ten. dilemmas

you know you really love someone when you can't hate them for breaking your heart

~~~

"Yes, I am... is there a problem with that?" Tzuyu carefully answered, seeing how infuriated Jungyeon was at the moment. Jungyeon sighed and turned around just for a moment before facing her again, holding the anxious girl by the shoulders.

She tilted her head with a raised eyebrow, "Are you serious? Do you understand the consequences?"

Tzuyu frowned like an innocent puppy. She didn't understand why her close friend was suddenly being so harsh on her. She wasn't accustomed to this side of Jungyeon; not once, did she hear her yell at her like this. 

"I'm just saying this because Sana still loves Mina... you're just going to get hurt."

With a shake of her head, Tzuyu's eyes turned serious and she removed Jungyeon's hands from her shoulders.

"You're wrong, unnie. I love Sana and she will soon see that I'm not like Mina unnie. I won't hurt her-"

"Tzuyu, do you hear yourself?!"

Guilt. That was all Jungyeon could see on the younger girl's face. Tzuyu felt like someone else was talking before Jungyeon burst. She shook her head and looked down, tears forming in her eyes. Flashbacks of Mina crying night after night appeared in her mind again. She couldn't believe Tzuyu just compared Mina to what Sana saw her as. Mina wasn't a player. She was before, but with Sana... she was the most loyal and caring girlfriend to exist. Mina never thought about leaving Sana. When they broke up, it was purely a result of Sana's arrogance and childish thoughts. And Jungyeon knew this. She knew Sana only broke up with Mina to test her, like some distrustful child.

The fact that Tzuyu was slowly taking Sana's side caused Jungyeon to cry. Sana did not only break her relationship with Mina. She broke friendships.

"I'm... sorry. But unnie... I love her. I can't leave her, even if she still loves Mina. Besides, it's for the best. Mina and Nayeon belong together,"

"...Just like Sana and I."

"No, Tzuyu. Nayeon... she deserves better. You deserve better." Jungyeon quickly added, not wanting Tzuyu to know what was really in her mind. She looked away and tapped her foot anxiously. The thought of Nayeon landing in Mina's hands... all for a bet, sickened her.

"What do you mean by Nayeon deserves better?"

There it was. Jungyeon mentally facepalmed herself for saying those words. She hoped Tzuyu would let it slip by, but unfortunately she was quick-witted. She wanted to find a way out of this mess she tangled herself in, but Tzuyu repeated her question. She opened to make up an excuse, but suddenly the door of Mina's room opened and she quickly ended the conversation.

"Let's go. I haven't visited her yet."

Tzuyu gave up trying to get words out of . As Jungyeon made her way to the room first, she continued to stare at her fading back with thoughts circling her mind. What are you hiding, unnie?

~~~

After a week, Mina finally got discharged from the hospital. Sana had visited her everyday, trying to gain back her affection despite already being with Tzuyu. The younger girl knew how often Sana visited Mina, but she blindly believed it was an act of friendliness. Nayeon resisted every urge to visit Mina, but when the injured girl finally came to school, she couldn't be happier.

The crowd before her dispersed and she only saw one woman coming towards her. Except, that one woman had someone else supporting her. To her surprise, Sana was that someone.

The distance between them got shorter and shorter... until finally, they were standing less than a foot from each other. Nayeon's eyes dropped to their linked arms and she felt weird. What was that feeling? Mom described it to me before. That feeling when you strangely wish that... 

Mina was holding my arm, and not hers.

"Yes, Nayeon-ssi?" Sana blurted out after a moment of silence. Nayeon's eyes changed from regret to confusion with a twitch of anger. She wanted to ask Sana, "what happened to every word you said about Mina?" and "why are you suddenly acting like we're strangers in front of Mina?"

But then she remembered. 

That's right. We had a plan. A plan that Sana isn't following right now. 

"I just wanted to know if... you're better now." Nayeon softly spoke with sincerity in her eyes which were staring into Mina's solemn pair. Mina nodded, muttering a small thanks. Nayeon wasn't blocking the door, but Mina wanted to stay here. She longed to hug Nayeon like before. She longed to see the smile that never failed to make her happy. She just wished Nayeon wasn't that girl. 

Let's take it back to the start, Mina wanted to say so badly. Her eyes spoke those words and Nayeon un