Chapter Text
Nayeon had her script ready. She only needed an editor to look it over. Jeongyeon told her to shove it in the trash, it was her worst work by far, very unoriginal. Jihyo just shook her head with a tired 'no, Nayeon' and Chaeyoung tried to help but she was just a little too creative and tended to insert her own slightly genre bending ideas in.
Nayeon was working on a standard Hallmark Christmas rom-com script, and no...Chae, that would not include a dangerous car chase or abductions of any kind.
Normally, Mina was her editor. Her most trusted and supportive confidant. Her best-friend too. They met in college, in a first year creative writing course for Korean programming. Then rose in the ranks together as successful show runners for television. A reliable writer/creator duo for SBS and TVn. Where Nayeon was good at intricacies of dialogue and pacing, Mina got right to the heart of a story with clarity and sensitivity that often left Nayeon in awe. Nayeon made sure Mina knew that and never gave her room to undermine herself. They were dream partners, professionally speaking.
It would be right to assume that the Hallmark Christmas movie genre was a more American tradition and it had not quite found its niche in the Asian market.
That didn't matter though. Nayeon wasn't plotting for tv. She was organising key moments for her actual life this holiday season. Here's how it would go:
Miserable over her non-existent love life, she'd head back home, to a small town a little outside Daegu. She'd leave big bad Seoul city (not her job though, work from home was a thing now). She'd 'accidently' step into the cute rustic eatery that her high-school flame, Momo had set up. They'd fall head-over-heels, rekindle their relationship and live out the rest of their lives in peace, with a few dogs, maybe one child.
Except, Mina, her 'dream partner', had gotten in the way. Rather, she'd taken herself out of the equation entirely, making it very hard for Nayeon to run her plan by anyone and feel confident about it. Mina, was generally prompt with texts. Now though, Nayeon would find Mina typing a lot but sending very little. An hour of waiting resulted in a curt 'I'm Busy, Nayeon', or a 'Tired, need a nap'. Mina, had very often coached her through many personal and professional meltdowns over the phone, now she simply responded with a quiet 'it's up to you Nayeon'.
Nayeon was genuinely contemplating a major life decision and her closest friends decided to ghost her over it for some reason. She finally took initiative on her own. She messaged Momo to test the waters via an Instagram dm.
'Hey Momo, your new place looks gorgeous and the food... 😍'.
To which Momo responded with a 'You're welcome to come by if you are in town, Nayeon. Will be happy to feed you for free:)'.
Nayeon saw that as a hopeful restart to their romance. Momo was a little reserved, a Tsundere, if you will and Nayeon just had to read between the lines. What Momo really meant was 'OFCOURSE Nayeon. I have longed to see your pretty face and feed you food lovingly made by me FOR YOU ONLY.' Great. This was all going to work out well. She just had to cancel the 'accidental' aspect of meeting Momo.
But. Again. Mina got in the way.
Not intentionally of course. Sana, a former idol and now an actress, who had become very very close to Mina during one of their lengthy tv shoots had said she'd come over after a schedule in Japan, to be Mina's 'Christmas buddy'. Nayeon recoiled at that term. Jeongyeon had crassly suggested that they'd likely be 'decorating the house in more ways than one' and candy-caning the shit out of each other. Nayeon nearly threw up at that.
The thing was, now Sana wouldn't make it apparently. This same woman who called Mina 'babe', 'my lover', 'jagi', 'bae' and a whole lot of other irksome terms of endearment, was ditching Mina last minute. Mina would be alone at Christmas, her parents would be in Hawaii and all her friends would be retreating to their respective families.
It was, surprisingly, Sana who reached out to Nayeon.
"I'm really sorry, it's an emergency MC post for the SBS year-end awards, is there anything you could do? Mina was pretty bummed she wouldn't be spending Christmas with you this year anyway Nayeon."
She prickled a little at being told what to do by Sana when she'd known Mina way longer and way better. "Yeah. Thanks for telling me Sana."
She managed, mustering the minimum amount of grace.
