She’s here.

Mina is here and she saw Minji.

Mina is here and she watched as Minji called Nayeon her mommy.

Mina is here and with her and Minji practically side by side, there is no denying that she and Minji look like replicas of each other.

.

Like, seriously, . Mina looks as beautiful and as elegant as the last time Nayeon has seen her. The past five years have been good to her—she appears more mature now especially with her hair up in a messy ponytail. And with her black blazer, blue blouse, and dark pantsuit, Mina screams of sophistication.

God, she looks good.

Why does she have to look good?

“Minji!”

The collective call of Minji’s name catches their attention. Nayeon knows it’s her friends but she can’t do anything but just stare at Mina.

She’s here. In the flesh.

And Nayeon still can’t wrap her head around that fact.

Mina is here.

And looks more beautiful than ever.

Goddamn.

It’s Sana who first reaches them.

“Minji, my baby!” She immediately takes Minji away from Nayeon—who is still frozen and staring at Mina—and gathers her in her arms. “We were so worried!”

“I’m okay, Auntie Sana! I was with Auntie Penguin.”

“Auntie Penguin?” Sana and Momo ask at the same time and it’s only then that they—alongside Jihyo, Tzuyu, Dahyun, and Jeongyeon—notice the other woman with them.

There’s a gasp—Nayeon thinks it’s probably from Sana—and then silence.

And then Jeongyeon’s quiet, “Minari.”

Ever the smart and curious child, Minji quickly catches on. “Aunties, you know Auntie Penguin?”

Nayeon can feel the stare of everyone on the back of her head and she has to force herself to swallow the lump in before saying, “Ladies, can you please pay for our groceries and then take Minji to the ice cream parlor down the street?”

Mina just watches her, silent, as Nayeon takes a deep breath and turns around to face her daughter and friends.

The smile she plasters on her face is as fragile as her tear ducts but she wills herself to put up a strong front for her daughter. “Minji. Baby, be good now, okay? Don’t let go of Auntie Sana’s hands. I just need to talk to… Auntie P-Penguin. I’ll be right with you.”

Minji is confused but she gives Nayeon a gummy smile. “Okay, mommy!” And then, without any warning for Nayeon’s already delicate heart, Minji glances over Nayeon’s shoulder and waves at Mina. “Thank you, Auntie Penguin! See you soon!”

Nayeon’s never seen her daughter’s eyes shine so brightly with admiration before—not even with Sana who is arguably Minji’s favorite aunt—and the sight of her daughter looking at her other mother like that easily breaks down Nayeon’s defenses.

And then Mina’s quiet but clear reply delivers the final blow that completely breaks Nayeon’s heart.

“You’re welcome… Minji.”

Nayeon quickly wipes away the lone tear that managed to escape before Minji can look at her again.

And then she meets her friends’ eyes, whose expressions vary from worried to sad, and Nayeon just wants to break down and stop acting strong for once.

But her friends don’t say anything for Minji’s sake—Nayeon made them all vow to put Minji’s welfare first and foremost at all times plus they respect Nayeon’s decision when Minji is involved—and they hesitantly walk away when Minji starts fussing in Sana’s arms.

“Will you be okay?” It’s Jihyo, because of course she will stay behind to check on Nayeon despite her promise of always looking out for Minji first.

Beside her, Jeongyeon looks like she wants to both hug and strangle Mina. “We can stay if you want.” Then she decides for them when Nayeon takes too long to answer. “I’ll be on the next aisle.”

Nayeon shakes her head, not trusting her voice to not break.

“Nayeon-ah—”

“I-I’ll be fine. Just… j-just stay with Minji.”

Jeongyeon obviously wants to argue but Jihyo clasps her wrist and drags her away before she can voice out her thoughts.

And with one last supportive look in Nayeon’s direction, they’re gone.

And now it’s just Nayeon and Mina in a supermarket aisle at three o’clock in the afternoon on a Saturday.

Not the day Nayeon planned but the universe has a twisted humor so what did she expect?

It’s Mina who first breaks the uncomfortable silence that has engulfed them. “Is… is Minji… mine?”

Nayeon is so damn tempted to lie. It’ll be so much easier to say that “no, she isn’t.”

