A/N: Another long author’s note and I posted earlier than I expect, in conclusion, I lied.

So, I was planning the au and writing the next chapter to fully introduce Dahyun and the Jeongsahyo dynamic, right. Then I came to the realization that the Motzu and MoChaeYu dynamics is my favorite thing about this entire story and I didn’t get to really explore that in the 1^st or 2^nd chapter. Instead of progressing with finishing the next “official” chapter, I decided to procrastinate and write an explanation as to why these 3 are so close instead. I will also be doing one for Minayeon down the line, but this one I can't get out of my head.

Also, while it is nothing explicit, more of a quick mention, I will be writing about Momo and Tzuyu in situations when they are well below the age of adulthood as this is their meeting. Again, nothing explicit, but the idea of it is fairly gross. TW// mention of underage marriage

P.S – Definitely more serious than the rest of my work will be. This kinda made me sad lol

--

Growing up, Momo learned that the Hirai’s had no use for those who they deemed to be useless people. Her parents dressed her in the nicest clothing, put her in the best schools, and made sure she knew her place. She was not allowed to have friends. Not allowed to have a phone, as she had no one to contact. Not even allowed to speek, when spoken to. There was no point in using her voice if she had nothing useful to say her father had said. There was only but 1 reason as to why her parents have yet to leave her to the streets.

Every morning since she turned 14, when she finished getting ready for the day, Momo’s mother took a singular picture of her. The picture was then sent to the eldest son of the Chou family. He needs to see what he is getting darling, it’s only fair, her mother once said to her.

Momo is 15 now. On a flight to meet her betrothed. It’s for the merger darling, think of the money once our companies join! Money she would never get to use, anyways.

Sitting in between her mother and father, with her older brother in the row in front of her, Momo is quiet. She stares at her hands as the flight attendant announces their arrival at the Taiwanese airport. Momo forced herself not to cry. Tears are useless, she thinks, because I have cried thousands of times and nothing has or will change.

--

Chou Tzuyu is 13 when she first meets Momo. Well, not exactly meet, actually. It was more of a sighting. As she was not allowed to be near her father and brother as they did business. Too much of a waste of space and oxygen, if she remembered correctly. The Hirai family had been picked up at the airport by her brother’s personal chauffer. Nothing but the best for my bride to be! And Tzuyu’s husband hopefully. His smile was wicked as he said it. Like a joke that Tzuyu didn’t understand. He was 10 years older than her, maybe that's why she just couldn’t understand just yet.

Momo was beautiful. Though, either Tzuyu was freakishly tall or Momo was really that short. However, Tzuyu noticed that Momo stood behind her family, just like her. But someone interrupted her view.

“Hello there,” in broken Chinese, “I think this one will do just fine.”

The man was taller than her, and seemingly well past her age range. Fine for what exactly? Tzuyu didn’t know, but as she got a look at Momo’s face when her brother kissed her cheek, she had a feeling it wasn’t good.

--

Momo was to live with the Chou family, to be able to get used to living with her new husband. She will spend 2 years in Taiwan to be able to learn his language and to teach Tzuyu Japanese. When she was to turn 15, Tzuyu will be sent to Japan.

To ease the process, she will share a room with Tzuyu. Don’t want you to take up too much space, she remembers, your father had said that you don’t do anything anyways, might as well stick you with someone who is just the same as you. But she didn’t mind it too much, actually. Tzuyu was quiet, like her, and when Momo saw her confusion to the entire meeting their family had, she thought it would be best that she will be the one to ease her into their world. No one liked to be kept in the dark.

Every day, Momo and Tzuyu work together to learn a whole new language. Which proved to be quite difficult, despite what their parents may think. As Tzuyu was too quiet and timid, Momo has never used her voice for more than 20 seconds in a week, and they know that the other has been looking down the balcony for a permanent escape.

They both thought of their future with one another as they began to get ready for bed. Neither of them have ever been ready for the next day.

Unbeknownst to Momo, every night, Tzuyu waits to see the other close her eyes and fall into a deep sleep before opening the window. There was only so much time she had to see the world she wished to belong to. Towards bright lights and loud noises, Tzuyu runs in in the night. She dreams with her eyes wide open.

