"Shuhua! Shuhua! Yeh Shuhua! Show yourself right now!"

The distressed unnie was running all over the place, looking like a child missing their favorite doll.

"!!!"

But no matter how loud Minnie's scream was, her voice easily drowned amidst the university's festivities.

"Just give it up." Miyeon responds blankly.

The frustrated brunette just sighs heavily watching her girlfriend going into panic mode.

"I can't! Where could they be? The university isn't that big!"

"Minnie" Miyeon cups Minnie's hunched shoulders. "It's not like they're gonna get lost. Tell me how old Shuhua is?"

Miyeon doesn't really need to know. She's asking it more to drive in a point.

"She just turned twenty a few months ago."

"And Soojin?"

"She's my age... So, around 22?"

"Don't you think they're old enough?"

Minnie's eyes completely widened at what Miyeon was trying to suggest.

"Old enough to get their freak on? Hell no! They should wait until they're married!"

"What if they just want to be alone?"

Minnie shook her head in disbelief, how can Miyeon be so calm about this?

"Are you kidding me?!" The girl shouted while dramatically flailing her arms. "Do you know what couples do when they're alone?"

"I don't know." Miyeon replied blankly. "I have never been alone with you."

It was a simple phrase enough to mute Minnie.

"Wow..."

"Who is that with Soojin sunbae?"

"I know right? She's lovely."

"Out of this world!" Another one commented

"Isn't that GIRL Shuhua?"

"Wait" Minnie raised a skeptical eyebrow after listening to all this fuss. "Shuhua?"

The question had gotten Minnie all curious. She turned around to look at what's causing all this ruckus.

After seeing her sister, she figured out why.

"Unnie!"

"Shuhua?"

The older sister has to take a good look at the angel gliding towards her. Shuhua was gifted with her mommy Irene's angelic beauty, unfortunately, she didn't inherit her mom's grace and poise.

But come to think of it, Shuhua's unpolished yet pretty looks is what made her charming.

"Unnie!"

There is something very different about her sister today that it made Minnie narrow her eyes suspiciously. What it is, Minnie couldn't even point it out. Why does her smile seem to shine brighter? her cheeks flushing a delightful pink? And her face just yells out happiness?

Why? Why? What's causing all this? Why?

Maybe Minnie should check with Soojin, but would that help knowing how stoic Soojin is?

But not today...

Even though she knew Soojin since they were in elementary school, she was never buddy- buddy with her until this year. Soojin always carries that air of superiority even when they were kids. But tonight something about her felt so different. The president was hardly the blushing kind, but her cheeks right now were flushed. The way her arms wrap around Shuhua, looks so submissive, like she's a slave to whatever Shuhua tells her to do.

"Where have you two been?"

It irritated Minnie to see the smile that the young sweethearts exchanged. It's like a secret that Minnie is dying to know, but she will end up just dying not knowing what it is.

"Fireworks." The two answered in unison.

"You mean you watch the fireworks?"

"Yup. That's what I was trying to say." Shuhua answered for both of them before chuckling. "Well, me and Soojin are gonna go walk around. See you around unnie and unnie's girl."

"Her name is Miyeon."

"I don't mind." Miyeon shrugs.

"Huh?"

"I don't mind being called your girl." Miyeon answers nonchalantly

"Ummm..." Minnie begins fumbling around for words. "Shuhua, can we talk?"

"Sure."

"I mean in private?"

Shuhua eyed her sister in suspicion, not catching on to what her unnie is trying to infer.

"So what happened?"

"Ummm... nothing?"

But Minnie quickly took Shuhua's ignorance as a denial.

"Nothing?! It feels like something!"

"I was bonding with my girl... Uh- huh- uh- huh." Shuhua nodded.

"Bonding?"

"Like the way you're bonding with Miyeon unnie right now."

"Bonding with Mi-"

Minnie didn't manage to scramble out the last words of what she's about to say, as Shuhua's words seeped slowly into her.

She slowly craned her neck to look at Miyeon and Soojin conversing on the side. Miyeon might be known for her yakuza-like behavior but ever since they began dating, Miyeon has been nothing more than perfect. The girl didn't mind being Minnie's listening ear or just company.

Now that she thinks about it, Miyeon makes a far better girlfriend than she is.

