“Momo?”

She hummed, her eyelids felt heavy with the constant calling of her name by that voice.

That sweet, mellow voice.

A small smile graced her face when she felt her bed dipped, a finger lightly poking her cheek.

“Momo, get up. I know you’re already awake.”

She turned to her side, letting out a long whining hum as she pulled the blanket over her head. She heard a grumble, before a weight fell on top of her.

“OOFF! H-Hey!”

A giggle she’ll never get bored of hearing every morning filled her ear, “That’s for ignoring me, Momoring!”

The blanket was pulled down, Momo still closing her eyes trying to pretend she’s still sleeping.

“Momo.”

She peeked through one eye, seeing a pouting face.

“Mm?”

“Get up.”

“Why?”

“It’s already morning.”

“It’s Saturday.”

Momo replied still with her eyes closed, enjoying the wiggling weight on top of her. She waited for a while, not getting any response from her friend. She can feel breathing close to her ear, the sensation tickling her senses into over-drive.

“You promised me,” She whispered hotly into her ear.

“W-What?”

A finger traced her jawline.

“That we..”

“Mhmm?”

Her nose brushed against her ear.

 “Are gonna…”

Momo swallowed dryly, suddenly craving for a sip of water. She waited anxiously for the next action, only to regret it.

“MEET MY DAD THIS MORNING!” She screeched into her ear, followed by a quick peck on her cheek.

“Y-YAH!”

Momo pushed her friend away, the latter giggling from her successful attempt to get the girl out of her slumber.

“You didn’t have to do that.” She grumbled.

“Do what? The kiss?”

Her face heat up instantly. She covered her face with both hand, making a beeline to the bathroom.

 

 

 

 

“You sure are happy today.”

They walked side by side, her friend’s smile not faltering even for a second since they left the dormitories. It was a weekend that Momo had been longing for after a torturous training regime for the whole two weeks followed by an aptitude test yesterday which, Momo was sure, she barely pass if not for her friend’s help. She immediately passed out on her bed once she reached her room late that evening. She did remember about the abrupt promise she made yesterday to accompany her friend to meet with her parents but the harshness of the two weeks torment had bummed her out for good.

Sure, she did disturb her sleep but seeing the happy face of her friend was worth missing a few hours of her well-deserved rest.

“Of course!” She beamed, “I get to spend some time with you.”

“Not because you’re meeting with your parents?”

“Silly Momoring.” She nudged her with her elbow, “That’s to be expected, but today is a lot more special.”

Momo raised a brow, “And what is that?”

“I finally got to introduce my Momoring to them!”

She turned towards the brown hair girl with a wide grin, her eyes disappearing into crescent. Momo almost croaked, quickly averting her gaze forward to hide the smile forming on her face, a finger scratching her cheek sheepishly. She didn’t notice they had already arrived in front of a building with newly painted white colour and a few guards standing at ease by the entrance. A large nameplate of silver and a few hangul characters were written on top of their heads. She can read a few of the words, but she’s still unable to make up the whole sentence. There’s still a long way to go before she can fully master the foreign language.

Her friend was already walking ahead of her but Momo held her ground. She stopped, worriedly watching Momo fidgeting on the spot.

“Momoring?”

“You think they..” Momo played with her fingers, “They will like me?”

She raised her head, reluctant to see the judging, mocking stare of her friend. Instead, she was met with a pair of gentle eyes with a warm smile. Her friend approached her, entangling their fingers together. Momo refrained; her fingers were sweaty but her friend’s hold was firm and… comforting.

“No, I don’t think they’ll like you honestly.”

Momo almost cried, receiving a wide grin in return. “They’ll love you instead, that’s for sure.”

“H-How can you be so sure?”

“Well,” She hooked an arm around Momo’s, “Obviously because you are my friend.”

She frowned, her confidence crumbling away by the second.

“But come on! Who wouldn’t love you? Even the grumpy Miss Hana has a soft spot on you.”

Momo rolled her eyes, “Don’t mention her name, please.”

They shared a laugh, already taking a step together towards the small staircase of the entrance.

“Besides, you’re hanging out with the cool me.” She boasted with a smug, “What more can you ask for?”

 

 

 

 

To be amazed was an understatement. Momo was sure her jaw had gone slack the moment they stepped into the entrance. The building was huge, coupled with a highly sophisticated scanning machine for visitors and staffs to go through and the few men with guns standing around the area. Momo was shocked to see the thorough inspection they had to go through before stepping inside the elevator.

