The recent events pushed them all to meet more often. Which meant they tried to make time for each other every day. Obviously, more than once they were all too busy. Except for Momo and Tzuyu so the two of them spend the time without the others. It was clear that they could relate to each other when it came to being alone in the big house. And it was interesting to see the different perspectives they had. Momo was almost immune to the situation. She was fine now and tried to give some advice to her. Tzuyu hoped that she would become like Momo soon. And Momo was just glad that she got to escape her thoughts since they have started to meet more often. Also, Jisoo didn't have to stay with her for hours and could treat herself. She probably wasn't feeling good yet, but she still held that hope Mina ignited in her. Momo tried with all her might to be a good friend to Mina and Sana again. She abandoned them and faced the consequences. Now she needed to bring back the old friendship. That was the reason why she took all the chances she got. She decided to visit them as soon as she found out that they were free. At first, she was pretty much scared. About many things. But she kept repeating to herself, that she was going to see Mina and Sana. The problem was that their friendship was fragile. Nonetheless, she was standing before the door to their apartment with determination. She rang the bell quite hesitantly, but she did it. And the door didn't stay closed for long and a tired Sana greeted her with a gentle smile.
"Hey. Get in, you are just in time not to help with the cooking." Momo greeted her with a cheeky smile and walked past Sana to enter.
"Then I have the best timing." Sana rolled her eyes but didn't comment. She just waited for Momo to finish taking off her jacket and shoes.
"When are you going to be picked up?"
"Rude. I have just arrived." Momo shot Sana a playful glare. But Sana didn't seem to have a problem with anything.
"I just want to know when to except Nayeon invading us." Sana's remark made Momo laugh and it made her feel a bit guilty. But even she wasn't sure when Nayeon would pick her up. There was some audition Nayeon was attending and she didn't give Momo a lot of information about it.
"I'll text her. Don't worry." Sana just nodded and walked Momo into the living room. The first thing that hit her when she entered further was the delicious smell of whatever was being prepared by her friends. And she ignored Sana's lead to move straight to the kitchen. She found Mina there who was skillfully handling the frying very well. Her moves were cautious though. There was not as much confidence in them as Momo would have. It was incredible to witness Mina handling herself so well while being blind. Momo was worried about that for no reason after all.
"Did Sana help you at all?" Momo wanted for their conversations to be as normal as possible. For once she didn't want them to focus on their struggles. But on something casual. That was a good start in her opinion.
"She did. By staying away from the kitchen." Momo let herself laugh out loud. Mina joking around wasn't a constant. So it was a good sign. And Sana's dry laugh from the living room made it that much funnier.
"Do you need help?" Mina shook her head and smiled thankfully.
"You can go and talk with Sana. I will be finished soon." Momo didn't argue. She stole a piece of cheese from the plate next to her before she left. And for once she thought she would get away with it. But Mina asked her if it was good. It only shocked her for a second though. Mina knew her too well after all. She must've expected that Momo would steal something. So she just simply gave a positive reply and walked back to the living room. Sana was lying on the couch there with her eyes half-closed. Momo hadn't noticed Sana look so tired before. No, she did. But usually, Sana was still hyper.
"You haven't slept?" Sana's eyes looked up at Momo with a little more liveliness than before. Sana waited for Momo to settle herself on the couch before she had said anything.
"I guess. You better not be acting boring today. Or I'll fall asleep." It couldn't be so bad if Sana could still joke around.
"I'm not boring. You just can't understand the well-thought jokes." Sana snorted and lifted herself up so that she would be sitting. Momo for some reason felt like something wasn't right. Because Sana didn't say anything back. She just kinda looked lost in her thoughts for a moment and then she just asked Momo about her day. Momo wasn't going to pry and simply went along with Sana's topic.
The whole day went calmly and with them just talking or watching TV. They probably had the most fun describing what was happening on screen to Mina. It made them laugh so much they started crying. Momo could enjoy herself for real. Even Sana looked less exhausted than she was before. Because of the joy she found for a while, Momo decided she would stay over and keep that feeling for longer. So she asked Mina and Sana first before calling Nayeon off. It was a success and the time flew faster than she thought. And they all found themselves asleep on the couch. It was peaceful. With no sound except for Momo's snoring. The snoring could be the source of someone's sleep getting interrupted, but that wasn't the case. The sleep of one of the people in the room was interrupted by something else. Like on any other night. And probably for the first time, Momo wasn't the one waking others up. When she woke up, she thought it was the TV. Someone was crying in the show. So she remained in her position. But she changed her mind when she heard Mina's voice. She lifted her head to have a better look at the couch. And thanks to the opened blinds and the street light she could make out the two figures. It was obvious then that it was Sana. Mina didn't say much at all. She just kept Sana's head and wait for Sana to calm down. Momo stayed quiet for a while as well. She was taken aback. She was oblivious to the reason for Sana's sobs. And she was quite scared to ask. She didn't want to make things worse by revealing that she had witnessed it. So she put her head back on the pillow and listened. It was hard to listen though. Momo started to imagine what must've caused such distress to Sana. And she started thinking about what causes her to break down. It all made her forget about all the great times she had. She put her arm over her eyes and tried to hold her emotions in place. Then the time didn't pass so fast anymore. But the cries did halt. And it was quiet all over again. Momo still waited a moment.
