Chapter 9: Game On  

 Momo should have gotten used to this sight long, long time ago. But it was still a little shoking, surprising... weird. 

 They had left Mina alone, she was old enough. Sana had taught her how to cook pretty descent stuff, and Momo how to lock all and every single one of the windows. They had even managed to buy two phones. Sure, they were extremly old but hey, they worked. Mina used a NOKIA 1100 while Momo and Sana brought with them a MOTOROLA RAZOR V3. It had taken a while but eventually some rapper offered them, Momo and Sana had just won a competition, Momo went for it, after all she knew they boy had been around for a while. Still she had asked some important questions.

  "Don't worry" he chuckled "I didn't steal them, if that's what you think, I bought an iPhone 5 last week, thought someone could use then, and I could earn some cash"    Momo looked at Sana who nodded with a smile. And that's how they had now two phones and random SIMs cards the boy had gifted them, Momo was sure it had a lot to do with Sana's way of looking at him. And she confirmed it when she winked.    Again, Momo should be used to this sight, because Sana making out with rappers, dancers and pretty much whoever came to he underground parties... It was normal. Momo had asked what was up with that, Sana laughed.   "It's fun I guess? Besides, it feels good, so why not?"    Well, Momo had to agree, it did feel good. However whenever they went to one of the parties held by a dude who liked to call himself G-Dragon, she always felt like the older sister who had to watch her younger sister getting all the boys. Still, it was pretty entertaining teasing Sana about the choices she made the next day.   "For a moment I thought you were glued to each other" Momo chuckled, can of beer in her hand.    Sana rolled her eyes.   "Didn't you say he was like, the worst kisser ever?" Momo raised an eyebrow, can moving to her lips.    Sana groaned.   "Shut up"    Momo chuckled. Sana glanced at her and grabbed the beer from her hands, taking a sip.   "I highly doubt that's going to help you" she laughed.    Sana laughed too.   "Hey ladies" someone said in japanese.    Momo glanced at her side, Sana did the same. Momo chuckled.   "Hey there Yuta-kun"    He smiled.   "You guys aren't going to dance?"    Momo shook her head.   "I need to be able to use my legs to get back home, thank you" she joked.    Yuta laughed.    Nakamoto Yuta, a boy they had met a year ago. They were watching the freestyle competition going on, and to their surprise the boy was rapping in weird mix of korean and japanese. For some reason it made them feel so... happy. Suddendly they weren't the only japanese girls in the whole freaking community. Momo had hesitated about looking for the guy once he was done, but Sana, being Sana, had dragged her all the way to the boy. Sana didn't even ask if he was japanese, she just went all hardcore japanese speaker on him, which made him laugh. The boys around him stared confused, then he explained what Sana was saying.     Momo wouldn't call it friendship... They just kind of knew each other, and would meet sometimes at parties or the girls would support Yuta on rapping competitions, while he would support them on dancing comepitions, since he had friends who danced too.    He was a year older than the girls, two years older than Sana if they were in Japan. Main reason why Momo thought Sana was going to go all flirty over him, but to her surprise she didn't. She seriously couldn't figure that girl out.    Yuta had conviced them to dance to for a bit, but Sana soon left them alone, being dragged by a boy Momo had seen a few times.   "That girl, I swear" Momo sighed and shook her head.    Yuta laughed.   "It's like she had never seen boys before" he chuckled.    Momo smirked. He wasn't entirely wrong. Nor Sana, Momo or Mina had have a lot of contact with boys, or people in general. Sure, they didn't live under a rock in the middle of the desert. Mina talked with her classmates at the ballet academy, Momo and Sana had the people from the underground community, but still there had been some years in their life in which they only had each other. Maybe that was the reason Sana sneaked around with guys every chance she got. And it's not like chances didn't come to her, because the girl was really pretty and flirty.    They had talked about taking care of themselves when and if they ever ended up in bed with a boy or something... It had been the most awkward conversation Momo had ever started. Sana laughed through it, which made Momo blush even more.     