“What's up biiiiiiitch!” Nayeon called across the quad to Sana.

 

                “Look at you Miss Captain, out of bed before noon,” Sana called back, skipping over to greet her friend.

 

                “Ugh, barely… morning classes are going to be the death of me. Too bad Jeong says I need to graduate or whatever, otherwise you know I’d skip,” Nayeon groaned.

 

                “Where is Jeong?” Sana asked.

 

                “Library… apparently Med School is like difficult to get into or some , so she’s been studying her off lately. She gets so grumpy when she’s in the zone though, so I just left her there,” Nayeon shrugged matter-of-factly.

 

                “I can’t believe we’re old,” Sana whined, “I feel like it was yesterday we were just starting here… ah to be a college again,” she sighed nostalgically.

 

                “Bull, you were not a when you started college. You had the entire field hockey team wrapped around your finger before you’d even graduated high school,” Nayeon snorted.

 

                “Now, now, Nayeon, let’s not spread rumours that may or may not be true,” Sana said rolling her eyes playfully “But you know what I mean: college ity, freshman year,”

 

                “Whatever you say, Sana,” Nayeon relented, “Hey are you going to be at practice today?”

 

                “Uhm yeah duh, Coach Bae would stone me if I wasn’t,” Sana said rolling her eyes.

 

                “The new freshmen are joining us today,” Nayeon said calmly, examining her nails.

 

                “Oh yeah? How were tryouts? Did we get a good squad this year?” Sana asked.

 

                “Always,” Nayeon snorted in response, “But hey… a word of advice: skip out on the locker room today,”

 

                “And miss seeing the field hockey team change? Whatever will I do?” Sana whined dramatically.

 

                Nayeon chuckled, “Just… pass it on for me, will ya? I can’t put it in the group text because I don’t want a paper trail back to me,”

 

                “What did you do Im Nayeon?” Sana asked, tone shifting serious.

 

                “I can’t tell you just yet… but what I will say is that my little sister had to help me out on this one,” She said smirking devilishly.

 

                “Oh my God!” Sana squealed. If she thought Nayeon was merciless when it came to pranks, then Yeojin was even worse. Sana couldn’t wait to hear what they’d cooked up for the incoming freshmen. Hopefully it didn’t involve toilet bowl cleaner in the shampoo again… they didn’t need a whole team of “y Shrecks” as last year’s batch had been dubbed after they turned green in the showers.

 

                ~

 

                Tzuyu kept staring across the library at one person in particular. The brooding senior looked so familiar, yet she just couldn’t place where she recognized her from.

 

                “Do you know her?” Dahyun finally asked.

 

                “No—at least I don’t think so,” Tzuyu answered quickly.

 

                “Well, you keep staring at her like you do,” Dahyun pressed, narrowing her eyes disbelievingly.

 

                “Who?” Mina asked, turning around to see who Tzuyu was looking at. Tzuyu looked down blushing, they were being so obvious.

 

                “Yoo Jeongyeon,” Dahyun answered teasingly.

 

                “Can I help you?” a voice suddenly asked, taking them all off guard.

 

                Dahyun elbowed Mina to respond, but Mina just elbowed her back as if to say “no, you,”

 

                Tzuyu sighed, “Hi, sorry about them—are you by any chance on the field hockey team?”

 

                Jeongyeon looked taken aback by the question before she furrowed her brows, “For the time being, yeah I guess,” she replied.

 

                Tzuyu smiled proudly at Dahyun for finally having made the connection, “Jihyo’s probably going to kick me off though because I really don’t give a damn about it anymore,” Jeongyeon grumbled before looking back down at her textbook.

 

                Mina and Dahyun turned back to their own table, their mouths forming small “o” shapes at the field hockey drama they’d just uncovered.

 

                ~

               

                “Momo, let me drive you to Okaeri please,” Rosé pleaded, “I’m already going to shoot through that way—I hate to see you having to run back again,”

 

                “I like to run, Rosé, I’m captain of the track team for a reason,” Momo replied.

