Semester break come again. Everyone would leave their current university and go back to their hometown. And as usual, Chaeyoung’s house would be a one stop center for the Japanese students of the university thanks to her generous and kind-hearted sister, Jungyeon. She would always invite them to stay over for a week or so and surprisingly, those girls never turned her down.

"Momo unnie!", Chaeyoung threw herself into Momo's hug. 

“Chaeyoung! It’s been so long!”, shrieked Momo, one of the Japanese people. She pulled Chaeyoung into a hug as they reached the sibling’s house. Sana was there too with red hair this time. Last time, it was blonde. Standing behind her is another girl, hair shoulder length, was staring straight into Chaeyoung’s eyes.

Her eyes is so big, Chaeyoung thought to herself.

“Okay, friends. Please have a pleasant stay at my house.”, Jungyeon announced as she pushed all the girls into her house. Mina stood there dumbfounded, amazed by the beauty of the house’s structure and how well it was decorated.

“Mina, their house have a lot of bedroom. You can choose.”, Momo whispered to her friend. Mina nodded, eyes still wandering around the house.

“How long will they be here this time?”, Chaeyoung asked her sister in a low voice, unwanted to be heard by them. Jungyeon wrapped her hand over Chaeyoung’s shoulder and pulled her closer.

“A month.”, Jungyeon cheekily answered and giggled.

Die. Chaeyoung told herself.

--------------------------------

It’s been 3 days since the girls seized her place with unexplainable mess. Momo has always been the busy mother person who cooked and left the kitchen dirty and Sana is one excited girl. Everything excites her, even the beeping of the air-cond when being switched on. Nothing new to Chaeyoung’s knowledge. But that one girl surely caught Chaeyoung’s attention. She was quiet, had a book with her all the time and she seems the almost normal to Chaeyoung.

“Chaeng, I’m going out with Nayeon and Jihyo alright!”, Jungyeon yelled from the second level. Chaeyoung nodded to herself and made her way towards the kitchen. She saw Mina was standing in front of the water dispenser.

“Um, are you okay unnie?”

“You can call me Minari.”, Mina said, eyes still fixed on the water dispenser. “This… how to use this?”

Chaeyoung looked at Mina and the dispenser from time to time. Confusion was written all over Mina’s face. Chaeyoung took a cup from the mug holder and placed it under the water tap.

“If you want cold water, press here.”, Chaeyoung pressed the blue button.

“If you want hot water, press the red one.”

Mina watched as Chaeyoung demonstrated on the water dispenser. Chaeyoung looked at Mina as she held both of her hands near her chest, almost like being thankful for the little dispenser to exist in this holy world.

“What if… I want warm water?”, Mina asked, making Chaeyoung’s eyelids shut off, feeling speechless.

“Okay nevermind. I’ll just drink cold water.”, Mina waved both her hands in front of Chaeyoung’s face and ran away like a penguin with the mug filled with cold water.

“Chaeyoung-ah…”, called Sana as her hands silently wrapping Chaeyoung’s waist from the back. The little girl froze and stood there, not moving.

“I’m hungry.”, Sana claimed, now leaning her hand on the back of Chaeyoung’s head.

Chaeyoung’s heart skipped a beat and she could feel all the gush running in her veins. She panicked and released the hands that was wrapping her waist, rapidly ran into her room with a sonic speed. Chaeyoung threw herself on the bed and covered her face with the back of her arm. Since their first met, Chaeyoung always had  a little crush on Sana. That girl is tall, beautiful and always smiled on everything she saw. Even when she frowned, she still looks magnificent. Chaeyoung won’t lie that the skinship they had made her hearts flutter but Sana is someone’s girlfriend. It hurts to know the truth but it’s better to just hide the feelings. She found herself sailing to the dreamland as time passed by.

“Chaeyoung-shi…”, called a soft voice.

“Chaeyoung..ah…”, she called again. Chaeyoung opened her eyes slowly and saw Mina’s face greeted her sight. Chaeyoung’s eyes widen and her little piece of heart got into arrest in a few milliseconds. Mina’s face was so close and it was kinda dark, with Mina’s hair falling on its side. Chaeyoung could feel her face colored in red but thanks to Mina’s shadow, her shy face is well hidden.

Chaeyoung repositioned herself and leaned on the bed headboard. “Why….Minari?”, Chaeyoung asked hesitately as she called her name.

“Momo asked me to turn off the stove when the potato boiled, but-”

Terror was scalded all over Chaeyoun’s face as she read Mina’s expression and rushed out of her room, running downstairs in a fast speed.

