"Can you stop following me?  For the last time I don't know you!"

Momo huffed as she pushed through the swinging door.  Sana followed quickly, "slow down!  Stop acting like you don't know me!"

"I don't know you!"

Momo sped up to a run, darting around corners with an agility she knew Sana lacked.   She turned to look over her shoulder and sure enough, she'd fallen behind.  In her hurry she didn't see some of the other trainees watching her (she'd have bowed if she did).  Instead she only saw Sana ducking her head, trying to catch up, and she shrieked, sprinting faster.

She normally trained in Dance Rehearsal Room A, but in order to deceive Sana she went to Rehearsal Room B instead.  When she got inside (the automatic lights flickered on) she collapsed on the floor.  Her heart was pounding.  She thought she'd won, but the door behind her opened sharply, and before she could scream someone had her in a headlock, pulling the both of them down to the floor.

Momo tried to wrestle her way out of the arms of her assailant, but she was rendered incapable when she went it for a sudden tickle attack.

"L-le-EAve me aLo-one!!"  Between shrieks and laughter Momo clawed her way out.  Through squinted eyes she saw Sana to her right, cheeks flushed, hair a complete mess, glasses bent and falling off her face.

She reached over carefully.  Sana was also laughing, and started wiping tears away from her face as Momo tried to put her glasses back in shape.

"I'm sorry," she frowned, "I think I broke these."

Sana shrugged.  She took them back, twisted the frame a bit more, and put them back on.  Momo tilted her head both right and left but no matter what they still looked crooked.

"It's okay," Sana waved her off.  She stood up, nearly tripping as she did (unbelievable.  she's the first person Momo's seen trip over nothing) and reached a hand out for Momo.  When they were both standing Sana started to walk over to Rehearsal Room A.

"I don't know why you do that," she whined, "everyone here is going to think I'm some kind of weirdo."

"Hmm I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do," Sana insisted, "stop screaming every time I give you a hug, or rolling your eyes when I tell a joke, or saying ew when I take a sip out of your glass."

"Or what?"

Sana's face turned red again -she was clearly annoyed- and Momo finally broke her facade, giggling, and pulling Sana in for a hug.

"That's okay," she cooed, petting Sana's head, "I'm nice to you when you're asleep.  Like when you start sleepwalking and kick the blankets around everywhere.  I put you back in bed, blankets and everything."

"Wow thanks," Sana muttered into her shoulder.

Momo squeezed her tighter.  "Then sometimes I even give you a little kiss on your forehead."

At that Sana blushed, pushing Momo away.

"God, I hate you."  In one movement she rolled the rubberband off her wrist, onto her fingers and made a quick ponytail.  The other trainess would start arriving soon, so she stood over by the right side of the room where they all line up for instruction.  

Momo followed slowly, dancing already to a song she had in her head.  She kept throwing in winks wherever it fit, making exaggerated faces at Sana hoping to get a rise out of her.  It was easy.  Sana -whether she was happy or upset- could never hide how she felt.

She was trying however -arms crossed, lips pursed- pouting, all the way up until Momo was standing right next to her, humming in her ear.

"You don't really mean that do you?"

There was a pause, one that for a few long seconds made something in Momo's stomach wobble uncomfortably, then Sana sighed, wrapping an arm around Momo's shoulders and pulling her into her side.

"Of course not, Momoring."

Momo giggled.  Sana came up with that nickname about five minutes after they first met.  After only a day of practicing together she felt like they'd known each other for years.

"I could never hate you," Sana continued.  She turned her head slightly, peering down into Momo's eyes.  Their faces were really close, but both were feeling too proud to pull back first.  "Even if I wanted to," Sana sighed dramatically, "I could never hate you."

Momo smiled then -a real smile- and buried her face in Sana's neck.  She always smelled like strawberries.  Like real strawberries, because she was obsessed with getting fruits from the open market.  She smelled like grass, and wind, which reminded Momo of her neighborhood, which reminded her of sunlight and laughter.

