"CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SOLO BIRTHDAY V-LIVE, MI-TAN!!" Momo cheered together with Sana the moment Mina stepped out of the JYPE building.

 

The birthday girl laughed behind a baggy black sleeve, her newly dyed blonde hair fluttering behind her as she shuffled over to her friends. Mina pushed herself into their arms while simultaneously tackling them (gently), explaining how much fun yet embarrassing it was to do a V-Live again in her usual low and soft voice that was a bit muffled.

 

As Mina finally pulled away from them, sheepishly tucking blonde locks behind an ear, Momo couldn't help but be so proud and happy for Mina. After what the other had been dealing with for almost a year, Momo knew it took great courage to stand in front of a camera by yourself with millions of people watching your every move and listening to every word you say, some doing so for malicious intent. Momo didn't tell Mina but she was watching the V-Live, monitoring the comments incognito. Any time she saw a hateful comment, all Momo could do without revealing herself was sending Mina as much hearts as she could, tapping her phone's screen so aggressively that if someone saw her, they'd be worried she was about to break her screen from all the tapping. But to Momo's relief, a huge majority of the comments were full of birthday wishes, comments of encouragement, and compliments regarding her new hair.

 

Momo had to agree with the comments on Mina's hair: she really looked amazing as a blonde.

 

And attractive.

 

But Momo would keep that to herself.

 

 

 

 

They reserved an all-you-can-eat-bbq restaurant to themselves while they celebrate Mina's birthday together. It was a location they visited often as trainees. The owner still remembered them and took care of them back then, as if they were his daughters, and still did to this day, finding it to be no trouble to reserve the restaurant for the three of them for two hours. Mina wished she could have spent her birthday with all the members, but at this time, they were all spending time with their families. For the three of them, the Japanese members whose families resided across the ocean, they only had each other, and that was enough.

 

Momo wore face masks with Sana and Mina while they made their way to the restaurant from the company building. There weren't too many people on the streets, making their journey easier and convenient. The entire time, they held hands, with Mina walking between her and Sana. Normally, Mina was the more mature amongst the three of them but today, Mina was like a giddy child, swinging her arms excitedly as they walked. It brought a smile to Momo's lips.

 

When they arrived, the owner locked the store front behind them and sat them at their table in the middle of the restaurant. Their grill was already on and hot. They didn't order anything but a wide variety of premium meats, pickled vegetables, and bowls of rice for each of them were brought out by two servers. They barely sat in their seats for a  minute yet everything was ready for them. Momo was visibly drooling apparently because Mina pointed it out, which made Sana laugh, and in turn, made the rest of them laugh.

 

As the eldest, Momo took charge of grilling while Sana and Mina relaxed. Normally, Momo would be the sitting back while someone cooked but lately she has been enjoying cooking. It was more gratifying knowing others enjoyed what she prepared.

 

"So what did you wish for, Mi-tan?" Sana grinned across the table at Mina, upper body slightly leaned forward.

 

"I wished for several things," Mina answered. "Such as I want to go back on tour with the members and meet Once again. I want to show them a new me. A stronger me."

 

"You've always been strong," Momo added in while she flipped a piece of samgyeopsal. "What you've faced, what you've been facing… You're strong, Mi-tan."

 

Mina smiled at Momo and slowly shook her head. "I'm strong because I had everyone beside me. I'm strong because I wasn't alone."

 

"That's right. You'll never be alone as long as we're around. The fans, the members, Momo and I, will make sure of that," Sana put in with absolute certainty.

 

Momo nodded in agreement and placed several pieces of cooked meat onto all their plates before starting a new batch. "Did you wish for anything else?"

 

"For you to give me my birthday kisses for free," Mina huffed as her eyes narrowed playfully at Momo.
 

"Ehhhh?!" Momo gave an incredulous look at Mina.

 

"Momo-yah, you shouldn't make the birthday girl pay you to receive kisses," Sana scolded while laughing.

 

Momo was so flustered she dropped the piece of meat onto the table instead of her own plate. "Hey, I was asking a serious question!"
 