 

                “Yeah, but it’s the off-season, you’re supposed to be resting,” Rosé pointed out.

 

                “Fine, but only this one time because I’ve been running around campus all day,” Momo relented, “But if I die, I will never forgive you,”

 

                Rosé laughed melodically, “Deal,”

 

                For as much talking-up of her driving Rosé did to Momo, she was actually a pretty horrible driver. Not only did she not wear a seatbelt, but she kept checking her phone, and almost hit a biker - shouting and calling him a 'hoon' the entire time.

 

                As soon as they’d parked, Momo jumped out of Rosé’s Jeep and sprinted to her apartment, not wanting to waste another moment in or around her car.

 

                Rosé would have questioned it, but as soon as they’d arrived, she received a call from Sana to warn her about the locker room prank and forgotten all about her.

 

                Momo was running so fast she nearly ran straight over a familiar looking boy in the stairwell. She quickly grabbed him by the arms and righted him, muttering an apology before doing a double take, “Yang Yang?” she accidentally whispered out loud, cursing her tongue instantly.

 

                “Do I know you?” the boy asked suspiciously. How had she never seen him around before? He must be a freshman, she thought. Suddenly she wondered what their apartment’s drug policy was.

 

                “I—no, sorry—I’m just feeling rather existential. How did we all get here… well it all started with the Big Bang,” She said laughing nervously.

 

                “Riiiight,” He said before hurrying away.

 

                ~

 

                “How’re you adjusting?” Jihyo asked as she intercepted Tzuyu on her way to the locker rooms before practice.

 

                “Well I spent most of my day in the library trying to figure out how to get out… and I couldn’t ask for help because I’d already assured my tour guide that I knew the campus enough not to need her tour,” Tzuyu explained tiredly.

 

                Jihyo began cracking up at Tzuyu’s misfortune and had to hold onto her arm for support.

 

                Tzuyu looked at her questioningly, “How did you adjust… it must have been a pretty big change for you as well?” She asked.

 

                “What do you mean?” Jihyo asked, as she tried to stop laughing, “I’m Korean… I’ve lived here my entire life,”

 

                “Well… I—you look—I just—” Tzuyu started stuttering.

 

                Jihyo instantly started laughing again at how adorable Tzuyu was when she was uncomfortable, “It’s ok Tzu, I get that a lot. In fact, my friends used to call me Jihyo Rosamaria Rodriguez de la Cruz in high school,”

 

                “That’s a mouthful… please don’t make me call you that,” Tzuyu laughed uneasily.

 

                “I don’t know… usually we save the hazing for the freshman, but you are new to the team…” She trailed off, letting the idea hang in the air.

 

                “Please, I’d rather a frog instead,” Tzuyu pleaded.

 

                Jihyo was confused until she looked through the locker room door that Tzuyu was holding open for her and saw several screaming freshmen standing on the locker room benches as somewhere around 20 frogs hopped aimlessly around them.

 

                “Umm, let’s change in the bathroom,” Jihyo suggested.

 

                “Good call Rosamaria,” Tzuyu seconded.

 

                ~

 

                Nayeon was howling with laughter as she quickly exited the scene of the crime, “Yeo—Yeo, it was perfect, you should have seen their faces,” she panted to her sister over the phone.

 

                “I literally did see their faces because you had me on facetime in the locker room like some sort of ert,” Yeojin scoffed teasingly.

 

                “There was no !” She defended, “None of them were able to get that far before they found the frogs,”

 

                “You owe me for that Unnie,” Yeojin reminded her, “It took me three days to catch all those frogs,”

 

                “I know, I know,” Nayeon grumbled.

 

                Just then Coach Bae came running down the hall from her office towards the locker rooms.

 

                “—gotta go Yeo, talk to you later,” Nayeon hastily said.