It was to make sure the place is secure enough to avoid intruders, was what her friend mentioned.

Momo wonder what kind of things they are doing in here to require tight security in every nook and corners.

They stopped in front of a room and Momo felt her anxiety kicking in again by the whole ordeal. She wanted to run away, made some excuses of having a full bladder, had forgotten to eat her breakfast or anything logical but the eager smile of her friend had pushed the thoughts away.

Momo can already imagine the view inside; her friend running happily towards her parents, her dad having the same gummy smile and her mother mirroring similar pair of eyes. A perfect picture of a perfect happy family.

However, expectation was always the harsher side of reality.

She didn’t expect to be met with a lady lying weakly on a bed with multiple wires attached, hanging loosely around her bed. Her face showed gentleness and calmness, despite the paleness of her skin with bones protruding through her cheeks. She was skinny, Momo almost sure she would immediately break into half if she ever fell from the bed, not that she wants to imagine it.

Her friend gently kissed her mother’s forehead, her eyes flutters open.

“Oh, you’re here.”

Momo knew by then whose smile her friend got from. They are mother and daughter after all. She watched silently as they exchanged some words, standing awkwardly by the side when the closed door of the room was banged open by a man in white labcoat.

All of them whipped their heads towards him, Momo still in the process of recovering from shock when their eyes met.

“Is she..?” He pointed at her, glancing at his daughter to receive a nod.

He closed the door, before turning his body fully in front of the small Momo. Her friend’s father was not that big or tall, but the way he eyed her with crossed arms were enough to intimidate the sixteen years old girl.

“Tell me, which more do you prefer.” His face is serious, “Mayonnaise or ketchup?”

She can see her friend rolling her eyes from her father’s out of the world question.

“Well, I prefer mayonnaise but they blend well together, too.” She glanced at her friend, “So, why not have both?”

She waited for his reaction, his forehead scrunching in thoughts before he screamed in joy.

“YATTA! That’s the answer I’ve been waiting for!”

Momo was sure she could have gotten a heart attack by then, not to mention the few hard pats she received on her back.

“I like her already.” He said to his daughter, a hand wrapped around Momo’s shoulder. “Say, want to join our family?”

“E-EHH?”

He laughed, ruffling Momo’s hair before standing in front of her. “You can call me Papa if you want to.”

“Pa-.. Papa?”

Momo didn’t know why but she already liked how the word rolled out of , along with the encouraging smiles of her friend and her mother, and the proud face of the man in front of her. Everything was too overwhelming; tears started pouring out of her eyes.

She felt hands wrapped around her small stature, one rubbing her back as the other held her tightly. A whisper came; one she never thought would change the fate of her life for the coming days.

“Welcome to our family, Momo.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her eyes fluttered open.

She let her gaze fell absentmindedly on the ceiling. The dream was so vivid, Momo had hope she wouldn’t have to wake up at all. She tried to recall some, but the dull pain in her head prevents her so. It didn’t feel like a dream; every scene was so clear with a sense of familiarity in it.

Except for the blank faces.

Those blurry faces and missing names, they frustrate her the most.

She rubbed her eyes to wipe away her sleepiness, only to feel them already wet with tears.

“Eh..?”

Momo recognized something.

Empty.

She felt hollow, with many holes in her past and memories she can’t seem to recall no matter how many therapies and treatment she went through. She had enough of meeting those good for nothing psychiatrists, deciding to live her life contentedly despite the huge question mark attached to her soul and mind.

Truth to be told? She does not feel that contented.

So many things are missing, so many things are blank, so many things are lacking.

She didn’t have the drive to look forward when there’s nothing to look back to.

Those dreams are one thing. But they are so faded, she had a hard time differentiating what’s reality and what’s not. That’s where the emptiness overshadowed her.

Momo closed her eyes, trying to calm the swirls of darkness about to conquer her soul. She starts counting from 10 backwards, a habit she always does when she’s in distress. She can feel her pulse beating a normal rhythm by the second before a face emerges out of the blue.

“Momo?”

Her eyes snapped open, meeting with a pair of concern ones. “How are you feeling?”

A hand touched her forehead, the owner nodding with a satisfied smile before she brought over a tray and laid it beside her.

“You missed dinner.” Nayeon frowned, helping the blonde to get up. “You never missed dinner, no matter how late it is.”