As Momo slips into her bed she turns off her brain, and wishes that she had known everything would be happening this fast. Because if she had, she would have said hello to the pretty girl that she saw working at a coffee shop. When she dreams, she dreams of what could have been. Hi Sana, my name is Momo and I hope that I’m not being too forward…

--

When Momo is 16 and Tzuyu is 14, they realize that the only one who can understand what they are going through is one another.

In the year they spent together, Momo learns that Tzuyu sits with perfect posture and tries her best to show that she is unaffected to the world around her. She also learns that she is the only one able to crack Tzuyu’s perfect mold. When they are home alone and the only way Momo can describe Japanese words with actions, it breaks. When they can be teenage girls making jokes, it breaks. When she tries her best to turn Tzuyu’s eyes into little moons and make her smile so wide that her teeth blind her, it breaks. Momo learns that Tzuyu is her best friend. Huh, she never had one of those.

Tzuyu tries her best to get Momo to relax, with a time slot of exactly one year left of each other’s company, it’s a very difficult job. But she notices that Momo only relaxes when Tzuyu is happy. So, she tries her best to be happy for her. It's hard, when dinners are spent in silence, as her father and brother remind each girl every night what their purposes are. When days are spent trying to learn a new language, in the hopes that when they live with a new group of people, they can try to have some sense of comfort. It’s hard because Tzuyu’s future husband insists that she needs no more schooling, so she stays at home alone while Momo is gone. Now language lessons are done with Momo trying to teach Tzuyu other subjects with books she brings home from school. (Tzuyu’s brother is generous, he had said, though once she finishes high school, Momo has no need to go further. It’s not like she has any use for it). But Tzuyu never backs down from the job.

“Momo you walk like a cowboy with back problems,”

“I only understood half of that sentence but I know you’re being mean,”

“It’s not mean, I promise. You just wouldn’t like it very much,”

“So, it’s mean,”

“I mean, yeah, it’s kinda mean,”

--

A month after Tzuyu’s birthday, for the first time, Tzuyu doesn’t wait for Momo to fall asleep before leaving her bed. Instead, she quickly enters the bathroom with jeans and a sweatshirt and hands them to Momo.

“Hurry! I can’t really explain right now but you need to put these on.”

But Momo trusts her with her life, and once she changes, she grabs Tzuyu’s hand that reached out to her. Together they climb over the balcony railings, to the vines that grows onto the bricks of the house.

“Where are we going?”

“This place I found out about a few years back. Momo it has everything you wouldn’t believe! You’ll love it I promise. It’s going to be amazing, you’ll see!”

There’s a light in Tzuyu’s eye that Momo doesn’t know how to describe. But it’s there and Momo wishes that it never went away. She knows, though, that Tzuyu will hide the spark when she gets back to the house. Because they’re happiness was useless, she knew.

--

Momo loves it, like Tzuyu said. There’s bright lights everywhere and she can see people laughing and having fun. Though she can’t hear them, as above their voices and laughter, is music blaring in the air. However, that wasn’t the loudest sound she heard tonight. It was the sounds of the cars, engines roaring as they raced past her and Tzuyu’s hidden position. Cars going so fast, Momo could barely see them. A few minutes later it was the cheering of the people that damaged her eardrums. The dark blue car had won it seemed. She couldn’t see the driver but with the way everyone had started to yell, she wanted to join in.

Turning her head to where Tzuyu was, she knew the other felt the same. With a smile so wide, her eyes turned into crescent moons, Tzuyu was the happiest Momo had ever seen her. And for this, she was glad that Tzuyu trusted her with this secret. She was glad that her family had essentially sold her out. For every wrong thing in life, it leads her to this moment. She was grateful. Because Tzuyu was truly happy, and that was all she could ever hope for.

They leave hours later. Tzuyu could tell by the way the moon was beginning to set and the sun’s rays began to show when to leave. She never stayed too late before. Always making it home before Momo woke and her brother knocked on their door. Making it back with at least enough time to take a quick power nap to get through the day. When they reach their bedroom, Momo interlocks her pinky with Tzuyu’s. A promise, to keep this their little secret. (Also, to make sure Tzuyu brings her to the next one. Momo nearly threatened to kill Tzuyu if she ever went to the races without her ever again).

