What the heart wants

Chapter 17

Chaeyoung's eyes caresses her with love and fondness as they stand on the porch of the villa.

"Chaeyoungah.."

The younger girl cuts her off by pressing a finger to her lips. "Whatever decision you've made, tell me tomorrow. Let's leave this day as perfect as it is."

Mina's heart stopping eyes implores her earnestly. "If that's what you want. Thank you for today, Chaeyoungah."

She leans a little closer and lays a fluttering kiss on Chaeyoung's cheek.

Chaeyoung is pretty sure about the answer she's going to get the next day.

When they walk into the house, Momo and Sana are chasing Nayeon around the kitchen counter.

"Are they drunk?" Chaeyoung asks Tzuyu as she shoots them a confused glance.

"Nope." She points a finger to where Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Dahyun are sitting, panting for air. "They've given up trying to catch her. So Momo and Sana are trying now."

Chaeyoung scratches her neck. "Why?"

"She has a bad gash on her right hand, rode a really strong wave and somehow cut herself on some debris that was floating near the shore." Tzuyu explains, "That's why the chase."

Only then Chaeyoung notices Nayeon has her hand shoved in her hoodie pocket and there's a huge wet stain on it which is probably blood but the hoodie is black so she isn't sure.

"Leave me alone, I'm okay." Nayeon quickly side steps Sana again who stumbles and falls on the floor.

Momo tries to grab her from behind but Nayeon is quick on her feet, slips right through her arms and jumps over the kitchen counter to the other side.

"God, she's swift. It's like trying to catch Jackie Chan." Dahyun whines still gasping for air, wondering where the older girl gets the infinite amount of energy from.

Neyeon twirls around and dodges Chaeyoung who's joined the chase only to come to a dead stop when Mina steps right in front of her, her deep set brown eyes beneath perfectly arched eyebrows gleaming with something akin to disapproval and dissatisfaction.

That's enough to make Nayeon stop in her tracks because she feels guilty for some reason. She is used to receiving this look from Jihyo but this is probably the first time Mina has been disappointed in her. Momo and Sana use this moment to catch her.

Nayeon sits down on the chair huffing slightly. Sana takes her hand out of her pocket and Nayeon hears Momo curse and Mina gasp at what they see. She doesn't want to see it, it has to be bad if it's making them react this way and blood makes her really queasy.

"Nayeonnie, can you sit still for a second?" Momo holds the fidgeting girl's arms from the back as Sana begins to apply betadine. The smell of it makes Nayeon slightly anxious and she begins to tap her feet loudly on the wooden floor.

"You said you were going to be careful." Mina's gentle voice resonates through the room.

Nayeon stares at the floor, looking small and broken, it makes even Chaeyoung wants to pick her up and hold her.

"I'm sorry." Nayeon mutters and closes her eyes shut as a searing pain cuts through her when Sana dabs at her wound.

Mina lets out a soft sigh, drops to the seat in front of the older girl and takes Nayeon's other hand between hers, often reassuring her it's going to be okay and they're almost done.

It feels like a lifetime before they're finally done.

Eventhrough the bandage the blood still seeps.

"Don't make us chase you again. We'll have to change the dressing in like an hour because the bleeding hasn't stopped." Sana warns her.

Even though Nayeon promises not to disappear nobody really believes her, so they put Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung on security duty next to her and rush to make a quick dinner.

"They're so adorable together." Chaeyoung smiles widely when she sees Jeongyeon feed Nayeon as her good hand is injured.

She glances to her side at Mina who has her eyes lowered and fixed on the plate.

The moment Jeongyeon steps away from the table, Chaeyoung throws Nayeon a teasing grin and whispers a little too loudly. "I still haven't helped you ask Jeongyeon out."

Nayeon's eyes harden and she hisses in a low voice. "What have I told you about embarrassing me in public?"

"Everyone knows Nayeon." The girls at the table chorus making Nayeon flush except Mina who is too preoccupied with her food.

Later that night, when Mina's by the pool sipping on a mocktail, Jeongyeon approaches her cautiously.

"Don't break her heart. Whatever decision you make, don't break it!!" Jeongyeon acts tough but Mina has always known she's a big softy inside.

She kisses her goodnight on the cheek and walks to her room leaving Mina alone with her thoughts.

The sky is overcast and she's sure it's going to rain anytime soon. Just as the thought occupies her head, the rain drops begin to caress her skin gently.

She shuts the door to the patio and her pained eyes glances into the rainy night. Outside it's dark and gloomy, inside she feels the same.

"You've taken my spot." Nayeon's velvety voice snaps her out of her thoughts. "Something on your mind?"

Mina sighs softly. "Something, everything."

"Chaeyoung."

It's not a question. It's a statement of understanding and Mina is grateful for that. Because there are a hundred questions rattling around in her head and she doesn't need any more of them.

Mina glances sideways to Nayeon who's touching the glass, tracing the rain drops which are making their own intricate but delightful patterns on the window.

"Everyone thinks I should date her." Mina reverts her eyes back to the ocean. "Forget thinks, everyone wants me to date her. "

"If everyone wants it, it could be the right thing to do." Nayeon blows hot air onto the glass and draws a tick on it.

The childlike action makes Mina smile a little. She pulls in another lungful of air as she turns to her side to properly look at Nayeon. Her lashes sweeps up to meet the elusive hazel eyes and implores her with a penetrating gaze. She breathes out, "What do you want Nayeon-chan?"

Nayeon blinks and her eyes move away to watch the waves crashing. Her shoulders rise in a lazy shrug. "I want what everyone wants as well."

The younger girl leans on the glass and glances towards where Nayeon is looking. The ocean rumbles and tumbles, the waves breaking really strong and hard near the shore.

"But what really matters is, what you want Mina."

"What if what you want and what's best for you are two different things?"

"You'll just have to listen to your heart and you'll know."

Mina sees the waves getting stronger with every passing second, like a storm is about to to hit.

"Like you know with Jeongyeon?" She asks, whispering it like a prayer.

Nayeon flushes a little.

"Something like that." She mutters.

Mina nods.

Another wave crashes loudly in the distance.