There will be no complications. No drama. No questions.

Nayeon can walk away and be done with Mina once and for all.

She doesn’t ever have to worry about the real possibility that Mina can take Minji away from her.

But the memory of Minji looking at Mina like she loves her despite knowing her for only a few minutes effectively tempers Nayeon’s urge to lie.

Nayeon resists the urge to play with the pendant of her necklace. Instead, she squares her shoulders before facing Mina. She doesn’t meet her eyes—she physically can’t—but she still manages to nod and say, “Yes.”

There’s a sharp intake of breath from Mina and Nayeon has to clench her hands into fists to stop herself from reacting.

“I—Are you sure?”

What?

At first, the words don’t sink but when they do, they start a burning pit of anger in Nayeon’s chest. Five years of no communication and that’s the second thing that Mina says to her? Out of all the things she could’ve said? Like—I’m sorry? I missed you? How have you been? Can we start over?

Instead what she said was, Are you sure? Like Nayeon won’t know who knocked her up? As if Nayeon was sleeping around while she was engaged with Mina?

“Excuse me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Nayeon demands, her heartbreak now forgotten at the implied accusation. How dare she? How ing—

“I-I didn’t mean it like that, unnie!” Mina is quick to defend herself, panic visible in her features as she tries to quickly placate Nayeon’s anger. “I just, they told me I wasn’t fertile all my life and to see my own child is… it’s too much to take in at once. I’m sorry.” She quietly trails off in the end and Nayeon has to stop herself from stepping forward and pulling Mina closer.

To punch her on her beautiful mouth or to take her breath away with a kiss, Nayeon doesn’t know.

Why does she have that thought? Well, Nayeon has no idea, either.

Even after five years of no contact, Mina still has the ability to throw Nayeon and her feelings off-kilter.

Even after five years since her sudden departure, she still makes Nayeon’s heart want to jump out of her chest and do backflips at the mere sight of her.

Even after five years of nothing, she still renders Nayeon’s brain useless with a simple look.

Even after leaving her, Nayeon is still—

“How old is she?”

Nayeon’s answer is mechanical, her mind and heart unable to handle the fact that Mina is here and not just a figment of her imagination. “Four.”

Mina takes another sharp intake of breath but she’s nodding and processing Nayeon’s response. “Right… Four.” And then her brain probably restarts itself because she then asks, “If she’s four then that means that—”

“I was pregnant on our supposed wedding day?” Nayeon finishes for her. “Yes, I was.”

Guilt flashes in Mina’s eyes at the reminder of their supposed wedding but Nayeon steels herself from wanting to comfort her ex even though every fiber of her being still hasn’t forgotten the urge to comfort Mina whenever she’s feeling gloomy.

Mina left you.

She left you waiting for her at the altar for five ing hours, Im Nayeon.

She left you waiting with a baby in your belly.

She does not deserve any kindness from Nayeon.

Then why is there a dull ache in Nayeon’s chest?

God. She is not prepared for this.

She just wanted to buy groceries!

Mina looks unsure of what to say next and Nayeon doesn’t even try to fill the tense silence between them. She is not the one who should be explaining or reaching out.

She was left behind.

But even with that thought, Nayeon can’t help but want to ask all the questions she has ever since Mina left.

Why did you leave me? Why are you here again? When did you come back? How are you? How have you been? Do you miss me the way that I miss you? Do you regret leaving me? Why do I still care about you?

“Can I…” Mina starts, unable to look Nayeon in her eyes, and Nayeon can see there’s a blush creeping up on Mina’s cheeks and she’s fidgeting with her fingers.

They’re barely noticeable but Nayeon was so attuned to Mina—from her habits and little tics to the minuscule shifts in her mood—back when they were together that it’s really no surprise that she still manages to catch such changes.

Even five years after they’d broken up.

Well, not broken up, per se.

Mina didn’t have the decency to break up with her, after all.

She just… left. Disappeared.

The thought squashes the flicker of care that has begun to light up inside of Nayeon and replaces it with anger.

Which is the only possible reason why Nayeon snaps, “I don’t have all day, so out with it already.”

Mina flinches at the coldness of Nayeon’s tone and Nayeon has to stomp down the urge to apologize.

