10 일만 내놔 : Give me 10 days (MICHAENG)

CHAPTER 22

[Mina's POV]

We're lying down face to face. Staring at each other's eyes but not saying a word.

Gwenchanha? I wanted to ask, but the words doesn't want to come out.

I gulped.

She lifted her hand and brushed the stray hair covering my face, neatly tucking it behind my ear. She smiled weakly. I can read both happiness and pain written in her eyes.

"Is there something bothering you?" I finally asked.

She stared back at me, like she's considering whether to tell me or not.

"We haven't really cooked the food we served for dinner." Then she flashed an awkward smiled.

I blinked. Oh. Is that it? I waited if there's anything else she'd like to say then smiled back. "I know."

She sat up quickly. "You know? What do you mean?"

I giggled as I hugged my pillow. "Chaeyoung-a. If you want to hide that you ordered food, don't throw the plastic containers in the kitchen garbage bin. We have an outdoor garbage bin for that." Nayeon unnie and I figured it out after we washed the dishes. I was about to throw out the old dishwashing liquid container when I saw the delivery bags inside the trash can.

"Aish. Momo unnie." She muttered. "I told her to throw the containers outside." She sighed.

I laughed. "Gwenchanha. It's a nice dinner."

"Mianhe, Minari." She looks cute being apologetic and embarrassed.

"Gwenchanha. Gwenchanha. Next time, I'll cook for you."

"Jinjja?" She smiled widely.

"Dayeonhaji!" I grabbed her arm and pulled her to lie down.

"Gomawo."

"But when we come back after the concert, let's go out for some sushi. Or maybe we could go out tomorrow? We could go out for brunch before we head out to the airport?" Then I thought about it.

"Ani. We'll be a bit busy tomorrow. Fine. Let's just go out after the concert. Arraseo?" I smiled at her.

I was expecting an immediate response but she just stared at me.

Wae? Wae gurae? (What's wrong?)

Then she finally smiled and nodded. "Arraseo."

[Chaeyoung's POV]

Mianhe, Minari. I have to protect you for as long as I could.

I still couldn't sleep. I lay awake staring at her, watching her sleeping face somehow putting my worries at ease.

I felt bad that I couldn't tell her anything but I know that I needed to figure it out first. I've brought this mess to her and it's my responsibility to fix things. As limiting as it is, we have to avoid going out by ourselves for now, until we find out who it is that took those photos, what the intention is behind it and what they're planning to do. Three more days. We've got three days left and I still plan to make the most out of it.

"Jaljayo, penguin. Saranghae." I whispered in the softest way possible.

I touched her face and smiled.

"Saranghae..." her voice was small and her lips barely moved but I heard it clearly. Clearer than any word I've heard my entire life.

Saranghae.

Day 8

[Chaeyoung's POV]

Saranghae. She said Saranghae. I heard it. I'm sure of it.

"Gwenchanha?" Jeongyeon nudged me. We're drinking our cups of coffee in the kitchen. Leaning in the counter while Momo cooks her eggs.

With my droopy eyes I looked at her. "I haven't slept much last night."

"Why?" she took a sip from her cup.

"Mina slept in my bed." She almost spat out her coffee.

Momo looked at me with a mischievous grin in her face.

I immediately waved my hands frantically.

"Anieyo. It's not like what you think." I shook my head. "She just slept. Jinjja."

She still hasn't wiped off her chilling smile. "Arraseo. Arraseo."

"Then why weren't you able to sleep?" Jeongyeon asked and took another sip from her cup.

I crossed my arms, "She said Saranghae."

Jeongyeon turned around to the kitchen sink to spit out her coffee.

Momo turned off the fire from the stove.

"Jinjja?! She said that to you?" she couldn't hide her disbelief. I still couldn't either.

"I'm not sure." I crunched my nose and looked at Jeongyeon unnie. "She said it in her sleep."

"Oh..." Both of them said in the same time.

"What?"

[Mina's POV]

I woke up without Chaeyoung beside me. I sat up and saw Tzuyu brushing her hair in bed.

"Good morning, unnie." She smiled at me.

"Good morning, Tzuyu-ah." I greeted back as I stood up and fixed Chaeyoung's bed.

"How's your sleep, unnie?"

"I slept great. How about you? Mianhe, I crashed in your bedroom."

"Gwenchanha. That bed is too big for Chaeyoung anyway. And it's better that you're here"

"Why?" I asked as Dahyun walked in from outside.

"Chaeyoung stopped snoring." She shrugged.

"Chaeyoung snores?" I don't think I ever heard her snore.

Dahyun laughed as she put down her towel. "Ha.Ha. Don't listen to her, unnie. Chaeyoung doesn't snore. She's just teasing you."

I then saw her mutter something to Tzuyu.

"What? I don't lie." Tzuyu scowled at her.

Dahyun immediately turned to me and changed the conversation.

"Do you want go out and eat breakfast at the café? Tzuyu and I are heading out in a few minutes."

I looked around the room. Chaeyoung really isn't just hiding somewhere inside the room or something. Maybe she's at the kitchen.

I wonder what time she woke up. "Sure. I'll ask Chaeyoung. We could all go together."

I opened the door and immediately saw Chaeyoung standing in the kitchen with Momo and Jeongyeon. They're all facing away from me so they didn't see me open the door. I walked towards them to say good morning and also get a glass of water. As I go nearer I was able to hear their conversation clearer.

Momo's eating her egg sandwich standing up.

"I still think you have to tell her." I heard her say.

"Mina's going to find out eventually, Chaeyoung-a." Jeongyeon says to Chaeyoung.

"Tell me what?" I said.

They all turned their heads. A piece of bread fell out from Momo's gaping mouth. Chaeyoung is staring at me, her face looked pale.

I asked again. "What am I going to find out eventually?"