A young woman with medium length light brown hair sat alone in a bench facing Han river. It’s a late autumn morning, so the cold wind forced the woman to wear a trench coat and a black knitted scarf. She seemed to be waiting for someone from the amount of times she looked at the watch in the past 5 minutes.

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting, traffics,” another young woman with silky black hair sat beside her and smiles apologetically. She brought two steaming cups of dark liquid and offered one to her companion along with a hotpack. The brown haired wowan took the cup and thanked her.

 

“So, what’s your story Hirai Momo-ssi?” the black haired woman asked while sipping her hot cocoa. She observed the calming flow of the river.

 

“Firstly, why Han riverbank when we could just meet up in a warm and cozy restaurant?” Momo retorted.

 

“Well, you didn’t protest when I told you the rendevouz place. Also, don’t you think this place is fitting for spilling whatever truth you want to tell me?”

 

“Ugh, true. I’ve never been able to say no to you after all.” She shook her head.

 

The black haired woman raised her eyebrows because Momo talked as if they’ve known each other forever when in reality they only just met yesterday. But she said nothing and waited for the other woman to continue.

 

“I know you’re researching about immortality for years now, Mina,”

 

Mina noticed that Momo didn’t use honorifics with her, but strangely she doesn’t feel offended at all.

 

“And?” Mina glanced sideways and caught Momo’s gaze.

 

“And you’re not going to achieve anything with your current method,”

 

“What do you know anyway,” Mina scoffed. She went back to stare at the river.

 

“I know everything about immortals Mina,”

 

“Oh yeah, from what source, television?”

 

“Because I am one,”

 

Silence.

 

“Okay, I believe you, continue,” Mina got up to leave.

 

“Why are you always like this,” Momo laughed while shaking her head.

 

“What,” Mina shoved Momo’s shoulder. Even though they just met, Mina strangely felt comfortable enough with this strange woman.

 

“You always accepted the fact that I’m an immortal just like that. I don’t know wether you trust me too much, too desperate, or just plain idiot.”

 

Blood rushed to Mina’s face. She hates being teased. So she pressed Momo for explanation. “What do you mean always, have you meet me before?”

 

“I have. This is the actually the fifth time I introduced myself to you,” Momo grinned cheekily.

 

“I don’t... Oh?” Suddenly something clicked in Mina’s head. “You mean..? But how..? Wait, does this mean immortality can be achieved? And the reincarnation theory is true?”

 

“Yes and yes. I’ll leave the explaining to Jihyo since she’s better at explaining things like this,” she sipped her cocoa.

 

“Who’s Jihyo?”

 

“One of my immortal friend,”

 

“She’ll answer eveything I want to know?”

 

“Maybe, I can’t guarantee though,” Momo bemusedly answered Mina’s excited questions.

 

“O-okay. But how did you find me and my other reincarnations?”

 

Momo’s smile became softer as she turned to face the river. “You all have moles in the same place. And your personality never changes. You’re also quick and witty, but also graceful at the same time.”

 

“You know a lot about me, huh,”

 

“I dated three of your previous incarnations,” Momo stated matter-of-factly.

 

Mina giggled, she found this fact funny. “What happened to the other one?”

 

“I found her too late,” Momo said.

 

“Oh no, did she die?” Mina’s tone turned sympathetical.

 

“No,” Momo grins. “I found her already reciting her wedding vows to a dashing young man.” She laughed at Mina’s baffled expression. Then Mina joined in the laugh.

 

......

 

“Minariiiiii,” Momo whines as she hugged her girlfriend from behind.

 

“What is it Momoring,” Mina asked, patting Momo’s head with one arm. Then she went back to type on her computer.

 

“Since I brought you to meet Jihyo, you’ve been ignoring me,” Momo pouted.

 

“I didn’t. I am merely trying to extend our time together.” Mina turned to kiss Momo’s cheek.

 

“Oh? How’s the progress?”

 

“In the right direction, but still not there yet,”

 

“You can take all the time you need” Momo nuzzled her face to her girlfriend’s neck.

 

“I don’t have much time left though,”

 

“What? Are you secretly dying?” Momo jumped back, startled.

 

Mina laughed, she turned to face Momo. “No, I just don’t want to be immortalized as a grandma.” She cupped Momo’s face.

 

“You’d still look beautiful to me,”

 

“But I’d have back pains and wrinkles,”

 

“Whatever floats your boat your majesty,” then Momo leaned in to close the gap.

 

......

 

Three women huddled up in a kitchen on a breezy spring afternoon. They are staring intently at a pot filled with simmering substance that looked like a soup. But instead of a delicious smell, the mixture stank like someone decided to stew tofu with liquid dish soap. One of the women slowly stirred the substance with metal ladle.

 

“How much longer, I’m losing my appetite,”

 

“Shush, Momoring, let Jihyo concentrate,”

 

“Another five minutes and it’s done,” Jihyo checked her watch.

 

“I can’t believe you made it to the last step,” Momo lovingly rubbed Mina’s back.

 

“It’s all thanks to you, Momoring,” Mina gave Momo a gummy smile.

 

“Don’t make me vomit into the potion, please,” Jihyo teased the couple.

 

“You should’ve brought Nabongs here too,” Momo rolled her eyes.

 

“She said she’s not going to torture herself again with this and went off to get her massage,” Jihyo shakes her head at her girlfriend’s antics. When the potion is done, Jihyo turned off the stove and put the pot in the counter to cool it down. Just then, Jihyo’s phone rang.

 

“Wait a sec it’s Nayeon,” she said to her friends. “Good afternoon to you too, how’s the spa, pick you up? Now?”

 

She turned to Mina, “You can complete the last step yourself right?”

 

“Sure no problem, go get your baby,” Mina nodded, Momo gave her a thumbs up.

 

“A baby indeed,” Jihyo mumbled. She then bid the couple goodbye and drove off.

 

“So, what’s the last step?” Momo walked back to the kitchen after sending Jihyo off. She froze when she saw Mina brandishing a knive to her chest.

 

“An immortal’s blood,” Mina whispered. Her expression so serious that Momo flinched and raised both hands in reflex.

 

“Just kidding,” Mina laughed. She put away the knive and took out a syringe.

 

“Somehow, the knive is less scary than the syringe. Can I have the knive instead?” Momo rolled up her sleeves.

 

“Nuh-uh,” Mina took Momo’s right arm and skillfuly draw a syringeful of blood. Then she added the blood into the potion which immediately sizzled and turned into a crystal blue colour.

 

“Wow, that’s beautiful,” Mina poured the potion to a wine glass.

 

“Yeah it is, but the taste is ugh,” Momo took out a bottle from the top shelf and poured herself a glass of red wine.

 

“So, here it is,”

 

“Yeah, cheers!” They clinked their glass together. Mina drank her potion in one go while Momo sipped her wine slowly.

 

“Wait, I just remembered, you’re going to pass out after drinking that potion-“ Momo caught Mina in time, but not Mina’s glass which shattered against the kitchen floor.

 

“Whoa-“ Momo set her glass on the counter to get a better hold of Mina.

 

“Sorry Momoring,” Mina said weakly.

 

“It’s okay,” Momo carried Mina to the bedroom and set her down gently.

 

“I love you,” Mina whispered and closed her heavy eyes.

 

“I love you too,” Momo kissed Mina’s forehead, “since forever,”

 

-end-