Chapter 5: Long Nights

 It was late at night, half a week after Momo's talk with Jongbin. She haven't sold anything, she just couldn't do it, she didn't know how to. She had three days before she had to meet Jongbin again, and she had to get rid of those freaking five bags that rested on her backpack.

 With that in mind, she walked inside the apparment. She was sure it was really late, she had been trying to gather the courage to actually talk to people that looked like they could be interested in her merchandise, but she really didn't know what to say, what to do, how to act in front of them. They would probably just laugh, after all she was just fourteen years old... thirdteen really.

 When she closed the door, she felt arms around her.

"Momo-san!" Mina squealed happily.

 Momo chuckled. She hugged the girl back.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I woke up when Sana-chan the shower" she explained.

 Momo nodded. She let from the girl and walked to the little kitchen.

"Did you dance a lot?" Mina asked curiously, following her.

 The older girl froze.

"Yeah" she murmured before going to the fridge "are you hungry?"

 Mina shooked her head.

"How much did you collect?" 

 Momo shrugged.

"I don't know, I gotta count"

 That was the worst part. She spent the whole night trying to sell the damn bags and didn't really do it, so she was just wasting time that she could have used dancing.

"Oh, okay"

 Momo opened the fridge, she kneeled down to grab something, the backpack slided down her back, reaching her head.

 Mina laughed. 

"Be careful, Momo-san" 

 Before Momo could stop her, Mina grabbed the backpack trying to pull it off from the older girl, Momo held it in place.

"Isn't it more comfortable if you take it off?"

 Momo shook her head.

 The bathroom's door opened and Sana walked out in her pijamas, her wet hair damping her shirt a little. When she saw Momo she crossed her arms and scoffed.

"Well, look who finally came back"

 Momo rolled her eyes and crossed the fridge.

"You know, normally people greet each other with a hello" Momo told her standing defensively, crossing her arms too.

 Sana frowned and chuckled sarcastically.

"You know, normally people tell you when they're going to come back late, so other people don't get crazy worried!" Sana raised her voice.

 Momo closed her eyes, her head hanging low.

"Sana-chan, don't yell to her! She danced a lot tonight, she's tired!" Mina defended the older girl.

 Sana rolled her eyes.

"She wasn't dancing"

 Momo froze.

"Yes, she was!" Mina yelled.

"No, she wasn't! The speaker is right there!" Sana yelled back and pointed at the speaker that rested on the floor, semi-covered by Momo's blanket.

 Mina looked at were Sana pointed, then she stared at Momo confused.

"Momo-san?"

 Momo couldn't handle how dissapointed Mina sounded. She didn't dare look up, her stare fixed on the floor.

"Momo-san, what were you doing then?" Mina asked confused again, touching Momo's arm softly.

 The eldest girl couldn't answer, she didn't know what to asnwer and she wouldn't tell them the truth.

 Sana scoffed and shook her head.

"Mina-chan, let's just go to sleep" She told the younger girl, walking over to her.

 When she touched her shoulder, Mina pushed Sana's hand away.

"Why did you lie Momo-san?!" 

 Momo glanced at Mina out of impulse, Mina never raised her voice she was usually very calm, the fact  that she was almost screaming at her, made her realised she had screwed up big time. Still, she couldn't tell them.

"I'm sorry" she whispered.

 Mina pouted, her lower lip trembling. Momo took off her backpack, it had suddendly turned heavier.

"Do you even have anything in there or was it just to fool us?" Sana asked.

 She was frowning but sounded more hurt that her expression actually revealed. Momo stayed quiet. Suddendly she felt someone pulling one of the backpack's strap. She instantly made her grip stronger, looking up she noticed it was Mina.

"Give me!" The younger girl demanded.

 Momo held tigher. Sana was confused, she walked over to Momo and pushed her hand away from the other strap. Momo however was quick enough to grab it with her other hand.

"What are you hiding?!" She yelled.

Momo didn't answer just pulled the strap now with both hands. Sana frowned, she grabbed the upper strap and pulled torwards Mina, helping the little girl.

"Let go!" Mina shouted angrily.

 Momo shook her head, teeth gritting in frustration and fear, she felt tears forming in her eyes.

 Sana had enough, she tried to pry Momo's hand off the strap, which she managed to do after a lot of effort. Mina felt to the floor, she was pulling with all her strenth, so when Momo finally released the strap there was nothing stopping her from falling.

"Wait!" Momo yelled.

 Sana held her with all her strenth, Momo wiggled her arms trying to pry herself free. Mina opened the backpack curiously, surprised at what she found.