-----
That very same afternoon, lying on Mina's couch, dramatically splayed out, with one leg somehow folded over the back of the seat, she pleaded with Mina, ramping up the annoying whining. There was no way she was leaving Mina behind to the bandits and thugs that climbed through windows of lonesome looking houses on Christmas.
"I'm going to be fine, Na. I wasn't as traumatized by Home Alone as you were. In fact, I barely recall the movie. Also, can you wear these socks, if you're going to rub your outside feet all over my couch"
Nayeon ignored this, despite the little penguin pattern socks landing on her tummy.
"Minaaaaariiiii. Myoui Minari, please.
Please, I promise I'll learn all about Mind-craft and that four knights game, I'll never tease you, never call you 'nerd' when you make PhD length rants about some new game feature. I'll give you back your shark plushie although I must add, it's the only thing helping my insomnia. It's so soft (and it smells like you). Pinky swear, whatever you want, I'll do it, just come home with me for Christmas." Nayeon finished breathlessly.
"Wow, you rehearsed all that?"
"No, improv, which means it's from the heart. Please come home with me"
"Nayeon...you...I. I can't.' Mina sighed.
"Why though? My parents like you. They'd be happy if you hung out. And you've only been to my family home twice in 12 years. I go to your house every year. Kind of unfair for you honestly. I have so many baby Mina pics and stories to hold over you and you don't. You've never seen my naked baby-butt in a photograph. It was glorious. Really cute. Not that it isn't cute now"
Mina scoffed at that. But she ducked her head a bit too, blushing. She was so easy to embarrass.
"Look..." Nayeon ventured more gently, getting up and walking over to Mina and embracing her from behind. Mina stiffened initially but warmed up to the back-hug, clasping Nayeon's hands from the front.
"I know I have an agenda going home and all. But...I'll really miss you if you're not around." Nayeon surprised herself with how intensely she meant that.
---------
That's how Mina ended up at Nayeon's family home with Nayeon leading her in by the small of her back.
"I know the rascal talked you into it but I'm glad you're here sweetie. It's been a while" Mrs.Im smiled kindly. Mina already regretted it a little less.
Until she regretted it a little more when Nayeon began to ask her aunt about Momo. Did Momo still have dogs? Was she an early morning person or late night? Did she still like eating Galbi Jjim as much as she used to? Was she seeing anyone?
"I don't think so, sweetheart. She's too busy setting up her restaurant to be seeing anyone"
As for the Galbi, her aunt said un-certainly "I could make some for you to take to her if you'd like, though she's a chef so I'm not sure it'll meet her standards".
"Aniyo, I'm sure she would love to be fed a little. Your Galbi is the best in this town, everyone knows that. Besides our Mina here would definitely love some. I heard her stomach growl just now". Nayeon grinned when she got swatted by both Mina and her aunt.
"Mina, do you cook?" Her aunt asked.
Mina looked down, a little ashamed. "I do but just for myself. Nothing very good really. Just basic stuff to make sure I don't starve".
"Pfft." Nayeon interjected. "Mina makes the most amazing yakitori. No one can beat hers and I've eaten plenty in Japan."
"Yah, but that's just one thing. Hardly makes me a good cook".
"Eh" her best-friend shrugged. "People become millionaires selling their secret family recipe for just one sauce. One speciality is plenty. Especially when it's the best." There was so much pride in her voice, like she was showing Mina off to her aunt and rushing to her defense all at once. Mina was a little disconcerted. In a good way.
"I'd love to try some Mina-made yakitori. No pressure though" Nayeon's aunt reassured her. "Just relax, be fed and spoiled by people who love you". She winked at Nayeon, who immediately looked away, squinting at something random. "that's what holidays are all about".
-----
Nayeon attempted to feel excited. After all, she was on her way to manifesting her fate. Going over to Momo's restaurant with the box of Galbi was the perfect excuse. The scenario would go something like this:
"Oh hey...my aunt wanted to give you this. She said that you would like it a lot".
"Thanks cutie, now why don't we get to reacquainting ourselves". Then they'd talk for hours, get lost in conversation and realize, maybe they were meant for each other and make up for lost time.These scenes had been playing out in her head over the last month while plotting her life story.
