What the heart wants

Chapter 45

Nayeon stares at her reflection in the dressing room mirror and the image staring back at her shocks her. Because inside she's aching and longing for her, an ache that gnaws at her heart that's struggling to beat with every passing day. But outside her plump lips are pulled into a smile that could easily fool anyone into thinking she's the picture of sunshine and happiness.

"Momo, can you help me button this up?" She extends her arm to the younger girl who pulls the sleeves down and tries to button the half sleeved white cotton shirt.

Momo feels her biceps ripple through the shirt and says dreamily. "You've really been hitting the gym, yeah?"

"Momo, your gay is showing." Dahyun snorts.

"I cut my nails, so it's kind of hard to button. Mina, can you help her please?" Momo sighs dejectedly and pulls the girl who's checking her make up in the mirror, the sudden tug causing Mina to come to an abrupt halt in front of Nayeon.

Nayeon smiles apologetically at her. Mina clears her throat and lowers her gaze to smooth down the sleeves against the soft yet strong muscles of the older girl.

"It's done." Mina looks up and sees Nayeon's eyes are already on her.

"Thank you." She pulls her arm back and turns to leave.

"Nayeon-chan?"

Nayeon turns around and her eyes catches Mina's again. "Yes?"

Mina looks at her for a long second as if contemplating if she should ask what's on her mind.

"Are you ready for the shot?" Chaeyoung steps in between them and kisses Mina's cheeks.

Mina flushes slightly and goes back to applying her makeup.

Nayeon thinks it is cute that they blush around each other like high school kids for a simple peck on cheeks.

The thunder begins to roar that night.

Nayeon gazes out the window wondering when it's going to rain again.

"It's weird."

Nayeon turns to look at Sana. The girl says the oddest things at times.

"What's weird?"

"Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung used to be really close in their trainee days like you and Mina. And now they're not even talking to each other."

Nayeon stares at the distant lighting light up the dark sky.

Sana continues as if she is talking to herself more than talking to Nayeon. "We always pull away from the things that hurts us."

Nayeon can't refute that because there's an undeniable truth behind those words.

"Do you think they're going to be okay?" Her voice is full of concern and worry.

Nayeon lets out a deep breath she doesn't know she's been holding.

"They will be."

She drags Jeongyeon to a corner of the studio the next day and blurts, "Do you love her?"

Jeongyeon's calm composure is rattled a bit by the random question but she quickly collects herself and lets out a dry laugh. "What does it matter?"

"It matters because you deserve to have your happy ending too."

"What about Mina?"

Nayeon blinks back tears. It's not just Mina's heart that's going to be broken.

"She deserves to know the truth." Nayeon echoes Dahyun's sentiments.

"What if she never forgives me?"

"We all have to learn to live with certain things Jeongyeon."

When Mina lays in her bed that night, she recollects the days she used to be carefree and happy. All those memories revolves around one face that haunts her every waking moment. A face that she's sure she would never forget for an eternity.

She wakes up the next day and comes face to face with Chaeyoung who steps out of the shower with a hardened face instead of the usual cheerful smile she wears.

Her heart clenches painfully in her chest.

"I'm sorry I think I finished the hot water." Chaeyoung sighs.

Before Mina could reply, Nayeon shoves Chaeyoung to the side and walks past them to the shower with a kettle in her hand.

"Is she going to make tea in the bathroom?" Chaeyoung wonders out loud amusedly. Nobody knows what Nayeon is capable of doing.

Mina stays out of the shower for a while since Nayeon has decided to treat it like a tourist spot.

She smiles softly and her hand lingers on the older girl's arm for a heartbeat when Nayeon approaches her after ten minutes and casually says, "I've filled the tub with hot water. You can have your bath now."