 

                “Yah! You better not be—” was the last thing she heard before she abruptly hung up and hurried after Coach Bae, fully prepared to dramatically feign innocence if necessary.

 

                ~

 

                When Momo arrived at the dance room, she put down her things and checked her phone for what felt like the millionth time since her first class. I left the right number, right? She wondered.

 

                She was quickly reassured when she noticed she had a text from an unknown number

 

[16:15] Unknown: SNSD in Seoul!! Tickets starting at 150,000 won. Follow this link to purchase [link]. Reply STOP to cancel.

 

                Momo groaned. She was really starting to regret signing up for those spammy text messages now. She tossed her phone on her bag and raised her hands up over her head to begin stretching.

 

[ding]

 

                She immediately stopped what she was doing and dove down to her phone to see what was probably just another spam message.

 

[16:17] Unknown: hey uhhh this is Chaeyoung. the girl with the notebook. i think you left me this number this morning… but i never got a chance to get your name.

 

                She remembered how the girl had slept soundly through the entire class. Her quiet snores almost sounded like purring, and Momo had thought it was adorable rather than a nuisance. She wanted to thank the girl properly for letting her borrow her notebook, but she couldn’t bare to wake her up, so she just left her number instead.

 

[Saved Contact as “Sleepy Cub 🐅”]

 

                She was about to type out a response when she heard the door open. She turned to see her dance coach standing in the doorway with her arms crossed, smirking knowingly.

 

“What’s got you all smiley, Hirai?” Coach Kang asked.

 

“It’s uhh—nothing… yet,” She answered truthfully.

               

                 Coach Kang stepped forward into the room to stand next to Momo who clicked her phone off and put it down by her bag to give her full attention.

 

                “Why are you here? You’ve been here every night this week. Tryouts aren’t until tomorrow… and you’re the captain—by unanimous vote—you don’t even have to try out,” Coach Kang asked.

 

                “Yeah, but I expect us to get some good talent this year… and what kind of captain would I be if I fell behind?” Momo answered with determination.

 

                “Momo, you won’t fall behind. You’re the best hip-hop dancer I’ve seen since—well, since me,” She answered, scoffing at the idea.

 

                “It’s not hip-hop I’m worried about,” Momo replied, her face falling, “I want to get better at... contemporary,” she said the last part so quietly Coach Kang almost didn’t hear her.

 

                Coach Kang leaned back, nodding and smiling in understanding, “Oh… I see, so is that who you’ve been texting all dopey and soft?”

 

                Momo looked at Coach Kang, eyes widening in surprise, “No, no I—it’s not like that—I would never—I just… I just think really think she may give us a shot this year,” Momo’s face flushed bright red as she struggled to answer Coach Kang.

 

                “I don’t know… she seemed pretty adamant about not joining last year when I tried to recruit her,” Coach Kang responded.

 

                “Yeah, but like… I’m captain this year and—I don’t know. I’ve got a good feeling about this,” Momo answered assuredly.

 

                “Alright, well if you’re so sure then I’ll let you get back to it,” Coach Kang said walking back out the door.

 

[ding]

 

                There it was, snapping Momo out of her thoughts and she leapt back down to check her phone again.

 

[16:25] Sleepy Cub 🐅: oh i just realized i switched the 7 and the 4. wrong number. disregard.

 

                She snorted in laughter, before quickly typing back her response.

 

[16:25] Momo: HEY! It’s Momo, you got the number right! Sorry I can be a little dyslexic at times 😊

Momo: Thank you sosososo much for letting me borrow your notebook this morning. Your doodles were really cute XD

[16:26] Sleepy Cub 🐅: well then Momo, i’m glad i’m just as dyslexic then 😎

                Sleepy Cub 🐅: do you believe in fate? because i think i’m starting to

                Sleepy Cub 🐅: you can borrow my notebook anytime

 

                Momo couldn’t help but swoon, but now was not the time for that. She came to the dance room for a reason. She hit play on her intended song, and let the music carry her. She couldn’t help but feel just a little bit lighter today than usual.

