Withered (Michaeng) ✔️

Chapter 17: A Light

The two sits on the bench at the park. The most memorable place for them. Momo and Dahyun only watch them from afar, even the conflict between Mina and Chaeyoung affected the soon to be married couple.

The storm has ebbed to nothingness. They've been sitting there for half an hour, side by side. A visible gap is noticeable between them. Silence hangs in the air like the suspended moment before a falling glass shatters on the ground, like a poison that slowly paralyzing them from either speech or movement.

"I-I'm really sorry," Chaeyoung says stuttering, he can't bear the deadly silence. That silence that screams with his sin. It's unnatural, void, refusing to be filled to prolong his suffering.

His words fly with the wind as there's no answer from the latter. It makes him nervous in a whole new level, how he wish he could dig a hole and bury himself. Again, silence engulfs them for an exact minute. He could see from the corner of his eyes, glancing to her side where's Mina blankly staring at the lake upfront. Wondering what she's might thinking right now.

"I forgive you" It's like a whisper, luckily Chaeyoung caught her words, used to her soft voice. It is surprising for him when he finally registers the meaning behind it. His eyes widen, never expecting it would be the answer. For him, it makes things more terrifying. He thought his life is over when they meet. He even prepared himself for any physical attack or any curse thrown at him but, no, nothing. She just said, she forgives him.

He doesn't know what to feel at the very moment. He turns his body and faces the girl, tears escaping his eyes as he asks the reason.

"Why?"

There's a thick, heavy, suffocating air surround them. Mina could hold the heartbreak no longer, she starts chewing on his lower lip as her eyes wells up with tears. She calms herself by taking a deep breath, wipes her tears before she faces Chaeyoung.

"Because....you're my best friend" She croaks between her sobs, failed to let her tears silently rolling her cheeks. She stands from the bench and beams a genuine smile at him, covering the pain she feels inside."Let's not meet again, that's the only punishment I can give to you" She adds and leave, not giving Chaeyoung opportunity to says a word. Brick by brick, her walls come tumbling, her legs weaken as she clenches her fist to prevent herself from falling and break down.

Momo helps Mina to walk when she noticed how the girl forces herself to look strong when she's not. She wraps her arms around Mina's shoulder as they walk towards the car. Side hugging the latter when finally, she broke down entirely, her defence wash away in those salty tears.

Dahyun and her fiance exchange a faint smile before he runs towards his little brother, Chae's shoulder shaking with grief as if he lost everything that means the world to him while tears are streaming down his already wet cheeks. He hugs the younger, never he thought that he will see this side of Chaeyoung, his absolute weakness.

* * * *

Mina thought that was the end of them. Although it's hurt to lose someone who's important for her like losing a part of herself, she cannot and never turns a blind eye for the incident that had occurred. Though her parents questions the reason for Chaeyoung never visit them anymore, her sister always there to rescue along with the help of Tzuyu and Dahyun.

It has been exactly two months since the incident, she thought everything will be fine but it's never that easy. These past few days, she feels different. Somehow her mood swings getting worse, she gets easily tired, some part of her body feels sore and pain. She doesn't think much about it though and brushes it off.

Sana who's been observing her little sister is afraid that her suspicion of Mina's condition might be true. She hasn't said anything for the time being. She gets worried when Mina acted weirdly plus when the morning sickness started.

When she can't handle it anymore, she drags Momo with her and rushes to Mina's room. Making sure to lock the door, before she sits beside Mina who's currently lying on the bed. The younger is resting as she told her parents that she's sick, the reason why she vomits this morning.

Mina sits up, leaning against the headboard as she shows questioning look towards her sisters. She appears pale and weak which concerned everyone. Momo who also has no idea what's happening just follow the flow.

"Mina. Tell me, when is the last time you have your bloody ninja attacked?" Sana asks, holding the youngest hand. There's no answer even after a few minutes has passed. Mina takes the calendar sis on her bedside table and starts counting. No, the answer is she hasn't for the two months. Mina shakes her head whispering that it's not possible.

"Mina yah, stop denying. You're not dumb. I know that we're thinking the same thing." Sana raises her voice a little when the girl seems not listening to her. "Here, you know what this is right? Just to be sure, go and check it" She hands Mina a pregnancy test that she secretly bought the other day as she knows that it will be useful to clear their doubt.

With the help of Momo, they drag the little girl to the bathroom on the second floor. Although Mina verbally refusing, deep inside, she's also curious while a huge apart of her scared of the truth.

Her sisters wait outside while Mina in the bathroom. She takes a long heavy breath, holding tightly to the tool that she wants to crush or throw away. Her left hand working back and forth over the newly healed scars on her shoulder. Her legs feel like they are no longer hers and she begin to tremble the same she always did in deep winter cold.

She stands still in front of the mirror staring right at the pregnancy test whilst her thumb covering the small panel on it. Slowly she removes her thumb with fasten heartbeat, sweat starts forming on her temple as she exhales deep breathe.

1 line.

Please, she utters pleading, hoping that's the only it.

2 lines.

-to be continued-