What the heart wants

Chapter 26

Nayeon's stomach growls slightly as the pleasant aroma of food wafts through the air into her room. She lays on her back and stares at the night light hanging from the roof. It gently dances along to the breeze that's coming from the slanted windows.

She knows she can't go out there. Not if she doesn't want to upset Chaeyoung and Mina.

A part of her longs for things to go back to normal, because when she's with the girls the pain stops, but these days it sits in her stomach like a fire burning slow.

Her eyes wander aimlessly around the room because she knows if she closes them now and dwell on everything she's lost, even for a fraction of a second, the pain is going to devour her like she's has thrown fuel over the slow burning flames.

All around her are pictures of herself, the girls and their families on the wall. Her gaze lands on one particular picture and her heart painfully throbs in it its chest.

Jeongyeon is standing next to her with a shy smile and there's a taxi in the background.

Despite herself her eyes flutter shut as she recalls the day, the day she met her. She distinctly remembers the distant roll of thunder and the sound of the rain gently strumming on the windows of the studio.

Nayeon remembers as if it were yesterday how her heart stopped for a while and her whole world slowed down.

At first she only sees dainty fingers playing with the rain water pouring down the side of the umbrella. Then, like the moon coming out from under dark night clouds, Nayeon watches in astounded silence her dazzling face kissed by few raindrops peeking out from the umbrella.

Nayeon remembers not moving, not breathing as she stayed frozen to the spot. She has lived 18 years on earth, and her heart has never moved for anyone, no boy or girl had made her feel every pound in her chest, every hair on her body stand to attention.

She vaguely recalls people around her shouting for her to step away from the balcony that has no rails. But everything and everyone has faded into the background, as she eyes the most beautiful girl she's ever seen.

Perfect wavy hair that rests right above her chest, skin that looks so fragile yet so soft , alluring little freckles around her nose, cheeks the colour of pink roses, long eyelashes which flutters over chocolate brown eyes that could swallow galaxies, a small waist hidden under a red jumper, curvy hips that fit so perfectly in light blue jeans. She's simply spellbinding.

And then she smiles.

Her bee-stung lips lifts upwards, nose crinkles and eyes shine brightening up everything around her, like the sun had somehow toppled down from the sky and made a home right there amidst the falling rain.

Nayeon knows immediately this was the girl. This was the girl that had the power to either save her or completely destroy her. This was the girl she could love for an eternity.

A knock at the door shakes her out of the deep thoughts.

A few minutes later Sana approaches the other girls with a frown on her face. "I tried to get her to come have dinner but she wants to sleep and shooed me away!"

Chaeyoung bites into the burger and throws a fry at her. "It's just one meal, don't worry so much. If she's hungry she'll come have the leftovers. She's not a child Sana."

Sana knows that, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't worry.

Jeongyeon finishes her burger, throws the paper in the bin and stretches for effect. "I'm going to bed too. We have to be up at five."

Chaeyoung sniggers as Jeongyeon walks to the room Nayeon and her are sharing. "They aren't even trying to be discreet anymore."

Sometime later, they are all done with their food except Mina.

Jihyo knows the girl is a slow eater but this is way too slow even for Mina. She's barely taken a bite of the burger.

Even though Jihyo is beyond tired after a long day, she still asks, "Do you want me to sit with you till you finish?"

Mina nods her head in negative as she quickly puts the untouched burger back in the wrapper. "I'll have it in the morning. I'm tired too."

Any other time Jihyo would have insisted she finish the burger, but her eyes are drooping heavy with sleep and she lets Mina go with a low warning. "You better finish it in the morning."

Mina nods, but she knows her aching heart will stubbornly refuse to let a morsel of food pass through her throat.

Every bite she takes seems painful, her throat constricting with emotions that she keeps hidden.

Her eyes searches around the room for Chaeyoung in the low night light Jihyo has turned on before she left. She wants to be in her arms, comforted by the only warmth she's ever known. It's entirely her fault the younger girl has been keeping her distance, she's the one who asked for it.

"Goodnight."

She stiffens when someone hugs her from behind, but completely melts into the circling arms when she turns around and sees Chaeyoung grinning at her goofily.

"Goodnight." She breathes out as she burries her face into the crook of the younger girl's neck and sags against her.