Mina thinks their ship name should be Momi. Momo needs to fix this immediately.

 

---

 

Momo is having a good day. They’re at a fan sign, going down the line, meeting their beloved fans and signing autographs and playing with all the little toys before them. Momo is smiling, greeting her fans, together with her members-

 

Until she hears it.

 

“Hm? Oh yes, Momi!”

 

Momo blanches.

 

What the fu-

 

Mina is sitting two seats down from her, chatting with an enthusiastic ONCE. This fan obviously isn’t Korean from the looks of it, and she seems to be trying to communicate something to Mina. Mina, whose Korean is also not yet 100%, is patient and tries her best to understand whatever the fan’s saying. The fan seems to be saying something about her favorite TWICE ships (Momo inwardly preens at the fact that she and Mina are a fan-favorite) and she’s talking to Mina about Mina and Momo, which everyone knows is Mimo. That’s their ship name. It’s practically official, it’s a thing and everything! Everyone knows about it.

 

Except for Mina, apparently.

 

“Oh yes! Yes, Momi!” Mina catches her eye from down the table with a cute smile and the fan is absolutely delighted. Mina’s always been smart, but even so, how she managed to decipher that Korean is pretty really surprising to Momo.

 

But, what the hell is Momi?!?

 

Momo feels her eye twitch. She’s seated last at the fan sign table today, next to Chaeyoung who is smiling and happily communicating with one of her stans. “Have a nice day!” Chaeyoung smiles before they pass the fans along and Momo has to pull herself together to smile at the nice young man.

 

She can’t shake her thoughts for the rest of the fan sign. Somewhere in between ‘Momi’ and the end, Chaeyoung notices the sour look on Momo’s face. “Unnie? Are you okay?” The younger leans in to whisper concernedly to her as she signs another autograph.

 

Momo’s grip on her marker tightens. “I’m fine.” She replies lowly through gritted teeth. There’s an ink blot stain on some poor fan’s paper now, and Momo apologizes before the fan leaves. Mina, however, seems perfectly happy with herself and everything, joking around with Nayeon and Tzuyu with that cute gummy smile and her cute face and-

 

Momo takes a deep breath as she notices the end of the fan sign. The girls all stand up and thank everyone for coming, etc etc etc. Momo does the same, but her mind’s still on the Momi incident- she needs to talk to Mina. She needs to talk to her now.

 

Her opportunity comes when they get back to the dorm. It’s relatively early, which is a great thing for them all, so they wash up and dress down and spend this time milling around the dorm together, talking to whichever member is around.

 

Momo though, walks right up to Mina. “Minari.”

 

Mina turns and greets her with that cute little smile. “Momoring.” She giggles, instinctively reaching out to take the older girl’s hand.

 

Momo feels her heart skip a little at the gesture, but she has to keep her cool for the very serious confrontation that’s about to go down. She steels herself and takes a breath.

 

“Minari, what were you talking about with that fan earlier today? When you were looking at me?”

 

Mina thinks for a moment, and then she remembers. “Oh! She said she really likes TWICE and she would love to see us do more dance covers together.” She smiles proudly.

 

Momo, however, is not finished. “What did she say when she pointed at me?”

 

Mina thinks again. “Um… oh, I think she was just trying to get her point across.” She looks at Momo, a little confused now.

 

Momo is getting agitated. “Yes, but what did you say?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“What did you say when she did that?”

 

Mina takes a moment. “Um… Momi?”

 

Momi.

 

There it is. Momi. The reason behind all of Momo’s uncomfortable expressions today. Momo tries her best to keep cool. Cool as a cucumber. 

 

“Mina darling, that’s wrong. It’s not Momi. It’s Mimo.”

 

Mina tilts her head and Momo curses herself for finding her adorable. “Mimo?”

 

“Yes, Mimo. Our ship name?” Momo explains carefully, sure that Mina will see her point. Her and Mina are a strong ship for a reason, after all; they’re always in sync, they’re always cute and , and they just look good together okay even Dahyun said so (reference: TWICE LieV @ Momo’s part in the family.)

 

Unfortunately, it looks like Mina doesn’t agree today.

 

“It’s Mimo? But doesn’t Momi sound cuter?”

 

?!

 

Momo gasps. Mina is looking at her, trying to figure out what her problem is. “Wait you didn’t even know our ship name- ugh, never mind. But no! Nononono- it’s Mimo, Mina-chan. Mimo. Not Momi, mima, moana, or anything. It’s Mimo- M-I-M-O. Mimo. Mimomimomimomimo. Mimimimi momomomo. Mimo.”

