Spotlight was on them. Two dancers, male and female, one holding the other on the waist, whilst the other's hand is planted on latter's shoulder. Spinning like those miniature dancers in Myoui Mina's music box.

This has been Mina's dream since she started her journey of being a ballerina: to be a lead principal in her favorite piece, Swan Lake. Face lighted up by her signature gummy smile, not because she had to for the ending portrayed that Odette and Prince Siegfried reunited in their afterlife, but because she finally achieved her dream.

Applause from the spectators boomed the whole auditorium with Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung's scream (and said, 'what? We are proud of our penguin' when got reprimanded by Jihyo). The two performers continued to scream until the curtains finally met in the middle.

She bowed to her partner, and they both congratulate each other. As they walked back to the backstage, Mina congratulated everyone who had taken part in the production. She was really thankful for this.

A few minutes later, they went back to the stage to introduce the characters. And just like on the ending act, Mina received a loud clap and scream from her friends on the VIP seat, proudly saying that she is their friend and baby.

Maybe, Mina was embarrassed. But she will never be embarrassed of her friends. So she laughed softly in return and smiled sweetly as she looked back at the people filling the audience seat from the upper seats to the bottom.

Her smile never faded, thinking of her dreams which she will achieve one by one, together with her best friend, Momo.

——

"Where is Momo?" Mina asked when she didn't see the figure of her childhood best friend along with her other friends. She thought the blonde went to the comfort room during the last part of the show, but Momo really wasn't here with the girls.

Jeongyeon glanced at Sana, who did the same. Contemplating whether to tell the younger where the eldest Japanese is or not, as per the latter's request. But her conscience is bugging her seeing Mina hurt. This is the first time Momo ditched Mina's recital. Sana opened to speak when Dahyun beat her to it.

"Look! It's Momo unnie." She exclaimed, showing her phone to everyone.

On the phone screen was Momo, answering politely to every questions the interviewer asked. Momo was smiling all throughout the Q&A portion with the host, until that one particular question that got Momo mum.

"You said, there was someone who inspired you to join the competition. Is this someone, a special someone?"

It took the blonde a minute before she opened , and a soft chuckle came out, and answered "yes" confidently despite her face getting red.

Everyone on the set  squeal and laugh at Momo's way of admission, it was too cute for any one watching.

On the other hand, Sana and Jeongyeon looked at each other as they keep on listening to the questions thrown at Momo and Momo, in return, answering them with all confidence. Like it wasn't the all coward and chickening Momo.

They heard the host speak, "woah. How is this special someone looks like?"

The camera focused on Momo, and the red on Momo's face grew a darker shade. "She's beautiful and amazing. To be honest, she's more than those positive adjectives to describe her." The emcee's comment echoed everyone's mind, "Oh, so the person is a 'she'".

 Momo frowned, and started mumbling to herself making the host and the other people on the set laughed. The host even said to the audience that 'Momo's cute' on air. "What was it again? That word. There, Ethereal. She is beyond ethereal."

"Based on how you describe her I think she is really beautiful and an amazing girl."

Momo only giggled, eyes forming crescent as her endearing smile spread on her face. The blonde is not aware on the effect she's causing on the people watching her.

"Do you want to left a message on her, Momo-ssi?"

"M-message?" The Japanese asked, not believing her ears. The man gave a gentle smile and nodded. "H-here?"

"Yes, Momo-ssi. Here. You can say anything you want for your special someone." The audience cooed that made Momo blushed even more. Her face now beating Mina's favorite condement.

"I-is this allowed?" Momo looked at the staffs and back to the host of the program. Her eyes full of confusion and hesitance.

Sana and Jeongyeon simultaneously facepalmed, and the others almost have the same reactions as the two. Except Tzuyu who only sighed to display her disappointment to her friend, and Mina who's only focus is on the screen, watching her best friend. A frame of Momo's shy face is on the screen of Dahyun's phone.

 "Where is Momo?" Mina repeated, but no one answered. None of them knows what was happening, but Jeongyeon and Sana. "Is this on the TV network's studio?" She calmly asked, but was once again getting a silent response.

The younger Japanese felt her chest tightened for unknown reason. Her heart beats in an unusual rhythm, and a lump on was beginning to form.

She gave the phone to Dahyun and walked out but her steps stopped when Tzuyu's monotone voice was heard.

"This was recorded two days ago," said Tzuyu in a matter-of-fact tone and added, "And I bet Momo is in the airport by now."

Swallowing the lump she asked, "Wh- w-why is Momo in the airport?"

Tzuyu just shrugged, looking at the other Japanese and the specific blue haired in the room.

"You guys know where Momo is?" Nayeon was the one to asked for Mina and Mina thanked her by that. She couldn't bring herself to speak, even let out a small squeak. "Yoo Jeongyeon? Minatozaki Sana?" Voice sterned, Nayeon even raised one of her eyebrows to intimidate the two girls.

Nayeon didn't usually use her unnie card to her younger friends and thought this was the right time to lay it down, especially when the kids are being stubborn right now.

