Chapter 5
mina had a hard time sleeping that night. as if thinking how nayeon might react when she finally comes clean isn't already nerve wracking, now she also has to think about what the older girl needs to show her. of course nayeon couldn't just say what it was through text and mina's too chicken to even ask.
it's why she wasn't surprised when she woke up late the next day.
she expected it.
what she didn't expect was the laughter in their kitchen and the not-so-silent conversation going on between two way too familiar voices when she came downstairs.
a conversation that abruptly stopped when the owner of the said voices noticed mina's presence. she didn't even get the chance to listen in. not that she intend to anyway.
her eyes widened.
sure. it wasn't the first time she has seen nayeon and her mom working inside their kitchen. mina has countless memories of the times jihyo had spend her summer afternoons having baking lessons with mina's mom with nayeon tagging along sometimes when she's bored. but the sight still fills her with warmth and turned her insides mushy. after all, it has been a while since the older of the im siblings has come over and mina has an inkling that she has something to do with it.
maybe she wasn't so subtle in her quest of avoiding nayeon and the korean has taken noticed.
oh, who is she kidding really. she knew nayeon would notice. who wouldn't, when mina was like a puppy following her human around with nayeon when they were younger and all of the sudden, she was pulling away. she couldn't even hold a proper conversation with the older girl anymore.
but nayeon didn't say anything, didn't ask why. she simply let mina be until the easy conversations that usually flow between them turned into awkward ones.
mina tilts her head towards her mom in a silent question of the sudden silence but the older woman only shakes her head with a fond smile and asks her to eat her lunch, all while claiming that nayeon has been over for about an hour already but instead of waking mina up, the korean insisted on helping her bake instead while she waits.
mina thinks maybe it was her still half-asleep brain playing tricks on her but she could swear she saw a tiny pink dusting the korean's cheeks.
it was odd, really.
is nayeon nervous?
that seems to be the case with the way she has been nibbling her bottom lip. and her hands, it was light, barely noticeable, but mina noticed anyway. nayeon's hands are shaking.
what is it that she's so nervous for?
not that mina doesn't feel the same but she has her reasons to be nervous. to worry. after all, she is yet to figure out a way to tell nayeon. when to tell nayeon.
should she just go for it? tell her straight? or should she opt for a grand gesture like they do in movies. she could perhaps ask the help of her whole team and nayeon's own squad to pull off something in the halftime of their next game. or she could have them help her decorate the entire seniors locker area. it was where everything started so might as well end it there.
would nayeon even like that? or would she prefer it simple. like a dinner, just the two of them. and maybe with a soft music playing on the background.
speaking of music, that's an option too. she could serenade nayeon. maybe even write her a song. mina can play the guitar so that shouldn't be a problem.
okay now she's just getting ahead of herself.
she sighs and shakes her head to clear her mind.
"where are we going, unnie?" mina asks as she follows nayeon outside.
the older girl has been really quiet for a while now. she hasn't said much after mina entered the kitchen earlier. it was a bit confusing. but what puzzled mina the most was when her mom showed them out like mina didn't know the way around their own house.
upon reaching the front door, the older japanese gave nayeon a quick hug and with a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, she nods her head at the korean like she's giving her permission. an approval . and mina can only watch in confusion.
when her mom finally meets her eyes, mina raises her brows once again but didn't get an answer to her silent question. she receives a soft smile instead.
nayeon stops right next to her car. she opens the passenger's door before turning to face mina. she runs a hand through her hair as she stares at the younger girl. then, she smiles.
"you'll see, minari." she finally says and waits until mina is perfectly settled inside before closing the door and making her way into the driver's seat.
it's obvious from nayeon's answer that she won't be giving mina any clue as to where they were heading so she didn't push it. she focused instead on trying to get her heart to ease from its wild thumping and go back to beating in its normal, steady pattern. it isn't the easiest task in the first place and after that smile from nayeon, mina's certain it's now impossible to do so. she's just grateful for the fact that the older girl didn't seem to notice.
five minutes into the drive and mina finally gets a clue. she knows the road they are heading a little too well from her everyday drive to her school and back but didn't say anything until nayeon finally pulled over.
"did you forget something, unnie?" she asks.
nayeon tilts her head.