When Momo checked the time on the phone, her eyes opened wide. Quarter to six. They had to get the hell out of there, Momo wasn't about to leave Mina alone any longer.    She made a quick scan around the room to find her friend. She rolled her eyes when she saw she was pinned to a wall making out with a tall boy like their lives depended on it, the boy's hands moved all over Sana, while hers were on the boys head, playing with his hair . She groaned and walked to her.  She pushed the boy away by his shoulder.   "We're going, uhm, now..." she said awkwardly.    Sana laughed and nodded. She blew a kiss to the very dissapointed looking boy and followed Momo.   "I swear, your lips could compete with tomatoes" Momo teased.    Sana giggled.   "You're just jealous" she pouted.   "Sure" Momo laughed.    Thankfully when they arrived, Mina was deep asleep on her bed. Momo thanked every living thing they were overall sober, she didn't want to wake up Mina, and by no means she'll want Mina to see them in a drunk state. Momo had seen Sana drunk... She'll be damned if she let that happen again.    The year was just begining, Momo had picked up Mina up from her first lesson of the year. They were getting ready for dinner when Mina told the girls about a Ballet Competition coming up. Momo was about to explote of happiness.   "Really? When? Where?" Momo asked excitely.    Mina laughed.   "Two months from now, it's not exactly comfirmed... Bokyung-ssam" Mina stopped, she had just mixed japanese and korean, Momo laughed "Bokyung-sensei, she told me before hand so we could, you know... save up and stuff"     Momo smiled a little sadly. She moved torwards Mina and hugged her.   "You just focus on practicing, we'll focus on the money part, right Sana-chan?"   "Hai!" Sana yelled excitely from the oven.    Mina laughed.   "Those shoes you have... they work fine for the competition?" Momo asked once she let go.    Mina nodded.   "Un, besides I'm more comfortable with them so I can move around easily" she explained with a smile.    Momo smiled back and nodded.    "So, can I talk to your sensei when I pick you up next class?"    Mina nodded.   "Guys, dinner is ready~" Sana sang cheerfully.    They laughed at their friend and helped her put everything on the table.   "So, this competition, how does it work?" Momo asked curiously.    Mina shrugged.   "I don't really know, I've never been to one..."    Momo stayed quiet, Sana glanced at Mina, the younger girl eyes' opened wide.   "Gomen-nasai!" Mina apologized.    Sana chuckled.   "Why so formal?" she teased.    Mina stuck her tongue out.   "You better start eating before it gets cold" Sana chuckled.    Here's the thing... Mina was a really curious kid. Shy, quiet, but curious none the less. Since the first time Momo started going out at night for her dancing routines to earn money, to those times years ago in which Sana started going with her to who knows where. Everytime she asked, the answer was the same.   "We're just going to the dancing competition, nothing special, you're not missing out Mina-chan"    Those were Momo's words, everytime, along with a smile.    Mina tried her best to buy the excuse. And it worked for a while, but then Momo and Sana started going out a lot more, with their best looking clothes and would come back really late. It was weird, and she felt left out.    The first time she was left alone, she was scared to death. Momo had left food in the fridge, enough to eat for a week. That didn't exactly calm her, she had never seen Momo cooking, and even if she knew and had seen Sana supervising her cooking, she was still a bit unsure about eating it. Momo had also doble, triple checked all the windows before living and assured Mina she had watched carefully for creepy people around the block, and there were none.    Mina thought Momo suposed that was going to calm her nerves. Well, it didn't. In fact it only made her more anxious. She didn't want to stay alone, she tried her best to go with them, but Momo's answer was always no. That night Mian threw all the blankets around the room in anger, she felt asleep after crying for twenty minutes. She woke up the next morning with her eyes hurting and a light headache. Sana seemed to be feel guilty, since she went to the groceries store and bought chocolate, a luxery they couldn't affore everyday.    For about two years, Mina was okay with them going out in the middle of the night for their dance competitions. Then a few months ago they started going to who knows where and that's when Mina's curiosity came back.    