Two girls were walking on the alley, the slightly taller one had her arm around the other's shoulder, whilst she held on her waist securely, guiding her every step. 

Standing in front of a white gate, Mina poked the blonde's cheek. "Momoring, we're here," the smaller called. The person, however, tilted her head, her lips brushing on the skin of her neck and Mina shivered. The girl murmured something, so she asked her to repeat it, but it was the same gibberish response.

Then the blonde moved away from her grasp that shook Mina, causing her to panic a little. Momo's feet wobble, she raised her hand — palm facing Mina, letting the younger know that she can take care of it. At one point, Momo almost stumbled on the ground if it wasn't for Mina's quick reflex. Mina felt the electricity traveled around her body when their skin touched.

Momo jumped away from Mina for the second time. Fortunately this time Momo had her balance to finally stand straight on her own. Mina asked her if she was okay which she responded with a nod. Mina was bewildered to say the least, but was also curious on why the older was acting that way.

Mina waited for Momo to enter when the girl suddenly turned and put her hands on Mina's shoulders, searching for Mina's eyes despite Momo's were having a hard time focusing. But looking into those pair of brown orbs wasn't that hard, for hers were automatically drawn on them.

"Mitang!" Momo called, not realizing the loudness of her voice.

"Momoring! Don't shout." Mina panicked.

"I'm not shouting," her words were slurred, "why are we whispering?"

"Because it's already midnight, and people are on their beds."

"Probably watching TV.." Momo absentmindedly said.

Mina only stared at her in disbelief. She knew Momo was going to say something, but was prolonging it because she was nervous or something — her fidgeting with her fingers was a give away. Again, Mina waited, anticipating Momo's words.

Momo opened and closed like a fish looking for air, and if there was any other time Mina would laugh. Momo looked so serious that she didn't want to ruin the girl's moment.

"Mina, d-do... do you love me?"

The question was cleared. Mina had heard it clear. Momo stuttered like she usually did when she was nervous, but she did not slurred on her words.

Mina's heart quickened. She likes Momo too, yes, more than a friend, even so she was not ready yet to enter a relationship, specially with your childhood best friend. Momo was the best best friend she could ask for. She didn't want to ruin what they have. Ruin both Momo and their relationship because of this 'puppy love'.

So, Mina, with all the courage she had, smiled at the anticipating girl in front of her. 

"Of course, Momo," Her face lit up. "You are my best friend!" Then, it dimmed.

Mina was aware of her chest tightening.

The next day, Momo didn't talk to her nor even want to see her. It makes sense. Who wouldn't, right? But it saddened Mina. It hurts her.

——

Mina was awaken by the light passing through her glass window. She groaned upon hearing Jihyo's voice, who had just drew the curtains on its side.
"Rise and shine, penguin. Today is the day of your performance."

She reached the phone on her bedside table, checking the time before covering her face with pillow. Jihyo smacked her hand lightly then removed the pillow that she covered on her face.
"It's too early, Jihyo." She mumbled

"9 isn't early, princess. It's close to noon." Jihyo reminded.

"What are you? My mother?" Mina scoffed. She sat up straight, immediately regretting it the second she felt a sharp pain pounding her head, not bothering to remove the tousled hair sticking on her face.

The other woman stood beside her bed, hand on her waist. She gave Mina a face, "I'm not. But I'm you're manager, and if you won't get your out of your bed you'll be late for your final rehearsal today!"

Mina didn't need to be told twice as she dashed out into her bathroom whilst yelling back to Jihyo. "Why didn't you tell me!" And as if Mina would see her, Jihyo only raised her shoulders in indifference.

"If you chose not to drink last night, you'd probably wake up early." Jihyo commented.

It took Mina an hour to finish and as soon as she came out of her bathroom, Jihyo practically dragged her out of her room with Mina's things on the other hand to her manager's car. It was a relief to Mina that she was already dressed when that happened and her hair was dry (that what kept her too long). She hopped in the car with a scowl on her face. Jihyo put a pouch on her lap and a paper bag.