 Momo took the bowl of porridge Nayeon handed her, the latter motioning her to eat it. “It’s still hot, be careful.”

She was about to take a spoonful when another figure burst into her room.

“Momo-yah!” The short hair girl stomped towards her, hands wandering her body in worry. “Are you okay? You’re not sick, are you? Wanna go to the hospital?”

Momo was holding the bowl high up above her head, worried if Jeongyeon’s exaggerated touching all over her body might spill her food.

 

PAK!

 

“Ow!” Jeongyeon flinched in pain, pouting at the other person suddenly appearing behind her.

“Stop being so dramatic.” Jihyo deadpanned, before her forehead creased in concern .

“How are you feeling?”

She touched Momo’s forehead, the latter frowning before swatting the leader’s hand away.

“Why are you all touching me?” She put the bowl on her lap after making sure Jeongyeon’s not going to make another unnecessary ruckus. “I don’t even have a fever.”

“We just want to be sure.” Nayeon voiced out with an innocent shrug, the others nodding in agreement.

She realized by then, it doesn’t feel so empty anymore. These people are here. They are her comrades, the ones who are always here for her.

“Thank you.” She murmured, smiling warmly at them.

Nayeon pointed to her food, “Make sure you finish that. I cook it with my heart, you know?”

“I hope Momo won’t get sick after…”

Jeongyeon mumbled to herself but Nayeon heard it, her eyes shooting daggers.

“What did you say?”

“Oh god.” The leader sighed exasperatedly, “It’s still early in the morning, guys.”

Momo’s ears perked up.

“What time is it now?” She queried after swallowing the, surprisingly, edible porridge. It’s actually really good, to be honest.

“10 minutes till eight. Why?”

“Shoot! I’m gonna be late.” Momo slurped the remaining porridge directly from the bowl, slamming it on the side table before shooting up from her bed and running to the bathroom.

“Hey, what’s the rush?”

She peeked through the door, “I’m gonna be late for school.”

“You don’t have to. Jeongyeon can take over.”

Jihyo pointed to the tall girl lying on the bed who lazily waved her hand with an OK sign.

“I can monitor Mina from here, too. My eyes are trained to be alert 24/7, you know?”

Jeongyeon snorted, “Also for stalking pretty, innocent school girls.”

“Shut up, Jeong.” Nayeon pinched, earning a loud yelp.

Momo shook her head with a grin, “It’s okay. I want to be there. I’ve got a test today, anyway.”

The others shared confusing looks; Momo is taking this a bit too serious, it’s really weird considering the raccoon is known for her tardiness and lack of passion in studying or any school-related things that requires the effort of using one’s brain.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Jihyo-ah.” The same face with red hair popped in her mind. “I'll be fine.”

 

 

 

 

 

The lunch bell rings, together with crowds of students walking out of their designated class towards the cafeteria. Dahyun was an exception. She waits for a while until her remaining classmates dissipates from the hallway. She took out her lunchboxes and her favourite book, walking towards the one place she always frequent at this hour.

The one occasion she most looks forward to every day.

In no time, she had reached the open area of the school where most students were lounging around on available benches or just sitting on the carpet grass while soaking in the great weather.

It’s a wonderful day today.

“Hey, you!”

She heard someone shouting faintly behind her, but paid no heed as her mind is only focused on one person.

“Hey!”

The voice gets louder.

“Dubu girl!”

Huh? Dubu? Did someone call me?

Her forehead creased, turning around to be met with a grinning girl with an excited wave.

“Oh, Moguri!” She greeted, “Was it you who was shouting earlier?”

“Yeah.” She sheepishly scratched her head, “I kinda forgot your name.”

Dahyun laughs softly, not taking offence with the cute face of the new girl.

“It’s Dahyun, not Dubu.”

“But Sana calls you Dubu. It is easier to remember, anyway.”

“Fine, Dubu it is.” She sighed, not minding the nickname she got from her close friends. Moguri is already considered a friend if she hangs out with Sana.

“Anything you need from me?”

“I was looking for Sana and I thought you were gonna eat lunch with her so I followed you.”

“That’s too bad. I always eat by myself during lunch.”

“Eh? Why not?” She frowned, prolonging the last word. “Isn’t that what you guys usually do? Like best friends forever thingy where you don’t get separated at all times?”

