Warmth Unveiled | Michaeng

Chapter 39 - Home in Your Arms

"Here, Minari," Chaeyoung said softly, placing a warm mug into Mina's arms. Chaeyoung settled herself beside her girlfriend, wrapping her left arm around Mina's shoulders to nestle in together. Chaeyoung's hand rubbed up and down her arm in comforting strokes, warming her more than the hot chocolate did in her hands.

"Thanks," she murmured quietly, resting her head on Chaeyoung's shoulder. Chaeyoung's chest rumbled as she hummed in response, pressing a kiss to the top of Mina's head, her touch feather-light. Chaeyoung gave her a soft smile as she rubbed her sleeve against Mina's cheeks, dabbing away the remaining evidence of her tears. While she had cried, Chaeyoung hadn't said anything and just held her, squeezing her almost as hard as she clung. It had taken Mina the good part of an hour to calm down, at which point Chaeyoung planted her on the couch, bundled her up in blankets that smelled like Chaeyoung while she made them warm drinks.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Chaeyoung coaxed softly, taking a sip of her hot chocolate as Mina shakily blew on the steaming surface of her own. Her throat grew tight as she sniffled, closing her eyes to try and will the newly-forming tears to stop. Chaeyoung, seeing the reaction, kissed the top of her head again, and murmured against it, "Only if you want to."

"I—I do," she said, sniffling again whilst she rubbed her eyes dry. Chaeyoung gave her a long look, one that asked if she was sure, and she nodded in answer to the silent question. Chaeyoung didn't push her or pressure her, and just quietly sat there with her mug in one arm and Mina in the other. Mina slowly told her about what happened, pausing only to stem the flow of tears and gather her thoughts. Chaeyoung didn't interrupt her, the only reaction to her words being an increasingly furrowed brow and the occasional squeeze of her arm. Mina was grateful for Chaeyoung's understated reactions; holding her a little closer when she needed it and giving her space when she wanted it. When she finished recounting what had happened earlier that night, Chaeyoung nodded, lost in thought for a moment. 

"Chaeyoung?" Mina asked, prodding her in the side after taking the last sip of her hot chocolate, putting the cup on the coffee table by their legs and licking the film of milk from her lips. "What are you thinking about?" 

"Hm? Oh, just thinking about my parents," Chaeyoung said, giving Mina a lopsided grin as Mina cocked her head to the side, curious.

"Are they..." she started, fingers awkwardly fiddling with themselves in her lap as Chaeyoung snorted, shaking her head.

"They're not dead, if that's what you're asking," Chaeyoung said, chuckling to herself. "They're divorced."

"Oh," Mina said, shuffling a little closer so she could wrap her own arms around her girlfriend's middle, Chaeyoung's arm repositioning themselves to allow her to come closer. "Sorry... I guess me talking about all this brought up some bad memories." A kernel of guilt jumped around in her stomach, but Chaeyoung just rolled her eyes at the words and pinched the flesh of Mina's arm teasingly.

"Stupid, don't be sorry," Chaeyoung said, shrugging. "It was a long time ago, when I was only nine or ten. It was hard at the time, but things got better."

"How long did it take?" She asked, peering up at Chaeyoung, whose eyes were wandering over the distant walls of the living room.

"A while," Chaeyoung answered vaguely, sighing. "But it wasn't just because of the divorce, more because I was being used as some kind of tool by my parents to spite each other. They fucking hated each other's guts. My mom was basically a money hungry bitch two-timing my dad, but then he was an alcoholic bastard who spent more time at work than home. When he did come home, though, all he did was argue with my mom. When they finally decide to split, they couldn't bear the thought that one of them would come out better than the other, so they kept using me to get back at one another." Chaeyoung face scrunched up as she recounted the bitter memory, disgust evident on her face.