Minhee’s POV

I checked up on Naeun the next morning and still found her asleep.  I walked in and touched her forehead.  

“Naeun you’re burning up. Are you okay?”

“Hm? I’m fine” she uttered.

“Wait here, I’ll make you porridge” I sighed and left her room.  This is getting out of hand…. why does she … ugh nevermind.

“Minhee! Can you get me a glass of water?” Naeun yelled from her room. I walked back in with a full glass of water. I handed it to her and watched her drink it all.

“Naeun… I called Luhan and told him that you were sick. He told Chanyeol and they’re coming over right now.”

“W-Why? Why would you call them?”

“Because they were getting worried.” *ding dong* “That’s probably them”

“Noo! Tell them to go away!” she hid herself under her blanket.  I shook my head and went to the door. She’ll get over it.

“Hey guys!” I beamed.  They smiled.

“How’s Naeun?” Chanyeol asked.

“She’s sick.  She told me to tell you guys to go away but you guys can come in”

“Figures.”

“Is she still in bed?”

“NO! Naeun is not home!” Naeun screamed from under the covers.

“... Yes… she just got up”

“Oh great!” Luhan walked in.  “NAEUNN~~ We’re here and I brought Chanyeol!”

“GO AWAY! I DON’T WANNA SEE EITHER OF YOU!”

“Aw don’t be like that… we came all the way here to see you” Luhan walked in to Naeun’s room and sat on her bed.  Chanyeol awkwardly trailed behind.

“No… Leave me alone you dog!” she insulted.

“Naeun… I’m not a dog any more… get up”

“Luhan are you really going to make a sick child get up?” I scolded.  He cleared his throat.

“Ahah.. I forgot.  It’s just weird to see a monster like her so down and dead and weak” Luhan rubbed the back of his neck.  Naeun threw a glare at him and then stared at Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol. get this mongrol away from me” she demanded.

“Let’s go Mongrol” Chanyeol linked arms with Luhan.

“Excuuse me, but I am not a mongrol.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. You’re a good-looking mongrol” Chanyeol corrected. Luhan shook his head with approval and went skipping out of the room.

“They’re so stupid” Naeun mumbled and sat up.  “Minhee… why did you invite them?”

“So you can stop being stubborn and just reconcile with him” I answered.

“Ugh…” she moaned and rolled over so that she faced the wall. I ignored her and walked out.

“Chanyeol? What are you doing?” I asked when I entered the kitchen.

“Well… Naeun drank yesterday… so what’s good for hangovers?” he pointed at me and waited for my answer.

“Uhh…” I cocked my head and stared at him.

“That’s right!” he jumped, “Bean sprout soup!” I made an ‘oh’ face.

“Do you know how to make that?”

“Uh somewhat”

“Okay… Then I’m going to leave you be…. call me if you need help” He nodded.

“Pass me the onions” I heard Chanyeol ask Luhan, followed by the sound of pots falling on the floor. I poked my head out and saw them chopping things up.

“Don’t burn down the kitchen”

“What’s a kitchen used for then?”

“Whaat?”

“Hahah! I’m just kidding!”

“Chanyeol… I promise you. If you destroy this kitchen or burn it, I will burn your face!” Naeun yelled from upstairs. Chanyeol paused to look at me.

“Are you sure she’s sick?” he joked.

Chanyeol’s POV:

After messing with the soup and kitchen appliances, I finally finished. “WAH! It’s been completed!”

“What is that?” Luhan stared judgingly at the food.

“Don’t judge me! It’s my first time making this.”

“I thought you said you knew how to make it” Minhee judged.

“Uhh… I lied” I smiled. “You wouldn’t have let me make it if I told you that I didn’t know how to cook.”

“Yeah…” she shook her head.

“Well, I’m off to feed Naeun!” I trotted away before they could say anything. I slowly opened the door and poked my head in. “NAEUN!~”

“Go away!” she mumbled from under the covers.

“I made something for your hangover!”

“I don’t have a hangover! I don’t get drunk with one shot like you!”

“Then why are you still in bed?”

“I-you… Just go away!”

“But… soup” I pouted and fluttered my eyelashes. I walked in and sat in the chair next to her bed.

“Why are you being like this?”

“Like what?” I stirred the soup.

“Why are you being so nice to me after what happened yesterday?”

“Hmm?... That’s the past” I smiled while blowing on a spoonful of soup.

“Don’t…”

“Don’t what?”

“Stop being nice to me.”

“But I like you… Now say Ah” I insisted.

“I already rejected you… And you said you would leave me alone.”

I placed the spoon down. “Well… that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.” I tried again and put the spoon up to .