"And I was giving you a serious answer," Mina answered back with a raised brow.

 

Sana looked back and forth between Mina and Momo with an amused grin on her face. "Oooh. Mina just told you, Momo."

 

Momo grumbled to herself and looked away from Mina's expectant look and Sana's teasing, stupid grin.

 

"Guys, shut up and eat your food."

 

 

 

 

When they were finished eating, the three of them thanked the owner with polaroids signed by each of them and bowed profusely as they left. They still had a few hours before Mina's birthday would end and they all wanted to make the most of it. Mina decided on ending the night at CubeZone, a well-known arcade chain in the country. Momo wasn't surprised because Mina loved games, and Momo found playing games more enjoyable with others.

 

They had a couple of their managers drive them to the arcade. Due to recent events the arcade was not as crowded as it usually was but they had their managers watch over them just in case. From air hockey, hoops, crane games, and shooter games, Momo played them all with Sana and Mina.

 

Mina was playing a round of Pump It Up by herself, completely showing up Momo and Sana who played last round together. Mina was a natural at any sort of game, and rhythm games were no different.

 

Mina was in the middle of her second-to-last song when Momo felt Sana lean in to whisper in her ear. “So are you actually going to kiss Mina or not?”

 

The abrupt question brought about a bright red blush to Momo’s cheeks that went all the way down to her neck.

 

“Why are you asking me that?!” Momo hissed and gave Sana a shove.

 

“Because she obviously wants you to," Sana answered with an exaggerated eye roll.

 

"I thought we all agreed to stop that tradition…"

 

"So you want to say no to Mina. That's what I'm hearing."

 

"That's not it-"

 

"YES!! I DID IT!" Mina cheered and clapped excitedly.

 

Sana and Momo looked over at the result screen and immediately, their jaws dropped.

 

"FULL COMBO AND TRIPLE S RANK?!" they exclaimed in absolute awe.

 

Mina sheepishly grinned and stuck her tongue out.

