Two Years Later

Momo slung her sports bag over her shoulder and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She waved goodbye to the dance instructor and made her way towards the locker room. She was the first to arrive and claimed one of the better maintained shower stalls. As the warm water course down her lithe body, she smiled at the thought of meeting up with Sana when she was presentable. Sana would be finishing her classes at Ewha University soon and Momo rushed to be able to meet her when she left the campus. Momo sighed as she thought of Mina who was unable to join them. Mina was busy with her studies but also spent time with her new friends which evoked more than a little jealousy within Momo. She turned her face up and closed her eyes as the water hit her face.

The strength of her feelings hadn’t faded in the two years since they had started living together and drifted slightly apart as they attended different universities. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t love Mina anymore, but that Mina had shied away from the sweet, innocent girl in her teens. Her sweet still remained, but every time Momo saw her on the arm of a boy, another piece of her heart shattered. She had confessed these feelings to Sana and though sympathetic, there wasn’t much her best friend could do except to be a shoulder to cry on.

She shook her head, trying to think of less miserly things. Spending time with Sana would be therapeutic and she’d need all of her energy to keep up with the 4D squirrel. She turned off the faucets and changed into a comfortable blue long-sleeve and jeans. Slinging her sports bag over her shoulder, she caught the train from Dolgoji station. Sana was already waiting for her when she departed from the platform and they greeted each other before heading off to one of the quieter restaurants near the university.

Momo ordered her customary jokbal whereas Sana had some jajangmyeon. Momo had a large serving so Sana finished eating first and surprised her when she initiated conversation with a question about Mina. “So, how are things between you and Mina?” she asked. Momo just stared for a second with a pig trotter in mid-air before saying, “It’s fine. Nothing’s changed. We just friends as ever.” Sana looked at her with sympathy clear in her eyes.

‘Are you sure? Maybe Mina has developed feelings for you?’

‘Well why should she? We’ve only ever been friends. She’s never shown any clue that she might like me the way I do her. And anyway, what does it matter? It’s known that Koreans don’t really accept LGBT people.’

Sana pursed her lips in thought. “But we’re Japanese?” she pointed out. She was about to add more but Momo’s face had turned forlorn. She hesitated in continuing as it was a sensitive subject and though she wished fervently that her two best friends could be happy together, there was no point in forcing anything. Momo looked to the side and sighed.

‘It doesn’t really matter to me anyway,” she said. “I’m content with just being by her side. If she’s happy, then I’m happy.’

‘I don’t think that’s true.’

Momo stared at Sana, wondering why she had said that.

‘What do you mean?’

Sana reached forward and placed a hand on Momo’s cheek. Using her thumb, she wiped away the tears that were running down Momo’s face. “How can you honestly say that when you’re like this?” Sana spoke softly. Seeing that Momo was about to break down, she moved her chair closer and leaned Momo’s head on her chest. She wrapped an arm around her and used her other hand to pat her face.

‘It’s just-I don’t know. I would feel better if she was dating someone that was nice. But the guys she’s dated never treated her the way she deserves. I want to be there for her. I want to be the one beside her that makes her smile. I want her to give me that smile of hers that lights up the whole room and tells you that she cares about you. I just want her to love me.’

Momo fell silent and Sana didn’t think to speak after hearing her friend’s outpouring of her heart. They stayed together for a while before Sana decided that the restaurant though empty, was not the place to be saying these things. They got up and paid for their food before taking a taxi home. As expected, Mina was out and the house was empty. Sana decided that talking any more was not what her friend needed and got out some things she thought could be useful. She held up a T.V remote in one hand and a bottle of nail polish in her other.

‘We can either paint our nails or watch some K-dramas.’

Momo brightened up at the suggestions and gave a mischievous grin. “We paint our nails and then watch k-dramas while they dry,” she said. Sana smiled in agreement and she pulled out her makeup case. They put on some bouncy music and sat on the floor as they painted their nails. They painted small animals and floral patterns on each other until they had filled every finger and toenail. Then they cuddled together as they watched the complete series of ‘Heirs’.

They ordered fried chicken and beer and afterwards, watching as Momo slept peacefully on the couch next to her, Sana felt proud that she’d been able to aid her friend in her time of need. She had seen the way Momo had looked at Mina every time and it hurt her heart just as much knowing how much Momo suffered. A girl in love was a storm best left untouched.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard keys in the lock of the front door and it opened to reveal Mina. Mina looked up as she took off her heels and noticed Momo was still asleep. Sana smiled a greeting and patted Momo’s shoulder, putting a finger to her lips. Mina crept towards them and sat down as Sana got up making room for her. She went to the kitchen to get a glass of water but instead of sitting back down, she leaned over the counter and watched curiously at the way Mina was staring at the sleeping blonde. As if looking at a baby, Mina gazed at Momo with an adoring expression. Sana felt as if she were watching a mother and her newborn instead of two equal aged adults and thought that maybe Momo’s worries were unwarranted as she returned to her bedroom.

Mina sat on the couch trying not to move. Momo slept like an angel and Mina didn’t want to disturb her sleep. She brushed aside a stray hair from Momo’s forehead and admired the smooth skin of her face. Even in sleep, Momo looked beautiful. Her full lips lay slightly open and Mina wondered what it’d be like to kiss them. She slapped her hands to her face at the sudden thought and shook her head.

