𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄. it’s the youth full of untied shoelaces, pinky promises and blushes alongside pleasant grins. nine is a time to be remembered and jina makes sure to savor it as best as she can. years ahead of her, and she’s sure this year will be the most memorable yet. she can just feel it in her bones.
it’s also finely-chopped bangs cut just above the brow, hair that tickles her jaw and wondrous eyes that stare at the clock across from the hall as she awaits jiyi’s arrival. shes giddy nerves and overly-presumptuous at the front door. today was the day. jina doesn’t have many friends, but that’s okay because she has jiyi and jina wouldn’t trade the other girl for anyone in the world ( except maybe her sisters but that’s a different story, they were blood ) and while jiyi wasn’t blood nor one of her five other siblings, jina thought she came pretty close.
when she’s not busy snaking on the treats their ahjumma had left behind in the den, jina is back to pacing in front of the door. just as anxious, just as excited as she was before. the minute hand is loud in the empty hallway and jina can’t help but watch time move just as slow as she counted down the seconds until the older girl’s arrival.
just when she hears the bell, she’s all squeals and childish mumbles as she’s racing for the last two steps towards the door before any of her sisters, or worse, junsu comes in to interrupt them. stubby fingers and tipped toes are fumbling with the lock on the door, pushing it open slightly to peek ( because their ahjumma had always told her that it wasn’t safe to open the door for strangers, she should always look at the screen and check to see the arrival of the persons, safety first! ) but she throws caution and once confirmation is had: jina is throwing the door wide, threshold out in the open as she welcomes her friend with open arms.
launching her small little body to collide with the other’s in a joyous embrace, arms immediately going round tiny shoulders as she jumps in place. “jiyi, you’re here!” she’s here! she’s really here! her heart soars and a part of her wants to take this happiness and bottle it up. a contagious feeling that makes even her fingertips sparkle in glee. “come inside, come inside! ahjumma made some snacks for us!” she says, hands unhook themselves from the other’s shoulders to search for a hand unto her own; tugging the other through and letting the door lock behind them.
“i’m so happy you’re here, we can play now!”
WHERE’D YOU GO ; @mmjina past: 2009
jiyi is ten, and she has the world balanced neatly in her hands.
she’s all grown up – final year of grade school, and finally allowed to go over to her best friend’s house without their house elf following, all by herself. she’s prepared for every possible situation, in her magically enlarged bag: an umbrella ( in case it rains ), her phone ( to call her mum ), a jacket ( though she’s sure jina’s house won’t be cold ), four different sets of toys ( one of which is a whole kitchen play set in case they decide to play restaurant ), two gifts ( one for jina, obviously, and the other one for little junsu ) and all the snacks she could fit into the rest of the space available ( enough for a week long camping trip, probably ).
and her dress is pretty, too, just in case jina’s older sisters or her mum are in. they usually aren’t ( she’s never even seen jina’s mum, but she’s probably pretty like jina! ), but just in case, she wants to make a good impression on her first solo visit to jina’s house. so she’d picked her nicest dress in gossamer blue, with delicately hand stitched cherry blossoms and her prettiest head band that she knows will match jina’s favourite one. hopefully, jina’s mum will like her enough to invite her again, and she can have another playdate with jina, maybe even as soon as tomorrow! that thought gives her an extra bounce in her step, and she reaches jina’s doorstep right on time.
jiyi’s just tall enough to reach the doorbell on her tiptoes, and she presses the bell once before scuttling quickly to the front of the gate so jina will be able to see her. she bounces up and down on her heels, waiting for her best friend to answer the door.
she can’t wait!