Haunted Heart

Everything was perfect.

Mina should have known better than to be complacent in that. It’s in that haze of assumed grandeur that you miss the impending catastrophe, much like the disaster that’s tearing its way through her life right now.

When they first met, Mina had thought there was no way someone like Kris could possibly be interested in her. He was everything that she’d conjured up in her wildest fantasies, and maybe even a little bit more. Everything from his blinding smile, to the way his golden hair fell into his captivating eyes, to his lithe, graceful frame was something straight out of some fairytale. She should have known that it was going to end badly, that this guy would end up destroying her. Looking back, she knows she should have seen this coming, but that’s the mockery that comes with hindsight; in knowing the outcome, you think of what could have been changed or avoided, but it doesn’t do any good.

Kris was a perfect gentleman on the surface, kind, generous, courteous and gentle; how could she have been so blind to the darkness his smile shrouded? The man sitting in front of her right now was anything but kind, and his gentle nature seemed to have been completely erased. His dark eyes were set in a hard line, glinting dangerously like obsidian cut into jagged edges. She felt the sharpness of his gaze rake across her face, leaving wounds that she expected to bleed at any moment. Mina wished they would, so she could have physical proof of the lacerations being inflicted upon her heart; proof that he was not what he seemed, that behind that picture perfect appearance was a monster who prayed on the emotions of weak, vulnerable women.

Refusing to meet that predatory stare, Mina kept her gaze on the floor hoping to whatever power out there that this was just some sick, twisted nightmare.
Her body began to shake as dread worked its way through her veins, slowly chasing any warmth from her being and leaving her a quivering mess. This was not the way she wanted to react. Mina wanted to scream at him, to lash out violently; not be this pitifully weak person, but she couldn’t find the strength to even answer his confession.

He cheated, he fell in love with someone else, and he was leaving her.
The man she gave everything to, the man that she’d loved so absolutely, the one she wanted to be with forever.

He was leaving, he didn’t want her anymore.
Finally, she lifted her gaze to look at him, hoping to see remorse for the sins he’d committed, for the trust that he’d betrayed. Instead he wore a poker face, the sharpness of his eyes was the only feature revealing any sense of emotion; and there was no remorse to be found there.
It had been a while since any words were spoken, and the silence hung thick in the air, threatening to suffocate her. Even if she didn’t know what to say, this tension had to be broken before it swallowed her whole.

Taking in a shaky breath, Mina spoke. “Why Kris? Why leave me like this? Why not tell me sooner if you weren’t happy? Why put me through this?” Her voice rose with each question, and by the end she knew that she sounded shrill and desperate, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

Her emotional pleas seemed to have no effect on him.

“Things changed.” Kris replied, his voice just as devoid of emotion as his handsome features.

His tone made her feel sick.

He couldn’t even fake a little compassion? She was the same woman he had claimed to love, the one he had asked to move in with her.

Standing abruptly, she ran from the room and ungracefully stumbled into their shared bathroom before emptying the contents of her stomach.

Part of her expected him to walk through the door and make sure that she was okay, possibly take everything back, realizing the mistake he’d just made. Of course this wasn’t the case. Unceremoniously wiping the back of her hand across her mouth, she closed the lid of the toilet and shakily sat herself down. Her head drooped forward and dark hair concealed her face completely as the tears ran down her cheeks. The cruelest part of having everything you want is that it can all be ripped away in an instant.

Despair grew with every passing second she spent in their apartment, happy memories were etched into every wall. They flashed before her incessantly; unwelcome reminders of what used to be. Mina bolted into their bedroom, ignoring the pain that stabbed through her chest upon seeing how normal it looked, as her life wasn’t just turned upside down. Grabbing a bag, she threw in random clothes, toiletries, and emergency money before zipping it closed violently. She didn’t care that the zipper snagged on one of the shirts and she didn’t care about the noise the coins made as they rolled around in the metal tin, all she cared about at that moment was getting away from this place, away from him.

