Destiny

Chapter 23

Mina gawks, her mouth set in a hard line and clenched. She tries to remain that way but despite the seriousness of her question and the weight of the situation, Nayeon is laughing - and her laughter is so gleeful and childish that Mina finds her mouth twitching into a smile.

"Nayeon-chan," She huffs and tries to stomp her foot loudly on the floor to get her attention and a flush creeps up on her face when it leaves nothing but a soft thud sound. "I'm trying to help you here."

Nayeon holds her hands up in the air, but her mouth is still twisted in a smile and Mina wants to see if pulling her in for a sudden kiss would wipe the stupid lopsided grin off her face- all for research purpose of course.

"Nayeon-chan stick your tongue down Momo's throat and tell her you love her." Nayeon cocks her head to a side and taps a finger to her chin, nose scrunching and eyes gleaming and it's adorable and distracting and Mina tries - by god she tries - to pay attention to the words that's leaving her annoyingly plump and alluring lips, tries to blink away the fog in her brain, so she can actually listen and not be caught staring at her mouth. "That's not help. That's assault."

Mina hears the laughter in her tone. "You're so-." She wants to say annoying but Nayeon is leaning against the wall, dressed in an oversized white t-shirt and stonewashed blue jeans, wearing a snapback and sneakers, watching her with that dazzling twinkle in her eyes even more pronounced than normal and Mina's mind short-circuits and gets stuck on the word attractive. She doesn't bother finishing her sentence. She shakes her head, lets out a frustrated sigh and struts her way out of the room.

She hears Nayeon's amused voice asking her to stop. She hears footsteps rushing behind her. She comes to a halt when the older girl catches up and steps right in front her. "I'm not in love with Momo, I promise." She draws nearer.

Mina's eyes spark with a fierce intensity as their gaze lock onto each other. "Good." She doesn't recognise her own voice. It's thick, coated with longing and yearning, and she desperately hopes Nayeon doesn't hear it.

"Is this why you've been acting strange with me?" Nayeon draws her lower lip between her teeth, fingers self-consciously pulling at her t-shirt, eyes downcast. Her voice trails off, "I thought you were over her."

She is. She needs to take a step away from Nayeon because those dark eyes looks up, studies her, scrutinizes her every reaction, and her stomach flutters. "I am over her." She whispers, curious if Nayeon can understand the implied meaning.

"Good." Nayeon mirrors her tone from earlier, and Mina keeps her eyes trained on the older girl, not wiling to back down from the staring competition they're having despite the fast rising blush on her cheeks because she knows if she looks away now that infuriating, exasperating, maddening, completely charming, utterly captivating, wholly mesmerising grin on Nayeon's face would widen.

Mina spends the next day hardly concentrating on the interviews, shoots and rehearsals they have. No matter how hard she tries she somehow finds herself back in the place she started. The calendar on her phone reminds her it's already the 27th of December. Time is not on her side.

She skims through the notepad on her mobile. Seo crossed out. Hei crossed out. Momo crossed out. Jeongyeon crossed out. Who else can Nayeon be in love with? She doesn't recall Nayeon showing remotely any interest in anyone outside the checklist she has in her hand.

Her eyes aimlessly skitter around the hotel lounge they're at for a late night show. They narrow when they catch sight of a particular visiting card laid out on the mahogany coffee table. Le Bistro. The bold and cursive letters read. She's sure she's heard of this name before but can't pinpoint it.

Her gaze is drawn to Nayeon who walks - bounces into the lounge, with an abundance of energy that's uncalled for and unfair to have at two in the morning. "Hey Duracell, shut it." Jeongyeon groans as Nayeon jumps on the couch and starts tugging on her sleeves to join her for a dance.

"I'm bored." Nayeon pouts and Mina thinks it's pathetic how it turns her a saggy ball of mush. She's always found Nayeon adorable and the realisation that she's in love with her only serves to heighten the way she feels.

"Take my phone." She says quickly because Jeongyeon looks like she's two seconds away from kicking the older girl off the couch. "It's got a new game on it. You'll like it."

Nayeon looks surprised, so does everyone. It's not everyday Mina offers to share her game. "Thank you Minayah." She smiles softly as she takes Mina's offered phone.

Mina is sure she possesses a decent vocabulary but those shining eyes are looking at her, their fingers are gently grazing, there's this crackle in air that seems to happen whenever they get within a foot of each other and she's having a hard time recalling the two words that everyone uses to answer a simple thanks.

Her heart is lost in a haze, but her attentive mind is screaming at her for some reason and she averts her gaze to pay attention to the feeling that she's stumbled upon something of importance.

Take my phone. Her mind repeats.

Le Bistro. The name card reads.

Phone. Le Bistro.

Her eyes widen when she finally realises where she's heard that name before.