"Tzuyu's right. Momo is in the airport right now." Jeongyeon confessed, and nudged the girl beside her to continue. "She's going to America--"

"Mina, where are you going!?" Jihyo shouted then glared at the two girls.

Mina didn't let Sana finish her sentence after hearing the information she wanted to know and ran out of the back stage.

Momo straightened her back, eyes fixed on the camera. "Hi. I-I know this too sudden, but I won't let this chance slip again. And with all my thick face, I will use this platform to convey my feeling towards you." The audience was awed at Momo's sudden change of behaviour. It was as if Momo was dancing with all her might, moving her body like a professional dancer she is to transport her message to the viewers. Full of determination."

"Mina where are you going!?" Jihyo shouted and followed her outside.

Mina opened her phone trying to contact Hirai but to no avail. The call is unreachable.

"We knew each other since we were babies and still in diapers. I guess, even before we came to this world we were already introduced to each other. We grew up together, went to the same school from prep to now, highschool. We were basically like sisters..

"We do everything together and support each other with as much as we can. All this time we spent together, I grew attached to you. I thought that's normal, because we're best friends who grew up together and lives in the same neighborhood with our houses a yard away. However, during those times, I also discovered some thing a younger version of me didn't fully understand -

It was the budding feeling I tried to ignore, but as the times go by, this feeling only grew and bloomed. If only hanahaki was real, I would be dead a long time ago." Momo joked. "I like you. But we're best friends. I want us to be more than friends. But we're like sisters. I love you. But you love me as your best friend." 

The whole studio became quiet for awhile after Momo's message, not until the man in charge of leading the show speaked his awe and asked for the spectators to give the blonde a round of applause which the blonde humbly accepted and ended the show with enthusiasm, wishing the younger a good career to come and a good flight.

Mina hailed a taxi. Ignoring the calls of her friends, she entered the car and told the driver to bring her to Incheon airport.

——

Momo was sitting in the waiting area with earphones in her both ear. She glanced at her wristwatch to check the time. A small smile formed on her lips. The show must have been done, she thought.

Her teacher was beside her, occasionally looking at her. They were with Momo's parents who were in the convenience store inside the airport to get Momo a snack. They flew to Korea after hearing that their kid is going abroad again for study, since that it was on the side of the planet, the couple insisted to see Momo and personally get Momo to the airport.

Momo laughed after some time, she felt awkward by the looks the woman was giving her. "What is it, Ms. Lee?" Pulling one of her earphone out, she asked.

"Are you sure of this?"

She laughed again, but a pang of pain struck her chest, "You told me before to stand for my dream and move forward."

Ms. Lee slowly nodded her head. "So, it was Myoui, huh?" The woman smirked. "The person you dedicated that dance for."

"Ah," the blonde chuckled. "She won't look at me the same way, anyway." She looked to the distance. Seeing that her parents are coming, she smiled, "I can't ask her to love me the way I love her."

"You can still back out."

"I don't want to disappoint Mina, Ms. Lee. This is her dream for me. Our dream."

An announcement for the people to leaving to New York, and Momo walked to the immigration and line for the passport control.

——

Mina was getting anxious. She didn't know why she couldn't contact Momo, and the thought of Momo leaving gave a churn in her stomach.

Momo hasn't leave her side since they were kids. They were always together. They promised to be together even when they get old.

Mina wasn't a selfish person. But she is to the blonde.

The tightness in her chest everytime the blonde hug other people than her, or the way Momo would smile on others. Hell, she even reprimanded herself for getting jealous of Momo and Sana's skinship!

Once again, she dialed Momo's number and finally, after the nth time the phone rang.

"Mina?"

Mina turned to the voices and was shocked to see Momo's parents.

"Kaasan. Otōsan." She said under her breath.  "Kaasan, do you know where Momo is?", without loosing a beat she asked.

"Ah. She just entered the immigration." The lady pointed the custom and immigration area with her thumb. She hugged the girl in front of her and said how beautiful Mina was as she grew up and was really glad to see her.

"Momo said today was your performance. How was it?" The man asked Mina with a warm smile.

Mina looked at the couple in front of her. She could see Momo's warm gaze and smile which she definitely inherited from this people.

"Mitan, are you alright?" Mrs. Hirai wiped the tears in the younger Japanese face which by Mina only realized she was crying.

Mina was a mess. She didn't know that this day will come and Momo will be away from her. She took Momo's presence for granted.

And she hated herself for that.

"I need to see, Momo," she broke down.

She was aware of everything. She was aware of Momo's feelings. She was also aware of her own but was afraid to faced them.

Her friends came and gave respect to Momo's parents and Ms. Lee. The girls who just arrived learned the news from Jeongyeon and Sana after interrogating them, and the morning show as well where Momo had just appeared.

"I-I need to tell her something," she was choked by the lump forming in and the last words that came out from her lips was almost a whisper but Mr. and Mrs. Hirai heard it clearly. "I need to tell her I love her."

------

Is anyone still reading this? Hehe thank you very much for reading and I apologise for the late update. Tbh, this is supposed to be the last chapter but I think I need to justify the title.

Enjoy reading!

PS: Take care, everyone. Keep safe and stay healthy! Love youuu