Dahyun let out a forced laugh. What kind of stereotype BFF thingy is she talking about, she thought. She shook her head, thinking out her reasons for not spending time with her cliques of friends.

“We’re not exactly that attached to each other. I mean, everyone has her own “me” time. Sana-unnie is always tailing Mina-unnie because they are close like that. Tzuyu frequently disappears, not that it bothers us. While Mina-unnie..”

Dahyun contemplated for awhile, biting her lower lip as she thinks of their friendship.

“What about her?”

“Let’s just say, she’s got her own issue to deal with and I’m not that kind of people who likes to probe too much about these personal things.” She shrugged.

“I see.” Momo nodded in understanding, “You do have a unique set of friends, actually.”

“Everyone says that too and I kinda agree with it.” Dahyun chuckled lightly, not opposing that opinion.

“So you’re like one of those lone rangers of the team, huh?”

The pale girl laughed from the teasing look Momo gave her, raising the book in her hand. “Unfortunately, I do have a good company that I’m overly attached to.”

And another person who’s waiting for her food, but let’s keep that to myself.

“If you’re looking for Sana, I bet she’s either at the cafeteria or the rooftop, if the place is too crowded. Mina is a bit claustrophobic, so..”

“Got it.” Momo gives a thumb up, “Cafeteria and rooftop, right? Thanks, Dubu!”

“No problem!” Dahyun shouted with a wave, the other had already disappeared around the corner.

“You shouldn’t get too close to her.”

“Wha..” Dahyun whipped her head to the side, Chaeyoung appearing out of nowhere surprised her. She calmed herself silently while eyeing the later, sensing the way her ears perked up in wary with low groaning sound. Or was it growling?

“What do you mean?”

“She’s bad news.”

“Have you met her before?”

“I…” She rubbed her nape, “I saw her once.” She contemplated to tell her bestfriend the first day she saw the transfer girl. Dahyun might think she’s being unfair and unreasonable, or making up stories about her.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” She almost groaned from the concerned eyes directed to her. “You can tell me, Chaeng.”

The cub shrugged, “She smelled… weird.”

“Huh?”

“I hate it.” She crinkled her nose, “It smells like… rotten meat.”

 

 

 

 

 

Momo sighed again.

The school had already ended almost half an hour ago but there was still no sign of Mina. She decided to go to Mina’s classroom, who knows if someone can answer the whereabouts of an MIA Myoui Mina. Her frown turned upwards at the sight of the girl on her table, rummaging through her bag.

“Mina!”

She was expecting to be met with an annoyed sigh, instead she received a glare.

“What’s with the lasers? Pew pew!” Momo joked, mirroring the expression with a laugh only to be ignored.

“Ooookay…” She took a sit on one of the vacant chairs, facing the girl who’s busy taking out things from her bags. She raised a brow, “Is something wrong?”

The red head halted her movements, giving Momo the attention she wanted while still giving her the deadly glare.

“I haven’t seen you all day. I thought you fainted or something but you weren’t in the infirmary. I looked everywhere for you, you know?”

Momo waited for a response, a reaction, anything. But only the cold stares were given to her. She could feel bumps rising on her arms, thinking something wrong had definitely happened earlier.

Mina resumed the search through her bag, worrying Momo with her action.

“For a person who should be going home after school, you sure are doing the opposite.” She eyed the scattered books and things on the table. There weren’t much but they are mostly necessities for schools. “You need some help, Mina?”

An annoyed huff came from the latter as she slams the almost empty bag, a small pouch dropped with a few things fell from the table.

“Hey, stop! Are you-” Momo grabbed the arm of the worked up girl to calm her down, but she jolted on the sensation. Eyes fell on each other before she was being shoved away by another person.

Oh, great. What’s with these people and glaring?

Tzuyu took a step closer, her menacing eyes boring holes into Momo’s pair of oblivious ones.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m seeing Mina.” She answered nonchalantly while pointing at the said girl.

Tzuyu scoffed, “I’ve told you before, didn’t I?”

“What? I can’t meet a friend?”

They stood, both not backing down in a match of staring eyes before Momo sighed.

She raised both arms in surrender, mumbling an apologize. She’s not sure to who, maybe to herself for having to experience getting a threat and being ignored all at once. Momo picked up a few things on the floor, only to get them snatched forcefully by the owner. Sensing the unwelcome air surrounding Mina and her tall friend, she slowly retreated from the class.

