“Uh, we were, uh...” 

“We’re kindaaa doing a...”

“Kinda, ya know...” 

The girls can’t even construct one sentence or anything that passes as an excuse. Hyebin has her arms crossed as she waited with a horrific look on her face.

The girls were lined up in the living room with apologetic looks. They can’t call anyone or tease anyone without her being in the conversation or in the same room. It’s one of those unspoken rules inside their group. And they broke that pact, obviously.

“We’re d-doing a—“ Jiyeon coughed as if she really has a case of colds. 

Taeha raised her hand with a confident smile on her face. “We were doing a ritual to summon you!”

There was silence.

But the thoughts of the 7 members were raging.

A ritual?!

The rest of MOMOLAND facepalmed.

“Oh my goodness why did they let Taeha do this?” Yeonwoo whispered to Nayun. Nayun shook her head.

There was no way Hyebin would believe that.

“Huh? But I was just buying groceries? Why d’you guys needed so much like a ritual to get me home?” Hyebin laughed and patted Taeha’s head. Taeha was still as a stone when she realized that Hyebin bought her lame excuse.

Taeha assumed she was getting better at lying. Which wasn’t true because maybe Hyebin is a bit dumb for the day.

Jiyeon frowned at Yeonwoo. “But I thought you told us that she was going to the Managers—“

Hyebin’s eyes immediately moved to Yeonwoo who was clamping Jane’s mouth—and also her nose apparently, but Yeonwoo couldn’t care less—violently that Jane is starting to shiver. Jane’s struggles were so useless because Yeonwoo has the advantage.

“Uhm, you’re killing Jiyeon, just in case you don’t know?” Daisy nudged Yeonwoo who has a Cheshire grin plastered on her face.

“Then that’s one less cockroach in the house—mmph!” Jane started battling Yeonwoo by attempting to shut Yeonwoo’s nose and mouth. Yeonwoo lost her balance but Nancy interfered. The other girls muffled laughs were heard in the background of Nancy’s small voice.

“Ya, unnies, stop it.” Nancy’s strict tone was enough for Yeonwoo to give it up. Jane hurled a gasp and a deep breath afterwards.

“You better explain later, Lee Da Bin.” Jane threatens as she lets go of Yeonwoo and stood up. Yeonwoo smirked as she breathed deeply.

“Why did you guys roughhoused so suddenly?” Hyebin asked while helping Yeonwoo stand. 

“Because it’s fun.” Jiyeon simply said then smiled. 

“What did you buy anyway, unnie?” Nayun immediately changed the topic when Hyebin was about to inquire more. It was no secret from Nayun that Yeonwoo lied. Something must’ve happened.

“Oh, just food we need—“

“Did you buy bread?” Daisy immediately asked. Hyebin started thinking and flicked her fingers afterwards with a regretful look on her face.

“Oh no! I knew it, I did forget something!” Hyebin started wearing her thick coat again and was wearing her mask heading towards the door when she stopped.

“MOMOLAND, please sort all of the stuff I bought. If I get here AND IT’S STILL IN THOSE PLASTICS THEN YOU’VE GOT ANOTHER THING COMING.” Hyebin threatens and gave everyone the infamous ‘evil stepmother’ eye.

“Wait, Hyebin-unnie!” Taeha stops her when Hyebin was starting to go out from the door. 

And requested the most impossible request to have been ever requested as of the moment.

“Let JooE go with you!”

“WHAT?” Hyebin and JooE said in unison—and in disbelief.

Taeha frowned. “Is there something wrong with it? JooE knows what you should buy since she’s the one who checked the cabinets a while ago.”

“But—“

“But what? Is there a problem with that? The both of you always do the groceries usually anyway.” Taeha’s frown went deeper. Nayun squeezed Taeha’s hand a bit.

JooE shot Nancy with a look begging for help. Nancy sighed as she composed an excuse.

But stopped on thinking when Yeonwoo talked.

“Why don’t you go with Hyebin, Joo Won?” Yeonwoo urged. Nancy looked at her as if saying ‘what-the-hell-are-you-doing?!’.

Yeonwoo gave her a look that says ‘trust-me-on-this’.

Nancy looked at JooE and shrugged. 

Nancy swore she saw JooE mouthed: “.”

They waited for JooE to walked towards Hyebin. Hyebin gave JooE a cold look but JooE was too busy fidgeting to see it while walking to her.

Hyebin sighed through her mask before removing it. Then putting it on JooE instead. JooE’s heart immediately ran a marathon when cold bullets was starting to form on her hands. 

“You’re a famous person, wear a mask.” Hyebin’s tone almost killed JooE on the spot and JooE’s pace of heart started slowing down considerably.

“Why do you worry me so much, Joo Won?” Hyebin whispered as a tear fell from her eye. Hyebin’s heart started clenching just from the sight of JooE looking at everything except her.

JooE broke on the spot but she tried to hide it.

Hyebin discreetly wiped the tear that fell. 

“We’ll be going now.” Hyebin said in a faint, slightly shaky voice.

“Take care.” The members said in unison. The door creaks into a close and the members inside the house suddenly heaved a deep breath.

Jiyeon crossed her arms then looked at Nancy and Yeonwoo who was now looking at each other.

“Yeonwoo, Nancy—“

“Why don’t we start hanging the streamers? Let’s start setting up too!” Taeha yelled with so much enthusiasm.

The members except Jiyeon said: “NE!!!” before going to Taeha for their division of labor.

Yeonwoo knew Jane won’t stop until she gets an answer, so Yeonwoo came up with the most truthful answer she could give.