--

It’s a week later when they have the opportunity to go again. This time, when Tzuyu barges in the bathroom, she finds Momo dressed and ready to go. With snacks actually, she managed to sneak some bread rolls from dinner for them to share. (The maid had slipped them into her hand when she had been dismissed). Tzuyu tackles her into a hug, Momo thinks she breaks her back.

Munching on their bread, Tzuyu and Momo place mini bets on who they think will win. With no real money or items that they truly cherish, they ration their bread.

“Okay, 3 bread pieces that the car with the horse on it wins,”

“No way Momo, that car is all about the initial speed it’ll give up before the starting line. While the black one with the stripes down the middle has more endurance! That thing is a beast. I bet half a roll that that one wins!”

“I mean, I'm pretty sure that speed is how you win a race, but I’ll take that bet.”

When Tzuyu wins, she makes sure to let Momo know that that bread was the best thing she ever tasted. Momo also let Tzuyu know what her middle finger looked like.

“Excuse me, but what the hell do you think you’re doing here?”

They both stand quickly, Momo holding Tzuyu to her back. She’s ready to take the blame. The man is tall and muscular. His eyes leave no room for messing around. Momo fears the worst. She’s ready to tell Tzuyu to make a run for it but the man beats her to it.

“These are the worst seats in the whole area, why would you choose it here,” he says, suddenly smiling at the girls. Holding one hand out, he introduces himself, “Hi! I’m Ok Taecyeon! It’s nice to meet you.”

Before Momo, asks for him to leave them alone, Tzuyu takes his hand.

“Hi, I’m, uh, Tzuyu. This is Momo. We sat here because we didn’t want to get in trouble.”

Maybe Momo should talk to Tzuyu about trusting people she doesn’t know. But when he shakes Tzuyu’s hand and gives them a warm smile, Momo thinks that she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Do you guys want to come with me to my section? Best seats in the house if I do say so myself. Plus, with me, no one will ever give you any trouble. I’ll take care of you guys, don’t worry. That I can promise you.”

When he leads them to the dark blue car, the one Momo saw win the first day. She feels a sliver of hope rise in her heart. She hopes her gut isn’t wrong, because she really wants Taecyeon to keep his promise. For Tzuyu, her heart has been through the wringer enough. (Also, for herself, but she never thinks of herself for too long).

--

Every week from then on, Momo and Tzuyu sneak out to meet with Taecyeon. At home they must keep quiet, never too loud as to disturb the other Chou’s. Here, though, Tae encourages them to yell along with him as they watch the races, rooting for cars that he had makes bets on. Instead of rationing bread they steal from dinner, Taecyeon buys them street foods. He buys as much as they want to eat. They are not allowed to eat much where they live, he knows. Father said I can’t eat too much. He doesn’t want me to get too fat or Momo’s brother won’t like me anymore and I won’t be useful to them.

When Taecyeon misses home, he teaches his girls Korean. The girls pick up the language much faster than what they are supposed to learn. Perhaps it deals with the fact that learning this language doesn’t cost them the freedom of their lives, but rather gives them the ability to gain it. He tells them stories while they wait for racers, he lets them sit in his car as he races down the track, past the other cars. He even goes so far as to pull his name out of events to be able to teach Momo and Tzuyu how to drive instead. When Tzuyu learns to take apart a car and put it back together, she can see both Taecyeon and Momo cheering and jumping up and down. (Though they were next to her the entire time). When Momo takes Taecyeon’s place in one of his races, she sees the way that they both cheer for her at the finish line, despite losing to the other racer. When the girls head back to the house before the sunrises, they can’t help but smile.

At the racetracks, Momo and Tzuyu learn that a home is not a place, but it is who they surround themselves with.

--

It is 2 weeks before Tzuyu’s birthday. Momo know how the next two weeks will play out. She knows it down to the T. Her eyes shake and swell with tears as she listens to Tzuyu’s father lay out the plans of Tzuyu’s “shipment” to the elder Chou. Like she was a package, rather than a person. When she looks up, she sees the maid staring at her. Though she shows no emotion, she gestures for Momo to leave, then raises a single finger to her lips. Momo knows when and how to keep a secret.

