The door of the rooftop creaks as a tall girl with long raven hair pushed it open before slamming it shut. She took long strides towards a lone bench at the back of another corner, hidden from the public views. Not that many students actually step foot on the rooftop due to the lack of maintenance. The girl lets out her breath loudly while plopping down on the bench.

The sun is hidden from the puffs of white clouds, the wind gliding them together slowly across the sky. Her eyes were beginning to get drowsy from the calm and soothing weather, added with the lack of sleep she had last night. She was about to stretch her long limbs when a sharp pain on her leg made her wince.

Raising her skirt a bit, she can see a faint red starting to seep through the white bandages wrapped around her thigh. She reached for the small pouch hidden under the bench, taking out the supplies to tend for her wound. Just as she was about to unwind the bandage, a shadow looms over her.

“Here you are!”

The girl practically jumped on the spot, her calm face distorted in pain from the sudden jerking of her leg. The other person who was wearing an angry expression quickly softens to worry as she saw the current state of the girl.

“A-Are you okay..?”

She kept mum, fixing her skirt back to place. Her hands move fast to assemble the medical supplies back to its pouch but a hand on her arm prevent her rushed gestures.

She refrained from looking up. Her hand was pushed aside; the slight cherry smell filled her senses. She hates how it always made her slightly dizzy. She was about to protest, only to regret it after meeting a pair of gentle eyes.

Those eyes that always caught her speechless and immovable, always causing her heart to beat out of her control. The person was already kneeling in front of her, already exposing her thigh with the bandages undone. She expected a grossed or sympathetic face, but there was none. Her friend merely gave her a small smile of assurance before getting the things needed from the pouch. She let the person do her work, knowing full well it was futile to oppose her in any way.

“Where were you last night?”

“Nowhere.”

She received a glare; it wasn’t intimidating but it managed to make her heart skipped a beat.

“I went to your place.” She averted her eyes to the side, “You weren’t there.”

She didn’t want to see the disappointment; it doesn’t make much sense how that look alone can make her questioned a lot of things she never did for as long as she lives. She was never given the liberty to ask what she was doing last night; even what she is doing with her life. The thoughts never occurred for her to ponder her purpose of living for all the time she grew up. However, the presence of the person here made her craved for answers that came popping one by one in her head. All because of this woman in front of her.

She deeply loathes her for that.

“Why?”

She sensed the other glancing up from the corner of her eyes. Patting her thigh gently, she got up and took a sit beside her. The girl was not even surprised the patching up was already done; she always knew those nimble fingers have wonders working.

Even her whole existence is still a wonder to her.

“Why what? Why I was there or why-“

She cut her, “Why are you doing this, Sana?”

The girl bit her lip before reaching out for the cold hand of the indifferent girl. “Because I’m worried for you.”

“I’ve told yo-“

“I know, Tzuyu.” The words were almost a whisper, “But I want to.”

The tall girl let Sana hold her hand, relishing in the warmth and comfort she receive from it. There’s nothing else she wanted at that time than to let herself feel loved, wanted by another for who she is. Though she never voiced it out, she is grateful for Sana’s presence.

Because Sana doesn’t need words.

For her, for them.

She knows action always speaks louder in breaking her friend’s wall of sanctuary. They preferred things to be that way, anyway.

Momo doesn’t feel like eating in the crowded café so she bought some bread and a bottle of juice before walking outside on the open area. There are other students lounging there but it was sufferable and still breathable than the noisy and suffocating cafeteria.

She took a spot under a shady tree, gladly resting her bum on the dirt.

“Moguri, are you sure that’s enough for you?”

Nayeon voiced out her concern over Momo’s lunch. The latter raised a peace sign on the direction of the surveillance camera, not taking her sight away from the food scattered in front of her.

It’s better than your packed lunch was what she wanted to say but Jeongyeon had already beaten her to it.

“She’d rather starve than die from your cooking.”

“Yah! Why are you always bullying me?”

Momo heard the leader snickers, “She loves you so much, that’s why.”

“Wha- Jihyo! W-What are you talking about?!”

“Really, Jeongie? Is that why..?”

“I-In your dreams, Nabongs!”

Momo ignored the love-hate bantering, rather enjoying her meal when she saw two familiar girls walking towards her. She raised an eyebrow, still munching her bread when the taller one stopped in front of her, followed by a smiling shiba-inu waving happily.

“Having your lunch, Moguri?”

“Yes.” She doesn’t want to sacrifice her lunch but politeness is a must, especially when you want to be on the good side of Myoui Mina’s circle of friends.

“You want one?”

She could hear loud gasping from her earpiece, refraining from rolling her eyes from the dramatic reaction of her teammates.

Momo can see the cold gaze being directed to her, or the bread she was holding, by Tzuyu. Thankfully Sana decided to cut in.

“It’s okay! We’re gonna have our lunch with the others. We were wondering if you want to join us..?”

The beaming smile of Sana was blinding Momo, together with the sun high on top of their heads. It’s a torturing combination for her eyesight. She gave a reluctant smile, exchanging looks between the bread on her hands and the ones scatter on the grass.

