After Mina finally agreed to let Momo paid her food, she slowly followed her from behind—making a really respectful distance between her and Mina. It’s not like she didn’t want to walk side by side with her. it just she didn’t want people to misunderstood them. She knew how ‘impactful’ herself is in this school.. so she didn’t want Mina to get any weird rumors or something related to this.. she already had plenty of it and Momo didn’t want to add more..

Oh yes, she already texted her mother, informed her that she’ll hangout with Mina outside the school and like what she expected.. her mother was so happy with it. Mina’s mom definitely had saved Mrs.Hirai big time until she could be this attentive towards mina.

 

Through the walked, Momo kept trying to figure out things mina was said back on the class.. For her, it’s just not really that make sense how Mina didn’t bother with other people’s judgement but not with momo’s.

Was it because Mrs. Hirai is her mother’s client so she had an urge to keep a good image in front of momo? or was it because momo was kinda ‘impactful’ in the school so she didn’t want Momo to be on the same side with the others?

 Okay Momo honestly couldn’t think anything more and probably it’ll be bad for her to assume things before she even heard it directly from mina… she learned already that she needs to ask the person herself instead of hearing rumors or even relying on her own judgement.

 

Anyway.. they’ve been walking quite long—according to momo— but Mina hadn’t told momo their destination. Momo didn’t ask either due to her focus on maintaining the distance between them, and well she kinda drown on her own thoughts too. Until suddenly Mina decided to stop without notice and it made momo who wasn’t paid attention to her front, bumped her. Gladly Mina didn’t mind it.. she just smiled and then said,

“We’re here..”

 

Momo followed along where Mina pointed at and well.. all she could do was stood still, looking at the store sign board.. puzzled.

 

“here?” asked Momo, eyes still locked at the store’s sign board

“Yes.”

“Are you… serious?” asked Momo.

“Of course I am.”

“But.. why here? you said.. you were hungry..”

“Yes. I want to eat here in the first place.. Why? You said you don’t mind any kind of place.”

“True.. but..” Momo was calm.. but knowing what kind of place Mina brought her to, was kinda made her snapped.. “What can you even eat in Convenient Store?? There’s nothing much to eat here.. Nothing could fill you! bunch of snacks won’t do the job..”

 

Yes. they are currently stood in front of a Convenient store that located close to their school.  And seeing how Momo reacted, Mina surely know that this girl never spend that much time in here.. that’s why a smirk appeared on her face.

 

“Wow.. does your mom forbid you to come here or what? you never went to Convenient Store before?”

“O-of course I had!” Mina gave Momo a look, like she saying ‘Really?’ just with her face

“I went with my friends couple of time! But it just filled with snacks and instant food that couldn’t be processed here.”

“Well that mean your friends didn’t show you much. So.. Prepare to be amazed.. Ohime-sama.” After Mina said that, she went inside the store and drown deeper on one of the aisle.

 

Meanwhile, Momo was frozen on that spot. She didn’t know why but the way Mina called her ‘Ohime-sama’ it was supposed to be like a tease right? since Momo is princess-like who never went into such common place like convenient store.. But the smirk, the voice.. just made Momo felt something… weird

*SMACK*

“Get a grip!” said momo as she smacked her cheeks and after that walked in, following where Mina was heading to earlier.

><

When Mina and Momo were inside the store, Momo just followed wherever Mina was going.  She observed what kind of food Mina chose for her early dinner or maybe a light snack time.. and well.. yea if she found something she likes, momo also took one or two snacks. Or more..

The only food that momo thought is edible enough to fill hungry stomach from here, are just ramyeon and onigiri or kimbab. Nothing more than that.. That’s why momo was confused when they walked on the ramyeon aisle yet mina just passed by, didn’t even bother to look at it.

 

“Myoui.. where are you going? this is the ramyeon section.”

“True.. but I didn’t want to eat it.”

“Eh? then.. what are you gonna eat?”

“Why would you eat ramyeon when you can eat a full course meal?”

 

Momo was confused, so she walked towards Mina who already on the end of the aisle and looked at where she pointed at. And automatically, Momo’s eyes grew wide and ‘woow’ came out naturally after witnessing the enormous amount of set menu boxes.

 

“Wow! A set menu??” said Momo as she enthusiastically went closer to the rack to have a clearer look upon the product.

“Look!! Bulgogi, japchae, kimchi and rice in a set?? Wait there’s tonkatsu set too?? wow! Wow! they made kimchi stew too?? this is insane, Myoui!”

 

Mina could only smiled and tried to contain her laugh while seeing how Momo was so excited with what  she just found. Clearly the girl never been into this section and probably she and her friends only went to the snack, beverages, or ice cream aisle..

 

“Are these artificial? Like maybe the meat made with some sort of man-made chemical or something??” asked Momo

“Nope. it’s cooked properly.”

“really?? that’s cool..” said momo as she looked at one of the set menu boxes in awe. But once she realized that she couldn’t sense any warmth from the food, she immediately put it back to the rack.

“But.. the food is cold.. Cold food is yucky.”

“well you can pre-heated it after you purchase it.”

“Eh? pre..heat?”

 

Mina knew it would be much easier and quicker for her to show momo. so instead of explain things, she took the set menu box that she wanted to eat, and after that she went towards the different aisle. Momo of course followed along like a lost child.

 

“they have this here.” momo looked towards mina’s left side and there she saw a microwave.

