The Curse of Contradiction

CHAPTER 21 : A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Third Person's POV

"Let's go Chaeng? Unnie wants to meet you" Mina said.

"Yeah, let's go" Chaeyoung answered with sadness in her eyes.

At Nayeon's Residence

Mina went home with a big smile on her face. She's excited to introduce Chaeyoung to her unnie. There she saw her older sister, Nayeon, sitting on their couch watching a movie. She greets her sister and hugs her.

Mina's POV

"Good evening unnie! We're here! Have you eaten your dinner already?" Mina said to Nayeon with excitement in her voice and a huge smile on her face.

"Yes, Jeongyeon and I already ate outside. How about my cute baby sister? Have you eaten your dinner with your special someone? or should I say, Cy?" Nayeon said looking at Mina with a grin on her face. "By the way, where is she?" She asks.

"A-ah, yes, I ate with Chaeyoung at the Han River, unnie" Mina replied with a blush on her face recalling what had happened the whole day.

Nayeon stands up looking at Mina intensely with a shocked expression.

"What did you say Mina? Did I hear it correctly? You're with whom?!"

Mina flinched because she never saw her sister like that, raising her voice to her.

"U-unnie, I said I'm with Cy, unnie, C-Chaeyoung and we already ate dinner outside"

Mina answered nervously because she doesn't have any idea why her unnie's mood suddenly changed.

Nayeon, out of nowhere slams the table out of frustration.

"Mina! Are you insane?! Are you kidding me?! What are you saying? You're with Chaeyoung? Son Chaeyoung?!

Mina's scared because of the outburst of her unnine and her tears gradually fall.

"Y-yes, u-unnie, why?"

"She's the one you've been telling me all these times?!" Nayeon ask. She's now confused about what's happening. "You mean, Chaeyoung? With a deep dimple and a mole under her lips?! She's Cy?!" Nayeon continuously asks and still raises her voice.

"Y-yes unnie" Mina answered with fear.

"Where is she, Mina? Where is she?!" Nayeon is breathing so fast because of frustration.

"S-she's with me. S-she's here-" Mina points out in the direction of Chaeyoung but there's no Chaeyoung behind her.

"C-Chaeyoungie?" Mina calls her because she knows Chaeyoung is with her a while ago.

"C-Chaeng?" She asks but still no Chaeyoung. Now she's confused too.

Nayeon is crying watching her sister calling for Chaeyoung but in her eyes, Mina went home alone.

"Unnie, she's here with me, I swear!" She starts to cry and panics.

Nayeon softens from the scene. Nayeon went to the basement and back to the living room holding a photo album then placed it on the table.

"Look Mina! Look at this!"

Nayeon said pointing at their pictures with Chaeyoung.

Mina was flabbergasted because of what she saw. It's her and Chaeyoung when they're still kids. From grade school to high school, and college. And it seems like they were all close like a family.

"U-unnie, it's her. It's Chaeyoung" Mina said. She's crying while looking at the pictures.

"Unnie, what's this? D-do you know her unnie?" Mina looks at Nayeon.

Then Nayeon spoke while tears are falling from her eyes. "Mina, she's your best friend" She said.

"S-so it's a good thing unnie, right? We're best friends?" She said at the same time asks. She's now bewildered.

Nayeon cries harder. "Mina, for god sake, Chaeyoung is already dead! She died three years ago! I thought after the accident happened to you, you'll be okay and you'll forget about her but here you are saying that you're with Chaeyoung and you hang out with her all day and you even have feelings for her? Mina c'mon! forget about her! She's gone, Mina! She's gone!"

Nayeon said while crying out loud. She doesn't know what to do anymore. She thought Mina is already fine but it seems like she was getting worse.

"No! She's alive unnie! I am with her for the whole month unnie. I'm sure she is alive!" Mina raises her voice.

"Maybe she just wants some fresh outside. Or m-maybe she-"

"MINA!!!" Nayeon shouts.

Mina halted. "U-unnie I can prove that she is alive!" Mina gets her phone to show her unnie their pictures together but to her surprise, there's no Chaeyoung included. It's just her and the Han River.

"N-no, it can't be. Where is she? I know we took these pictures together. Where is she!?" Mina shouts in frustration. "U-unnie, I know she's here, wait. I know she's alive!" Mine shouts with all her might recalling the images of Chaeyoung and what they did.

Nayeon walks to her sister and captures her in a tight embrace. They are now both bawling so hard.

"Unnie, Jackson" Mina breaks the hug and looks at her sister. "The cashier at the convenience store. He saw Chaeyoung! They even talk!" Mina said with hope in her eyes.

"What are you saying Mina?" Nayeon asks Mina.

"Let's go unnie, he will prove to you that Chaeyoung is alive" Mina said and drags her sister to the convenience store.

"Good evening!" The cashier greets them.

"Jackson" Mina softly said.

"Oh, hi Mina"

"Jackson I have something to ask you"

"Sure, drop it"

"Jackson do you remember when we met at the Han River?"

Jackson gulps. "Ah, yes, Mina. Why? What's happening?" He saw Mina's tears gradually falling again.

"You saw Chaeyoung right?"

Jackson averts his eyes from Mina and looks down.
"I'm sorry Mina" He said.

"Why? What are you saying Jackson?! C'mon! Tell my unnie here that you saw her too!" Mina shouts.

"I'm sorry Mina but that day I-I didn't saw her" He said still not looking at Mina.

"YOU EVEN TALK TO HER!!!"

Jackson was shocked. "I-I didn't Mina. I just said that for you"

"No, you're kidding me" She steps backward. "Is this some kind of joke?!" She said shifting her gaze from Jackson to her sister. "Tell me it's a joke" She whispers. "TELL ME IT'S A JOKE!!!" She cries and then runs outside the store. She runs to the place she knows where Chaeyoung is.

"Chaeyoung!" the Mina shouts.

"Chaeyoung where are you!" She cries.

"CHAEYOUNG!!!" She yells.

But there's no Chaeyoung. Mina kneels down because of so much pain. Flashbacks are starting to pop up. Her moments with Chaeyoung.

"You said you will be here, now where are you?" She whispered still crying. "I supposed to tell you my feelings, Chaeng" Tears didn't stop from falling.

Mina can't process what happened and because of that, she gradually lost her consciousness.