“I’m not sure what’s wrong but I hope everything is fine. I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

She merely received a subtle nod from the red head before being ignored totally. Shrugging, Momo turns on her heels and go to the nearest vending machine. To be in a moody atmosphere makes for a hungry stomach for Momo. She shoved her hands into the pocket of her sweater, thumbing the plastic tube with a grin.

At least she achieved something.

Just as she was about to turn a corner, she was met with a panicky Sana.

“Whoa!”

“Oh, Moguri! Thank god..”

“Finally, someone is pleased to see me.”

Sana raised a brow from the statement while Momo is grinning her dumb smile. Shaking her head, Sana quickly snatched her arm, pulling Momo by surprise.

“W-What’s going on?”

“I need some help and I don’t think I can do this alone.”

“If it’s related to homework, I’m afraid I am intelligently challenged in that area.”

“It’s intellectually challenged.” Sana corrected.

“Ha! Guilty as charged!”

Sana sighed, “No, it’s not that. I need you to carry Mina.”

“Huh? Why?”

“She fainted, again.”

Momo can sense the eye roll coming from the shiba as she pulls Momo along with her like a dog. Wait, isn’t it supposed to be the other way?

“You’re kidding. I saw her just now.”

“What do you mean?” Sana gave her a curious glance.

“She’s in the classroom with a surprisingly bad temper, which I, unfortunately, had to be the brunt of it.” Sana gave her an incredulous giggle, “Is Mina okay, by the way?”

“I should be directing that question to you actually. Did you hit your head before?”

She pouted, remembering she did passed out last night. “And why is that?”

They came to a stop in front of a pale-looking red head slumped on the wall, with Dahyun supporting her head with her shoulder, giving the girls a wave and a grateful smile.

"Because Mina,” Sana pointed to the passed out girl, “..apparently was with me the whole day.”

“Huh?” She blinked from the sight and the information from Sana.

“She was not feeling well so she decided to cling herself to me since morning.”

Momo’s jaw slackened, not believing her eyes from the sight in front of her.

“Seriously, are you sure you’re fine? You’re as pale as Mina right now..”

Having to pretend as a school girl was one of the crazy things Momo had experienced throughout her life as an agent. But never one as paranormalistic as this... yeah, don’t judge her choosing of words because she’s mindblown already.

Maybe she really needs to take the day off being offered earlier by Jihyo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A young woman with a clipboard on her right hand stepped into a dim room, the clacking of her high heels resonated, announcing her presence to the other scientists.

“Report?”

A man in thick-rimmed glasses followed her with hasty steps, scratching his head as he reads off the writings and numbers on the crumpled papers on his own clipboard. The woman heaved a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“In simple words, please.”

“Well,” he scratched his cheek, the messy beard almost made the woman rolled her eyes out of disgust. “The readings have shown a rise in hormonal changes, perhaps due to puberty, but otherwise, she is completely fine. Except…”

He contemplated, the woman paused her steps to face him with her intimidating stance. “Except?”

“The mental state is deteriorating at an alarming level, Miss Seo.”

“In other words?” She rubbed her forehead, when another voice interrupted their conversation.

“She’s rejecting it.” Hani appeared from the shadow, “The transfer is too much for her body, moreover in that state.”

Seohyun snickered, “Oh, don’t lose hope yet. There’s a significant success from the previous data, I recalled.”

“It was only a 0.2% success! That can’t even count as one and you yourself know it.”

Seohyun snorted, shaking her head from Hani’s outburst. “And you too know fairly well that sole reason isn’t enough to be counted as an excuse to stop this project, don’t you?”

The tall woman steps nearer, whispering to her ear in a tantalizing voice filled with hatred and animosity.

“You only have one job, Miss Hee Yeon. Do it right or don’t do it at all.”

Hani clenched her jaw, her fists trembling in the pocket of her labcoat as Seohyun pats her cheek a few times with that sickening grin, leaving the place with a satisfied laughter.

She let out a deep breath to calm down, putting her eyeglasses on the side table of an occupied bed. The occupant was slowly breathing inside the fluid-filled tube, the composed breathing and bubbles had a calming effect on the scientist despite the true fate of the person inside.

It was cruel to do this to her, and it was cruel enough to enjoy the tranquility of her state.

"I'm sorry, Minari..." She carressed the glass, hoping the person inside could forgive her.

If there is one thing Hani despised right now, it is mostly herself.