"Nayeon." Mina hugged her from behind. Nayeon could smell her perfume, and she can feel Mina’s body on hers.

"Mina." Face automatically drawn a curve as Nayeon faced her-- eyes sparkling. Maybe it’s the mina effect as she calls it. Mina always looks so beautiful in Nayeon’s eyes. For her, she’s the most beautiful human being on earth.

"Why do we still use our names in calling each other?" She pouted. "Can’t we have an endearment or anything atleast?"

"We dont need any of those, Mina."

"And why?" She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms.

"Hearing you say my name is one of my favorite things in the world. Why do we need those cheesy call names anyway, right baby?" She blushed and Nayeon swears it’s her favorite part in teasing Mina. She always acts cute when she’s annoyed and the older girl falls for her charms everytime.

"Whatever." Mina marched away from Nayeon but the taller girl still managed to grab her arm.

"Aren’t you gonna hug me or like whatever?"

"Why would I?"

"I just said something sweet and it even made you blush, yet you opted to walk away? Manners."

“Okay?" She still started walking away from the older girl that left Nayeon dumbfounded.

"Hey hey. Are you mad?"

"No." Her flat tone had Nayeon taken aback, but she didn’t flinch and  strode towards the living room.

"I just dont want to call you stuff. I’m sorry, im just.. calling you Mina is more comfortable." I explained myself.

"Yeah yeah yeah. Okay." She uttered in a cold tone which made Nayeon flustered because she isn’t normally like that. Nayeon panicked.

"I’m sorry, okay?" It’s obvious how soft the older girl is when it comes to Mina, she’s the love of my life after all.

"It's okay." Mina still not glancing at Nayeon that urged the older girl to sat beside her and slightly caress her head.

"Mina, dont be like this." Nayeon softly held Mina’s hand but the latter didn’t reciprocate the hand- holding Nayeon initiated.

 "Hey, say something."

Mina doesn’t say anything but Nayeon immediately think of possible endearments she could use for her. She gets nervous when Mina’s annoyed, even with the dumbest reasons.

"Sweetie baby angel love boo" Nayeon looked like she was rapping because of her sudden release of words, but suddenly, a wide smile was plastered on Mina’s face. Nayeon thought it was like an angel fell from Heaven.

“Her smile is the most attractive part of her, especially when her eyes form a crescent-shaped, and her gums show. Aside from the fact that she has a beautiful face that makes most people like her, but she still chose me.” These thoughts linger in Nayeon’s mind. She couldn’t be more happy to have Mina by her side. She always thinks she’s lucky for that mere fact, and maybe she is.

"Call me boo, Nayeon. Please please please." She looks like a puppy craving for attention. Nayeon found her too cute. Her weakness has always been Myoui Mina.

--

As they walk on the busy streets with their hands intertwined, It was noticeable how Mina was catching her breathe. She’s struggling, and it looks like she’s already tired even though they just walked for a good 5 minutes. Nayeon didn’t want to ask, because she knows Mina. Her girlfriend will tell her if anything is wrong. But that didn’t stop her from asking her girlfriend about the situation anyway.

“Boo, are you okay? Mina?” Nayeon asked. She interlocked her fingers with Mina as she checks up on her. The younger girl only threw her a smile. Nayeon thought it was obvious how Mina still manages to hide things behind a beautiful smile.

“Of course, I am.” Mina sent her a forced smile. But eyes cant lie, Myoui Mina.. You’re not okay.

Nayeon gave out a sigh and a frown. She looks at Mina for a good 10 seconds without saying anything. Mina noticed the sudden action and she abruptly held Nayeon’s face. She caressed her cheeks with her thumb and slowly observed he facial features until she stopped and starred on the older girls’ eyes.

“Your eyes keep burning me and I wouldn't mind seeing myself burnt to ashes with your gaze, Nayeon-ah” Her voice was weak and fragile, “I was in a deep kind of universe to fall from your sweet eyes and precious voice, it was something.. It was something I wouldn't let go even for a second. Can you just.. Can you still hold on to me?”

A tear ran down her cheek, and Mina held Nayeon’s hand tightly. Once that first tear broke free, the rest followed in a continuous stream.

“Boo, what’s the problem?” Nayeon asked, her voice failing her. She immediately wiped her tears away, not wanting Mina to see it. She’s confused by her actions, and she doesn’t want to ask what’s wrong. She don’t want to pressure her. Because she knows, Mina will tell it soon. Hopefully.

“Nothing. I just want you to know that whatever happens, I will always be with you. I will always be right next to you. Remember that, Im Nayeon.”

Nayeon didn’t have a choice and nodded in response, but a tear escaped from her eyes. Mina’s actions, the way she said those things, it made Nayeon feel anxious. Mina’s words are deep, and Nayeon knows that she’s not always like that. She doesn’t know what will happen, but she doesn’t expect for the worst.

