Since it's holiday and she's not working in the hospital today, Nayeon decided to binge-watch movies in her living room.

 

Only the dim lights are on but the rest of the lights have been turned off.

 

Nayeon’s peacefully watching when a sudden notification from her phone pops up.

 

She opened it and saw a message from Sana.

 

SaNasal Spray:

“Omg, bae, you have to see this! (Attached Link)”

 

Nayeon frowns. What’s this again? Nayeon thought. She clicked the link and it brought her to a site of a news article. 

 

“Rumours: Myoui Mina, from a very popular group, was seen outside with an international male model."

Netizens claim to have seen Myoui Mina and this unidentified model behaving like real couples outside the entertainment building, but CBB is still trying to corroborate this with the respective company.

 

Nayeon is unable to budge from her current position, her lips slightly parted, and she is taken aback considering the fact that the article contains images.

It's not like she trusts the rumors she reads since the evidence is merely just an image of Mina casually talking with a man in a cafe, but this is the first time she's been linked to dating rumors.

 

Nayeon's mind blanked out totally. She wasn't able to take it all in.

 

Nayeon was jolted back to reality when the phone abruptly rang.

 

It’s Sana that’s calling. She answered it immediately.

“Hello—”

 

“Aha! " Sana burst up laughing. "I already expected Mina to become embroiled in relationship rumors at some point. I told you," Sana remarked, she seems so proud that her predictions are right.

 

“Shut up, Sana. It’s not yet confirmed though.” Nayeon said, rolling her eyes as she began to munch some chips.

 

“Well, it won’t be in the news if it’s not real,” Sana said teasingly.

 

“Sorry to break it to you, Minatozaki, but I’m fine. I’m not in place to even get broken, mad, or jealous. I’m not gonna ridicule myself like that.”

 

"Sure, yes, whatever you say," Sana says, clearly unconvinced by Nayeon's remarks. "So... we'll keep the plan?"

 

“What plan?” Nayeon asked.

 

“Duh? The meet and greet?” Sana said.

 

“Of course, why not?” 

 

Sana teased Nayeon again, "I was merely expecting you'd be too heartbroken to even see Mina in person."

 

"Just shut up, Sana, before I knife you in the back with my scalpel."

 

While Nayeon reprimanded her, Sana's just laughing out loud over the phone.

 

Nayeon rolled her eyes and promptly hung up the call.

 

She pressed the silent button on her phone and closed it.

 

 

After hearing the news, she just wants to be alone today, and Sana isn't helping.

 

---

 

After a while, Nayeon decided to go stargazing on the rooftop of her apartment to take her mind off the excruciating agony.

 

She slipped on her bunny slippers, pulled on her huge sweater, and turned off the television. She was able to leave her apartment with the jacket on.

 

Nayeon entered the lift and pressed the button that would take her to the rooftop.

 

When the elevator doors opened, she was greeted by a sky full of glittering stars along with the gleam of the moon,  and with the cool wind breeze that sent shivers down her spine.

 

"Ah, just exactly what I needed," Nayeon breathes the fresh air.

 

Nayeon closes her eyes as she lies down on a bench near the tiny rooftop garden.

 

Nayeon remains like that for a long time. She finds the silence to be both peaceful and painful.

 

As Nayeon opened her eyes, tears were already streaming down on her cheeks. Her tears glitters like the stars in the sky above her essence.

 

She brings her right arm up to measure how tiny the stars are, her hands are almost covered by the hem of her jacket, only her fingers are visible.

Her eyes are still welling up with tears.

 

She sobs and murmurs, "Damn, I shouldn't be crying over someone who doesn't even know I exist."

 

"Only if Mina was an ordinary person..." Nayeon softly uttered in the midst of her sniffles. "How I wish...I wish..." She sobs again, "She's just like me..." She whispered slowly as she gazed at the stars, "Perhaps in another lifetime...I can finally reach her."

 

 

Will the stars hear me? Nayeon thinks.

 

 

Nayeon closed her eyes since they felt really heavy from crying.

 

 

She didn't even realize she had already fallen into a deep sleep just a few seconds later.

