Five years ago

“BREAKING NEWS: TWICE MINA AND IKON B.I. HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN DATING FOR TWO YEARS. DISPATCH RELEASES DETAILED INFORMATION REGARDING THE COUPLE.”

It was all over the internet, all over the television, all over the radios. It was unavoidable. Even if Momo moved to some isolated country, it would still be there. The world had learned of Mina’s relationship and the world was shocked. They couldn’t believe it—member of the rising girl group powerhouse was dating the member of the boy group headliner. Some weren’t happy about it—they said the ballerina was too good for the son of a corrupt businessman—but more were ecstatic. And this drove Momo to a serious outrage. She wished she didn’t have to deal with any of it. 

“So, it’s out there now, huh?”

Nayeon was scrolling through Naver, browsing at the comments written by netizens. Momo was beside her, busying herself with the TV, avoiding interactions regarding the said subject the oldest member just mentioned.

“Momo?” Nayeon said, noticing how the girl wasn’t herself that evening. “Hello?”

“Oh,” Momo turned her head. “What?”

“Nevermind,” Nayeon said as she went back to scrolling. “I shouldn’t be asking you. I’m sorry.”

She pretended she wasn’t listening, made Nayeon think she wasn’t looking at the screen. She actually was and she was aware and she heard her and it was out there now. People were going to keep talking about it and based on its place in the trending topics, who knew when people were going to stop.

“It’s fine,” she said in a sigh. “Yeah, it’s out there.”

Nayeon placed the laptop away from her and turned to face Momo empathetically. “Are you okay, Moguri? Do you want to talk about it? Do you not want to talk about it? I can help.”

She smiled. Her lips were barely even a curve. “I’m alright, Nayeon.”

Nayeon patted her arm. “You’re strong, Momo. You really are.”

Maybe outside she was. That act of not caring made her look like it. But she was weak, getting weaker each day she had to see Mina in the dorm. Every night she had to keep herself from bawling her eyes out in front of her gave a bruise inside her heart. She couldn’t do it anymore, couldn’t handle it. If she had the choice, she wouldn’t be there anymore. The pain was too much, she was dying, but there was nothing else she could do besides put on an impervious show.

“It’s messed up though,” Nayeon said.

“What is?”

“How this dating scandal came out when they had just broken up. Now our CEOs will want them to get back together.”

The issue was ridiculous and it was a cruel joke on the part of Momo. She knew that they were broken up. It was approximately sixteen days since they were together, according to her thorough surveillance. Mina didn’t cry and it was a relief. Mina had probably cried all of her tears from those fights she had with Hanbin in the past that made Momo want to break into the iKON dorm and punch the guy in the face. It was Mina who broke it off, she said like it was nothing. She s