As Mina stepped into her home, a sense of relief washed over her like a gentle breeze, dispersing the heaviness that had clouded her thoughts earlier. Confiding in Sana had lifted a weight off her shoulders, allowing her to see things more clearly.
Her head is now a little clearer as if the fog has been lifted. She knows where to stand now with Chaeyoung. As Mina, she will be with Chaeyoung's side for as long as the latter allows her; as her friend. She doesn't need Chaeyoung to know what she really feels towards her, as long as she can express her love, she's okay with that.
As Sharon, well she will remain as Sharon. She would continue to perform at Chaeyoung's request. However, she would ensure that their interactions remained professional and that any lines of intimacy were not crossed again. Tonight's events had taught her the importance of maintaining clear boundaries, and she was determined to uphold them moving forward.
As Mina settled into her bed, ready to embrace sleep, her peace was abruptly shattered by the insistent ringing of her phone.
Irritation prickled at her nerves, and she muttered a curse under her breath, wishing fervently for the intrusive noise to cease. Yet, despite her silent pleas, the ringing persisted, each chime cutting through the silence of her room like a sharp blade.
With a resigned sigh, Mina reluctantly reached for her phone, her fingers fumbling slightly as she located the device on the tangled sheets.
As she glanced at the caller ID, a mixture of surprise and curiosity flickered across her features. Why would she be calling at this late hour?
Feeling anxious, Mina hesitantly answered the call, bracing herself for whatever news or conversation awaited her on the other end of the line.
"Chaeng?" Mina greeted. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke into the phone, her heart racing with confusion. "Chaeng?" she called out tentatively, expecting a response from the other end of the line. Yet, all she heard in return was the steady rhythm of Chaeyoung's breathing, a soft cadence that seemed to echo through the phone, devoid of any other sound or reply.
Frowning in concern, Mina tried calling out Chaeyoung's name once more, her voice tinged with a sense of urgency. "Chaeng, is everything okay?" she asked, her words punctuated by a note of worry. Yet, once again, there was no response, no indication that Chaeyoung had heard her plea.
Feeling a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach, Mina stared at her phone in disbelief, a myriad of questions swirling through her mind. What could be the reason for Chaeyoung's silence? Was she in some sort of trouble? With each passing moment of silence, Mina's anxiety only seemed to intensify.
"Chaey-" Mina tried to call out Chaeyoung's name once more and her heart sank as she realized the call had been disconnected, leaving her with nothing but hollow confusion.
Frantically, she attempted to redial Chaeyoung's number, her fingers trembling slightly as she navigated through the familiar sequence of digits.
With each passing moment, Mina's sense of unease only seemed to grow, a nagging feeling of dread settling in the pit of her stomach. What if something had happened to Chaeyoung? What if she was in danger and unable to reach out for help?
As the phone continued to ring, Mina's mind raced with a flurry of possibilities, each one more terrifying than the last. She prayed to heaven for Chaeyoung to pick up, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and desperation.
"Pick up the freaking phone, Chaeng!" Yet, with each unanswered ring, her anxiety only seemed to mount.
Mina could only think of one resolution to her problem - she needs to go to Chaeyoung's apartment despite her exhausted body. With trembling fingers, she dialed Jihyo's number, her heart pounding with each ring until finally, the call connected.