 

~~~

 

Their night was coming to a close. Their managers said they could have thirty more minutes before they had to be taken back to the dorms.

 

Sana insisted that they end the night taking pictures in the photobooth together to end Mina's birthday on a fantastic note.

 

Well, it would have been a fantastic note if Sana didn't drop her wallet. Just when the three of them squished together in the photobooth, that's when Sana felt that it wasn't in her pocket. It didn't help that CubeZone was a big arcade and that they walked through every part of the establishment, meaning Sana's wallet could have been anywhere. Sana practically jumped out of the booth and whined to their managers before they all quickly jogged in separate directions.

 

Momo sighed while holding her head, already feeling a headache coming in.

 

Meanwhile, Mina was laughing into her hand, amused by the situation.

 

"I don't think you should be this relaxed about Sana losing her wallet," Momo said flatly while looking at Mina who sat beside her.

 

"You have to admit it was funny the way Sana left the booth. I don't think I ever saw her move that fast ever in my life," Mina giggled.

 

"Guess we're stuck in here until Sana and the manager unnies come back."

 

"Mhm."

 

Silence quickly feel between them. Mina's eyes fell on the photobooth's LCD screen, watching its tutorial loop over and over while Momo's eyes fell on something else entirely: Mina.

 

It wasn't intentional (Momo swears it wasn't), but that moment Momo really stopped and admire Mina's side profile with her newly dyed blonde hair, it was difficult to tear her eyes away from such a beautiful sight. Momo has heard many fans wish for the return of her iconic blonde hair from their debut days, but frankly, Momo thinks Mina works blonde the best.

 

Momo was so lost in watching Mina that she wasn't sure when her eyes met Mina's and how long Mina was watching Momo watching her.

 

All Momo could do was blink back slowly.

 

"So…" Mina began.

 

"S-So…" Momo repeated nervously.

 

"Are you going to kiss me or not?"

 

Momo instantly remembered when Sana asked the question earlier and she could have sworn her heart was about to burst out through her chest any second.

 

"You're really not going to let it go, huh?"

 

"Nope. I want my birthday kiss, Momorin."

 

"Well, you know what I told you over the phone."

 

"I can't believe you're actually going to make me pay for my birthday kisses."

 

"I thought we agreed with the other members that we'd discontinue that tradition!" Momo kept protesting but it became evident Mina was not pleased in the slightest from the slight puff of the cheeks.

 

"Fine."

 

Momo flinched.

 

Mina was mad.

 

"Mi-tannnnn…" Momo whined like a child and began prodding Mina's shoulder when Mina looked away from her.

 

She kept saying Mina's name over and over but Mina was resilient, refusing to give in, which spoke volumes when Momo knew Mina had a soft spot for her.

 

Truth be told, if Momo asked earnestly, Mina would do anything for her. It wouldn't the first time she would kiss Mina for her birthday so why was today any different?

 

Maybe she was being dumb about this. Why was so being so difficult?

 

"Mina."

 

Momo said her name more quietly yet with a hint of heaviness that still could be heard in the small booth in the middle of a boisterous arcade.

 

She knew Mina detected the difference in her tone because she turned her head back to Momo, their eyes meeting.

 

The longer Momo gazed at Mina, the other girl's blonde hair shining under the booth's lighting, she slowly began to understand why she has been hesitating.

 

A simple peck on the cheek wouldn't do Mina's birthday justice.

 

It wouldn't do justice to show Mina just how strongly Momo felt about her.

 

The desire to protect Mina.

 

She recalled earlier to how she felt watching Mina face her fears all by herself, and if Mina saw anything hateful, anything potent enough to trigger her anxiety, Momo would be helpless to do anything to stop it.

 

Just like when Mina had to leave them.

 

Momo couldn't do anything.

 

"Momo?"

 

Mina's soft voice snapped Momo out from her thoughts. Now, Mina looked at her with concern. She was making Mina worry about her again when it should be the other way around.

 

So Momo stopped thinking and reached out to Mina with one hand to cup her cheek. She gingerly led Mina's face closer to hers and pressed a kiss to Mina's cheek, allowing her lips to linger longer than she would normally do. Before Mina could say anything, Momo swiftly enveloped the younger into a warm hug, holding Mina tightly against her.

 

Mina stiffened in the embrace, mostly due to surprise, but soon relaxed. Her arms found their way around Momo and smiled as she rest her chin atop Momo's shoulder.

 

"What's gotten into you, Momorin?"

 

"Nothing…" Momo mumbled her response.

 

Mina chuckled softly in a way Momo knew that Mina understood what she was trying to convey.  Momo was never good with explaining how she felt, but she was better at showing it.

 

And Mina always understood how Momo felt through her actions.

 

"You're so silly," Mina murmured into Momo's shoulder, finding comfort in the other's embrace. "Thank you, Momorin."

 

"You're welcome, Mi-tan," Momo murmured back. "I--"

 

"GUYS, I FOUND MY WALLET!!!!"

 

Sana's head popped in between the photobooth curtains to see a big gap between Mina and Momo, with Momo facing away. "Are you guys okay?"

 

"We're fine. You startled us, that's all," Mina assured Sana with a tiny laugh.

 

Sana looked back and forth between Mina and Momo, eventually shrugging her shoulders then squished herself back into the booth, with Mina situated between her and Momo.

 

"Now that I found my wallet and gave it to one of our manager unnies, let's take the photos now!" Sana said cheerfully.

 

 

 

 

In their van, Mina smiled as she continued to gaze at the photo strips she took together with Momo and Sana. She briefly looked over to her right to observe the sleeping Momo on her shoulder.

 

Coming from her other side, Sana leaned in to whisper into Mina's ear.

 

"So did Momo ever give you your birthday kiss?"

 

"She did," Mina nodded, then gave her a vague smile. "And more."

 

"And more?!" Sana hissed with big eyes that were dripping with curiosity.

 

"And more," Mina affirmed, adding more gently as her eyes land on Momo, who had a smile on her face despite being fast asleep.

 

It made Mina smile.

 

 

"She gave me so much more."