4

"Sana, there's just no way I haven't gotten over this yet." Mina paced back and forth inside her cousin's room. It's been few days since the beach visit, Mina still hasn't come into a conclusion on what she truly feels or what she'll do about these feelings. It came to a point where she's avoiding talking to Nayeon too, being busy in the council helped a lot since she's occupied with work and she won't have to think about the excuses to why she's avoiding the older.

Sana eyed her through the vanity mirror she's looking at. "Maybe you like her? What's so complicated about that?"

Mina halted, staring at Sana. "I can't like her."

"And why is that?" Sana asked while putting eyeliner.

"I just can't. I told her I'll be over it after a month and it's not happening." Mina exhaled deeply, starts to walk in circles again.

"You're actually making me dizzy." Sana puts down the kit she's holding and turned to her. "I personally think you're over reacting. You're eighteen, why are you acting like you're choosing to get married or not."

Mina jumped onto Sana's bed, head first. She reached for one of the pillows to cover her face.

"Are you in love with her?" Sana dropped the question.

The younger instantly sits up, mouth agape, eyes widened hearing those words. "No!" she yelled to deny, almost immediately. Liking the same gender is frowned upon in town. Mina is yet to come in terms with her uality, she never thought about it deeply, she doesn't find it weird either that she's attracted to Nayeon, she had admired other people before too. She's very much an open minded person; but right now she's very confused because with Nayeon it's different, it's something new to her that she's got no basis on what to label her feelings.

"Just asking." Sana replied nonchalantly and continued combing her hair.

"What do you feel about Jihyo?" she asked her cousin.

Sana glanced at her. "When I see Jihyo, my mood immediately lightens up. I really like her."

"I know but can you elaborate the word like, Sana."

Sana stopped whatever she's doing to completely focus on her cousin. "Mina, liking someone isn't like a metric scale that each thing has a quantitative measurement. Just think about this, you have favorite movie, yeah? You like that even when others don't, do you have any specific reasons for liking it?"

"Yes, I like the acting, the story flow, the editing, also, I can rate movies, I'll give it an eight out of ten." Mina explained, still laying down on the bed.

"That was such a bad example." Sana murmured. "But anyway, take it as a simple comparison, you said you like a movie based on its story, the acting and all those other criteria, I like Jihyo because she's kind and sweet; she always make me feel that my feelings are valid, even when I'm being childish, she makes my heart flutter. She's just great Mina. Do you feel those things when you're with Nayeon?"

Mina rolled over the bed. "I don't know." her voice was muffled but it was enough for Sana to understand.

"When you like someone, you'll also start realizing you're gonna find yourself adoring things you don't like at first about that person, or you'll find yourself simply making reasons to keep those bearable at least, if you still don't like it. Do you get me?"

"I honestly don't know Sana but I hope so."

"I'm talking about the silly traits each of one has, like Nayeon being such a tease, I know it annoys the heck out of you but-"

Mina was about to talk once more, to tell Sana to stop over analyzing everything because she won't have an immediate resolution right away, when they heard a knock on the door making her sit up.
"Miss, someone is looking for both of you outside."

"Who is it?" Mina asked, slowly laying back on the bed.

"She said her name is Nayeon."

Mina rose up from the bed for the second time within a minute. Her head snapped towards the wall clock in Sana's room, it reads eight o'clock in the morning.

"She's never late huh." Sana commented before standing up from her seat. "Let's go, you don't want your crush waiting right?"

"Stop teasing me!" Mina shrieked, rolling off the bed, a bit frustrated. She totally forgot they'll be displaying the booth in the market today, her mind can't focus on other things aside from debating on what she'll do to avoid Nayeon this day.

Mina remained on Sana's back, eyes looking at her phone, scrolling to things when they got out from their house. Mina stole a glance to check where Nayeon is, the older is just leaning against the gate.

"Did you wait long?" Sana asked opening the gate to talk properly to Nayeon. It's no question why Nayeon was just standing outside, she's not someone the people working in their home know about, she'll never be able to enter unless someone from inside brought her in personally.

"Not really, by the way, Jihyo said she'll just meet us there." She heard Nayeon answered. "And the booth is at the market already too."

"How did you guys bring that there?" Sana asked, thankfully, because Mina got curious too.

"Jihyo's father owns a pick-up, we asked him to help us." Nayeon explained.

"Wow, you two are so productive together." Sana complimented, even Mina agrees, Nayeon and Jihyo just get things done easily.

"Name a better duo." Nayeon laughed.

"Oh it's me and Mina." Sana argued.

"Sure." Nayeon scoffed.

Sana raised her voice a bit and threw Nayeon a light slap. "Hey! I'm offended."

Nayeon only snickered, still teasing Sana. By the time she stopped, she immediately asked the girls if they could go now. "Let's go? Or you have some other things to check?" she said. "Mina?" She called her name.