Except...that's not how that went at all. First she'd blame Mina because, as usual, she was being a very inconvenient character in her story. Not only was she now non-participatory. She was also looking grouchy and a little put out. Nayeon did ask her if she'd like to come to Momo's place too. And Mina said 'obviously not'.
When Nayeon said bye, and that she'd see Mina in just a bit and show her all the places she hadn't seen before, Mina just looked upset about something. And Nayeon felt quite unsettled leaving Mina all...sad.
So here she was, at Momo's. Entirely off her game, with Mina's pouty face looming over her entire brain. Momo, for her part, was also not co-operating with her plot entirely. For one, she looked a little serial-killerish. She had red meat-sauce, right up to her rubber glove covered elbows. She awkwardly greeted Nayeon. "Sorry, just doing some prep work for tomorrow. Take a seat anywhere you'd like, I'll be with you in a minute"
Nayeon looked around. The place was charming though it had some work left to be done, with plastic sheets covering a few areas.
"I'm still running this place as a cloud kitchen. I'll only open up entirely when I've met some start-up costs." Momo explained as she sat down opposite, sliding over a beer towards Nayeon.
Nayeon presented Momo with the Galbi. Plan initiated. "Oh, Did your aunt make it?!" Nayeon nodded, relieved she might yet salvage her script and save their budding future romance.
"Ah Nayeon, I don't eat red meat anymore, unfortunately it doesn't agree with me but my sister loves Galbi too so she'd be happy to have it. Tell your aunt thanks. That's so sweet of her to remember that I used to love it".
"I remembered." Nayeon muttered under her breath as she deflated a little.
"You got here just today?" Momo inquired, brushing her jet black bangs out of her eyes.
Cute. A little like Mina.
"Yep, early morning train from Seoul, was super crowded though"
"Ah big city woes huh. Can't say I miss it. I had good times in Seoul though. Miss the people more than the city".
Momo smiled wistfully and Nayeon had to wonder who she meant. Was there any possibility it was her?
"So! Tell me Ms.Im, what's up?" Momo thumped the table, shaking herself out of her reverie. "What's going on with you?"
"I..."
Suddenly, after all the scripting, Nayeon went blank. Because...what was really going on with her? It felt a little absurd. Like the last month had been some kind of mental break and she'd done everything in that period in some dissociated state. Here she was, sitting opposite her high-school flame, expecting what exactly?
"Nayeon? Hey Nayeon". Momo waved a hand in front of her. "You're zoning out more than I do"
"Huh? Right. Sorry."
Momo had now given her a natural opening.
"I doubt anyone could zone out as much as you Momo, remember Jeju?"
"Eh?"
"The time we all went to Jeju and the incident on the bus happened? You zoned out and our map flew out the window, the bus driver got lost in some remote wooded area. We were out in the rain for over seven hours, with a defunct motor and lost driver? It was a pretty major incident, everyone was a little traumatized?.. ".
Momo looked expressionless. After a bit
"Eh?"
Nayeon would have been frustrated, but...this was exactly how she remembered Momo, where they were constantly at odds in their conversations but it was fun and endearing anyway. Nayeon chuckled and the rest of the afternoon smoothed itself over.
On her way out, Momo said something that had Nayeon re-examine every word spoken during their meet-up very closely.
"Say hi to Mina, she sounds like the real deal, I'd love to meet her, I'll probably stop by on Sunday maybe, so I'll see her then?"
"Yeah" Nayeon mumbled, dazed. She was left trying to deduce precisely what Momo meant by 'the real deal'.
Once again, Dammit Minari! Why did her mere existence confuse everything?
----
"Mina?" She walked through her home, a bit of nostalgia flooding nearly every turn and corner. But there was something new, a sound that this house wasn't all that familiar with.
She found Mina giggling. She was holding a long crochet needle and showing her dad how to do a chain stitch.
"Oh. Hey sweetie, Mina was kind enough to give me something to do besides reading the paper all day". Her father waved her over with the other needle in his hand.
Mina remained focused on the needle. "Mr.Im was telling me what a good wood carver he was, Crochet can be quite engaging and creative too, so I thought he may enjoy it."
