Dancing in the dark

Chapter 11

"Can we get ice cream at McDonalds?" Ari demanded, using her best puppy dog eyes at her older sister.

Mina sighed reluctantly as they got to the car park in front of the cemetery. "Fine, say goodbye to Nayeon-chan and then we can go."  She reminded the kid of her manners.

Ari huffed and crossed her arms, turning those adorable eyes at Nayeon. "Please come with us."

Nayeon almost found herself nodding yes, but then she was reminded she was back in her country.

She could deal with being hounded by the paparazzis but she wasn't sure if Mina and Ari were prepared for that. She didn't want to drag them into the media circus.

Mina saw Nayeon hesitating, obviously she wouldn't want to be seen in public with someone of her stature.

As if Nayeon could read her thoughts she shook her head and squeezed her hands, "I'm thinking of your privacy." She said, letting go off the soft hands grasped in hers, "The paps already make my life shit. If you're seen with me, they'd make yours shit too."

She instantly regretted her words and bit her tongue when Ari began to repeatedly say shit shit shit shit.

She gave Mina an apologetic look.

Mina shook her head disapprovingly at Nayeon but there was a faint hint of smile on those full lips instead of the irritation she expected to see.

"Ari." Mina picked up the child in her arms and  pointed at a distant tower. "What's the top of that tower made of?"

"I don't know." The kid slanted her head as she tapped a finger to her chin.

Mina flicked her nose gently and said, "It's a metal. It's called gold."

"Wold." The child tried the new word, "gold." An endearing grin grew on her face as she got the word right.

"Gold gold gold!" She continued to chant, forgetting the old word.

Mina turned back to look at Nayeon who was staring at her with awe and wonder, like she'd just performed magic. She chuckled as she put the child back down on the ground.

"So about this ice cream?" Nayeon began clearing her throat, "Instead of McDonald's how about I take you both to my secret spot?"

"You really don't have to." Mina declined with a shake of her head. "I know how busy you are."

Nayeon's eyes glinted with humor. "It's a good thing I have the day off then right?"

Nayeon drove them to where she used to go as a kid, the back door offering her privacy from the other patrons.

"Oh, it's our little Nayeon again." An old woman said warmly as she seated them in a stall meant for the staff. "And who are these beautiful ladies with you?"

Ari introduced herself shyly. Mina uttered her name softly. Nayeon glanced at them with a tender look on her face as they began to look through the menu arguing over which flavor they should go with.

Ari struggled with the two scooping on her cone, licking down her fingers and hands as it melted.

"Ari, use a tissue." Mina passed the child a couple, but that didn't stop her from licking.

Mina sighed, because trying to get a child to stop licking their fingers and hands while eating an ice cream was the most difficult job on earth.

She shook her head giving up and turned around to face Nayeon who had been awfully quiet.

She bit back a laughter in her throat when she saw that Nayeon's ice cream was running down her hands and the older girl was trying to lick it before it reached the sleeve of her white bugs bunny T-shirt.

"She's asleep." Nayeon remarked as she looked at the back seat when they reached Mina's apartment after spending their morning at the ice cream parlor.

"I'll wake her up." Mina responded, reaching behind her to get to the sleeping child.

"Don't." Nayeon stopped her with a hand to her wrist. "I'll carry her inside."

"You'd be surprised how much a seven year old could weigh, especially when the lift is out of order and you have to climb ten floors." Mina met her eyes with a small smile.

Nayeon threw her a cheeky grin. "You'd be surprised at how strong I am."

And Mina was, because Nayeon was on the ninth floor, still climbing with the same speed and energy she had on the first floor, Ari fast asleep on her shoulders.

Nayeon deposited the child softly on the bed and paused at the door, shuffling on her feet awkwardly. "Bye."

"Bye Nayeon-chan." Mina wondered why the girl was saying bye but stayed rooted to her spot, looking nervous and uncomfortable.

She saw the older girl sigh deeply as the silence stretched around them.

Nayeon drew another deep breath. "Can I have your number before I go?"

Mina finally understood.

She picked up a pen nearby and turned the older girl's hand around, holding it gently in hers and scribbled her number down with a soft smile on her face that was kissed pink.

Nayeon walked back to her car with a stupid grin on her lips.