"Mina-chan, don't! Let me go Sana-chan, goddamn it!" She yelled, tears stared running through her cheeks.

 Sana tighted her grip, she was pretty aware of the fact that she wasn't as strong as her friend, but the adrenaline rush seemed to give her s strenth buzz.

"Why do you have talcum powder in a bag?" Mina asked more confused than ever.

", Sana-chan get off me!" 

 Momo shook herself around, making Sana's grip weaker since she had to follow Momo's movement. When she saw the chance, she freed herself, rushing to Mina. She grabbed the backpack with an urge she didn't know she owned.

 Sana stopped moving. Her breathing became heavier.

"Talcum powder?" She asked not turning to face the girls.

 Momo stayed quiet, Sana wasn't as innocent as Mina, it wouldn't take her too long to connect the dots.

 Sana chuckled bitterly.

"I can't believe you" she shook her head.

 Momo could only glare at the floor in shame.

"What is that Momo-san?" Mina asked beside her.

 The eldest girl stared at her. She saw those brown eyes that were always so joyful now filled with confusion, they were more shiny than usual, Momo guessed the whole thing had upseted her.

"Drugs, she has ing drugs in her backpack" Sana whispered, her voice wavered.

 Momo, who was still staring at Mina, saw how the girl's face went from confussion to total dissapointment. Her shiny eyes now felt with tears, her lower lip was trembling.

"What?" Mina's voice cracked.

 It killed the eldest girl hearing the younger one. She heard hurt, dissapointment, confussion but what broke Momo's heart and made her feel like the biggest idiot was how scared Mina sounded and looked.

 Momo moved torwards Mina, she needed to hug her, she needed to know she hadn't turn into a monster that Mina feared.

 Mina stepped backwards.

"Mina-chan" Momo whispered.

"Why would you even have that stuff?!" Sana yelled from the other side of the room.

 Momo was about to answer, but Sana was quicker.

"You are so stupid, so ing stupid!"

 The eldest girl wanted to apologize, she was about to do it but felt something hitting her back. She looked around, she had been hit by a twel paper roll. Of course Sana would throw the less harmful thing she could find. She glanced at her. She was frowing but overall she looked dissapointed.

"Why?" Mina's soft voice asked behind.

  She turned around.

"Why Momo-san? It's not legal!" Mina's voice was raising.

 Momo couldn't talk, she had no excuse. She was going to apologize but Mina didn't give her time, before Momo or Sana could noticed the younger girl had opened the door and slammed it close.

"! Mina-chan!" Sana called.

 She ran and opened the door, following Mina was sprinting through the building stairs. Momo came out of her shock and ran after the girls.

 While she was jumping through the stairs, she decided it was faster to just skip three at the time, she heard Sana's calls for Mina, which the younger girl never answered. That was until Momo finally got off the stairs and Sana hugged Mina as tight as she could.

"Sana-chan, let me go!" Mina yelled while she tried to escape her grip.

"No!" Was Sana's answer.

 Momo had never felt so guilty in her whole life. She walked over to the girls. Sana's grip was getting loose, Mina was about to free herself but was stopped by Momo's arms.

"Don't touch me!" Mina screamed at her.

 Momo ignored her, she held as tight as she could holding both, Sana and Mina, close to her. Mina kept wiggling trying to pry herself free, but Sana, to Momo's surprise, just stayed still holding Mina for dear life.

"Mina-chan, please calm down, let's go back to the apartment and talk... Please" Momo begged.

 She knew that if the neighbors reported to the owner how loud they had been he'll kick them out without a second thought. Sana knew this too.

"Please calm down Mina-chan" she begged.

 Momo heard a sob, she knew it was Mina. When she noticed that nor Sana nor Mina were struggling to get away anymore, she let go. Sana held Mina's hand and guided her upstairs, Momo followed behind thinking just how the heck was she going to explain herself. She massaged her temple, she was going to have a killer headache later, that was for sure.

 When they walked into the appartment, Momo closed the door behind her. Mina walked to the bathroom and closed the door ignoring Sana's please.
 Sana glared at Momo, arms crossed. The eldest sighed.

"I ed up, I know, I'm sorry" she looked Sana in the eye "I really am"

"Why? Please tell me just why the heck you thought it was a good idea?"

 Momo noticed Sana was calmer than before, her eyes were now puffy and a little red but she wasn't crying, her voice was a little hoarse because of the screaming but it was still gentle.

"I just... I just wanted to buy Mina those ballet shoes for her birthday" her voice cracked.