“I don’t know how to turn it off….”, Mina finished her narrative. 

Chaeyoung stared into the cooking pot, dumbfounded. The potatoes are all overcooked and it’s turned into a mashed potatoes instead of potatoes that have to be used in a chicken soup.

“I’m sorry…”, Mina said in a low sad tone.

Chaeyoung sighed and turned around, looking at Mina. Mina took a glance at Chaeyoung who was staring at her with a fuming face and quickly looked down again. Chaeyoung just couldn’t get the image of getting mad at someone, especially her. She patted Mina’s shoulder slowly, making Mina fall into Chaeyoung’s crook. Her shirt started to get damp by Mina’s unheard cry.

Feeling awkward, Chaeyoung patted Mina’s back softly as she was unsure of any other actions. After Mina settled down, she ran to the living room and lied down on the couch, probably continue to cry. Chaeyoung not going to blame Mina for being a sensitive person. She was once like that as well, getting scared when someone got mad at herself.She wouldn't even going to blame her for not knowing how to use the stove because it was too modern and it's not even easy for Chaeyoung as well. Chaeyoung chuckled as she watched the floating potatoes in the cooking pot, gently taking it out from the pool of broth. 

Mina sat up on the couch, hugging the cushion and rested her head on the cushion. Chaeyoung approached her with a tray of food. It was mashed potato with bacon and cheese poured on top of it.

“I’m sorry we can’t have chicken soup for dinner.”, Mina said apologetically.

“Where’s Momo unnie anyway?”

“She went out to the supermarket to buy some groceries. She said the refrigerator is as empty as her wallet now.”

Chaeyoung chuckled and handed Mina a bowl of the dishes and sat next to Mina, not saying anything. She started to dig into the bowl and swallowed down an amount of mashed potatoes. Chaeyoung started to express the deliciousness of the food by her lips pleasantly. Mina watched as Chaeyoung fed another spoon to herself.

“Chaeyoung-shi..”, Mina called.

“Chaeyoungie. I’m younger than you. Drop the formalities.”, Chaeyoung corrected her.

“Chaeyoungie…”, Mina called again, smiling as she uttered the name.

Mina quickly dug a spoon in the bowl and ate the dinner Chaeyoung prepared for her. While they were eating, the doorbell rang. Chaeyoung set down her bowl and get the door. A figure walked into the house and hugged Chaeyoung.

“Eh? Who is this?”, asked the taller girl.

“Ah, this is Mina, Jungyeon unnie’s another Japanese friend. Minari, this is Tzuyu, my best friend.”

“Hi.”, Mina greeted, smiling cheekily. Chaeyoung stared at Mina and unknowingly grinned to herself.

She is so cute and interesting, Chaeyoung whispered to her heart.

“I wanna watch movie here. My house has been taken over by Sana unnie and Dahyun. They rocked the house basically.”

“You know Sana?”, Mina asked her. Tzuyu nodded as she placed herself next to Chaeyoung, making Chaeyoung need to readjust her seat and sat closer to Mina.

“Ah, Tzuyu and Sana’s girlfriend are housemate. The three of us attended the same university and we’re even classmates.”, Chaeyoung cleared Mina’s confusion. Tzuyu reached the remote control and laid her head on Chaeyoung’s lap, hand changing from one channel to another. Mina watched as Tzuyu comfortably rested on Chaeyoung’s lap and Chaeyoung seems fine with it.

Is this how best friend act? Mina thought to herself.

Tzuyu and Chaeyoung cracked up for the 5^th times now as they watched the movie. Mina just sat there not doing anything, not even laughing at the joke presented in the movie. Chaeyoung turned her head and looked at Mina, silently admiring Mina’s side profile and her well-shaped jawline. She’s like an innocent angel sent down to the Earth to experience the hardship of the humanoid. She found her heart suddenly started to race in an unexplainable rate when Mina suddenly looked back at her. Chaeyoung turned her head and face the television, hiding her scalded cheek.

“Chaeyoungie..”, Mina whispered softly.

“Hmm…”, Chaeyoung replied, her ear suddenly felt cramp.

“Can you add a subtitle to the movie? I don’t really get it.”, Mina requested.

“You didn’t understand Korean?”, Chaeyoung asked in a surprised tone.

“They talk too fast…”, Mina told Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung nodded, understanding the situation. No wonder she didn’t laughed throughout the first 20  minutes of the movie.  She reached the remote control and adjusted a Korean subtitle to the movie.

