WARNING: This chapter kinda deals with a sensitive topic- not eating in fear of 'losing shape'- so I recommend you use caution if you choose to proceed.

“Dahyun!”

“Dahyun!!” A groan.

“Of course it was Dahyun.” Even more groans, followed by all of the girls laughing.

Dahyun put her head down sheepishly, covering her cheeks to stop the redness in her face from showing. “Sorry…”

“Please tell me you didn’t actually eat all of the pancakes! They were meant for Mina!” Nayeon laughed, not really mad at the younger girl, just enjoying making her blush. “She was getting dressed, Dahyun, you soulless monster!”

“I said sorry! Jeez, what more do you want from me!”

“I say you make her more,” Momo said, holding Mina as if to comfort her. “Just to make up for it.”

“No no no, if Dahyun made her pancakes, Mina would die of food poisoning,” Jeongyeon said. That earned her an offended hey! from Dahyun, but she ignored it. “You know what I think? Dahyun should take Mina out on a date! How about that!”

Everyone quieted down. Momo noticed everyone giving her dirty looks, as if to say Dude! Don’t make it too obvious! Jeongyeon sat down and mumbled apologies.

“Guys, really, it’s ok,” Mina interjected, noticing how some of the members looked like they were going to beat Jeongyeon up. She wondered if not all of them knew that Mina understood what was going on. Probably not, given how Jeongyeon was blushing at her mistake.

“But Mina, how is that okay? You haven’t eaten yet,” Momo pouted and hugged Mina tighter. “You just woke up and breakfast is the most important meal of the day…”

“Dahyun is a growing girl. She needs to eat much more if she wants to be taller than Tzuyu!” Mina ruffled both Momo and Dahyun’s hair in an attempt to appease them.

Dahyun scowled playfully, trying to hide the blush that was spreading more and more by the second. She didn’t push away Mina’s hand though, instead leaning into the touch. “I’m not a baby, Minaaa,” she whined, “I was just hungry and couldn’t control myself…”

“Sounds like something a baby would do,” Jihyo said nonchalantly.

Mina watched as Dahyun cried out and tried to stop the group from embarrassing her any more than they already had.

Momo looked away from the commotion for a second to look at Mina’s eyes and mentally sent her a message. Are you sure you’re okay? 

Mina nodded and leaned her head against the older Japanese girl’s shoulder. As quietly as possible, she whispered “Don’t worry. I’ll eat later. I wasn’t hungry anyway.”

This seemed to comfort Momo, at least for the time being. She leaned in as well, both girls enjoying each other’s presence as the rest of the girls before them started cleaning up the table.

Jihyo finished her task of putting the dishes in the sink and squatted close to Mina’s chair.

“Sorry about that, Mina. If I had known Dahyun was going to eat six instead of three pancakes, I would have stopped her.”

Mina smiled at her and shook her head. “It’s ok, Jihyo. I told Momo just now that I’ll eat later. I didn’t wake up so hungry.”

“Okay, good. There are leftovers from yesterday that you can reheat. It's all in the refrigerator. Momo, Jeongyeon and I ordered takeout and ate on V Live for Once to eat with us.”

“It was great, wasn’t it?” Momo asked Jihyo, her sleepy smile making an appearance.

“The best. Maybe you can join us next time, Mina! A lot of Once asked for you.”

“I- uh, yeah, I'd like that. Let’s do it soon.” Mina raised her fist to show excitement, and Jihyo held it, shaking it to show she was glad Mina accepted her offer.

“Hey, Mitang,” Momo said once Jihyo left, Tzuyu needing her for an emergency of some sorts. “Do you know what you’re, uh, gonna do today?”

Maybe this was her way of asking if she was aware of who’s turn it was that day, without making anything too obvious. Mina shook her head. “I don’t. I’ll keep my day open just in case something comes up, you know?”

Momo nodded, sneaking a glance at the maknae’s room. “I do.”

Momo peeked inside Mina’s bedroom, then checked her phone. It was 2 pm. Four hours ago, Mina had told her she’d eat later, and yet, Momo had not seen her exit her room yet. She was still there, lying down on her bed as she played some video game on her laptop.