That night, Momo waits for Tzuyu to sleep. It’s not the usual day for them to leave to the tracks, but Momo doesn’t want Tzuyu to know.

“Momo? What are you doing here? I thought you could only come here on Saturday? And where’s Tzuyu? Have you been crying? What –,”

Taecyeon is cut off by Momo’s hug and sobs. Not knowing what to do, he takes her to a quieter area, one he’s taken the girls to when he wanted to show them the stars and to help them learn. (They’ve never seen them clearly before they all met. He wished he had enough money to show them the world.)

“I- I need help. Both me and Tzuyu do. She doesn’t know I’m here but I can’t tell her. She’ll want to know why. I can’t tell her why, it’ll break her. I refuse to be the reason why Tzuyu cries.”

Taecyeon holds Momo to his chest as he she sobs out their situation. He has watched them grow so much in the past year. To their first ride and to their first drive, Taecyeon guided them to be the best they could be while chained to the house miles and miles down the road. He is proud of who they have become outside their castle walls. He refuses to let them be pulled back into the darkness.

“Go back to that house now Momo, and come back with Tzuyu this Saturday. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise.”

With a pinky interlocked with his, Momo tries her best to not let doubt consume her. She hopes that Taecyeon can keep it too. Because she doesn’t know what to do if he couldn’t.

--

A few days later, Momo does come back with Tzuyu. While the environment brings joy and laughter, they both know that the air around them is more somber. Knowing what was to come, they tried their best not to talk about the future. They didn’t need to ruin anyone else’s time.

Before Momo leaves to find Tzuyu to head home, Taecyeon puts a piece of paper in her hand with some bills. When she looks in his eyes, he winks. This is his promise.

Clutching the items in her hand, she walks to find Tzuyu, only to see her talking to some girl. The girl was pretty, and Tzuyu’s eyes seemed to shine bright. Though it does lose its life, when Tzuyu realizes Momo is staring at her.

For the first time since this whole thing began, they walk in silence. Until-

“Who was she?”

“Her name is Elkie, she drives the Ferrari from our first bet remember?”

“She’s pretty.”

“I guess.”

Later that night, Momo sneaks in to Tzuyu’s bed when she hears the sniffling. Holding to her chest, Momo tries to keep the tears from falling.

“Please don’t hate me. I’m trying to be normal I promise,”

“Tzuyu I swear on my life that I could never hate you. Besides, it would be a bit hypocritical of me to hate you for this, wouldn’t it be?”

Hearing that, Tzuyu’s tears fall faster.

“I wish it was you.”

Whether she means Elkie or her own brother, Momo couldn’t tell. It doesn’t change the fact that Momo had wished the same.

--

Taecyeon’s note had listed an address and date. That’s why on the Tuesday before Tzuyu’s birthday, Momo gives Tzuyu a backpack with a week’s worth of spare clothes and other necessary items. Armed with her own bag and Tzuyu’s hand, Momo leads them away from the Chou residence and to the rickety old barn. Paying the taxi driver, Momo turns to see Tzuyu already heading inside.

“Tzu wait up! Seriously what if this place was haunted? You’d be dead and I would have to go tell everyone that you now possess an old barn in the middle of nowhere.”

“Please do. That way, you can stay in the barn and I can protect you from any trespassers that try to come inside.”

Inside they find Taecyeon sitting on his car with 3 large bags, surrounded by other cars that Momo or Tzuyu have rarely ever seen. (He had his favorite, but he also liked showing off). His eyes had bags under them that looked like they have been there for days. His body was worn down but at the sight of his girls, he smiled like it was the best day of his life.

“I’m glad you guys got here safely, was there enough money for the cab?”

“Yeah just enough plus some tip. This was a pretty far drive, I hope you don’t mind we gave her a pretty hefty one.”

“Plus, she said that she was only driving this late at night to save up some money to buy her son a gift for his birthday. From her stories, he seemed nice. They deserve to have a nice day.”

Daughters of rotten, dirty, business thieves, yet generous as ever. Taecyeon was proud. This must be what it’s like to be a father watching his children grow.