She did nothing wrong. She has the right to be angry, okay? Mina left her! How many times does she have to justify herself to herself?

Nayeon knows she’s not in the wrong here.

Then why does it feel like she just kicked a puppy?

Goddammit, chest, stop hurting already.

“Sorry,” Mina mutters, head bowed, “I just… I wanted to ask if I can meet her again? M-Minji, I mean.” After mentioning their daughter’s name, Mina seems to have acquired the sudden courage to be more sure of herself and of her next words. As if Minji’s name alone is enough for her to be more upfront with what she wants. “She’s my daughter, too, and I’d love to get to know her.”

Nayeon knows this is a possibility. She’s prepared that Mina may or may not want to meet Minji. It’s only natural for her to ask for that. But what she’s forgotten to prepare for is how exactly she’s supposed to react to Mina wanting to get closer to her daughter.

And her. Because Nayeon will not let Minji out of her sight if Mina is to spend time with her.

That’s just asking for her daughter to be kidnapped by her other mother.

Sounds ridiculous but after what happened to Minji today, Nayeon isn’t taking any chances.

“Minji doesn’t know you,” Nayeon says eventually and immediately regrets it upon seeing the flash of hurt that crosses Mina’s features. It’s gone in a second, though, and Nayeon doesn’t know if she’s only imagined it.

Not like she cares or anything.

Imagination or not, though, Nayeon adds, “Because I never introduced you. Minji grew up thinking that she has one parent. I have to first tell her about you and see how she reacts.”

More like, Nayeon has to prepare herself but Mina doesn’t need to know that. She doesn’t need to know how affected Nayeon is with the mere sight of her. She doesn’t need to know anything about what Nayeon feels, period.

“Minji is my life, and I don’t want her to get upset about… this,” Nayeon finishes lamely.

Mina nods, looking both relieved and… resigned? Why? Why does she look like that? She has no right! “When can I see her next?” she asks.

“Do you plan to stay?” Nayeon doesn’t mean it to come out so biting but she guesses it’s the lingering threads of pain clinging to her heart that makes her sentence sound so sharp. “Because I’m not going to introduce you to my daughter’s life if you plan to leave later on.” Like how you left me.

Again, Mina only nods. She seems so… docile. As if she’s ready to receive whatever Nayeon throws at her. And Nayeon distantly wonders how far she can push Mina until she snaps. Just for the hell of it.

Mina, after all, is not as passive as she seems. Because underneath all that elegance and quiet demeanor is a feistiness that Nayeon has only witnessed a handful of times back when they were together.

“I’m staying,” Mina confirms with a slight nod.

Nayeon swallows the sudden lump in . That’s what you said to me too before, Nayeon bitterly thinks. But she erases the thought before it can take root. This is for Minji.

Minji.

Mina’s only talking to her because of their daughter.

Maybe Nayeon should’ve just said no earlier.

“You better.” The conviction in Nayeon’s statement surprises even her but she decides to just roll with it. “I won’t let you break Minji’s heart and trust because I swear to God, Mina, I will hunt you down if you make my daughter shed even one tear.”

Nayeon has always been a passionate and vocal person. Mina knows this. Her friends know this. Everyone who knows her knows this. So, she supposes that’s why Mina doesn’t even shy away from Nayeon’s vehement statement.

“Okay.” Mina nods. Why does she only keep nodding? “Can… Can I have your number? So, I can reach out to you and—”

“No.” This, she has prepared for. Nayeon has long established her decision to never let Mina dictate how she’s going to meet up with Minji. Mina may be Minji’s other biological parent but she’s nothing more than that. “I decide when we talk and when we meet. You will only see Minji under my terms.”

The statement, when it comes out of Nayeon’s mouth, sounds more austere than she originally intended.

And it seems as though that the harsh statement and tone are the final nails to the coffin of Mina’s docility because this time, she becomes the Mina that was well-respected by her colleagues. The Mina that was known for her tenacity in and outside the courtroom. “I have the right to see Minji. She’s my daughter, too.”

“Biologically.”

Mina’s clenched jaw is visible despite the feet separating them, and Nayeon distantly wonders if the fierce Mina she used to crave to see back then will come out.