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She met her once. But once was enough.

This girl with ruffled hair, crinkled blouse and that teasing smirk. That girl with that lazy determination hiding. The way she walks towards the room, the way she talks as her eyes twinkle with as everyone stares. She didn't care.

"Miss Hirai, what excuse do you have for being late?" Miss Akari had always had a temper, but to come late at their first day of school? Nothing but her frightening voice was heard in the room. No student dared to even lift a single pen.

Sana flinched, she tried not to pity the poor girl. She expected her to break, but this Hirai girl didn't. Didn't even look a tiny bit scared. 

Why? She wanted to ask.

The teacher made her fall on her knees, twice the time she was late. She looked into her eyes, it was amused. Her lips? it was curved upwards.

She can't pin it down, but she can't lie to herself that she isn't a tiny bit curious.

----------

Besides the daily moments at class. She hasn't been able to have a moment with her.

"Sana, you should quit staring. It's weird. It's kinda bothering me too, you know." Mina was munching on her usual lunch. A soda and tuna sandwiches. "People might get the idea you like her"

Momo was sitting at the far corner of the cafeteria. Hiding in the farthest side of where the attention usually takes place. The usual place where Sana sits.

For a moment she removed her gaze from the girl towards her best friend. Resting her chin on her shoulders as she speaks up. "And what if I am?"

"Sana, you can't be serious." Mina deadpans. "She always gets trouble. Had too many detentions because of her tardiness. Second to the lowest rank in the students standings--"

"So what? I'm still at the bottom half of the standings. She's always late, so what?"

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The second time they met wasn't much of a coincidence, but Sana made her believe it was.

Lifting her tray with both hands. Has enough fries and soda to feed not only Mina and herself twice. 

With a perfectly practiced shock expression. She 'accidentally' tripped and landed their stacks of food on a not so familiar girl in front of her.

The girl's shirt was soaked and she was annoyed. Not the reaction she wanted from the girl. Any expression from her is enough. Anything is enough. It always has been.

She promised her to buy her a new shirt and made her order whatever Momo wanted, as an apology.

She learned that Momo loves fries. She gave her a tiny smile as she dipped some on ketchup. That's the first time Sana saw that smile. She decided she wants that smile to stay.

------------

They were hanging out in the living room. Mina challenged them for another round of Mario Kart, which they already knew Mina would always win. They didn't expect that Momo could blend in so well towards them. 

She won Mina's heart by joining her, she learned choreography of different groups. Sana was always there to watch them, perfectly content to just watch them. 

Momo wasn't as bad as people made themselves think. Momo was as goofy as Sana. A bit strung at times but the cool I-don't-care facade evaporates as soon as you give her food or show her a dog. 

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She was outside the school gate. The sky was dark, huge clouds were hiding the sun. It was raining. Loud and hard. 

She cussed herself. Why didn't she bring an umbrella? There was still a roof above her head but her shoes were already soaked.

Not far from her, see could spot a girl spreading her arms wide as she embraced the pouring water. Water was falling against her body, she was smiling without a care in the world. Playing with the rain as she was jumping into puddles like a 7 year old. The girl was soaked--no she was drenched. Her uniform had already plastered to her skin, hugging her body and curve, her bag… her bag for the first time looked like there's something in it. Well, she's sure that's just water but still.

She was laughing, it was something Sana had always made her heart flutter. She could spot that smirk from anywhere. That smirk that took her attention once, and made her realize once was enough.

"Momo!"

The girl looked surprised, stopped midway when she was spinning around, then she ran towards her with a bright smile she had always reserved for her. At least that's what she hopes.

"What are you doing? You'll get a cold--" That's when she pulled her. Letting her get soaked by the pouring water. 

She squealed, the water was cold as she anticipated it, plus the cool breeze the rain provided was touching her skin.

"Momo my bag--" 

"That'll be fine. It's about to get dark, we should head home." Cheeky, Sana would say. But with Momo offering her hand, she already knew she can't say no.

She took it. Held her hand, they walked their way home not missing the opportunity to play with the rain and jumping to puddles for god knows how long. 

Safe to say Sana's notes were ruined, and that her parents scolded her when she got home wet, and that she got a cold the next day, but if Momo didn't mind, Sana didn't either.

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"Are you sure it's gonna be alright?" Sana can't help but to try and hide herself from the window. It was raining. The night sky is illuminated by the moon and occasionally lightnings. An indicator that a thunderstorm was coming.

It's a week before school starts. Mina's still with her family in Japan visiting her grandparents while she and Momo were having a sleepover at Sana's bedroom.

