6 YEARS LATER

Mina was reading the script her manager, and best friend, Jihyo had given her. When Mina's popularity I'm ballet world rocketed high, a lot of producers asked her to guest in their shows or promote their products. And Mina being new to this kind of thing, she asked Jihyo for a help which Jihyo wholeheartedly accepted.

A knocked was heard followed by a muffled sound of the doorknob, and the door opened revealing a guy, Mina was sure that was on the same age as them, wearing a headphone, entered.

"Ms. Myoui, please get ready in the backstage."

She understood Momo now. Mina wasn't new in guesting on a TV show, but Mina could still feel the cold sweat in her hands as well as her feet, that's making dump in her shoes. Her guts turned upside down. Every time felt likes the first time, and every time she wishes for Momo to be beside her.

Mina stood up from sitting, and checked herself in the mirror. 

"Has the other guest arrive?" Jihyo inquired before the staff-in-charged walk out of the room.

"Not yet," he glanced at his wristwatch as he continued, "but she'll be here in a minute." He smiled at them then excused himself.

"She must be important," Said Jihyo whilst making a face, which Mina laughed but was also curious herself.

——

In the backstage, Mina was waiting for a go signal from the producer when she heard muffled ruckus from the other side of the set.

"Okay, make her ready in 5 minutes." Mina heard from the woman beside her, who speak in a hush tone.

Mina unconsciously rolled her eyes. The staff guy said the person will be here in a minute but it took them a whole 3 minutes to be here on set. Mina thought it was so unprofessional of the person to arrived late on their call time. However, she was worried how the other guest will manage the consequences of arriving on 'time'.

"Let's all welcome today's guest, the infamous Black Swan, Myoui Mina!"

The same woman counted one to three before she told Mina to go. Upon entering, Mina bowed to the three major hosts of Happy Together, who clapped their hands as they welcomed her. Yoo Jae-Sok hyped Mina to show a little of her dancing skill, and Mina did, executing a sequence of pique turns until she reached the center. Positioning her foot forward, arms in front forming a circle and then, she turned elegantly. As she turned, her arms opened widely.

Everyone in the set was awe seeing how Mina showed her skills in ballet, like it was so easy to turn in your toes wearing sneakers. Now they knew why people gave Mina that nickname.

Mina ended her little dance with a bow before turning to the three gentlemen who stood up, doing a seal clap.

"Wow! Mina-ssi" awed Jae-Seok. His mouth still ajar in astonishment.

"Isn't that hard?" Asked Hyun-moo

Mina giggled and shook her head.

"Wa! You're even wearing sneakers. Isn't that illegal?" Se-ho inquired jokingly, amazement painted in his face as his mouth hanged open, pointing to the woman's shoes like a kid.

Mina laughed by the innocent question as she gave a short reply, "no."

As they all say down, the three men weren't done yet by acknowledging her talent and proceeded to ask about her nickname.

"That's why she's called black swan!" Jae-Seok clapped once. "How did you get that name?"

"Ah. My friends called me that when we were kids. It was a nickname they gave me."

"Oh. So, your friends started calling you that and then now, everyone calls you 'black swan'?"

"It's sort of title now," Mina chuckled.

"Does your friends still call you that?"

"Yes."

"Your friends are cool," Hyun-moo said as Jae-Seok began to introduce the next guest.

Mina smiled at Hyun-moo's acknowledgment to her friends. Mina's best friends are indeed cool. After graduating in both highschool and college, her bonds with her friends never faded. It was as strong as the first time. They all still have communication to one another despite being busy with their own lives. They hang out together when they got time to some club (because they are old now to go clubbing, mainly Nayeon's and Chaeyoung's words) or to one's house (mostly Jeongyeon's and Nayeon's apartment).

Mina's flow of thoughts was cut when the men called the other guest by her name.

"Coming straight from the US, our Dancing Machine, Hirai Momo!"

Upon hearing the name, Mina froze in her seat. Her eyes fluttered where she did her entranced earlier, and there she saw the person she was yearning for years to see. To touch. To hold.

Hirai Momo was there walking in from the propped door, wearing a white long-sleeves that was tucked in her simple faded jeans paired with converse. Her hair was no longer blonde and long, it was now cut to shoulder-length dyed in deep blue.

Mina was more entranced when Momo did a moonwalk stopping in the center, and danced a popping moves before doing an arm wave. Just like Mina, Momo ended her show with a bow then turned to her back where Mina and the three hosts were.

Momo shook hands with the three and went to sit beside Mina as the black haired woman waved at the stunned girl.

Momo was really here. Her best friend who left 6 years ago was here sitting beside her, breathing the same air as her.

"Hirai Momo-ssi, how are you?"

"I'm doing good. Thank you for having me here today," said Momo, smiling at the gentlemen before looking at the camera and slightly bowed her head. 

"I heard you just arrived from America?" One of the hosts asked Momo.

Momo's face reddened, but she still answered the question honestly, "yes."

"Woah! Don't you have jet-lag?"

"No. Not anymore, I took my rest on the way here."

Mina subtly nodded to herself. She felt sorry for what she thought about the other girl, who happened to be Momo and inwardly scolded herself for thinking that the girl was irresponsible when the truth was it's completely the opposite.

The actual questions were finally thrown and both of the ladies answered them comfortably while being professional at the same time, since most of the questions were about their profession. Jokes were still given. Mina laughed softly at this one joke Jae-Seok had said. However, her eyes would land on Momo, silently observing her. Momo had her hand casually laid on her lap while laughing, her other hand covering .

Mina had the urge to jump into Momo at that moment, but refrained herself.

It was the last segment of the show and the two were asked by the hosts about the things they want the viewers to forget.

Momo was the first one who answered.

"It was 6 years ago," Momo began, "during my last interview, when I confessed to someone I like on a national TV."

——

The shoot ended and the two women thanked the three leads of the variety show, who congratulated them again, as well the staffs for keeping up with them.

Mina was the first one who walked back to the dressing room where Jihyo was waiting, who Mina assumed was as surprised as her when Momo emerged from the entranced and introduced herself.

"Mitang!"

Mina jumped in surprise when someone threw themselves on her back, hugging her from behind. And Mina couldn't make herself move.

"I didn't know it was you."

Much more from what Mina expected. She thought Momo will say she missed her like what the latter used to say whenever they were apart from an hour or a day. But Momo only tilted her head to looked at Mina. Her chin on the younger's shoulder, smiling.

She was about to speak when someone called Momo, and Mina missed the warmth of the older as soon as Momo let go of her.

"Let's talk later with the other girls. Okay, Mitang?" Momo waved her goodbye as she walks on the direction of the person who called her, facing Mina.

Mina watched Momo hugged another girl before the pair walked away hand-in-hand.

----

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed :)

Take care, and please stay healthy.