March 24, 2019

A guilty smile flashed across Mina and Sana's faces as Momo withdrew from them to get a slice of birthday cake. The memory of Momo walking in on them while they kissed in an empty dressing room on New Year's Eve was still deeply ingrained in their minds.

Mina and Sana felt that Momo finding out about their relationship was actually all for the best since it meant they had a supporter on their side now, someone who watched over them fondly, quietly cheering for their happiness from the sidelines. It also meant that they had someone to help cover up their lame lies from time to time.

Momo's supportiveness almost convinced Mina to tell the others about their relationship, but there was no guarantee that the other six Twice members would react to the news as well as Momo had. So heeding Momo's warning to be more careful, Mina and Sana broke away from each other and joined the others in feasting on Mina's birthday cake.

Alcohol was poured and passed around as the members toasted to Mina's 22nd birthday. Mina was not particularly fond of alcohol, but she found it hard to decline any drinks on her own birthday. She downed one glass of soju and then another, feeling like she had drank more than her fair share for the night. Sana also drank her fair share and then some, evidenced by her giving Mina another two kisses on the cheek before moving on to kiss everyone else.

Mina wasn't the jealous type even when Sana was drunk, not when Sana was always so attentive and loving when they were alone together. Mina had no doubt in her mind that Sana loved her and only her, so Mina was content to watch Sana chase after an unwilling Jihyo and Dahyun, lips pursed at the ready.

Sana, on the other hand, had a bit of a jealous streak when it came to Mina. She had previously admitted to getting jealous whenever Mina so much as held another member's hand, so it actually worked out quite well for them that Mina was the least affectionate with other members while Sana was overflowing with affection for everyone.

As Mina's birthday party continued into the night, the alcohol bottles quickly emptied, drinking tolerances quickly became exceeded, and everyone's behavior started to become erratic.

"Birthday kiss!" Jeongyeon announced, launching herself forward and placing a loud kiss onto Mina's cheek. The birthday girl laughed and wiped away the excess saliva from the messy kiss. "No more escaping!"

"You're so drunk," Mina laughed. The Yoo Jeongyeon she knew would've been much more shy and reserved about giving her that innocent kiss had she been sober.

"Nu uh," Jeongyeon denied between fits of uncontrollable laughter, further confirming Mina's observations. Jeongyeon looked around and grabbed the closest member, who happened to be Sana, and pushed her toward Mina. "Your turn, Sana! Birthday kiss!"

Sana stared at Mina with muted awe, her eyes shining as though she was seeing Mina for the first time, as though Mina was a goddess who had single-handedly hung the stars in the sky. Mina gulped because she felt like it was an ominous sign for Sana to look so smitten with her while pink in the face from drinking.

"Sana's already given me three birthday kisses," Mina pointedly out, nervously turning away from Sana lest the older girl suddenly launch into her with a passionate kiss or something as equally detrimental to their secret.

"Then take my birthday kiss!" a cheerful Momo said, coming to Mina's side and placing the softest kiss ever to her cheek. Mina giggled and groaned at the same time, because the enjoyable kiss from Momo somehow also became a signal for the rest of her tipsy and drunken team to stagger over for birthday kisses.

"I'm not drunk, Mina-unnie," Tzuyu said shyly as she kissed Mina's che