"I miss carving but it does a bit of a number on my shoulder and arms these days, so this is a wonderful substitute. I'll practice what you taught me so far dear. Thank you".
Mina beamed at him but wouldn't offer Nayeon even a cursory glance.
"That's so great Appa" Nayeon cheered him on. She was glad that her best-friend and her dad enjoyed each other's company. She was upset that her best-friend wouldn't look her way. Most of all, she found herself relating quite acutely with a tightly tangled bundle of wool in a basket near her foot.
Mina's dark hair fell in waves in a way that covered her face. "Mina, you seem cross with me, but I'd still like to show you around while there's light out, if you're up for it?"
------
"That tree is haunted."
Nayeon pointed at a large tree with gnarled roots and wide-spread branches.
Mina agreed. Especially devoid of foliage, it did look spooky.
"I wrote my first ever proper story about that tree when I was seven. Eomma said the story genuinely scared people to the extent that my school counselor asked if everything was okay at home".
Mina let herself chuckle at that. She was upset but that feeling was starting to thaw with every shoulder bump and every anecdote that Nayeon relayed. They shuffled together in the snow, moving closer for warmth as the remnants of winter sun disappeared.
"How'd it go with Momo?" Mina asked, not really wanting an answer, but needing it all the same.
"It was fun. Momo is basically an adult version of her teenage self- in some ways."
Mina shoved past all the insecurity
"isn't everyone? I'm not sure I understand."
Nayeon's arm looped into the crook of her elbow. "She's coming over on Sunday. You might find out soon enough".
Mina, feeling a bolt of irritation, tried to wriggle her arm out from Nayeon's but Nayeon held it steady and firm. Instead she brought Mina's gloved hand up to her lips and gave it a small peck. A peck that sent gargantuan shivers up Mina's limbs and through the whole of her spine.
"I don't want you to slip here, there's a few spots that are just hard ice."
Even with the constant uncertainty of what they were to each other, Mina never doubted that Nayeon cared for her immensely.
Perhaps, if Nayeon did end up with Momo, Mina could take heart in that at least.
It would be hard of course but they were already bound together by so many scripting contracts for a number of shows going into 2025, she'd just have to suck it up.
"Where are we going?" Mina asked, her teeth chattering now that the air had grown unbearably frigid. Nayeon finally let go of her as they walked through the door of a cafe that Mina could only describe as a replica of Honeydukes, the sweet shop from Harry Potter. Mina gasped at how charming and cozy it was. She caught Nayeon gauging her reaction intently. "Pretty neat, right?"
Mina nodded, her eyes round with wonderment. Nayeon slipped her hand into Mina's and guided her into a booth at the back. A window by them, looked out onto a white landscape, snowflakes settled onto the ledge outside. Nayeon chose to squish right up next to Mina, instead of sitting opposite her. If Mina wanted to talk, she'd have to turn her head and Nayeon's face would be unbearably close. As they looked at the menu they shared, Nayeon leaned in, pointing out a mint hot chocolate she thought Mina might like. Her enthusiasm was adorable.
"You're a little clingy today, is everything okay?"
Mina asked nervously as Nayeon rested her head against Mina's shoulder while she scraped the last crumbs of cake off her plate. Nayeon jerked her head up, distancing herself but Mina pulled her back in immediately.
"Don't. I don't mind. You just need lots of cuddling when you're stressed. I asked so I could help with that."
Nayeon's jaw dropped dramatically.
"Miss Myoui Mina. Are you flirting with me?"
"What?! No!" She shoved Nayeon away and crossed her arms.
"I mean, you just asked if you could 'help' cuddle me. What else am I supposed to assume?"
"You may assume whatever you want. I did not flirt. I was just expressing concern and offering comfort".
"Uhuh. I'd be okay with you 'comforting' me, Minari".
Nayeon winked at her in this most obnoxious fashion.
"Move."
"Why?"
"Because it's chilly and I need to pee. Or will you turn that into an innuendo too?"
"Maybe"
"Great. While you work on that, let me pass"
"Sure Gandalf" Nayeon got up.