"Mina?" When Momo hadn't received an answer, she assumed that Mina fell back into slumber as well. So she was ready to try and rest.
"In the morning, Momo." Momo didn't say anything again. She her right side and squeezed her eyes. And hoped that she wouldn't hear more sobs that night.
In the morning, it was pretty awkward for her. Sana was still sleeping like a rock. Obviously, Mina was the first to be awake. She was fully prepared for the day by the time Momo got up. But she definitely didn't look rested. Momo approached Mina carefully. Her friend was standing next to the opened door and her eyes kept roaming around. As if she tried to take in the sight before her. But she noticed Momo's footsteps before Momo could reveal her presence.
"I have never seen the view from here. Sana says it's just pavement and more buildings." Mina didn't make it sound sad, but that was how Momo perceived it. She moved closer to the window and immediately shivered when the cold air hit her. It was disappointing that Sana's description was correct.
"She told you the truth."
"I think that's why she chose this apartment." At first, it didn't make sense to Momo. Because people usually want their home to have a pretty sight outside. But when she thought about it, maybe Sana chose it because she didn't want to make Mina feel sad about missing out on the pretty sights.
"I am sorry." Mina faced her and shook her head.
"It's fine. I had enjoyed all the views I wanted already." Mina made a pause, but Momo didn't say anything in case she wanted to continue. And she did. "Do you remember how I would go over to Sana's room back then?" Momo recalled it well. Mina would either go out to eat with Momo late at night or would disappear in the room next door. And it also truly made her think about how much sleep Mina actually got back in the day.
"Yes. You have spent a lot of time with Sana." Mina nodded slowly as if she was remembering some things from long ago. And Momo couldn't tell whether it was something nice or not.
"Sana has been having nightmares since she was a child. The themes of those kept changing with her age. And after we have met a lot of things happened that corrupted her dreams. I had witnessed it one time and wanted to help her have calmer nights. She has never told me what the nightmares are about. I just keep supporting her through it." It was shocking how much they didn't know about Sana despite being her friend. Momo should have paid more attention. She should've noticed something as well. But she was just a bad friend. She should've seen the alerts. Especially, with her own condition. Momo suddenly got woken up from her thoughts by a hand awkwardly searching on her body. Mina apparently tried to put her hand on her shoulder but missed it a bit. It was something that made the mood lighter.
"Don't blame yourself for anything, Momo. Sana didn't want you to know. You couldn't have noticed." Momo grasped Mina's hand and squeezed it gently.
"There is so much we didn't know about Sana. It's horrible that she didn't feel like she could trust us." Momo decided to stay quiet for a moment. To think it all through. How could she help Sana? Probably in a similar way she was getting help.
"Wouldn't therapy help?" Mina's shoulders fell and that was not a good sign.
"Last time she didn't want to talk about anything else but the car accident. And there's a limit to our power. Sana doesn't listen to her mom and me all the time. She decided and we couldn't strap her to the chair and make her talk." Momo every day discovered how hard their life must've been. And she had left them. Of course, she wasn't alright either. But that didn't mean that she couldn't stay. She tried not to dwell on that in the situation they were in, but her mind wouldn't let go. She just wanted to repent for her actions.
"Can we try again? I mean, we have cleared a lot and I think Sana's mind is clearer as well." Mina turned to face the opened window again. She took a deep breath and then smile softly.
"I think this is a good idea. But let's not talk about it right after she wakes up." Momo then decided to give Mina a comforting hug. A hug that made her notice how cold Mina was. She pulled away and closed the window to block the cold air from running into the apartment.
"How long have you been standing here?" Mina looked quite surprised by the question and then she looked rather confused.
"I don't know. A while?" That might've been the very first time that Mina was about to get scolded. And it was hard to believe. But it only led to Momo's smug smile.
