They haven’t talked ever since they walked out of the house and they’re already in the convenient store. Chaeyoung went to the meat section, picking up a few packets of fresh meats. She started to fill the basket with all the requested items.

“Minari, do you-”, Chaeyoung halted as she realized that Mina weren’t anywhere around her. She walked through every section of the store and there was no sign of Mina at all. She dropped the basket near the counter and walked out, only to find Mina was squatting down next to the entrance door, looking bored.

“I thought I’m going to lose you!”, Chaeyoung said in a high voice as she finally found Mina.

Mina looked up, her eyes enlarged and a big smile was plastered on her face. “Chaeyoungie.”, she called the name while giggling happily. “Are you done?”

“What are you doing here?”, Chaeyoung looked down and asked nicely, not wanting to be mad at Mina.

“I got bored. You didn’t talk to me.”, Mina said while standing up, immediately turning Chaeyoung into a midget again.

Chaeyoung looked away, not wanting to meet Mina’s eyes. “I- I just don’t know what to talk about.”

“What do you always talk about with Tzuyu-nim?”, Mina questioned her.

Chaeyoung fixed her gaze on Mina and knitted her brows together. “Why… Tzuyu?”

“She is your best friend. I want to be Chaeyoungie’s best friend too.”, she said innocently.

“I don’t want you as my best friend.”, Chaeyoung announced and smirked.  

Chaeyoung quickly went into the store, wanting to pay for the items. Mina was left dumbfounded and she felt sick all of a sudden. Her heart lurches and she felt hopeless. The world suddenly feel like it was going against herself as she was torn apart. Chaeyoung walked out of the store, not finding any mark of Mina, again. She started to worry herself as she walked away from the store.

“Minari.”, she called helplessly.

“Minari!!”, she shouted this time.

She halted in front of a playground, seeing Mina sat on the bench while talking to a little girl. Chaeyoung crept nearer and stood in front of Mina.

“Why? Why are you doing this to me?”, Chaeyoung questioned her, finally burst out her anger.

“Why do you have to make me worry everytime? Minari, please. I know you’re older than me but you’re still a girl, need to be protected all the time. The world is a dangerous place nowadays. Can you not go anywhere without telling me first?”

Mina looked up, her face was red but maybe it was from the rays of sunshine. She looks sad and her eyes aren’t as sparkling as before.

“You’re a girl too. Who will protected  you then?”, Mina asked.

“I will take care of myself! I will! You don’t have to worry. I may be small but I’m much more stronger than what you thought.”, Chaeyoung justified herself.

Mina looked down and lifted up her legs on the bench, pulling it closer to her knee. Chaeyoung rubbed her temple and sat next to Mina. She set down the plastic filled with the groceries down and looked at Mina, not saying anything.

“Chaeyoungie..”, Mina called after a while.

“Hmm.”, Chaeyoung responded nonchalant. “Why you want to protect me?”

Mina turned her head and looked at Chaeyoung on her right. Their eyes met again.

“I like you.”, Chaeyoung said, eyes froze on Mina.

The air suddenly feel calm and serene as it hits Mina’s face. She hid her face in both her palms and got Chaeyoung all flustered. “I can’t believe I was saying such thing.”

“Is that why you don’t me to be your best friend? Because you like me?”

Chaeyoung nodded. “Then, can I take care and protect you too?”, Mina asked shyly.

Chaeyoung darted her gaze away from Mina, looking at the bushes. “Why should you?”, she asked in a cold tone, probably trying to remain calm from her unexplainable joy that was filling herself.

“Because I think I like you too.”, Mina announced. Chaeyoung glanced at Mina.

“You think?”

“I feel?”

“You feel??”

“Ah whyyyyyyyy.”, Mina whined in a soft tone.

Mina moved closer to Chaeyoung, causing Chaeyoung to sweat herself out.

“Then…. can we do that?”, Mina asked Chaeyoung, eyes not greeting one another.

“Do-Do what?”, Chaeyoung stuttered.

Mina inched forward and Chaeyoung’s eyes widen. She stood up immediately, her face was all red and picked up the plastic and dashed off. “Can’t believe you’re that bold.”

“I just want to lie down on your lap…”, Mina said to herself.

Chaeyoung unlocked the front door and placed the plastic bag on the countertop. Everyone gathered in the living room, munching all the snacks away while watching a comedy show.

“Ah, there you are. How was your date?”, Nayeon asked Mina, but her eyes were looking at Chaeyoung.

“Mina and Chaeyoung went out on a date?”, Jihyo asked in terror.

“A walk. We went for a walk.”, Chaeyoung corrected her.

“No, no. They went out on a date. Look at Mina’s face all lit up.”, Jungyeon said as she pointed out on Mina’s face.

Chaeyoung took a seat on another empty couch since the other couches were occupied by the couples. She signaled Mina to take a seat beside her. Mina just stood there unmoved.