"Bonding with Miyeon?"

"Yeah unnie... This is a great night, My Soojin made sure there are a lot of great booths and activities for everyone. You should enjoy it with Miyeon unnie instead of worrying about me."

"Hmmm." Minnie could only scoff. "Since when did you become so mature?"

Shuhua pouted thoughtfully, thinking of what the answer was. But all she could come up with was a shrug, a silly smile and three words.

"I don't know."

*

"You're not going to follow them?" Miyeon wondered out loud as Minnie was lost at the sight of Soojin and Shuhua walking away.

"What?" Minnie woke up.

"I'm asking if you-" The lethargic girl had more to say but the sight of Minnie's hand wrapped around hers, froze her.

"Nah! They're old enough... they know what they're doing, don't you think?"

Miyeon just managed a wee smile, right now who cares what those did, she has her own romantic moment to savor here.

"I think they do. I'm glad you think that way."

Minnie smiles back, feeling Miyeon's porcelain hand with her thumb.

"C'mon..."

"Where are we going?"

"On our official date."

Miyeon had no idea what part of the school festival Minnie was going to lead her to, not that she even cares. Finally, after some time it's just going to be the two of them.

The entire place was covered with giggly girls, but none of it matters anymore. For both Miyeon and Minnie this whole night belongs to them.

"Right now! It's Minmi Generation!"

****

"You think they did it?"

Moonbyul was the first to finally speak up, as she and the girls observed the Shuhua and Soojin skipping happily from a distance.

"Did what?" Yuqi wonders.

The older unnies remained stunned at the question from the naïve one.

"Ummm... you know ahhh... Like eating some cotton candy?"

Moonbyul lied to preserve the younger girl's innocence. Yuqi just bit her lower lip enjoying the idea that her unnies think of her as that pure maknae.

"Oh. That's not good. Cotton candy has too much sugar."

"We should just ask them." Sunny says curiously.

"Are you kidding me?! Soojin is like a stone wall she will never admit to anything."

"C'mon guys... Why? Why are we just so curious to know?" Somi finally steps in.

"So what if they did it? They're old enough and most importantly, they love each other. Some people think that it needs more than that, but as long as Soojin loves Shuhua and Shuhua obviously loves Soojin, I think that is more than enough."

"Wow. So deep Somi."

"Of course." Somi remarked with a flip of her shampoo commercial worthy hair. "When I said I was perfect, I meant it."

The other girls just remain deaf to Somi's self love quotes, but unfortunately she was far from being done.

"Let's just say... When God created me, he ended up smiling for days. I make God smile."

"Let's move away, before we end up getting smite with her." Soyeon warned.

"Nobody thinks about waiting for marriages anymore." Moonbyul sighs deeply.

The girls look over to the happy couple, with Shuhua playing around with Soojin's hair and Soojin obviously amused by it.

And the friends couldn't help but smile at the sight.

All three of them have this fear that their dear friend Soojin, as beautiful and perfect as she is, will never find the perfect one for her.

Then Yeh Shuhua comes along...

There are no set parameters, or any word in the dictionary that could describe the girl. She's attractive in an amusing way, smartass yet a sensitive soul, a lover who wouldn't hesitate to fight. Yeh Shuhua is a jigsaw puzzle with pieces all over the place that you couldn't help but love to put together.

This was the only girl, among the many who won Soojin's heart. It was not an easy task, it's daunting even. It's the thought of pouring out your whole love and energy while the other person constantly throws everything out.

But Shuhua made it look easy, she made falling in love seem so uncomplicated. She showed that all a person should really do is fall in love and prayed to the Gods that their actions would show it.

Shuhua loves Soojin with everything that she had, and even more than what she could become. And everytime she said those three words, she meant every word of it.

I Love You

And Soojin knew, and felt how great it was to be wanted, needed, and loved. And who would have thought that out of all the people in the world, Shuhua would be the perfect one for the perfection that is Seo Soojin?

"I have a feeling those two will end up together."

The friends just nod in agreement. And the rest of the world who ever got to witness the way Shuhua and Soojin loved, knew it too.

*

"What do you want to do?"

It was such a simple question but Soojin had to think for a while to answer it.

Truth is, she has never gotten a chance to enjoy a school festival. Since she was a freshman, she has always been part of the committee. Committees who do the dirty work behind the scenes and who never get recognized for their work.