 

                ~

 

                There Sana was again, stretched out across the Australian girl, but with her head resting on the bunny girl’s lap. They were giggling at something on the bunny girl’s phone before several shaken up looking freshman joined them on the bleachers and pulled their attention.

 

                Tzuyu yanked her attention from the cheerleaders and back to her team. Jihyo was looking at her with a knowing glare as she passed back and forth with Haseul. Then something else stole Jihyo’s attention, she turned to acknowledge the tall girl that had just waltzed into practice, stick lazily propped over one shoulder. Tzuyu instantly recognized her as the girl from the library: Yoo Jeongyeon.

 

                “Well look who finally decided to take her sport seriously and show up on time,” Jihyo called.

 

                “Not like I had anywhere else to be,” Jeongyeon grumbled before scanning the team, “You,” she finally said pointing at Tzuyu, “Let’s pass,”

 

                Tzuyu looked around for who Jeongyeon could be talking to around her, but there was no one, everyone else was already partnered up. She quickly jogged after Jeongyeon out to the field.

 

                She discovered that Jeongyeon was good. Her passes were always spot on, if not a little ahead just to give Tzuyu the opportunity to run and warm up a bit. She wondered why Jihyo was threatening to kick the girl off the team if she was this good though.

 

                “Woo, Jeongie Baby! Hit that ball!” a voice called from the bleachers.

 

                Both girls instantly turned, to see the bunny-toothed girl jumping up and down, shaking her pom-poms excitedly. Sana, on the other hand, had leaned up and was rubbing her head, shooting the girl an annoyed look as the Aussie giggled airily beneath her.

 

​​​​​​​                “Who’s that?” Tzuyu asked, shooting the older girl a knowing smirk as she passed the ball back.

 

​​​​​​​                Jeongyeon trapped it easily before responding, “The most annoying girl you will ever meet… Im Nayeon,” she grunted as she lifted the ball through the air to Tzuyu.

 

​​​​​​​                Tzuyu chuckled as she raised her stick up to hit the ball down before it could escape her reach, “What’d she do to you?” maybe she had something to do with their seemingly tense history with the cheerleaders, she mused as she returned the ball to Jeongyeon.

 

​​​​​​​                Jeongyeon scoffed, “More like what didn’t she do at this point, she’s my girlfriend,” she said shooting the boisterous cheerleader one last look before sending Tzuyu an easy pass.

 

​​​​​​​                “Jeongie—Jeongie, look babe—I’ll show you my ,” Nayeon called distractingly, and Tzuyu was starting to understand why she had called her the most annoying person ever.

 

​​​​​​​                “Don’t look,” Jeongyeon grumbled, “She gets off to the attention,”

 

​​​​​​​                Tzuyu wouldn’t have looked either way. She wasn’t about to give the cheerleaders the satisfaction of knowing the promise of had piqued her interest.

 

​​​​​​​                “Hey, you—tall girl, 25,” someone else had joined in on Nayeon’s game, “Cutie pie, sweet cheeks,” they cooed, trying all sorts of pet names to get Tzuyu’s attention. But Jihyo had warned her… and now Jeongyeon too, don’t give into the cheerleaders. She gritted her teeth into guard and focused on sending Jeongyeon another well-aimed pass. 

 

​​​​​​​                “Wait I think I have a class with her… her name is Chewy or something,” a loud girl squealed.

 

​​​​​​​                “Chuu and Chewy, I like the sound of that,” another girl teased.

 

​​​​​​​                “That’s really not funny,” the girl who was presumably Chuu responded, “You know I only date girls on the dance team,”

 

​​​​​​​                “Hey Chewy, dance team tryouts are tomorrow,” someone else called.