It's been what? a year after they met, but she can't imagine herself with Momo around. Just like Mina, probably even something more if she was being true to herself. A year knowing Momo, but already she can't imagine herself without Momo beside her.

Momo hoarding all the snacks. On the other side of the bed. She didn't mind. It was their thing. Sana brings food, Momo eats it. Simple.

"Mina said we should hang out in--" Momo was cut off by a loud roaring sound of thunder.  Sana's hands quickly covered her hands. Eyes closed shut, to stop the tears. Her body was trembling with fear.

Rain was fine, lightning was tolerable, but thunder was a different question. Her whole body shook involuntarily. Wishing she wasn't a pathetic girl crying because she heard the sky roar.

"Hey,"  She could faintly hear Momo, but chose not to do anything. It's soft, so soft she wasn't sure this laid-back teasing Momo she used to know was here.

"Sana, hey" Momo tried to remove her shaking hands on her ear. Placed her hands between her face to make her look at her eyes, it was the softest she had seen her.. "It's fine, you're fine. I'm here, I'll protect you." She cooed.

"You don't know that" Her body was still shaking. She can't help it. It's like her body was moving on its own.

"Maybe that's true, but I would do anything to change that if I can. I will really protect you."

She's right. Then another thunder roared even louder, along with light flashing. It made Sana grab Momo, embracing her tight, crying on her shoulders. Sana had always hated thunder, she had always had a huge amount of fear for that terrifying sound.

Momo hugged her. A silent acceptance that she was as helpless as her when it comes to this. 

Sana was crying of how scared she is and Momo willing to protect her if she can.

Momo hummed a lullaby. It made her sobs stop, she tried to focus on her voice. Every note changes, the soothing light touches as Momo circles her hand on her back while humming.

She hugged her tight wrapping her arms around Momo's shoulders, gripping way too tight at her shirt. "Don't leave." Eyes still closed, she begged. She was terrified.

"Of course I won't." She kissed her on the crown of her head. "I won't as long as you need me, I'll stay." She promised. 

Maybe thunder isn't that scary, afterall.

----------

Sana should've expected it. It was all she felt from the start, but several months of hoping Momo would like her back can never prepare her from the feeling of Momo's lips touching hers. She can never prepare her for what was happening.

The first they kissed was in Sana's living room. Mina fell asleep on the couch. The remaining two were sitting besides each other watching the best romantic movie of the year. Or at least that's what they told them.

"Do you ever imagine that happening to you?" Sana asked, eyes still looking at the screen. 

Momo just hummed. Her lazy smile, always present as if she didn't have a care in the world. Sana always loved that about her. 

"Imagine what?" Sana swore she heard Momo gulp.

"Falling for a friend." Trying to calm her nerves as she fidget her hands. She can't help but look at her side. A friend she had feelings for. A person she liked the moment she laid her eyes onto.

"All the time." The lazy smile turned to a grin. She didn't know if that meant something. Didn't know if that was a good sign. Not until she felt a warm hand touch her cheek. She was staring on her lips. Waiting for something. Waiting for any reaction for Sana.

She was tired of waiting. Tired of waiting for several months, so she leaned in. Leaned in to what she can call her temporary euphoria. Innocent, sweet, slow and warm. Words that can only describe what Momo means to her. What they are. What they hope they'll always be.

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"Hey, congratulations! We can also go to JYP University! We're gonna be the best ones at our batch." Momo lifted her in her arms before hugging her tight. She's so glad. "Can't wait for us to be the best dance majors out there!" 

Plastering her best smile. Hoping Momo wouldn't notice. She didn't. "Me too. I can't wait."

And they did go, they went to the best dance school in Korea. Alongside Mina, the three of them went to Seoul to study, they're finally getting their high school dreams come true. Studying in a big city together.

Sana long forgotten an envelope hiding at her bedside that day. An acceptance letter from another university telling her she got accepted to one of their foreign study programs.

She was fine with any course. As long as she's with Momo. As long as she's with her friends. Anything was really enough.

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"Babe, you almost forgot your textbook!" Sana shouted. Picking up the book right just below the bed. Momo had always been messy, good thing Sana likes messy.

Right before Momo could rush outside. Late as usual. To think that having Momo as her college roommate would do anything for her attendance, guess she and Mina was wrong.

"Wallet?" 

"In my pocket"

"Phone?"

"Holding it right now" Momo showed her the phone. Dangling it to her to prove her point. "We're graduating in a few months but you still treat me like a forgetful teen that's always late for class." 

Sana gave her a peck on the lips. "But you still are." S