“Let’s renew the contract for a minute” Momo said in a rush tone and she crashed her lips against Mina’s. The younger girl was caught off guard and her eyes were wide open feeling the warm and moist lips kissing her. She couldn’t move, she’s frozen and standing with both of her feet on the ground. When she realized what’s happening, she slowly closed her eyes, but why does tears fell from her eyes?

It doesn’t last for a minute, she felt it lasted for an hour. She couldn’t breathe. When Momo pulled away from the kiss, she looked in Momo’s eyes, like finding the missing pieces to what’s happening. But she couldn’t find anything. Momo is so confusing that it is so frustrating. Why does it have to be Momo? Why does her heart beats like crazy when the older touches her, kisses her? Like everything just fell apart instantly.

“Momo… I’m tired of these games…” Mina felt her voice cracked saying those words. “If you want to play around again, why don’t you do it with the girl you slept with after you ended our contract?” she couldn’t help but to spill every words she tried to bury deep inside her heart. This is too much for her heart to handle; she has to throw those words away to lessen the pain.

Momo was taken aback by the statement, she didn’t know that Mina knew about that. It was not a lie, she really slept with someone that time, intoxicated, with a stranger that she thought was Mina. Momo hangs her head down and couldn’t look at her in the eyes. It wasn’t like that. The words wouldn’t come out from . I love you, Mina.

The older girl just heard footsteps fading away. Lifting her head, she saw the disappearing figure of the one she wanted to be with. She felt her heart sank and her knees became weak. I love you. These undelivered feelings were squeezing her heart tightly, making it harder to breathe. Am I too late?

++

Squeaking rubber shoes echoed in a crowded basketball court. This is the most awaited game of the seniors. Whoever wins will be moving on in the nationals, which is everyone’s dream. Momo who is still inside the locker room is wrapping her swollen ankle with bandage after applying pain killers. Let me at least win this game, for Mina and everyone in the team. Momo prayed, for the first time, she wanted to win eagerly. This is their last chance, their last game.  Wearing her jersey, she went out and the fans grew wild seeing the ace player went on the floor. Momo earned her popularity with her athleticism. She looked around and her eyes landed on Mina who was at the corner of the bench beside the coach. Mina looked away and Momo felt a squeeze in her chest. She doesn’t even want to look at me.

Just with a blink of an eye she saw Chaeyoung approached Mina at the bench, the small guard’s team is strong, they are last year’s champion. She clenched her fist when she saw Mina giggled while talking with the point guard. Why does she have to be around Mina all the time? Momo thought and she couldn’t control her feet walking towards the two. Momo pulled Mina’s arm and stood in between them facing Chaeyoung.

“Why don’t you mind your own business in your team’s bench?” the older scoffed at the point guard giving her glares of death. Mina was shocked at Momo’s reaction.

“I’m here because I’m minding my own business” Chaeyoung answered back crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Why don’t you ask Mina if she wanted to be with you?” she continued looking intently to Momo’s eyes.

Momo couldn’t respond instead she turned her head to look at the girl at her back. She saw the sad look in Mina’s eyes. Why does she look so unhappy?

Chaeyoung pulled the other arm of Mina, and glared at Momo.

“Why are you acting all entitled with Mina? She’s not yours to begin with, Momo. You’re so full of yourself” the young point guard said as she pulled Mina away from Momo. The ace player loosened the grip that’s holding Mina and the two disappeared from her sight.

Mina was dragged by Chaeyoung towards the exit of the huge gymnasium. Mina stopped in her tracks realizing that the game would start soon.

“You don’t have to go that far Chaeyoung” Mina talked back after settling in the plant box outside the gym.

“But, Mina, she’s hurting you right?” the younger reasoned as an excuse to her action earlier. Mina released a heavy sigh. Yes, she’s hurt, everything Momo does has an impact on her and she couldn’t help but to be affected. But it has to stop.

“This is my problem, Chaeng, thank you for your concern, but, I don’t need your help” Mina said and she stood up returning inside the gym. “Let’s go inside, the game would start soon”

Momo, who was sitting at the bench, saw the two entered the gym and she felt her heart constricts at the sight. The words that Chaeyoung uttered has been bothering her mind. She just can’t stand to see Mina with Chaeyoung or any other person, not in her watch. But isn’t she crossing the line? She doesn’t have the right to get mad at someone who approaches Mina. Remembering the encounter last night, it’s likely that Mina might have grown to hate her more. Momo hanged her head low, trying to erase the thought to focus on the game.

++

Upon the whistle of the referee, the game began with a tip-off. The players were spread out across the court defending their basket. It was the opponents’ possession and their point guard is the one who’s handling the ball. With a crossover dribbling, Chaeyoung easily made her way through the opponent and scored a basket with a lay-up. The small point guard didn’t forget to glance at Momo and smirk to see her irritated reaction, she knew how to get into the ace player’s nerves.

