365 Days of You

Chapter 16

All Mina sees is red.

Nayeon is talking to Laura, smiling and grinning like they are old friends.

Many questions run through her head as her heart clenches with a feeling of betrayal.

Is this some grand scheme of Nayeon to ruin her big day? Have they both been plotting behind her back to humiliate her all this while?

She bites back the bile rising in her throat.

This is low.

Even for Nayeon.

Her chest twists painfully as the singer shoves Laura playfully away from her.

She steadies her breath, ignoring the dull pain in her heart and saunters down the hallway, her gaze zeroing in on them.

Her eyes lower when they turn to the side and look at her. She clutches the script close to her chest and walks past them to backstage.

"Mina-"

Nayeon begins tentatively only for the younger girl to turn around and fix her with a cold stare making Nayeon falter on her feet.

She spins back around on her heel after a while, walking away from the singer.

She is sure she sees a flicker of pain in Nayeon's eyes, but everything feels so raw and intense between them she doesn't want to spend a moment longer around the older girl.

"She said what to Mina?" Nayeon punches the bag.

Momo isn't sure if it is a good idea to continue when the singer is this mad.

"That she could go back the cake shop because she is doing the musical for money."

Another punch.

Nayeon understands why that must have hit a nerve with Mina.

"You're not planning to kill Laura, are you?"

Another punch.

"I'm not helping you get rid off the body."

Another punch.

When Nayeon drops to a chair completely exhausted, she sees Momo snap shut the laptop, acting strangely.

"Momo" She yells at the scrambling younger girl when she snatches the laptop and a text on the brightly lit screen stares back at her,

101 ways and 100 places to hide a body : A guide for dummies

It's easy to single out Laura before Mina arrives.

"Are you here to defend your poor little wife's honour?"

Laura's voice drips with sarcasm which Nayeon certainly doesn't appreciate.

This is Mina's big day and she doesn't want anyone ruining it.

She takes a menacing step towards the actor.

"You think I don't know why you're doing this?"

"Go on. Humour me." Laura narrows her eyes dangerously at the idol. "Give me the long winded speech about how talented she is and how jealous I am."

Nayeon's dark eyes twinkles with mirth.

"Oh no, you aren't jealous of her talent at all."

Another step closer.

Laura doesn't flinch.

"I think you have a little crush on my wife."

That does the trick.

Nayeon sees the steely eyes falter for a second. It's there barely a moment but she is confident she has hit a nerve.

"I know all about trying to push away someone I want to get close to." She says in a self loathing voice. "Trust me when I say you won't want to take that route."

Laura pauses at the words, letting it linger in the air, twirl around in her head.

"I-" She pauses, looking at a spot on the tiled floor, "She reminds me of someone who I had feelings for."

Nayeon growls, almost possessively.

"Go get that someone. And lay off my wife. She's worked really hard to get here. I won't let you or anyone ruin that for her."

She glares pointedly at the actor who glares back at her.

Apparently they are having a staring competition.

"I don't know how to get that someone back."

Laura is the first one to break away from the glance, sighing in defeat.

"I'll help you." Nayeon offers.

She doesn't like the actor all that much.

But she loves Mina and if helping Laura is going to help the girl who holds her heart captive, then she will do whatever it takes in a heartbeat.

"I'm literally an expert in courting girls by now."

A loud laughter echoes around the hallway.

"Courting? What are you like, from some Shakespeare play?"

Nayeon mentally slaps herself for using that word. She almost considers using the information from the website to get rid off one loud cackling contagious Japanese.

And that's the moment when Mina has found Nayeon, chatting and laughing with Laura.

If only the younger girl has let Nayeon explain, she could have saved them both the pain and misery that seems to define their existence now.