What the heart wants

Chapter 37

The sky is clear and blue. Birds are chirping. The sun is out and warm. Nobody's home and Nayeon feels giddy like the kid in Home Alone.

Chaeyoung and Mina are off to god knows where, Momo and Tzuyu are on a bowling date, Sana and Jihyo are buying groceries, Jeongyeon and Dahyun have gone to a reality show.

Nayeon turns the stereo on and decides to clean the house. Jeongyeon always cleans the mess in the dorm and for a change she wants to do something nice for her.

After a while, she's done cleaning the rooms, sprayed air freshener, picked up the dirty clothes from the girls' rooms and decides it's time for her to take a shower.

She peels off her trousers that's gotten dirty from all the cleaning and drags the laundry bag to the machine, wearing just her over sized white spongebob t shirt and her bright yellow spongebob girls' briefs.

Who let the dogs out

The stereo begins to pump. Nayeon who's in middle of the living room, picks up a dirty towel and twirls it over her head singing along, "who who who who who?"

The door opens with a slight creak but Nayeon is so engrossed in an impromptu dance duet with her towel, she doesn't notice four pair of eyes staring at her with amusement and laughter.

When Nayeon completes her spin and her gaze lands at the door, her mouth drop opens and her eyes grow comically. She drops the towel, bows slightly and stutters, "Okachan, Otochan"

The older man bows back and his lips curl into a teasing smile.

"Nayeon-tan", he chuckles and points a finger at her, "You're still in your underwear."

Nayeon's cheeks are kissed pink like a rose, the color adorable on her baby soft skin. She quickly grabs the towel from the floor and wraps it around her waist. "I'll be right back."

She runs to get to her room and in her rush trips over the tea table and falls face first on the carpet.

"Oh my god, look at what you did." Mina's mother admonishes her husband for teasing the younger girl.

She helps the younger one up and watches as she holds the towel steady with a hand, petrified it's going to drop and she's going to be in her underwear again. Her heart does the familiar tug whenever she's around Nayeon.

"Come here." She wraps the flushed girl in a warm and comforting motherly hug who finally relaxes and lets out a soft sigh.

"I got all that on camera." Chaeyoung whispers to Mina who's biting her lips so hard trying not to laugh Chaeyoung is sure it's going to bleed. "Anyway, why do they always call her Nayeon-tan?"

"It's a term of endearment for babies." Mina says gazing softly at her mother who is now rubbing the reddish spot forming on Nayeon's forehead with a worried face.

Chaeyoung's eyes twinkle with mirth. An apt name she thinks, for the biggest baby she's ever known. Jeongyeon follows a close second.

Later that night, all the girls are gathered in the kitchen helping Mina's parents who insist they make dinner for them.

Chaeyoung stays by their side wanting to impress them. She knows how tight Mina is with her parents and wants them to have a good impression on her.

"Myoui-San," She address the friendly older man who is making the meringue for the cotton cheese cake. Next to him Mina adds the ingredients as he instructs. "Can I help you with the dessert?"

Mina's father throws a fond smile at his wife and the younger girl sitting on the kitchen counter next to her. Nayeon is slightly bouncing and often says something that makes his wife throw her head back and laugh. "Thank you Chaeyoung. I think you should because Nayeon-tan is stealing the dough and my wife is too smitten with her to notice."

"Otochan I'm not stealing, I'm taste testing." Nayoen grins at him.

"And how do you rate it?" His wife questions eagerly.

"It's extraordinary." Nayeon declares, "Just like the woman who made it."

Mina's father watches as his wife turn ten different shades of red at the compliment and swoons like a school girl with a crush.

"First the dough, now my wife." He laughs. "Go get your own girl Nayeon-tan."

Mina's mother doesn't miss how Nayeon's bright smile falters just a little at the last words.

She doesn't miss how Mina averts her eyes from their direction and gazes at Chaeyoung. She doesn't miss the crestfallen look on her daughter's face. She doesn't miss the anguish in the beautiful eyes of her lovely Mina.

At the end of the night she holds her hands and looks searchingly into her eyes. "If anytime any of this gets overwhelming, just come back home darling."

Mina blinks backs her tears. "I will Mama."

She falls into the opened arms willingly, letting her wipe away all the pain momentarily.