“I MISS YOU!!!!”

Those were the first three words that Mina heard that fateful Monday morning. For almost two weeks straight, Chaeyoung have been faithfully walking her to school. And now that Chaeyoung holds her pinky all the time, she regretted giving the choding a pass to hold her.

“We just didn’t see each other for the weekend get over it.”

Chaeyoung’s ponytail swish left and right as she shakes her head.

“Never!” She said with such conviction, “Being apart from you is something I will never get over.”

Mina ended up exhaling sharply before walking ahead of the choding. Somewhere in their two week “relationship” Mina have learned to never argue with the girl.

“While we are apart I was busy doing something…”

Mina glance at Chaeyoung. The girl tries to reach open her tiger backpack with her free arm but has a hard time doing it.

“Just let go of my finger so you could open your backpack?”

“Nope…”

Chaeyoung answers right away, trying to dig in her bag with her one hand. Mina just sighs exasperatingly and reaches out and hands the notebook to Chaeyoung.

“Thanks girlfriend…” Chaeyoung smiles brightly. “I realize that we two don’t have a nickname for each other…”

“A nickname?”

“You know like baby, sweetheart, darling… cupcake, muffin, honey…”

Mina let out an exasperated sigh and halts before Chaeyoung could say anymore disgustingly fattening sweet food.

“Ok… I get your point.”

“So, I research in the internet about the different cute ones.”

But before Chaeyoung could even say anything, Mina cut to the chase.

“Hmmm… I think I will call you brat.”

“Brat?” Chaeyoung wonders.

“Yes… because that’s what you are a brat.”

Chaeyoung wrinkle her nose annoyingly but decided to shake it off. She loves Mina but she’s not gonna drop down and not fight back.

“Oh… oh… okay… I think you are what those American people call a beach.”

Mina narrows her eyes… “You mean a ?” Mina says putting emphasis on the right syllable.

“Yes…” Chaeyoung nods “So, you call me brat, I call you .”

Mina just growls but decided to stop herself before it ruin her entire day. It so early in the morning and the girl is already pissing her off. But Chaeyoung wasn’t done with her.

“I love you, .”

“You can’t just throw those three words around!”

Chaeyoung tilts her head to the side and wonders, “What three words?”

“I love you.” Mina answers Chaeyoung easily.

Chaeyoung started blushing before exploding in cute giggles.

“I love you too…”

“What?” Mina’s eyes widen as she realized what Chaeyoung just made her do. “I didn’t… I…mean…I… ahhhh….”

Mina finally realizes that she lacks the right words to say and express it the best way she knows how.

“ARGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!”

Mina tries to walk away but ended up dragging Chaeyoung along with her as she tightly clench into her pinky.

ARRGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

Mina growls again and tries to yank Chaeyoung off but Chaeyoung seems to have superhero strength because she can’t shake the girl off.

“Let go…”

“I won’t my y bear…”

“What did you just call me?” Mina takes an intimidating first step closer. If it was other people, they would be shaking in their heels but not Son Chaeyoung.

“Yes… I think I just found the perfect one. y… because you’re so y and bear because I want to hug you all the time.”

Chaeyoung wraps her arms around herself, imagining it was Mina in her embrace.

Mina have a lot of things to spat at Chaeyoung… so many words… it was so early and she was growling already. But instead of fighting back, she only said the one thing she have been saying lately.

“ARGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH”

She growls walking ahead, dragging Chaeyoung along with her.

*

“Satang”

Plop…

That’s the sound of Dahyun squishing over her not so pleased BFF.

“What?” Sana growls, before trying to hide what she have been writing in her notebook.

“Ohhhh… what’s this?” Dahyun yanks what Sana is writing “Awwww… Satang… is this for Nayeon?”

“No…” Sana yanks the piece of paper away “It’s for my creative writing class… it’s not for anyone…”

“But this is so sweet…” Dahyun coos, her eyes sparkling as she reads the letter. “You know what? when I read the letter I felt like every sentence of it is about Tzuyu…”

Sana usually does an awesome job masking her true feelings, but right now even she can’t even hide how she feels. It’s a good thing she couldn’t figure out what it is, and it’s also a good thing that Dahyun was too caught up with the letter to notice.