She froze as Momo stirred beside her and hummed sleepily. She began to apologise but Momo didn’t say anything. Her eyes were still closed and she seemed to be still half-asleep. She got up to go and change out of her dress but Momo wrapped her arms around her and pulled her down, leaning against her. “Don’t go,” she whispered. Mina decided that it wouldn’t hurt to stay awhile and pulled the blanket around them. She rested her head on Momo’s and closed her eyes, content to be next to Momo.

~

Mina awoke as a hand nudged her shoulder and a voice called out. “Wake up, sleepyhead,” came a familiar voice. She reached a hand up to rub her eyes and looked up to see Sana looking down at her. “Don’t you have school today?” Sana asked. Mina groaned and yawned.

‘No, I don’t have classes until the afternoon.’

Sana nodded and disappeared out of view. Mina felt a weight on her side and reached down and felt Momo’s hand. She looked behind her and flushed when she realised that they had been sleeping with Momo hugging her from behind. She tried to get up but that only succeeded in Momo holding her tighter. “5 more minutes,” she muttered. Mina laughed and moved Momo’s arms away. “I need to shower and change. Then I can make us some breakfast,” she said. Momo brightened up at the thought of breakfast but went back to sleep, honouring her 5 more minutes.

Mina walked into the shower stall and let the smile that she had hidden spread over her face. Momo loved to hug people and hold hands but sleeping with her was a rare experience. The blonde was often referred to as a pabo but she had a clumsy cuteness about her that was able to make Mina smile anytime. She washed her body and changed into some more comfortable clothes. She walked out and began preparing breakfast as Momo attended to her morning needs. She prepared a batter and cut up some fruit to add to the pancakes she would be cooking. She was flipping the last pancake when she felt someone come up behind her. She turned to look but was poked by a finger.

‘Gotcha.’

She smiled as Momo hugged her from behind and nestled her face in the crook of her shoulder peering over at the pancakes. She turned off the flame and served up the pancake walking with Momo still attached to her. She added the garnish of fresh fruit and Momo finally separated and sat down like an eager child. She took a bite and immediately let out a satisfied moan, shaking her hands in delight.

‘Mmmmm! This is the best! I would marry you just so I can have this every day for the rest of my life.’

Mina blushed at the compliment and hid her face with her hair as she began to eat. They ate in silence and when they finished, Momo took the plates to the sink. Mina gave a quick thanks before returning to her room to change. She packed her books and managed to fit a jacket inside her bag. She walked into the lounge room and looked on at Momo busying herself at the sink. She entertained a sudden fantasy of a domestic life with Momo as her wife.

‘Mina pulled off her boots and called out, “Tadaima!” Immediately, Momo’s voice replied from the kitchen. Mina admired the hallways of their modest home before walking to stand beside Momo and pressed a kiss to her wife’s forehead. “Okaerinasai,” said Momo softly and met Mina’s lips. Her hands reached up to touch Mina’s face but the dish she had been holding fell to the ground.’

Mina started as a loud crash brought her back to reality. She looked back to Momo who was looking embarrassed.

‘Sorry. Nothing’s broken. A dish slipped.’

Mina nodded and looked up at the clock. She read the time and hurriedly got up to leave. She said goodbye, sad at having to leave.

Momo finished washing up and sat down on the couch as the house seemed a lot bigger now that Mina had left. She was happy that she was able to spend some time with Mina but having the day off, she was glad to be alone. She started stretching and pulled out her mp3 player and played some light music. There was a well-known competition at the end of term and she was eager to win the coveted top award. There would also be a guaranteed attendance of some of Korea’s best dancers and the opportunity to be recruited into a famous organisation was one of the reasons why it was so acclaimed.

She pressed play on her mp3 and Taemin of SHINee’s familiar voice began to sing. The light voice sang out the lyrics to Sayonara Hitori and Momo danced casually as her body limbered. She waited until the bass kicked in and the chorus appeared before getting serious. She danced to the original choreography and imagined that she was Taemin himself. Her dream to be a dancer as recognised as him was still true to her and she had endeavoured all this time to be closer to that goal. As the song ended, she decided that she would follow in the wishes of the creator and create her own choreography to express what she felt when she was dancing. She waited as another song began to play and danced away the time as the shadows of night approached.

~

Momo reached up, about to perform a jump when she heard voices outside the door. She recognised Mina’s voice but there was another deeper, unfamiliar voice. She felt annoyed as the conversation continued and she heard how Mina sounded. Her voice was sweet as if laced with honey and she laughed happily at something that was said. A tinge of envy touched Momo as she wished to be the focus of that voice. She scowled and continued with her practice though hunger and fatigue washed through her and added to her annoyance. She tried to focus on her practice but the voices were too large a distraction and she abandoned the effort. She picked up her mp3 player and jumper and retreated to her room.

Sitting at her desk, she tried to work on her performance planning but she heard a car drive away and the front door open. Mina’s voice called out and Momo, still annoyed, decided to ignore it. Sounds came from the hallway and Mina entered the room. She looked straight at her laptop screen as Mina walked up behind her and put her arms around her neck. She ignored the contact although temptation to reach up and hold Mina’s hands played through her mind. Pride however, and her annoyance from before forced her to remain stoic and aloof. She shrugged off Mina’s hands eliciting a surprised response. Mina stepped back and Momo shut the lid of her laptop, getting up. “I’m sweaty,” she snapped and walked off to take a shower. She looked at Mina in the corner of her eye and felt guilty when she saw the worried frown on the other girls face. Her guilt was alleviated from her frustrating feelings and she quickly took a shower and collapsed on her bed, forgetting to dry her hair.