She carefully closed the door and made her way to her own room, shutting the door with a little too much force and throwing herself onto the bed she shared with Jeongyeon, who was out for the day trying to scout for some good places to take Mina to, when it was her turn.

Momo was glad for it. Something was eating at her, and she needed to think about this alone.

Why? Why wasn’t she eating? She had told her she’d eat later, and too much time had passed now for Momo to remain quiet about it. She knew that the last thing Mina ate was the soda, popcorn and candy Chaeyoung bought her at the movie theater. Momo did the math and that was, like, twenty hours ago! That wasn’t healthy at all and it was making her worry about Mina to the point where she felt a little sick.

But what could she do? Pressuring Mina into eating wasn’t going to solve anything. If she stood behind her and forced her to eat, Mina would hate and resent her for it. It’s not what Momo wanted at all. She just cared for her friend.

Suddenly, an idea popped up in her head. It wasn’t an elaborate one, but maybe it would help Mina eat something, anything, but only if she wanted to. It would be difficult to pull off though, solely because it meant changing up everyone’s plans.

Momo was very, very aware that it would cause some upset, but surely, eventually the rest of the girls would understand. It was all for Mina, after all. Wasn’t everything that had happened these past few days and everything that would happen soon all for her? Momo’s plan was for Mina’s benefit.

Decided, she jumped off her bed and practically ran to the School Meal Club’s room.

“Hey!” Momo shouted as she threw the door open, making Chaeyoung’s brush go the wrong direction.

“Hey! Momo! You- you messed me up!” Chaeyoung tried her best to fix the mistake, but found that the she had made actually accentuated the piece. “N-Nevermind… what do you want?”

“Sorry, I just– I need to talk to Dahyun.”

“M-me?” Dahyun looked terrified. She had been reading a book when Momo burst in, so she was still in a state of confusion. “Why me? Are you– are you still mad I ate Mina’s pancakes? Because I apologized and she even said—“

“No, no, I’m not here for that. Mina accepted your apologizes and I get that. I’m here to ask you for a big favor.” Momo bit her lip, wondering if Dahyun would accept her request.

“Uh, okay? Depends on what it is. Did you break something again? Do you need me to hide it from Jeongyeon again? Because last time I did that–“

“No, it’s not that,” Momo interrupted her for a second time. “By the way, thanks for that. Anyways, I need you to switch date days with me.”

“Date days? What?” Dahyun looked at Chaeyoung, who just looked at her back with the same amount of confusion. “Excuse me?”

Momo was getting impatient, but she understood why Dahyun would be confused.

“Look, I need you to switch your date with Mina to some other day. I need her today. Please, Dahyun.”

Mina was starting to get frustrated with the game on her laptop. She thought it would be easier to play on this platform, but apparently, she thought wrong. Using the controller was clearly the best option. Just as she exited the game with plans to switch back to the PlayStation, Momo crept into the room.

“Oh. Hi Momoring!” Mina smiled at her, already sure she knew why Momo had entered her room.

“Hi Mitang. You ready?” She grinned when she saw Mina’s smile grow even wider.

“So you’re my next date, huh? I’m excited! Hold on, I’ll get dressed!” Mina threw off her laptop and stumbled her way to her closet, making Momo catch her to keep her from tripping and falling.

“Whoa, Mitang, are you okay?”

Mina giggled and got dressed in front of Momo. (They had stopped being embarrassed about doing so a long time ago.) “I’m fine. Just got a bit lightheaded. I got up way too quickly, but I’m just super excited to see what you and I are going to be doing!”

“Hmm.” Momo didn't like that at all, Mina being lightheaded. It must’ve been because of the lack of nutrition. Actually, she was almost positive that’s exactly what it was. “Be careful, Mina…”

Mina softened at Momo’s anxious expression. “Momoring, I’m ok. I told you, I just got up too quickly. Anyways, where are you taking me?” She hoped the subject change would keep Momo from pressing it, because she was starting to get nervous.

“It’s a surprise,” Momo said, worry still thick in her voice. She didn’t look happy at all and it hurt Mina to know that she was the cause of that.

“Okay! I like surprises,” she giggled and went back to changing.

Momo found the giggles a bit soothing, She sat down on the bed and swung her feet as she waited for Mina to finish changing.

