What are we?

24

Jeongyeon clenched her jaw as she stared at the calendar. March 24th, circled in bright red, mocked her. A glance across the room revealed Mina, fast asleep, sprawled over her study table, textbooks and papers scattered around her like fallen dominoes. Moonlight filtering through the window cast an ethereal glow on the younger girl, highlighting the faint smudges of dark circles under her eyes.

The once vibrant colors of Mina's favorite plushie, clutched tightly in her sleep, seemed dulled, mirroring the atmosphere in the room. Jeongyeon bit her lip, a familiar tug of war erupting within her. Every fiber of her being wanted to reach out, to comfort the girl. But the memory of their last conversation, laced with anger and heartbreak, held her back like an invisible chain.

Just then, her phone chimed a text from Nayeon appeared from the notification pane.

> It's Mina's birthday today :) Have you tried and talk to her?

Jeongyeon reread the message, the weight of her silence pressing down on her. Months had passed since their argument, a chasm of unspoken hurt widening with each passing day. Nayeon's next message arrived, laced with concern.

> It's okay if you're not ready yet, but it's been months, Jeongie.

Jeongyeon sighed and stood up, her eyes landing on her school bag. She didn't forgot about Mina's birthday, she even bought her a lego gift. But she doesn't know how to give it to her.

She took another glance at Mina, just then the girl turned at her, her sleepy eyes fixates at her.

Jeongyeon quickly averted her eyes and was about to open the bathroom door when Mina spoke.

"Unnie." She uttered softly.

Jeongyeon stopped, her hands froze at the door handle. How would she react? What would she say?

She can't face Mina, not now. Not that whenever their eyes met, she's reminded by the hurt she had caused her.

So, she put her phone to her ear, "Hello, Nayeon." And then proceeded to open the bathroom door.

Once inside, she put her phone down and stared blankly at her the device.

Just then a call from Nayeon appeared.

"Hello." Nayeon's cheerful voice rang at the other line. Hearing this, Jeongyeon immediately smiled.

"Hi." She replied.

"Can you give your phone to Mina?"

Jeongyeon's smile falters.

"H-huh?"

"I wanna greet her." Nayeon stated stubbornly.

"Don't you have her number?"

"I deleted it." The med student lied, she just wants the two girls to reconcile.

"I'm... I'm in the bathroom." Jeongyeon stated, crushing her head for every possible excuse she could use to stop Nayeon from persisting her to talk to Mina.

"Baby." Nayeon whined, and Jeongyeon could picture that pouty look on the girl's face, which instantly paints a soft smile to her face.

"I can't i'm... i'm doing my business with the toilet." Jeongyeon stated, and she could hear Nayeon chuckling from the other end.

"You're so annoying." The older girl chuckled, "I'll be pretty busy today." Nayeon added, "But I promise to call when I have time, okay?"

"Okay."

"I love you." Nayeon stated sweetly, amd Jeongyeon couldn't help but chuckle.

"I love you."

When the call ended, Jeongyeon felt the emptiness crash down on her like a tidal wave. The cheer Nayeon's voice had brought was a distant memory now, replaced by a suffocating sense of desolation. She slumped against the cool tile of the bathroom wall, phone clutched limply in her hand.