Dahyun then turns over to her bestfriend and smiles.

“I wonder how Tzuyu would feel if I send her something like this? what do you think? Satang?”

Sana wished she had something to say but unfortunately she lost her train of thought an hour ago

*

“Aigoo Minari!”

Momo plops her lanky self in the chair besides Mina who was writing so furiously on her notebook.

“What’s up with you dude? You look like Light Yagami trying to write in his death note.”

Slam!

Momo got startled when Mina have slam her notebook shut.

“I already deal with all this cartoons with that immature brat, do I have to deal with it with my friends too?”

“Immature brat?” Momo raises her brow in confusion “Oh you mean your girlfriend…”

Mina snorts lightly and turns away. “Shut up…”

“If she irritates you this much, just break up with her…”

Instead of hearing a smart remark, Mina ended up being quiet. And Mina’s silence made a lot of sense for Momo. It’s not what people say that matters, it’s the things they didn’t say.

And Mina not saying anything prove that maybe she really don’t want to break up with the kid.

“What are you writing by the way?”

“That kid just give me a nickname! I want to find one that’s worse than what I have.”

“Why? What nickname? Did she gave you?”

Again Mina fell quiet, but this time Momo notice something that she rarely or almost never see in her bestfriend’s face.

She swore to God, she saw a tinge of pink blush sprouting on Mina’s cheeks.

*

Nayeon shakes her gorgeous head around as she steps into the coffee shop.

“I can do this… I am a born actress…”

She takes a deep breath. Her plan on Tzuyu’s winning Sana’s heart is about to begin. She perfectly devise a plan on how Sana could stop liking her and go to Tzuyu.

Plan A: Show Sana that’s she’s a biyatch, then Tzuyu comes to save Sana from Nayeon’s bishery… then Sana would be amaze of superhero Tzuyu and they would live happily ever after.

Nayeon even wrote a script that she and Tzuyu are going to perform right now. Tzuyu is waiting on a table, ready for her cue.

“Excuse me miss…” Nayeon demands from the barista… “But I didn’t order whip cream with my Frappuccino…”

“Yes you did miss…”

“Excuse me…” Nayeon gives the waitress her oh no you di-int look “Are you calling me a liar?”

Sana who works on the coffee shop approaches the two.

“Excuse me… I’m the manager here… what’s happening?”

“Oh that’s why this place is screwed up because a kindergarten is running it. Do you have anybody older than ten here?”

“Excusemeissomethinggoingonhere…” The robot Tzuyu intervened…

Nayeon’s jaw drop when she heard the way Tzuyu’s talks. She didn’t know that she has to rehearse their script too.

Nayeon looks over at Sana and she could see how Sana has the “what the hell is going on” look on her face. Could she blame her? Tzuyu is acting so frigid!!!

It’s up to her Nayeon Im to save this hopeless situation.

“What does this have to do with you, Chou?”

Nayeon believes that she said that so awesomely she deserves an award.

“Ummm…ahhhh…” Tzuyu tries to think but forgot her lines. Good thing she brought her script.

Tzuyu raises her hand to stop Nayeon, before trying to get something from her pocket. Nayeon wonders what it is… until…

OMO!

Nayeon covers her face in humiliation. Tzuyu just pulled out her script that Nayeon specifically wrote for this situation.

“Yes.I.have.a.problem.with…” Tzuyu stares intently at the piece of paper “What is this, Nabong?” Tzuyu points to a word she couldn’t read.

This is the end of Nayeon’s career as a matchmaker. But Nayeon has to salvage whatever is left of their pride.

“Ahahahaha!!!” Nayeon starts clapping “Great job… everyone… This is a rehearsal for my performance… thank you everyone for helping me…”

Nayeon starts blowing kisses, while trying to pull Tzuyu out of the exit.

And as soon as the two girls left, everyone was left to wonder.

“What the heck happen?”

*

“Do you play basketball, Chaeng?”

“YES!!!” Chaeyoung nods her head.

Momo and Jeongyeon smirks knowingly before dribbling the basketball on the ground.