He didn’t even seem surprised at her sudden appearance, or the bag thrown over her shoulder. Yanking the door open violently, Mina stopped and took one last glance at him, the man who was her everything.

“You’re going to regret this.” She said, her voice holding a confidence that she certainly did not feel. Not giving him any time to respond, she walked out of the apartment, making sure to slam the door behind her.

The winter air nipped at her exposed skin as she walked. On a normal day, this cold wouldn’t have been unbearable for Mina, but on a normal day Kris would have wrapped his oversized coat around her shoulders with a knowing smile, making sure to pull her firmly into his side before placing warm kisses along her cheek. That won’t happen again. She thought to herself bitterly before shaking away the memory with disdain, fighting the tears that pooled in her eyes.

Relief washed through Mina upon reaching her destination, the small café where she worked. The large windows of the storefront revealed that Chanyeol was working today. A large smile adorned his face as he stood in front of the cash register returning change to a customer; the scene was so familiar it almost brought a small smile to Mina’s lips.

The small bell that hung above the door chimed as Mina entered, alerting everyone to her presence. Customers scattered along couches and armchairs turned toward the noise; she kept her head down to avoid their stares as she made her way toward Chanyeol.

“Mina!” Chanyeol greeted her happily, a wide grin on his face.

“Hey Chanyeol.” Mina replied, avoiding his gaze and shifting the uncomfortable weight of the bag on her shoulder.

“You know you don’t work until Monday right?” He joked before finally catching her eye. Almost immediately, all kidding was erased as concern took over his features. “What happened?”

“When are you off?” Mina asked, dodging his question.

“Five. Now answer me, what happened?” Chanyeol repeated, even more concerned than before.

The last thing Mina wanted to do was cry in a room full of strangers, and she was nearly positive that they didn’t want to witness a girl have an emotional breakdown when they were trying to enjoy their coffee. Fighting off the burn of impending tears, she gestured toward the back room before walking behind the counter.

Chanyeol grabbed the bag off Mina’s shoulder once she was close enough, wincing at the unexpected weight. Once he spotted the purse she wore daily still strung across her other shoulder, Chanyeol realized that this was an overnight bag and dread began to build in the pit of his stomach. Whatever happened, it wasn’t good.

Mina turned to face Chanyeol, the tears she’d fought off finally cascading down her cheeks. He didn’t think twice about dropping the bag and scooping Mina up into an embrace. She clung to him willingly, clawing at his shirt as she sobbed freely into her friend’s chest. Chanyeol rubbed soothing circles on her back, unsure of what else to do. Usually he would crack a joke, or dance around like an idiot to cheer Mina up, but that was usually only for little things like when she burned her hand on the toaster oven, or when a customer was particularly irritable. This time he was at a loss as to why she was so upset, but he knew that the usual tactics wouldn’t be of any use to him.
Gently, he pulled Mina off of his chest and pushed her back far enough to look get a good look at her. She refused to meet his inquisitive gaze, instead focusing on the logo of Chanyeol’s t-shirt; this was easy, as it was directly at Mina’s eye level.

“Mina.” Chanyeol spoke softly, waiting until she looked him in the eye before he continued. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

Mina immediately dropped her gaze back to the floor before letting out a shaky breath and nodding. “It’s Kris.”

“Did something happen to Kris?” He asked alarmed.

“Not yet.” Mina gritted out, turning her head away from him. “He…he-.” She sputtered, unwilling to say the words out loud. Having to repeat his confession was like pouring salt on her wounds, the words stuck in her throat and she wished she could just swallow them back down, but she couldn’t. Chanyeol was watching her expectantly, waiting for some kind of explanation, and if she wanted his help, she had to tell him.

A large hand squeezed her shoulder gently; it was Chanyeol’s way of silently reassuring her. “What did Kris do?”

Mina winced as if she’d been struck at his words, and Chanyeol began to panic, his eyes roaming over her exposed skin for any signs abuse. She realized what he was doing and knew she had better come out with it quick before he jumped to false conclusions.

