Mina had been quiet the whole ride. Jihyo would glance from time to time at the quiet girl beside her from the rear mirror. The girl had her head leaning on the window, seemingly uninterested of the people outside the mobile. Her heavy sigh alarmed the ash gray haired girl.

"Mina..." Worry laced on Jihyo's voice. This time turning her head to looked at Mina. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Jihyo was sure that this had something to do with Momo. Like Mina, Jihyo was shocked as well to learned that the older Japanese had returned from US. Momo really knows how to surprise them all. Earlier, during the shoot, Jihyo saw the real side of Mina — the real smile, the real laugh. The shine in her eyes that formed crescent, and her signature gummy smile — that she only shows when she's comfortable to someone (Momo). Her keen eyes saw the short distance Momo and Mina had, their shoulder almost touched every time the other moved, and Mina's subtle moves didn't go unnoticed to her — like when Mina slightly pushed Momo or that moment where Mina put her hand to Momo's back, or the way Mina would purposely bumped Momo's hands. She wanted to laugh so hard while watching at how Mina tried so hard to be sneaky.

When the shoot ended, Jihyo thanked the producer and other staffs before she run back to the dressing room to fixed their things and wait for Mina. She will definitely tease the girl when she comes.

The door opened and revealed a long-faced Mina, a 360 degree flipped on Mina's mood. Jihyo frowned and asked the younger who answered her with a soft, almost incoherent, "Let's go home"

And since then Mina didn't speak a word. It worried Jihyo because the last time she saw Mina like this was when Momo left. It actually confused her. Wasn't Mina happy to see Momo back? No, she's happy, she thought. Jihyo sighed. Just what did happen to make this penguin grumpy?

                                           ——

It was almost dinner time when they arrived at Mina's home. Mina thanked Jihyo for the day. Jihyo was about to enter the car after helping Mina with her things, when someone called them. Both girls turned at the direction of the voice. A woman clad in a violet cropped top and Adidas sweatpants stood waved at them as she walks towards them. Her features reminded the two of someone.

Mina squinted, boring her eyes to the person walking to them, "Hana-nee?" Jihyo was confused, looking at the stranger then at the beaming Mina. She had heard that name before but couldn't remember.

"Hisashiburi, Mitang," she had the same smile playing on her face as Mina as she opened her arms wide which Mina immediately interpreted the action by throwing herself to the older.

"Hana-nee! I missed you," Mina hugged her tight, eliciting a laugh from the person and she pulled, "wait, when did you arrive?"

"Last night," Hana informed, "I fetched Momo at the airport earlier and dropped her to that entertainment company." Hana then noticed the girl beside Mina who was just silently watching them, "You must be Jihyo," she extended her hand out to the girl.

Jihyo, on the other hand, was nonplussed. Curious at how the stranger knew her. She glanced at Mina for help before she hesitantly reached the hand in between them. Mina leaned in and whispered, "she's Momo's older sister, Hana." Jihyo's eyes widened, appalled. She immediately bowed to hide the burning in her cheeks as she shakes Hana's hand.

"Kawaii," Hana squealed. "Join us for dinner. You too, Jihyo-chan."

Jihyo and Mina exchanged look. Jihyo was a bit reluctant. Mina didn't know what to respond. She didn't want to be rude but she also didn't want to miss having dinner with Momo. It's been a long time since they had one. And Hana was alsohere today, it was special for the Hirai's now that they were complete.

Just before the two could respond, Mina's mother came out of their own house and to the gate, holding a casserole dish — Mina figured it was yukhoe, her favorite.

The older Myoui smiled warmly at the two, "Oh, Mitang. Jihyo-chan, you're here too. You can have your dinner here, Jihyo-chan," she said before turning on way to Hirai's house.

"It's just a simple family dinner, Jihyo," Hana said, choosing her words for Jihyo not to feel timid to join them in case she was embarrassed to accept her invitation. Besides, Momo's friends are their family too. 

Jihyo looked at Mina. Mina slightly nodded her head, encouraging her, and Jihyo agreed with a small, shy smile.

"Good. I heard a lot about you from Momo. I wonder if all she was saying was nothing but truth."

"Like what, unnie?"

Unnie, this was the first time she was addressed by a Korean in Korean.

"That you look like Thomas from Thomas and Friends," tattled Hana forwardly. A memory of an excited Momo talking about her friends flashed in her mind.

Mina laughed. Unlike on the shoot, Mina didn't cover with her hand and just laughed until she felt her stomach hurts. She held Jihyo for support, because she was also getting jelly from laughing too much. How unladylike, Jihyo thought.

"Deserve," Jihyo said below her breath, allowing Mina to hear it. However, Mina laughed it off.

Mina and Jihyo followed Hana inside the house, and the girls both greeted the elders. Going to the backyard, Jihyo messaged their other friends in their group chat — excluded Momo — informing them that she was eating dinner together with Hirai-Myoui family. Jihyo's eyes widened as they exit the house to the backyard. Mina pointed on the big tree with a hammock so they could take a rest while waiting.

"Is this how you usually held a family dinner with Momo's family?" Jihyo roamed her eyes around the place. The place was different from daytime, it looked livelier now with the string lights. Even the tree they were under had a lights hanging on its branches. Two tables were connected that was neatly and beautifully covered with a white and blue mantle, three vases with flowers in it were in the middle as decorations, utensils were placed neatly on the table along with the other dishes cooked by Mina's and Momo's parents, and cyan cushions as their seats. Jihyo saw Momo's father making barbecue while talking to Mina's father who putting drinks inside the color. "You guys really look like a family," Jihyo amused.