This night however, they were preparing themselves for a competition. Mina had seen them practicing the whole week none stop until their legs couldn't hold them up anymore. Mina had heated up food for them every night, insisting for them to take showers and then relax. Momo refused at first, of course she would, but Mina could be stubborn too, she even pushed the girl to the bathroom.   "Sana-chan, don't you dare lay a finger on the kitchen!" she warned the girl.    Sana laughed but sat down on the table's chair.    Now, Momo was making sure they had the right music, Sana was putting water bottles on their backpack.   "Okay, I think we're good" Sana said, finally closing the fridge's door.   "Music is all good" Momo told her standing up.    Mina stared at them from her bed. They had closed all and every single window ten minutes ago, Sana had showed her what she could eat if she felt hungry. "Please wash up whatever you use" she asked the girl.    Mina nodded silently.    Momo stared at the time on the phone.   "Sana-chan, we need to go, grab your jacket" she told the younger girl.    Sana nodded and grabbed said jacket.   "Where's yours?" she asked Momo.    The eldest girl shook her head.   "I won't need it"    Sana rolled her eyes and walked over to their little closet, she picked a hoodie and put it inside their backpack.   "You'll thank me later" she told the girl.   "Mina-chan, remember, take the key from the lock so we can open later, and don't open the door to anybody, understood?" Momo told her.    Mina rolled her eyes and stood up.   "I know, Momo-san, it's not the first time you guys go out"    Sana glanced at Momo, Momo looked back and then at Mina. She sighed.   "Right... Anyways, we'll get going"    Once they said goodbye and Mina closed the door, the girl's internal chronometer started running. She changed her pijama t-shirt for a crimson tanktop, she pulled down her jogging to reveal black demin shorts, she quickly moved to change her slippers and put on black canvas shoes. She loose her hairband and used her hand to shake her hair around. She moved to the closet quickly and grabbed a black sweatshirt and put it on. She grabbed her phone, and switched the lights off, only leaving the tiny dim light of their little night lamp on. Then she walked to the front window and spied outside.    Sana and Momo were crossing the street. Mina had to hurry up. She made sure once again everything was in order before opening the door, she grabbed the keys, walked outside and closed the door before locking it.     She closed her eyes and breathed in. She was sure what she was about to do was a madness. She opened her eyes and breath out. She sprint her way throught the stairs, jumping the final four. She then rushed to the front door and closed it behind her.     Good, she was outside.    She made sure nor Sana nor Momo had seen her, which was imposible since she couldn't see them anymore. She cursed. Then she remembered they had crossed the street, she made sure no cars were around and ran to the other side.    She was so thankfull Sana was such a loud person, she followed her voice and turned right. She gulped, they were a few meters away from her. She hid behind a wall, scared they'll find her. When she heard their steps were overall far from her, she mad sure they weren't close to her and then moved from the wall.    Mina had been playing ninja for a while now. She wondered where were they going, she had never walked so far with any of them. Momo stopped abruptely, Mina hid behind a bush. She cursed. However she wasn't as paranoic as in the begining.    Worst case scenario, Momo would yell her lungs out at her, Sana would probably scold Momo for yelling, Momo would get even angrier and get mad at Sana too. But the important part was they wouldn't make her walk back, they were pretty faraway from their studio appartment. At least she hoped they wouldn't make her walk back all by her own because she got lost the minute she stepped out from the building.    Thankfully they started moving again, Mina followed. She took a good look around. Creepy, plain creepy and scary. The street seemed to get darker with every step they made. Mina wondered if there were any lights around. The houses seemed to be small, no lights came out from them, Mina supposed the curtains were closed or something. She cursed when she saw Sana and Momo almost at the end of the street, she moved quickly.    They kept on walking a few blocks and finally Mina could see some light. Mina opened her eyes wide. There was a lot of people, lamps everywhere, she could hear loud music and laughs. She saw how Momo and Sana walked there, she stopped in her tracks. If she followed they would discover her in less than a second. She hid behind an old phone booth, even if it was transparent at least she could pretend she was just someone who was passing by.    