EPILOGUE

Mina closed her eyes upon hearing a loud – another one – noise in the kitchen.

She released a suppressed groan, knowing visibly who it came from, “I’d rather have to listen to your rants than to buy a whole new kitchen equipment, Nayeon”

The obnoxious sounds came down to a halt, Mina released out a hum when she felt a huge source of warmth settling in the top of her body. It’s been like this for the past few weeks. Nayeon built up frustrations with no hint of sharing it her to her beloved girlfriend.

Mina knew.

It’s been like this since they started – or rather before – going out that the older likes handling things with all by herself, she can vent them out – yes, but there’s no way she’ll let others take what’s on her plate.

It’s always like this.

But Mina is an exception.

Always.

“Want me to cook?” dropping the medical textbook she was reading, she wrapped her arms around the latter, “your favorite?”

Nayeon shook her head, “I want to eat you”

A laugh escaped Mina’s lips feeling her girlfriend snuggling up to her, “now that’s not something you’d cook in a kitchen, love”

A silence occupied them, only their breathings visible in the air to which did not bother Mina nor Nayeon any bit – it’s been like this for the past few weeks, with no words to share or rather no words can fix it.

Mina always knew.

She always does.

Whatever, whenever, however the thoughts of the older will run, not because of her medical degree because she definitely did not take anything related to diagnosing a mentally ill person – not that Nayeon is mentally ill.

She’s just crazy sometimes, makes me think she is.

Yet this is something she did not know – because she refuses to acknowledge the idea of it entering the premises of her mind, so when it left the older’s lips, she pressed her lips into a tight shut.

“Let’s break up, Mina”

No words left .

Not even a sound.

Her breathing remained the only thing Nayeon heard from the younger under her.

But she felt how the Japanese’s arms tighten around her silently begging her to take back what she said.

But they both know she would not.

So, they stay like that – for few seconds, for few minutes, for hours.

Until Nayeon slowly felt the arms loosening around her, she arches her head to see the latter only to find a sleeping Mina with tears dried in side of her eyes. She slowly removed herself and crunched down beside the latter.

“I love you” she whispered painfully to no one in particular as she stood up and left the latter.

Unknown to her, another new fresh tear fell down from the younger’s eyes.

“I love you too”

--

It’s been a week and everyone could tell that a certain engineer is not coping out well with the events of the break up and the disappearance of the older from her life.

“I hope those are from work” Mina only smiled from the remark she received from Sana, her co-worker slash best friend as well, “I’m serious Mina”

She kept in shut.

Telling her would probably help her a bit.

But she doesn’t want any help.

No amount of help would ease the hollow feeling she had inside.

She closed the document she was reading, passing it over to the older, “yeah, here” Sana took the clip but not before pushing the younger to sit down, glaring at the brunette.

“I said I’m serious”

A sigh left the brunette’s lips, “we broke up”

Silence emerged in the air, Sana just observing her before tossing the documents of the project they were working on the table and crossing her arms in front of the latter, “then, what are you doing here?”

“I believe I work here?” Mina chuckled.

Sana massaged her temples, feeling a forming headache, “I can’t believe over the years you still own that sick patience you have when dealing with her” the younger did not answer to which Sana took a cue to continue, “and I can’t believe you’re still as oblivious as ever”

“I’m not oblivious” Mina argued.

Picking up the files, Sana headed to the door, “clothes still on your shared apartment, right?” Mina nodded in response, “then get your girl back”

She wish it’s that easy.

I really do.

Because if it that easy as Sana spilled it to her, then she wouldn’t be locking herself up within the vicinity of her office and instead would be cuddling her tired girlfriend – that’s her usual routine before the older suddenly became distant with her for the last few weeks.

It’s not even helping that she got clue in it.

Mina knows her temper crosses the border of the planet.

But it goes another mile when it comes to the older.

It always does.

She always does.

After all, no matter what happens the older will always be the exception to the limits of Mina.

But as much this goes past way her limits, she knows that whenever the older is involve her patience can be very thin depending on what the events tell – to which why she impulsively ring Jeongyeon’s number in two in the morning and only snapped to it upon hearing the Korean’s hoarse voice.

Damn it.

“Hello? Mina?” now she feels extremely bad waking up the latter.

She cleared , “hey, is she with you?”

She heard shuffling from the other line, it seems that she fully woke up the Korean, “she’s not here as of right now, didn’t you checked the hospital she works?” and it seems the latter is fully aware as well why she’s inquiring at two in the morning.

“I did, but it seems she changed her shift and I don’t want to make her uncomfortable by pushing myself” she muttered quietly.

Jeongyeon chuckled on the other line, “believe me, it’s the opposite, well she took the night shift now and she should be getting out anytime soon”

“Thank you”

--

Mina blew an air out, seeing the smoke formed around in her lips while waiting for a certain figure to come out of the said hospital – she doesn’t like night shifts. She chuckled to herself remembering the habits of the older.

These habits that soon became a part of her own life.

Something that should not affect her – really.

But this is Nayeon’s habits.

Scent.

Quirks.

Likes.

Dislikes.

She’ll let anything in her life as long that it concerns the older.

Only her.

She huffed an air as she strides to the newly out figure, to which she took notice immediately, clearly remembering every curve with her mind and touch, “it’s cold”

The older did not speak but clearly flinched seeing Mina in front of her while the Japanese put her own scarf to the lonely neck of the older, “you’re weak to cold, why would you take the night shift, hm?”

“W–what are you doing here?” Nayeon gripped on the scarf.

Mina hummed, observing the tired features of the older – clearly from the work.

Still beautiful, nevertheless.

Mina shook her head, “nothing”

Silence once again consumed them, smoke forming in their lips but no one dared to break the cold atmosphere they are sharing, only staring right back at warmth they hold for one another not until Nayeon dared to, “then go home and rest”

“You want me to?” Mina will be always at the whim of the older even if Nayeon was totally clueless about it, even if it’s been already for years, “I’m asking, Nayeon” Mina clearly remember this situation she had before, “do you want me to?”

Once again, there was no response, only the gaze of the older.

And as always it’s been for her.

There will always be an exception.

One solely exception – Nayeon.

The only exception Mina has in her life.

“Do you want me to?”

“Go away” unlike before, it was a plead but completely contradictory to the words that was utter.

Mina sighed, closing the distance and engulfing the older into her arms, “I’d always go home to you, Nayeon”

She felt the latter’s arms tightly holding her back, “no matter how much you let me go, I’d always go home”

Now she felt the tears staining her shoulders and the lightly shaking of the older’s shoulders. She never likes it whenever the older cries, for no matter what reason it is to which if it pains whenever her longing arm meets the older – she’d painfully let go.

She smiled, “don’t cry” she murmured wiping the Korean’s tears.

“P–please go” Nayeon shut her eyes close in pain.

Mina nodded her head, “I’ll wait until you’re ready to see me again”

--

She can’t explain it.

Not because she’s out of words – she doesn’t know why they broke up.

Why Nayeon decided to end things with her.

She doesn’t know, yet even if she’s out of the box she’d continue to be that understanding towards Nayeon if it can ease the older’s worries for even the slightest b