“Kris…is in love with someone else. We’re…over.” Mina informed him softly, her lower lip trembling with unshed tears.

Chanyeol let this sink in before realization hit him; Kris had been seeing someone else. He conjured up a memory of seeing Kris with a girl a few weeks beforehand. He’d told Chanyeol that it was a co-worker, and it hadn’t seemed too suspicious so he never thought to mention it to Mina. Now Chanyeol couldn’t help but speculate if she was the one Kris had cheated on Mina with; he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he could have averted this. As irrational as the thought was, he couldn’t chase it away.

Mina let out a shaky breath as tears fell down her cheeks then dripped off her chin; they fell onto her chest like cold, painful reminders of her heartbreak. Chanyeol hugged her to his chest again, not being able to stand the sight of her tearstained face.

“I’m so sorry Mina.” He whispered hoping to comfort her. “You deserve so much better than this.”
“Do I?” Mina hiccupped, her voice filled with sadness.

Chanyeol opened his mouth to respond when the bell on the front door alerted them to a new customer. Unsurely, he glanced between Mina and front counter.

“Go.” Mina told him, pulling herself out of his arms.

“I’ll be right back.” He assured her before lightly jogging to the register.

Mina looked around the back room for something to distract herself; instead she was bombarded with memories of her and Kris. She eyed the counter she leaned on with disdain, remembering the time Kris had surprised her at work, sweeping her up in a kiss before placing her gently on this very countertop. Gazing out to the front counter she remembered the first time she saw him…Mina tore her gaze away before the memory overtook her.

She slid down to the floor, overwhelmed with everything that had happened in the last hour. It was too much, and her body begged for respite; craving the numbing comfort that sleep provides. Hearing the familiar hiss off the espresso machine, Mina knew that she only had to endure a few more minutes of quiet before Chanyeol came back; all she wanted was another warm body to comfort her, and chase away the chill that made her shake. She closed her eyes, humming a song quietly to try and pass the time without thinking of him.

Someone grasped Mina’s arm gently, breaking her out of her trance. She jumped involuntarily before seeing Chanyeol squatting in front of her, a sad smile on his face.

“I texted Luhan, he’s going to come in early and cover for me.” Chanyeol informed her. “As soon as he gets here we’ll leave, okay?”

Mina nodded in agreement before reaching forward to wrap her arms around Chanyeol’s neck, clinging to him desperately. “Thank you, Chanyeol.”

“Don’t mention it.” He responded, hugging her tightly. The bell chimed again in the front, and Chanyeol sighed as Mina released her grip on his neck. “Luhan should be here soon.”

“It’s fine.” She assured him.

“I’ll bring you back some tea.” He told her while straightening himself into a standing position.
Mina nodded, hugging herself tightly as he watched Chanyeol’s long legs carry him back up front. Fishing her phone out of her purse, she stared at it blankly; not sure if she should check to see if he called or not. His emotionless face flashed in her memory, and she put the phone back in her purse, knowing that even if he did call, it wouldn’t be what she wanted to hear.

Unable to stop herself, Mina let her thoughts wander to dangerous inquiries. How long had Kris been seeing this other woman? Who is she? How did they meet? He’d made sure to give Mina the bare minimum amount of information when he’d confessed, she didn’t even have a name to go on.
In Mina’s mind, she could imagine Kris bumping into a pretty girl who worked in his building, his smile nearly blinding as he apologized. She could imagine their flirtation continuing daily, escalating from casual encounters and innocent touches into a full-blown affair, and eventually she could picture the look in Kris’ eyes as he gazed down at his new lover. The hurt in Mina’s chest flared at the creation of her own mind, and she wrapped her arms tighter around herself, feeling even smaller, and even more inadequate than she did before.