The other trainees entered the room, and Momo had the decency to straighten up just a little (she kept Sana's arm around her shoulders though).  Sana gave her a little shoulder massage, even while talking with the other trainees, her fingers moved automatically.  Every now and then she would give a particularly firm squeeze, and Momo would temporarily jump out of her conversation, remembered that Sana was next to her, holding onto her tight, and then she'd exhale quietly, and continue talking with ease.

//

"This is the fifth outfit you've called ugly!"

"That's because it is."

"You told me to buy these pants!"

Momo shrugged.  "I must have been high or something."

Sana threw down her clothes.  "I swear."  She stomped out of the room, seeking advice from another member, and Momo giggled slightly, turning back to her phone.

Jeongyeon turned to her from where she was sitting at Nayeon's desk.  "Why didn't you tell her which ones were nice?"

Momo shrugged.

Just then Nayeon returned from the bathroom.  She was going around the room, boasting about how good her new lipstick looks on her, and when she got to Jeongyeon, expecting another compliment, Jeongyeon made a disgusted expression "-do you have to be this ugly?" earning her a slap on the shoulder.  After Momo assured her TWICE that she wasn't ugly at all, she left the room, pleased, and only a little annoyed.

While Jeongyeon tried to stifle her laughter, Momo pointed and said, "that's why."

Jeongyeon's eyes lingered on the doorway where Nayeon was and her eyes went soft; she smiled down at her lap, a real smile, no teasing behind it.

"Yeah okay.  I get it."

//

Jeongyeon was an interesting character.  Momo kind of fell in love with her since the day she chopped off her hair.  Sure their boss told her to do it, but if it were Momo, she would have had at least three more crying fits questioning the decision.  Since then she only found more things to love about Jeongyeon (she's funny.  even if she nags she'll do most of your chores for you.  she's really patient and actually teaches things well if you want to learn.  and she's very affectionate.)

At night before going to sleep, Momo always thought Jeongyeon would yell at her about keeping the light on so late, and scold her.  Instead, she would roll over -finally ready to sleep- and cuddle into Momo's side.  

"Can I hold your hand?"  She looked down at the mattress, kind of blushing.  "I get sleep paralysis.  It freaks me out so..."  Momo didn't need an explanation.  She took Jeongyeon's hand, brought up to once for a kiss, and then seeing Jeongyeon blush and smile, she turned back to her phone.  Sure she wanted to sleep, but she rediscovered her favorite old app game and it was too addictive to quit.

She must have fallen asleep eventually though because she woke up, and her phone was plugged into the charger and the light was turned off.  She didn't think too much of it though.  She noticed Jeongyeon's hand was still in hers and she smiled -content- and rolled over on her side, pulling Jeongyeon with her so Jeongyeon would end up hugging her from behind.  

//

Momo's sister liked to call and nag a lot.

"You look like you're getting fat," she said on her last phone call, and Momo only wished she could see her rolling her eyes.  Sana saw it -she was sitting next to her- and she giggled.

"What did she do?"  Hana's tinny voice came through the speaker and Sana giggled harder.

"Something really bad!"  Momo swatted at her but Sana ducked away in time.  Before she could get in a second attempt Sana scampered off, worming her way into Dahyun's lap who was surprised and a little uncomfortable at the new development.

Hana was saying something to her but Momo wasn't listening.  She watched as Sana reached up to tickle Dahyun's chin, and Dahyun kept trying to pry herself away until she finally gave in.  She chanced a look down at Sana, who was still smile-laughing, eyes full anime sparkle, and Momo could actually pinpoint the moment Dahyun fell.

(Her shoulders slumped.  The hand that was busy holding a page open in her book let the thing slide out of her hands.  She found a new place for it in Sana's hair.)  "Why are you like this," she mumbled.

Sana laughed louder, but this time Dahyun didn't wince -afraid-.  Instead she poked her chin out a little, and Sana took the bait, pinching the little fat underneath it and Dahyun's eyes pinched together, a little embarrassed, a little pleased.