"Can't you tell it's cold? You should've put a jacket on. You will catch a cold." Mina laughed at the scolding words and apologized. And after that, the two of them began preparing breakfast in comfortable silence. Waiting, for Sana to wake up. Just as they said, they didn't mention anything for a while after Sana got up. Momo waited for Mina to give a sign or start the conversation before she would say anything. But when she actually started, Momo had a hard time joining the conversation. So she listened and observed.
"You know that psychotherapy helped you before. It's a solution we know and now that we had explained everything, it can be easier for you to talk about these things." Sana looked very much annoyed. That wasn't Momo's intention, but it might've been because Sana found out that Momo had witnessed her crying. And it would still give them hope that Sana would agree.
"I don't know. I need to think about it." Was the only thing that Sana said. And it seemed like the end of the conversation. Because right after that she had left the room. It was just Mina and Momo again. And they were sharing the same thoughts. Simply trying to stay positive.



Jihyo and Tzuyu still shared this weird relationship. Things had changed but at the same time, they didn't. If that even made sense. Tzuyu wasn't sure why Jihyo was giving off those vibes. After the whole conversation they had. And that weird situation didn't improve throughout the month. Even if Jihyo was spending time with her it felt like she wasn't exactly with her. Tzuyu hated her own thoughts during the whole ordeal. She had thought about giving up three times and last time she was very close on proceeding with it. And even now, she was wondering whether she should've actually tell Jihyo it was better to take a break. In all honesty, though, Tzuyu's heart didn't want to separate either. So she was going along with it. Even if Mina and her brain told her it would be a better option. Nonetheless, they were still doing better than before. And it was something that caused hope. That was why in the end, Tzuyu has always decided to continue. They were supposed to spend time together yet again. After Jihyo had a week full of work. And Tzuyu prayed that this time it would be different. But it wasn't really. Jihyo had refused to go out and they stayed home. Like always. Still, Tzuyu tried to stay positive. It didn't mean everything was ruined. They still ended up cooking together, and isn't it a great bonding time? And so she thought. They laughed and chatted. That was definitely a nice way to unwind a bit. Jihyo looked more relaxed after that so Tzuyu considered it a success. During their dinner, Jihyo also acted less nervous and was actually talking about her day for once. And to Tzuyu it was excellent. She got so much faith that it would all work out. After all, things like that need time and work. Didn't they got all of that checked out already? Tzuyu's mood probably lifted up a whole lot from that. It could be like with Mina and Sana. So obviously, she was sitting with a smile so big her cheeks started to hurt. And she was hugging Gucci affectionately. And Jihyo observed her from the kitchen feeling like she had succeeded for once. That whole thing was harder than anything she had to do for her job. She thought it shouldn't be though. She finally picked up the two glasses of wine and walked back to Tzuyu. Thinking about every possible outcome and trying to figure out how to keep it positive. Once she was there, they sat in silence for a few minutes. Just enjoying each other's presence. Until they didn't. Because Tzuyu decided to ask about something that Jihyo didn't know the answer to.
"Jihyo? Why are you acting so weird?" Tzuyu sounded more curious than accusatory. But it still very much felt like an accusation. Jihyo realized that she was acting cautiously. She believed though that Tzuyu didn't mind. They had discussed it after all.
"What do you mean?" Tzuyu stared at her blankly for a moment before replying. As if she couldn't believe Jihyo asked.
"As if you don't enjoy the time we spend together. Today feels different because for once you act like you actually care." She tried to sound neutral not to start anything unpleasant. Only to get some answers. But Jihyo didn't take it lightly.
"What are you talking about? How could I not enjoy myself around you?" All the hopes were for nothing. Tzuyu would respect any other response. But lying wasn't on that list. She immediately looked away at the fireplace and started Gucci's body.
"You just can't be honest with me? Why is this simple thing so hard for you?" Jihyo felt heat rush through her body. Not in a pleasant way. Tzuyu was saying all of that so calmly which made it harder. She would've preferred it if Tzuyu was yelling.
"It's not. I am not lying. I love to be around you."
"I am sorry that it feels like you would rather be anywhere else but here with me." The answer came almost immediately after Jihyo had finished her sentence. Those words hurt her. She didn't want to make Tzuyu feel that way. She was just anxious about screwing things up again. Tzuyu had almost left her once and she didn't want a second time. But her acting so careful was working in the opposite way.
"I don't want to be anywhere else. I want to be with you, Tzuyu. I just don't want to screw this up." Jihyo's words and actions were perfect opposites then. Tzuyu was lost. What was she supposed to say? She looked back at Jihyo, who moved to the edge of the couch and watched her every move with anxious eyes. She couldn't take her words back though. They had to talk about it then or it wouldn't happen.
