“Miss Son, come with me,” A police officer commanded.

 

               Chaeyoung picked her head up out of her hands and looked at the guard in confusion, “Where are we going?”

 

               “Just come with me,” He answered sternly, impatiently gesturing his hand in the direction he wanted her to move.

 

                She slowly got up and walked towards him. He reattached her handcuffs as she passed him and they walked in silence towards the entrance of the station.

 

               “Someone out there must really like you,” He finally said before unhooking her handcuffs and allowing her to walk out of holding.

 

               “Huh?”

 

               “You’re innocent… aren’t you?”

 

               “I—yeah, but it’s that easy?”

 

               He shrugged and gestured for her to walk out, “Not always, but I guess it’s your lucky day,”

 

               Chaeyoung walked out and was instantly bombarded by three bodies wrapping her in a tight hug. They all started talking and scolding her at once and she couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

               “—and Yeri said she would be here, but she had practice, so she’s just told me to tell you that you have to call her ASAP so she can talk to her dad!” Heejin finished explaining.

 

               “Oh !” Chaeyoung exclaimed, “I completely missed his meeting, didn’t I?”

 

                “Yeah, tch, I can’t believe you got arrested… and today of all days,” Somi grumbled.

 

               Yang Yang didn’t say anything, but kept hugging Chaeyoung tightly, snuggling into her neck possessively. She his hair comfortingly. Even though he was 9 days older than Heejin, making him the oldest of her kids, she knew he was really a big baby at heart.

 

               Somi cleared , “Oh, and your sugar mommy is here… she’s actually the reason we were able to get you out,”

 

                Chaeyoung looked up and finally noticed Momo, standing a little further back to allow her space with her kids. She smiled sheepishly.

 

                “You didn’t pay to bail me out… Momo I couldn’t ask that of you. I’ll never be able to repay that!” Chaeyoung pleaded.

 

                Momo chuckled, “No, I just explained to them that you’re innocent and you don’t deserve to be in trouble… and maybe there was a small bribe involved just to make things go quicker, but that one’s on me,” she explained.

 

                “Why? Why me? Why are you always so nice to me? I don’t have any drugs… I never did. I’m not a drug dealer. I’m just a poor art student, I can’t offer you anything anymore,”

 

                “Chaeyoung I know—they told me everything. I don’t care about any of that. I honestly don’t even do drugs… I just wanted an excuse to hang out with you. I think you’re pretty cool and I’d really like to get to know the real you… if you’ll let me. She sounds like a great person,”

  

              Chaeyoung just grinned stupidly up at Momo for a moment, unsure of what to do before Somi cleared again, “Kiss her,” she hissed maybe a little obviously.

 

               Momo heard it and rolled her eyes playfully, “Yeah, Chaeyoung-ah, can you please kiss me? I’ve been waiting so long for you to make a move and after today I think I deser—”

 

               She didn’t get to finish, because Chaeyoung finally got her head out of her and kissed the girl.

 

                She broke away quickly, face flushed as she looked at the very not-empty room around them, “Uhh we should go,”

 

               “Yeah and you need to call Mom, you’ve got some explaining to do,” Heejin teased.

 

                Mom?

 

                ~

 

                Tzuyu had invited Sana over to watch a movie at her apartment after practice. Sana was excited at the prospect of this possibly being a date, but Tzuyu seemed to be doing everything in her power to keep it from being one.

 

                Sana wasn’t even watching the movie anymore, she was just staring at Tzuyu and pouting. She had just rejected her attempt to kiss and cuddle for like the twelfth time. She sighed annoyedly.

 

                 “Sana, your pouting is too loud I can’t hear the movie,” Tzuyu teased, not looking at the girl. She knew if she did, she’d give in, and she had to be tough. She had to stick to her UPS rule and resist Sana just a little bit longer to make sure this was real, and not just a physical game.

 

                “Tzuyu-yah I’m your girlfriend, right?” Sana said reaching out a hand and taking one of Tzuyu’s hesitantly, playing with her fingers. She was surprised, she was letting her do even that since she’d practically flinched every other time Sana had tried to touch her.

 

                  “At the moment, yes. Your free trial hasn’t expired yet,” Tzuyu joked, still not looking at her.

 

                 Sana let go of Tzuyu’s hand and flopped back against the opposite side of the couch with her arms crossed, “Well you’re really not acting like it,” she grumbled.

 

                 Tzuyu paused the movie and finally looked at Sana, ok she wasn’t pouting anymore, but she did look a little mad. She wasn’t sure which was worse, so she did what she does best, and poked the bear, “Do you want to leave? Is this date not good enough for you?”

 

                 “This is a date?” Sana asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

 

                 Tzuyu groaned, “Yes! Or well… I was trying to make it our first date, but you keep trying to seduce me the whole time and make things physical! That’s not normal first date behavior!”