"Are you even listening to what I'm saying?  Huh?"

"Oh what?  Sorry."

Momo started tugging at the loose threads in her ripped jeans.  Her sister begrudgingly retold her story and Momo at least caught some of it the second time around.

//

She wanted to do a strong concept.  It was the only thing that was going to save her in this competition.  Last week's routine didn't hit hard enough. Even though it was over, Momo practiced it again by herself.  

Maybe, she thought, if I did it this way, I would've won.  She sighed.  Uncapping a water bottle she her lips first, deliberating; there was technically nothing she could really lose from doing poorly on this show, but she'd certianly feel stupid if she didn't gain anything from it.

(When Mina quietly asked if they could do a routine together Momo nearly sang with joy.)

Her choreographer came up with an edgy concept; a play off a real life story about a man who was obsessed with his lover.  They were going to tell the same story but with two girls.  Momo felt this strong energy thrumming through her as she rehearsed.  Every time they practiced she did it better, she punched harder, she emoted stronger, she nearly wept at the end of their last rehearsal.  

While Mina bounced with excitement Momo kept practicing by herself, standing in line behind the stage, stretching, fixing her bangs...

(They didn't win in the end.  All Momo remembers was seeing the black cloth go up, Mina sinking away behind it, and feeling more heartbroken than she had aimed to be in practice.)

//

Momo was a little annoyed -at this point- how easily Sana befriended the other members. 

They were all sort of friends -even before they became TWICE- but afterwards it was like Sana kicked it up into high gear.  It was probably because her Korean was the best.  Momo's "a's" still sounded like "ah's" and there were many expressions she didn't know.  Sana was showing off her personality to everyone (all her charm and wit) while Momo was stuck reciting practiced aegyo routines for her own peers, and hoping they'd think she was funny and cute enough to keep around.

While she browsed the keywords website she took survey of some new popular dances.  She didn't realize she'd been copying them until Chaeyoung came up to her, excited, "can you teach me?"

Momo was hit with a wave of happiness so sudden she just laughed.  "Okay!  Uh, sure."  She stood up, the chair scratching behind her loudly.  She pulled Chaeyoung over by her wrist and started giving her instructions.

Eventually Jeongyeon found her way over. "I should film this!"  She checked her pockets for her phone but couldn't find it.  Then Sana walked up-

"-what's everyone doing?" and Jeongyeon realized she had stolen it, proceeded to chase Sana around the apartment until she inevitably wrestled it back.

Sana, after being chastised, gave Momo a very pitiful expression from across the room.  

Momo responded with her patented eye-roll.

"Okay," Jeongyeon said excitedly, "do it again!"

Momo corrected a few more of Chaeyoung's steps, and then they started filming.

//

"Just kill me now."

"Okay," Sana drew an invisible sword and stabbed it into Momo's stomach.  Momo played along, sticking out her tongue and pretending to be dead.  She tried to hold her expression, but broke character after hearing Sana's tinkling laughter.

She elbowed her in the ribs.  "Be quiet!  They're still filming!"

Momo pointed towards the set, and Sana nodded, trying to muffle herself with both her hands but her body was still shaking with giggles.  

Momo rolled her eyes.  She scooted closer, pulled Sana in for a hug so she could hide her face in Momo's jacket.  

Eventually she stopped laughing, but chose to stay where she was.  Momo randomly started her hair.  Her hands were cold, so she sifted through Sana's hair until she found her neck, and pressed her cold fingers against it.

Sana shivered.

Momo rubbed all the cold off on Sana's skin, and Sana burrowed deeper into Momo's long coat.  She didn't know how long they were just sitting there, waiting, but Sana spoke up suddenly after a long silence.

"It feels like you and I are dating," she said quietly.  

Momo would roll her eyes but Sana wasn't even looking.  She pulls her hand out of Sana's hair.

"You're always saying stuff like that."

"So what?"

