–

mina waits. 

she sits down on the snow-covered stone steps outside of the entrance of the building, rubbing her palms together, an attempt for warmth. looking around, she sighs, creating a white puff of air out of her lips, when she sees not one sign of the person she is waiting for. 

it had been exactly forty-six minutes since the i'm on my way text and she's getting extremely worried. 

she tried dialing the number and messaging it, however, with zero results. it only kept ringing with no one answering. the texts were also futile for it remained only on its "delivered" state. 

mina bites her lip and unlocked her phone again to make another call. 

a few more rings later, she lets out a breath mina didn't know she was holding, hearing a voice on the other end. "hello?" 

"j-jeongyeon?" she swallows and tries again. "jeongyeon. d-do you... know where momo is?" 

jeongyeon didn't miss a beat when she responded. "i don't know, mina, i'm sorry. rehearsals ended almost an hour ago." there was shuffling and then a faint sound of music playing in the background. "we parted ways after that. she said she was going to pick you up." 

almost an hour ago? then where is she? 

mina on her bottom lip anxiously as her mind wanders off and questions started to fill her up. 

where is she? 

did something bad happen? 

is she okay? 

did she bail on me? 

wh–

"mina? is there something wrong? are you okay?" forgetting the call was still ongoing, mina's thoughts were cut off by yoo jeongyeon. "do you want me to pick you up instead? it's cold outside."

nayeon's easily recognizable loud voice was heard. "what? mina! we'll pick you up! stay where you are. come on, jeongie!" 

mina closes her eyes but didn't respond, just listened to nayeon and jeongyeon as they continued talking, telling the girl to stay where she is and wait for them. she couldn't find the words to say. not that she can let it out of anyway. she was too caught up on the fact that momo didn't come pick her up. 

maybe this is how momo always felt when mina would ditch her for work, she thought as she adjusts the strap of her sling bag her shoulder and push herself to stand up. 

hirai momo always waits for myoui mina. 

but now, it was different. myoui mina waits for hirai momo. and being the one always saying sorry, maybe next time, mina can only sigh after taking one last look around only to see nothing. no one. 

descending the stone steps while still having her phone pressed to her ear, nayeon being the one talking while jeongyeon probably drives the car, mina had figured that she was actually more worried than angry for being stood up.

momo was never late to pick up mina from work. in fact, she was rather early every single time that momo would make it to the point to come up to her office and surprise mina. however, because of the much hustle and bustle, mina would only sometimes apologize and walk past momo because she still had a meeting scheduled in five minutes. the older girl would only smile, watching mina rushing towards the conference room, and say, "i'll be waiting". and she does wait even if mina would take forever and she falls asleep on the couch inside the girl's office. 

she's never late. what happened? 

"–don't go anywhere. we're on our way–" 

"–damn this traffic. mina, just wait for us–" 

the buzzing of nayeon and jeongyeon's voice in mina's ear suddenly went away and a grunt leaves her lips, feeling her chest bump into something. or someone, rather. 

mina muttered a quick apology to whoever it is she bumped into– after all, it was her fault for having her head down and not looking at where she was going– before leaning down to pick the phone up from the snowy sidewalk. 

"i'm sorry," she hears from the stranger victim to her incautiousness. mina was able to retrieve her phone from the ground and so she straightens back up. "mitang." 

she swore her legs almost gave up on her that if a pair of arms hadn't wrapped itself around her, mina would have to collect her own sprawled out body from the cold street.

mina knew that voice. she would be able to identify it anywhere. and that nickname... that simple nickname that will always have the peculiar ability to calm her nerves. and this warmth, the warmth that she can feel coursing through her body because of the arms enveloping mina... 

she can tell. she knows who this is. 

"momo," mina whispered shakily, snuggling closer to the girl pressed against hers. "momo, you're here. you're actually here." 

momo was chuckling. mina could feel the slight tremors of the girl's chest against her ear. "merry christmas, mitang." momo brings her hand up to mina's hand and starts to caress her hair gently. "i'm right here now." 

silence followed after that. but mina didn't mind. it's what she needs. just a moment of peace in momo's arms, just let it sink in that momo came and she's here. 