"Eat first before you fix yourself. We're running late." She said firmly to the ballerina. Opening the brown paper bag, Mina's mouth watered at the smell of the burger inside.

"This is so good." Mina said, humming. This is the food she had eaten since last night. After finishing the food, and drinking her warm lemon water along with the aspirin Jihyo also gave her (which Mina thought was already useless). She slid the zipper of the pouch to find the things she needed. Wiping her face with wet wipes beforehand.

Mina wasn't a fan of too much make up, like what her friends always tell her, she didn't need cosmetics to look pretty. She kept her natural look by sticking on moisturizer, foundation and lipstick, but today she put a little amount of concealer under her eyes. She didn't want to face her co-workers with a hangover face.

She was in the middle of applying her lipstick when Jihyo spoke. "So," Jihyo started. "A little bird told me you were so drunk last night you can't even stand straight."

"I'm not even straight to start with." Mina sighed.

Jihyo snickered at Mina's statement. Mina was effortlessly funny, and the woman wasn't aware of this. "Glad you're aware."

Jihyo stopped on the red light, turning to Mina. "Mina, is there something wrong with you and Momo? You two seemed so distant nowadays. What's up?"

"Eh?" Responded Mina, feigning innocent. In fact, Momo had nothing to do with this. This time, it was her, she chose to stay away from Momo for her own sake, and Momo as well. She never dreamt of ruining someone's relationship for her own selfishness.

She was done with that phase. She was done being selfish. Mina was ready to sacrifice her feelings for her Love's happiness.

"Mina," Jihyo called. Mina turned to look at Jihyo waiting for her friend to speak. "Was Momo the reason why you became a drunkard?"

"Wha-what!? No!" Mina hissed instinctively, ready to snap on its predator.

"Okay, okay! Calm down. You don't have to be defensive. I just wanna know what made you forget that today is your performance." The red turned to green, Jihyo shifted her gear before making a turn on the right, stepping on the gas.

"It's nothing. There are so many things in my head right now."

"Yeah, I bet they are Momo and her little minions," Jihyo chuckled, ignoring Mina's glare towards her. "You know what, you're like Giselle—"

"Oh, Jihyo. Please don't compare me to a fictional character." Mina cut her friend, but the other continued.

"Both of you were heart broken. She died because of it, and you," Jihyo turned her head to Mina momentarily, "are slowly killing yourself by burning your liver." then she quickly turned her focus back on the road.

"But our stories are completely different."

Jihyo shrugged, "Well, I never said that your stories are alike. Uh, Mina, you were so smart in our school days, what happened to your logic?"

The car pulled to a stop then Mina heard a click, the next thing she knew, Jihyo was already out of her sight.

Aishi. Jihyo was annoying her.

——

Mina stretched her body one last time, waiting for her cue to enter the stage. She anticipated this performance for so long as much as her first lead performance in Swan Lake. She had heard how hard this piece was in terms of acting. Well, expressing your emotions through dance was another but acting was on the other level of delivering them. You have to make them see and feel the character's emotions.
Mina finally entered, skipping on her toes happily, a basket on her hand as she held the side of her skirt on the other.

The story of Giselle went on.

Giselle was a pleasant girl who fell in love with a man who she believed was a villager named Loys. Little did she knows, Loys was more than a villager, owning a title before his name, Count Albrecht— his real identity.

Giselle's mother, Berthe recounted the legend of Willis— ghosts of young girls who have been jilted and die before their wedding day: to avenge themselves, they dance to death any man who crosses their paths between midnight and dawn— to her daughter for a reason that she wanted to discourage Giselle about her relationship with the man, apart of her superstitions it was also because she had taken an instinctive dislike to the Count. But Giselle disregarded her mother and joined the celebration that mark the end of harvest with her lover, when she was crowned as the Queen of the Vintage.

During the celebration, a hunting party arrived led by the Duke of Courland and the Countess Bathilde (Albrecht's fiance) to whom Giselle had performed a dance and told the noble woman that she too was engaged. The countess gave her a necklace. Bathilde asked to rest in Berthe's cottage, but the Duke decided to continue the hunt and ordered a hunting horn to be left by the cottage door so that he and the rest of the party may be recalled when Bathilde was ready to rejoin them.

