TWICE one shots | by festoon

How to say I love you? (MiChaeng)

Mina never say the word "I love you." instead, she's more into actions because 'action speaks louder', she believes.

For years, she always hear Chaeyoung saying the word to her; when she wakes up and before going to sleep, when they're playing playstation, or even at random times. Chaeyoung would and forever will say the most genuine "I love you." to Mina.

"Oh, you're awake. Good morning~" The older greets her girlfriend with an embrace and Chaeyoung eagerly accepts it, sniffing through Mina's sweater that sometimes she wears and Mina will giggle at her everytime she wears it because it looks cute on her—that's what Mina said. Her girlfriend's scent is aroma of a coffee, maybe because she's brewing it and she loves it so much that she buried her face more into the crook of her neck.

Mina giggles at the ticklish feeling and so as Chaeyoung because it's contagious and sounds mellow. She loves it. She loves her scent. She really loves her.

"I love you." Though raspy, Chaeyoung said it softly. Mina smiles. They pulled out from the hug and starts to eat the breakfast Mina has cooked.

After their lovely breakfast, they went to their work. Mina, as always, smiles everytime even though their boss is bossy, way too bossy.

"Ahhh. I'm jealous of Mina." Jihyo, her co-worker, whined.

She stopped typing on the keyboard and looks at Jihyo. "Why?"

"I wish I could be bright like you and still smile at this pile of works." Jihyo groaned, pointing at her messy desk.

"Jihyo unnie." The short-haired girl tilts her head at her.

"Why? Is there a problem?" She asked, worried.

"No. It's not like that." Mina chuckled. "Do you know how to be good at your words?"

"What do you mean?" Jihyo furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you and Chaeyoung fighting?" She gasped.

"No unnie. We're good." Mina gave a reassuring smile. "I mean like," She exhaled. "I just want to express my love from her, you know." She pouts.

"I think Chaeyoung knows that you love her." Jihyo smiled. "That you really love her."

"I know unnie but I want to return the way on how she's expressing she loves me. Like saying 'I love you'." Mina covers her face with her hands, feeling down.

"Minari." Jihyo exhaled. "For me, love is not about giving back what you receive, just show how you love her from the bottom of your heart. Don't be feared, just be sincere on how you express your love." She shrugged. "You always cook Chaeyoung breakfast, sometimes dinner. You always make her feel assured. You always make her smile, I see it. You sometimes fetch her from work if you're worried. You make her feel loved. No need to overthink about it, Minari." With her genuine eyes, she pats Mina's head.

"Thank you unnie."

'Yeah, Jihyo unnie is right. I love her and I'll show it in Mina's way.' She thought.

...

"Boo‽"

Mina chuckled and approached Chaeyoung.

"Are you done with your work?" She asked as she holds Chaeyoung's hand.

Chaeyoung smiles and nodded. "Great. Let's go, boo."

Chaeyoung's eyebrows are furrowing. "Where to?"

Mina closes their gap and whispered, "Secret."

Her girlfriend didn't ask anymore and just follow her. As they arrived at their destination, Mina went out from the car and opened the door for Chaeyoung. Her girlfriend, though still confused at what's happening, accepts Mina's soft hand.

As Chaeyoung step out of the car, her eyes widened and jaw dropped. The cerulean sky before is now murky, spangled with stars.

Mina, instead of adoring the sky just like her girlfriend, was mesmerized at Chaeyoung herself. It's sunless yet Mina doesn't need it because the girl besides her is enough dazzling for her to see in the dark. In addition, the diamonds in the sky helps the dark and gray atmosphere bright.

"Do you like it?" Mina asked the beaming girl. Chaeyoung tilts her head at her.

And oh.

Just like the stars, her eyes are twinkling too. Just like the moon, her smile is glowing.

Mina can't help but to grin at her, eyes turning into crescent just like in the sky.

"I love it but..." There's a hint of sadness in Mina's eyes, pondering if this isn't enough effort. "this is not so you." Chaeyoung pouts. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

Mina pulled Chaeyoung closer, she shook her head, and looked up at the sky.

"I just thought that the night sky is so pretty that I can't missed it," She stared back at her girlfriend. "With you." Chaeyoung tightened her grip in Mina's hand.

"You're so sweet just like your strawberry pancakes every morning." Chaeyoung said making the two of them giggle.

After a moment of silence,

"Chaenggiee."

"Hmm?"

"I—" She paused, the words couldn't come out from her mouth. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Chaenggiee..." Her girlfriend gave her a reassuring smile.

"Go on." Giving Mina courage.

"I love you." Mina, still eyes closed, was met by silence. Only the ambience of the cars are heard.

Chaeyoung was dumbfounded. Too surprised.

'I know. I know Minari. You've always love me. You're the one who fell harder, although, I'm still always falling deeper for you. Every. Damn. Day. You're too magnificent to be real. You're so surreal that sometimes I think that I'm not worthy of you. You always make me feel like I'm dreaming. That all this? Is true. That sometimes this is all in my imagination. You and I? Us? But you always make me feel I am loved.'

Chaeyoung thought.

"I love you too." Her smile widens more.

Mina covers her face, ears are red, cheeks are hot. Chaeyoung laughs at her.

"I'm so, so stupidly in love with you. It makes me crazy, sooo crazy. That sometimes when I see a glint of your sadness, it makes me worry. No. It makes me panic. That if you're laughing, it makes me happy, the happiest rather. Your existence, it enfeebles me. I love you so much that I can cook your favorite strawberry pancakes all you want. I love you so much that it can heal every inch of me."

There, she said it.

She. Said. It.

Chaeyoung's cheeks are too numb due to nonstop of smiling. She engulfed her flushed girlfriend with a hug, caressing her back, humming a song. This night is too calm for the two girls' loud heartbeats. Too soothing for these two girls who are insanely in love. This night is way too resplendent to be true. Their love for each other feels like a dream.