Catching the look, Sana waved her hands. “It’s okay though if you don’t want to. It is such a beautiful day to have your lunch outside actually.”

She simply nods her head. She was actually in the middle of a short briefing with Jihyo, given that the only time she can communicate freely through the intercom with her teammates on school grounds are either during lunch breaks or free sessions.

“I guess we should be going then.”

Sana gave a polite bow before pulling the silent girl along but the latter stood her ground, her gaze on Momo unfaltering.

“You go first, Sana. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Momo caught the grimace Sana gave to the Taiwanese girl but after they shared knowing looks, she nodded along and walked away.

“You.”

Momo looked up, chewing a mouthful of her bread with the most innocent look she could muster.

“Yesh?” She replied, taking another big bite of her lunch.

“I saw how you’ve been eyeing and following Mina around.”

She keep on chewing, slurping her juice in an exaggerate manner without taking her eyes away from the glowering girl. She can sense something familiar from the latter; the way she talks could send shivers to the bone.

“I don’t care what your intention with Mina is but you better stay away from her before-”

“Before what?”

Momo fix her eyes on the scowling stare she received with an innocent smile, the one smile which would always annoy the hell out of her teammates, attempting to challenge the girl to see her reaction. She only gets a small smirk in return.

“You know what.” Her voice was low, Momo can definitely feel hairs rising on her arm.

By that, she her heels, leaving Momo puzzled with the latter’s statement. She keep her eyes on the girl as she sauntered away to the waiting Sana by the door of the cafeteria.

 “Leader-nim?”

“Yeah?”

 “Can you run a full background on the students here?”

She noticed something was off with Tzuyu’s gait, a slight limping which was not there before.

“You got a name?”

They shared one last look; Sana waving towards her while the other merely gave her a daunting look, clearly trying to get her point across before disappearing inside the door.

“Yeah... names, actually.” She ripped a piece of her bread before putting it in , her eyes squinting as she munched on the stale bun.

Unbeknownst to Momo, another pair of eyes has been keeping a watch on her since she step under the tree for her lunch.

Her tree, to be exact.

“Chaeng? Are you here?”

Her ears perked up at the recognizable voice, her head popping out of the bush she’s been hiding.

“Here!”

“Whoa, there..!” A surprised chuckle sounded from the person she’s been waiting for, or rather, the food the person is holding.

“Is that for me?”

“Hmm…” the person made a pondering face, “Nope, it’s mine.”

The excited grin was immediately replaced with a pout. The other laughed at the quick change of mood of the cub.

“Stop pouting. Why else would I be here anyway.”

Chaeyoung quickly grabbed the packed lunch, her eyes widen from the content once she opens it. Her favourite meal, as always.

“You’re the best, Dahyun!”

“I’m the best only when I bring you food, huh?” She frowned.

“Eh? No! You’re the best person ever in this school!”

“I’m the only person you ever talk to, anyway.”

“Well…” She scratched her head cutely, “You’re right on that.”

Dahyun shakes her head with a smile, contentedly watching her friend of a cub hybrid eating her lunch happily. Thankfully she wasn’t that messy considering how Chaeyoung’s behavior sometimes almost resembled a tiger. It’s a bit ugly to look at, but still cute in her eyes. She decided to took out her book, intending to continue where she had marked the page. However, the twitching of the fluffy rounded ears and the eager swaying of a striped tail had diverted her attention from her favorite book.

“You’re really enjoying your lunch or are you really that hungry?”

“Hm?” Chaeyoung raised a brow, following Dahyun’s gaze of her swinging tail.

“Oh.”

She gulped the remains of her food, her expression fallen from the mention of those body parts she regarded as hideous and monstrous.

The cub sighed, “I hate them.”

Guilt overcomes the pale girl as the excited tail had loss its movement and coiled itself somewhere hidden from her view, together with the limp ears that was pointed up earlier.

She recounted the days when they met for the first time. It was an accidental meeting in which Dahyun was too engrossed in her reading that she didn’t realize an odd-looking tail lying on the ground which prompted her to step on it. Shock was an understatement once she saw the person bearing the tail. Chaeyoung was really small but intimidating at the time, her fangs protruding from fear as she hissed out of surprise and wary. Dahyun should be running, or at least faint in place, but she didn’t.

Miraculously, she reached out a hand, careful not to frighten the already terrified girl, or female cub. Even she wasn’t believing herself at that time. With a few persuasions with her last choco pie stock and her gentle smile, the cub relented and put down her defense. Since then, the cub had been the only thing running in her mind whenever lunch time comes, sharing a lunchbox or two in their hidden spot surrounded by small shrubs under a large old tree.

She scooted closer, putting her book aside before nudging her friend. “Why is that?”

“They are the reasons I can’t appear in public.”

Dahyun pitied the girl a lot. Of course, no one would ever dare to come out in public with an appearance like Chaeyoung. She is hideous, weird. People will see her as a freak.