 

Mina is staring at her from the sudden outburst. “But it would make sense for ‘Mo’ to come first because you’re older.” She rationalizes.

 

Momo blinks. . Curse Mina and her undying penchant for logic and rationalizing and all those smart things that Momo detests. “But- but Mimo rhymes with Nemo!”

 

“So?”

 

Momo’s grasping the air for the right words to vocalize her thoughts. “Nemo is cute! And so are we! Nemo, Mimo!”

 

Mina isn’t buying it. “That doesn’t make much sense, Momo.”

 

.

 

She’s running out of logic. She needs backup, quick. “Chaeyoung-ah!”

 

The younger girl stops in her tracks to poke her head in the living room. “Yes?”

 

Momo makes wild gestures in the air at herself and Mina. “Chaeyoung, we’re a couple right??”

 

Chaeyoung tilts her head. “Yeah. Momi, right?”

 

.

 

Mina is looking at her with a triumphant look in her eyes, the same look she has whenever she kicks their asses at games. Momo is flustered. She needs more backup, preferably different backup.

 

“Nayeon unnie!”

 

The eldest turns around from her bowl of cereal. “Hm?” She asks, looking curiously at the duo.

 

Momo makes more wild gestures at herself and Mina. “We’re a couple, right??” She asks, looking at Nayeon desperately.

 

Nayeon looks at them. “You and Mina? Yeah, you’re Mimo aren’t you?"

 

Momo does a mental fist pump. Yes! She knew she could count on Nayeon unnie.

 

Mina doesn’t look convinced. “But why Mimo? Why not Momi?” She asks the eldest, who looks a little confused.

 

“I don’t know, I never thought about it. Isn’t Mimo like, your official thing though?” She asks curiously and Momo can’t help but applaud graciously at her words with a touched and satisfied smile.

 

Mina and Chaeyoung are looking at her weirdly. Nayeon seems to be catching on though, and she’s starting to rev up. “Mimo sounds nice, doesn’t it Momo?” She suddenly raises her voice with a glint in her eyes, giving Momo a meaningful glance.

 

Momo grins widely. “Yes! Yes it does!” She sing-songs happily, raising her voice as well.

 

Sana comes out to see what the fuss is all about. “What’s this I hear about Mimo? Is there trouble in paradise? Do I have to push you guys into another kiss?”

 

Momo squeals at ‘Mimo’ and Nayeon applauds loudly. Mina and Chaeyoung look salty. “Don’t worry Sana! There is absolutely nothing wrong with Mimo-“ Momo makes sure to place a heavy emphasis on ‘Mimo’ and give Mina a ‘take that er’ look. “-we are doing just fine but if you’d like to push us into another kiss I have no complaints!”

 

Mina crosses her arms over her chest. “Sana unnie, Mimo or Momi?”

 

Sana looks over, surprised at the inquiry. “What kind of question is that? Mimo, of course!”

 

Nayeon and Momo look at each other and cheer, hailing Sana like a war hero. Sana readily accepts their praise.

 

Chaeyoung had disappeared into the maknae room a bit earlier, and she reemerges now with a confused Dahyun in tow. “Dahyun unnie, look closely at those two.” Chaeyoung points to Mina and Momo, who stand next to each other. Mina looks salty and Momo looks smug.

 

Dahyun looks back and forth between them. “Yes? What about them?”

 

“Now tell me- is it Mimo, or Momi?”

 

Dahyun looks like she’s wondering why this is such a big deal. “Momi, of course.” She answers confidently like this is common knowledge. Chaeyoung whoops (Dahyun’s hands fly up to shield her ears) and Mina claps loudly once in triumph. It’s like a little clap of thunder, and they all jump a bit at the sound.

 

Momo frowns. Nayeon pats her back reassuringly. “Don’t worry, we still have a chance. JEONGYEON!” She shrieks out for the other girl, and Jeongyeon pokes her head out of the bathroom with a toothbrush in .

 

“What?!” She asks through a mouth full of toothpaste.

 

All eyes are on her. “Jeongyeon, is it Mimo or Momi?” Nayeon asks loudly as they all stare at her expectantly.

 

“…Mimo?”

 

Sana scream-cheers and Momo almost cries in relief. Good ‘ol Jeongyeon. Always the reliable roommate. She gives Jeongyeon a teary thumbs-up, and the girl just looks at her, confused and disoriented, before disappearing back into the bathroom to finish washing up.