 

                 “I’m sorry if we have different ideas of what a first date is,”

 

                Tzuyu sighed, suddenly feeling guilty, “You don’t have to be sorry,”

 

                 “Do I at least get to sleep over after?” Sana asked innocently.

 

                “No,” Tzuyu responded simply.

 

                 “No? Why no?” Sana was taken aback by that answer.

 

                 “Because you and I both know how that will end,” Tzuyu sighed.

 

                “It’s just cuddling!” Sana defended.

 

                 “I told you, I don’t cuddle,” Tzuyu deadpanned.

 

                “You will,” Sana promised inaudibly.

 

                “What was that?” Tzuyu asked.

 

                “Nothing,” Sana muttered.

 

                 “Let’s just finish this movie, I swear if you paid attention for five seconds it’s actually really good,” Tzuyu bargained.

 

                “Only if I can hold your hand,”

 

                “Sana if I let you hold my hand, next thing I know we’ll be kissing—”

 

                 Sana immediately jumped over to Tzuyu’s side of the couch again, taking her hand and winding it around her as she snuggled into Tzuyu’s chest. Tzuyu had to admit it felt quite nice to hold someone this close. She shook her head, she had to stay strong. It’s only your first date Tzuyu!

 

                 Tzuyu quickly pushed Sana off of her, “Yah! What are you doing? I said no cuddling!”

 

                “I was trying to hold your hand!” Sana pouted again.

 

~

 

                 Momo was already drifting to sleep on the couch with Chaeyoung snuggled into her chest by the time Somi and Yang Yang had left – Heejin had left earlier because she was meeting with Hyunjin.

 

                 “Hey,” Chaeyoung said, gently tapping Momo awake, “You should go to bed, I don’t want your back to hurt in the morning,”

 

                Momo whined in protest, but Chaeyoung insisted – even threatening to carry the girl, “There’s no way you could carry me, I’d squish you!” Momo protested.

 

                “Try me,” Chaeyoung said getting up and winding her arms around Momo.

 

                  She wasn’t that heavy, and her bedroom wasn’t that far, but Chaeyoung as admittedly having a hard time manoeuvring because Momo kept squirming, and nosing into her neck – intentional or not, it was doing things to Chaeyoung that she didn’t want to think about right now.

 

                By the time Chaeyoung got to her bed and tried depositing Momo into it, she practically toppled down with her. Momo refused to let go of her.

 

                 “Goodnight Momo,” Chaeyoung sighed, trying to unhook Momo’s arms from around her neck.

 

                Another whine of protest. Chaeyoung gave up in favour to use her hands to hold herself up over Momo instead.

 

                “Momo, I can’t leave if you don’t let go of me,”

 

                “Then don’t leave,” Momo barely whispered.

 

                “What?”

 

                She remembered Sana’s words, how she should have invited Chaeyoung to her bed instead of making her sleep on the couch, “Stay… in my bed… with me,” Momo breathed, eyes hopeful, yet nervous.

 

                “I—if that’s what you want,” Chaeyoung answered, face flushing.

 

                “Yes,” Momo said, using her hands that were still wound around Chaeyoung’s neck to pull herself up and kissing her slowly on the lips, “It is what I want,”

 

                The rest of Chaeyoung’s resolve crumpled, and she unlocked her elbows, allowing her body to fall onto Momo, onto her bed, and press her own lingering kiss to the older’s lips.

 

                ~

 

                Mina sat on the rooftop of an apartment complex, waiting. Tonight she was on a mission. Her target looked both ways over her shoulder cutting down an alley as if she knew she was being watched but couldn’t quite figure out from where. She had an uncanny ability to spot cameras, but this wasn’t quite a camera… so maybe that’s why it was eluding her.

 

                Mina kept checking her phone as if she was expecting a text message or a phone call any moment. She didn’t know why. She knew Dahyun wouldn’t call. She sighed heavily, but that was exactly why she was here wasn’t it?

 

                The poor girl didn’t realize it, but she was walking right into Mina’s trap. Right where she wanted her. Just a little further.

 

                Mina leaned back from the scope of her sniper rifle and sighed heavily. Gotcha.

 

                ~

 

                Chaeyoung’s hand found its way under Momo’s shirt and the Japanese shuddered at the feeling. She was tracing slow patterns along her abdomen and stimulating her abdominal reflex. It was a bit distracting to Momo, she stopped kissing Chaeyoung momentarily, to guide her hand to her hip instead and Chaeyoung’s eyes widened.

 

                “Are you—” Chaeyoung husked, but Momo mustn’t have heard because she cut her off, reconnecting their lips again.

 

                Chaeyoung shifted so that she was no longer on top of Momo before her other hand, matched the hand on Momo’s hip. With her new position she was able to pull Momo closer on top of her, causing the older girl to hum in surprise at the new change in position, but not stop what she was doing.