“I hope you guys don’t mind driving a bit further, we’ll need to get to the beach before sunrise, so hopefully it won’t be too long,” he says, loading their bags in the car, “I got word that there’s no cops so we should be able to go as fast as we want.”

Momo was about to happily ask if she could drive, she was the fastest of the three, but before she could, she heard the sirens getting closer. Panicked, she shoves Tzuyu into the car.

“COME OUT AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM”

“Tae what do we do?” tears in her eyes, Momo looks to Taecyeon for guidance. Tzuyu's father must have seen them leave in the cab and followed them here. God, she felt so stupid.

“Here, take my keys and this. This has an address on it that will take you to the pier where there is a boat waiting. My friend, Nichkhun, will be there waiting, tell him what’s happening here and he’ll understand. The boat will carry the you guys and the car to South Korea, there, you’ll meet the Son family. They’ll help you o-,” the police interrupt him yet again.

“WE KNOW YOU HAVE THE CHOU AND HIRAI GIRLS. HAVE THEM COME OUT NOW. THE CHOU’S FATHER AND HIRAI’S HUSBAND ARE HERE.” The news grates on Momo’s ears and the tears are streaming down now. Her hands are shaking, but Taecyeon pushes her into the driver seat.

“GO! Go NOW Momo! Get yourself and Tzuyu to safety!” As he shuts the door, Momo sees his hand resting on a gun attached to his hip.

“Momo I’m scared!”

Looking into the rearview mirror, she sees Tzuyu crying and her hands over her head. Putting her game face on, Momo wipes her eyes and turns the car on. She sees Taecyeon nod his head and give a smile to his girls. Flipping the car in reverse, she exits through the back, slamming on the accelerator. As they leave, the girls can hear gun shots ringing in the air.

Momo has never heard a sound so deafening.

--

Momo never drives as fast as she does that night. Turning what she learned to be a 4-hour drive, into an hour and a half. When they reach the boat, Tzuyu has gone silent, tears staining her cheeks. Her perfect mold in place. Momo doesn’t fare any better, she too has gone silent. It reminds her of when they first met. Scared little girls except now with nothing to lose but each other.

When they explain the situation to Nichkhun, he goes quiet as well. With the car loaded on the boat, the three of them set off to sea.

--

Tzuyu spends her 15^th birthday on the water. Momo and Nichkhun find a lighter and put it in a piece of bread and sing her happy birthday. She cries and tells them it’s the best gift and meal she’s ever gotten.

They cry too.

--

When they reach South Korea, Nichkhun escorts them to the Son family residence. It’s a small house, and at the door, there’s a mom, dad, and small, small girl, waiting for them. Greeting them with a hug, Momo and Tzuyu learn that the girl’s name is Chaeyoung and she’s slightly older than Tzuyu. Momo thinks that’s a lie but she’ll go with it for now, seeing as she can’t say much about the height department when next to her friend either.

Nichkhun leaves them with a hug each. I have to go think. You may not see me for a while, but if you’re ever at sea, send a signal. Momo cries more in the past 2 weeks than she has for the past 17 years of her life.

--

They have to share a room with Chaeyoung, there isn’t enough space for everyone, but it seems like the Son family is happy. Chaeyoung catches them up on pop culture and the news. When she goes to school, Tzuyu and Momo help her parents out at the Son’s local garage, where they fix old cars for even older people. When Chaeng gets home, they eat dinner and play board games as a family. Momo and Tzuyu have never been happier.

The three become inseparable when Chaeng graduates a year early, moving out on the money Taecyeon gave the girls and the money Momo saved from entering local races with Taecyeon’s car. (Well, hers now, but Momo doesn’t like to think about that).

It’s a small and dirty place, but it’s on top of a garage for the car, with enough space for Tzuyu to continue helping the community with their vehicles. Though, the neighborhood is still a fairly bad one, and with 3 beautiful girls, it’s bound to call for trouble.

Tzuyu is approached by some guy with shifty eyes. Momo makes sure Tzuyu is in the apartment safe before she heads down to help Chaeyoung with the body. Turns out, despite her small stature, Chaeyoung’s gained some muscle helping Tzuyu with her work. She throws a fairly mean punch.