 

On the other side, Mina, Chaeyoung, and Dahyun seem to be having an emergency gathering. Momo thinks she’s won but then- oh no.

 

She looks at them with her sudden realization, and they look back with matching evil grins. “Oh no. I forgot,” Momo groans, facepalming within her own circle.

 

“What?” Sana asks innocently. Nayeon seems to have caught on as well, as her eyes widen and she starts to resemble Momo with her expression of dread.

 

“We got Jeongyeon but they have-“

 

“Tzuyu, Mimo or Momi?”

 

Chaeyoung asks the question to the towering girl, who regards Momo with crossed arms and stands on Mina’s side.

 

Maknae on top indeed.

 

Tzuyu stares at them with her large unblinking eyes. “It’s Momi.” She says with such an air of finality, Momo already feels her arguments withering away in her soul.

 

Mina looks very pleased, as do Chaeyoung and Dahyun. Sana scowls. “What are you talking about, clearly it’s Mimo. Momi doesn’t even make sense.”

 

Dahyun looks affronted. “What?? Of course it makes sense, Momi is just Mimo backwards! It’s practically the same thing and-“

 

“NO!” Momo shrieks, effectively cutting Dahyun off. “It’s NOT the same! It’s Mimo, not Momi!”

 

“Miiiiii mooooo!” Nayeon stretches it for emphasis.

 

“Mooooo miiii!” Tzuyu shoots back in sharp retaliation. Nayeon sulks at their youngest who just gives her a cheeky smile.

 

Momo is getting more and more agitated. Jeongyeon comes out of the bathroom to pat her comfortingly on the back. Momo just- she can’t believe it. All this time she’d thought they were Mimo. It was perfect! They were perfect! And then out of nowhere, Mina, the other half of Mimo, comes out and says it's Momi. What even- what the hell is Momi??

 

Momo feels like her entire life has been a lie.

 

The others are arguing back and forth now (Sana and Tzuyu are locked in a heated debate about the importance of officiality while Dahyun is outlining the logical aspects of age to an indignant and unreceptive Nayeon) Mina herself though, is kind of just standing there now. Her features have softened, and she doesn’t look nearly as salty as she did before. She looks amused now, and she’s even smiling a little.

 

Momo throws her hands up in the air. “Mina! How can you be smiling right now?? Our ship name is on the verge of being destroyed and you’re just standing there-“

 

“Oh, relax you big baby. It’s not that big of a deal.” Mina cuts her off with an eye roll and a smile, as she looks on at the other members fondly (Jihyo has wisely decided to hide in her room until this whole ordeal passes and they’re all too scared to go bother her).

 

Momo’s jaw drops to the ground. “Not a big deal? Not a big deal?? Mina! I can’t believe this! All this time I thought we were such a perfect couple and then you just go off and start sinking our ship-“

 

“I’m not trying to sink our ship.” Mina giggles at the very distressed Momo. “What I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t matter.”

 

“Of course it matters what do you mean it doesn’t matter-“

 

“We can be Mimo or Momi or Moana or whatever you want. It doesn’t matter to me, as long as it’s with you.” Mina smiles cheekily, flashing Momo a peace sign.

 

Momo stares at her. “Wait you-“

 

“I just thought it would be fun to mess with you a little. Well, I didn’t actually know Mimo was our ship name but how hard could it be to put two syllables together-“

 

“You didn’t even know our ship name?!?”

 

“-so really, I’m okay with Mimo if Momi upsets you so much. Although I won’t say I understand why.” Mina ignores her as she finishes with a smile and Momo doesn’t know if she should laugh or cry right now.

 

“You- you- I can’t believe this-“

 

“Oh let it go, Momo. Mimo, alright?”

 

Mina turns and marches off to her room to find Jihyo, leaving a flabbergasted Momo behind who can only stare after her with empty words. Tzuyu rolls her eyes and walks away with Chaeyoung and Dahyun trailing behind her, and Jeongyeon sighs as she spots her frozen roommate.

 

“Come on Mo, it’s not worth it.” She goes to pat Momo’s shoulder.

 

Sana looks at her sympathetically. “Yeah Momo, you should just go get some rest.”

 

“Want me to make you some tea?” Nayeon asks.

 

Momo almost cries for real this time. The universe must surely hate her.

 

She feels like the battle’s been won but the war is far from over. Oh well. Maybe next time.