She felt like she was running on autopilot, taking care of this and that. Never in her 4 years of college, did the word fun and enjoy crossed her mind.

"I don't know." Soojin answers embarrassingly. "What is there to do?"

"Oh plenty! We could walk around! Eat anything we like! Play some games! Oh! Seo Soojin?"

Shuhua's eyes beamed at her idea.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Soojin could only chuckle at the cheesiness of the other girl.

"Do you still need to ask that?" Soojin answered, before slowly wrapping her arms around Shuhua's.

"AWESOME!" Shuhua yelped with glee. "I'll make this a night you won't forget."

Shuhua said it so innocently but it was enough to make Soojin blush. The dark haired girl leaned closer and whispered softly in her girlfriend's ear.

"You already did earlier."

The puppy eyed girl quickly covers her blushing cheeks, trying to subdue her squeals.

"I'll make it more memorable. C'mon!"

Shuhua excitedly tugs Soojin's hand.

"Wait." Soojin stilled her baby monkey's hand. "We should plan what we should do, don't you think?"

The word plan isn't fun.

"What's the fun in that? We would just walk around and whatever we think is fun, we do. No need to plan. Like c'mon I'm going to win you something super awesome."

It only took a couple of seconds before Shuhua knew where to take Soojin to impress her.

"Let's start here!"

Shuhua excitedly brought Soojin to a shooting gallery, ready to wow Soojin with her sharpshooting skills. Shuhua's lips curve into a grin as she looks at those quacking ducks.

After she's done with her, they won't be quacking anymore.

"Ready?"

"Good luck."

After a few minutes...

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

Shuhua stomps with all her might as she loses once again.

It was mocking her, yes, that's what it is. These yellow ducks were all mocking her, quaking in her face!

"THIS IS RIGGED! RIGGED I TELL YOU!!!! RIGGED!!!" Shuhua stomps some more.

"It's okay."

Soojin smiled affectionately at the dejected puppy.

"B-but- I didn't win you anything." Shuhua flutters her teary eyes.

"I told you..." Soojin nuzzles her nose in her girlfriend's long neck. The feel of Soojin's breath tickling Shuhua, made the choding's worries disappear. "It didn't matter. I like this. I like the company."

"Would you like to try it?"

Soojin and Shuhua turned away from their embrace and blink in unison at the guy.

"Who? me?" Soojin pointed to herself.

"Yes, you."

"Ummm okay" Soojin shrugs before taking the gun.

"It's okay if you miss- whoah!" Shuhua's jaw dropped as one shot from Soojin and the duck flew out. Beginner's luck.

"I got one."

"Yes you did!" She got lucky "WHAT THE?!"

This was a surprising sight for Shuhua as the duck just flew right by.

"I did it again!!!" Soojin squealed with delight, much to Shuhua's disbelief.

No kidding...

"One more duck maa-and whoah!" The guy fell back in shock as Soojin just shot another duck down.

"I got one more duck! So do I get a prize?"

"Anything you like, miss."

"So Shuhua- which one would you like?"

Shuhua's gaze remains on the ground in both shame and defeat. She already played inside her head how this scenario is supposed to happen. It was supposed to be HER, yes HER who should wow Soojin with her awesome shooting skills, not Soojin beating her at this game. It embarrassed her to the maximum level to show Soojin that she doesn't have skills at all.

But despite all that, Shuhua was able to raise her arm and point to a fluffy bear that her heart desired.

"That one."

*

"Why are you quiet?" Soojin nudges the girl armed with stuffed toys beside her. Shuhua's teddy bear added more friends as Soojin won her a unicorn, a whale, a cow and possibly every mammal known in the world.

It turned out Soojin wasn't just a sniper, she could shoot hoops, pitch, bat, kick and all that. Add this to Soojin's list of perfection, all around expert in carnival games.

"I'm not quiet. I'm just talking inside my head."

Soojin narrowed her eyes at the sarcasm.

"Is the voice in your head more interesting than talking to me?"

"Shuhua..."

"Mama?"

The loud gasp that came out of Soojin's mouth instantly worried her young girlfriend.