If only there are more people in the world who has the same thoughts and heart as Dahyun, the world would be a better place for everyone to live in. Chaeyoung might be different, but she’s still a human with feelings and emotions. Dahyun want her to experience the feelings of being acknowledged, accepted even as a human, without being judged for being different.

She touched the place below Chaeyoung’s ear, rubbing and scratching it gently, earning a grateful purr from the owner.

“I love them.” She looked into her eyes, “Because they are a part of you, and I love everything that is you.”

Chaeyoung can feel her cheeks heating up. “S-Shut up!”

She pushed the girl away, scarfing down the remaining lunch in order to hide her red face. She received a heartfelt laugh from the latter, secretly smiling with her chubby cheeks while stealing a glance at her laughing friend.

Momo blew out some air into her hands, rubbing them together for warmth. The night was a bit windy but she didn’t expect it to be this cold. Thank GodJihyo she decided to wear a long coat for her mission tonight, which was unexpected and too sudden for her liking.

They received orders to observe Myoui Mina and her acquaintances from the higher ups. Something about suspicions of the school girl associating with the bad guys, which was a total bull for all of them. If one thing they should be suspicious about, it's the person giving the job to them. They were ordered to not ask questions and just do what it is supposed to do. Something was really fishy of the whole ordeal and Momo was just too hungry to put the pieces together or even give a damn of the whole crap.

“I’m craving for something hot.”

“You can have me tonight.” Nayeon flirted with her y voice, only to receive a gagging sound from the bobbed hair girl.

“Yah! I don’t want to die from your lame pickup line, Nabongs.”

“I wasn’t talking to you!”

Momo keep silent for the whole conversation, her eyes not leaving the figure of a girl who had just left the dance studio. She jumped down from her hiding spot, landing gently on the road below. She silently follows the girl, forming a safe distance between them as she blends in with the passersby walking on the roadside.

After the feud with Blackie a few nights back, the team decided it’s better for Momo to keep an eye on Mina until she is safe from any threat. Hopefully things won’t be so messed up tonight, Momo wished. The agent is still in her recuperating mode; the fight last night had bummed her up so bad, she was late to school for the first time.

There goes her diligence as the new student.

A few minutes of walking had both of them reaching to a familiar building.

The Chil-Hyun Research Group center.

She waits by a corner, casually leaning on the wall while pretending to scroll through her phone. She waited for Mina to enter the automated door. In her head, she is planning for a better spot to observe the girl from one of the nearby buildings but decided against it when she sees the girl only standing by the automated door near the guards like she’s waiting for someone.

Momo plants her hands deep into the pocket of her coat, her feet shuffling on spot to keep the cold at bay.

“You alright down there, Moguri?”

“Yeah, thanks to the short walk just now.”

“Wonder what she’s doing in there..”

Nayeon answered the question Jeongyeon asked with a bored voice, “Obviously waiting for her father, duhh.”

“Father?” Momo questioned into the earpiece.

Just then, she saw a man looking sleek in his burgundy suit with a well trimmed white hair tied in low pony-tail approaching Mina, giving her a hug and conversing with the girl. It was subtle, but Momo can see the red head gleaming from meeting him. She doesn’t know why but felt like it’s constricting, like something is squeezing from inside.

“Oh, you weren’t there in the briefing yesterday.”

They turned towards the door, the man greeting the guards who saluted towards him with a gentle smile, a hand guiding Mina outside. They walked side by side down the small staircase towards the side road.

“That is Mina’s adoptive father, also the Director of the CHRG and owner of the building in front of you.”

Momo gulped, feeling suffocated all of a sudden. She only sees the side view of the man, but that alone was enough to make her anxious.

“He’s still a bit young though to be her adoptive father.”

A car stopped in front of them, the driver getting out to open the door of the passenger side before bowing to them both.

“What’s his name?” Momo croaked, the question barely came out as a whisper.

The chauffeur closed the door after Mina got in while the man made some gestures with his hand. When he was about to go to the other side of the door, she caught his face. It was fuzzy, but she knows that face.

She had seen him somewhere.

“What was it..” Nayeon hummed in thought, “I think his name is-“

“It’s Dr. Kim.” Jihyo interrupts, “Mina’s father is Dr. Kim Hee Chul.”

Her eyes widen, her vision blinking with flashes of white.

Momo collapsed on her knees, her head throbbing in pain.

“Hey, Moguri? What’s wrong?”

She closed her eyes tightly while shaking her head, trying to fight away the tearing pain and flashes appearing before her closed eyelids. The sound of Jeongyeon’s voice was getting distant, her breathing becoming shorter and shallow.

“Father…”

Momo grasped her neck, desperately trying to open her constricting airway.

“Dr. Kim Hee Chul..”

“Momo?! Answer me-“

“It’s Dr. Kim.”

The name keeps repeating in her head. She tried to ignore it but the voice is getting louder each time she took a breath. She gulped, a silhouette of a man appearing before her eyes with a hand holding out to her.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Kim and I’ll be in charge of you today.”

Her vision turned black.