“By the way, the van downstairs is ready for us! Let’s not take too long.”

Mina nodded and Momo barely managed to hear Mina whisper “Of course the van is ready. It always is” to herself.

 It took a while to get there, so Momo and Mina took a nap in the back seat as they waited.

“Girls, we’re getting close. Start putting on your jackets and masks so we can drop you off on the sidewalk,” their manager called out, disturbing Mina’s sleep.

“Hmm? What?” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

“Get ready. In a few minutes we’ll be arriving and we’re going to drop you off,” she repeated, referring to herself and their other manager at the wheel.

“Huh? You’re not coming with us?” Mina sat up straight and shook Momo awake.

“Not this time. Special request. But I’m going to ask you to be on your best behavior and to not leave the place. Call me as soon as you’re done. We’ll be very close, so you won’t have to wait too long for us to pick you up.”

Momo lifted her head from her shoulder, looking a bit lost for a few seconds. Then she gave Mina a sleepy grin.

“You hear that, Momo? It’s just gonna be the two of us!” Her voice sounded excited, but in reality, Mina was having mixed feelings about being completely alone with Momo.

“Yeah! I asked for that! I want to spend some alone time with you!”

“Oh.” She realized she would make Momo upset if she didn't look happy about it, so she corrected herself immediately. “Oh! Good! Cool idea!” Nervous, she turned to the manager she had been talking to. “We’ll be extra good, we promise! I’ll keep Momo under control.”

Their manager grinned and rolled her eyes. “It’s not just Momo I’m worried about.”

Momo laughed and nudged Mina playfully. “I’ll keep her in check too.”

“Good. Take care of each other. It’s a public place and you can’t really make reservations or ask them to make any area private, so you have to keep it low-profile, okay? Oh, look, here it is.”

Mina peeked out the window and her heart dropped. It was a restaurant.

“A restaurant?” Mina looked back at Momo.

“Yup! I hope it’s ok.”

The van slowed down.

“It’s...fine, but…” Mina trailed off, not really wanting to get into it. “No, it’s fine. Let’s get off now, Momoring.”

Their manager opened the door for them and Mina jumped off, her nerves on edge.

Their managers reminded them once more about how to act when they were alone and to call them when they were done, then both girls nodded and said their goodbyes, turning to face the small restaurant in front of them. Mina had never been to this part of the district, so her heart pumped a little faster as she heard the van leave them.

“Hey Mina,” Momo rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. “I’m sorry about this. I know that a restaurant is boring compared to the other places you’ve gone to. It’s nothing compared to a dog café or a cool movie, but hopefully it’s, you know, still...good enough.”

Mina bit her lip. She really shouldn’t have been surprised that Momo had taken her to a restaurant. It’s what they used to do. That’s where Momo, Sana and Mina used to go together when they were trainees. They tried out all the restaurants they could find, even the ones that sounded gross, and made it a tradition. Go to a new place, try something new, and move on to another one the next time. Of course Momo would remember that and take her to another one. On any other month, she wouldn’t mind it at all, but…

“It’s perfectly fine, Momo. Just like old times, right?” She interrupted her own thoughts to ease Momo’s worry. That’s all that mattered now. “What’s this place make? Hopefully nothing too weird. I’m not sure if today’s a day for new things.”

“No, no, I decided to keep it safe this time! I want us to enjoy this day together, so I just found a restaurant that sells delicious traditional Korean food. All kinds!”

“Thank you for thinking that through. My stomach is kinda queasy right now. One more question though: why so far away from where we live? This looks like a whole different area of Korea.”

“Dunno. Just wanted to explore a new place, I guess. Plus, this place gave me good vibes in the pictures. Nothing better than a small family owned business, right? They always give off a homey feel.”

Mina supposed. If Momo wanted to spend a day with her without a manager’s watchful eye, a small non-crowded place far from the urban streets of Seoul was probably the safest option.

“They do. Those were my favorites back then.” Mina allowed herself to be pulled into the establishment by an excited Momo.

“Hello, girls,” an elderly woman greeted them at the entrance.

“Hello! We are Momo and Mina from Twice! Please take care of us!” Momo bowed deeply and Mina followed suit.