A small gasp drew her attention over her right shoulder. Luhan gripped an apron tightly in his hand as he looked over at Mina. Almost positive she looked just as horrendous as she felt, Mina wiped at her eyes quickly and smoothed her hair down self-consciously. How long had she been trapped in her own head?

“Oh my god, Min.” Luhan exhaled after draping the apron over his head. He tied the strings behind his back as he glided over to where she was seated, only averting his worried gaze from her form long enough to peer at Chanyeol walking into the room. With a sympathetic touch, Luhan wiped away her tears, and kissed the top of her head before joining Chanyeol. “You’re taking her to your place right?” Luhan asked under his breath.

He’d never seen Mina so shaken up, he honestly believed that if Kris walked through that door right now there was a large possibility he’d kill the tall Chinese man.

“Of course.” Chanyeol replied, untying his apron and lifting it over his head before hanging it by the door. “Where else would I take her, back to her apartment?”

Luhan rolled his eyes swiftly before glancing at Mina, prompting Chanyeol to do the same. She’d barely moved her position and seemed to be completely ignoring the boys behind her. To say Chanyeol was worried would be an understatement; the sweet, vibrant girl he knew sat on the ground a withered mess all because of Kris. As he looked at Mina, helplessness began to slither up his spine. She was so very broken, what could he possibly do to help her? These thoughts fueled the rage that began spreading through him, his large hands clenching into tight fists that he kept restrained to his sides. Luhan watched this change in Chanyeol and clapped his hand on his friend’s shoulder, gaining his attention.

“Mina needs you right now, keep it together, we’ll deal with Kris later.” He reassured Chanyeol who let out an exasperated sigh before wiping his hand over his eyes almost violently.

“It’s not just that.” Chanyeol revealed. “What help am I going to be? Her whole world just crashed down around her, I have no clue how to help her put the pieces back together Luhan.”

“Chanyeol, she didn’t ask you to put the pieces back together.” Luhan told him softly. “Just be there for her right now, that’s all she needs.”

Swallowing the thick lump in his throat, Chanyeol nodded at Luhan, knowing the older boy was right. This wasn’t about him, this was about Mina. “I told her I would get her some tea.” Chanyeol remembered.

“I’ll make it; just get her ready to leave.” Luhan instructed him before walking out of the room, placing another encouraging pat on Chanyeol’s arm.

Taking a deep breath, Chanyeol grabbed his jacket off of the hook where it hung, and slowly made his way toward Mina. He frowned slightly when she didn’t look up at his approach. Sighing, he scooped up her bag from the floor and tapped her shoulder gently to gain her attention.
She looked around wildly, before her gaze fell on Chanyeol’s jean clad legs. He leaned down to be at Mina’s eye level before he spoke. “Luhan is getting your tea ready then we’ll go.”
Mina nodded, slowly forcing herself up off the ground. Chanyeol watched as she clambered up into a standing position, not missing how incredibly weak she seemed at this moment.

Luhan burst back into the room, a paper coffee cup in his hands. “Here Mina, blackberry with honey, your favorite.” Luhan told her, setting the cup on the counter behind her before hugging her tightly again. Pulling out of the embrace, Luhan paused at her ear. “Feel better, text me if you need anything, alright?”

Once they had separated, Mina met Luhan’s concerned gaze and nodded. She picked up her tea, reveling in the warmth the drink gave her cold hand before Chanyeol slipped a hand on her back. Mina let herself be slowly guided out the back exit while Luhan waved, watching her leave with sad eyes.

“Damn.” Chanyeol cursed upon stepping out the door. Rain poured down onto the city in droves, drenching everything in sight. Looking down at Mina, he saw that she didn’t have a jacket with her and his car was parked one block over.

Chanyeol led her in the right direction, taking caution to walk under the many overhangs of the local business, but too soon they ended. The rest of the walk they would be completely exposed. Mina didn’t seem to notice any of this as she mechanically placed on foot in front of the other, letting Chanyeol guide her while she clutched her tea with both hands. She didn’t even look up when he stopped them both completely, straddling the sidewalk between the last overhang and the open air.
Gaze alternating between Mina, and the walk ahead of them, Chanyeol wondered how to proceed. A shiver ripped through Mina, and that decided it for him. He shrugged out of his large black coat and placed it on her shoulders. This seemed to finally capture her attention, and she peered up at Chanyeol curiously, moving her newly covered shoulders experimentally.

