A/N: [Slight warning kinda: talks about insecurity and worries about homophobia] Also, very slightly proofread!

Things only seemed to fall apart after orange starburst-flavored kisses that made Mina breathless and dizzy. Each drawing her closer and closer into the abyss of forgetfulness.

It had taken awhile for Mina to truly realize the close proximity in totality until the only concept she could process with her now-opened eyes was Nayeon’s own. Their legs were entangled like an unkempt rose garden, and she could’ve sworn her foot was going numb. Nevertheless, Mina felt way too comfortable with how Nayeon’s warm breath tickled her lips and how her arms were circled around her neck to say anything about it.

Cataracts of golden, borderline titian, sun dripped down from the window’s parted blinds onto Nayeon’s back, highlighting her milky neck and casting a light shadow which made her eyes seem unbelievably deeper.

Drowsiness was evident on Mina face along with a slight brush of roseate pink across her cheeks; both of which were uncontrollable and adorable, at least to Nayeon, who couldn’t help but smile.

Nayeon’s hand untangled itself out of its clasped-grip to skim against Mina’s right cheek, threading fingers through delicate, scattered strands of hair and curling them behind her ear. Upon contact, the younger’s eyes fluttered shut and her breathing slowed. After some time—she fell into a soft slumber.

Nayeon instinctively chuckled and leaned in closer. Her eyes followed the stray wisps of hair on the younger girl’s forehead while shallow breaths of air were filtered by the loose fabric of the pillow beneath her head. Nayeon, feeling the urge to do something other than stare, saw Mina’s slightly parted mouth as her personal invitation. Closing the small distance between them, the touch of the lips was light and airy, sweet and singular, lingering, but ultimately unlike the ones before.

Her ears picked up a faint but teasing, “Hmm?”. Suddenly, without warning, Nayeon was pulled by her hips, flush against Mina’s figure. It was intensely close to the extent of hearing Mina’s not-so-steady heartbeat ram against her ribcage. An extent Nayeon was taken aback to so quickly reach.

As a result, Nayeon let out a held breath as Mina, eyes still closed, had a smirk plastered on her face. She tried to hide it by nuzzling into Nayeon’s neck, but Nayeon knew and wore a toothy grin of her own.

”You’re ridiculous,”

Nayeon remarked, trailing off at the end to angle her head to whisper the rest into Mina’s ear.

Mina giggled against Nayeon in response. With her hot breath pooling into the space between her collarbones, she only squeezed her tighter.

What felt like an incalculable amount of time spent drinking in Mina’s hypnotizing inhales and exhales caused Nayeon to shuffle back slightly, allowing enough space between them to admire Mina’s already sleeping face.

With her sunset-tinged lips formed in a pout, Nayeon couldn’t stop herself from staring (again), bringing a finger to lightly trace a pattern from the mole near Mina’s bottom lip to the one on the tip of her forehead.

A tender voice brought Nayeon out of her trance,

“Nayeon-unnie, haven’t you realized by now that I’m a light sleeper?”

Nayeon blinked a couple of times, caught off guard by Mina’s sudden awareness.

”Oh...yea- I.”

Nayeon retracted her hand, looking down and feeling slightly flustered,

”Sorry.”

”No,” Mina said simply, using her warm hand to grab Nayeon’s and guide it back to her face. Placing in on her cheek, she leaned into the touch.

”Don’t be.” she finished with a sweet smile that had Nayeon drunk in love all over again.

Nayeon continued to trace more lines on Mina’s skin as she mumbled her thoughts out loud,

”How do you manage to just-....make me love you so much.”

Mina tiredly laughed at this statement; eyes crinkled, gums peeking out above her teeth.

”I am known to have that kind of effect on people.”

After a few beats of comfortable but genuinely expectant silence on Nayeon’s part, Mina cheekily added, “But luckily for you, I just so happen to love you just as much.”

It was Nayeon’s turn to laugh. She moved her hand to Mina’s nose, squeezing and wiggling it side-to-side in a playful manner.

”It sounds like I’ve rubbed off on you.”

Mina yanked Nayeon’s hand off of her nose and intertwined their fingers,

”Everyone has always said you're a bad influence on-.”

*silence*

Mina’s breath hitched. Her eyes contracted. Her voice was suddenly stuck in and pounding to get out.

”Mina?”

”I,” It released in a strained huff.

Mina abruptly sat upright on her knees; sheets slipping off her body. She removed her hand from Nayeon’s while once calm eyes swirled, contorting the flicks of vibrant amber around her pupils into puddles of muddy distraught.

The embodiment of realization reflected upon her face.

”Oh,” Mina said with a slight tremble in her voice. Hands fidgeted with the creamy white duvet, clenching and unclenching.

Nayeon furrowed her brow, and then suddenly, she remembered as well, “It’s..”

Mina almost choked on nothing while drawing in a deep breath, “What time is it?”