Momo didn't have a response.  In fact she was a little sleepy.  Her hand still felt cold so she reached into her lap and found Sana's hand; Sana grabbed on and slid Momo's hand around her back, underneath her jacket.

Momo was falling asleep, nearly passed out when she heard Sana ask,

"Do you want to date me, Momo?"

This time she did roll her eyes.  "Go to sleep now.  I'm done talking to you."

//

It might be a trick of the light, but Momo is sure she saw their lips touch.  It was friendly at best, they were at a fansign, they just got off stage, and after an hour of heavy pandering, Sana was just in the mood to kiss a lot of people.  Jihyo just happened to be the first person in reach, and Sana managed to get her all wrapped up in her arms, and she leaned in, and kissed her, before Jihyo could think.

When she pulled away Jihyo stood there, dazed.  

Sana laughed, and pinched Jihyo's cheek before walking over to the rest of the group.  

Momo was walking up to Jihyo, about to ask if she was okay, then thought better of it.  Asking that question might actually be more weird than the kiss itself.  

For what it was worth, Jihyo seemed to come to eventually. In fact, after touching her lips and frowning for a second, she broke into a blissful smile.  Something in Momo's stomach roared.  Probably because she was hungry.  She went over to Nayeon and Dahyun to join their survey for what to order, and ignored Sana casting looks at Jihyo across the circle, while leaning into Tzuyu's neck.

//

It was selfish -sure- but Momo just didn't like sharing.  She had an older sister, she'd done her dues.  No sharing, no hand-me-downs.  She 100% wanted to monopolize time spent with her members and she wasn't subtle about it.

She would cut into a phone call between Dahyun and Sana, "Okay, goodnight Sana," and hang the phone up for her.  Dahyun would smile, eyes disappearing, teeth on full display, and mumble, "that Unnie is something, right?"

Momo pulled Dahyun in by her chubby cheeks, rubbing their noses together.  

Dahyun blanched.  Momo pulled back with a satisfied grin.

Other days it was Nayeon -who honestly, Momo had no problem attracting- and she would show it off in fact.  "Nayeon unnie got me this.  Nayeon unnie did this aegyo just for me."  She stuck her tongue out Sana, who hadn't even expressed any jealousy yet, and turned away with a topsy-turvy feeling in her gut.

At night she got Chaeyoung to sit in her lap while they chatted in the living room, and even kissed Mina on the cheek goodnight.  Watching her blush and stumble drunkenly into her room filled Momo with something.  

(She wasn't quite sure what.)

//

"So which one are you after?"

Momo looked up from her toenails.  (She was trying to add a smiley face on top of the neon yellow.)

Sana nodded towards the other girls.

"I've seen you flirting around a bit... which one do you want?  I mean, who do you like?  Like... like like?"

Momo froze.  She put away her nailpolish carefully, hanging onto her ankles, trying not to let her toes touch anything.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said finally.

Sana frowned.

"I just thought-"

"-I'm not sure what you mean."

Of course Momo cut her off before she could finish, but she didn't want her too.  She already could guess.  Sana frowned harder.  She had been working on a pink and white stripe pattern but she seemed to get bored of it suddenly.  She painted the rest of her nails solid pink, and then packed up her kit and headed to the kitchen.

"I'm hungry," she said as goodbye, and Momo felt her stomach turn again.

//

Momo knew Sana like the back of her hand now.  She knew her better than she knew any lyric or dance move.  So she knew that Sana was upset, and not the regular kind, because the regular kind is bearable, kind of entertaining actually.  But this one hurts.  Sana wouldn't really talk to her, and she could barely muster up a smile when they made eye contact.

Momo had to deal with the unbearable onslaught of silent treatment until lunch.  They were all still dressed to the nines, doing an extravagant photoshoot, and Momo met Sana by the dessert section of their buffet table.

"Hey," she tried.

Sana pretended she didn't hear, musing loudly to herself about what kind of rice cake she should eat.

Momo pouted, nudging Sana with her shoulder, again, "hey."

Sana looked over.

