Getting the lowest votes among all the performers, It's seriously upsetting Momo. Sure, she did her best. Even her partner said so and cried his heart out. But sulking in the corner won't change anything. The mere fact that she got to do what she really loves and show it to the public is nothing but satisfying. Those were just votes. It won't kill her. But being placed last in the very first episode skyrocketed Momo's determination to work even harder to showcase her ability. It's all or nothing.

3 days after the first match, the second theme was revealed, This Love. All about love and romance.

"This one is mine. I definitely have to step my game up!" That's the first thing that came into Momo's mind.

Through her members' unending comfort and craziness, it helped her slowly forgot about the first episode. It feels like she finally got her long lost confidence back and she's on to every challenge she's about to face. "Bring it on!" Momo thought as she started thinking thoroughly for her next concept.

MOMO POV

I'm currently at the living room, alone, thinking of a concept while my members are already asleep. I don't want to bother them sleeping.

"Wouldn't it be great if I just dance by myself and just make it something like a 'love yourself' concept?"

"What a narcissist human."

Yes, I'm talking to myself. I scratched my head, frustrated and all as I couldn't think of a great concept. "Arghhhh!" I crumpled the 57th paper and throw it on the floor making it all messy. Nayeon unnie suddenly went out of their room and approached me. It looks like she couldn't sleep.

"Woah there Momoring. What's with the mess in here? Want me to help you?" She offered herself to help me and I gladly accepted here.

"Look, I've been thinking about it for the last 3 hours and nothing seemed to look so right." I frustratedly said.

"Help me, Nayeon unnie~ You, being the flirtiest snake in Twice should think of something brillant when it comes to this kind of topic!" I earned a light slap on my right forearm from Nayeon unnie.

The two of us stayed up all night brainstorming to get some perfect ideas for my next performance. Mnet invited me because they saw something in me and I shouldn't waste the trust they've given me. I should work harderererer. And after 2 hours of exchanging ideas, we finally thought of something brillant. All I have to do is think of a choreography that will move every audience and judges' hearts.

We stood up from our long- sitting episode. My hurts from sitting on the floor for good 5 hours but still managed to hug and thank Nayeon unnie. "Yokshi, Nayeon unnie never disappoints! Nayeon unnie, sugoiiiii~" I said, hugging her tightly.

"Ya! You're just being like this because I helped you." She smiled genuinely as she hugged me back.

"Can we go have some rest now? I'm pretty tired, thanks to you." She joked as we parted from hugging and when I was just about to agree, a very important thing suddenly popped out of my mind.

"Wait, Nayeon unnie! Who's gonna be my partner actually?" It now bothers me a lot since I don't have a lot of guy friends.

"Well, about that. You can just get someone from company's dance crew. Tsk Momo, stop bothering about such small things. Come on, let's go to sleep." Nayeon unnie said while slightly yawning.

"Neh~ Good night, Nayeon unnie!" She bid good night and entered their shared room as I aslo entered mine.

I'm still bothered about who's going to be my partner. I just hope we'll have some great chemistry and conquer the stage together. As much as I'm so bothered about it, it didn't stop me from going into a deep slumber.

*********

Twice members are having their breakfast together. Momo woke up last while Nayeon woke up earlier than expected.

"Had a great sleep, huh? Come, join us! Though it's still morning and you must be tired from non-stop practice, we ordered jokbal~" Jungyeon said, totally waking up the sleepyhead Momo and rushed to the dining table. The members laughed and continues to eat and chat.

"Oh wait, we just have finalize Momo's concept for Hit the Stage's next theme! Momo's going to do it with a male partner." Nayeon proudly announced the product of their brainstorming last night. Mina, on the other hand, choked on her 5th bite of her kimchi fried rice.

"Are you okay?" Sana rubs her back and gave her a glass of water.

The members got excited and teased Momo. Nayeon explained Momo's concept in detail that made one of the members furious.

"What the hell?! She'll be dancing with a male partner? And what was their theme again? THIS LOVE?!" Mina thought to herself, calming the out of her and trying not to look like a jealous girlfriend as if she's one.

"Im'ma go to the restroom. Something's wrong with my stomach, I guess." Mina lied as she stood up and went to the restroom. Nothing's wrong with her stomach, it should have been her heart.

MINA POV

"What's wrong with me? Ugh. It's just a male partner. Just a dance partner. And is actually our company's dancer. I think I'm overreacting here."

"But, he'll be able to touch Momo and that's a very unsightly scene to look at. There's no way he can have a skinship with Momo!"

"What am I going to do about it, though? I can't just overreact there and make my members suspicious of me."

"Can't she just do it alone or do it again with her friend she danced with during the first theme?"

"And why am I talking to myself?"

"I must be crazy. I should get going or they'll worry about me."