 

                She tried everything she could think of to try and block them out, even humming quietly to herself.

 

​​​​​​​                “Ladies give it a rest, she’s not going to look,” a sweet voice lilted, and suddenly Tzuyu found herself looking up at Sana for the first time since the cheerleaders had started taunting her.

 

​​​​​​​                “Crikey…” the Aussie said in surprise.

 

​​​​​​​                Sana and Tzuyu locked eyes for a second before she felt the ball slam into her stomach and knock the wind out of her. She fell to the ground, gasping for air and Jeongyeon ran to her side.

 

​​​​​​​                “Ten points for Sana!” Nayeon called impressed.

 

​​​​​​​                “I told you not to look at them,” Jeongyeon hissed awkwardly through her mouthguard as she helped her teammate up.

 

​​​​​​​                ~

 

​​​​​​​                “Are you seriously considering trying out for the dance team?” Dahyun asked as they walked towards the Arts building.

 

​​​​​​​                “Pssh, no,” Mina snorted, “I’m not dance team material… and besides I don't like performing for people,”

 

​​​​​​​                “But you dance for me,” Dahyun pressed, “And you’re really good,”

 

​​​​​​​                “T—that’s not what I meant--,” Mina answered looking at her feet.

 

​​​​​​​                “--I think you should do it. If you like dancing, screw everything else holding you back,” Dahyun asserted.

 

​​​​​​​                “I can’t just screw everything else,” Mina said stopping and turning to look into Dahyun’s eyes pleadingly, but Dahyun wasn’t going to give up this easily.

 

​​​​​​​                “It’s just tryouts, its not that serious, Mina. And besides, you’ll never know if you don’t try,” Dahyun said, and there was an excited fire in her eyes that Mina couldn’t deny.

 

​​​​​​​                “I—fine, I’ll try out… but only if you try out too,” Mina countered.

 

​​​​​​​                Dahyun’s eyes bugged in surprise, but Mina started walking again and she had to jog to catch up, “Hey, that’s not fair! You just want them to laugh at me, you know I have two left feet,”

 

​​​​​​​                “It’s just tryouts, its not that serious, Dahyun,” Mina teased, using Dahyun’s own words against her.

 

​​​​​​​                “Meow-y Mina!” Mina heard the familiar voice call again, “Dahyun,” she added shortly after.

 

​​​​​​​                Dahyun looked between Mina – who’s face had flushed bright red again – and Chaeyoung who was smiling cheekily at the two, “You two know each other?” she asked incredulously.

 

​​​​​​​                “You two know each other?” Mina replied in just as much disbelief.

 

​​​​​​​                “Yeah she’s—I—we went to high school together,” Dahyun responded quickly.

 

​​​​​​​                “Mina and I designed a cat café together last semester, didn’t we?” Chaeyoung said putting an arm around her familiarly.

 

​​​​​​​                “Didn’t realize you were into city planning now… thought you were more into city… unplanning,” Dahyun retorted lamely, suddenly frustrated for reasons she couldn’t explain.

 

​​​​​​​                Chaeyoung chuckled, letting go of Mina and turning her attention to Dahyun, “It’s good to leave your comfort zone every once in a while,” she replied, and the slight bite in her words, didn’t go unnoticed by Mina.

 

​​​​​​​                “Uhm, Dahyun, if we’re trying out for dance team tomorrow, we should probably go work on a routine,” Mina said tugging on Dahyun’s arm to get her to leave the situation.

 

​​​​​​​                “Dance team, eh? Maybe I underestimated you, Kim,” Chaeyoung scoffed slightly impressed as the two disappeared into the Arts building.

 

[15:48] Meowy Mina 🐈: … What was that all about?

[15:49] my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: why don’t you ask her

                my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: jk she probably won’t tell you

[Unsent] my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: because she’ll end up hurting you

[15:50] Meowy Mina 🐈: Please don’t be a about it. She’s my best friend.

