, right? Protect you, I mean," Minjung had to wipe away a tear at Gwiboon's sweetness. She held Gwiboon's hand as she walked through the door of her house, and her parents immediately quieted at the sight of Gwiboon entering after her. Their eyes zeroed in on their linked hands, and Gwiboon had to fight the urge to bolt when they looked back up at Minjung. It was full of fury. But Minjung walked quietly to her room and shut the door. She started grabbing her most important belongings and Gwiboon couldn't help being shell shocked. She could feel Minjung's parents through the door, ready to blow. It was not a pleasant feeling.

"Let's go," Minjung hadn't taken much. Just essentials, Gwiboon assumed. She took Minjung's hand and squeezed tightly.

Minjung's parents were waiting on the other side of the door. They looked absolutely livid, and Gwiboon was suddenly hit with a blast of deja vu. She felt like she was telling her own parents once again about her sexuality. Minjung was dry-eyed, her head held high.

"Mom.. Dad. I have something to tell you, and you're not going to like it. I've liked girls for nearly my whole life, though I tried so hard to be who you wanted me to be. The perfect straight girl that no parents would be ashamed to have. But I'm not her. I can never be her. And I'm finally beginning to be okay with that," Minjung took a breath and wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry for letting you down."

Her parents were deadly silent. Their faces had closed off at some point while Minjung was talking and they were stone-faced. Suddenly, Minjung's head snapped to the side and her mother's hand came away calmly. She stood in shock while her mother slapped the other side of her face, and then Gwiboon pushed Minjung towards the front door. Gwiboon aimed a slap at Minjung's mother. But it never hit.

"You're the one who turned my daughter like this, I'm sure of it," Minjung's mother sounded hysteric, though her face was void of emotion. "Take care of her, dear." Gwiboon's eyes narrowed.

"Minjung, run," was all Gwiboon could manage to get out before she felt pain radiate from her right side. She dimly heard someone scream, and then she was lost to everything else. Minjung's father was beating her to death, though she weakly tried to fight back. She blacked out before she could get any real damage in.

Minjung was horrified at the sight before her. She couldn't believe her parents were capable of something like that, and there was so much blood coming from Gwiboon... She dimly remembered dialing 119 and asking for police assistance before her phone was snatched and thrown.

Minjung ran after that, not wanting her parents to do the same thing to her that they'd done to Gwiboon. She was running as fast as she could, but she stopped when she saw a police cruiser coming to a stop next to her. She hurriedly explained what had gone on at her address and they told her to get in before they headed towards the scene. An ambulance was called immediately when they saw Gwiboon, but her parents were sitting watching T.V. as if nothing had ever happened.

"We don't have a daughter," they said. Minjung was hurt by the words, but she had expected them. She didn't remember anything after that because she finally saw Gwiboon. She was deathly pale, and her face was a bloody misshapen mess. She shut down, and forgot how to breathe. She was escorted to the hospital next to Gwiboon, holding her hand limply. She was unaware of her surroundings while she was waiting for news of Gwiboon. She couldn't get the image of Gwiboon's face out of her head.

When Gwiboon's aunt and uncle showed up asking what happened, she didn't respond. She didn't think she could respond. She knew at some point the police would have to question her, but she didn't care at the moment. Gwiboon was in the hospital and it was all her fault. If she hadn't asked Gwiboon to come with her... She'd be fine right now. At the thoughts running through her head, Minjung broke down and cried.

"I-it's my fault," she murmured brokenly. "If I hadn't asked Gwiboon to come with me this afternoon, she'd be okay. I'd g-gladly switch places with her." Gwiboon's aunt was about to ask why she thought that when the doctor called for Gwiboon's family. Minjung sat in the chair until Gwiboon's aunt pulled her up and hauled her to face the doctor.