When her sharp gaze hit Momo, she probably should've felt guilty, but the first thing she thought was wow.  She stood up suddenly, not noticing she was hunched over, and got a full look at her.  All day she was too preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn't notice how pretty Sana looked, with her bangs out of her face, and a pink blazer on.  She meant to start with, "I'm sorry," but instead what came out was,

"you look really pretty today."

Sana scoffed.

"Oh now you notice me."

"What?"

Sana left her plate at the table and walked away.

//

"You're such a flirt," Dahyun squealed.  She pushed Momo's hands away for the fifth time, and Momo laughed, watching Dahyun get frazzled again and again.

"What did you say," she asked.  She was distracted trying to rub at Dahyun's collarbone again.  

Dahyun yelped, using her legs and to slide away on the hardwood floor.  

"I said you're a flirt!"  Dahyun brought both arms up, shielding herself from another attack.

Momo frowned.

"I'm what?"

Dahyun slowly unfolded her arms, peeking between them at first, then lowering them completely.

"I said you're a flirt.  Because you're flirting with me right now," she gestured vaguely, "because you're flirting all the time."

"No I'm not," Momo defended loudly, but Dahyun shook her head.

"You flirted."

"I did not."

"You did," Dahyun asserted, "I know because move your lips like this."  She made a little pouty expression, which Momo mirrored back subconsciously, and Dahyun squeaked out a laugh, pointing.  "See!  Like that! It's like that!"

She leaned back, laughing, proud of catching Momo in the action while Momo sat there confused.

Flirting?  

She thought of Sana's roaming hands, her prolonged stares, her bold attempts to kiss the members anywhere on their face in public.  Then... 

I'm flirting?

//

"Do you want to get food with me today?"

Sana actually looked surprised.  Her glasses slid down her nose as she tilted her head, considering.  Momo couldn't help herself, she sat down on her bed, scooting closer until she could reach her, and pushed her glasses back up for her.

Sana looked down, biting her lip.

"I'm not that hungry."

"But I'm hungry," Momo insisted.  "And I'll pay. You can just buy something to take home."

Sana looked back up at her.  And Momo saw it.  That eye sparkle.  She'd seen that sparkle many times before, directed at many different members.  She wondered why it felt so different directed at her.

//

Sana was unusually quiet over their meal.  Momo was used to having people talking while she was eating.  It gave her a reason not to.

She put down her chicken regretfully, dabbed with a napkin, and made eye contact with Sana.

She kept her glasses on even though they went out.  She was doing that more often.

"I like them," she'd said, "they make me feel more me."

Momo had rolled her eyes to her comment as usual.

Reflecting back on that moment Momo felt bad she didn't say anything nicer.  She tugged the straw of her drink between her teeth.

"You look really pretty today."

Sana scoffed.  "I don't have any make up on."

"That's why," Momo explained.  Sana had a retort ready quick so Momo hurried to say, "you look more you, that's why.  I like seeing you like this."

Sana's words got stuck at the tip of her tongue.

"It reminds me of when were trainees.  We never used to wear so much makeup back then.  That's when I really got to know you."

"Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?"  Her words had a bit of bite to them. Sana leaned back in her chair, giving Momo that stare she did over the rim of her glasses.  She looked soft and serious at the same time.

Momo just shrugged.

(She still didn't get it really.  She just knew it made her stomach do the good kind of summersaults instead of the bad ones.)

//

While Sana, Jeongyeon, and Tzuyu were out, the other girls decided to order in a pizza.  They weren't going to be able to see the members' episode that night so they were shuffling through movie options instead.

Everyone finally agreed on toppings and Jihyo was about to place the order when someone rang their bell.  

The manager went to open it for them.

Jihyo was on the line with the pizza guy but then she smelled something, whipped around, and four fresh pizzas arrived in a gleaming tower of red.  (Plus an order of wings, and two of cinnamon breadsticks).

The manager left the receipt and note on the table, smiling and rolling her eyes, and Momo went to check it -curious.

