"i can't do this. i should go home."

"oh, come on!"

"no, i'm serious. i really can't do this."

and for the third time since they've stopped in front of the im household, jihyo groans, throwing her hands in the air. 

"mina, really? it's not like you haven't spent the night in our house before."

"that was different."

"how is this different from the sleepovers we had when we were kids?"

"because unlike before, now i get so nervous around your sister!" 

jihyo stares at her and mina looks away to avoid the girl's eyes.

"i constantly worry that i might make a fool out of myself in front of her." she admits quietly while nibbling her bottom lip. 

"oh."

"i mean, why else do you think i started insisting we make our projects in my house since seventh grade?"

there was a beat of silence that settles between them before jihyo snorts and it didn't take a while until mina's car is filled with the sound of her laughter. 

"what?" mina asks. looking all confused with the girl's outburst. 

"you're down bad. like bad bad."

"no, i'm not!"

"yes you are, it's gross." and realizing what she said, she adds. "not gross gross but like,  gross in a good way of course."

mina stares at her best friend with a raised eyebrow then she shakes her head. 

"that's definitely the dumbest thing i've ever heard from you." 

"oh come on, you know what exactly i mean by that!"

"trust me, you wouldn't want to say that to someone else." she states but jihyo ignores her and proceeds to laugh at her misery.

"remember when we were eight? you said there must be something wrong with your heart with how fast it beats when you see my sister." 

"nooooo!" 

"also, you said your tummy feels weird when she's around."

"oh my goodness, jihyo! will you shut up?" mina groans.

she knows whatever she'd try to say to get jihyo to shut up will only fuel the girl's teasing. 

"you truly are an evil, jihyo. really." 

"and you've fallen so deep, i doubt you can ever climb back up."

"who says i would ever want to." she whispers but with how jihyo's laugh abruptly stops, there's no doubt she heard it. 

the night is getting late and both girls are exhausted from their practice which ended late again for the third time this week but jihyo remains seated and didn't make a move to leave. 

"just get out of the car, please." 

"nuh-uh!"

mina stares at jihyo who only raises her brows in return. the girl can be really stubborn if she wants to. 

mina sighs.

she shouldn't have said anything about her parents not being home. she should've known the girl would over react and make a big deal out of it. she has spent the whole afternoon trying to convince mina to stay in her place just until her parents are back and by the looks of it, she doesn't have any plan on aborting her mission. 

"say, if i stay the night," mina starts which puts a grin on the other girl's face which mina purposely ignores.

"do you promise to stop bugging me about asking your sister out?" 

"what, no way!" 

"okay then, get out of the car. i'm going home."

"you do realize i'm only doing this for you, right?" 

mina shrugs. 

"mina, really?" 

"well?" 

"can you just be grateful that i'm such a supportive best friend? not everyone would do the same, you know. definitely not when the person their best friend is crushing on is their own sister."

"i do appreciate that. really. but i'm just not ready, okay?"

"will you ever be?" 

"jih -" 

"- fine!" 

"do you promise?" 

jihyo shifts on her seat. facing the younger, she raises her right hand and pries mina's hand off the wheel. then, she pulls out her pinky and links it to the japanese's. 

"i promi