"I'm good." Mina replied, not sparing a glance to Nayeon.

"Okay then."

"I'll go talk to Mr. Kim." Sana excused herself.

"I'll go with you." Mina quickly fills in, afraid to be left with Nayeon.

Sana ended up shaking her head. "You're so terrible at ignoring her subtly." she whispered when she passed by Mina making the younger throw a glare.

But instead of allowing Mina to come with her, Sana denied it last minute with a knowing smile. "It's okay, you can stay here with Nayeon." She announced loudly.

Mina eyed her cousin carefully, if looks can kill, Sana would be on the ground by now.

"You've been busy." Nayeon suddenly talked. Mina inhaled deeply before she turned around to face Nayeon.

"Yes." She answered.

Nayeon just stared at her, as if waiting for a continuation of her answer. Realizing the situation, to avoid Nayeon asking her what's wrong, Mina further elaborated her short answer. "The ball will be in less than four months, we need to secure the organizer, the venue, the catering, bunch of requests to make."

The older nodded with a hum, crossed her arms on her chest. "The members must be helping you right?"

"They are, it's just that we're also busy because it's nearing finals, there are lots of deadlines."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" 

Oh no.

Mina fell silent. She doesn't know how to explain to Nayeon that half of the things she had said is yet to be planned, that she's blabbering reasons to avoid her, and her asking to help isn't gonna make things easier.

"Mina." Thank God for Sana's interruption.

She quickly turned when she realized her name was being called. "What?"

"I've been calling you few times now, we're ready to go or you're going with Nayeon?"

"No! I'm coming with you." She replied, almost instantly, not noticing that Nayeon was staring at her intently, not until Sana pointed it out to her.

"You didn't even say bye to her, you're just making it obvious at this point." Sana shook her head in disbelief. She looked at Nayeon and waved her hand. "We'll see you there Nayeon!"

"Okay." 

Mina felt a bit guilty. It's not Nayeon's fault her mind is messy, she knows she shouldn't have taken the frustrations out to the wrong person. "Hey Nayeon." She called while holding the door of the car. Nayeon looked at her wearing a frown. "Take care." Mina felt the embarrassment filling her well being after saying that. And due to the lack of plan on what to do next after blurting that out, Mina quickly entered the car without hearing if Nayeon even replied.

"Really Mina? Take care?" Sana said, unamused.

"Leave me alone." Mina pouted, she looked at Nayeon once more who's now riding her bicycle, ready to leave.

"If I were you and Nayeon was Jihyo, I'd ride the bike with her."

Mina rolled her eyes." Well you're not me."

"Obviously." Sana scoffed. "We can go now Mr. Kim."

"Alright miss." The dirver replied.

~

Jihyo greeted them with a wide smile as soon as she spots them in the crowd. Sana waved back happily to the girl. "How's the sale going?" Sana inquired.

"It's been okay, I managed to sell four since I've finished setting up."

"Really? That's good to hear! Kinda worried we will be going home with none since we're up against food booths." Sana admitted.

Jihyo agreed with a nod. "I felt the same but people in this town love these. Nayeon said we'll be okay." she shared then raising her hand, yelling Nayeon's name. "Speaking of the witch." she murmured making Sana and Mina laugh. "Nayeon, right here."

Mina turned her head to where Nayeon is, the girl is surely taking her time to reach their booth, checking out the spots she passed by.

"Do you think this is some parade?" Jihyo asked the girl who just arrived.

"Just wanted to see what others were selling." Nayeon answered casually. "Is everything alright here?"

Before Jihyo could answer, someone came to their booth asking about the flowers so Sana moved next to Jihyo and replied to Nayeon instead. "Yeah."

"I'll have to go fix my watch, can I leave for few minutes?" Nayeon informed, holding her wristwatch in her hand.

"Of course." Sana nodded.

Nayeon did the same, bowing a little. "Thank you." she turned to Mina who's just watching them silently in the corner. "Mina, do you want to go with me?"

A teasing smile appeared on Sana's face, Mina wanted to glare at her cousin so bad if not for Nayeon who's looking at her.

"Sure." she replied. She couldn't have said no even if she wanted to. She doesn't have an excuse to say.

After saying goodbye to Sana and Jihyo, Mina followed Nayeon, not forgetting to pinch Sana's arm before leaving. Sana even yelped, but Mina only giggled.

"Will it take a while for your watch to be done?" Mina asked, her hand inside the pocket of her jacket, playing with the fiber.

"Maybe, why?" Nayeon glanced at her briefly.

Mina inhaled before talking. "We could go to my friends' booth to kill some time." she suggested.

"And hear them tease you?" Nayeon chuckled.

"I've gotten used to it, it doesn't affect me anymore." 

"Is there free food?" Nayeon asked with a smile.

Mina shook her head. "I don't k