The woman clapped her hands excitedly. “Twice? Oh, I know you girls! My granddaughter...she loves you! Oh, how jealous she’ll be when she finds out she left to do errands exactly when her idols came!”

“Actually, if it’s alright with you, could you not tell anyone we were here and get a table that’s as private as possible?” Mina repeated what she had practiced in her head. “We’re trying to have some time alone, you know, away from the cameras and prying eyes.”

“Oh, of course, but could I please tell my granddaughter? She’s only thirteen. She can keep a secret!”

“I suppose it’s fine,” Momo said, grinning at Mina. “As long as it’s after we leave. Do you think that’s okay?”

The woman grasped Momo’s hand and shook it. “Of course, of course! Anything for my sweet Pilsook's idols!” The woman seemed to remember something. “Ah, look at me being unprofessional! Let’s get you to a private table! Just you two, right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Momo answered for them. “The other girls won’t be joining us.”

The woman smiled and nodded, leading them to the table farthest to the back. Momo looked back at Mina and whispered And the managers said they wouldn't make tables private...

“Listen,” the older woman said as she sat them down, “to thank you for cheering up Pilsook during her exams with your music, I’d like to throw in anything extra you would like for free! If you get noodles, I’ll grab an extra heap, and if you get anything with rice, I’ll get you an extra bowl!”

“Whoa! Really?” Momo turned to Mina excitedly. “That’s cool! Thank you very much! We’d appreciate that!”

Mina bit the inside of her cheek to the point of almost drawing blood.

“Here are your menus. Take your time to choose what you’d like, I’ll just check on the other customers meanwhile.”

“Okay, thank you!”

Finally alone, Momo scooted closer to Mina in the booth they shared and poked her cheek. “You know what you want?”

“Hmm. No.” Mina looked through the menu twice, nothing at all catching her eye. Her stomach growled fiercely, begging to be fed, but Mina willed it to be quiet. Momo didn’t seem to hear it. Thank god.

“Look! They have japchae! I’ll get that!” The older Japanese announced, looking to Mina to see if she’d chosen yet.

Mina knew she was taking too long to choose. She was usually the first to order, and knew that Momo would start suspecting something if she didn’t hurry. The problem was, everything was too large. She wanted something tiny that she could eat with no problem, to at least keep Momo’s concerns at bay.

“Hey.”

Mina looked up, Momo's tone strange, to find that she was shooting her worried looks. “Everything okay? Do you need help choosing?”

Mina put down the menu and crossed her arms, getting increasingly uncomfortable. “I don’t know.”

“Mitang? Talk to me, you look weird…”

“I guess I’m not hungry enough to be eating at this restaurant.” Her stomach made a sound at that exact moment, betraying her every effort to hide the fact that she was starving.

Momo’s face dropped. There was a silence between them thicker than any udon noodles could ever be.

“Mitang..?”

Mina had to think fast. A half truth would be good right about now.

“I’m not sure what to get! This is such...a large menu.” She held it up to prove her point, very aware that she had just said she wasn't hungry at all a second ago. Her lies were going to stack up fast at this rate.

“We can share, if you’d like!" Either Momo didn't take note, or she ignored Mina's earlier lie. "The menu has a picture of the japchae and it looks huge, so it’s good enough for us both!”

Mina practically jumped at the opportunity. “Yes! Yes! I like that idea! Let’s share!”

Momo didn’t miss the relief in Mina’s eyes. She decided to keep it to herself, though.

Before anything else could be said, the elderly lady came back with two sets of metal chopsticks and clapped her hands. “Did you guys decide on what you want?”

“Yes! We’re going to share a bowl of japchae!”

“Oh, okay!” The lady wrote something on a notepad. “Celebrating something? It’s also a big plate, so it’s a good idea to share it between yourselves.”

“We’re not really celebrating anything. Maybe our friendship?” Momo looked at her friend with a small smile.

Mina had to look away. She was starting to feel extreme guilt over this tiny little thing.

But if it’s so tiny, why are you hiding it from her?

Mina ignored the question her conscience asked her and focused back on the lady before her, who was telling Momo that she was glad idols like themselves were feeding themselves well.

“Thank you. Everyone in Twice eats very well!”

