It wasn't intentional for Nayoung to fall in love with Jieqiong. It just happened. Nayoung had no chance to kick the break  before she fell into the deepest cliff  called love. And like what people said, once you fell there wasn't turning back. You just kept falling deeper and deeper until someone caught you or you would hit the ground and broke your own heart.

But they forgot to mention to Nayoung that you might also slipped away. Maybe there was someone to catch you at first but slowly but surely you would slip away and in the end you met the ground and broke apart. And it what happened to Nayoung and Jieqiong. Nayoung slipped away from Jieqiong's heart although she still held Jieqiong tightly inside hers.

*

Deep down inside her heart, Nayoung knew she wasn't her first love. Jieqiong used to tell her about her crush to certain someone. And Nayoung was there to listen how deep Jieqiong was in love with that person. Nayoung also was there when Jieqiong was sad to be separated from that person.

-Flashback-

Nayoung glanced at Jieqiong who kept sighing in their way back to Pledis dorm after short meeting associated with their new project, I.O.I. She knew something was bothering the younger girl but she still can’t pinpoint what it was.

“Jieqiong-ah, are you okay?”

Jieqiong finally looked at Nayoung. Nayoung caught a doubt in Jieqiong’s eyes. And Nayoung was misinterpreting it at first.

“Are you nervous about this project?” Nayoung asked to start the topic. “Don’t worry, we will through this together. They are nice kids. And some of them already closed with us since Produce 101.”

Nayoung can’t understand why she caught a glimpse of guilt in Jieqiong’s eyes. She took a guess. “Do you feel guilty because it’s only two of us making into final?” she hesitated.

Jieqiong looked down because of it. The beagle girl kept silent. It made Nayoung worried so she tried the last shot. “You know Minkyung, Yaebin, Kyungwon, Siyeon and Eunwoo are happy for us, right?”

At the mention of the last name, Nayoung saw Jieqiong flinched. The older girl finally understood what was really bothered her.

“You knew you can call her, right? Although maybe it’s better if she also made it instead of me…” Nayoung trailed off. 

Jieqiong’s head snapped to look at Nayoung. “Unnie!! That wasn’t what I was thinking!”

“I know. It was me thinking like that,” Nayoung smiled while patting Jieqiong’s head. “It’s my guilty feeling speaking. When I’m gone, Minkyung will take the responsibility as the second oldest. Maybe I shouldn’t join this show in the first place. We still have an ongoing concert to hold until our debut but I…”

“But unnie… we won’t be surviving if you weren’t there with us. You are our anchor and comfort. You always convince us when we lost our confidence,” Jieqiong mumbled. “I’m sorry, unnie… I shouldn’t think like this… I shouldn’t be selfish…”

“Don’t be, Jieqiong-ah… Unnie should be the one who feel sorry for making you feel sorry…” Nayoung held Jieqiong’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Trust me. Eunwoo will miss you too.”

Jieqiong didn’t say a word. She only leaned her head on Nayoung’s shoulder to seek for comfort. They spent the journey in silent after that.

-End of Flashabck-

And Nayoung also remembered the day when that certain someone asked her to take care of Jieqiong before they moved out to another dorm for the one year project called IOI.

-Flashback-

"Unnie, may I talk to you for a second?"

Nayoung looked up at Eunwoo who slowly approached her in their sharing bedroom. Since earlier Nayoung decided to spend her break time lied down in her own bed after finished packing her stuff before she moved out to another dorm.

"Sure, what's wrong Eunwoo?"

Eunwoo quickly shook her head. "Aniya... Nothing is wrong... It's just..."

"It's just?" Nayoung waited patiently while the younger girl slowly sat beside her in the bed.

"I'm worried about Jieqiong..." Eunwoo said. "You know... Although she seems bright outside, she also can be timid inside sometimes. Yaebin and I always watch over her at school. Not only because she's the youngest among us, but... You know... Live far away from your family won't be easy, right?"

Nayoung nodded understandingly.

"So please... Take care of her," Eunwoo asked Nayoung to make a promise. "I know I don't have to ask you to do that and I'm sure you will, but I want to be at least at peace to know that she is in good hand."

