Destiny

Chapter 20

"Chug, chug, chug." Nayeon cheers Jeongyeon on as she stands on a table and records the whole chaotic scene on her phone.

Jihyo grunts in disapproval. She leaves Mina's side on the couch and tugs Nayeon down by the collar of her shirt. "No more drinks for you." She drags Jeongyeon along with her and deposits them both on the couch.

Mina swallows thickly because instead of taking the original spot next to her, Jihyo has pushed Nayeon to her side and now they're squeezed in on the V-shaped couch, shoulders brushing, thighs grazing.

She is so close she can feel the heat of her skin radiating through the fabric. Her entire body feels warm and tingly, and it takes all of her self control to resist the urge to pull the older girl into her, to smash their lips together. Instead, she moves closer to Momo and lays her head on her shoulder.

"Nayeon," Jeongyeon's eyebrows raise in question, "Want to play truth or dare?"

"Not a good idea when we're drunk." Nayeon chuckles.

"I want to know what kind of secrets you're hiding." Jeongyeon says looking up at her with a small smile creeping on to her lips.

Mina sees Nayeon's eyes widen through the corner of her vision, her cheeks turning bright red. "I have none." She lies, and Mina knows it's a lie. She turns to look at Nayeon only to find her eyes already on her. Their eyes lock and Mina's face turns slightly pink.

"You are getting really good at lying Nayeon-chan!" Mina whispers as she snuggles further into Momo's side.

Nayeon looks at her and there's a hint of pain in her eyes. "Some secrets are best kept secrets Minayah." She replies with a small smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

When they get home, nobody is in the mood to retire to bed. Dahyun and Jihyo are preparing a late night snack in the kitchen. Tzuyu, Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon are singing out of tune on their karaoke. Sana is laying on top of Nayeon who's sprawled out on the couch. Mina is on Momo's lap and pretends to be absorbed in a game but her sharp ears don't miss a thing.

"Tell me a story Nayeon-chan." Sana says as she snuggles her face further into Nayeon's chest.

Mina blushes faintly as a memory of a particular night of story telling flashes through her mind.

"I'm not good with stories." Nayeon says, keeping her grip on Sana's waist so she doesn't fall off the couch.

"I don't care." Sana says in a low voice, "Go on!"

"Alright." Nayeon replies, and looks at Mina. Mina knows her eyes are on her, so she looks down. She knows looking into the dark eyes right now would be a terrible idea because her stomach flips just by the knowledge they're on hers.

"Once upon a time there lived a princess." Nayeon begins and Mina fixates her gaze on her phone, "She was in love with a prince. But she didn't know someone else was in love with her."

"Why do Princess always fall for Princes and not for peasants?" Momo sighs and pecks Mina on her forehead, and smiles cutely.

"Anyway," Mina hears Nayeon clear her throat, "This someone else, finally understood that the Princess belonged to the Prince." Mina lifts her eyes away from the phone and catches Nayeon staring in their direction. "They finally understood there's no point standing in the way of true love."

"Are you the prince Nayeon-Chan?" Sana's question seem to throw Nayeon a little off as she breaks their glance. Mina studies her closely as Nayeon looks down at her fingers intertwined with Momo's.

"I'll always be the peasant." Nayeon sighs as she wraps her arms around Sana and lays a peck on her forehead. The solemn expression on her face and the misery in her eyes reminds Mina of the purpose she's here.

She's finally found the missing link. Nayeon is in love with someone who's in love with someone else.

She lifts her head up from her phone and looks straight into the elusive eyes, "Maybe the Princess loves the Peasant too." She says, her gaze skittering back and forth between Nayeon and Momo.

"Fairytales are all about the Prince and the Princess Minayah!!" Mina hears her reply and she can't look at her anymore because she wants to pull her into a hug and hold onto her as tightly as she can.

But now she has a clarity. Nayeon is in love with someone out of reach. And she remembers every single thing from the past. How Nayeon began to pull away from her when she started to date Momo. The anguish and pain she saw in her eyes when she saw them together. The same anguish and pain she sees in her eyes whenever she sees them together.

She ignores the pain in her heart as the truth finally descends upon her.

Nayeon is in love with Momo.