"mina! are you there? mina! for god's sake, answer! did something happen?" she forgot she still had an ongoing call. of course she did. 

albeit reluctantly, mina pulls away from the heat that momo and her oversized coat gives to place the small, rectangular object back against her ear. momo only stays standing infront of her, watching with a small smile. "she's here," mina says simply, her gaze locked on momo's. 

it seemed to let relief wash over nayeon. "oh thank go– GO OFF, YOU ER! ARE YOU PLANNING TO KILL YOURSELF?" mina can hear the distinct sound of curses from jeongyeon and cars honking from the phone. "sorry, just a jaywalker. as i was saying, oh thank god. okay, mina. that's good. enjoy with your girlfriend, okay? and take care. merry christmas, minari. tell momo the same thing. love you." 

she smiles. "merry christmas, nayeon." and just like that, the call was hung up after jeongyeon seemed to snatch the phone away from her girlfriend and say her own holiday greetings to mina. 

it didn't take long. she was once again in momo's arms, her face nuzzling into the crook of the older girl's neck. "i thought you'll never come," mina mumbles. "i was so worried." 

mina feels a gentle kiss land right on her temple. "i'm sorry for being late, for having you worried. i'm so sorry, mitang." 

the younger girl feels sincerity coating momo's words and the gentleness she was giving to mina was too much that mina had to choke back a sob. "but you're here and that's what's important," mina sniffles. 

momo pulls back from the embrace to cup mina's cheek and look at her eyes bearing unshed tears. "hey, don't cry," momo says warmly, using her thumb to wipe off any tears that dare escape. "you promised me. that you're all mine tonight. this christmas eve." 

"and i promised, too," mina can only relax into momo's touch and let her eyes flutter close as she feels a soft and warm pair of lips against her forehead. "that i wouldn't miss it for the world." 

–

mina did not mind that momo's car had problems along the way as the girl had put it. she did not mind that instead of driving to wherever they are going, they walk along the streets of the quiet and peaceful part of seoul, watching as the christmas lights still hanging upon the buildings flickered around them and listening to the beautiful melodies of the carolers. 

she didn't mind anything, honestly. 

all that matters, anyway, is how momo holds her hand and the smooth, comforting circles that she traces at the back of mina's palm using her thumb. 

"momoring," mina utters softly as they crossed the street before the stoplight went back to green. 

a gentle squeeze on momo's hand was enough to make the older girl stop in her tracks and turn to mina. it was what she always do. stopping anything she's doing to give attention to mina. even if momo is busy for a choreography, she'll pause the music and attend to her. 

momo is always all eyes and ears for myoui mina and right now is not any different. focus solely on the younger girl, ready to listen to whatever it is that mina wants to say, momo responds just as softly to urge her to continue, "yes, minari?" 

"i-" mina starts but was rudely cut off by the loud ringing and violent vibrations of the phone in her pocket. eyebrows furrowed, she uses her free hand that wasn't holding momo's hand and fishes her phone out to check who is calling her. 

it was a number not saved in her phone but she had a clue on who it might be. probably a client or a workmate. 

if it was any other day, mina would have not missed a beat and immediately accepted the call. it could be an important account or a work emergency. if it was any other day, mina would have given profuse apologies to momo and ran off as usual. if it was any other day, she would have. 

but she didn't. not when momo is looking at her and her phone with a subtle frown. and so, mina did not hesitate to press the bright red reject call button and turned her phone off, burying it deep back into her coat pocket. raising her head back up to meet momo's eyes, she smiles, "i'm all yours tonight, right?" 

the frown slowly started to subside and mina then found her hand being wrapped once more by a warmth that is momo's hand. fingers intertwining itself with mina's, momo lifts the girl's hand up to her lips and places a kiss at the back of mina's palm, lips turning up to a grin. "all mine," she says. 

it was then that momo tugged on mina's arm and looked at her expectantly that they fell into step beside each other again, snow crunching underneath their feet. a very comfortable silence surrounded the two of them and both couldn't care less. 

mina is not good with words and does not like talking that much and momo gets that. she would tell mina that it's okay and she didn't need to speak if she doesn't want to. momo understands and would instead talk about anything under the sun that would interest mina and she never fails. although just giving out short responses and giggling every once in a while, momo likes it, she always tells mina. she likes talking to mina, love it. even with momo doing all the talking and mina being in charge with reactions. or sometimes, just silence. both enjoys silence and peace between the two of them, barely or not talking at all. but they still understand each other so well even without words. they have that kind of connection.

stillness in the atmosphere prevailed even until they had stepped into mina's favorite restaurant, shedding their oversized coats by the entrance, hanging them on the rack. they were assisted to the table that momo apparently have reserved beforehand. 

by the time a young waiter had walked off to the kitchen after taking their orders for their christmas dinner, mina turned back to momo and almost furrowed her eyebrows. there was something in the girl's eyes as she looks at mina, something mina couldn't quite put a finger on. is it happiness? no it isn't. or... sadness? pain? longing? 

mina reaches across the table and taps her fingers on momo's wrist. "is everything okay, momo?" 

"of course." the something in momo's eyes that mina was still trying to decipher was gone almost instantly and was replaced by a shining glint of happiness (happiness? mina's not sure. she was never good with description of emotions but momo is smiling so alright). "everything's okay. it's christmas in a few hours so of course, everything's okay. and i'm here with you so all is good." 

sighing, mina starts to play with momo's fingers, something she always does to distract herself. "momo, i'm sorry," mina apologizes, fleeting her gaze upwar