"Then act like you don't want to screw up. So far it seems like you want to but can't. And it all just has a bad outcome. Jihyo, I have been going through this for years. I told you that I want to be a part of your life. But Mina had told me, that sometimes it's better to just leave." Jihyo got up as soon as she heard the last sentence. It wasn't a surprise. Mina would say something like that. Even if it was not working in her favor. She walked to the middle and opened her arms in a gesture of defeat.
"Tzuyu. I am sorry. I will try not to act like I don't want to improve our relationship. I want to be in your life. Please, don't leave." It was hard to read Tzuyu's emotions. Her face didn't show any. But Jihyo figured that truth lies underneath. Tzuyu finally changed her position as well. She sat straight and put Gucci to her side.
"You always say that. But you never actually give it all. You can't just do the bare minimum the whole time. Give it as much effort as you give your music career. Stop hiding. Just admit that you are not ready for this and stop forcing yourself. I will understand that. I will respect that. Just stop trying to trap us in this toxic situation." And at last, Tzuyu raised her voice. And it scared Jihyo even more. Not like she had expected. She took back her words about preferring a yelling Tzuyu. Once again, Jihyo was at a loss for words. She could only focus on her tightened throat and blurry vision. It couldn't end that way. Jihyo had to do something. But what? What would Mina do? She knew what. Albeit, that was something she didn't want to follow.
"I am trying to give it my all. I swear. It just requires time and-"
"Exactly. We need time. We can't just go on like that. We need a break." Tzuyu tried to get up after her interruption and walk back to her room. But Jihyo grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"We need time, okay. But you don't have to leave. We can just work on it together and we will achieve the goal together." They locked eyes for a few seconds. Jihyo felt hopeful that Tzuyu would agree. But that wasn't the case.
"I don't think that would be a good idea. We need to separate, Jihyo. I am not saying that we should never see each other. I will move out and we could meet up while being with everyone else." Tzuyu was deadset on that. She had made up her mind. She would follow what Mina had told her. And it would hopefully help.
"And where will you go? Tzuyu, we can still talk about it some more. Let's just calm down." Tzuyu sighed heavily and took Jihyo's hand away from her arm.
"I am sure I will be fine. We are having a calm conversation. I have decided what to do so please respect that." Tzuyu then disappeared upstairs. She planned on packing her things and she would leave in the morning. There was no good in inviting herself to Mina and Sana's home at night. And she probably should give them some time to decide if she could stay. If not, then she would have to go to her parents. She started to think that Jihyo had given up already after she didn't see her for a while. And she opted not to go out and seek her out. To make things easier. She used the remaining time to contact Mina. It was easier than she thought to receive help form her. Mina immediately told her she was welcomed. In all honesty, it was a very Mina thing. She hoped though that Sana was informed about that as well. And after that was done and she had packed all the necessities, she lied in her bed and tried to sleep.
In the morning it was all too quiet. She thought that Jihyo was still sleeping after yesterday. But that wasn't the case. Jihyo was sitting on the floor leaning on the couch with Gucci in her arms. Tzuyu could tell that she has been crying by the number of tissues scattered around her and by the puffy eyes. It caused her heart to squeeze and for a split second, she thought about canceling the whole thing.
"Are you ready?" Jihyo's voice was nearly too weak to hear. And again Tzuyu hesitated. "I can drive you to the place you want." Did that mean what she thought it did? Jihyo got up and put Gucci on the floor. The tiny dog ran straight to Tzuyu and started jumping on her leg. She kneeled and started petting the dog.
"I will manage. Thanks. Remember that Gucci needs to be walked."
"You don't take her?" Jihyo was shocked. Tzuyu was glued to their dog so she had even packed all the things Gucci needed for Tzuyu to take.
"I don't want you to be completely alone here. I can handle seeing her a little less." Tzuyu hugged the tiny dog and then got up. She stood in front of Jihyo for a few seconds, trying to figure out how to part their ways. She thought that just saying bye wouldn't be enough. So she walked closer to Jihyo and embraced her. Jihyo closed her eyes right after and took in the warmth that Tzuyu emitted. And she tried to control her emotions. It wasn't a final goodbye after all. She felt like she had to do one thing before Tzuyu would go. She had gathered all her courage to do that. When Tzuyu was about to pull away, Jihyo held her back for a few more seconds to say something she wanted to for a while.
"I love you." And then she let go, took a few steps back and turned away. Not to see Tzuyu leave. It took a moment for Tzuyu to move though. She had not expected to hear those words from Jihyo. Those words made her tear up but she still lifted her bag and moved for the door. She still found the time to give Jihyo an answer before she had left. To finally have them stop clogging her mind.
"I love you, Jihyo."