Happy birthday to our bunny Nayeon.
Originally posted 22nd of September 2020 on AO3.
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Nayeon and Mina are best friends.
They have known each other since they were in diapers. Like those best friends who grew up with each other, they have known and saw each other's soul, misery, happiness, and different situations in life up until they become adults. They already have seen each other in their ups and downs, in their happy and sad state, and has always been there to comfort each other, to stay and make them realize that they will be in each other's shit for their whole life.
That's how wonderful their friendship is.
Whenever one of them feels upset or tired or irritated or hurt or happy or sad or excited or disappointed, the other one is always to the rescue, always there to make the other feel that she's not the only one, that they have each other through thick and thin. They have experienced many things together already from failing and passing exams, sharing foods during recess, walking each other home, doing school activities in their bedrooms to blind dates, binge-watching movies, travelling outside their town, window shopping, realizing things about their life, and so much more and everyone can say that they are indeed close, that they have that bond only them can have, that they have that connection that only them can know.
Since they are neighbors, it is just normal for them to have sleepovers ever since they were young. Their parents and siblings are also close and they always go to school every day, attend each other's birthday parties, and any other life events they enjoy celebrating. They grew from the fact that they are used to having each other by their side because they always feel safe when they are around.
Mina often times fall asleep in Nayeon's lap. That habit started when they entered 10th year as friends and neighbors, since Mina was very comfortable with her best friend and she thinks that it is just okay for her to just suddenly lie down while they are watching some TV or talking about mundane things in Nayeon's bedroom. She thinks that it is okay for her best friend to be there, almost not moving because she doesn't want the sleeping angel to be disturbed in her peaceful sleep. In those times, Nayeon holds Mina close and certainly, doesn't move from her spot for hours.
While Mina is just sleeping there, so close to her, her admiration for the girl never left. She always finds Mina so gorgeous, so elegant even when she's just doing the bare minimum, even if she's just casually murmuring something in her sleep, when she unconsciously tangles her arms that results in her body ache when she wakes up. Nayeon cannot help but just observe the girl while she is just there, looking like an angel sent from above, looking oh, so breathtakingly beautiful, even with eyes closed. Those times were just gentle moments Nayeon will not forget Mina since they were kids.
"Are you sleeping again?"
"Why not?"
Mina prepared herself and right away lie down in Nayeon's thighs as if it is her own bed and closed her eyes. She is sleeping for the nth time that day because they already finished their homework and some extra activities given by their piano instructor.
One thing Nayeon learned about her best friend is that she is easy to feel sleepy in any time of the day, wherever they are, as long as they are not seen by many people. She learned that when Mina closes her eyes for exactly 10 seconds, she is already napping and on her way to dreamland. That's how easy it is for her to fall asleep.
Nayeon always counts to 10 in her mind before she lets herself observe the girl in front of her and prepared herself for her no moving mode whenever Mina decided to sleep. She will tuck her hair in her ear, fix her bangs that can possibly disturb her from sleeping, trace the moles on her face that seems like a constellation, and sometimes caress her cheeks, as if it is the most flawless and adorable cheeks she have ever encountered in her life, and how adorable it is to pinch when the girl is awake.
"What are you doing?"
"Already awake, Minari?"
Five minutes had just passed and Mina already opened her eyes and asked Nayeon with her soft, morning voice. Usually, when the girl takes her afternoon nap, as a child that she is, it takes her 2 to 3 hours, and Nayeon isn't used to it.
"So, why are you not always sleeping with me when I sleep? Our parents said that it is good for us kids to have naps, especially in the afternoon, though"
The older chuckled at her sudden question that is the possible reason why she suddenly woke up.
"I just don't want to, you know. I'll just drink lots of milk because it is also one way to help me grow besides sleeping."
