Maybe I am

I can't

As Mina walked out of the head's office she felt her heart stutter inside her. She couldn't keep up the brave facade anymore. Something inside her was begging her to collapse. Even if just for a minute.

So, she walked away as fast as she could to the practice room. As she pushed open the door though she felt a pang inside her heart when she saw the sleeping Chaeyoung. Nayeon had walked out to take a call and the tired girl had closed her eyes to sleep for moment an instant later. Mina hesitated at the threshold. She would have taken a step back if it wasn't for the girl calling out, "Mina unnie."

She looked at the girl in front of her. Her eyes were still closed and yet she had recognized her, but that didn't surprise her much really. She always knew when it was her. Somehow she always figured it out. It was more the fact that she had even acknowledged her presence that made her surprised.

"Quit staring Minari, Just walk in." Chaeyoung muttered her voice sounding a bit exhausted.

Mina huffed at her not saying unnie. But she couldn't complain really. It was easier to talk with honorifics out of the way after all. So she closed the door behind her and walked up to the girl laying down near her. She couldn't stop the sigh that left her lips as she laid down and closed her eyes. A sigh that she had held back all the way from the office. Without looking at the girl beside her she said, "Stop frowning Chae."

"God how do you and Sana unnie do that?" Chaeyoung asked irritated.

Mina only chuckled at that relaxing a little more.

"You just frown a lot more than necessary Chae."

"I don't." Chaeyoung retorted instantly, supporting her head on a propped up arm as she stared down at the girl beside her. Still frowning.

Mina didn't even open her eyes and instead just raised her brows knowing the girl was looking down at her. "You are doing it again." she muttered.

And Chaeyoung muttered something under her breath rolling her eyes before looking down again and taking in the girl's face. She had slight bags under her eyes. Something that Chaeyoung had been noticing for the last few days. Her face was paler than usual too and her breathing wasn't as relaxed as usual either.

Chaeyoung whispered hesitant, "Are you fine?"

Mina smiled a small smile as a reply. Too tired to form a sentence at the moment. So Chaeyoung let her rest. As her face slowly relaxed into what Chaeyoung called the sleepy face Chaeyoung smiled a little satisfied. It was a beautiful sight really.

Then as she kept on staring at her she remembered that day, the memory coming unbidden to her mind.

Mina, who was almost in her dreamland, also ended up taking the walk through Memory Lane with her.

*** *** *** ***

"Chaeyoung-ah." Mina called out annoyed as Chaeyoung refused to let go of Sana's arms while they took a leisure walk down the path.

Chaeyoung smirked a little. She knew Mina was annoyed. Specifically for ignoring her. It was normal for her to be that way so Sana didn't pay any attention to it. Chaeyoung just loved getting a rise out of Mina some days and none of the other members really minded being used. After all, an annoyed Mina was a cute sight.

"Yes unnie?" Chaeyoung asked fake innocently to the girl beside her who had been pulling on her arm for a while now.

Mina had her cheeks puffed out and was staring or rather glaring at the intertwined arms. When Mina failed to answer Chaeyoung just shrugged and continued hugging the other girl's arm.