Nayoung smiled reassuringly while patting Eunwoo's head. "Don't worry, Eunwoo-ah... I will surely take care of your precious Jieqiong. I'll make sure her always happy."

Eunwoo launched her body to hug Nayoung tightly. "Thank you, Unnie!! You're the best!"

Nayoung only laughed that time because soon after when Yaebin entered their sharing room and found them hugging, she suddenly joined them. But little did they know, Nayoung already made a promise with herself that she would protect Jieqiong's happiness at all cost. And she proved it a year later by sacrificed her own heart.

-End of Flashback-

Nayoung always watched over Jieqiong to keep her promise to Eunwoo – and her own – in her way. In public eyes, people only saw how affectionate Jieqiong toward her, how the younger girl always clinging or hugging her anywhere or anytime she wanted to. But the IOI kids, especially Chungha, who shared the same room with her, knew how much Nayoung cared about the younger girl.

How Nayoung always sacrificed her sleeping time for listening Jieqiong's story despite being a sleepyhead in their dorm. How Nayoung always made sure Jieqiong ate properly in their hectic schedule. How Nayoung would hug her whenever Jieqiong missed her family. Chungha noticed that and she even told Nayoung about that. Although the main dancer waited patiently to confront Nayoung until IOI unit formed when there was less crowd.

-Flashback-

"She's really precious to you, isn't she?" Chungha asked when she found Nayoung staring at Jieqiong. The younger girl was happily dancing around with Sohye, Somi, Yoojung and Doyeon while Chungha and Nayoung decided to occupy the couch watching them.

Nayoung glanced at Chungha and nodded.

"She's my dongsaeng. We've been through a lot together with other girls in our company. I'm glad she made it. Her family must be proud of her,” Nayoung said without tearing her eyes from Jieqiong. “Although it’s quite sad her family can’t come here to watch her achieved her dream. If only I can convince her when she was lacking her confidence… but at least she’s happy now, right?"

"And you know exactly I wasn't talking about that, right?" Chungha interjected. "How long you want to ignore your own feeling, Unnie? You already wait too long, aren't you?"

Nayoung only stared blankly at Chungha. She turned into stone.

"She needs to know..."

Nayoung sighed to hear it. "She has someone else in her heart, Chungha. I’m happy enough to watch over her."

"Are you sure, unnie? She is being clingy to you nowadays," Chungha tried to encourage her stone leader.

"It's because I'm her pillar until this project over," Nayoung disagreed. "Everything will be different when we're back. And I don't want to hold onto empty hope."

Chungha sighed in defeat. She really did understand what Nayoung tried to tell her but she didn't like to see the heart break in Nayoung's eyes. "I'm sorry..."

Nayoung almost replied when suddenly Jieqiong came.

"Yah, Chungha unnie! What have you done to my Nayoungie?" Jieqiong asked and sat on Nayoung’s lap. "Unnie, did Chungha unnie make you sad?"

Nayoung smiled and patted Jieqiong's head. "No, she didn't. We just talked, Jieqiong-ah. And I was tired, not sad."

"Are you sure?" Jieqiong asked, cupping Nayoung's face. "You can't hide it with your stone face, Unnie. I will surely find out."

"Am I ever lying to you?" Nayoung asked back and faked a yawn. "I think I will take a nap. You will continue playing with them, right?"

Jieqiong suddenly hugged her tightly. "No, I want to join you."

Nayoung looked at Chungha who only mouthed, 'go ahead' with a smile on her face. For the first time in her life, Nayoung let her feeling lead her. She stood up while carrying Jieqiong with her.

"Omo, Unnie!" Jieqiong squeaked for the sudden action.

"Held tight and don't blame me if you're bored later. I'm really going to take a nap, okay?" Nayoung half whispered in Jieqiong's ear.

Jieqiong only nodded happily and hugged her more tightly. And without Jieqiong noticed, Nayoung mouthed 'thank you' to Chungha who only gave her thumb up.

-End of Flashback-

Although Nayoung never expected it - but secretly wished for it - everything started there. Nayoung's hope slowly risen up.