From Sana unninggg <3

hope you guys don't miss us too much!

and thank me lots when I get home

Jeongyeon told me to just let you starve

byong byong

<333

"Whatever possessed her to order us pizzas..." Jihyo started off incredulous, "bless her.  she's my new favorite unnie."

"Hey!"

Jihyo gave Momo her cutest wink (damn.  it was super cute) and went to sit down with the others.

Normally the jealousy in her would spike a little, but actually Momo didn't feel so upset.

(That night she waited up late for Sana.  When she finally returned, droopy, hanging off Jeongyeon, Momo offered to carry her to her bed, and gave their managers a break.  She took off her shoes, and tried to get as much gunk off with the makeup wipe, and then tucked her into bed.)

She was about to leave, but she couldn't help staring at her a little longer, and she suddenly remembered something.  She leaned in really quickly, pressed a kiss onto Sana's forehead, and then crept back into her own room.

//

Momo had been in a good mood all day until she saw Sana sneak her hand into Nayeon's shirt.  Nayeon was clearly pleased with the attention, claiming her abs were coming along nicely, and Sana was being Sana - finding any excuse to touch her friend - claiming that she smelled good, and she needed to get closer to Nayeon's chest.

Momo's hands balled up into fists.  She busied herself looking at comments on their fanpage, and pretending like nothing was bothering her at all.

(Maybe it was nothing.)

//

"Are you in love with me?"

Sana was a little tipsy.  They were celebrating end of music show promotions and Jihyo's bad influence had everyone one shot in before it was even 8pm.  

Momo had just spent 10 furious drunken minutes scolding Sana after she tried to kiss Tzuyu on the lips -again- right in front of her, and at the end of all that what Sana got out of it was,

"you must be in love with me.  Are you in love with me?"

Jeongyeon laughed, knocking their two heads together.

"You two are a trip!"

Nayeon pushed Jeongyeon away and sidled up to Momo's right side, while Sana still sat at her left, leaning over into her lap, blinking slowly, smiling like she thought she had way more control over this situation than she did.

Momo pulled back a little, and Nayeon was nosing into her hair.

"You always feel like soft, like a blanket," she murmured.  The vibration of her voice sent a tingle up Momo's spine.

Sana was still looking at her, eyes drooping, now lips drooping too.

She reached over to push them back up into a smile.

"That's okay," Sana sighed.  

She swung herself into an upright position -grabbing her head at first, dizzy- then stood up to go find someone else to talk to.  Nayeon was still whispering in Momo's ear, making her skin prickle, while she watched Sana walk away, turning her stomach into a rock.

//

To all my friends, ~Momoring~ I love you, Sana wrote in her notes.

Momo gave an exaggerated smile in response.  She passed over her album notes for Sana to read. 

She wrote the same kind of stuff in them every time.  She was waiting for Sana to say something, but she didn't.  Momo checked her expression and she was frowning.  She was pointing at the last sentence.

"Nothing about me?"

"I mentioned everybody."

Silence.

"No good?"  Momo pulled the notebook back.  "I guess I should write every member's name out."

"Yeah."

"But I love everyone equally, isn't saying 'TWICE' just easier?"

Sana shrugged.

"It's your notes, do what you want."

"Hey... whatsup, you never talk to me like that?"

Sana sat back a little -stunned.  Even Momo didn't expect to call Sana out herself.  Suddenly her heart was pounding.  She clutched her notebook to her chest.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"-no it's okay."  Sana shook her head.  "I was just being sensitive."  She put on her best aegyo face.  "I just wanted a special mention from my special friend."

She was blinking really fast, all heart eyes, and they both sort of expected Momo to say something mean and sarcastic.

Instead she found herself leaning in.  She cradled Sana's head in her hands, and placed a short kiss down on her lips.  

Sana gasped.

"I don't need to mention it when you already know."  Sana blinked back at her.  "Right?"

"Right..." she responded after a long time.

(No.  She didn't know.)