“Then you’re very good role models for Pilsook! Now! Let’s get you that japchae! I won’t be long!”

Not wasting any time, Momo grabbed Mina’s hand, prompting the younger girl to look at her.

“I was going to stay silent about this for a little while longer, but the woman's words changed my mind." She paused, unsure of how to say what she was thinking. "I can see your skin crawl, Mitang. It’s time we talk about it.”

Mina withdrew her hand and cradled it, unsure about what her friend was talking about. Momo had been smiling not too long ago, so her shift in mood was disorienting. “Talk? About what?”

“Mina. I’m not going to force you to talk about it, because this is supposed to be a good day for us, a day where we can just enjoy each other’s presence. But at least stop pretending like I’m an idiot, because you know that I hate that. I know what’s going on.”

“You’re not– I don’t think you’re—“ Mina shook her head, Momo’s words finally sinking in. “What makes you think I think you’re an idiot?”

“Well, you act like as if there’s no way I would notice that you’re purposefully avoiding eating.”

Mina’s blood turned cold, not suddenly, but slowly, like her body was being submerged in ice bit by bit. She didn’t think Momo was an idiot at all, but she really did think that Momo wouldn’t notice.

“Momo...Momoring…” It was Mina’s turn to reach for the other girl’s hands.

“I did the math, Mina.” Momo clenched her fists and teeth. “I asked Chaeyoung if you ate anything at the movie theater, and when she said you did, I counted the hours, starting as soon as you left the theaters. From nighttime to right now, it's been twenty-two hours. Do you know how worried that makes me? You skipped breakfast, didn’t eat when noon came, and just now you probably planned on pushing your side of the plate around until I ate all of your food. Am I right? Did I guess right?”

Mina looked down. There was no point in avoiding it anymore.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Mina swallowed the fear that was crawling up .

"Then talk to me, but only if you want. Like I said, I'm not forcing you to say anything. I'll listen to whatever you say."

It took a minute, but Mina eventually saw that avoiding the subject for any longer would only increase the tension. She was uncomfortable enough as it was, and she had learned from her friends that talking about her problems usually ended up relieving her of any worries. She wanted to enjoy her day with Momo. So if the girl was telling her that she was willing to listen to her, then maybe it was a chance to relieve herself of her worries.

“Okay. Listen. I’m terrified of losing shape. We’re close to a comeback and- and I’ve been eating so much. With Tzuyu, I bought tons of cookies and ate most of them. I didn’t really let Tzuyu grab a whole lot. And I know that it seems ridiculous, that you're probably thinking 'But Mina, that's just one day.' Well, it’s not. Chaeyoung probably didn’t mention the fact that we ate two separate tubs of popcorn, or that I made her buy me two candies. The only thing we shared was the soda, which I probably finished by myself anyway. I didn't really think too much about all of what I had eaten until breakfast, when Dahyun ate my pancakes. I thought to myself, 'Hey, this is good. You've been eating a little too much lately...' I saw it as a sign."

"A sign of what?"

"To...s-stop...eating." Mina winced. It hurt to say it out loud. "Sounds stupid, I know. Who's mind would automatically go there? And now, I feel like an idiot. I should have told someone about it, because I know you guys have been through this before, and I know you guys would have given me good suggestions on how to control those thoughts, and..."

Momo pulled her closer and placed her head on her shoulder, holding Mina until she found the words she was looking for. Mina let out a frustrated sigh and buried her head in the older's shoulder.

"I didn't think this through. I know that. No one loses shape from only two days, I think. But my mind went there, and stayed there, until I convinced myself that I'd look bad by the time we made our comeback." Mina's shoulders drooped, and finally, she felt lighter. "Maybe that made absolutely no sense to you, but, uh, there you go. That was my train of thought for almost a whole day. Sorry for worrying you, Momoring. And I'm sorry for making you think that I thought of you as an idiot. I could never."

"It's okay. You're not an idiot, either, for thinking any of that stuff. We think about these things all the time, as idols, even if it doesn't make sense to others. It's all the pressure to look perfect, right?"

Mina played with the hem of Momo's sweater. "Yeah... Netizens drive me insane sometimes."