 The eldest girl couldn't keep ignoring the nod she felt in her through, tears escaped her eyes, large sobs came out from her and Sana couldn't stay mad at her. She moved forward and held Momo in her arms. 

 Despite being the eldest Sana knew Momo wanted, but overall needed, comfort and someone she could relay on. She hated that Momo thought of herself as their responsable, when it really wasn't like that. Well, maybe it was, but Sana felt bad for it. She wanted to be that shoulder Momo could cry on, as she had always been theirs.

"You didn't need to do that Momo-chan" Sana rubbed her back, her grip never loosing.

 There was it again, that honorific again. It was the second time she had heard it coming out from Sana's mouth when talking to her. It was weird but at the same time, just like last time, it gave her a warm feeling inside her chest.

"I told you I'll help you at night, you're just so stubborn"

 It was true. Sana had offered herself plenty of times to help Momo on her routine at night. Momo complained because she wasn't going to allow Sana to dance infront of those people, for goodness sake, and besides Mina couldn't stay alone at night in the neighborhood they lived in. That was the reason she gave Sana.

 Even though Sana heard the bathroom door opening, she didn't let go of her friend, instead it was Momo who  broke the hug just so she could rushed over to Mina and hug her tightly.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I can't explain how sorry I'm, I'm so, so, so, sorry" Momo kept saying.

 Mina stared at Sana, who nodded. The yongest girl wrapped her arms around the eldest which made Momo sigh in relief. She had returned the hug. Sana kept watching the scene. Mina pulled away, she rested her hands on Momo's shoulder, staring directly at her.

"I don't want ballet shoes, all I want is to spend my birthday with you and Sana-chan"

 Momo's eyes opened wide, she had heard. She nodded, Mina smiled and hugged the girl back.

"I'll get rid of it" Momo said softly.

"What?" Mina asked sweetly.

 Momo let go of the hug, she grabbed Mina's hand and held it tight, she looked at Sana.

"I'll get red of it as soon as I can"

 Sana walked over and hugged Momo.

"When would that be?"

"Three days from now, I have to talk to Jongbin-kun"

"Who?" Mina asked confused.

 Momo sighed. She told them to sit at the table, she'll explain what and how it happened. She thought it was the least she could do.

 She told them the whole story, about how a guy appeared out of nowhere while she was dancing, she avoided details as in to where she was performing or comments she usually heard there. She told them about him taking her to a park and offered her a faster and easier way to earn money, of course she avoid the kiss part because life wouldn't be long enough for Sana's teasing. She told them about the deal she had made with Jongbin and lastly she explained how she hadn't been able to sell one single bag because she was scared out of her mind. Yes, she admitted it to Sana, even Mina.

 By the end of Momo's story Sana's arms were already around her.

"Promise us you'll get rid of that crap and never touch it again in your whole freaking life" Sana begged squeezing all the air out of Momo.

 Momo nodded.

"Air" she squealed, already out of breath.

 Sana let go with a chuckled. Momo glanced at Mina, she stood up and made her way to the eldest girl.

"I really don't need ballet shoes Momo-san, I don't want you getting in trouble, please don't do dumb stuff" Mina pouted.

 Momo couldn't help but smile. She ruffled Mina's hair making the girl smile.

"I won't, I promise" she assured her.

 Mina's smile widen.

 That night after Sana pushed Momo to the bathroom so she could take a shower, saying it'll be relaxing and would help her sleep better, the girl rushed to the kitchen. She used a pot and heated the food she had prepared Momo. She asked Mina if she was hungry, which the girl answered with a shook of her head. When Momo walked out of the bathroom she was surprised by the cup of warm food waiting for her. However she was ten times more surprised when she saw Mina's sleeping bag next to Momo's blanket, which was next to Sana's.

"We want to sleep next to you Momo-san!" Mina said with a smile and she hugged Momo tighly.

 Momo smiled. Once she finished eating she washed the cup and chopsticks against Sana's complains, she walked over to the light switch and turned them off. She laid on her blanket, next to Mina who had already laid down, Sana followed suit. Momo faced the roof while Mina laid on her side facing Momo and Sana, Sana rested on her side facing both girls as well. There was only the dim light from the street lamps coming from the window creeping through the curtains.

"I'm sorry for all that happened" Momo said softly.

 Sana shushed her.

"Forget about it, let's sleep"

 Momo felt Mina's hand grabbing her arm, next thing she knows the girl was resting her head on her shoulder. Momo smiled. Sana scooted closer and held Momo's tightly. Momo glanced at her.