I went out of the restroom and continued my breakfast. None of them noticed how my mood changed right after what Nayeon unnie announced earlier. They're still teasing Momo unnie and it's so annoying. I'll just play SuperStar JYP then.

Funny how I still managed to get the newest world record for our song, I must be crazy despite of all the annoying noise I'm hearing a.k.a her members non-stop teasing Momo about her upcoming performance.

*********

Momo's working hard with her male partner for the past 5 days. Meanwhile, Mina has been avoiding her. Sure, she went to Momo's practices but doesn't actually watch it as she can feel something inside her being tore apart. Momo noticed it as she secretly watches her while practicing.

For the past 5 days, Momo still haven't felt the feeling of satisfaction that she have felt on her previous performance. She felt like something's off. She doesn't know what it is but still continue to practice. The other members went out to buy some snacks and Mina chose to stay in the corner of the room, playing SuperStar JYP, as usual. The male dancer had to take a very important call that momentarily stopped their practice. Momo then sat beside Mina.

"Hey~" It shocked Mina that made her lose on her game.

"Gahd, you startled me! Game over, ugh. I'm out of headphones, too. Might as well I stop this now." Mina said putting down her phone and got up.

"I'm sorry. Wait, are you ignoring me?" Momo asked.

"Of course not! Why would I?" Mina denied, eyes looking everywhere but Momo. Well, she really doesn't but she doesn't want to talk to Momo either knowing that their topic would just be about Her dancing with a male partner. Mina's tired of it, for goodness sake!

"Oh yeah? Dance with me, then. You're always present on my practice and we all know here you're a fast-learner. You must have memorized it more anyone else except me and my partner.

"Oh that partner again. Can't she stop mentioning him just this time?" But no matter how annoyed she is, she loved the idea of her dancing again with Momo. She's just worried because she doesn't know the choreography. Well, some of them. And by some, it means she only knows 5% out of the full choreography since she really isn't watching them practice.

"I'd love to but I just know some parts. I was busy playing on my phone to watch you guys flirt— I mean, dance." That's some half-truth though.

"Don't worry. As long as I, Hirai Momo, your partner, nothing's gonna go wrong." Momo joked and offered her hand to Mina.

"Where did you get all these confidence, huh?" Mina then smiled and accept Momo's hand.

They danced in sync, feeling each other. The chemistry between Momo and Mina is overflowing that someone might thought there's something going on between the two of them. An hour has passed and they're still dancing together. Again, they were suddenly having these weird feelings on their stomach as if there were pupas in there that just evolved into thousand of butterflies. Little did they know, the remaining members and her male partner was watching them from the transparent door and is actually gawking at them.

"Damn, that was hot!" The maknae said, wiping sweats from her forehead.

"Yeah right! They should perform this together. Oppa, is it okay for Mina to take over you? Neh? Neh? Shy shy shy~" Sana aegyo-ed at the poor male dancer that can't help but fall into Sana's charm and nodded. All of them squealed. Mina and Momo on the other hand, was still oblivious on the conversation happening outside as they were dancing intensely, almost losing into each other's touch, forgetting about everything, plus, the room is soundproof that can't here anything but the music and each other's hot breaths.

"Now that I saw them dancing together, I see this exploding chemistry between them that no one in Twice's polygamous ship can beat!" Jihyo said.

"Now that you said it leader-nim, has anyone here noticed how Mina looked at Momo these days? And how she clearly looked so jealous and annoyed when we're having a skinship with Momo?" Dahyun began to lowkey become suspicious about the two.

"I know right? Same with Momo unnie, too. I thought I was the only one who noticed all of those. MiMo is real! Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!" Chaeyoung was crazily jumping that her members had to stop her. They then beg the male dancer.

"Oppa, please tell Momo you have something important to do that you won't probably make it on the time of recording~" They made him agree in such a small span of time, more like in just 10 seconds. Who couldn't ignore Twice's charm?

Just when Momo and Mina's done dancing, the members went in and the male dancer started her act. Thankfully, Momo understood the situation and agreed to it. She's even more thankful knowing that she has in mind on who's going to be her new partner. Mina. Mina on the other hand, silently thanked the ketchups all over the world and prayed hard that Momo will pick her as her new partner. They then prepared themselves to go home.

The members already exited the room and just as when Mina's about to exit, Momo grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug and said, "I want you to be my partner." 

*********

A/N: Chapter 3 is uuuuppp! I was so excited last night and it turned out that their performance will be aired next week >.< AND YAAASS! Momo just announced on the national television that Mina's her girlfriend. G I R L F R I E N D ! ! ! KHSOFLHSLOFIHSFOSFOI The teasers are killing me and I couldn't wait any longer! Thank you for the subscribers and yaaasss to the 3 upvotes! Thank you so much! #RiseMIMO

///btw, where do you guys watch a subbed version of hit the stage episodes?///