"Are you okay?" Shuhua asks squeezing Soojin's hand

Soojin manages to give out a hesitant nod. She knew there was nothing to worry about, Shuhua's mommy Irene is always so loving. But when the thought of what she and Shuhua were doing raced inside her head, she couldn't help but be worried. She took away their daughter's innocence.

Oh God! Soojin's troubles quadruple at the thought of Shuhua's mommy Seulgi.

"Hello Soojin."

"Hello..." Soojin bows down so low.

"Is mommy Seulgi here too?"

"No darling... She left for a business meeting this morning. She will be back tomorrow. Did Soojin win all those for you, baby?"

"Oh..." The sadness dawned on Shuhua again at the thought that here she is holding all this, while Soojin is empty handed. "Yeah..."

"That's really nice of you, Soojin."

Soojin let out an awkward smile.

"Why are you here mama?"

"My alumni class has this impromptu reunion. I haven't met most of my classmates for quite some time now. So, I wanted to come and catch up with them."

"I bet you're the prettiest one."

Until now, the unexpected words that come out of her daughter's mouth could make her laugh.

"We're all getting to that age."

"Oh! Soojin you must be so thirsty from all the games!" Shuhua says "Let me give two of my favorite ladies some juice. Stay here! Don't move!"

"I- I can come with you." Soojin quickly offered.

"No. No you can't. You have to protect my mom and make sure no one steals her away from mommy Seulgi. And you too, mom, you know my Soojin is very popular. So, make sure you guard her from her sneaky fans."

"Shuhua-" Soojin squeals in embarrassment.

"Ok, sweetheart, don't worry I will."

"Okay, I'll be back. Do not move."

Shuhua warns them, constantly checking over her shoulder to make sure the two lovely ladies didn't move.

"She's so cute." Soojin mutters softly,

It took a few seconds for Soojin to realize that she was spazzing about Shuhua to Shuhua's mom.

"I-I-I-I-I'm so-rry... I wasn't. I mean- It's just that."

Soojin continued to stammer, for what reason she couldn't explain. But all it took was one loving squeeze on her shoulder to reassure her that she has nothing to worry about.

"You think my daughter is cute, there is no reason to say sorry." It calmed Soojin to see the smile from Irene. It easily comforted her how Shuhua's grin was identical to her mom's.

"Please don't be scared of me. I completely understand though. It was nerve wracking for me to meet Seulgi's parents."

Soojin heard a lot of stories about how Shuhua's mommy Seulgi was a chaebol, but lost all inheritance when she chose to be with a girl. But does the amount of money or privilege your family has even matter? Wouldn't the hurt be as bad for parents if they figure out their daughter is dating a girl?

"What happened?"

Even if Irene smiled at her, Soojin could see a tinge of hurt in it.

"Well, they reacted like most parents did. They didn't like that their daughter was with another girl."

"Oh. But you and Ms. Seulgi are still together and very much in love."

Irene smiled at the thought.

"It was very hard but we pulled through. That's why Seulgi and I always tell the girls that we want them to be with someone who makes them happy because nothing hurts the most than knowing people are against you and the person you love."

The two slowly weave through the excitement, finding solace in a wooden bench by the barbecue tent.

"You know, when Shuhua was younger she loved to visit Yuqi. But before we could even ask her what she did, she would start talking about Yuqi's unnie."

Soojin lowered her head as she felt a blush rising up her cheeks.

"She would tell us everything, I mean everything about you. When you get a haircut, or what your science project was about, or even what song you hum while you're thinking. Sometimes she would come home quietly, and when we ask her what's wrong, it turns out that she wouldn't see you that time."

A tinge of guilt was starting to grapple with Soojin's heart. Soojin perfectly remembered those days, during those times, she thought of Shuhua as nothing more but an annoying brat.

"Actually, Seulgi and I were worried about you."

"What?"

Irene smiles again as the memories start flooding in. Her wife might be stoic and unaffectionate to the girls, but Seulgi loves them dearly. Minnie has always been independent even when she was still young, but Shuhua was always their clingy baby. That she and her wife always have this inert feeling of wanting to shield her from heartbreak.

"I think it was our fault because we baby Shuhua too much, that's why she acts like a kid all the time. But we or more specifically I can't help it." Irene giggles. "No matter how old Shuhua gets, she's always our baby."

"It's part of her charms."