The following days go by quite peacefully for Chaeyoung, compared to what happened earlier. She can walk around the infirmary on the second day, with Mina's aid. It's still a struggle, since her right leg isn't completely healed, it feels much better when she can stand on her own legs again.

They move back to her and Mina's shared guest room on the third day. It's better staying in their secluded room. Chaeyoung can enjoy Mina's pampering, cuddles and kisses without worrying someone might interrupt. The sons visit regularly too. Yoochun checks on her twice a day. Junsu and Changmin bring snack and some computer games for Mina to play. They bring board game too, but they get too competitive and can't control their loud arguments sometimes. The game would end by either Yoochun or Mina kicks the other two men out of the room for disturbing Chaeyoung's rest.

Chaeyoung doesn't mind it that much. It's nice to see Mina being so comfortable and welcomed in a group of people, and have fun too. There're not many people considered as Mina's worthy opponents in video games, but Junsu is definitely one of them. For Chaeyoung, it's always fun to see Mina's competitive side.

Mina's hand is losing the dark colour and starts to feel more lively again. But Chaeyoung’s headache is still there. Whenever she lets her mind wander to the memory of that night, whenever she feels like she's about to catch something, the key, the answer to all of it, a headache forms and pulls her away. It's frustrating. It's like a thin veil separating her from the mind-blowing truth, but whenever she's about to touch it, to pull that veil out of the way, everything recedes much further away.

Chaeyoung knows she shouldn't push herself, but she can't help it. It’s there, just barely an arm reach away, yet almost impossible to attain. They all tell her she shouldn’t be so bothered but somehow, she couldn’t put it down. Despite not yet knowing what it is, she has a strong feeling it would be a big revelation.

It doesn’t help that her body is healing at a snail’s pace either. Granted, it has been just six days since she woke up with more broken bones than she can count on one hand, but it’s frustrating being so weak. She used to run miles a day, and now she couldn’t walk a full circle around the front yard without stopping every five minutes to rest. Ugh, and the bandage on her left shoulder too, it’s still hurting while her bones have mended. Something about a particular kind of magic in the tiger’s strike, the healer told her. Chaeyoung just found it absolutely inconvenient. She couldn’t put on her clothes properly without Mina’s help, which is embarrassing.

She can manage other stuff, like feeding herself and going to the toilet, but Mina is adamant about assisting Chaeyoung in the bathroom, reasoning that Chaeyoung's left hand is still bandaged. While Chaeyoung, in her horror, refuses profusely, insisting that she can handle a simple shower.

"I don't know why you make such a fuss about it." Mina complains, finally relents. "I bathed you all the time."

"Minaaaaa." The ginger haired girl whines. "That's when I'm in cat form. It's embarrassing when I'm in my human form."

"It's nothing I haven't seen--"

"It's an emergency situation! I'm not having this conversation now. I'm going in." She quickly snatches the clothes from Mina's hand and gets in the bathroom before the older girl can say even more embarrassing things.

"Fine." Mina huffs before calling out. "Don't lock the door. And yell if you need help!"

***

Chaeyoung really contemplates succumbing to Mina's offer. Taking off her clothes turns out to be quite a struggle when you have one arm bandaged. She manages to do it though. It would be too much embarrassment if Mina is undressing her, like, right now. She tries not to think about it.

When Chaeyoung steps into the bathtub, the water isn't as hot anymore and the bubbles have dissolved in half. It's alright. She can manage. She doesn't need Mina's help in bathing.

On second thought, it would be great if she could have Mina bathed for her as usual. Usual as when she's in cat form, she means. No, wet fur is a curse, and she was always grumpy after bathing. She's tired already. It takes all of her energy to struggle out of her clothes and she really wants to just sleep in here.

As if hearing her thoughts, Mina calls out again. It sounds like she’s right on the other side of the bathroom door.

"Are you okay in there?" Mina asks.

A simple "okay" would do the trick, but somehow, it is stuck at the back of , forming a lump and forcing her tears to burst out from frustration. She shouldn't be this tired doing normal stuff. She should have taken care of herself better.

Too busy in self agony, she almost misses Mina's tiny yell "I'm coming in." until the girl comes in.

The look of distress on Chaeyoung's face must be painstakingly visible that Mina only lets out a soft "oh baby" before she's cradling the younger's face in her hands. Chaeyoung huffs but leans into Mina's touch right away, her eyes flutter close.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Mina whispers panickedly and Chaeyoung shakes her head.

"Tired." She mumbles, and Mina understands right away.

The older girl coos "My poor baby" and puts a kiss on Chaeyoung's forehead, "let me take care of you, alright?"

A normal Chaeyoung would have hated the idea, she hates depending on other people for minor stuff. But that's if she wasn't too tired and the person offering that wasn't Mina.

