Momo’s POV

I wake up slightly earlier than Tae, who is obviously exhausted. Her eyes are puffy from crying herself to sleep and she is still gripping onto me tightly as if I will leave. She stirs a little and cuddles in closer and I can feel her breathing calmly on my neck, while I just lay there gently her head, not wanting her to wake up just yet. After a few more minutes she wakes up, stretching her arms out with a yawn while she smiles softly at me.

“Thanks for last night baby, I’m sorry I woke you up.” She says as she gently puts a strand of hair behind my ear, leaving her hand there my cheek. I lean into her touch smiling at her.

“Anytime Taetae, I’m always here for you I don’t mind. I’m glad I woke up though, it meant I could wake you up from whatever nightmare you were having.” I say as I snuggle into her chest.

“I love you Moguri.” She says as she kisses the top of my head.

“I love you too Taetae.” I reply before asking what had been on my mind since last. “Do you have them often? Nightmares?”

“Not as often as I used to, but more often then I’d like.” She replies calmly with a sigh. “But most of the time I don’t have someone to wake me or hold me until I fall asleep, so it’s usually worse than last night.”

“I wish I could be with you when they do happen.”

“So do I, but you don’t have to worry, like I said they don’t happen very often anymore.” She says smiling at me reassuringly. “Now come on I’ll cook breakfast, I bet your hungry.”

As if on cue my stomach grumbles and I scratch my neck sheepishly as Tae pecks me on the lips with a chuckle and gets up to cook us breakfast.

.................................

As we arrive at school with Nayeon, Tae and her start making plans for after school, saying that they haven’t hung out together for a while, and Tae says she needs Nayeon’s help with something leaving me curious, but before I can ask her Sana and Tzuyu come up and join us with Mina following along behind rolling her eyes at the overly affectionate couple.

“Why am I surrounded by clingy couples and excessive PDA?” She says dramatically at which we all just laugh at her.

“You could always get yourself a girlfriend?” Tae teases while Nayeon elbows her in the stomach and Tae scrunches up her face slightly before laughing. Tzuyu walks over to her with concern on her face.

“Hey Tae is everything okay after last night? You looked pretty worried.” She says.

“Everything is fine, just a few family dramas, nothing I can’t handle. Thanks, Tzuyu.”

“No problem Tae, we are all here for you. You are one of us.” Tzuyu replies with a grin gesturing to the rest of the group who all nod with a smile.

“I’ll remember that.” Tae replies grinning as we all make our way to our classes.

…………………………..

At lunch we are all sitting around chatting happily, Jihyo, Chaeng and Dahyun have joined us as well as Somi and Jungyeon bringing our big group of friends to 11. It feels like a second family and I smile happily. Tae wraps her arms around me with a grin, before whispering something.

“This is what I’ve always dreamed of. A big group of friends who will have my back no matter what. Thank you, Momo.” She says a content smile on her face.

“Why are you thanking me?” I reply confused.

“Because I never would’ve opened up to them if it wasn’t for you. I finally feel as though I belong somewhere.”

“You have so many friends though Tae, people who have been with you a lot longer than us.”

“Yeah I know but most of them are Yongsun unnie’s friends, they just kinda took me under their wings. I love them all really, they are like older sisters, but this is different.” She says kissing my cheek while Mina pretends to vomit watching our interaction and Sana just grins at me. “Anyway, I hope you don’t mind if I make a quick phone call, it’s pretty important.”

I nod in reply as she smiles and picks up her phone dialling a number and pressing it to her ear. Her face quickly turns to a wide grin as she greets the person on the other end of the phone.

“Hey Appa!” She says enthusiastically. Nayeon and I exchange confused glances ‘Isn’t Tae on bad terms with her dad?’ I think to myself, watching Tae on the phone.

Tae’s POV

“Hey Appa!” I say as I hear the person on the other end pickup.

“Tae? How is my favourite kid?” He says.

“Yah! Appa! I’m not a kid anymore, and I can’t be your favourite, Wendy would get jealous if she heard you.” I reply cheekily and I hear him chuckle on the other end of the phone.

“True my daughter would definitely be jealous.” He says and I can picture him grinning in my mind. “Anyway I miss you Tae, I wish you’d come visit more often, I barely get to see Wendy either, both my daughters have left me alone.”

“Sorry Appa I will have to come visit soon, there is someone I’d like you to meet as well.”

“Hmm? Really? Who is the special girl?” He says and I’m surprised.

“How’d did you know it was a girl?”

“Please Tae, I’ve known you since you were in elementary school, I know you better than you know yourself. I basically raised you.” He says chucking.

“Haha very true Appa, you’ve always been more of a parent to me than my actual parents.” I say. “Anyway, speaking of my parents, have you heard the news?”

“Yeah I’ve heard, it doesn’t bode well for my company since we are involved with them.”

“Appa can I ask you a favour?”

“Of course kiddo, anything for my second daughter.”

“Can you withdraw your support for my family’s business?” I reply and I see Momo and Nayeon watching on both worried and confused. “I need to find a way to stop them from blackmailing me and Yongsun unnie.”

“Ahh so you’ve already heard the news?”

“What news Appa?”

“They already have eligible men lined up for you and your sister. So what’s the plan?”

“I’m going to buy out the dance studio from under them with some of the money grandmother left me. That’s what they use to blackmail me. Then hopefully once you withdraw your support they will lose the remaining support they have here in Korea. Other businesses are already withdrawing as it is. I know this sounds harsh but I can’t let them ruin the happiness I’ve finally found here, and I definitely can’t let them hurt Yongsun unnie, she’s all the family I have left, and I don’t want to see her lose Wheein unnie, not now, especially not now.”

“I know I understand Tae, they won’t hurt you anymore, I still have trouble believing how parents could put their children through so much. Just give me a text when you’re ready for me to official pull the plug on my support. I’ll start preparing everything, once you give me the signal I’ll make the call.”

“Thanks Appa, for everything.”

“Don’t worry about it kiddo, you are family. After everything you have done for me and Wendy, this is nothing, just make sure you visit once in a while. This grumpy old man is missing his two favourite girls.” He says with a chuckle. And I feel myself tearing up slightly.

“I love you Appa, I’ll visit soon, goodbye.”

“Love you too kiddo. Goodbye.” And with that we end the call and I return to the table where two sets of eyes are watching me curiously. I sit between them with a smile.

“I’ll explain later.” I say quietly as both of them nod in approval, while Momo takes my hand gently.

A few minutes later I get a phone call and I can’t help but smile when I see who it is from.

“Unnie!”

“Well sounds like someone is in a better mood compared to the last time we spoke.”

“I was just talking to Appa Son. He says hi by the way.” I reply with a chuckle.

“Oh that’s good then anyway I have news.” Yongsun unnie replies and I can hear the happiness in her voice while I wait for her to continue. “Wheein and I are engaged!”

“That’s awesome unnie I’m happy for you both.” I reply grinning.

“Why don’t you sound surprised?” She asks. I chuckle in response.

“Who do you think helped that pabo plan everything unnie? Wheein has had this planned for a while. She was just waiting for you to get time off work so she could make it a special memory.”

“Really? So that’s why you were so insistent that we didn’t come home early.”

“Yeah I wasn’t going to ruin everything