Hilarion, the man Giselle's mother wanted for her, then appeared from Loys’s cottage. He had found Albrécht’s sword and when he compared it with the hunting horn, he saw that they bear the same crest; this gave him the evidence for which he had been looking.

Not realizing that the hunt was still nearby, Albrécht returned from hiding to the hunting party. Hilarion interrupted the dancing and revealed the truth about ‘Loys’. Giselle ran to 'Loys', standing between her lover and Hilarion, giving them exchanged looks. She studied 'Loys' face, the looked of it was in between angry and confused, and for a second she thought she saw panic momentarily appeared on his demeanour. A part of her was mad to Hilarion about the accusation he was giving 'Loys' and another part of her wanted Loys to deny them, of which a smaller part of it seeked for the truth. Albrecht was torn in between telling the the truth and lying in front of Giselle, either of the two will only hurt the woman he loved.

 Hilarion blew the horn, true to his words the Duke and the rest of the party returned and Bathilde, came out of the cottage. Bathilde was shocked to see the Count in the village wearing an ordinary clothes almost identical to what was the other villager. Bathilde claimed that she was engaged to Albrecht. This shocked everyone. Giselle turned to Albrecht or who she knew as Loys, with hurt and betrayal in her eyes. She ran to her mother as the tears were threatening to fall, setting them free soon she felt the arms of her mother's comforting arms. After she calmed down, she stared at nothingness. Her mind hazy, her gaze at nothing in particular, mindlessly picking flowers on the ground, reliving her love for the guy she did not know was more than a stranger to her.

She made a flower crown and put it on her head, imagining that she was getting married by him, dreamy smile plastered on her lips. But then she frowned as realization hit her: she was not for the man was about to bond with someone, a noble like him, a much better than her. She stood slowly, and danced. Dancing the pain away. Dancing the memories of love and happiness, only to get halted by arms rounded her waist. She pushed Albrecht with much force and ran away from him. She heard whispers, but she couldn't make out where they came from. The villagers? The nobles? Albrecht? Her mother? Hilarion? Her sanity? She covered her ears and shook her head frantically. Gibberish whispers became loud and clear, images of people staring at her as if disgusted. Some were laughing at her face, telling her how gullible she was.

In reality, the men and women were looking at Giselle with worry. Every arm that would reach for Giselle, she'd reject them, pushing the person in the process.

Giselle caught sight of Albrecht's sword, seized it and pointed the sharp end to herself, ending her life. Hoping that it wasn't too late, Albrecht snatched it from the aggressive woman, tossing it away from them. Giselle's eyes were fired with anger, hurt and betrayal, but all of them vanished the moment she felt hands on her shoulder, and she calmed. No, she should be mad! Angry! Anything but the warm fuzzy feeling on her stomach. She should not fell on his traps again.

Giselle tried. She tried not to fell in love all over again when they locked eyes. Albrecht looked her in the eyes, apologizing for what he had done. Giselle touched his face, caressing the soft skin of her cheeks with her thumb and Albrecht instinctively leaned on it.

Mina pictured Momo as Albrecht, but on the contrary, she knew the woman fully... Or not. Since Momo came back from overseas she seemed to change in many aspects, that sometimes made her wonder if she was still the same Momo she grew up with (she saw all this later after their family dinner). She became more secretive. And the feeling of Momo being there near her yet so far that was hard to reach.

Nonetheless, that didn't make Mina love the woman less. On the other hand, she promised to herself that she will not give up on her, until that night Momo introduced her girlfriend to them.

She slightly knit her eyebrows, cringing at the sudden tightness in her chest. She stared those pair of orbs she thought were a beautiful hue of brown.
As the music comes to an end, Mina smiled softly, a lone tear fell from her eyes, strolling down her cheeks.

I wish I was her. I wish I was never too late. I wish I can be selfish for the last time. I wish I can be with you all day, all night. I wish I can snatch you away from that woman. But I can't do that for all I wish is your happiness.