Mina couldn’t help but be reminded of Kris in this moment. He would never hesitate to shrug out of his coat and place it around her. Making sure to zip up the jacket with a smile, and pull her hair out of the hood gently. Every time he did this Mina’s heart would flutter in her chest. It had meant he cared, it showed that he cared more about her well-being than his own; or so she thought.
Shaking herself from the poisonous thoughts, she slipped both arms into Chanyeol’s oversized coat, pulling the sleeves back until her hands were finally freed. She heard Chanyeol’s deep chuckle beside her and looked over. His large smile was set on Mina as he watched her struggle with the sleeves.

“That jacket is huge on you.” He laughed again, moving in front of her to zip it up.

Mina fought off the déjà vu that came with Chanyeol’s actions, and responded. “It’s not my fault you’re a giant.”

Laughing again, Chanyeol pulled the hood up over her head. “My car is a little ways away. We have to walk fast.”

“You’re going to get drenched.” Mina worried, finally taking in the sheets of rain covering the streets.

“I’ll be fine, like I said we just need to walk fast.” He assured, carefully tucking her hair into the hood. “Ready?”

Mina nodded in silent agreement.

They darted out quickly into the open street, Chanyeol’s arm guiding her in the direction of his car. Rain dripped down his face, large chunks of his auburn hair clung to his forehead and the nape of his neck. Mina looked at his dark t-shirt and saw how it clung to his lean torso, completely soaked. She picked up her pace, not wanting him to be in the rain any longer than he had to. Thankfully, they reached his car fairly quick. He struggled to unlock the door before ducking into the driver seat, and reaching over the passenger side to unlock Mina’s door as well, all the while mumbling about how he wished he had automatic locks. Mina scrambled into the car as quickly as she could. As soon as she hit the seat, she shrugged out of Chanyeol’s jacket and threw it around his quivering shoulders.

“You really shouldn’t have done that.” Mina chastised the shivering boy beside her.

Chanyeol pulled the jacket closer with a sheepish smile. “Seemed like the right thing to do at the time.”

“Well thank you.” Mina replied gratefully. “I feel bad you got so drenched though.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Chanyeol reassured her, his long fingers flying across the dashboard, manipulating the knobs for the heater, and adjusting the air vents so they would all be aimed in his direction. He let out a contented sigh once the airflow was warm, and Mina watched as his hair and shirt began to dry gradually. Even with the heat and the jacket, Chanyeol was still shivering slightly so Mina handed him her tea. He took it with a grateful smile, wrapping his large hands around the cup and closing his eyes at the warmth.

“Drinking it might help.” Mina offered.

Chanyeol kept his eyes closed, but shook his head. “It’s yours.”

“Chanyeol, drink the damn tea.”

He popped one eye open and peered at her. “Such language.”

“Yeah, well it’s just been that kind of day.” Mina muttered, leaning back in the seat with a dejected stare. Tears pooled in her eyes again, and she took deep breaths, attempting to chase them away.
“I’m drinking it!” Chanyeol called, seeing the tears beginning to build in her eyes. He knew of course that this wouldn’t solve anything, her tears were for an entirely separate reason, but it couldn’t hurt to try to distract her. Chanyeol knew that when it came to getting over heartbreak any distraction was a welcome one.