"Gwiboon is going to be okay. She made it through the surgery just fine, and she's strong. She's young and healthy, so she should heal quickly. I don't know the specifics of what happened, but her left cheekbone was broken, her right lung was punctured by a broken rib, and several organs are severely bruised. Her right femur and hip were broken. She'll have trouble urinating for a while, and she won't be able to eat spicy food," the doctor advised. "Whoever did this to her had every intention of killing her. Thank God it didn't." The doctor bowed and left them to visit her. They went in her room and Minjung let out a sob at the sight in front of her.

Gwiboon was clean, but bruises were everywhere. She looked like she ought to be dead, and Minjung felt the guilt eat at her. It was all her fault that this had happened to Gwiboon. She should have never brought someone to help her.

"Ahh!" she moved away from the hand that had tried to cup her cheek. She looked at Gwiboon's aunt with wide eyes. She'd completely forgotten that her mother had slapped her.

"Darling, you need to be checked out yourself," Gwiboon's aunt said smoothly. "Your cheeks are starting to turn color and swell." Minjung started crying and she shrugged away from the gentle touch on her shoulder.

"You should hate me, I'm the reason Gwiboon's in this state," she babbled through her tears. "She pushed me away and took that beating from my father for me. It's my fault, I should've never asked her to come today."

"Tell me what happened," Gwiboon's aunt asked. It didn't sound like a command, but Minjung spilled her guts anyway.

"I asked Gwiboon to come with me today to tell my parents that I'm a lesbian. After I told them, they flipped and started hitting Gwiboon," Minjung's tears were starting to sting on her cheeks. "She pushed me and told me to run after my parents started hitting me, and I ran. I could've at least stayed with her." She was folded into a tight embrace.

"I guess you're Minjung, then. Gwiboon talks about you quite a bit," Minjung was surprised. "She loves you, Minjung. She did this out of love, and you shouldn't blame yourself for something that was Gwiboon's conscious decision." She couldn't accept that reasoning.

"I'm going to get myself checked out," she mumbled. She wandered the halls instead, restless and not really wanting to get checked out. She felt that her cheeks were a fitting punishment for not doing more to help Gwiboon.

~

Gwiboon didn't open her eyes for over a week. During that time, Minjung had applied for a medical leave for Gwiboon and went back to school. She held her head high and ignored the whispers as best she could. Her face was bruised, and her cheeks were still swollen, but she felt okay enough. Whenever she got to the rooftop to eat lunch and Gwiboon wasn't there, she broke down and cried.

She avoided Gwiboon's hospital room like a plague for weeks. She ignored everyone she knew, in fact. She slept in nicer neighborhoods on corners and bus stops. She saved all of her money to wash her uniform in coin laundries, and when her money ran out, she started washing her clothes in sinks. She often contemplated going into the hospital to visit Gwiboon. Every time she was actually in front of the hospital, however, she chickened out.

Minjung considered herself lucky that she'd never met Gwiboon's aunt coming out of the hospital. But one day after nearly 3 weeks of being homeless, her luck ended. She was just walking to the front of the hospital like she had for the past 4 days when she spotted Gwiboon's aunt coming toward her. It was no use trying to hide from her, because the look on Gwiboon's aunt's face said she knew exactly who Minjung was. She was mad, too.

"What are you doing out here?" she demanded and Minjung flinched at the hardness. She felt tears well up when a hand clamped on her shoulder. It was painful, especially since that guy at the coin laundry had tried to mug her yesterday. Her ribs protested when she was jerked forward.

"I-I--," "Save it. Gwiboon has been asking about you for the past 2 weeks and no one knew where you were. She's been worried sick and beating herself up over everything," Gwiboon's aunt had no idea how much pain she was causing Minjung, because Minjung refused to say she was in pain. She was still punishing herself for what happened. She didn't even realize they were already at Gwiboon's room until the door shut behind her. She turned to look at the bed but it was empty.

"Over here," a weak voice rasped. Minjung completely forgot her own injuries as she saw Gwiboon. She was in a wheelchair, and she was sitting at a desk with papers strewn all over it. She looked better than the last time Minjung had seen her, but the sight of the wheelchair broke Minjung into tens of thousands of pieces. It brought back overwhelming guilt and she flushed. "I was wondering when you'd come to visit. After what we went through." Minjung said nothing, and she started crying.

