Wednesday, 12:36pm

“So I’m in love with Sana-unnie,” I said over the table.

Momo coughed and began to choke on the food in . Concerned, I stood and leaned over the table to pat Momo’s shoulder as she desperately tried to recover.

So far, Momo’s been the only one I’ve told. As I confessed, I began to wonder if it was the right choice telling her of all people. She was one of Sana’s best friends, if not, her best friend. I was beginning to get close with Momo though, so I trusted that she could keep this between us. Also, she was there when I needed the comfort. She was much more nurturing than Chaeyoung could ever be—not to throw any shade on Chaeyoung. She was more of a realist; her honesty was brutal at times. Also, Momo knew more about Sana than anyone else I knew. She could help me with how I should approach this.

It took a while but Momo finally settled her coughing. “So you finally tell me,” she said.

“Finally?” I asked as I sat back down.

“I’m just saying it’s about time you admit that to me.”

“I only figured it out last night after practice,” I admitted.

“Oh, so you weren’t in love with her before that?”

“N-No, I was. I just didn’t know then,” I said.

“Ah, I knew you were in love!” Momo exclaimed, even standing.

“Ya, Momo-unnie! Don’t say that so loudly!” I said, leaning over the table and pulling on the end of her shirt as an attempt to seat her back down. She noticed the looks everyone was giving her and quickly sat back down.

“So anyway, what do you want me to do? I’m so ready to be your wing-woman!”

“What do I do now?”

“What do you do? So you don’t want me to do anything?” Momo asked, her expression turning into one of disappointment.

“Ah, well. Yeah... I mean, for now. I just need like–... Guidance...” I said.

“Why don’t you confess?” Momo suggested.

I shook my head violently. “Th-That’s out of the question.”

“So, something less direct?”

“I-I mean, I don’t even know if she likes me back. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t! She’s probably crawling back to Tzuyu!”

“You don’t know that!” Momo sighed, “Well okay, if direct’s not your style then something else. Just–uh... Wait it out?”

“Wait it out?”

“Continue being friends with her until you’re ready to confess to her.”

“That’s it?”

Momo snickered, “Now that you know you‘re in love with her, doing that won’t be easy for you.”

I turned by head up and groaned loudly.

“How about this?” Momo said, slapping her palm on the table. I turned my chin back down to look at her. I noticed the look in her eyes, like she was scheming something. Well, the good kind of scheming.

“You ask Jihyo about getting me on the team. It’s a win for the both of us. I get to play baseball, you get help with Sana,” Momo said.

“Done!” I held out my hand for a handshake signifying that I will complete my end of the plan.

“Oh my God, yes!” Momo exclaimed as she happily took my hand into hers.

And so, by the end of that day, Jihyo had announced to everyone that we were to have a new player on the team.

Thursday, 4:50pm

I sat quietly in the dugout, my shoulder against Momo’s. The weather wasn’t hot, but I was sweating.

“Y-You’re right. This is hard,” I mumbled, my hands holding my head in panic, “I haven’t even seen her yet and my heart’s beating like crazy.

Momo laughed, “Just act like you usually do.”

Just as she finished saying that, Sana entered the dugout. I watched her in all her glory, with the sunlight shining on her back. A trickle of sweat glistened as it ran down her cheekbone, then her jawline, then her collarbone, and soaked the collar of her oversized white t-shirt. That was how she looked when I first saw her. But oh dear God, she was more beautiful than I last remembered. And ier, too. The way she flicked her hair over her shoulder. The way her lips pursed as she inhaled deeply. The way her sultry bronze eyes turned to me. Once we met eyes, my mouth became dry.

“Hi, Dahyunnie,” Sana greeted.

“Y–You’re... Se–, wait–... , h-hi, Mi–Sana! ...Unnie!” I stuttered. I almost just admitted to her face that she was y, instead of saying a simple hi. I mentally slapped myself in the face. Smooth, Dahyun. Real smooth.

Sana laughed a little as she took a seat beside me, her shoulder brushing against mine. I jumped towards Momo at the sudden contact. Momo responded by wrapping her arm around my back, her fingers acting as a barrier between my shoulder and Sana’s. She pulled me close against her body, so that my head rest atop her chest. My ear rested where her heart lied, and I could both feel and hear the hard but steady beating of her heart through the jersey and through her skin and flesh.

“S-So,” Sana started, “You’re part of the team now, Momoring?”

“Ah, yeah,” Momo said.

“I’m surprised. You never were very sporty,” Sana commented, causing Momo to snort.

“Dancing is a sport!”

“Sure, sure,” Sana chuckled.

Then there was silence.

This predicament I found myself in was definitely... awkward...

Here I sat between two best friends who were talking over me as I clung to one of them after completely embarrassing myself in front of the other.

“Dahyun-unnie!” I heard Chaeyoung call from the field.

Oh, God bless the perfect timing.

“Y-Yes?!!” I exclaimed as I stood up as quickly as possible, surprising both Momo and Sana—to the point in which Momo yelped at the movement. I felt Sana and Momo’s eyes on me as I walked to leave the dugout. As I walked up the stairs, my foot slipped on a step and I stumbled. It must have been from how eager I was to leave the dugout and escape the awkwardness. I attempted to play it off by quickly recovering and then strutting up the rest of the stairs; but I was sure that that was only a futile effort.

I found Chaeyoung standing near the bleachers, in an isolated area. As soon as she saw me approaching her, she immediately broke into a run in my direction. I noticed a large smile as she ran, something I hadn’t seen on her face in a while now. Seeing that shine back on her face made me smile. It was no doubt the fire that used to be lost was now returning to Chaeyoung; her reason for playing was back—Mina.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Something good happen to you?” I said as she slowed to a stop right before me.

“Not something good. Something great!” she replied.

I laughed, “Okay, tell me.”

“Mina called,” she said excitedly.

“And?”

“She’s coming to practice today!” Chaeyoung announced, “Only for a little bit, but still, I’m so glad.”