He was rewarded with a dimly amused gaze as she watched him burn his tongue on the hot tea, spitting the liquid all over his dashboard in surprise. Mina would have laughed normally, but Chanyeol knew not to expect it today, he considered the tears dissipating from her large eyes a success in itself. He handed Mina the tea with an internal sigh of relief, he’d distracted her from the abyss she was slipping into for the time being, even if it came at the cost of his taste buds.
Applying pressure to the brake and shifting into reverse, he began to pull out of the parking spot and start the drive to the small apartment he shared with Baekhyun. Thankfully the older boy was visiting family over winter break, and wouldn’t be home for at least another week. This way Mina didn’t have the added stress of meeting someone new, even though Chanyeol was certain the two would get along.

He spared a glance in her direction as they waited at an exceptionally long stop light. The city lights illuminated her face, adding a stark contrast to the dark expression she wore. Even in her misery she is beautiful; Chanyeol couldn’t help but think to himself. A honk blaring behind him broke Chanyeol from his reverie and he fumbled for the gas pedal, clumsily accelerating through the intersection and making his way home. Neither of them said a word the entire ride there. Chanyeol focusing on the road, and Mina focusing on not losing it again, it just took too much energy and she already felt drained.

Thankfully, they arrived at Chanyeol’s apartment complex in mere minutes and pulled into the covered parking structure next to the building. Chanyeol was out the door grabbing Mina’s bags the minute he’d killed the engine. As he lugged her heavy bag from the trunk he began formulating plans in his mind; sleeping arrangements, carpooling to work, informing Baekhyun. The last one was important, not only because the older boy lived there as well, but because he really needed his best friend right now. Baekhyun was good at these kinds of things, Chanyeol not so much. The sound of feet hitting pavement earned his attention, he looked up and saw Mina settled against the side of his car, watching him with dim amusement.

“You were spacing out.” Mina informed him, watching his face flush an endearing scarlet. “I was practically up the stairs before I realized you were still down here.”

“Was I really?” He mumbled, yanking her bag completely out of the vehicle and shutting the trunk with a satisfying slam. “Sorry about that, let’s get inside.”

Mina nodded to herself mostly, as Chanyeol had already made his way to the stairs leading up to his second level apartment. She followed him silently, watching as he clumsily fished his keys from his pocket and fumbled to unlock the front door. A minute, and many mumbled curses later, he finally managed to get the key in the lock, opening the door with a click.

Chanyeol motioned for Mina to follow him in with a sweep of his arm and a small smile. As she stepped into his apartment, she saw cups, plates, clothes, and shoes scattered among the small living room. Mina stepped over a pair of boots as she followed Chanyeol deeper into the apartment. He smiled apologetically when she got tripped up by a sweater lying on the floor, offering his hand to help pick her up.

“Sorry about the mess.” Chanyeol apologized with a sheepish grin, “My roommate is the clean one and he’s been gone for a couple weeks. I’m going to put your bag in my room and I’ll crash in Baekhyun’s room tonight.”

“Chanyeol I can’t-.” Mina began to protest before being silenced by a gentle shake of Chanyeol’s head.

“You’re going to take my room. No arguments.” He asserted, already making his way down the hallway and through a door. The room was just as chaotic and messy as the rest of the apartment. Chanyeol threw another apologetic smile her way before setting down the bag and hastily picking up scattered clothes.

She watched him run around the small space, collecting a large amount of clothing before dumping it on a nearby chair. He surveyed the room again and, pleased with his work, moved her bag from the doorway onto the unmade bed. Mina walked father into the room, and joined Chanyeol by the bed.

“Thanks again.” She said softly.

Chanyeol smiled his usual wide grin as he took off his jacket and threw it with the pile of clothes on the chair. “You’re welcome, again.”

“Um, I think I’m going to change.” Mina informed him, running her hands through her somewhat damp hair.

“Oh, okay. I’ll leave you to it then.” Chanyeol responded, sending her one last smile before stepping out into the hall and pulling the door shut behind him.

Mina waited another thirty seconds before letting herself cry. Tears that she had been fighting off finally released. Once the emotional floodgate opened Mina had no choice but to let it run its course, there was nothing she could do about it now. Through the haze of tears, she blindly ripped off her clothes and threw on whatever she found in the bag first. After dressing, she shoved the bag onto the floor, not caring that the contents spilled out. She was positive that Chanyeol wouldn’t mind either. Mina pulled her legs to her chest before laying her cheek on her knee.