"That's...'you shall not pass'. Uff. Whatever. Don't make that payment. This is my treat"
Nayeon paid anyway. While Mina spent time stressing out in the bathroom. It wasn't uncommon for Nayeon to make her insides flutter while being flirty. Often through nights working late on a script, they'd let loose a little and Nayeon would get quite cheeky. But here, in this context it was all a bit much.
----------
Dinner for the pair, after their evening out, was just a light spicy ramen. It was the night before Christmas and in anticipation of the large spread the next day, everyone was on a rather restrained diet. They looked at the mountain of food that had been marinated, spiced or baked. Mina lent her organisational skills, packing them into the fridge for the next day.
"Regular young Marie Kondo we have here." Nayeon's mum laughed, rubbing Mina's back affectionately.
"Is that just a Japanese thing, to be so neat?" Nayeon's aunt asked.
"Um. No. My brother is really very messy".
"Oh, surely not as bad as Nayeon though?" Nayeon's sister inquired, a touch of disbelief in her voice.
"Excuse me?" Nayeon took full offense.
"Is anyone as bad as her?" Mina giggled. "Jeong literally comes over to her house with her own garbage bag".
"Hey?!!" Nayeon whacked Mina lightly on her shoulder and then immediately kissed the spot.
What is wrong with me? I keep kissing her.
Her mum eyed her and Nayeon stared a hole through her own feet.
Right then, Mina got a phone call and she wandered off to another room to attend to it.
"Sweetie?"
"Yes?"
Why did she dread looking up at her mother right now?
"Momo said she'd come over to say hello to us tomorrow. So your dad invited her over for lunch. Is that okay?"
"Ummm..." Was it okay? Mina seemed very uncomfortable whenever Momo was mentioned. She was probably just shy though.
Mina returned from the other room before she could respond. She looked a little tense
"Sana's SBS schedule got cancelled again. So now she has nowhere to be for Christmas"
"Oh no! Invite her here, the more the merrier" her dad offered.
No Appa. Nayeon seethed. That's not...
"Yes, any friend of yours and Nayeon is welcome. More than enough food. It should take about two and a half hours to get here from Seoul by train I think" Nayeon's aunt offered.
Only Nayeon's mum kept quiet, looking thoughtfully at her daughter, who silently imploded over this.
Mina looked uncertain, waiting for Nayeon's response.
Nayeon, took a deep breath. Amidst all the festivities and quality time spent with her best-friend she'd forgotten all about her own Christmas movie story. The one she came home for in the first place.
"Yeah. Ask her to come. No one should be alone for Christmas. So it'll be Sana and Momo then. Eomma, you're okay with that?"
Her mother furrowed her brows "I'm alright with it honey..."
"Right. Sounds good." Atleast Momo could distract her from whatever she was feeling about Sana being here. She glanced at Mina, who looked very uncomfortable. Nayeon didn't want that. She just wanted Mina to be happy and if that required Sana's presence, she just had to get over her petty and bratty behaviour.
"Mina, will you help me with the blankets and pillows once you're done on the phone?"
Mina nods.
-----
Once they piled bedding onto Nayeon's bed, brushed their teeth and completed their respective nightly routines, they collapsed onto Nayeon's bed. Mina was moodily staring at the ceiling. Nayeon turned to her side. Poked Mina in the tummy. Then her cheek. Mina let out an annoyed squeal as she grabbed the offending finger. Keeping a firm hold of the finger, she asked
"Are you ready for the new year? We have a lot of projects lined up.
"Hmmm. I don't know. I'm looking forward to the work stuff. I don't know about anything else"
"Yeah" Mina sighed. "At least the work stuff is good".
She felt Nayeon's eyes on her.
"What Nayeon?"
"Nothing, now you look like you need a cuddle".
Mina smiled at that.
"And you know me Minari, I'm always open for business, when it comes to you".
Mina scoffed "That sounds wrong"
"It was meant to" Nayeon replied shamelessly as she opened her arms wide for Mina to snuggle in.
"Goodnight Na" she whispered after a few minutes in the cocoon of her friend's embrace.
Nayeon was already asleep.
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