Momo gently played with Mina's hair as she waited to make sure Mina was finished. When the younger girl said nothing more, she thought about her next words carefully. “I knew I had to do something as soon as I noticed what you were doing. But I was scared of making things worse, you know? If I forced you to eat without you wanting to, you’d get sick. That always happens when you eat something you didn’t want, or didn’t like. So I did the first thing I could think of. I invited you here to see if maybe being with me would make you open up and talk about it. I knew it had only been going on for less than a day, but a lot can happen in your head within that time span. I didn't want your thoughts to become more toxic than they already had.”

Mina closed her eyes and breathed Momo’s scent, feeling relaxed for the first time in what felt like forever. "You were right. I was on my way to making bad decisions. Thanks to you, now I'm just here, wondering why I didn't let you talk some sense into me earlier." Mina felt a smile creep onto her face. "But couldn't you have taken me to a place that makes salad or something?"

Momo's shoulders shook from her laughter. "Sorry! I was basically panicking while I was planning everything. I didn't even think to take you somewhere with lighter options... I also tried to look up advice on how to approach this topic, but, well... all of the results were either not helpful at all or in English."

"I suppose it's the thought that counts," Mina said, glad to hear that her friend had tried her best for her. She still felt slightly uneasy though. She lifted her head when she saw the woman from earlier arrive with a steaming hot plate of japchae.

“I'm back! Now, there’s plenty for both of you, especially with the extra noodles I asked the cook to make for you!”

“Oooh! Thank you!” Momo picked up her chopsticks and clicked them together, ready to begin her feast.

“You two enjoy! Call me over if you need anything else!”

“Yes, ma’am,” both girls replied.

Upon the woman's exit, Momo was about to dig in when she saw Mina grimace at the plate.

“Mina?”

Mina knew that it was a bad idea to not eat, but the thought of losing her figure was still terrifying.

Momo pouted and grabbed some noodles, holding them up to Mina. “Please?”

“I don’t know… The fear is still there, Momo. I know we just talked about it and all, but I’m still scared.”

Momo sighed. She wasn't sure at all about how she was going to convince Mina that not eating at all wouldn’t help her out. If only they could get someone else’s help, then Momo wouldn’t have to struggle to find the right words.

“Hey, let me show you something,” Momo said suddenly. “I just now remembered something I watched on the television.”

Mina watched as Momo pulled out her phone and searched for a video. She didn’t know what kind of video it would be and why she wanted to show it to her now, of all times. Momo found the video, adjusted the volume on her phone, skipped ahead to the part she wanted, and handed it to Mina. The girl in question pressed play and instantly recognized SISTAR’s Soyou; it was a clip from a survival show she had participated in as a trainer.

“What’s this?” Mina looked at Momo questioningly.

“Just watch.”

So she did.

“I’m sure all of you are trying to lose weight,” Soyou began, dressed in exercise clothing. She was surrounded by many girls, all clad in different colored clothing. Soyou was addressing them all from the front of the training room. “Personally, I don’t like to starve myself to lose weight. When you lose weight like that, it all comes back.”

Mina in a breath. The reason her friend showed her this particular video became apparent.

“And you become weak, too. Also, you’re more likely to trip and fall when you perform on stage. Girl groups dance a lot, so they need to be physically strong.“ The girls before Soyou looked surprised to be hearing those words coming from their trainer.

Mina paused the video and locked Momo’s phone. She already knew what was going to happen next. She'd watched the show as it was being broadcasted live, after all.

“Our senior said it best. We’re in a girl group, Mina.” Momo ducked down a bit to catch Mina’s eyes. “We have to be strong. Not eating is only going to hurt you.”

Mina sat back and slid down her seat. Soyou and Momo were right. She did feel a lot weaker just with these hours of not eating. If she kept this up…

Mina sat back up and nodded uneasily. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. I mean, if our senior Soyou said it, then she knows from experience.”

“Exactly. We’ve taken advice from many other seniors before, and it’s always helped us improve. This is no different. So let’s improve now, when we have guidance.”

Mina, for a brief moment, wondered why Momo was always painted as an idiot. When she spoke like this, when she worried about her friends and helped them through tough situations, her brilliance really shined through.