"Okay. If you say so"
Mina sat beside her and cling into her arm, yawning, but doesn't want to continue sleeping. The truth is that, they both know the reason behind Nayeon not wanting to sleep with her when she suddenly wants to take a nap, it's because she wants to take care of the sleepy girl, wants to just be there without moving from her spot knowing that Mina likes that the most.
They walk through the town, holding hands while it snows. It is their favorite activity whenever their favorite season of the year comes. Ever since they were 11 and got permission from their parents that they can roam around their town without any companion anymore, they promised each other that they once or twice go to the center of the town, feel the snowflakes falling on them, play with the other kids, and build a snowman.
"Are you ready?"
Nayeon run her way going to Mina's bedroom after the latter's parents saw her outside of their house waiting for their daughter. They let the girl personally ask Mina to go with her today as they talked about it in the past few days.
"I can't wear my sweaters properly, Nayeonie. Can you help me?"
They both giggled and Nayeon right away helped the little girl (not literally, though) wear her sweaters, coat, and gloves properly so the girl doesn't worry about her whole look anymore, considering the fact that it is extra cold due to the weather.
"I'm ready!"
As they made their exit through the Myoui residence, they are already holding hands with smiles on their faces as their favorite season comes again that makes them the happiest kids, despite the activities waiting for them at their own bedrooms as it is the start of their winter break already and another pile of school works.
They decided to chase each other until they reach the heart of the town which is the tallest building they have, and had a bet on whoever reaches their destination last, have to treat the winner some hot chocolate that is the best seller in the place during that certain season.
Ever since they started that bet every year, there is not a single chance that Nayeon wins from Mina simply because the former knows how much the latter wants to win, wants to wear that victory smile, and feel the feeling of success. However, right after she proves that she runs faster than Nayeon, she still shares the hot chocolate because she believes it's more fun sharing almost everything with Nayeon.
This year, Nayeon is ready to have that victory smile on her face, ready to beat Mina's record, and ready to taste their favorite hot chocolate without spending her own money. When they reached that certain part where they will start the race going to the tallest building with the pretty fountain, they prepared themselves to run and calculated their way, making sure there are no people or trash bins or animals on their path for a smooth and fast run. When they checked that there is none, they immediately started running next to each other.
It was a good 3 minutes and as Mina planned, she let Nayeon win this year and treat her some hot chocolate she knows the girl will surely love.
"Minari! I won! OMG! I won!"
Nayeon said as they both grasp for air right after they ran for almost 1 kilometer and reached the fountain.
"Congrats! Let's get you your hot chocolate and cookies!"
"Wait. Cookies? My favorite? Are we starting to add that to our tradition every winter?"
"Maybe?"
And that's how their 12th holiday season together went. They enjoy each other's company with their now favorite combination in the world: hot chocolate and cookies.
On most days when they do not know what to do and they do not have any ideas on what they should do for the whole day because they have free time from their piling school activities, they will just lie at Mina's carpet in her bedroom with lots of scattered things, may it be her notebooks, books, pens, accessories, other school stuff, and her toys and collectibles.
They will just stare at the ceiling fan and the glow in the dark stars and moon attached at Mina's ceiling and embrace the comfortable silence, just feeling each other's presence and being grateful for it. And then Nayeon will suddenly break it as she lowers down the book she is reading, will laugh first, before proceeding with getting Mina's attention.
"Minari"
"What?"
Instead of answering, she tries to get Mina's whole attention, and waits for the girl to fully face her as she starts doing some goofy and funny faces.
"Myoui Mina"
She continues on her mission and keeps on moving her eyes and tongue with her hands, as if posing for the camera while trying so hard to stop herself from laughing because it is really a lame one, she just thought of.
"What?"
"Look at me, Mina"
"What do you want, N—"
Mina stopped reading the fantasy book she has in her hands and decided to sit and face Nayeon and finally knew why the girl keeps on calling her. She laughed out loud until there are tears in her eyes and Nayeon is already giving her some soft slaps in her arms which Mina tolerates in the past few years because it is really the girl's habit to slap someone whenever she laughs.
