“I really love Mina.” Momo utters under her breath as she drinks from the bottle of beer she’s holding. She lost track of how many bottles Sana has handed out to her. Fourth bottle? Fifth? Sixth? Who cares.

She just drinks,

and drinks,

trying to clear her mind from all the unnecessary thoughts and worries she has ever since Mina got married.

She’s with Sana and two of her “friends” (that Sana probably met from dating apps) at a 24 hour bowling center. The place isn’t packed but there are two other groups of people drinking and bowling next to their table so the place is still lively.

“I know. You already said that the moment we got our seated. Sana told me she’s your ex. Was it recent?” The girl Sana is trying to hook her up with asks. The girl is pretty but she dresses promiscuously, she probably told Momo what her name was earlier but Momo didn’t gave herself the time to remember it. 

“She’s not my ex. She’s my fiancée. We’re gonna get married. She’s the perfect woman, you know? No offense, you look like you’re perfect too... but just not for me. There's only Mina for me.” Momo tries to not let her words slur. The alcohol is slowly kicking in and Momo isn’t really the type to drink. Mina often calls her a lightweight because two or three bottles of beers are enough to send her to dreamland.

“You’re so cute. But holding on to someone who’s already married won’t do you any good. Spend the night with me? Let me help you forget about her for a night and who knows..." the pretty girl next to her touches her cheeks gently and Momo closes her eyes, imagining Mina is the one holding her like this.

“Uhm, Excuse me. I need to take her home.” A voice suddenly interrupts Momo’s lingering thoughts. Both her and the girl who's flirting with her look up to see who the owner of the voice is and Momo is surprised to see that it is their regular customer at the coffee shop. She looks like she was about to go to bed in her oversized gray hoodie and red checkered pants, a far different image from what she usually wears when she's reading her books at the coffee shop. 

“Let’s go home, Momo.” The girl offers her hand for Momo to take and Momo just sits there, frozen and wondering what the hell is going on.

Why is she here?

“Go home with her Momoring. Me and the girls will just play a little bit before we head home too. Take her with you, Dahyun. I’ll text you her address. In case she gets too difficult, the key for her apartment is inside her bag, first pocket. Her bicycle is parked outside too. Please take it with you if you can so she won’t have a problem with going to work tomorrow.” Sana helps Momo get up from her seat and places her like a rag doll in Dahyun’s waiting arms.

“Thanks Sana. I’ll drive her home safely. Don’t worry.” The girl who Momo just learns is named Dahyun helps Momo get to her car by wrapping an arm around her waist to stop her from kissing the floor.

“Why-why would I come with you?” Momo asks once she’s found her voice and before she gets in Dahyun’s car.

“My boss asked me to take you home and make sure you’re safe.” Dahyun answers.

“What? W-who?” Confusion is written all over Momo’s face and Dahyun tries her best not to laugh at how funny her drunk face is. Momo’s eyes are glossy and her cheeks are pink. Her dark hair is tousled like she just got into a street fight.

“Well technically my boss’s girlfriend asked my boss if I can take you home. Yoo Jeongyeon. Does the name ring a bell? Miss Yoo asked my boss if I can look for you since her wife who apparently is your girlfriend is worried that you’re not answering her phone calls." Suddenly, it's like Momo has been doused with cold water the moment she hears the words girlfriend and worried. She fights off the dizziness and searches for her phone in her pockets and bag.

It’s not there.

She must’ve left it at the cafe locker.

Her and Mina aren’t really huge fans of texting and they live in the same house so their phones are usually not essential for the both of them until now, that is. 

“. I left my phone at work. Can I borrow your phone so I can call her? Please?"

Dahyun hands Momo her cellphone without question which Momo gladly accepts. She dials Mina’s number, glad that no matter how forgetful she is she remembers everything about her girlfriend. She takes a couple of steps away from Dahyun to give herself some privacy as she waits for Mina to pick up her call.

After three rings Mina picks up.

“Hello?”

“Momo? Is this you? Where are you?” Momo senses the panic from Mina's voice that she bits her lower lip for acting stupid.

“Yeah. It’s me. I’m... I’m in the bowling place near the cafe. The one where Sana usually meets her tinder dates-“

“Whose phone number is this? I’ve been trying to call you for hours. I couldn’t contact Sana since that will only give her an inkling that we’re still together. I am so worried!” Momo then hears Mina’s voice start to crack, wincing at how she unconsciously caused her girlfriend to worry to the point that she made her cry.

“This phone is... of a friend’s. Mina, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I was just.. I was so out of it lately. I didn’t mean to make you worry. I was just hanging out with Sana and getting a few drinks before I head home so I can sleep easily. I left my phone at the cafe that’s why you couldn’t contact me. Please don’t cry, you know I hate it when you cry especially if it’s because of me.” Momo feels like the biggest in the world right now. She almost made out with another woman from earlier, had it not been for Dahyun's interference she would've unconsciously cheated on her fiancée. Even if it didn't happened, she still feels guilty for even allowing it to get to a certain point. She keeps on allowing herself to think of scenarios between Jeongyeon and Mina but it's actually herself she has to look after. She knows she will be crying her eyes out if their situation got reversed and it was Mina who allows herself to get kissed by anyone aside from her.

“Why didn’t you bring your phone? Please don’t do this again. When I went to the cafe you didn’t even acknowledged my existence and you went to the back immediately. I thought you were upset with me. You know I only came over because I wanted to at least see you. It’s hard, Momo.” Mina's voice sounds as if she is pleading, pleading for Momo's understanding and it doesn't help lift the weight on Momo's shoulders. She knows the situation. She wanted to stay with Mina even when the girl clearly has given her a chance to exit. She wishes she can turn back the time and thought better for herself. She should've just went home earlier.

“I know. I know. I’m so stupid. I promise that won’t happen again. I’m sorry love. Can you come home to our apartment tomorrow? I miss you so much. Sleeping alone is hard." Momo wishes she can see and hold Mina in her arms. She wants to feel her girlfriend next to her so bad.

“I’m sorry love. You know I want to but I can’t. There’s too much at risk. I’ll ask Jeongyeon for help so we can meet. Please be patient with me,okay?”

“O-okay. I’m sorry I got you worried. You should be sleeping. I just noticed the time. It's almost one in the morning. You still have work tomorrow..” Momo is disappointed that she has to deal with days where she has to continue living without seeing her girlfriend and Mina's feelings comes before hers so she keeps her frustrations to herself. Beggars can't be choosers and surely an "almost" cheater like her doesn't get to ask for more after what she almost did.

“And you should be home now. Good night Mo. I miss you. So bad. I love you. Call me tomorrow so I know you’re still alive?” By the end of their call Mina's voice sounds lighter and that was enough for Momo to think that she was forgiven for all the bad decisions she has made today.

“I will, once I get my phone back. I love you, so much Mina. I’m sorry. Good night."

----------xxx----------

“You look like you’re excited.” Jeongyeon smiles as she looks at Mina through her dark sunglasses. They’re both seated on the backseat of a rented car while they look at the picturesque scenery outside from the car windows. Their car has passed by a stretch of road from the airport with a perfect view of the shoreline and crystal blue waters of Hawaii.

“I am! Thank you. For doing this.” Mina excitedly returns her smile. She looks like a kid who has gotten her first Christmas present and it’s pretty cute, Jeongyeon thinks.

“What are you thanking me for? I’m your wife. I’m supposed to do things to please you. I'm gonna follow the “Happy wife, happy life" mindset." Jeongyeon grins at Mina when she sees the girl playfully rolled her eyes at her.

The car stops and Jeongyeon thank