Jeongyeon passed the ball to Momo when she noticed that she’s open for three. It was like a sure score when Momo shoots three uncontested. But it doesn’t go in. Momo felt ashamed for disappointing her team mates and for disappointing herself as well. She never missed an open three. The captain approached her and taps her back. “Don’t mind, we still got a lot of time” Jeongyeon reassured to comfort their shooting guard.

The opponent scored again and Momo felt the urge to score back. When the ball’s possession is with Momo, she was guarded by Chaeyoung.

“It’s rare for you to miss an open shot, what more if a contested one?” the small point guard nudged her arm towards the direction of the ball, trying to reach in. But Momo is quick to shift her dribbling to her other arm and positioned herself immediately outside the three-point line. Chaeyoung swiftly jumped anticipating a shot but Momo pumped fake and shoots the basket upon their body’s contact. Luckily the basket was counted and a shooting foul was called against the opponent earning a free throw for the older.

“You’re smart” Chaeyoung commented to Momo after she completed her four-point play. “But how long can you last with your injury” Momo was taken aback with the remark.

The game goes on and Momo was able to score but not as much as Chaeyoung’s score. Their point guard sure is athletic and fast. Momo couldn’t keep up with guarding her. And she felt inefficient as the game progresses, her ankle has been aching so much but she’s ignoring the pain to give her team a score, having the responsibility as their main scorer.

Chaeyoung sees this as an opportunity to pull their team ahead. She knew Momo couldn’t keep up with her speed due to her injuries and everytime that the ball is in her possession, she can easily pass through Momo’s defense and score an easy basket. Momo is becoming more frustrated with the game, she tried to steal the ball but ended up fouling Chaeyoung. The coach called for a timeout.

“Momo, don’t put your frustrations on top of your head, focus on the game” the coach said and she just nods in response. Mina saw the look in Momo’s eyes. She’s stressed, pressured and pained? Mina suddenly felt something’s not right. She wanted to approach Momo but the timeout already ended and the players went to the court.

The ball was in Chaeyoung’s possession and again, Momo’s the one who’s guarding her. The point guard dribbled the ball faster to confuse Momo and when she shifted her direction to the right, Momo was quick to respond and the next thing she knew, she forced her way to the right unintentionally stepping on Momo’s foot making the older out-balanced, in effect twisting her ankle upon landing on the floor.

A loud thud and the crowd was silenced and only the sound of referee’s whistle could be heard. A foul was called against the point guard. Momo was lying on the floor clutching her ankle crying silently in pain.

Something’s not right. Mina thought, it wasn’t just a simple injury from a foul. She immediately went towards Momo and the rest of the team also gathered around the injured player.

Mina carefully removed the shoes from the injured foot and she gasped, covering with worried expression, at the sight. The medics came and gently transferred Momo to a stretcher, she’s covering her face with a towel to hide her tears. Mina followed them to the huge van with complete medical equipment, like a mobile hospital beside the gym. It’s hard to look at Momo’s injury, and it’s more painful to see the closed fists of the older, feeling all the frustrations, worrying about the outcome of this injury. The doctor in charge heaved a sigh.

“We need to transfer her to a proper hospital, she has fractured ankle, we need to have it x-rayed for surgery”

Mina just nodded and she held Momo’s hands squeezing them tightly like reassuring her that everything’s gonna be alright. Momo isn’t talking, and Mina understands, it was harder for the ace player to be in this situation at this moment.

Being the manager of their team, she’s the one who has to accompany Momo to the hospital. The game is still ongoing and Mina received a call from their coach asking for updates on Momo’s status.

“She’s now being x-rayed, the doctor said she’s fractured several bones in her ankles and might need an urgent surgery to repair the dislocated bones” Mina reported.

“Alright, please tell Momo to recover well, we will try our best here to win with the remaining time, and thank you for taking over in looking out for her” the coach said feeling relieved that they had a dependable manager.

Mina released a heavy sigh after the call, and she sat outside the empty hallway’s benches propping her head against her palm. She felt it was partly her fault that she ignored the signs of Momo’s injury. Or she’s just too occupied in dealing with her own feelings towards Momo. She’s not sure, the only thing she’s sure about is that, at this moment, she needed to be beside her.

The doctor approached Mina and talked to her in the x-ray room explaining the result of the x-ray and the procedures that they’ll do afterwards. It was too overwhelming to grasp every details but she just nods, giving her full trust to the doctor who will perform the intensive surgery.