 

---

 

The moment the rays of the sun peeks at Nayeon's face, she was immediately awakened.

 

 

She slowly opens her eyes and realizes that she’s not in her apartment.

 

“Dr. Im?" Her attention was called by the rooftop gardener.

 

 

Nayeon's eyes widened as she sprung from the bench. “. ."  She murmurs, "."

 

 

“May I ask what time it is, ajeossi?" As she awaited the mister's response, Nayeon combed her hair with her fingers.

 

The gardener scratches his temples before checking his wristwatch. "It's already 9:15 a.m. You seemed to be in a peaceful sleep earlier so I was afraid to wake you up, doctor."

 

 

Nayeon's eyes widened once more as she dashed through the elevator. "Thank you so much, ajeossi!" " She exclaimed as she waved goodbye.

 

 

Nayeon rushed through her flat in a frenzied manner.

 

 

She's ing half-hour late for work.

 

 

She didn't bother to apply make-up after her bath like she always and usually does.

 

 

Nayeon picks a pair of tortilla-colored slacks and a white button-up shirt, which she paired up with sandals.

 

 

She then aggressively grips her white coat and car keys as she starts running towards the lift that will take her to the parking lot.

 

-

 

The supposed 30 minutes drive from her apartment to the hospital suddenly became 15 minutes drive to Nayeon; she arrived at ImMed Hospital safely though. 

 

 

She puts on her coat and rushes through the entrance, the guards and nurses immediately bow and greet her the moment they saw Nayeon pass by.

 

 

 

"Good day, Dr. Im!" " She was greeted by a nurse at the information desk.

 

 

Nayeon just simply smiled and mouthed good morning, too.

 

 

From a distance, she can already see Tzuyu on her desk, busy maneuvering her computer.  Tzuyu stood up to greet Nayeon when she spotted her approaching. “You’re one hour and thirty minutes late, Dr. Im.”

 

“I’m sorry! I overslept.” Nayeon grunts.

 

 

"I know we're supposed to be professional at work, but I'm seriously going to slap your arse," Tzuyu stated nonchalantly. "You've been late for almost a week, Nayeon," she glared at Nayeon as she sat down again.

 

 

Nayeon chuckles and leans towards Tzuyu’s desk. “Slap it, mommy.” She teasingly said.

 

 

Tzuyu looks disgusted as she shakes her head.  "May God guides your spirit," She responded flatly.

 

 

Nayeon couldn't stop herself from laughing. "I'm sorry, okay? I was exhausted from last night."

 

 

"Just shut up and go in." Tzuyu disses her, "Sana has been waiting for you in your office."

 

 

Nayeon paused in her laughter and appeared surprised. "Since when?" 

 

 

“I don’t know.” Tzuyu peeks at her wristwatch. “Maybe since 8:00 A.M?”

 

 

Nayeon frowns. Sana didn’t even text her. 

 

 

“Alright, I’ll go now." She said.

 

 

Tzuyu nods then types on her computer again.

 

 

Sana was seated on Nayon's chair, fumbling around with her belongings, looking unconcerned with Nayeon's presence when she strolled into her own office. Even Nayeon’s stethoscope is wrapped around Sana’s neck.

 

 

Nayeon intentionally clears .

 

 

“Who are you?” Nayeon asked.

 

 

“Oh, you, Nayeon,” Sana said.

 

 

Nayeon chuckles. "What are you doing here? You didn't text me just so I'm aware that you were coming."

 

 

Sana deadspans at her. “Didn’t text you?” 

 

“Yes?” Nayeon said unsurely and sat on the couch. 

 

 

"I've been trying to contact you since last night! I even spammed you with texts and yet you didn't even bother responding," Sana whimpers and rolls her eyes.

 

After she glances at Sana, Nayeon has a puzzled expression on her face. “Really? "

 

"Yes, really," mocked the younger girl.

 

Nayeon was about to take her phone out of her coat's pocket to check Sana's messages but it was nowhere to be found.

 

"Oh, damn," Nayeon grumbled, frustrated, "I left my phone at home!"

 

 

Sana glanced Nayeon in disbelief.