[15:51] my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: … best friend eh?

[15:52] Meowy Mina 🐈: Yes.

[15:53] my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: well as long as you know that

                my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: sorry i was a …

[Unsent] my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: i just don’t want her to hurt someone again

[15:54] my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: we had a falling out, that’s all i can tell you

                my super cool architecture partner chae 😼: she’s your best friend now

 

​​​​​​​                When they entered the building, Mina bee-lined straight to the dance room, but she could hear music coming from it… classical music. Someone was already using the room. She had a hunch it was the same person who’d been using it the last couple times Mina had tried to come dance.

 

​​​​​​​                “Let’s go, someone is already using it,” Dahyun said glumly, accepting that whenever Mina got this far, she usually just turned around in defeat.

 

​​​​​​​                “No,” Mina said, puffing her chest out bravely, “She’s always here, from like 4pm to midnight. It’s not fair to anyone else!”

 

​​​​​​​                “But she was here first,” Dahyun responded, “We can’t just barge in and kick her out,”

 

​​​​​​​                “Watch me,” Mina said before barging in the dance room with intention to do just that.

 

​​​​​​​                As soon as she was in the room she halted, causing Dahyun to smack into her.

 

​​​​​​​                “Momo,” she said breathlessly.

 

​​​​​​​                Momo stopped dancing and stood up straight as if she’d been caught doing something naughty, “Mina!” she exclaimed in surprise.

 

​​​​​​​                “What are you doing? I thought you did hip hop,” Mina asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

 

​​​​​​​                Momo reached into her bag for a towel, before patting at the back of her neck, “I do… but I—I wanted to work on something I’m not as good at,”

 

​​​​​​​                “It’s good to leave your comfort zone every once in a while,” Dahyun grumbled, echoing Chaeyoung’s words from earlier.

 

​​​​​​​                “Yeah! Exactly!” Momo exclaimed eyes sparkling excitedly.

 

​​​​​​​                “Well, we decided we’re going to try out for the team tomorrow. I actually—uh I actually came here to work on my hip-hop,” Mina offered conversationally.

 

​​​​​​​                “Really?” Momo asked, large grin spreading across her face, when Mina and Dahyun nodded in confirmation, “Well, I wouldn’t worry about it too much… I don’t think you’ll have any problems with it,” Momo said winking at Mina.

 

​​​​​​​                Momo picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, then draped the towel around her neck lazily.

 

​​​​​​​                “Are you leaving?” Mina asked suddenly.

 

​​​​​​​                “Uh… yeah,” Momo answered looking between the two, “I’d rather you surprise me tomorrow,”

 

​​​​​​​                “Wait, you’re going to watch us?” Mina said, her eyes widening in surprise.

 

​​​​​​​                Momo chuckled at how oblivious Mina was, “Um yeah, Mina, I’m the judge,” she explained. She shook her head and continued chuckling good naturedly as she left the two girls to work on their routines.

 

​​​​​​​                ~

 

​​​​​​​                This was the earliest Momo would be leaving campus in weeks. It was around five pm, so she knew Sana would still be at cheer. She decided to text Chaeyoung and see what she was up to as she made her way to the pitch.

 

[17:11] Momo: Hey :P

                Momo: wyd?

[17:12] Sleepy Cub 🐅: field hockey practice, you?

 

                Momo groaned. Gross. Field hockey players were Sana’s type. Maybe she’d read her wrong? Momo couldn’t ignore what the girl had called fate though, maybe she should give her the benefit of the doubt?

 

[17:15] Momo: Just leaving the studio.

                Momo: I didn’t know you were on the team?​​​​​​​

[17:15] Sleepy Cub 🐅: i’m not

                Sleepy Cub 🐅: lol

                [Image Attached]

                Sleepy Cub 🐅: i’m taking pictures

                Sleepy Cub 🐅: I didn’t know you were an artist?