“Good… This making Mina fall for you thing is easier than I thought…”

But Jeongyeon’s thought of hoping her plan would work stops when Chaeyoung continues talking.

“I play Oklahoma thunder for NBA2k18… Because of me, we were able to crash the Lakers… Lebron got nothing on me.”

Chaeyoung puffs her chest in pride for her accomplishment.

There was a chorus of facepalm for both Jeongyeon and Momo, followed by a shake in the head. The girl is just such a kid, they would have a hard time converting the girl to Mina’s dream girl.

Good thing Jeongyeon had another idea…

“Look Kid…” Jeongyeon cups Chaeyoung’s lean shoulders and stared deeply into those pair of innocent doe eyes “Do you know why me and Momo are helping you?”

“Because I’m very cute? and me and Mina will be a good match?”

“No… gosh… no… Me, Momo and Nayeon… we have met most of Mina’s admirers and all they want to do is try to impress her. They want Mina but they don’t give a crap about what Mina wants… But you… you want to make her happy, right?”

Chaeyoung nods happily. “That’s my life goal.”

“We know… that’s why were helping you out. In order to win Mina, you have to do the little things that make Mina happy. And Mina loves basketball… We’re going to surprise her… she’s going to see you’re in the court and then you would wow her with your basketball skills.”

Momo starts clapping slowly.

“Your genius just amaze me sometimes Jeong…”

“I know… I amaze me too… ME and Momo are part of this local girls team, so, we won’t have a problem letting you join. Here… show us what you can do…”

Jeongyeon hands the ball to Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung’s eyes widen like a child receiving a Christmas present, she starts dribbling the ball.

“Not bad… not bad… Try to pass it to Momo.”

Chaeyoung throws a good chest pass to Momo.

“Good…”

“I’m a tensai like Hanamichi Sakuragi…” Chaeyoung squeals out excitedly.

“Yes… yes… you are… now try to shoot.”

Ok… perfect stance… perfect position but too bad the ball flew over the court.

If Chaeyoung was playing baseball, she would be an awesome pitcher.

*

Left, right, up, upside down…

Chaeyoung is trying to find a good sleeping position but she can’t…

She let out a huff of frustration, spreading her limbs on her bed…

Tomorrow will be her first game and she doesn’t know if it’s the excitement or her nerves that is keeping her awake.

Chaeyoung reaches out for her phone and just stares at the Mina wallpaper she has. Her pout turns into a smile, and out of nowhere she lets out a squeal.

“She’s so beautiful…”

*

Sana growls as she is hearing bouncing noises in her home that late. She stomps toward the window ready to give that person a piece of her mind. But then she sees Chaeyoung outside, at almost the break of dawn just practicing basketball.

It amazes her that no matter how choding or immature her sister is, she just does this things for the one she loves.

And here she was, loving Tzuyu for almost three years, didn’t have the guts to even say hi.

*

It was their first game and Jeongyeon approaches Momo who was trying her shots.

“Where is the kid?”

“I don’t know…” Momo shrugs before shooting a mid range jumper. “Don’t worry she loves Mina so much, there is no way she would miss…”

“Unnie…”

“GOD DAMN! WHAT THE HELL ARE THOSE THINGS!”

Jeongyeon pointed out to Chaeyoung’s neon green shoes… It was shining so bright, it look radioactive.

“My shoes? Don’t you know? Neon is the best way to get attention?”

“I told you girl…” Jeongyeon wraps her arms around Chaeyoung’s lean shoulder “We are going for subtle… subtle…”

“Oh…”

“Well… too late now… Mina and her family are here.”

“Mina?”

Chaeyoung’s eyes beam at the thought of Mina. Chaeyoung turns around and sees Mina sitting on the bleachers with her BFF Sakura and their mom.

“Where you going?!” Jeongyeon asks…

“I have to greet my family…”

Jeongyeon just let go and let Chaeyoung run to the bleachers to Mina.

“Mom… what’s this?” Mina wonders as her mom is passing out posters.

“I made this for my daughter…”

“Daughter?” Mina raised her brow.

“Yes… Chaeyoung…”

Mina grits her teeth, making sure she’s not going to explode.

“Chaeyoung is not your daughter mom.” Mina corrected her mom.