"What is wrong with you, Im Nayeon?"
"I'm bored, you know. Okay, time to crack some corny jokes I found in this book"
She opened the book she was holding a while ago and started browsing it, remembering the jokes she found funny while reading it in the past few minutes.
"Mina, what do you call a guy with a rubber toe?"
"What?"
"Roberto."
"Not funny. Next."
"Why was the little strawberry crying?"
"Why?"
"His mom was in a jam."
"Next."
"Why are frogs so happy?"
"Why?"
"They eat whatever bugs them."
Nayeon chuckles whenever she reveals the answer to Mina but the latter is just there, just staring at her face and the book she's holding because honestly? She thinks that Nayeon making faces is the funniest of them all and no one and nothing can top that.
"It's corny. What's so funny in that book?"
"For your information, you were the one who bought this because you said last time that whenever you feel sad and wants to cry, you will just read this and everything will be okay"
"Did I?"
"Yes, Minari"
"Really?"
"I'll buy this book so whenever I'm sad, I'll just read this and it will make me smile"
Nayeon answered while making faces and imitating how exactly Mina said those words to her when they went to a book store and finding some interesting books that made the younger laugh again like there's no tomorrow.
In times like this, when they do not know what to do, they just cherish the time they have together and make each other laugh, like there is no tomorrow.
There are times when Nayeon wants to try something new, experience things that she had never done before, so she asks her parents if she can do anything she wants to try and they just let her explore things around her.
One time, when she got bored and her parents and sister was not present in their house, she decided to learn cooking. There are actually many things that come to her mind when she becomes bored and mostly, Mina will just laugh at her, because knowing her best friend who is clumsy, she knows that she fails at the things she wants to try, most of the times.
She thinks about suddenly going camping in the middle of the night, or going in the middle of the forest, or travelling on the other side of the town to go to the sea, or to play board games, or to raise an otter, or take care of cactuses, or to have some garage sale. Really, Nayeon is thinking about many things she wants to do when she's bored and she's just thankful that everything that has been mentioned, she just wants to try cooking for today and take advantage of the fact that she is just alone in their house. Besides, cooking seems fun, and is normal? And doesn't require much effort, right?
She then went in their kitchen to see what she can cook for the day and maybe impress someone (read: her best friend). She just saw some leftover rice and mixed vegetables. She searched some recipes she can do with the ingredients available in their kitchen and saw that she can actually make a veggie fried rice and roast some potatoes since they have much of that. She read more of the article before playing some upbeat songs to accompany her and started cooking.
She prepared the ingredients and the tools she needs and finally started her goal for the day. She opened the stove, let the pan heat up first before doing the steps written in the article, but the thing is that, she doesn't know if she's doing it right because she's Nayeon and therefore she cannot be so sure about herself particularly in cooking. She just did what she thinks is right which is currently a mess in their whole kitchen because the ingredients were scattered and some rice are already on the floor as she tried doing what she saw on the television where Chefs usually toss the pan that is a basic, somehow, trick for them and that results the mess in the whole place.
"Are you trying to burn your house or do you have any plans on cleaning up right after?"
Nayeon was startled. She did not expect Mina to visit their humble home today, especially since she wants to surprise the latter with her cooking, but seems like she was the one who was surprised with her surprise visit.
"Minari"
She pouted and the girl right away went to her direction and turn off the stove.
"What are you trying to do, really?"
Mina giggled at her and took the pan from the older, let the remaining rice and vegetables put in a clean plate and put it on the dining table.
"I'm trying to cook for you, though."
"Really? Is there any occasion? You should have just asked for my help, though. Why is my best friend so sweet?"
They started cleaning the whole kitchen and laughed at the remaining veggie rice and baked potatoes at the dining table that is obviously not cooked properly.