[17:16] Momo: Dance studio :/

[17:16] Sleepy Cub 🐅: dance is art 😉

                Sleepy Cub 🐅: i’m about to fall asleep, keep me company so i don’t?

 

                Momo smiled to herself. She was already on her way there to see Sana, she might as well. Especially now that she didn’t have to worry about Chaeyoung being on the team. With renewed excitement, Momo jogged the rest of the way to the pitch.

 

                When she arrived, she looked around, not seeing Chaeyoung at first glance, but suddenly she spotted a small figure at the top of the bleachers, standing on her tippy toes and waving her hands in the air. She smiled and started to jog up the bleachers, but something caught her eye. Chaeyoung’s white long sleeve had fallen down when she was waving… exposing an unmistakable tattoo… it couldn’t be.

 

                Chaeyoung beamed at her excitedly as she neared, but Momo gulped nervously, slowing down substantially, not sure how to handle this new information. It was too late to turn around now.

 

                Chaeyoung yawned as she sat down, “Thanks for coming,” she said, eyeing Momo who chose to sit with a safe amount of distance in between.

 

                “Well, I did owe you for the notebook thing,” Momo replied nonchalantly.

 

                “You look… hot,” Chaeyoung said, leaning closer to tuck a stray hair behind Momo’s ear.

 

                “I—uhh—I haven’t had a chance to shower yet, so I’m actually pretty gross,” Momo denied nervously.

 

                Chaeyoung smirked at Momo, “I just meant—you’re sweaty… and flushed,” she mused.

 

                “Oh…” Momo said, realizing her misunderstanding and unconsciously pulling at her shirt to fan herself, “Yeah I’m a little warm… why are you in long sleeves? So no one can see your tattoo?” Momo added before she could think better of it, and internally cursed her tongue.

 

                “Something like that,” Chaeyoung’s expression was hard to read as she rolled up her sleeve to fully reveal her tattoo, a red pair of lips resembling a kiss mark, “You like my ink?” she asked neutrally.

 

                “I—I have nothing against tattoos,” Momo answered quickly.

 

                “Good, because I have more, but you’ll have to wait before you can see those,” she smirked before turning back to the field. She picked up her camera and looked through the lens, snapping a couple of photos of Yeri celebrating a goal by body slamming against Doyeon who’d assisted, “Epic,” she whispered to herself as she monitored the photos she just took.

 

                “Oh my god, I would let Yeri body slam me all night,” they overheard one of the cheerleaders moan.

 

                “Tell me about it, Doyeon could absolutely get it,” another one added.

 

                “That’s it, Sooyoung, Elly, take a lap,” Coach Bae shouted before face palming in embarrassment, “Anyone else care to comment? That’s what I thought, start over!”

 

                Chaeyoung shuddered, “Are cheerleaders always this disgusting?” she asked more to the universe than to Momo.

 

                “You have no idea…” Momo answered, “Watch this: Sana, kimochi warui tte iwareta koto aru?” Momo called down to the blonde girl that was standing next to the bunny-toothed girl facing the team.

 

​​​​​​​                Sana looked up as if she’d just noticed Momo’s presence before smirking and replying plainly in Korean, “Everyday, babe,” both Japanese girls chuckled.

 

                Chaeyoung looked at her in confusion.

 

                “It’s ok, I can say that because I live with that one,” she shrugged in response, pointing to Sana.

 

                “You know Minatozaki Sana?” Chaeyoung asked standing up abruptly in surprise.

 

                “Yep,” Momo said popping the p, “We moved here together from Japan almost seven years ago now,”

 

                “Holy ,” Chaeyoung breathed, “How have our paths never crossed before then?”

 

                Momo shrugged, “How did you know her?”

 

                “Kim Dahyun and I… we used to be best friends until I kind of took Sana’s side after the whole incident,” Chaeyoung explained.

 

                There it was, that word again, Momo thought, incident. No one seemed really to know how to label the type of trouble Sana got in, so it always just came back to incidents.