“She would be… when you two get married…” her mom says casually, while waving her poster out. “She will be the mother of my future grand kids…”

Sakura could feel her sister trembling in anger beside her, being the good dongsaeng just pats her unnie's back hoping to make everything feel better.

“OMO! Don’t tell me this is the reason why you want to watch the game?! To see Chaeyoung?”

Her hopeless mother covers and starts to giggle.

“Ahihihihihi… ahihihihihi”

Mina could only growl… To make matters worse, Chaeyoung have now hop over to them waving her hand happily.

“Hello my y bear…”

Sakura could only gasps, fearful of what her unnie is going to do her bestfriend.

“y bear?” Mina was fuming, trying to calm herself before she shoots Chaeyoung into a basketball ring.

“See?” Chaeyoung points out to the number in her jersey “I got number 9… because when I add our birthdays… 3 plus 2 plus 4 and mine is 4 plus 2 plus 3… guess what?”

“It’s 9?”

“Yes… it’s like destiny y bear.”

“Stop calling me that…” Mina growls.

“That should be the date of your wedding September 9.”

“Mom please…” Mina pleads for her mother to stop.

“I’m sorry we have to cancel the dinner, Chaeng. Their dad has to go to a last minute business trip and he really wants to meet you.”

“That’s okay mommy… We could wait until daddy comes back.” Chaeyoung gives her thumbs up to her mother in law…

“Mommy?!” Mina stands up in front of Chaeyoung’s face.

Sakura yanks her unnie back in the seat before she could clobber Chaeyoung. “I don’t even call my mom, mommy."

“Chaeyoung come on!!!”

Chaeyoung got save by the bell.

“I have to go! Wish me luck my y bear… You heard of Linsanity… now get ready for Chaengsanity…”

Chaeyoung flex her biceps to show off her strong arms.

“Pffft…”

Chaeyoung starts hopping down to the gym. Chaeyoung sits down at the bench, clenching her fist in triumph.

“Son Chaeyoung fighting…”

But after three quarters…

Chaeyoung can’t hardly look anywhere but down the floor, it just feels so embarrassing for her. The love of her life is watching the game, but she’s so deep in the bench, she’s not even sitting on the bench anymore. Jeongyeon and Momo could feel Chaeyoung’s pain, their plan is not working right now…

It’s up to genius Jeongyeon to concoct a plan…

Jeongyeon then pulls Momo closer and whispers…

The whistle blew and after a few seconds of the girls running around… Momo just ends up falling to the floor.

OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

Her booming scream echoed throughout the gymnasium making everyone break up in a chorus gasp…

A gasp like this… GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!

“THE PAIN! THE PAIN!!!!”

Momo yells out while clutching her ankle…

“SOMEONE JUST KILL ME NOW INSTEAD OF LETTING ME DIE OF TORTURE HERE!”

Jeongyeon just asks Momo to pretend to get injured, not pretend that she’s dying. But Momo thinks that every opportunity is golden to showcase her acting prowess and now she’s right there in the gymnasium floor, crawling to the bench, reaching out for the coaching staff to save her from her “misery”.

“Damn it… who are we going to play?”

The coach looks at the pathetic bench… the girl shaped like a ball, the girl who got glasses as thick as soda bottles, the girl who looks like she’s about to hyperventilate soon or maybe the small cute choding can play.

“You”

“Me?” Chaeyoung points to herself…

“Go out there and show us what you can do.”

Chaeyoung quickly turns back to look if Mina was seeing her in her glory. Mina has her arms cross and her brows knitted but still she was looking at her.

Chaeyoung waves at Mina making Mina just narrows eyes more.

“Awwww… honey… your Chaeyoung is so cute…” Her mother cues…

“She’s not mine…”

But the moment Chaeyoung steps into the court, she just froze up...

"Chaeyoung... stop her!"

And when Chaeyoung got back to her senses, she immediately tackled the ballhandler from the other team.

The shrill whistle breaks down and the referee points at Chaeyoung.

“Number 9 foul…”

“What?” Chaeyoung quickly turns to see if Mina sees her, looking so disappointed to be fouling like this.

“OFFENSIVE FOUL!”

