paste you to the pages of my heart

Chapter Eight

"Minji really likes Mina."

Jihyo hums at Jeongyeon's comment.

It's the second time that Minji is spending time with Mina at the park and while Nayeon personally prefers to go somewhere else, Minji doesn't share the same sentiment—simply content to make small figurines using Mina's Legos while sitting on a picnic blanket with Mina, Dahyun, and Sana.

And Nayeon doesn't have it in her to complain when Minji is obviously happy with her mama and two other godmothers.

Nayeon can't say the same about Momo, however, who only scowls at Jeongyeon's comment.

"I thought for sure the first time was a fluke."

"Guess you'll have to be more civil to her now, huh?" Jeongyeon teases Momo.

Momo, thankfully, doesn't launch herself at Jeongyeon like Nayeon expects her to. "You wish." She turns to Nayeon. "Has she even apologized to you, Nabong?"

Nayeon almost flinches at the intensity of Momo's gaze. She's either really intense or subdued when conversations are related to Mina and Nayeon doesn't know what to make of it. "No."

Momo looks smug. "See? She hasn't even apologized. What a bitch."

"Stop that," Jihyo chastises immediately, lips turning down into a frown as she quickly glances at the quartet nearby. "She's a friend."

"Correction, she was a friend. She lost that title when she left Nayeon-unnie at the altar."

Both Jeongyeon and Jihyo flinch at the statement and their expressions look sympathetic. No one has dared say anything about what happened between Nayeon and Mina, solely focused on ensuring that Minji is comfortable with her mama.

But now that they've spent two consecutive weekends with each other with no incidents whatsoever, Nayeon supposes that it's inevitable for the topic to come up.

It doesn't mean that Nayeon is prepared for it, though, especially after learning about their current work situation.

"You really have no subtlety, do you, Hirai?" Jeongyeon asks, reaching across their table to smack the side of Momo's head.

Momo readily slaps away Jeongyeon's hand as she rolls her eyes. "Nabong isn't made of glass. Stop walking on eggshells around her."

"That's rich coming from you when you were the one who dubbed Mina as She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when Nabong finally came out of her room."

"Nabong is right here, idiots."

Jeongyeon and Momo at least have the decency to look sheepish when they turn to Nayeon.

"It's fine to talk about it, right?" Momo asks, pertaining to the wedding incident.

Nayeon only hums. Truthfully, she isn't sure what she feels whenever her supposed wedding with Mina is brought up. She hasn't fully processed the events of what happened even after five years—simply burying them under the responsibilities of being a single mother—and Mina's sudden reappearance isn't helping either.

Add that to the fact that Minji absolutely adores Mina and Nayeon still has feelings for her apparently, and you have a mother stressed out of her mind.

"Nayeonnie?"

Nayeon blinks to see Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Momo looking at her with worry. Thank goodness Tzuyu isn't here or Nayeon would have had to brush off four people's concerns, and she isn't certain she can do that successfully.

"Whatever happened between me and Mina shouldn't affect Minji."

It's a deflection, and Jihyo sees right through it.