The Right Way ✅

Chapter XII: We can't

"Mina, i saw that the small pretty cute girl talking to you yesterday. You two seems very close." Sana said as she walks beside Mina, they're on their way to the apartment.

Mina stopped her tracks, "Wait, you saw me with her?" She asks.

Sana looks back as she felt that Mina isn't waking anymore, "Yeah, the girl that's with you at the cafeteria. That's her, the one who wants to give you something." She said.

"Oh." Mina looks at her shoes.

It's her, damn it's finally making sense. Mina thought.

"Yeah. Isn't she cute?" Her unnie said as they start walking again.

"She is." Mina replied.

"Oh how i love her dimple." Sana seems like fan girling over Chaeyoung.

"True." Mina agrees as she smiles.

But Mina is no different.

This time, it's Sana's turn to stop walking and stare at Mina with anticipation. "Tell me, have you fallen?" Sana teasingly asked.

"I've fallen hard. And it's hurting me badly."

Sana was surprised by her little sister's answer, this is a new Mina she's witnessing.

"I mean.. what's love without pain?" Sana said as she continues to walk, Mina followed quickly after noticing.

"You're right. But it's too much, i might give up."

All the negative thoughts that Mina has been uttering is somehow suffocating Sana, even though the fresh air breeze is making her hair fly.

Sana kicks a pebble, "Don't. I'm telling you, if you know that she's worth the heartache.. then go for it. It'll just ache, but won't break."

Mina looks up at the sky, it's getting darker.. they should hurry. "I'm afraid it might, it might."

Guess the sky that turned grey just like how her hope did.

It suddenly went dark.

--

Flashback~

"Chaeng." Mina calls as she saw the latter sitting on one of the chairs at the cafeteria.

"Mina!" Chaeyoung said with a bit of excitement on her tone.

"Uhm.." Mina noticed that it's not only Chaeyoung who's she's gonna be eating lunch with.

"Ah, right. This is my cousin Hyunjae."  Chaeyoung said as she placed her arm above Hyunjae's shoulders.

"Uh.. hi." Hyunjae uttered, Chaeyoung sighed after realizing that Hyunjae didn't stutter that much. What a relief, but she shouldn't be feeling okay now, she still has something to settle.

Mina.

Her feelings for her.

"Oh, hello." Mina said and smiled, she sat next to Chaeyoung.

"Chaeng, you said we're going to talk." Mina whispers, making sure that Hyunjae won't hear.

The new nickname that Mina gave her somehow touched a soft spot, she finds it cute. But no, this isn't the right time to feel fluttery butterflies, not now.

"We're talking now." Chaeyoung said,."No, i mean.. just us?" Mina said, while looking at Hyunjae who's extremely nervous right now.

Chaeyoung held Mina's hands, like assuring the girl. "It's better if he's with us." She uttered.

"Why?" Mina frowns.

Chaeyoung deeply sighed, she has to say it. And this is the right time. "You see.. he- Jae Jae he likes you." Chaeyoung said.

This made Mina think.

That must be what's stopping her. Mina thought. Because if it isn't this reason, then what? There's no more obvious than this. So Mina did what she has to do.

Mina stood up, "Excuse me, uhm.. Hyunjae? Right?" She said.

"Y-yes." Hyunjae smiled but too awkward to even considered as a smile.

Mina sat beside Hyunjae, "I've heard that you like me." Mina softly said.

Hyunjae was surprised by how Mina said that so casually, "That's- that's true, yeah." He said.

Chaeyoung just watched, either her doesn't know what Mina's up to, so she just sits still.

"I'm sorry to break it to you, but I'm into someone these days. I'm sorry." Mina said, and this stabs Hyunjae more than once. He didn't know Mina has a someone already, it was painful of course.

He shoulder known, Mina is the queen bee after all. Many, many boys must be chasing her.

Hyunjae stood up and lowered her head, "O-ohh i see, uhm.. okay. S-sorry." He apologized.

"It's okay, but i bet if you court other-" Mina was about to suggest something for the lad, but Chaeyoung was fast enough to cancel whatever she's going to say.

"Mina." Chaeyoung spoke.

"Yes, Chaeng?" Mina said, and damn.. why does Mina has to call her with that stupid name again.

She has to be serious, she shouldn't be feeling this towards Mina. She's about to do another mistake, and she has to summon all of her will power to not do so.

"Let's talk like you want. I'll be back Jae Jae." Chaeyoung said as she left, Mina soon followed her.

--

At the school garden, Mina is now sitting on one of the benches.

"What was that?" Chaeyoung asked as she watch the kids playing with the swing, she's trying to distract herself. Mina is way too strong, it's too much for her.

"What?" Mina asked.

Chaeyoung faced the girl, "Why did you tell those things to him? What's got into you?" Chaeyoung asked, and the tone of her voice is slowly changing bit by bit, and Mina can sense it.

"It's not right to keep the lad on liking me when I don't have plans on liking him back, I'm just preventing the cause of another misery." Mina explains.

Chaeyoung sat beside her.

"And thinking that's how the right way on telling him? You just shooed him away." Chaeyoung said.

"Isn't that how? What's better way to do so? Is there a less painful way?" Mina didn't took her eyes away from Chaeyoung's, she's so sure that the girl feels the same. But why isn't she admitting it?

"Look, Mina.. if you're doing this because you think-"

"Yes, I'm doing it because of that. Your cousin likes me that's why you can't like me huh? Is that it?"

Mina is raging, this is too much for her. How can someone be this tough?

"Don't do this, we can't. Okay?" Chaeyoung looks at Mina with a serious face, just wanting for Mina to take her seriously.

"Why are you so sure?" Mina asked, she's at the verge of crying but she chose to hold it back.

"Because i know so." Chaeyoung said, with no emotion. Like she's a statue, a programmed robot.

Ridiculous.. Mina thought. Mina thinks on how on earth will Chaeyoung know when they haven't tried it yet?