“PUSHING FOUL!”

“BLOCKING FOUL!”

“ REACHING FOUL!”

And after 5 minutes…

“6^th foul for number 9…”

“B-b-but…” Chaeyoung looks so disappointed as she saunters to the bench.

Mina didn’t know why but she felt horrible seeing the usual so happy Chaeyoung, sulking like a kick puppy in a corner.

*

After the game… Chaeyoung even if she was so sad for her embarrassing first game. She knows it’s her duty to walk her y bear and her family back home.

But MinaSa’s mom Sachiko has other ideas.

Sachiko pulls Sakura to the back to let Mina and Chaeyoung walk ahead of them. Both girls were quiet…

“Ummm… Sakurababy?”

“Yes mom…” Sakura says politely.

“Come with your mom to the grocery store, will you?”

“Ummm sure?” Sakura answers unsurely.

Mina and Chaeyoung turns, thinking they are coming too.

“No… you two go home…”

Sachiko shooed Michaeng away.

“Try to cheer your girlfriend, up, would you Minari?”

“Mom… stop…” Mina groans embarrassingly.

Mina turns to Chaeyoung and the girl flutter her lashes, trying to win Mina over to keep her company.

“Fine… Fine!” Mina said in defeat… “Let’s go.”

“Bye!!!”

Sachiko yanks Sakura away, leaving Chaeyoung and Mina there on the street.

“Will you hold my hand to make me feel better?”

“No…”

Chaeyoung evades Mina’s gaze and turns her sad doe eyes to the ground.

“You have a game next week.”

Mina takes the basketball from Chaeyoung’s grip.

“C’mon I’ll teach you.”

*

Jeongyeon, Momo and Nayeon were walking back home when they spotted an unusual sight by the playgrounds.

Jeongyeon and Momo hurriedly duck under the bush, but Nayeon have other things in mind.

Nayeon… what the hell are you doing?!”

Jeongyeon asks as Nayeon just seems to be posing right then and there…

“I’m sorry I just can’t help but admire myself.”

“What?”

“Look…” Nayeon points to her shadow on the ground from the lamp post… “Even my shadow looks hot…”

“GET DOWN HERE!” Jeongyeon yanks Nayeon to hide in the bush with them.

*

Mina should just enjoy the peace and quiet, that’s why it kills her to admit that she misses the noise associated with the girl beside her.

“Get over it…” Mina tries to comfort the girl.

“But I’m sad…”

Chaeyoung bats her lashes sadly, but for Mina she thinks that it looks too damn cute that she had to turn away to stop herself from cooing at the girl.

“Now I know how Rudolph feels…” Chaeyoung sighs…

“The reindeer?”

“Yes…”

“I don’t even know why I’m asking this… but why?”

Mina gulps as she gaze eye to eye with those lovely endearing pair of doe eyes.

“Because they won’t let me join in their reindeer games.”

DERP! There goes the moment that Chaeyoung have just perfectly ruined.

“C’mon… I’ll help you.”

Mina smiles as she felt the basketball in her hands, she starts bouncing the ball up and down.

“Ok… for now, let’s just forget about shooting, passing and all that… Were going to focus on how you can stay longer than 5 minutes on the court. You have to learn how to defend properly.”

Mina starts to dribble faster… But instead of the ball, Chaeyoung’s full focus was on Mina.

“Keep your eye on the ball, not on me…”

Chaeyoung finds that too hard since there is nothing in this world could distract her from Mina.

“You should use your height to your advantage… Ok… when you defend try not to touch your opponent… Keep your arms straight up and down…”

Chaeyoung raises her arms up, looking so enthusiastic and serious with her lesson and Mina turns around to hide her smile on how cute Chaeyoung looks.

“Ok… I’m going to penetrate to the basket, don’t try to do too much… just keep your position in front of your opponent.”
Chaeyoung nods and puts her game face on, waving her arms up and down.

Mina starts dribbling fast to attack the basket, but before she could go for the lay up, Chaeyoung wraps her arms around Mina.

“What the?!”

Chaeyoung knew what she did was a foul, but this was her chance to hug Mina and she’s not letting the opportunity past.