After light scrubbing and rinsing, Chaeyoung finds herself quickly wrapped in two thick layers of towel and bathrobe, and later, blanket. Later, curling in Mina's embrace, she asks timidly, voice muffled from the stuffy nose covered in blanket.

"Am I troublesome?"

Mina doesn’t answer right away, but Chaeyoung feels soft hands cradle and guide her face away from behind the thick blanket. As soon as her gaze meets Mina’s, the realization of how silly her question is dawns on her. She wants to avert her gaze, but Mina’s hands keep her in place, tenderly but firmly.

“Why do you ask that, Chaeyoung-ah?” Her voice is soft, not at all accusing, yet Chaeyoung can’t help feeling guilty of bringing that up in the first place.

“It’s just… you have to take care of me every day. I’m so weak. I can’t even bath myself!”

She closes her eyes, not wanting to face Mina’s questioning gaze. She knows she’s being unreasonable right now. But she hates it. She hates being so weak and can’t do anything.

Delicate fingers smoothen the crease between her eyebrows and Chaeyoung opens her eyes to meet with Mina’s. The older is looking at her with nothing but affection and care.

“Do you… do you hate me taking care of you?”

“No, it’s not that—”

“Or is that you don’t like my hugs and kisses?”

“No no no.” Chaeyoung frantically tries to get out of the blanket cocoon to reassure Mina until she sees the playful smile on the older’s face. “You are teasing me!”

Chaeyoung huffs, wanting to shove Mina away but she forgets that her hands are still wrapped inside the blanket cocoon. Of course her attempt fails (she doesn’t want to push Mina anyways) and she falls right into Mina’s waiting arms.

“You are just too cute it’s hard not to.” Mina smiles warmly. “But seriously, you are never a burden to me. Cat Chaengie or human Chaeyoung, I will always want to take care of you.”

“Besides, you are wounded while trying to save my life. It’s the least I can do.”

“But it’s---” Chaeyoung’s argument falls short. She really doesn’t know what to say. Luckily, Mina understands.

“I know it’s frustrating but recovering can be long and we have to be patient.” She caresses the puffy cheeks to ease the pout away. It doesn’t work right away and an idea sparks in Mina’s head. “We are companions, right? Aren’t we supposed to take care of each other?”

Ignoring Chaeyoung mumbling some confirmation incoherently, Mina continues. “I don’t know if it’s the definition of companion in magic world, but I’m sure that girlfriends are supposed to take care of each other too.”

Mina bites her tongue, waiting for Chaeyoung to process her words. The younger girl is frozen in place and Mina starts getting worried when each second passes and Chaeyoung still doesn’t show any sign of breathing. A minute later, Chaeyoung opens before closing like a stranded fish without any words out and Mina starts to contemplate if she has chosen the wrong time.

“Are you… did you just refer to us as girlfriends?”

“Yes. Do you not like it?” Mina asks. “I’m sorry if I’m assuming but we basically--- I mean, do you want to be my girlfriend?”

Mina was quite confident about Chaeyoung’s answer. They have been acting like a couple for months, hell, they even confessed they loved each other. But why, at this very moment, self-doubt starts crippling in, and maybe Mina has read things wrong?

Luckily, Chaeyoung’s face breaks into a genuine smile, blowing all Mina’s worries away.

“Of course! I would love to be your girlfriend!”

The joyful smile and toothy grin are making Mina’s inside flips like hot pancakes. Not able to contain herself, she pulls the girl in for a searing kiss, leaving them both breathless after. However, it still cannot wipe away Chaeyoung’s grin.

“Wow. Easy there. You just asked me to be your girlfriend a minute earlier.” She winks. The kiss has rejuvenated her somehow.

“Well, I saw you , so…” Mina shrugs, deciding to play along.

The younger girl gasps, hands gripping the blanket around her firmly.

“You ert!”

That’s it. Mina has had enough of it. She climbs on top of the younger girl, careful not to hurt Chaeyoung’s shoulder and successfully traps the cat girl under her.

“And what are you gonna do about it?”

“Take you on a date?” Chaeyoung’s response is not something Mina expected. “After this all ends, when we are back to our place, do you wanna go on a date with me?”

“Of course.” She smiles into the kiss, which is much more tender this time. “I would love to.”

***

The healer exhales a chuckle that sounds more like a sigh when Chaeyoung asks about Jaejoong and Yunho, whom she hasn’t seen around since she’s back. They are strolling around the front garden, circling the marble angel and dolphin fountain. Yoochun has offered to accompany Chaeyoung while Mina hangs out with Junsu. The smiley vampire has demanded a rematch after his loss and it seemed to take a while.

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