“Don’t overthink, nabongs. I’m okay. I just want to let you know that I love you, okay? I love you.” A reassuring smile surfaced on Mina’s face that slowly faded with tears coming from her eyes. It was painful for Nayeon to see the love of her life having a hard time with whatever it is that’s bugging her. All she could do was envelop the younger one in an embrace and let the torrent of her tears to soak through the older girl’s shirt.

“Don’t expect me to not overthink when you’re giving me reasons to. What’s going on, boo?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t know.” She whispers hugging the older one tightly. Nayeon could hear her silently screaming, suffocating with each breath she took holding onto the emotions she had been keeping for long. She ran her fingers through Mina’s hair in attempt to calm the silent war within her mind.

“I won’t force you to tell me. I will wait, just please don’t cry. You know I hate seeing you cry.” Mina hugged Nayeon tighter and there’s nothing the latter could do but hug her back.

Hours passed by and they were still wandering to the busy streets of Seoul when Mina’s phone rang. She temporarily released her hand from Nayeon to check on it.

“Okay. Okay. Yeah. I will come. Yes, i'm with Nayeon. Just wait, unnie. Okay. Yeah.” Mina ended the call and looked at me feeling sorry that she has to go home.

“Was that Bona? How is she?” Nayeon asked with a sweet smile but Mina just nodded at her.

“I think you should go. Is it an emergency? Do you want me to come with you?”  She continued. She knows it’s an emergency since Bona, Mina’s sister was the one who called, and she never calls Mina these days for nothing.

“No, Nabongs. I’m okay. I just need to be home by now. Will you be okay?”

“Of course. I will just pass by the craft shop to get some stuff and I will head home after that. Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” She nodded and hugged the older girl telling she’s going to be okay.

The slight assurance that Mina will be okay was all Nayeon needed to let her go. Nayeon initiated a hug and they embraced with such intensity. Their arms clasped around each other and pressed their chests together. Nothing much, just two people in love.

They let go of each other’s embrace, “Just call me if you need anything, okay?”

Mina let out a nod. She waved at her girlfriend goodbye and left her standing in front of a gift shop. As Nayeon walks towards the door, she cant help but think of the conversation she had with Mina. She knows something is wrong but she chose to believe that everything will be fine.

--

Nayeon slumped into her bed and decided to scroll through Netflix, when suddenly her phone rang. She immediately answered the call without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?” A woman from another line said. Nayeon suddenly felt anxious. She doesn’t know why but she feels like something is wrong. She instantly got up on her bed after hearing the voice.

“Hello?” She answered, tensed.

“This is Nayeon, right?”

“Y-yes. Who’s this?”

“Nayeon-ah.” A sudden change in her voice can be defined. “This.. this is Bona.”

Shock was drawn on Nayeon’s face, or maybe she felt stupid for not recognizing her voice.  

“Ah.. Bona! Hello! Is something wrong? Why did you call?”

Nayeon and Bona are same-aged friends. They eventually got closer when Mina introduced Nayeon to her sister. She never talked to Bona for months for a reason that the latter is focused on studying for med school and the latter barely comes home to their house and could barely meet up with Mina.

Nayeon tried to hide the nervousness in her voice.

“Can you come here right now? Nayeon, im sorry. Mina’s in the hospital.”

Nayeon felt my heart broke after hearing those words. Mina’s in the hospital.

She ended the call without saying anything and rushed to Mina’s family hospital. Her heart was pounding. She didn’t know what to do. She was too nervous and her mind’s already in a blur. She entered Mina’s suite and saw Bona silently crying on the side. She could see her girlfriend in a hospital bed, with machines and any of those life-saving devices attached to her while being accompanied by a doctor and three nurses.

“What happened?” Tears of despondency slowly cascaded down her cheeks leaving her so weak and frail.

“Nayeon, hold on please.” Bona clutched at Nayeon’s hand with warm liquid flowing through her cheeks.

“BONA I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON!”

The doctors looked at her signaling her to lower her voice. Nayeon was left frustrated with everything around her. She has no idea what’s happening, all she could do was let out every frustrations through a series of sobs. Her lungs rummaged for oxygen, and her sobbing had the same force of someone drowning

“Nayeon listen, Mina… She might leave us. Please, hold on.” Bona was lost for a moment. It was hard for her to deliver the news to Nayeon. She knew Mina has been keeping this to her girlfriend for so long.

It made Nayeon stop. It made her jaw drop. It made her world break.

“W-what do you mean? What is happening? I am just with her hours ago. She’s happy, she’s okay--” She realized.  

“Damn it!” Just now.