Summary: It takes sacrifice to be happy, she learns.

Pairing(s): onesided!TzuMo, implied!MiMo

Genre(s): angst

A/N: the second part of my College!AU miniseries. This one is set before Above the Clouds.

Moral lesson: never assume stuffs, kiddos.

*thoughts are in bold*

It’s hard for Momo to focus on her football practice without her mind eventually wandering to the  rustic, taunting Philosophy Faculty building, she learns, her eyes scanning through the pool of students flowing out of the main gate while she stretches her arms upwards.

“Searching for someone, Momo-unnie?”

She turns to her side and smiles, “No, not at all.”

“Liar,” Dahyun pouts innocently, the kind of pout that makes boys and girls fall in love over and over again, except for Momo that is, “you’re obviously looking for someone.”

“It’s just your imagination,” the brunette smiles gently and ruffles the girl’s multi-colored hair, “and what did I say about dyeing your hair back to its original color?”

The sophomore whines cutely, complaining about how Momo ruins her carefully done hairdo and how she looks like a mess now, but the older girl registers none of it as she returns back to searching for someone.

A single loud clap from their coach snaps her out of her futile search and she sighs, missing her chance to see the girl she’s looking for.

“Momo-unnie, let’s eat lunch together today!” Dahyun and Chaeyoung say in unison as soon as practice ends, each taking one of their captain’s hands and pull her up from her stretching position. The Japanese sighs but agrees nonetheless, and as they start packing their stuffs back into their lockers, a soft-spoken, graceful voice speaks up.

“Would it be okay if I join you guys?”

Momo looks towards the source of the velvety sound. It is Myoui Mina, wearing her beautiful gummy smile, and the two sophomores are suddenly nowhere to be found, possibly giving them spaces.

Outwardly, the brunette is all smiles, kind and patronizing towards this interruption. But inwardly, she’s all but that, cursing the two kids for their stupid misunderstanding.

It’s not that Momo doesn't like Mina, it’s just that Momo likes someone else who’s in the same major as Mina… and Dahyun and Chaeyoung jump to the wrong conclusion.

“Sure,” Momo says finally. Even if all she wants to do is strangle ChaeDa to their doom, she isn’t so heartless to reject such a beautiful lady, even if it will cause more misunderstandings with the maknaes.

“Momo-unnie, let’s go!” Chaeyoung finally shows up and grins, “Mina-unnie can come too if she wants!”

Playing innocent, aren’t you? Momo thinks, but she lets this one slide.

For Mina—beautiful, graceful Mina, the captain of the campus’ number one heartthrobs, the cheer squad—is smiling her genuinely mesmerizing smile, and Momo doesn’t have it in her to break it apart.

Mina recommends the Philosophy Faculty’s canteen food, and Momo freaks out internally, for it has been her long-