In all of her life, Mina had never felt as pathetic and worthless as she did in this moment. In her head she kept repeating over and over how Kris wasn’t worth this. That Kris didn’t deserve to have her cry over him, but that didn’t stop her. She was mad with herself. Mad that she had fallen for Kris so hard, and so fast that she had let all logic fly out the window. Mina truly hated that she had deluded herself into believing that she could have him forever. Looking back on her past decisions, she finally realized that she was just like the lovesick girls that she always watched with confusion wondering if they realized the trap they were falling into. What a sick joke.

However through all the anger, the frustration, and the disdain, Mina could only feel the dull throb of despair.

“Hey, Mina.” Chanyeol called while knocking softly at the door. “You have been in there for a while. Are you alive?”

Mina inhaled deeply before exhaling and hugging her legs closer. “I’m alive.” Barely, she thought bitterly.

“I’m coming in.” Chanyeol informed her.

Mina made a small noise in response, not bothering to lift her head off her knee. She heard the door open, and the clattering of what sounded like dishware, followed by a mumbled curse from Chanyeol. Mina could sense how close Chanyeol was at this point, but felt too drained to look up. She heard him sigh before she heard him set something on the bedside table.

“I…uh, brought you some ice cream.” Chanyeol mumbled, seating himself on the edge of the bed by her feet.

“What?” Mina asked distractedly, before turning her head to look at the bowl that he had set down. A ghost of a smile passed over her lips as she turned to look at Chanyeol. “It’s freezing outside.” She reminded him gently.

Chanyeol sighed before dropping his head into his hands. He ran his large hands through his hair before he answered Mina. “I know, I just heard that ice cream helps with breakups and stuff. I’m horrible at comforting people.”

“No, no, no.” Mina cut in quickly, reaching out her hand and placing it on his forearm. “You’re not horrible at this. I don’t think that I could have made it through today without you, so thanks.” To further prove her point, Mina grabbed the bowl off the table and dug her spoon into the ice cream eagerly.

Chanyeol simply smiled down at her as she began to spoon bites of ice cream into her mouth. “Do you want to watch a movie?”

She nodded slowly in agreement. “Sounds good.”

Chanyeol lifted himself off of his perch on the bed and his long legs carried him to the TV. He sifted through his DVDs quickly, and loaded one in before hunting for the remote. Mina laughed at how disorganized he was, and Chanyeol smiled sheepishly. Even if it was at his expense, he was glad to hear her laugh. Seconds later, he let out a cry of victory while holding the elusive remote above his head.

“Found it.” He announced with a smile before sitting next to Mina on his bed.

“Proud of you.” Mina replied, a little distracted by her ice cream.

She spooned another bite, and closed her eyes contentedly at the sweet sensation that passed her tongue. It actually did make her feel better, she noted with small surprise. Mina looked over at Chanyeol seated beside her, eyes intently locked on the small TV at the end of the bed. The images flashing on screen reflected on the lenses of his thick framed glasses while he flicked stray pieces of hair out of his eyes. Mina reached over to set the bowl on the bedside table once again, finally finished with the cold treat.

She stretched herself out on the bed, letting her head hit the pillow with a satisfying sense of relief. The exhaustion she had been fighting off was slowly spreading through her limbs, and making her eyes droop in exhaustion. Chanyeol saw the shift in her demeanor and grabbed the blanket at the end of his bed before gently settling it over Mina. She was asleep not even minutes later.
Chanyeol switched off the television, and moved off the bed, being careful not to jostle it enough to wake Mina. Once he finally clambered onto the floor, he tiptoed across the room, taking one last look back at Mina.

Sleep wiped all the stress from her face, and she was the girl he knew once again. With a soft smile, he flicked the lights off, and closed the door gently.