“Not Hangul. I can’t read the words faster yet.”, Mina explained herself.

Chaeyoung shook her head, feeling silly. There was actually a girl who could make Chaeyoung smiled at a very lamest situation and she actually smile made her looked a bit more like a fool. 

“Minari.”, Chaeyoung called.

“Hmm?”, Mina responded innocently, sounding so cute to the extent that Chaeyoung felt like tearing her ears. Chaeyoung shook her head and continue watching the movie. Chaeyoung just got the feeling that her days going to be filled with a lot of happiness from that day.

--------------------------------------

It’s the third week of their stay and none of the days had passed by without Chaeyoung checking out on Mina from time to time. Mina always caught Chaeyoung staring at her and she would get all flustered suddenly, making the little girl embarrassed.

“Good morning, lovebirds!”, Momo declared as she get out of her room.

Momo’s morning call startled everyone that was slumbering in the living room. All of them gathered last night and had a bit of snack party while watching the recent released movie. Chaeyoung didn’t join the night party as she was having an event in the university.

Nayeon and Jungyeon that was cuddling on the couch woke up. Jihyo slept in front of the television, with Tzuyu’s leg greeted her face. Dahyun was sleeping on Sana’s lap on another couch and Mina was already up, sitting comfortably on the bar stool in the kitchen as she stirred her morning chocolate drink.

“I think I saw my daughter earlier. Where is she?”, Momo asked Mina, her eyes was scanning at the content of the refrigerator.

“Your daughter? Who?”

“Chaeyoung. She’s so small. So, she’s like a child to me.”

Hearing Chaeyoung’s name, Mina’s lips curved into a big grin as she remembered the little girl’s red-faced earlier.

“She went into her room I think.”

“Mina, what do you think of Chaeyoung?”, Momo asked suddenly, making Mina tongue-tied.

“Chaeyoungie? She’s small. And cute too…”,Mina commented, smiling at the last word.

“Then date her.”, Nayeon interrupted them.

“I know Chaeng for a long time and she’s very nice. If me and Jungyeon wasn’t a thing, then I’ll be dating Chaeyoung.”, Nayeon added, feeding herself a mouthful of bread.

Jungyeon who was standing nearby scoffed. Nayeon whirled around and gaped. Jungyeon was looking at her with squinted eyes.

“No, baby no. I was just joking.”, Nayeon spoke up.

“Go and date her then. I’ll attend your wedding and even be the flower girl if that’s necessary. Should I wear a dress??”, Jungyeon sputtered her words. Nayeon giggled in an apologetic way. She immediately clinged onto Jungyeon’s back and pleaded guilty while mouthing ‘this person’s jealousy is no joke’. Momo and Mina exchanged look and chuckled.

“I want to go to the store down there. Anyone need anything?”, Chaeyoung asked as she walked down the stairs, stopping by the kitchen.

“Buy some meat and chicken .”, Momo requested.

“Milk! Milk!”, Dahyun shouted from the couch.

“Ah, get some jealous reliever pills for your sister here.”, Nayeon joked, earning a glare from Jungyeon.

 Chaeyoung nodded, remembering each and every requested item. “Minari?”, she asked.

Mina looked at Chaeyoung for quite a while, making Chaeyoung anxious.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’re making me uneasy.”, Chaeyoung said as her face turned crimson red.

“Chaeyoung is so cuteeee. Look at her getting all shy shy shy.”, Sana shrieked as she entered the kitchen.

“Why don’t you accompany her? Go. You’ve been stuck in the house reading all the time. Go out. Let the love spreads.”, Momo nudged Mina’s body while teasing her. Mina got red and looked down to hide her shy look.

“Eyy, Chaeyoung. Girl up. Ask her out.”, Jungyeon encouraged her sister, massing her shoulder.

“Ask her out is a little bit too….”, Chaeyoung glared at her sister.

“Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung.”, everyone started to cheer her names, causing her to fluster even more. Mina still had her eyes fixed on the floor, unable to lift up her face.

“Let’s go Minari.”, Chaeyoung finally said after numerous number of contemplation and left there quickly.

“Be careful, Chaeyoung-ah!”, Momo shouted.

Mina lifted up her head and get down from the bar stool, running in a small penguin steps as she followed behind Chaeyoung. As the girls watched both Mina and Chaeyoung left the house, a loud yawn filled the air.

“Good morning mortal livings. Did I miss anything?”, Jihyo asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

“You missed the first episode of the drama.”, Sana answered nonchalant.