"i mean," mina raises her hand and points out of her window to the house outside. "we're at your house."
nayeon meets her gaze and there's that stare again. soft yet probing. mina sees something in there. something that's sending her heartbeat into overdrive and she suddenly finds it hard to breathe.
nayeon's eyes is a deep, wide ocean. it should scare her but no, mina finds herself willing to dive right in, head first even, despite the crashing waves and not knowing what's waiting for her under the waters. because this is nayeon and at this point, all the girl has to do is ask and mina would follow her to the ends of the earth without thinking twice.
after what seems like a lifetime, nayeon smiles, looking like she has found exactly what she was searching for through mina's eyes. she makes her way out of the car before opening the door on mina's side without saying anything and the younger girl can do nothing but follow the korean as she leads them inside the house.
mina lingers outside of jihyo's room with a strong urge to knock. her best friend has always been her voice of reason and with nayeon not telling her anything, mina feels like she needs her now more than ever. but nayeon is standing outside of her own room just right next to jihyo's, looking straight at her while nibbling at her bottom lip again - something she does only when she's nervous.
mina steps back, takes a deep breath, then walks towards the girl who's waiting for her.
the first thing that mina noticed after nayeon pushed her door open was the shelf mounted at her bedroom wall and she can't help the tiny gasp that escaped her lips when she recognized the things that are being proudly displayed.
the hogwarts castle and stranger things lego set she built, the sweater and scarf she knitted, the pairs of shoes and shirt for kookue, the phone holder, the letters. every single thing that she has secretly left in nayeon's locker are right there. even the 1975 tshirt that she previously thought was in jihyo's possession is also there, hanging neatly along the sweater.
is this what nayeon wanted to show her?
but why?
does she know?
she feels the korean's eyes at the back of her head but she's too scared to meet the older girl's gaze not knowing what's running through her head so she looks around instead until her eyes land on nayeon's bed and her eyebrows furrow.
in there are bouquets of flowers. mina takes a few steps to take a closer look and her guess is right. they aren't just any flowers but are of legos.
if nayeon built them herself then mina could only wonder how long it must've taken her to finish all of the five bouquets.
it doesn't make sense. has nayeon been building legos long before mina and jihyo caught her a few days ago? was that why she didn't ask for help?
"did you - " mina clears her throat to try and stop her voice from shaking. "did you build all these on your own, unnie?"
"i did." nayeon's voice is soft and quiet. a total opposite of how she normally talks.
no, not normally . mina tries to dig deep into her memory pockets but couldn't think of a single time that nayeon has spoken to her in the same manner she converse with others.
come to think of it, she may be loud with everyone else but not with mina. never with mina. nayeon's voice has always been gentle when she talks to her.
mina's head spins at the sudden realization.
"do you like it?"
she finally turns to face the older girl and finds her looking at mina just as softly as her voice sounded.
mina nods.
"i do. it's beautiful, unnie."
"i'm glad you think so." she smiles looking relieved. "it's for you. i made it for you."
mina's breath hitches. she hears the loud thunder of her heartbeat.
"you did?"
nayeon nods.
"mina," she trails as she takes a deep breath. "listen, i know that it's you - "
but nayeon's sentence was cut off by her door flying open, revealing momo and sana with tzuyu training behind them, looking like she's not quite sure why she's there in the first place.
mina watches as the determination on nayeon's face fades into confusion.
"unnie!" sana squeals, rushing her way towards nayeon before pulling her into a bone crashing hug with momo joining right after.
the look that nayeon sends mina over her friends' shoulders tells her that the korean is just as surprised of the girls' presence as she is.
nayeon takes a step back, pulling away from the hug.
"what are you guys doing here?"
"we're here to help you, of course!" momo announces proudly while pulling out a pen and a notebook out of the bag she's carrying. beside her, sana is jumping in tiny.
"you have no idea how long we've been waiting and praying for this day to come, unnie!" she flops down to the floor and motions momo and tzuyu to do the same. "and we're here make to sure that you don't mess this up."
"i don't mess what - "
a knock on her door cut off nayeon again and this time, it's jihyo who walks in.
"unnie, can i borrow your -
"jihyo! come, come! you should join us since you're already here." sana beams and motions the younger girl to join them in their little circle.
"okay?"
it's obvious that none of the four has noticed mina's presence yet which makes her feel like she's intruding into a private meeting. one that now has her best friend involve.
what is going on?
"okay, two things." nayeon starts, shooting momo and sana a look. "one, no offense tzuyu and i'm not even gonna ask why you're also here, jih, but who else did you two invite to come over?"
"i live here." jihyo says. "but yeah, i get your point because i'm also not sure why i am here ."
"i'm not sure why i'm here either." tzuyu shrugs.
"right, okay." nayeon nods. "and two, what the hell is going on?"
the two in question shares a look before answering.
"just tzuyu." momo answers. "we were gonna ask mina's other friends too but since she's best friends with jihyo, we figured she can help us just fine."
mina's brows furrow at the mention of her name. and so does jihyo's.
"what does that even mean? help you with what?" jihyo asks.
"we'll explain later, jih." sana waves. "as for your other question, we're here to make sure you don't chicken out this time, unnie, because heaven knows how many times you did already."
"i still don't follow."
"unnie!" sana groans, sounding frustrated. "don't you still get it? we're here to help you plan your grand confession!"
"my what?"