Momo hugs her when they’re done dragging the body to the garbage can down the street.

--

Later that night, they all get into bed, with Tzuyu in the middle. She’s still a bit shaken up. (They only bought one mattress for now. They couldn’t afford to waste their money).

“Momo,” Tzuyu whispers, Chaeng is holding her from behind and she’s looking at Momo, clearly shake from this afternoon, “I’m scared.”

“Shhh, it’s okay, we won’t let anything happen,” Momo combs her hair back and Chaeyoung holds her just a bit tighter.

“But what if he took me? What if they come and take me?”

Oh, so this is what it’s all about. Chaeyoung knows the story, her parents told her before the girls came. She’s never hated anyone more.

Momo holds out her hands, “Hold my hands, you too Chaeng.”

Tzuyu grabs her left hand, Chaeyoung grabs her right, also grabbing Tzuyu’s other available hand. Squeezing their hands and rubbing their knuckles with her thumbs, Momo looks at each of them, “I swear to you on my life, that when you hold my hand, nothing and no one will ever take you two away from me.”

“But-,”

“I swear to you Tzuyu, that I will cut off my hands before I let anything ever drag you away.”

“I- Okay.”

“Okay? Chaeng, you too?”

“Yes, okay.”

“I’m with you, don’t worry.”

They fall asleep like that, intertwined legs and holding hands. In the middle of the floor, on a mattress, in a dusty old apartment, in the middle of a bad neighborhood. None of them have ever felt safer.

--

Present

“You guys ready? Me and Gucci are waiting by the door!” Tzuyu stood next to the German Shepherd (Tzuyu's personal knight and shining armor. Momo and Chae were only slightly offended when she told them that. Until he bit off someone's finger for smacking Tzu's . Then he was their best friend.), who was anticipating the walk the 4 of them were about to embark on.

“Can you calm your ? I’m looking for my sunglasses,”

“Momo, you , they’re on your head,”

“Shut up Chae! At least I’m still taller than you,”

“What??? By like 2 inches?? MAX!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t hear you from all the way down there,”

Sighing, Tzuyu leaves with Gucci before Chaeyoung tackles Momo. She gets to the sidewalk when she hears running. Turning her head, she sees Momo dragging Chae by her hand. Suddenly, her left hand is taken into Momo’s free one.

The four of them walk down the sidewalk together. (Technically, Momo and Chaeyoung walk on the street with the others on the sidewalk. Tzuyu would rather die than have Gucci walk on the street). Hand in hand in hand in leash they begin their morning walk. This was home.

--

Outtakes

• The Drive

“Holy you did it Momo!”

“But I lost?”

“WHO CARES IM SO EXCITED! TAECYEON ISN’T THIS EXCITING?!?!?”

“She’s right. I honestly didn’t think you would be able to find the finish line”

“Well that’s a bit rude”

• The Graduation

“Haha, you big nerd, who graduates high school early?”

“At least I finished high school. What did you do again? Oh yeah, spend time racing because you couldn't do anything else.”

“That was a low blow. I’m telling Tzuyu and Mom”

“Wait, no! MOMO I’M SORRY WAIT! STOP RUNNING PLEASE! I’M SMALL AND I CAN’T KEEP UP”

• Chaeyoung’s First Hit and Run

“Holy did you kill him?”

“What??? You think I killed him?? I’m literally so small? I just hit him and knocked him out? He’s physically breathing?”

“I don’t remember you being this confused when we first met.”

“Shut up and grab his upper body, I’ll get his legs.”

--

A/N: WHOOOO that was longer than what I was expecting for this tbh. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you can understand Momo and Tzuyu's relationship a bit better now! Minayeon's won't be as heavy exactly, but it'll still be a slight downer when it does happen. Anyways, regular antics of the Twice gang coming up next chapter with the official introduction to Dahyun, Jeongyeon, Sana, and Jihyo! Also, focusing more on the Mitzu and Namo dynamics. Since I started this in the middle of the next "official" chapter, the next one should be coming out sooner than later. Let me know if you want to see anything in the next one.

Until next time, JM