She turned around to check if they were already inside. Too bad she couldn't see them anymore. She cursed.    The idea of turning back and getting the hell out of there was a bit tempting... But Mina was curious, and she walked for who knows how long, she wouldn't give up now. She breathed in and walked to were Sana and Momo were supposed to be.    She walked through the fence and inmediatly she felt scared. She stared looking around, making sure her keys and phone were still with her —thankfully they were. Loud music filled her eyes, she could of sworn the walls were moving, the bass sound from the speakers was really powerfull.    She kept on walking, in hopes of finding the older girls, but luck was against her, they were nowhere to be seen. Mina was scared. She started playing with her fingers and looking around, maybe she'll catch a glimpse of them. No such luck. She felt uneasy, her breath started getting faster and faster.   What was she going to do now? She had gotten herself lost in the middle of who knows where, no signs of Momo and Sana, she could only hear korean around her and to make things worse, she was getting a little lightheaded.    She looked around and spotted a bench. Okay so maybe she wouldn't be able to find her friends, but at least she could wait near the entrance until they finally walked out. And she would avoid getting even dizzier. She was about too reach the bench when a group of people caught her attention.   She had seen this little circle of people when she first spotted the bench, but she didn't really pay much attention to them, until she heard people cheering and someone talking fast, really, really fast.    She walked closer to take a look, curiosity taking over. She could only get a glimpse of a boy who seemed to be rapping and moving his hands along the beatbox beat someone was making. Mina could tell whatever he had said excited people, she was being pushed backwards. Then a taller boy who Mina hadn't noticed started rapping too, the beatbox beat got faster along with his voice and hand movements. He seemed to be really into it, he was moving his head too. Mina was a little shocked, she walked backwards but she didn't notice more people had gathered around her. She stepped into someone's foot.   "Joesonghaeyo!" She said inmediatly.    She heard someone laugh.   "Why so formal?" the voice asked with a laugh.   "Mianhaeyo" she tried again while making her way out of the crowd.    Once she was out, she took a deep breath. She looked around, there was a lot of people, but none of them were the two she was looking for. She shook her head, she'll follow her original plan, she'll wait for them on the bench.   "You seem a bit lost" the voice she had heard before said.    She turned around and saw a short girl, short hair, black jacket on, black shirt, black jeans, black shoes... the girl really liked black didn't she? She had her arms crossed, one glance at her face and Mina couldn't believe the girl had such a tough aura around her, because her smile was friendly, warm and kind.    The girl raised an eyebrow in lack of an answer. Mina glanced at the floor and then quickly back at the girl.   "Ne" she simply replied.    The girl seemed to study her before she walked closer, away from the crowd. She grabbed Mina's arm softly, making Mina flinch back. The girl chuckled.   "Relax, I won't harm you or something" the girl smiled showing her dimples.    Her friendly tone and smile were enough to calm Mina down. The girl guided them to the bench in which Mina had previously planed on sitting. The girl gestured for Mina to sit down, which she did. The girl followed next.   "So..." the girl said awkwardly, her hands together.    Mina glanced at her. The girl smiled.   "You are really quiet, aren't you?"    Mina chuckled and glanced to her side.   "Ahh, I see" The girl left out a little laugh.   "By the way, I'm Son Chaeyoung, eighteen" the girl said.    Mina glanced at her, she smiled shyly. The girl chuckled.   "What's your name, or do I call you stranger?" she teased.    Mina laughed, she covered with her hand. She shook her head.   "Myoui Mina, uhm, I'm nineteen... uhm, twenty" Mina said hestitatly.    Chaeyoung looked at her surprised.   "Myoui..." The girl said the word, a thoughtful look on her face "doesn't sound too korean" she smiled.    Mina chuckled, she shook her head.   "Aniyo, I'm japanese"    Chaeyoung slyly opened and nodded, she then glanced at Mina