Still Here

Just A Normal Day

Mina woke up, an unfamiliar emptiness beside her. She tossed over, there was no one beside her. The sunlight peaked through the curtains, still the room was dark.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoes in the hallways.
"Good Morning, Minari~"
"Good Morning Chaeyoungie, what time is it?"
"It's early morning, I've got to go to work in two hours"
"Yeah, I am getting up"
"Did you eat your medicine?"
"Yeah"

Mina heads to the washroom. The white walls get her dizzy and the sound of running water was too loud. The lights flashed before her eyes, nonetheless she splashed the cold water onto her face. Furrowing her eyebrows and closing her eyes when she felt blood oozing out of her nose.

"Mina, have you seen my coat? I swear I kept it in the wardrobe!" Chaeyoung's voice boomed behind the door.
"Yeah, I'll get it for you. Let me get finished."
So, she freshens up and heads to one of the shelf. She picks up the coat but the moments she pulls it out, dust scatters around the room, causing Mina to have a fit of coughs.
'how did this coat end up here?'

"Mina, I am just gonna wear a jacket"
"Sure"

Chaeyoung, opened her laptop and started her work. She was organising the files according to the schedule before heading to work.
Mina came back a few minutes later with breakfast.
"I made pancakes"
Chaeyoung's face lit up with delight, but with a frown, she rejected the food.

"It looks delicious but I am not hungry"
A horrified expression replaced the smile on Mina's face.
Chaeyoung immediately sprung up from her seat, looping her arms around Mina's shoulder, staring deeply into the older's eyes.
"Don't worry, I am not hungry since I ate a midnight snack"
"Pfft-"
The shorter girl was visibly flushed.
"Hey! It was a strawberry cake! What do you expect me to do?"
"I know, you're my strawberry princess, of course....... I know"
Chaeyoung reassuringly smiled.
"It's been a year since that sickness of mine, you know how quickly I recovered after that"
"I know, you are the strongest woman I know"
"That's more like it"
Chaeyoung stood on her toes and planted a kiss on her lover's forehead.

After Chaeyoung left for work, Mina got ready for hers. Finally, she locked the house and proceeded to her car. She looked at the camper van, which was parked in the garage's darkest corner. She smiled due to the flashback that followed.
"What is this- I swear to god Son Chaeyoung!"
"What! This is the latest model!"
"We don't need a camper van!"
"Why not?!!! It's comfy, spacious, cute, it even has a mini fridge and charging sockets."
"It looks like a kidnapper's van"
"You know nothing about cars, Myoui!"
"THIS is not a CAR, It's a VAN!"
"But...."
Mina's eyes softened
"Yeah, you're right, we don't even go outside for groceries, let alone camping, why do we even need this"
She looked up, her pout visible.
"I'll just take it back"
Now Mina felt bad. How can she deny such a sweet girl? She certainly could not deny her.
"You know, I didn't say that I hate it"
"What?"
"This choice is really odd, but really cute"
Chaeyoung's world brightens up again.
"I just love to guilt trip you into getting everything I want" Chaeyoung proceeded to embrace her girlfriend
Mina rolled her eyes but was excited by the thought of camping, with Chaeyoung of course.

Sadly, they couldn't go to camp yet. The following year, Chaeyoung was diagnosed with Friedrich's Ataxia, an extremely rare genetic condition. Chaeyoung didn't feel hungry and was bedridden. She lost an incredible amount of weight.

It was night. Mina woke up to see Chaeyoung. Staring outside, Mina noticed Chaeyoung, her eyes sparkling no more, full of sorrow and fatigue..
Mina sat upright an. She scooted closer to her, resting her back on the bedframe. Chaeyoung latched onto her lover, burying her face into Mina's chest, her weak figure holding onto her. She reached her limit and couldn't continue.. Her only desire is to escape from all this, from the exhaustion, the agony, and the illness. She wants to run away. She keeps comfort in knowing that Mina will be there beside her, holding her hand as they pace forward from this darkness. She hopes the day when they escape the said darkness comes soon.
Mina stroked the younger's hair, taking in the view before her.
Chaeyoung looks up to her and connects their lips, it wasn't a passionate one nor a chaste one, their lips didn't move at all. They took shelter in each other's warmth.
Chaeyoung was Mina's, and she wasn't going to let anyone take her away from her.