”S-,” Nayeon was about to express her worry but stopped herself, sitting up and crawling out and over the covers to the bedside table to pick up her phone and answer Mina’s question, “6:03.” 

Inhaling deeply and squeezing her eyes shut, Mina paused for a moment, looking to be in deep thought, then simply muttered, “I’m late..”

”Mina,” Nayeon called out and scooted closer; eyebrows furrowed as she began to lightly thread through Mina’s hair.

”Mina,” she repeated. Her voice playing on a slightly pleading note, silently waiting for a echoic response with a different answer.

With the attention on her anxious reverie being whisked away at the simple call of her name, Mina’s features relaxed with clear apprehension.

Still, she couldn’t look her in the eyes as only a whisper dared to part from her, “Nayeon.”

Nayeon moved even closer,  ”Hey, hey-”

They held eye contact for only a few seconds until the younger’s already wavering gaze broke, looking down to study the creases of the fabric in her hands.

Lowering her hands onto her shoulders, Nayeon ducked her head to peer into Mina’s eyes, but she averted once again,

”Look at me, mmh. Can you do that for me? Please?” Nayeon added with a reassuring smile.

Although Mina’s mind screamed with doubt and shame blazed her body, she pushed herself to glance back at the other girl.

“It’s okay....” Nayeon tried to assure and lighten the tone of the conversation, ”Tell them it was traffic?”

When Mina didn’t answer, Nayeon took the initiative to rest her forehead on hers. Both of them closing their eyes at the sensation.

They let the silence steamroll over them for the present moment. Mina distracted herself by focusing on both the faint hum of the AC unit and the hypnotizing turns of the ceiling fan, breaking away from Nayeon’s touch to glance upwards. In response, Nayeon’s clement body and mildly rushed attitude melted into Mina’s front. With the distance between them seemingly nonexistent, the older gently nosed along Mina’s collarbone, trailing touches that were reminiscent of small kisses.

The feverish waves contrasted the shivering breeze on Mina’s neck and back, but both simultaneously contributed to the sudden ripple of goosebumps all over her flushed body.

Letting out a gasp while arching into Nayeon, Mina gripped onto her hips, “Yeon, I have to leave..”

”I know.” Nayeon answered against the younger’s skin, stating her next words carefully. The vibrations of her voice sending a shockwave down Mina’s spine, “You always do.”

The words, even though they lacked any spitefulness, hurt Mina. More so because they were true. She thought back to the times to when she did just leave, or about how many dates had to be planned in secret, or the countless whispered promises and confessions shared between the two of them at strange hours of the night, and how it was all because Mina was scared.

Scared about what people might think of her, scared about what they might think of her.

Mina, reflecting on these points, felt that Nayeon didn’t deserve this. She doesn’t deserve being tucked away and pulled out when it’s convenient to her.

However, Nayeon never said anything, she never complained even though Mina knew it bothered her, but in Mina’s mind, that just made it worse. Nayeon was always a naturally touchy person, but she had to limit herself because of Mina. In the end, she felt as though everything was her fault...

“How could I be so-“

Mina stopped when she felt Nayeon’s eyes on her, realizing that she had begun to think out loud.

Nayeon’s eyebrows were bunched up in confusion, “Go on..”

Internally (and externally) panicking, Mina blabbered out, “I- um.....nothing really.”

”Mina.” Nayeon whined, “Spill.”

”I-,” Coming to the conclusion that Nayeon wasn’t going to let this go, Mina gave up,

“Selfish. How could I be so selfish..”

A moment of silence wedged its way between them. Mina could already feel her eyes start to sting as she forced her line of vision down, but as fast as the silence came, it left just as quickly.

”God, no...Mina, you’re not selfish.”

”....“

Nayeon’s voice became so, so gentle, ”Minari, you really believe that?”

Mina didn’t say anything, but her quiet sniffles answered for her.

All Nayeon could do was wrap her in a hug, hoping that the affection would help soothe her worries. She craned her neck to whisper constant “I love you”s sprinkled with “you deserve the world” and other praises and affirmations.

After minutes of Nayeon holding her and subtlety rocking back and forth, Mina found her voice.

”I said I had to go but-“ Mina started, leaving meaningful touches up Nayeon’s waist and tracing the outline of her stomach.

”But!?” Nayeon questioned, pulling back to face Mina’s loving stare and irritated cheeks with a surprised look of her own.

Mina laughed dryly, clearing , “Not now.”

Nayeon smiled. She really smiled. It was a face-splitting grin that matched her bright, glistening eyes. It seemed like an overwhelming amount of giddiness shot through her bloodstream at that exact moment. Nayeon was probably [this] close to bouncing up and down in a lively fit of celebration, but she settled for surging forward and meeting Mina with a searing kiss. One that started with their teeth clinking together and ended with Mina muttering,

”Maybe not ever.”

❂

[Le Coucher du Soleil Romantique]