Were they? Maybe because that was because they we're family friends who lived beside each other. You we're like an unofficial-official Hirai of the Hirais', Jihyo said. Mina blushed. She was thankful that Jihyo was busy musing the place or she will get caught with red face. Mina put down her feet to the ground and did a slightly push, causing the hammock to move.

The two ladies came out of the house and called everyone's attention for the dinner, Momo was tailing behind them.

Mina and Momo met eyes as they forwarded to the table, smiles plastered on their faces. Momo greeted Jihyo first before going to their places. Mina sat beside her mother, and on her side was Jihyo. They both looked at Hana and Momo quietly arguing on their sitting arrangements. Hana was supposed to seat beside her mother but Momo took it from her. Hana said something to Momo which the younger responded with a roll of eyes.

Momo never changed.

They began to eat after praying, thanking the Almighty for the simple celebration, and Momo and Hana's safe flight. The dinner was harmonious, and fun. Everyone was talking about their day, including Jihyo. Mostly it was about Momo. They asked her, how was New York? It was like Tokyo, she said, she went to Time Square few times already. How was living alone in a foreign country? It was the same in every country which was not your hometown, except the people who made you feel like home. If the university was as strict as it was in Korea and Japan. It was as strict as in Korea and Japan, was there any university that ain't strict tho? Momo asked. And Momo was still questioned by them, which the latter answered with enthusiasm.

The dinner ended, but the night didn't. Jihyo had to go home for she had work tomorrow, and thanked the families for having her. Momo and Mina were left in the backyard. Momo was eating the strawberry cake, not speaking as she expected. Mina suddenly felt the air thickens and she hardly could breathe. She looked up to the sky and saw the stars shining above them only to looked down again when Momo spoke.

"Chaeyoung will like this for sure," Momo broke the silence.

"You're right," Mina agrees. An image of Chaeyoung getting excited by a slice of strawberry cake crossed her mind.

"Does she still calls herself Strawberry Princess?"

"Yes" Mina chuckles. She heard Momo laughed as well. Mina's eyes followed the spoon with a piece of cake in there going to Momo's mouth, an icing grazed on her lip and Momo it. Mina gulped her water as she felt dry.

"So, how was life Mina?" It was hard without you, Mina wanted to say but restrained herself. "Has it been six years, hasn't it?"

Mina hummed, "nothing much had changed. Life is still a ."

Momo scoffed, "so, Myoui Mina can cuss now, I see?"

Was that the only changes Momo could see? You were still beautiful like the last time I saw you, was Momo's response, but eyes lingered on the younger Japanese as if looking for something. The gaze made Mina small. Ah! Like a genius who got a brilliant idea, she raised her hand that was holding a spoon.

"You're in a relationship with someone," Momo pointed the end of the spoon on her.

"I'm not."

"Oh, come one. That was impossible. With your ethereal beauty a lot of guys will fall in line just to be with you," Momo said as a matter-of-fact.

"I swear, I'm not. I would never lie to you, Momoring." That was only last time. Few years ago. She had a frown on her face, feeling annoyed at her best friend for not believing her. "Maybe it was you."

"What?"

"You're in a relationship, aren't you?" Mina said turning the table to Momo.

Momo stopped chewing, spoon in . She stared at the girl. That look again, Mina said to herself. Momo casually shrugged, "Who knows?"

As if on cue, Momo's phone rang on her pocket. Momo got up, excusing herself to answer the call. Mina sighed. She wanted to tell Momo that something in her changed. She was more confident now than before, she could even laid the feelings she had for the older.

But Mina's confident— that she had built for Momo's return— broke down, when she saw Momo smiling, like a lovestruck, while talking in her phone.

Maybe, yes. Momo was in a relationship.

And maybe, that was the girl in the studio Momo with earlier.

                                             ——

                                Pororo and friends
                                       Active now

Jihyomas
Photo attached
@Hirai-Myoui's family dinner
Sent 19:30

DevilNabong
Your face almost covered the whole frame, Jihyo 😂
Sent 19:45

Jihyomas
Btch.
Sent 19:46

Jeongnojam
Top 10 anime betrayal.
Sent 19:50

Chaengcasso
Is that a strawberry cake I saw there?
Sent 19:50

Jihyomas
Momo's sister is so pretty
Yes, Chaeng
Sent 20:01

Dahyunism
Stop spreading your gayness there, Hyo unnie
Momo unnie and Mina unnie are enough

Sent 20:02

Sanake
Hana-nee is there?
OMG!
MOMO!
I MEAN- MINA!
Sent 20:02

DevilNabong
Guys, are we gonna ignore the fact that it is a HIRAI-MYOUI “FAMILY DINNER”
Sent 20:02

Dahyunism
Oh...
Sent 20:03

Chaengcasso
Oh (2)
Sent 20:03

Jeongnojam
Oh (3)
Sent 20:03

Sanake
Oh (4)
Sent 20:03

Jihyomas
That's what I'm talking abt.
Sent 20:04

Tzuyu
So when's the wedding?
Sent 20:04
Seen

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I apologise for the wrong grammar. And thank you for reading! Have a nice day!