Mina walked through the airport’s arrival gates and tried to remain inconspicuous as she peered through her sunglasses at the throng of people waiting behind the barrier. Family and friends of other passengers were gathered to welcome their loved ones and she concentrated on following her father to avoid the feelings of envy that arose. She had no family that could be expected to show up and wait for them and friends were just as unlikely. She shrugged mentally and made her way to the fresh air outside where she was met by her chauffeur. He greeted her father with a bow and she a smile, moving her suitcase into the trunk. She settled herself in the back seat and wound down the window to wave to her father as he entered another car as the headed for their homes.

The business trip with her father had been brief but pleasant as her father walked her through some of the vaguer aspects of managing a company and her mind had been filled with countless thoughts of how to better her skills for the past few days. The new headquarters was coming along nicely and a visit by the company executive and his daughter had greatly boosted the morale and working efficiency of the workers. The refurbishing and last-minute modifications of the building were completed as Mina followed her father on his inspection of the facilities and made meticulous notes.

Now they were back in Seoul and much as Mina had enjoyed the luxuries of a working holiday, a part of her was constantly drawn back to the things she had left behind. The bright lights of the heavily populated city was only a small part of it and as she watched the glow of the streetlamps as they drove through the busy streets, she was reminded of Momo’s fiery hair swaying in the wind. The image of Momo walking was replaced with the memory of the message she had sent before she left and she rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers, wondering what had possessed her to type and send what she had. She groaned inaudibly and returned her attention back to staring out of the car window, letting the flashing lights settle her mind.

~

It was a beautiful morning when Mina woke up the next day, fresh from a long sleep and free of any jetlag. She dressed slowly, mind on what classes she had. She held a piece of toast between her teeth as she began her walk to the university campus, fidgeting with her phone. It was still the middle of the cold season and her frigid fingers were slow to move as she typed a message to her father, reassuring him that she was feeling fine and refreshed after their long trip. She idled along the footpath as she walked and the time passed quickly as the morning came and went. Classes were perfunctory and uneventful and she found herself seated at a stone bench in a courtyard with Sana sitting across from her before she started to focus on the things around her.

She paused in her eating and watched as Sana chowed down on some Nutella-spread croissants. Sana seemed to be occupied with her own thoughts and ate silently, crumbs dusting the tray beneath her. Mina let her gaze wander and spotted Momo plodding along with her bag by her side. She held up a hand to wave her over then froze immediately as she remembered how things stood between them. Her confession remained said even if she had disappeared for a few days and she dropped her hand but Momo had already raised her head and seen them, turning her feet towards them.

She stiffened and steeled herself as Momo approached, maintaining a calm demeanour as the blonde took the spot beside her. She sneaked a glance to the side but nothing seemed untoward as Momo slumped onto the table with a mumbled greeting to the both of them. Mina frowned and cocked her head in thought and wondered if she had been overthinking Momo’s actions. It seemed that the other girl was content to ignore her confession and although it was better that things weren’t awkward, some disappointment sprouted that her feelings were left unanswered. She took a deep breath and pasted on a smile, thinking, “Maybe it’s better this way.”

A soft wind filled the silence as the three girls sat together under the blossoms of winter and shared a companionable atmosphere. Distant chatter of other people blended into the background and for the moment, they were only three in the world. However, the silence was not to last and it was broken as Momo spoke.

‘Hey, are you going to finish that?’

Mina followed Momo’s pointed finger, looking down at her half-eaten sandwich. She shook her head and pushed her tray across the table, making a welcoming gesture. Momo grabbed the plate and smiled gratefully at her for a flash before her face turned impassive again. She held the sandwich between her hands and bit into the white bread as Sana finished eating across from them, clapping her hands together to get rid of any crumbs. The echo bounced around the courtyard until the sounds of chewing replaced it and Mina watched as Momo bit glumly into the sandwich. She blinked then leaned forward to peer closer at the blonde, surprised as she noticed the dour expression on Momo’s face and dark circles that surrounded her eyes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

She glanced at Sana, hoping that the other girl and Momo’s best friend could offer something useful but Sana was just staring at Momo without saying anything. Mina looked between the two, wondering if she had missed something important while she had been away. “Hey Momo, do you want to grab a cup of coffee?” she finally asked, thinking that lack of sleep might explain the gloomy appearance. Momo turned at the question and finished chewing the last of the sandwich before answering.

‘Sorry, I can’t. I’m busy right now. Sorry.’

Before anything else could be said, Momo got up from the table and left, setting off at a brisk pace. Mina looked at Sana helplessly, watching Momo’s back as she left and asked, “Is something wrong with Momo?” Sana sighed and said nothing, waiting until Momo disappeared from sight. “You never heard this from me if anyone asks,” Sana started, “But Momo is going through a rough patch right now. Her grandma is really sick at the moment and it’s caused a lot of stress for her.” Mina thought quickly and she recalled overhearing a conversation between Momo and her grandmother during the period where she had been immature and had bullied, there was no other word for it, Momo. She guessed that Momo was very close to her grandmother and Sana’s next words gave her confirmation.

‘You know that Momo is an orphan but she was raised by her grandma and loves her more than anything. She’s been using every bit of time she has to visit her at the hospital so she’s been neglecting herself. Normally I would have never said this to anyone else but I need your help. Can I ask you to do me a favour?’

Mina’s eyes widened, put on the spot. Sana looked serious as anything but it wasn’t often that she asked Mina for anything, especially when it came to Momo; she was as protective as a lioness guarding her cubs. A brief pause before she nodded, feeling strangely proud that Sana seemed to be putting her trust in her. “I need you to look after Momo in these coming days. I’m worried that she is going to burn out if she continues to go on like this and she needs someone to remind her that she needs to take care of herself first,” Sana said. “But can’t you do that? Aren’t you her best friend?” Mina asked. Sana shook her head tiredly.

‘It’s exactly because of that. I have a big assessment coming up and Momo knows that so whenever I try to help her, she pushes me away and tells me to focus on my studies, saying that she doesn’t need help. You know there’s something wrong when Momo hasn’t studied in days. I’m really worried about her and you’re the only person who can help. Can I trust you?’

Sana stared at Mina, holding her gaze. Mina met her eyes steadily, trying to reassure the other girl that Momo would be in good hands. After a few moments of studying her, Sana seemed satisfied and smiled, patting her shoulder as she bunched up her rubbish. “Guess I should go and work on my project so that there’s one less worry for Momo,” she said. Mina nodded agreement and followed suit, collecting her things together and decided that sooner was better than later, making a call.

~

A quarter of an hour later, Mina stood in fresh clothes with two large cups of coffee in hand outside Momo’s apartment door. She knocked and moments passed before it opened to a surprised Momo. Her hair was in a mess and she was dressed in only a shirt and shorts. She looked decidedly ruffled and stood mute before collecting herself and saying, “Hello Mina. What a surprise. I’m sorry that you made your way here to see me but I’m just about to head out.” Mina remained silent, instead pushing forward one of the coffee cups into Momo’s hands and the blonde obediently moved to the side to allow her into the apartment. She stepped inside and looked around. It was just as she remembered the last and only time she had been here; one room, one window, one table. Pretty much just one of everything and all of it in a shabby condition.

She walked over the carpet and seated herself in front of the small table, crossing her legs as she watched Momo bustle about. Momo rushed between her set of drawers and the bathro