"didn't you say last night that you've decided to finally tell mina you're in love with her?"
mina gasps.
maybe a little too loudly to not be heard by the people in the now suddenly quiet room.
momo stops scribbling in her notebook.
tzuyu freezes and so does jihyo.
nayeon looks torn.
she looks like she wants to strangle sana right then and there while also hoping for the ground to just swallow her whole. her face started turning red and she couldn't meet mina's eyes.
and as if in slow motion, mina watches as four heads turn to look at her direction. she watches how their eyes narrowed before ultimately growing wide upon realizing who else they are with.
she gulps.
"myoui mina." momo whispers, dropping her pen to the floor.
"do you think she heard me?" sana whispers back.
"no shit, sherlock." tzuyu snorts. eyes shifting from mina back to nayeon before getting up, looking ready to leave.
"okay?" jihyo pushes herself off the floor.
she locks gaze with mina, sending her a silent question. and in any other situations, mina would've understood it right away. not this time though. she tries but she just couldn't. how could she when her brain seems to just focus on one thing. to replay over and over again what sana just revealed.
jihyo narrows her gaze at mina but it didn't take long for the youngest japanese to notice the small crinkle in the corners of her best friend's eyes and the smile that's breaking through her lips.
"alright then." jihyo looks at her sister then at the other two on the floor. "up, up you two!"
"what? why?"
"but we haven't started planning yet. are we gonna decorate the lockers or what."
"she said get up, unnie!" tzuyu says. helping sana on her feet while jihyo does the same to momo. they then lead the two japanese out of nayeon's door ignoring their whines. but before getting out, jihyo turns to look at nayeon.
"look here, unnie. you might be my sister but that," she points at mina. "that right there is my best friend. so think wisely."
and as if to make a point, she stares at her sister for a full minute before turning on her heels and closing the door behind her.
mina feels her heart beating loud and fast as she listens to jihyo's fading footsteps outside of nayeon's room leaving her completely alone with the older girl.
the silence that settles between them after is starting to get too much and mina doesn't think she can take it if it stretches a while longer. she sucks in a deep, long breath and meets the older's eyes.
"is it…" she starts. voice shaking. "is it true?"
nayeon sighs.
"leave it to sana to spoil a plan."
she runs a hand through her hair and gives mina a shy, tentative smile before crossing the distance between them to stand right in front of her.
"that wasn't how you're supposed to find out, you know?"
she reaches for mina's hands, eyes holding the younger's gaze.
"i have it all planned out. get your parents' approval. show you all that." she nods at the shelf containing mina's gifts. "so you'd know i knew it's you. then give you the flowers. i even spent days preparing a speech."
"a speech?"
"yeah. telling you how i feel. like i said, i have it all planned out. i was gonna do it today that's why i asked to meet you but sana beat me to it."
she takes a deep breath. thumb rubbing the back of mina's hands.
"you heard sana, minari. and it's true. i am inlove with you."
nayeon's gaze is warm and honest. her voice is soft, gentle yet mina still hears her all too clearly over the sound of her raging heart.
"i have been for a while now. and i don't want sana beating me with this one too so i'm doing it now."
she smiles sheepishly as she nibbles at her bottom lip.
"go out with me?"
it was years later when mina remembers something that made her stop in her tracks and with nayeon's fingers laced with hers, the older girl noticed and stops too.
"what is it?" she asks. giving mina's hand a soft squeeze.
mina takes a long pause as she contemplates whether she should ask nayeon or not. it has been a while and she's not even sure if nayeon would still remember something that happened years ago.
"babe?" nayeon whispers. brows furrow in silent worry. mina doesn't like seeing that look on nayeon. doesn't like being the reason of her girl getting worried. so she gives in.
"jungkook."
"yeah? what about him?"
"i was just wondering how did he end up having my letter that day."
"eh?" nayeon says. surprise coloring her face.
"it's stupid, i know. it happened years ago. i just, i don't know..."
"no, no it's not. it's cute that you still think about it. you're cute." nayeon chuckles, pulling mina closer. "he found it at the foot of my locker. it must've fallen off without you noticing and he was gonna give it to me when you guys walked in."
"oh."
"yeah."
"did he know it was me?"
"he did."
nayeon nods.
"he saw you putting things inside my locker months before that."
nayeon's smile is blinding. it always has been. and as mina stares at her under the beauty of the night skies with the soft wind blowing her hair and the moon giving her skin a perfect glow, mina wonders how she got so lucky.
"did he tell you? is that how you found out"
nayeon's smile grows. her hold on mina's hand tightens.
"he did, yes. but no. i've known it was you from the very start, babe."
mina's heartbeat jumps and she feels her blood rushing to her cheeks at the way nayeon is looking at her. she shakes her head as a huge smile breaks into her lips.
even after all these years, she's still a blushing mess in front of nayeon.
it's ridiculous.
she pulls her eyes off of the korean's warm orbs and looks at their joined hands. her gaze settles at nayeon's finger.
her smile turns into a wide grin.
"we should invite him to the wedding."