 

                Chaeyoung tightened ger grip on Momo’s hips and pulled them down onto her thigh, the older parting the kiss to elicit a moan.

 

                Momo’s face turned red immediately, “I—I’m so sorry I don’t—I don’t know—” but her apology was swallowed by another moan as Chaeyoung leaned up and started gently and kissing on her neck, pulling Momo’s hips down again.

 

                “Th—that—Chaeyoung,” Momo panted, trying to retain her composure.

 

                “Hmm, yeah?” Chaeyoung asked, more focused on Momo’s neck.

 

                “Wh—what are you doing?”

 

                “I’m—oh wait, does it not feel good?” Chaeyoung asked, suddenly self conscious.

 

                “N—no it feels… too good,” Momo replied, burying her head in Chaeyoung’s chest in embarrassment.

 

                Chaeyoung breathed a sigh of relief, loosening her grip on Momo’s hips and allowing her to settle herself, “Do you want to stop?”

 

                “Yes—no—well, can we maybe just cuddle instead?” Momo asked, scooting off of Chaeyoung and settling beside her.

 

                “Of course,” Chaeyoung said, winding her arms around Momo from behind and pressing a kiss into her shoulder.

 

                ~

 

                Mina carefully disassembled her gun and packed it up in her sling bag before descending the fire escape and gracefully swinging and dropping the two metres to the ground from the ladder - it would have been a perfect silent landing except for the curse she let slip at the slight ache in her right knee upon impact.

 

                “Who’s there?” The girl said in a panic.

 

                “Shh, it’s just me,” Mina soothed.

 

                “AAAHHHHHHHH!” The poor girl screamed and attempted to run.

 

                “Really, Dahyun?” Mina said easily grabbing the girl and preventing her from escaping.

 

                “P—please Mina, you’re scaring me,”

 

                “Dahyun, it’s just me. You know me—hey, no goons just me,” she said loosening her grip.

 

                “I—I don’t know what to think. Should I feel reassured that you just dropped out of the sky to ambush me taking out the trash?”

 

                “You’re avoiding me by not leaving your apartment. I did what I had to do,” Mina said shrugging.

 

                “What is wrong with you?”

 

                “Nothing! Dahyun, I’m the same person you’ve always known. My parents are—s. You told me you understood that,” Mina pleaded.

 

                “What kind of parents hire goons to spy on their daughter and kidnap her friends!” Dahyun spat, Mina winced at the last word.

 

                “Girlfriend,” Mina emphasized.

 

                “Oh, now I’m your girlfriend? Because I wasn’t back then,”

 

                “You don’t understand, my parents don’t know… they can’t know. They wouldn’t just be disappointed—”

 

                Dahyun laughed bitterly, “You think I don’t understand? Have you not listened to like anything I’ve been trying to tell you? I thought you were stronger than this. I looked up to you, and you were lying—what else don’t I know about you?” Dahyun exclaimed.

 

                “My parents are Yakuza Dahyun—I’m Yakuza,” She said, voice barely above a whisper.

 

                “Wh—what? You don’t look like—”

 

                Mina turned around and slipped off her black bomber jacket to reveal her tattoo that could be seen peeking through her tank top.

 

                “I—is that a—when did you—” Suddenly Mina’s shyness to be undressed in front of her made sense. It was all starting to make sense.

 

                “That’s it Dahyun. Now you know, ok? You know everything,”

 

                “I—I—I” She stuttered, backing away.

 

                “Run away, it’s ok. I understand. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you—but at least now you know, right?” Mina said bitterly, shrugging her jacket back on and turning back around, “It’s probably for the best, my parents would never approve anyway,”

 

                “Y—you told me you left Japan to get away from their reputation, you wanted to make your own choices and be yourself,” Dahyun mumbled, trying to piece everything else, “You never want to talk about them, and you never want them to come here…”

 

                “And now you know why… but plot twist: I never stood up to them. They think I’m here getting a degree in international business so I can come back and take over the family business after graduation. I’m a coward. They don’t know I like girls… much less Korean girls. They will never approve of you. I’m such a ing disappointment. They used to think I was their perfect little ballerina daughter. They loved that, I was good at something and they could brag about me. I didn’t want to join the dance team, Dahyun, but now they know and they’re coming. They’re going to find out everything. I just wanted to be normal for a little longer!” But she wasn't normal. Mina had never been normal and she should have known better than to even try. And now, even the tears she cried looked like diamonds as they fell down her face. She couldn’t hold them back anymore. She thought about the time when she first found out her parents were coming, and she had a panic attack. Here we go again. She was weak - her knee pain was a constant reminder of that - she couldn’t stand up to them, and she was about to lose everything she loved because of it.