Mina felt herself froze up as Chaeyoung just wrap her in a warm backhug. Instead of fighting back, Mina just felt herself just letting go, allowing Chaeyoung to wrap her arms around her.

“That’s a foul!” Mina finally yells out… Trying to shake Chaeyoung’s grip out of her.

“Well…” Chaeyoung lets go “I was trying to make sure you don’t get a score.”

“That’s a foul… you want to foul out again?” Mina got on Chaeyoung sternly

And like a child getting scolded, Chaeyoung looks scared, shaking her head.

“Then… don’t do that… you understand me?”

“Yes…”

Then Chaeyoung pokes Mina in the stomach.

“What the heck do you do that for?”

“Was that a foul?”

“YES!”

Chaeyoung then pokes Mina in the side….

“Is this a foul?”

“Yes…”

“Everytime you touch me, you get a foul.”

Chaeyoung got bolder and poke Mina once again.

“I’d rather be fouled out and get the chance to hold you for a bit, then score a million points and can’t even touch you…”

Why? Why does Chaeyoung make Mina so speechless so effortlessly?

Mina’s silence made Chaeyoung poke her arm.

“Stooooppp…”

Mina let out a girly squeal, taking Chaeyoung’s hand in hers. The two got a chance to look at each other.

“Thanks y bear…”

“For what?”

The troll smirk in Chaeyoung’s face disappeared, turning into a shy, soft smile. Their hands drop down to the side, and Mina unconsciously intertwines their fingers together.

“Making me happy…”

Mina just smiles looking away, wondering why it’s so hard to admit that Chaeyoung makes her happy too… Irritated, annoyed, sometimes even homicidal… But at the end of it all, Chaeyoung still makes her smile so effortlessly.

“Pffttt…” Mina snorts to ignore her admission. She ends up ruffling Chaeyoung’s hair.

“You’re so cheesy, baby monkey.”

Chaeyoung tries to swat Mina’s hand off her head but Mina was too quick for her.

“Baby monkey?”

“That’s your nickname… Because you act like a baby, and you’re so clingy like a monkey…”

Mina knew she finally win this battle as she sees Chaeyoung’s face contorted into a frown.

“I hate it…”

Mina scoffs…

“Deal with it… baby monkey…”

“YAAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Chaeyoung huffs and starts jumping up and down like an angry baby monkey.

“See? That’s why I call you baby monkey… because you act like one…”

“NO I DON’T!!!! RAWRRRRRR!!!!”

Mina pursed her lips to hide her laugh as an annoyed looking Chaeyoung just growled so cutely at her.

“What was that for?”

“I’m mad… Hmmmmppp…”

Chaeyoung yells out before trying to chase Mina around.

*

“Hmmm… that’s strange…”

Jeongyeon and Momo turns and wonders what Nayeon was trying to say.

“I have never seen Mina just laughing and enjoying like this.”

Jeongyeon and Momo turns back to the sight of the couple. Mina was trying to evade Chaeyoung who was determine to poke her.

Yes… What Nayeon said was true, it was strange…

But for once, this kind of strange is a good thing.

*

“Oh c’mon Nayeon”

The girls poke on their friend who is much more busy on her phone than with her two bestfriends.

“You hardly spend time with us, and you would rather be on your phone than talk to us.”

“No… I was just checking my phone… you know how Mina hardly tweets or anything?”

“Yeah…” Momo answers through her chips on the mouth. “I don’t know why that girl has twitter anyway. She ignores people trying to talk to her.”

“She could be a beach, that Mina…”

Nayeon raise her brow but didn’t dare to correct Jeongyeon.

“Why? Did Minari tweet something?”

“No… but she retweeted this…”

Jeongyeon and Momo steps closer to Nayeon’s pink Iphone and couldn’t understand what they just red.

Baby_Monkey @ Chaengsanity
Baby_Monkey <3 y bear
Retweeted by @MyouiMina

The three girls just look at each in confusion, shrugging as no one has the answer.

Jeongyeon, Momo and Nayeon didn’t know what just happen to their bestfriend… But sometimes some things are better left unanswered.

But as long as they know their bestfriend is finally found happiness, then… that’s the only thing worth knowing.