“Look, she’s signaling her to take a seat beside her!!”, Sana shrieked in excitement. Tzuyu walked down the stairs and took a seat next to Chaeyoung, calmly landed her head on Chaeyoung’s lap knowing nothing about the lovely aura. Mina watched as Tzuyu was replacing herself there.

“Yah.. Tzuyu-ah….”, Dahyun called her, realizing the fire burning in Mina’s big round eyes.

“What?”, Tzuyu asked nonchalant, munching on the crispy potatoes.

Chaeyoung room’s door suddenly slammed hard. Chaeyoung found Mina was no more standing behind her. She stood up and went to her room to get Mina.

“Aigoo!”, Nayeon cursed under her breath as she and the other girls threw the cushion to Tzuyu.

Mina stood behind the locked door, unsure why she decided to walk into Chaeyoung’s room instead of her own. The fact that Chaeyoun’s room was on the first floor made it the easiest selection to hide herself. She scanned Chaeyoung’s tidy bedroom. She saw a few of sketching pad scattered all over her studying table. She picked up one of the books and opened it. The sound of keys jingling together could be heard coming from outside the door. Mina scanned each and every drawing of Chaeyoung.

There was a sketch of Sana and a few of Momo's sketch which surprised Mina. But what surprised her more is there’s much more of her sketch in the book. Mostly it was when she was reading a book around the house.

“Minari.”, Chaeyoung called and suddenly jolted as she saw Mina was going through her sketch pads.

“Why-Why are you looking at all of this?”

“You’ve been watching me this whole time?”, Mina asked.

“I told you I like you. You think I wasn’t serious?”

Mina kept quiet. Chaeyoung noticed that its’s going to be the perfect time to finally let it all out.

“You’re very…..unique. Your innocent always caught me off guard. Your smile alone made me flustered all the time.

“And you’re beautiful too, even though I know a lot of people favored Sana and Momo but I think you’re beautiful.  You got this aura of one mysterious shy girl which attracted me to know you more.”

 Chaeyoung paused, silently arranging the ending words carefully. Mina suddenly interrupted.

“Tzuyu? What about her?”

“She’s just my best friend.”, Chaeyoung explained. “She lay down on your lap.”

“Everyone does that.”, Chaeyoung told her. Mina shook her head, not believing that.

“No! Only people like Jungyeon and Nayeon did that. Sana and Dahyun did that too. Only couples do that.”

“Okay, then let’s be a couple.”, Chaeyoung said, heart boiling with frustration due to Mina’s uncertain logic.

“You break up with Tzuyu first.”

“I’m not even in a relationship with her at the first place!”, Chaeyoung cried her heart out.

“Then don’t let her lay down on your lap.”

“Okay, baby okay.”

Mina glared at Chaeyoung. “What now? Don’t want me to call you that? Then it’s fine.”

“Have you ever called Tzuyu a baby before?”, Mina asked again.

Chaeyoung sighed in frustration. She sat on her bed and pulled Mina, making her sat next to her. She positioned Mina’s head and placed it on her own lap.

“Here. This is what everyone would do.”, Chaeyoung started to explain the dating manual starting with laying down on one’s lap.

“This is what Nayeon and Jungyeon do because they just started dating.”, Chaeyoung played with Mina’s hair gently, her head softly. Mina grinned and cackled cutely as she looked at Chaeyoung.

“What does Sana and Dahyun always do?”, Mina asked innocently.

Chaeyoung coughed and cleared . “They did something very bad because they love each other so much. But I’ll show you what we both will do.”

Chaeyoung placed a soft kiss on Mina’s forehead. Mina closed her eyes, enjoying every bits of sparks and happiness that was twisting in her stomach. Chaeyoung’s warm lips fit perfectly on Mina’s cold forehead.

“I like what we both do.”, Mina stated clearly, grinning with her cheeks scalded with red.

Chaeyoung looked away and grinned to herself as she couldn’t see this coming. She never though that Mina would like her back knowing how petite she is. No one ever liked her and knowing that Mina would give her all to protect and take care of her made Chaeyoung feel happy. She wished that Mina will only like her and not like anyone else and Chaeyoung could promise that she will like and take care of Mina only.

“Chaeyoungie…” “Hmm?”, Chaeyoung replied looking into Mina’s eyes.

“I love you.”

Mina told Chaeyoung, smiling sheepishly as she wrapped herself around Chaeyoung’s neck and lifted up herself to leave a soft peck on Chaeyoung’s cheek. She lied back on Chaeyoung’s lap and covered her face. Chaeyoung played with her lips and smiled silently.

“I love you too.” Chaeyoung said as she wished that Mina will only love her and not love anyone else and Chaeyoung could promise the same.

“Chaeyoungie… can we do what Dahyun and Sana do now?”

“What?”

“We love each other so much too. So, why can’t we?”, Mina asked as her eyes lit up.

“Whatttt?!”

THE END