"I-I'm sorry. I have to go," she turned to leave but the creaking of wheels stopped her. She felt a pair of arms circle lightly around her waist and she sobbed. "It's all my fault, Gwiboon. You should hate me so much. It would be easier if you hated me as much as I hate myself."

"Minjung, please don't leave," Gwiboon was struggling to speak. "I made my own choice so stop blaming yourself. Your parents are assholes, that's a fact of life, but you're not them," Gwiboon squeezed as tightly as she could, and she heard Minjung gasp.

"Pu-please stop," she hissed through clenched teeth. Gwiboon let go quickly and frowned.

"Minjung, what's going on?" Minjung's hands trembled as she smoothed her uniform.

"Nothing," she knew it didn't sound convincing because Gwiboon frowned at her.

"Tell me, please," Gwiboon had never had to beg before she met Minjung. But she seemed to beg quite often now that Minjung was in her life.

"A-a guy in the coin laundry tried to mug me yesterday, but I didn't have any money. So he beat me up for it," Gwiboon was appalled.

"What were you doing at a coin laundry anyway, those places are dangerous. Minjung, don't tell me you're on the streets," Minjung turned her head to the side and didn't answer. The silence was enough of an answer for Gwiboon. "Oh my god, why didn't you call someone? Don't sleep on the streets anymore, please. For god's sake, take my bed, I don't use it much. I'm always in this damn wheelchair or in therapy."

"No. I'll sleep in a chair, that's your bed and you rest in it," Minjung wouldn't budge on the subject.

"Alright, fine," Gwiboon consented, "But you're getting yourself checked out. You could be really injured." Minjung finally agreed but only as Gwiboon was wheeled away to physical therapy.

Minjung was surprised to learn that she had 3 fractured ribs, and a fractured collar bone. It surprisingly didn't hurt too bad. She secretly felt proud of herself for managing so well. She also learned that she was slightly malnourished (it was no surprise to her) and that her torso looked like a blueberry. She was extremely sore.

Every time she thought about whining, the image of Gwiboon's face after her father's beating popped into her mind. So she'd shut her mouth and not say a word. She didn't even complain about when someone jostled her ribs, she just smiled sweetly.

Eunsook and Taeyeon came to visit her in Gwiboon's room and she got yelled at for worrying them so much that she cried. But only after Taeyeon had left. She didn't want Taeyeon to feel guilty because she felt like she deserved every harsh word Taeyeon had said. Gwiboon felt differently and called Taeyeon when Minjung fell asleep.

After Minjung got out of the hospital, Taeyeon offered her a place to stay. She accepted hesitantly, and found a job DJing at a club near Taeyeon's apartment. She felt free after she learned the ropes and started spinning. People praised her natural skill. Her life was looking up from the dark period she'd passed through.

Only one thing bothered her, and that was Gwiboon. Gwiboon had been silent and moody for several days now, even though she was out of the hospital, and it was extremely unlike her.

"What's wrong, Gwiboon? It's okay if you want to tell me," Gwiboon just looked away from Minjung, not answering. She sighed in frustration. "Damn it. If you don't tell me what's wrong, things are never going to work between us. I tell you what's bothering me, and you don't give me anything in return? That's not fair."

"Maybe it would be better if we never worked out," Gwiboon exploded. "Because I'll never be able to walk normal again, Minjung. I'm a fucking freak. You deserve so much more--" Gwiboon didn't get to finish what she was saying because Minjung's lips slammed against hers.

"You honestly think I care about that? I don't. We've been through so much, and to throw everything away because of a limp is just a fucking waste. If you don't see it that way, then I'm leaving," Gwiboon's fingers tightened around Minjung's wrist when she tried to walk away.

"Look, I'm sorry. It's just.. being insecure about something after years of self-confidence feels wrong and weird," Minjung went back to Gwiboon's side and they hugged each other tightly.

"It's okay to be imperfect, Gwiboon," Minjung murmured against Gwiboon's collarbone. "Really, it is."