“I love you,” Mina said, surprising Momo and herself a bit. She had no idea why she said that so out of the blue, but the emotions within her pushed her to. She grasped at her shirt as she recalled the feeling. It was exactly the same sensation as the one from last night, when she felt the desire to kiss her members. Her friends.

As if she had read her mind, Momo leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek.

“I love you too, Mina. So much more than you think.”

Momo watched as Mina focused on helping her put on her padded jacket, her tongue sticking out in that cute way she loved.

It was a nice moment of peace after the chaos the older lady caused by calling her granddaughter to tell her that Momo and Mina were there. She’d thrown a fit and demanded her grandmother take photos with them. They complied, feeling it wasn’t a terrible idea, and posed in three photos with the older woman.

Now, the woman was gone, attending the last of the guests for the night.

Momo and Mina had just called their managers to get picked up and were now getting dressed for the cold winter night.

Perhaps Momo was still giddy about being able to help one of her bestest friends overcome a toxic desire, or maybe the japchae had hit the perfect spot, but Momo felt something deep within herself move her to stop Mina’s hands from continuing their job of snapping the jacket’s buttons.

Mina looked up, her wrists in Momo’s hands, unsure of what was going on.

“Mina…”

“Yeah? What’s wrong, Momoring?”

“Hurry up and put on your jacket. I, uh, I think you should start on yours. I can finish buttoning up my own.” She threw in a smile at the end of that, hoping it looked natural. “The managers said they wouldn’t be far at all, and we don’t want to keep them waiting, right?”

That’s not at all what she wanted to say! Why did she say that?

“You’re right. Fix that second button, though, I think I did it wrong.”

Momo used the time spent fixing the stubborn button to think about what she had wanted to say. She wasn’t really sure. It was something scary, maybe, because she panicked and said something completely different. That only happened when it was something bad, right? No one tries to hide nice things, do they?

But she wasn’t really hiding anything. So then why wouldn’t her thoughts organize themselves? She wanted to know what was stirring within her!

The button finally fixed, Momo directed her attention toward Mina, who was finishing up with her own buttons.

“I’m ready! Let’s go!” Mina grabbed Momo’s hand, opening the door to the outside world.

Momo shivered, having gotten used to the warmth of the restaurant, and buried her face deep into her jacket.

Their managers had parked at the farthest space possible, and at the moment, Momo found it absolutely annoying. Why not park right in front? Didn’t they know it was absolutely freezing outside?

Frustrated, Momo rolled her eyes and caught a glimpse of the moon. Normally, Momo would just think it’s pretty, like it always was, but it seemed that all the events that unfolded that very day had changed her heart enough to be captivated by the sight of it.

It’s beautiful, she thought. The moon is beautiful tonight.

That’s all she needed to think before it finally dawned on her. The sensations within her finally made sense, and Momo’s pulse began to race.

“Wait!” Momo was about to say it!

Mina screeched to a halt and turned around dramatically. “What?”

“I love you! I finally realized it, and I don’t know why it took so long, but I love you! So so much!” Momo’s heart burst with such happiness, the words she’d wanted to formulate for so long finally out in the air.

The wind blew into Momo’s eyes but she still caught sight of the huge smile on Mina’s face.

“Right now? While we’re at risk of getting frostbite, you want to tell me that?”

Raising her chin, Momo nodded.

“God, you dork.” Mina seemed to want to turn back and continue on her trek to the van, but seemed to think twice about it. The younger girl bit her lip and said “I love you too, Momo. Now let’s get in the van so I can kiss your cheek. Okay?”

That was all Momo needed. She lifted her friend up, bridal style, and ran toward the van like her life depended on it.

The managers welcomed them back and they settled in the van, rubbing their arms like crazy to soothe the goosebumps.

“Well?” Momo said, a satisfied smirk on her face.

“Well, what?” Mina pretended to not know what she was talking about.

“You promised me a kiss? We’re in the van now!”

“Hmm. Guess I did.” Mina giggled softly and leaned in.

Momo wasn’t sure if it was done on purpose, but the kiss was placed dangerously close to her lips, right at the corner. This shook her to the very core, and if it weren’t for Mina placing her head on her shoulder, Momo was sure she would have floated away into space.

Struggling only a bit, Momo managed to think a few words before her brain could effectively shut down.

Do you love me too?