"Nothing. I just want to impress you with my cooking skills"
"Impress? Cooking skills? I was about to believe you, but then I only know about your charming skills, singing skills, and leadership skills, though. So..."
In the end, they just wait for Nayeon's family to get back and got them some take outs that they can eat properly. With those kind of situations in their lives, it gives them the chance to grow and know each other more, that is most likely in favor of the two of them because they certainly cannot be separated as they grow older.
Whenever Nayeon would get upset, hurt or just really tired, she would snuggle up on Mina and nuzzle her face into the crook of Mina's neck. And that's when she feels safe, feels comforted, feels home knowing her best friend will not judge her, will always be there, will stay by her side.
"You know, there was a time that I would have died for you."
Mina suddenly stopped humming and stopped slightly, slowly tapping Nayeon's shoulder and rubbing her back (basically her way of comforting the girl) while they are at their balcony after they decided to just stay there and maybe stare at the dark night skies above them.
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just say that, I'm willing to sacrifice everything for my best friend"
"Nayeon, what do you mean?"
"Remember that time when we're both just having fun walking in the middle of the road not minding the cars passing by, blowing their horns, and the drivers shouted at us because it's almost midnight and yet we're still out? I was ready to die back then, just so I can save you"
"Nayeonie..."
"I don't know what's happening with me lately, honestly. I think I just really grow fond of you? Since we're really close, we really grow beside each other. We know each other's likes and dislikes, regrets, dreams, goals, allergies, happiness, favorites. And I sometimes speak to myself, that maybe you're really that important person for me, a special one, different from my family."
She snuggles in the crook of Mina's neck once again as the latter decided to take her hand, play with her fingers and just look straight ahead at their view, wants to listen more to Nayeon's interesting stories just like she always does because she knows it can make the former calm down and get rid of her negative thoughts.
"Thanks for always being there, Nay"
"No. I should be the one saying that. You're always there whenever I need or I don't need someone by my side. I'm beyond grateful for that, Mina, please know that."
"You know what? I'm really lucky to have you as my best friend since day one"
"And I am, too. Know that I am, too"
It's moments like this when they just feel the comfort and warmth that only each other can bring. In their almost 20 years of friendship, it is just normal for them to have this kind of realization and scenarios where they will stop from what they are doing and rest. They are each other's favorite rest, where they can be their own selves without everyone's judgmental eyes and mouth.
The silence and their intertwined hands feel like an unsaid promise they want to keep, an unsaid promise that says that they will stay by each other side, until they can, that they will support and cheer each other up in any ways they can, and that they will be forever be best friends and attached to each other.
They have already experienced many things together, already survived so many droughts, surpassed many failures and achieved goals and they are much more looking forward for more years of friendship.
When they feel tired of everything, they allow themselves to rest for a while beside each other. They will press their faces together, not even kissing, just resting their foreheads together, noses brushing, breathing each other in. That's what they call rest. When they are in that state, they feel safe the most, they feel contented the most, they feel loved the most. They feel that being in that state feels so nice, knowing that they have each other and the comfortable silence.
It is indeed relaxing for them to just stay like that with the person that is important and special to you, who makes you feel that you are loved and appreciated, that you are cared for and supported. They are more than okay with just each other's presence, knowing that they have each other in many more instances and chances in this life.
They always make sure that they give each other motivating message in every obstacle in life. They always make sure that they will hold each other's hand in times of trouble, that they will hug each other tight in times of loneliness, that they will make each other feel special in every single way they know.
It's completely platonic, nothing romantic about it, whatsoever. Everything they do ever since they were kids up until the present is purely just as best friends when most of the times, they act like they are lovers because that is their way to express their love for each other as best friends, they are truly just comfortable in that way. No other reasons.