“Enough with the soup!” she slapped the spoon out of my hand. I watched it fall to the floor and make a mess.

“Oh… That’s ok… It was an accident.”

“Chanyeol. You need to learn how to take no for an answer and learn to stop smiling all the time.”

“Naeun, please don’t”

“Bad things happen and yet you still smile! Stop being so persistent! Life won’t go your way, no matter how nice you are!” she continued.

“Naeu-”

“Get out of your own world and come back to reality! Stop trying to be my friend… I’m tired of you! I rejected you once and I’m not afraid to do it again!” she cried.

“I- I di- didn’t know…. I’m sorry.” I picked up the spoon and headed for the door. “The soup is getting cold. I’ll go warm it up.” I opened the door and saw Minhee and Luhan fall in. They quickly stood up and dusted off their clothes.

“We… weren’t eavesdropping… if that’s what you’re thinking” Luhan cleared his throat and straightened his clothes. Minhee slapped his shoulder. I smiled and showed them the spoon.

“I dropped the spoon” I laughed while scratching my head and pretending that nothing happened, “Whoops. Got to go get a new one.”  Minhee just stared at me.

Luhan’s POV

“Naeun… what did you do?” Minhee rushed in and sat beside her.  She clutched her head with both hands and dug her head between her knees.  

“I-I don’t know… I just…”

“What were you thinking? He was approaching you again.  Why are you so stubborn?” she cried.

“I just thought…. since I rejected him once, he would be better off without me… I didn’t want to make him any more miserable.” she stuttered, looking at her bed sheets like a lost puppy.  Her voice quavered and her body shook.

“Naeun…” Minhee pulled her into a hug.  

“Yah!...” I yelled. They both looked up at me. “Do you know how much Chanyeol cares about you? He’s not stupid like you think he is! He’s not following you because he doesn’t get the hint, he’s following you because he really likes you!”

“Luhan..”

“And another thing!... If you’re going to continue to hurt him like this, just get out of his life! He’s been hurt enough by other things in his past!”

“I’m sor-”

“Sorry my !... If you like him, just tell him. Although Chanyeol may be stupid, at least he’s true about his feelings.”

“Luhan… Naeun can’t control what she does.”

“Sure… Right. Whatever” I shook my head and turned to leave the room. “Being on her side, doesn’t make you a good friend. Sometimes you need to push them to do the right thing.”

I reached the ground floor and turned right into the kitchen. I saw Chanyeol sitting on the couch on his phone. He looked up and smiled when he saw me. “Wassup?”

“Chanyeol? You’re still here?”

“Mmmhmm… I need to heat up the soup. Naeun is still sick.”

“Chanyeol…”

“Yeah?”

“We’re leaving… Let’s go.”

“Why?”

“Don’t play stupid! I was told to take care of you and now I’m going to play my part. I’m going to protect you…”

“Protect me? Why?”

“That’s not important.”
“It’s fine… This is not the first time Naeun treated me this way… I don’t need to be protected.”

“Not the first time?... So something did happen yesterday” I raised a brow.

“Ehhh… Uhmmm… I meant that… you know… she’s always bitter towards me…” he tried to excuse by making an unconvincing smile.

“Oh please…. Don’t try to get yourself out from a beating… It’s sad.” I shook my head.

“Neh…” he awkwardly scratched his head. “Let’s go eat some cold pizza from yesterday!” He ran out the door.

“What am I going to do with this kid” I said under my breath. He came back in and ran to the bottom of the stairs.

“Minhee! The soup is heated up! Feed Naeun even if it tastes bad!” he screamed and ran back past me and out the door.

“Luhan, wait!” Minhee stopped me before I stepped out.

“What? Chanyeol’s waiting for me outside.”

“You’re right… about everything. I should’ve pushed Naeun to be true about her feelings, but what am I supposed to do when she’s so stubborn?”

“When a baby bird is at the age to leave the nest, but won’t fly because they’re scared, do you know what the mama bird does?”

“Hmm? No, what?”

“It pushes the baby out of the nest. If the baby doesn’t flap the wings and learn to fly, it will fall to the floor and that will be the end of it.”

“So you think I should push her off?”

“You can’t continue to baby her or else she won’t be able to fend for herself and go on with her life. She will be stuck in the same nest forever.” She cocked her head to the side. “I have to go… I’ll see you later.” I waved bye and left her thinking.

Minhee’s POV

After Luhan left, I went back to Naeun and found her asleep, cradled in a fetal position.  I sighed and tucked her in, pulling the blanket over her shoulders.

“I have to push you off the tree...” I whispered before I left her room.