The music stopped with Mina falling to the ground.
Then it hit Mina, Momo never betrayed her, nor she betrayed the older. It was their feelings all along.

——

Just like any of her recital, Mina was surprised by her group of friends in her dressing room. She jumped at her friends' squeals of happiness. Nayeon congratulated her non-stop saying how proud she was of the latter, kissing her cheeks a couple of times.

"That was amazing, Mina. I was moved to tears when I saw you cry." Sana said, smile never faltered.
Jeongyeon nodded in agreement, "Momo was closed to jumped on her chair to punch your partner's face."

This erupted laughter to the group, Mina's eyes automatically found the said woman at the mention of her name. Momo glared at Jeongyeon from the back. She tried so hard to hide the pain at the sight of her being close, too close for her liking, to Wendy. After all they were both girlfriends. They were allowed to do however they want. It could be a hug. Wendy sitting on Momo's lap or vice versa. Or flirting with each other. Or kiss—

Mina depleted at the thought, averting her eyes from Momo to Chaeyoung enthusiastically talked about how the Victorian costume and the props they used were amazing, or the production as a whole. However her mind was not on it, rather she examined the couple's movement, subtly eyeing them on the corner of her eye.

When her friends dispersed, this left her alone with the couple, who sported different expressions, she could tell. Wendy had an amused smile while Momo was purely proud. Momo's eyes were fixed on her, as she stepped closer to hand her a bouquet.
"I hope this could make up the recitals I've missed." Momo said sheepishly.

Mina felt the electricity traveled when Momo and her fingers briefly brushed when she reached for the older's gift. Wendy then forwarded, giving Mina her own gift. Mina thanked her. She was surprised, to say the least, yet grateful at the same time, that the woman would bother to give her present even though they just met the other night.

They were engulfed by awkward silence then Momo's phone rang, breaking the atmosphere. She excused herself and walked out of the room.
Oh, great. People are leaving.

Wendy cleared awkwardly to catch Mina's attention which she succeded as the woman turned to her with a kind face, waiting for her to say something.

"I hope you'll like it." Wendy said, referring to the small cyan paper bag, the name of the brand printed on it. Mina peeked inside to see a square box with the same color as the bag, she didn't have to open it to know what was inside. She looked up to a grinning Wendy. "I have a feeling it will suit you, Giselle."

Mina chuckled at the nickname. "Thank you, Bathilde." She joked.

Momo came back a moment later. "Girls, the others are already waiting in the parking lot."

The three went to parking lot, laughing. Mina and Wendy were engaged in a conversation about the latter's idol career with Momo listening, hands full of Mina's presents from her supporters, occasionally asking her own question here and there. As they reached Momo's car, Momo frowned seeing the two other cars missing on each side.

"Where are they?" Mina asked, perplexed. "I thought they're waiting here." Her ride too was gone.
Momo was a bit annoyed, of course her friends would pull something like that. Fixing the bouquets and securing it on one hand, she tried to get the phone in her back not without one of the things she was holding threatening to fall. Having enough of Momo's struggle, Mina got it for her, leaning forward as her hand reaching Momo's lower back.

Mina felt warm across her cheeks. then leaned back, and Momo fixed herself. It only lasted for a second, but it felt like an hour for her.

"I'll call them." Mina softly said then turned around to get on the phone. Upon, opening the device, Mina couldn't help but smile. Momo didn't put any passcode.

Mina turned around to face the two women and giving back Momo's phone with Mina suspiciously looking back and forth at the bashful Momo and smug Wendy.

"They're on their way to the restaurant." Mina tried not to sound annoyed. Jihyo was her ride but the woman vanished along with their other friends, now she was stuck with Momo and her girlfriend.

I'd rather be a fifth tire of Momo's car than be the third wheel of this two. Mina made a mental note of strangling Jihyo once she sees her.

But Mina spoke too soon. Wendy brought her own car, apologizing to Mina for not be able to come to her celebratory dinner with the others.

Now, she was alone again with Momo, who she didn't talk for a week.