"I'm thankful to have you in this life, Mina"
"Please know that I am, too, Nayeon. I always am"
At times when sadness, loneliness, and everything connected to that, attacks Mina at night and she doesn't have anything or anyone to lean on because she doesn't want to disturb anyone, doesn't want to be a burden to anyone, she cries. She just cries and feels the pain, feels the darkness around her, feels the way her heart hurts because she thinks she doesn't deserve everything; doesn't deserve her work, her supportive family, Nayeon. She thinks she does not deserve anything from the girl including those years they were together, stick to each other through thick and thin since they were kids and basically became that consistent person who makes her smile and feel so special.
Nayeon will always, always visit her and immediately hug her in those times. She will let Mina's head be buried in her neck. She will hold the sobbing Mina and will make her calm, will let her express herself and cry more and will give her water afterwards, will ask her if she wants to share what happened to her if it will make her feeling lighter and the younger will just stop sobbing, will proceed to sleep beside Nayeon because it's the place she feels secured the most.
And in those times, every night, Nayeon always realizes that she does not do any of that just because she cares for Mina as she promised that she will be a best friend for life for her, but because of something else, something deeper, something that she should know if it is okay if she will pursue, but she madly wants to tell the girl about it, wants to clear all of her thoughts, wants her to realize that she will always be there because she promised herself that she will stay for the one, for her one and only.
On the other hand, Mina profoundly knows that she is aware of her feelings for the girl she has been with her whole life, that she knows that it's not just about the promise of staying by each other's side since they were kids, but because Nayeon is different from them all. Nayeon is totally that ideal person she keeps on dreaming of, not because she knows everything about her, but because over time, she learned how to love her, how it is so nice to have her by her side, not just because she's a best friend, but because of her whole being. It's so nice to have Nayeon by her side who cares for her all the time, who expresses her love in any ways possible. It's so nice to feel Nayeon's presence, Nayeon's embrace, Nayeon's hands into hers, Nayeon's breathe just so close to her ear. It feels so nice, feels so warm that she doesn't have anything to wish for because Nayeon already has it all.
However, there's nothing going on between them, just completely platonic, afraid that they might ruin their 22 years of friendship in just those three words and stupid feelings. But maybe, just maybe, one of them will be strong and brave enough to risk it all, because one believes that it is worth the risk.
Their foreheads are touching right after Nayeon kissed Mina's. They are spending the night in the perfect hill for stargazing as Mina requested. It's been a while since they went out, without thinking of any leftover works, with just the two of them, and doing the thing they want to do for a long time now.
The night is peaceful, they can feel that serene feeling they have been longing for in the past months. The dark skies together with the sea of stars are oh, so beautiful like it was made to be there and to be witnessed by Mina and Nayeon that night.
They think that they needed that rest, that exact moment not to talk about how they have been in the past few days, but to talk about themselves, to talk about what is going on between the two of them, to talk about what they really are.
"Nayeon, do you know that I love you?"
Nayeon doesn't know what to react with that sudden confession, or whatever you call that. There's something inside of her that confirms that it is indeed that moment they have been waiting for in their (literally) whole life. Butterflies in her stomach. It is still different when those words directly came from Mina's mouth. It's like the beautiful, sweet melody she wants to listen to over and over again. However, instead of answering her question, she immediately snuggles up in her spot on Mina and just completely relaxes. She's currently wearing the biggest smile she can offer because she cannot imagine that this day has finally come and her heart is so happy, beyond happy.
"Hey, are you okay? I mean it. I love you, Nayeon. As in, romantically. Not just as a best friend, not platonically."
"I know. And I love you, too. For me, it's you. It's always you, Mina."
She looked at her as if she is her whole universe, as if she is the most important person in her whole life because indeed, she is. There's a sparkle in her eyes that she does only to Mina and the girl always, always melts in those stares because she knows it's only meant for her.
In those 22 years of them being best friends, there's nothing much more than amazing, wonderful, overwhelming feeling they have than this—under the sea of stars, side by side, intertwined hands, and finally admitting their feelings for each other. It has always been Mina for Nayeon and it has always been Nayeon for Mina, since day one.