"Girlfriend?! How long has it been? Does she treat you well? Does Auntie know about it?" Shock was evident on Momo's face as she rattled continuously.

The three girls were now in a cafe, with Tzuyu ordering the drinks for them. They had decided it would be great to interact a little - for Sana and Momo to catch up and for Tzuyu and Momo to know each other better. After all, Tzuyu and Sana spent their afternoons together, and Momo was heading to Sana's for dinner that day anyway.

"Shhh don't be so loud. It's been almost a year, Momo. She treats me like a princess and we really love each other. I've already let Mum know as well."

"My baby sister has grown up, huh..." Momo can't help but grin at Sana's words. 'We really love each other.'

"You shouldn't be losing to me, you should find someone soon!"

Momo just smiled. Yes, she was touchy with people. Yes, she can talk quite a bit even with newly-met acquaintances. But she does not. Momo hated interaction with people, and much less open up to them. It had always been like that. Sana was the only one who knew Momo's feelings and thoughts, her weak and fragile side, and that is because she knew Momo so well she read her like a book.

"So what did I miss?" Tzuyu asked as she settled down next to her girlfriend.

"Tzuyu. I'm telling you this once and for all. If you ever dare to hurt my baby Sana, even if it's just one tear, I will hunt you down and make sure you regret it." Momo can't help but feel protective. She would not let anyone hurt Sana.

"I definitely won't, rest assured." Tzuyu leaned closer and gave Sana a peck on her cheek, to which the latter blushed slightly. She was used to it, but not used to Tzuyu doing that while someone was right in front of them. 

"Yah, Momo's here." Momo could only laugh at her cousin's embarrassed face. She was glad, Sana was in good hands.

"Mum! We're back for dinner!" Sana exclaimed as she held the door open for Momo. 

"Welcome home, my dear!" A figure headed out from the kitchen, Momo immediately recognising her as her aunt.

"Hello, Auntie, it's been a long time." Momo said, bowing.

"No need for such formalities, darling. Ah you've gotten so much prettier. Come, let's have dinner." Momo smiled at the familiarity. Her Korean standard was not bad, but it definitely feels a lot more comfortable speaking Japanese. 

"Thank you for the dinner! It's getting late, I think I should get going." 

"Momo ya, you sure you don't want to just shift in with us? It's always better to have someone to look out for you." Mrs Minatozaki offered, sincerely wanting Momo to live with them. Sana nodded her head too.

However, Momo rejected, explaining that she wants to be independent. She promised to head over as often as possible, joking that she would come over so often they would get sick of her. The Minatozaki family laughed at her response.

Sana walked Momo out. "Reach home safely, Momo-chan~ Text me when you reach home! Bye~"

They shared another hug, feeling regretful that the day ended so quickly. But on the bright side, at least they had many more days to spend together from now on. Honestly, it did not matter how often they met or how close they were in distance, they were highly reliant on each other and shared an unbreakable bond. 

Momo was about to walk away when she heard Sana call her back. "Ah.. and.. sorry for today, Momo. I'll be more careful with my words from now on."

***

Beep. Beep. Beep. The intervals between each sound became longer and longer. And the next moment, all that was heard was a long sound and cries.

"No.. no.. Grandpa... Don't leave me please.. NO!!" Momo sat up abruptly as her eyes shot open. It was usual. Since that fateful day, she has been waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat and tears. She would have the same nightmare everyday, or if she was lucky, every alternate day.

She laid back down, tears flowing down her cheeks as she hugged her favourite plushie tight. She had many plushies, many people gave it to her knowing she liked them. However, there was that one plushie that she held very dear to her. It was the one her grandfather had given to her. It was also the last gift he ever gave to her.

FLASHBACK

"Grandpa!!" A short toddler was seen running to an old man, who could not stop smiling at the kid. 

"Yes, my little princess?"

"We have been practicing for a performance, and today the teacher said I was really good. Want me to show you, grandpa?"

Momo started showing her moves. It was not of a high standard, but definitely great for a young child like her.

"Grandpa grandpa, will you be coming to see my performance? You will, right?"

***

"Grandpa! What happened to you?" Mrs Hirai fetched Momo from school, and instead of heading home they went to the hospital. Momo's grandfather was admitted to the hospital just the day before. Mr and Mrs Hirai wanted to bring Momo over during the weekends, but the little child insisted on going that day.

"Momo ah, grandpa is fine. Don't worry," he said as he ruffled his only granddaughter's hair.

***

Momo was seated next to the bed, the position that had come to become her usual position. It had been a month since her grandfather was hospitalised.

"Grandpa, you said you were fine, but why wouldn't they let you go home? Why are they so bad? I will ask Papa to scold them." Innocent Momo said. Actually, Momo's grandfather was down with a terminal illness, and by doctor's recommendation it was best for him to stay in the hospital. No one told Momo, however, because they knew exactly how much it would hurt the young girl.

***

Momo watched as her grandfather looked weaker and weaker every day. At some point of time, he could barely respond to her anymore. It was then that the young kid realised, something was really wrong with her grandfather.

"Mama, tell me, why is Grandpa looking so weak?"

"Momo ah..."

"Tell me, tell me." 

Mrs Hirai knew she could not lie to her daughter anymore. "Actually..."

That happened when she was eleven, but even up till now Momo remembers how it was like - the flat high pitch sound signalling his death, the doctors announcing his death. And she also remembers his last words, specially directed to her. 'Momo ah,.... Grandpa.. loves... you.."

Momo locked herself in the room for the entire day subsequently. Mr and Mrs Hirai had tried all ways. They would knock on her door from time to time, speaking to her, but she never gave a reply. After the first day, they unlocked the door with the spare key they had, but as they went in Momo started throwing a tantrum, throwing everything and shouting at them to get out. From outside, they could always hear sobs coming from inside. It really broke their heart to see her like that, and it made them feel even worse knowing that they were not able to do anything at all.

Two days after Momo did not go to school, Sana started getting worried, bugging Mrs Minatozaki constantly. The latter relented and brought her daughter to the Hirai's.

So in front of the closed door stood Sana, knocking on the door once again. Sana had pestered her parents to allow her to skip school for Momo, and there was no way they could say no. Sana would come over in the morning, only to leave late at night.

It was already the morning of the fourth day Momo was behaving like that, and it got everyone really worried especially since she had not been eating anything at all. "Momo-chan... Don't be like that, let me in please. Don't suffer alone, I'm really worried about you. Everyone is.."

Momo did not open the door that morning, but it came as a pleasant surprise when the door was unlocked and opened slightly about two hours later. The depressed girl did not walk out, but it was a sign for her best friend to go in.

"Momo-ya!" Sana wasted no time in entering, running straight to the girl that was sitting down, leaning against the wall. The girl's eyes were puffy, with obvious tear stains trailing down her cheeks. In short, she looked like a wreck, but Sana could not care less as she pulled the girl into a tight, firm, assuring hug.

A/N: Well... do we all know who the 'he' is now? you guys probably expected it to be a past lover or smth right XD

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