 

                Dahyun backed up again, but this time she hit the wall behind her and leaned heavily on it. She wanted nothing more than to wipe the tears from Mina's face, but she didn’t trust her legs right now. This was too much information all at once.

 

                “We should break up,” Mina suggested, her voice cracking as if it was fighting her, “It’s easier that way,”

 

                “W—wait,” Dahyun tried to say, “I—I just need to process this,”

 

                Mina sighed and shook her head in defeat, wiping her own tears, “It’s better like this Dahyun, we’re just too different. You go to church and pray for the souls of people like me. You deserve someone better,”

 

                ~

 

                Chaeyoung fell asleep quickly, her breathing becoming steady and deep, but Momo had a much harder time. She kept thinking about every kiss, every touch, replaying over in her mind. She couldn’t wipe the stupid grin off of her face.

 

                She wouldn’t have done those things if she didn’t like me, right?

 

                Then why did I stop her? I was enjoying it, right? Then why couldn’t I go through with it.

 

                Sana’s words echoed in her mind again, “At least when I like someone, I sleep with them,” they had hurt. But here she was sleeping with someone she very much liked… and she still couldn’t get there. Was there still some doubt? Don’t overthink it, Momo, today was only the first time she’s kissed you. It doesn’t have to move this fast… not everyone moves at Sana’s pace.

 

                Then the doubt started creeping in.

 

                What if she was only doing this because she felt like she owed me for getting her out of jail? What if it’s weird tomorrow and she tries to leave like last time?

 

                Momo shook her head. She didn’t want to think about that possibility. She started to sweat, suddenly feeling too hot. She didn’t normally sleep with a shirt on, but she hadn’t wanted Chaeyoung to get the wrong message earlier. Well, now that she was asleep it couldn’t hurt. Momo as carefully as she could with Chaeyoung’s arms draped loosely around her peeled off her shirt and was finally able to get air in just her sports bra.

 

                Chaeyoung stirred in her sleep, possibly noticing Momo’s restlessness and pulled Momo closer. She mumbled something inaudibly that sounded suspiciously similar to “I love you,”

 

                She was probably just having a food dream, right? Sana said Momo was always talking about food in her sleep. She refused to allow herself to get her hopes up. Who knows what was going on inside that girl’s head?

 

                Momo heard the door slam shut signaling that Sana was home. That’s weird, Momo had assumed she’d be staying with Tzuyu tonight.

 

                ~

 

                “B—but we just started,” Dahyun whimpered. Sure, she was having a hard time processing all this new information, but she new one thing: she didn’t want to break up with Mina yet.

 

                “We were going to end anyway Dahyun, wasn’t that why you were avoiding me? Because you didn’t want to have to break up with me?”

 

                “Wh—no! Mina… I—I love you,” Dahyun said, her voice cracking, “We can’t just end like this. I was—I was admittedly being stupid, ok? I was scared. And I’m still scared, ok, this is a lot. You’ve probably—have you… killed someone?” Dahyun whispered the last part.

 

                “Don’t say that. I don’t deserve that. You loved someone you didn’t even know. Now you know who I really am it’s ok if you want to change you mind,”

 

                “You didn’t answer the question, Mina,” Dahyun said, hardening her stare.

 

                “Does it matter? Even if I haven’t, I have by association! I’m despicable! You go to church on Sundays! You said it yourself, I’m going to hell. We just—don’t work,”

 

                “Stop saying that, Mina. We were best friends before we were lovers, and we always worked then. What’s different now? You’re the same person you always were, the same person I’ve loved… just with some extra baggage, but who doesn’t come with baggage? I know you still feel the same about me, and you always knew you were Yakuza, so why shouldn’t I?”

 

                “Do you know what I have in my baggage Dahyun?”

 

                Dahyun eyed the thin rectangular bag hanging off Mina's shoulder, “Uhhh maybe an instrument? I didn’t know you played one, but what does that—”

 

                Mina chuckled bitterly, “I guess you could say it’s an instrument of sorts… it’s a sniper rifle. Most normal kids get taught to ride a bike by their dads… mine taught me to shoot. This gun… it’s the only thing I ever cared for, it’s my baby,”

 

                “I thought I was your baby,” Dahyun whimpered, now unsure whether she was more scared or sad. Mina kept saying these intimidating things, but she was also crying and hurting. How could she be so scary and so pitiful at the same time.

 

                Mina couldn’t take it anymore. Her resolve crumbled and she dropped the bag on the ground, forgotten in a heartbeat as she surged forward and embraced Dahyun, “You are—you are, I’m so sorry,”

 

                “Then please, let’s try again,” Dahyun said as she Mina’s hair comfortingly.

 

                “Ok,” Mina sniffled. There was nothing more Mina wanted in the world than to be given a second chance by Dahyun, she just hoped her parents would be so forgiving when they found out.