"Care to have a drink?" Mina looked back at her while opening the kitchen cupboards, looking for a mug to prepare her favorite jasmine and chamomile tea.

She shook her head and smiled. Mina might need an entire gallon of tea to keep herself calm, for all she cares.  But Chaeyoung? She does not need even a drop of alcohol in her blood to calm her nerves nor to get her to talk. Oh she will definitely talk, all to her heart's content. "You have coffee, right? An iced americano would be fine." She recalled that coffee was supposed to make people more nervous, but that was exactly what she needed at that very moment. She needed to at least feel a bit of tinge nervousness to keep her head focused on the task at hand.

From the minute they entered Mina's apartment, the atmosphere was not exactly cold, nor was it pensive. It was... awkward. From the many times she has been in the very same place, from the many nights she spent in its cozy bed with its owner, this was the first time she felt that she was not supposed to be there. She considered just walking out of the apartment -- and maybe even out of Mina's life -- but she knew she needed to be an adult, have a mature enough mindset, and do things properly instead of being callow.

Dinner earlier at the restaurant went as usual, with Mina clinging to her arm and leaning on her shoulder, even giving her a light peck or two despite the amount of people who were there that night. There were still Mina's signature antics of running her hands against her thighs, teasing her, whispering sweet nothings to her ear.

And then she just had to ruin everything by asking, "Mina, what exactly are we?"

Say hello to the giant elephant in the room that finally needed to be addressed.

Because that exact same elephant has long been trudging on the vulnerable and naive chest of the tiger cub that was Chaeyoung.

Mina immediately asked for the check and led her out of the restaurant in silence. The girl did not even look at her during the whole cab ride. When she tried to hold Mina's hand, the girl permitted it but Chaeyoung did not feel the warmth she was now long accustomed to.

She watched as Mina handed her a tall glass of iced americano, taking the seat beside her on the couch. She half-expected Mina to cuddle right next to her like she always does, but this time the girl turned to her side and leaned on the armrest. Mina sipped on her tea then draped her legs on Chaeyoung's lap, her long smooth creamy skin exposed, free for Chaeyoung to touch. Mina looked at her with a smirk, perhaps waiting for her to make a move and forget about whatever conversation they were supposed to have.

If it was any other night, Chaeyoung would not even waste time and immediately pounce on Mina like a tiger hungry for its prey. One thing would lead to another -- the bedroom, the shower, the kitchen, or wherever Mina wants to do it -- and she would wake up in the morning exhausted, hungry, and , but nevertheless, happy and contented to simply wake up beside the girl she has always loved.

But tonight was not the night for that.

A part of her wanted to smack herself for being so careless. Why did she even have to ask that? They were happy, weren't they? Wasn't that supposed to be enough?

Regret does come late.

"Chaengie?" Mina's voice was still soft and sweet. There was a concerned look on her face, but Chaeyoung cannot decipher which kind of concern it was pertaining to. A hand reached out to touch her face but Chaeyoung leaned away and bowed her head. Mina then playfully shook her legs on Chaeyoung's lap, smiling like a child while doing so. She feigned a smile back at the girl, but it was not the same dimpled smile that she thought would always be for Mina alone.

"How were you with your first girlfriend?" No, it was not the elephant in the room. It was more of... a hippopotamus, if she can say so herself. But Chaeyoung knew she had to start somewhere.

Mina's expression changed to that of confusion. She tilted her head. "You mean Sana?"

"Yeah, you never really talk about her."

Mina's brows furrowed. "I just don't think I'm supposed to. It's not like I'm comp