 

                “She was—yeah,” Momo sighed, unsure of how to proceed, “That was rough for her, but she figured out how to move on pretty quickly,”

 

                “So, I’ve heard,” Chaeyoung answered looking back at the pitch and taking a couple more shots of the new tall girl as she absolutely wrecked one of the freshmen in her path.

               

​​​​​​​                ~

 

                “Motang!” Sana called, “Practice is over, you riding home with us?”

 

                “No way! I almost died earlier!” Momo exclaimed dramatically, “You know she texts and drives?”

 

                Sana snorted, “Doesn’t everyone?”

 

                “No! Sana that’s like crazy illegal!” Momo cried out, “Maybe this is why you don’t have your license yet,”

 

                “I’ll have you know I could get my license anytime I want to… but I don’t want to,” She sniffed.

 

                “I can bring you home, I have my car here,” Chaeyoung offered, jerking her thumb towards the parking lot.

 

                Momo was reminded of Chaeyoung’s drug deal and how she kept her supply in her car, “Uhh, that’s ok actually, I don’t want to trouble you. They’re literally going back to the same place as me… I’m just being difficult, don’t listen to me,” she laughed uneasily before starting down the bleachers after Sana.

 

                “Ok… goodnight… uhhh text me?” Chaeyoung called.

 

                “Hey Kat… psst,” a hushed voice called from beneath her. Chaeyoung whipped around and peered over the edge of the back of the bleachers.

 

                “Really? Right here?” She hissed annoyedly.

 

                “Then come down,” the girl called impatiently, “I’ll meet you at the bottom,”

 

                “What do you want Nik?” Chaeyoung asked when she reached the bottom of the bleachers. The girl had already changed out of her practice uniform and walked around to meet her.

 

                “Do you uhh… do you have any white?” Somi asked.

 

                “White?” Chaeyoung asked incredulously, “Didn’t I just give it to you last week? You’re burning through my stash oddly quickly…”

 

                “I can’t help it, it’s addicting!” She said throwing up her hands in frustration.

 

                “, fine, I remember the feeling when I first started too…” she grumbled, “It’s in my car… but there’s too many people in the parking lot now. Meet me tonight… at the place,”

 

                “You’re the best!” Somi shouted, patting Chaeyoung on the back a little too forcefully in her excitement, before running off.

 

​​​​​​​                ~

 

                Just as Chaeyoung was about to leave the pitch she encountered Momo again who grabbed her and pulled her underneath the bleachers, “I lied… I’m too young to die Chaeyoung… and I just want to know, do you have any weed?” she asked suddenly. Cursing her tongue for the 3^rd time today.

 

                “What the hell, Hirai?” Chaeyoung said looking both ways quickly before realizing they were alone, “Weed?” she mouthed.

 

                “Yeah, like the drug,” Momo pressed quietly.

 

                “I’m aware of what weed is,” Chaeyoung hissed, “What makes you think I’m going to give you weed?”

 

                “I—I can pay, I’m good for it I swear, I have money,” Momo stuttered.

 

                “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you a cop?” Chaeyoung asked, searching Momo’s eyes intently.

 

                “I’m not,” she laughed bitterly, “I just—I just need to know if you have any weed or not,” She answered evenly, hoping the answer was no, but knowing she wouldn’t do a damn thing if it wasn’t.

 

                Chaeyoung sighed, “N—not on me at the moment, but I can have it to you by tomorrow?” she answered finally.

 

                Momo smiled weakly, her heart was racing like crazy, “T—tomorrow is perfect,” she forced herself to say. She had only intended to ask for a ride… why did it suddenly turn into a confrontation? And why could Momo not get the tiny drug dealer off her mind. She knew she was bad news, and yet… she couldn’t stop herself from falling for it.

 

                I get to see Chaeyoung tomorrow, was all she could think about the entire run home