 

 

"What's the matter with you, Nayeonnnie?" Sana stood up and sat down next to Nayeon on the couch. "I have this feeling that something has been bothering you; you ignored my messages last night, forgot your phone, and now you're late. You good, girl?" Sana asked, sensing something was up with Nayeon.

 

Nayeon just leaned her head against Sana's shoulders, with eyes closed.

 

 

"I'm fine. I was just dismayed when I heard the news about Mina dating," Nayeon said drowsily.

 

 

“Huh?” Sana snorted out, confused.

 

 

“Huh?” Nayeon snorted too, confused as well. 

 

 

“What huh?” Sana.

 

 

Nayeon sat down properly and stared at Sana's perplexed as face.

 

 

“Who’s Mina?” Sana looking at Nayeon, still puzzled.

 

 

“Huh?” Nayeon again.

 

 

“Don’t 'huh huh' me, Im Nayeon. Who’s Mina?” Sana inquired while raising her eyebrows. She looks genuinely curious.

 

 

“The are you talking about, Sana? Mina, duh? From the girl group we stan? Stop playing with me.” Nayeon rolled her eyes.

 

 

Sana lets out a sigh of despair. "I have no damn idea what's wrong with you, but I hope you'll let me know."

 

 

Sana stands up and kisses Nayeon on the cheek. "And, boo, our favorite girl group only has three members. Jeongyeon, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung.  There’s no Mina or whoever it is you're saying.”

 

 

Nayeon’s lips parted.

 

 

Huh?

 

I’m just tripping. Nayeon thinks.

 

 

“Stop with your jokes, Sana. Not working.” Nayeon's certain that it's another prank that Sana pulls randomly.

 

 

Sana giggles then shake her head. “Nope. Surely not joking. You can check it if you want.”

 

 

"Anyways, I understand you've been exhausted from the multiple operations you've performed these recent weeks. We’ll just hang out next week, okay?" Sana added.

 

 

This time, Sana kissed Nayeon again but on the forehead. “I have to go now. My hearing will be this afternoon.” Sana says and grabs her suitcase on Nayeon’s table then waves Nayeon a goodbye before finally closing the office’s door.

 

Nayeon was left dumbfounded.

 

 

She almost forgot how to breathe for a while. Sana appears to be completely clueless. She doesn't appear to be joking, either.

 

 

She sprinted out the door to go see Tzuyu.

 

 

“Tzuyu!” 

 

 

The young girl was taken aback by Nayeon's abrupt rush.

 

 

“What?" She asked calmly.

]

 

"How many members does the —— girl group have?" Nayeon inquires, her eyes sparkling with anticipation as she glances at Tzuyu, hoping that Sana is just completely messing with her.

 

 

Tzuyu sneers. "Are you a fan now?”

 

 

"Just answer me."  She demanded. Nayeon is desperate for answers.

 

 

Tzuyu sighed and went back to typing on her computer.

 

 

“Here." Tzuyu showed her the screen, "It says that they have three members namely Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, and Dahyun.” 

 

 

It’s true! With ing pictures! No presence of MIna.

 

 

Nayeon gasped and covered with her hand. She's absolutely dumbfounded and stunned right now.

 

 

“Unbelievable! That must be wrong. Mina’s missing as their fourth member! ” Nayeon said while looking at the computer screen.

 

 

Tzuyu stares at her, perplexed.  “Huh? What Mina? Myoui Mina?"

 

Nayeon's eyes widened. “See! You know her, Tzuyu! ”

 

Tzuyu tried hard not to burst out laughing.

 

 

She bit her lower lip to suppress her laughter and shook her head. "Of course, Dr. Im, I know her. Everyone in this hospital does. She's the granddaughter of the founder of the pharmaceutical company with whom this hospital is partnered with."

 

 

Tzuyu continued, "Ms. Myoui is the chemist who makes the best medicines for the patients in this hospital—your father's hospital."

 

 

Nayeon's knees began to give way. She was about to stumble on the floor but Tzuyu quickly holds Nayeon by the waist to save her from collapsing.

 

 

“No. ing. Way.” Nayeon says, breathless. 

 

 

What the is going on?