“We have to do it today so I want to ask if you could sign this waiver on behalf of her relatives so we can proceed” the doctor asked and Mina was quick to comply. The next thing she knew she was sitting next to the lying Momo. The surgery was successfully done and the older was sleeping soundly with her feet covered in a cast. Mina couldn’t take her eyes off her and she held onto Momo’s hand.

Momo’s eyes shot open with the warmth which is Mina’s hands. She threw a glance at Mina’s fine features and her eyes that was fixated at her. She then felt her lower body heavy, maybe due to the anesthesia, and she saw the cast around her ankle. Right, I broke my ankle. How pathetic.

“Our team won” Mina enthusiastically said, hoping that it will cheer the older up.

Momo swallowed a huge lump in that she never knew existed. Her heart sank at the words that wasn’t intended to be an insult. But why does it felt like a contempt. She hid her thoughts behind her weak smile and blurted out “that’s good to hear”

It wasn’t Momo’s intention to feel this miserable, but she couldn’t pass the blame to anyone but to herself. She wanted for the team to win but winning without her, doesn’t sit well with her. But with a squeeze on her hand, her thoughts were temporarily washed away, replaced by the reassuring look on Mina’s eyes. Why are you here with me? Aren’t you mad at me?

“I’m sorry” both of them blurted, simultaneously. Seems like both of them have something to be sorry for to each other. Those two words holds a lot of meaning. And words are not enough to explain.

“I’m sorry, I failed to notice your injury, and for everything… about what I’ve said last time after the dinner celebration” Mina hanged her head low avoiding eye contact but her hands were still resting against Momo’s skin.

“I’m the one who should be sorry… Chaeyoung was right, I shouldn’t have acted that way towards you, who you want to be with should be none of my business” her voice cracked while saying these words.

Mina could no longer held her tears back. When a tear escaped her eyes, Momo was quick to reach for her cheek to wipe them. Her feelings were already out of control.

“That’s not the reason why you should apologize…” Momo was surprised by the response as she removed her hand against the younger’s cheek. “You should apologize for making me worry, you should apologize for making me feel this mess of emotions, for confusing me with your every actions…” Mina pour her heart out trying to make the older understand her feelings. Momo was speechless, and tears were uncontrollably falling from Mina’s eyes.

“W-what do you mean?”

Mina wiped her own tears with the back of her palm. “I breached our contract when I start having feelings for you, I don’t remember how or when, it just happened and I couldn’t bring myself to tell you these b-because I was afraid you would drift away, and I became contented with what we have until you ended our contract, and I couldn’t stand seeing you after that, the pain lingers and it’s killing me slowly”

For the first time, Mina became honest with her feelings, finally she was able to say those things, those words she tried to bury deep inside her heart. Maybe it’s better this way, if Momo wouldn’t accept her feelings, at least she would have no regrets. Mina’s thoughts trailed towards the future until it was broken with Momo’s voice.

“Y-You love me?” Momo asked, more like confirming what the younger girl said. Mina felt the back of her ears burning and she couldn’t meet Momo’s gaze, afraid that she might melt with her eyes. All she could do is hum and nod in response.

Momo’s eyes widen in surprise as she never knew Mina felt the same way towards her. It felt surreal that the woman she wanted really bad right now has been in the same situation as her. Momo attempted to sat up, wanted to hug the flushed faced Mina, but to no avail she ended up falling back against the bed but she managed to clutch on Mina’s shoulder, resulting for the both of them to fall. Momo can feel her own heart beating against her ribcage with their proximity. She hugged Mina tightly, like she would disappear if she doesn’t.

“I was a fool for hurting you, Mina, but believe me, I love you, I really do. I was just too focused with my own feelings that I have to end our contract to spare myself from hurting, I was afraid too, to take advantage of you, and to be rejected by you” Momo shut her eyes close feeling the warm body against her. She bravely let out her feelings like what Mina did. If only they are honest with their feelings more, maybe, they have avoided hurting each other more in the process. But things happen for a reason.

Mina pulled gently from the hug, her heart was beating faster than before upon hearing Momo’s feelings. They are both oblivious with each other’s feelings all this time, and they ended up unconsciously hurting each other. Her eyes trailed down on Momo’s features, the face she longed to see this close. In a moment, the older pulled her neck and their lips met. Feelings were at the peak of happiness, and this is the most perfect moment for both of them. Confirming their love through action, they deepen the kiss. It felt like their first kiss, it was passionate and burning with desire.

When Mina slowly pulled from the kiss, Momo gave her a peck and asked

“Will you be mine?”

“I thought I already answered that.” And Mina gave her a sweet short kiss. “I’m already yours”

++

A/N: I'm sorry for my long absence, I was so busy. And thank you for waiting. 

Spoiler: This is not the end.