A year ago…

It occurred to Momo that ever since Mina and Hanbin broke up—officially, according to their friends—Mina had been more aware of her existence. Mina would more frequently be texting her, calling her, telling her to go out with her. To Momo, this was unusual because ever since Mina and Hanbin happened like an epidemic, Mina kept her distance along with her heart from Momo who would steal it from her if she had the chance.

But the other’s single-ness was a sign of opportunity for Momo. She wasn’t wasting her a second in winning her.

“I have to go,” she said to Rosie one morning.

“Where would you have to be?” Rosie tossed herself to Momo’s side of the bed, groaning as she would’ve preferred the woman to stay. “It’s Sunday.”

“Mina wants to meet up for coffee.” Momo was putting on her shoes. The moment she read Mina’s text, she pulled up her tight, blue jeans in one move.

“Well.” There was nothing Rosie could do. She would fight Momo about it, but she wasn’t the one hopelessly in love with Mina. She was just a friend. “Good luck.”

“Hey,” Momo walked back to the bed, now fully clothed, and hugged Rosie who was no tucked underneath the soft covers. “I’ll be back.”

Rosie pulled it down, making a funny face. “I hope you won’t.”

Momo not coming back only meant one thing. It would make Rosie miss her, because Momo had been there more often, but she knew this was what Momo would’ve wanted to happen.

“Let’s just both hope something good happens.” Momo smiled optimistically.   

Just like that, Rosie watched Momo leave. Her eyes lingered at the door and thought about Momo going off. Every time Momo was with her, the woman would always be at a difficult state. She’d be sad or annoyed, jealous or just angry about everything. That moment Momo left her apartment, she wished that maybe it would be the day that Momo would not come back, or at least come back with sincere happiness on her face.

***

There was this new sunlight on Mina. She seemed better, happier, lighter, more glowing. After years of playing tug-of-war with other women (Hanbin was the rope), she had given up and surrendered. She was never gonna win. Love wasn’t enough. There were other things those girls could give him. Whatever Jennie Kim had, Mina was certain she didn’t so she let it be. She walked away, even with Hanbin crawling to her. Half his heart wasn’t ample to pay back the whole she’d been giving him since the first day of her relationship. His cheating drained her, and now that he’s gone, she’s back to the way she was.

It would be an understatement to say that Momo wasn’t celebrating seeing Mina like this. It was selfish of her but to get rid of that jerk in Mina’s life was for the entire nation to rejoice on. Momo had said, always said, that he was no good for her. Mina was too good for a guy like Hanbin. A dumb, narcissistic, cheating who wasn’t even talented. He couldn’t even rap. She wondered what Mina saw in him, but as she made her way to the café where Mina was already at, she chose to forget about it.