(v.) to tenderly pull or draw someone closer – to hold, as for affection, comfort, or warmth; to fondle, to caress, to embrace, to protect
(Catalan)

After separating from the group, Momo went to Mina’s house. The younger girl lives in the same elite neighborhood as Dahyun, but her house is on the edge of it. Out of everyone’s house, she lives the farthest from the school. This makes it hard for Momo, who’s house is basically on the opposite side, to visit her house, and she would usually use a taxi to go there.

Momo arrives at Mina’s house and presses the doorbell. She actually has the house key, one that Mina gave to her, but she knows better than to use it. Mr. and Mrs. Myoui doesn’t know that she has the key, and for all she knows, both of them hate her. Why wouldn’t they? Their daughter is dating the heir to the biggest mafia group. So Momo tries her best to not offend them.

In a few seconds, a maid opens the door and welcomes Momo inside, albeit coldly. It seems as if no one in the Myoui household likes her, but Momo is used to it. She’s been dealing with hate ever since she could remember. As long as Mina is with her, no one else matters.

“The mistress is in her room.” The maid says. Momo could feel the venom hidden in the maid’s words, but she ignores it and goes straight to Mina’s room.

On the way there, she meets Mrs. Myoui at the stairs. Momo nods her head in acknowledgement at the older woman, while Mrs. Myoui just ignores her. She sighs. I need to get their approval one of these days, especially for Mina’s sake. Momo knows that the younger girl has been fighting with her parents because of her. She feels guilty that Mina’s relationship with her parents became strained. She tries her best to impress the Myouis, but seemed like everything she does displeases them in some way. Momo is confused.

“Mina? You in there?” she asks as she knocks on the younger’s door. Momo gets a muffled hum in response. She then opens the door and walks in. Mina’s room is not in its best of state – clothes, tissue and books are everywhere, the bedroom’s owner doesn’t look any better. The younger girl is laying down on her bed below a mountain of blankets. “Well this looks flattering.” The older joked while threading her way through the mess.

“Shut up, Momo,” Mina groaned under the blankets, and Momo chuckles.

“Didn’t you have your maids clean up the place for you? Those maids of yours like to spoil you right?” she says while plopping down on the bed, just beside Mina. She stretches her hand to feel the younger’s forehead. It’s scorching hot.

“I don’t like them coming in here, you know that.” Mina puffs out. “Especially not after they did that to you,” Momo sadly smiles at her.

“You don’t have to hold a grudge on that for me,”

“But they disrespected you, Momo!” Mina coughs roughly. Momo hurries and brings the cup of water to her. She pats her back while she drinks the water.

“It’s okay, Mina. Just forget about it,”

“I can’t, I don’t want to! They hurt you, and I won’t forgive them for it.” Mina looks straight into Momo’s eyes. Sometimes the older girl is just too kind for her own good Mina thinks, which is ironic since she’s the mafia. She sits up and pats the space beside her, gesturing for Momo to sit there. The older girl moves; Mina leans and puts her head on her shoulder. “Momo,”

“Hmmm?”

“…Can’t you just take me away…?” she says softly in a pleading tone.

“Where?”

“…Anywhere, but this cold place.”

“…You know I can’t do that….” Mina sighs and Momo gives her an apologetic look. If she could, she would do exactly what her lover wants, but she couldn’t. There would be too many things to risk, to leave behind. Besides, Mina’s family would still find them eventually. “Look here,” Momo holds her face. “I promise it’ll be better, so just relax…. Don’t worry about it…”

“But–” Mina gets interrupted by the older girl’s lips. They kissed softly and full of love. It lasted for as long as their lungs allowed them. “I’m sick you know,” she pants.

“I don’t care,” and she kisses her again. This time with more passion and not so innocent as the first one. “I love you,”

“I love you too,” they attach their lips again, desperate to show their love towards each other. Momo bites her lower lip and she grants her the access to explore .

“I missed you today,” she whispers seductively in the younger’s ear. Mina’s body is already hot from her illness, but the kisses from her lover and the extra hands on her body makes it even hotter. Momo’s cold hands made a fiery trail wherever she touched. She pushes Mina onto her bed and dominates over her, just the way the younger likes it. Her hands sneak inside the cloth and she her bare abs. Sooner or later, Momo’s hands goes down further south.

Suddenly her phone rings out loud on the nightstand. Momo ignores her phone and continues to kiss Mina on her neck, leaving little hickeys on it.

“Momo,” she calls out to her. Momo ignored the girl, she knows what the girl is about to say. “Momo,” Mina calls her again. “Your phone.”

“It’s probably nothing important, just ignore it, babe.”

“Probably, Momo, probably. Just pick it up so we can continue,” Momo groans and does what her girlfriend tell her to do. She gets up and sits on the edge of the bed.

“Hello? You better make this important,” she hisses. “What? …And? …I can’t, I’m…But…Okay, fine…yeah…see you there.” She hangs up and puts her phone back on the night stand. She sighs.

“I’m guessing we can’t continue?” Mina wraps her hands around Momo’s waist and rests her head on her shoulders.

“Nope… That was my father. Apparently there’s a problem at home, and I have to be there for it.”

“Now?” The younger girl hopes that they could at least spend more time together before separating again.

“Unfortunately,” Momo sighs again. “I’m sorry,” she turns her head and kisses Mina.

“Don’t be,” she gives her an understanding smile. “I understand.”

Momo unwraps Mina’s hands from her and stands up. She grabs something from her bag and gives it to Mina. “Here’s some cold medicine. Knowing you, you probably haven’t taken any.”

“Ugh, how did you know?” Mina pouts and Momo giggles.

“I’m your girlfriend remember?”

“And that automatically makes you know everything?”

“Yup,” Momo says while popping the ‘p’. She grins proudly.

“You’re unbelievable,” Mina laughs. “Go. Their waiting right? I wouldn’t want to hold you back any longer.”

“Eager to get rid of me, eh?” The older teases.

“Ya!”

“I know, I know. See you later, Minari.” She kisses her one last time before she goes. “Love you.”

“Love you too. See ya, Momoring.” Mina waves her good bye. She wanted to see her off at her front door, but she knows Momo wouldn’t let her do that when she’s sick. Her bed room door closes with a click.

Mina gets up from her bed and goes to the bathroom to wash up so she can sleep. Then she hears the sound of her bed room door open again, she thinks that Momo probably just forgot something there. But she found her mother instead in her room. Mina sees her mother look around her room with disgust. She ignores the older woman and goes to her bed to sleep.

“Don’t ignore me, young girl.” Mrs. Myoui sternly say. Mina sighs.

“What is it, mother?” she asks while hiding the venom in her voice. Her mother squints her eyes at her.

“That… girl, visited you again.”

“And?” Mina knows what her mother is trying to do.

“When will you get rid of the girl? It’s been months Mina.”

“Mother, we’ve talked about this before, and you know my answer.” She glares at her mother.

“But why? There are better people than her! We could set you up with a nice man and–”