“Wow! they have microwave here?? cool! So you could cook ramyeon here too, right? wow..” this time.. Mina couldn’t hold her laugh and slipped out her giggle.

“W-what..?” asked momo.. half embarrassed, half pissed

“You acted like you never seen microwave before hhaha.” Heat rose up on momo’s face as she felt soo embarrassed that she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm.

“w-well I didn’t expect that this kind of place will have expensive equipment.”

“This is convenient store.. not traditional market. Anyway, after we preheated the food, we can eat here too. if the table still vacant though..”

“Wait.. we can dine in here?? no way.. I didn’t see any table here.. Are we just eat while standing?” and again, mina’s smile appeared.

“They have few dine table behind.”

“Oh.. I didn’t know that..” said momo after she took a peek on the place mina was mentioning about. “So you can buy set menu with such cheap price, preheat it by yourself without needing to wait that long and could eat it right away? Convenient store is indeed convenient huh.. cool..”

“You said you’ve came here before.”

“I have! it just.. I didn’t notice any of these.. that’s all..”

 

The way momo pouted, made mina couldn’t stop her laugh. Of course although it was a new thing for momo to witness Mina laughing like that, knowing that her over enthusiasm was the cause of her laughed it was a little bit.. embarrassing for her..

 

“S-stop laughing.. i-it’s not funny.”

“I’m not laughing because you’re funny.” Mina paused a bit, trying to compose herself… and then, “Because you’re too cute. that’s why.”

“Hmph! I-I already.. knew! You’re not the first one who said that to me!” Momo acted all cold and confidence but the slight reddish mark on her cheekbones quite visible for mina to see.

“Yes yes.. of course..” said Mina nonchalantly then she headed towards the cashier and said, “Okay then, I’ll pay to the cashier fir—“

“No.” Momo snatched away mina’s food from her grip, “Told you I’m gonna pay for your food.”

“I.. thought you’re kidding?”

“Why would I joke about that...”

“Okay... but at least let me hold that for you?”

“I’m good by my own. Now just go and secure the seat..”

“But—“ Momo didn’t let Mina speak any words after that and just left her.

 

Well.. momo wasn’t walk straight to the cashier, she went to the previous aisle and grab something for her to eat too and after that, she went to wait on the queue.

 

While she waited, suddenly there were a group of girls who wore the same uniform as her came into the stroe. Those girls were surprised when she saw Momo stood on the queue with two box of set menu on her hand and Momo herself also surprised yet nervous with the sudden encounter. Due to that, they somehow threw an awkward bowed to her.

Momo was glad that those girls immediately out of her sight after that awkward encounter.. Momo wasn’t really the best type with all those warm greetings with strangers.. she is not Nayeon nor dahyun who was better in that field.. and the main reason why she was kinda glad that those girls didn’t try to be all chatty with, is because momo a little bit warry since Mina was with her.

 

“Sorry, I forgot the drink..” Mina put a bottle of apple juice on top of the food stacks momo was holding on.

“Eh??” Momo was surprised or more like slightly panic when Mina out of nowhere handed her over that juice.

“What’s wrong? Why you looked that panic?”

“hm? Oh its nothing! I’m good..”

 

Once again Momo took a quick glance on her surrounding, just to make sure those girls didn’t see what currently happened with her and mina. Gladly Momo couldn’t see those girls near them.. so she concluded that they are save.

 

“Wait, why are you still here?” Asked Momo after she done with her quick scan yet still saw mina beside her

“You sure you don’t want me to bring it for you?” asked Mina

“Gee you’re so pushy.. Just go and secure some seat..”

“I’m just afraid that hime-sama couldn’t hold it that long.” with that, Momo gave Mina a glare and that made her laughed.

“Ha ha ha very funny. Now go and secure the seat.”

“Yes, ohime-sama.” and after that, Mina left Momo who got annoyed with the tease.

 

Once Mina left.. Momo made a quick scan on her surrounding once again, just to make sure.. Well.. in a quick glance, she couldn’t really see anyone.. maybe those girls were on the deeper aisle that momo couldn’t see. But that’s fine.. If Momo couldn’t see them, means they couldn’t see her too. so momo didn’t have to think any excuse if they demand some explanation or something..

 

 

 

 

Well… Actually.. Momo’s quick scan wasn’t really valid since apparently, those girls still saw Mina put her drink on top of the set menu stacks that momo held and again.. that kind of rare sight made those girls had wild thoughts and ended up made their own theory upon it..

>><<

The Next Week

Things… between Momo and Mina was actually went on better direction. Although Mina still hasn’t told momo more about how she didn’t want momo to believe the rumors and such but they’ve been seeing each other quite much after school and they also chatted quite frequent on messenger.

Momo was the one who asked for it first and Mina didn’t reluctant a bit upon it.. and yeah they talked a lot there.. when they were still in school, or when they already arrived at home. 

Momo really try her best to make both her and Mina could interact normally.. no more shyness or awkwardness and she herself tried to surpass her usual cold snicker. It’s hard at first.. but she needs to do it so  mina could be comfortable with her and yes.. to get to know her more, understand her more.

She won’t lie that the main reason she wanted to get closer to Mina is out of curiosity and she thinks mina already know that too. But.. after all these days.. though its short.. Something made momo ensured that she likes spending time with mina. The girl who mostly quiet, once they spend time together she could be quite chatter box too.. Mina also funny and always has so many new things to share to momo. Momo likes it.. the whatever secretive situation she and mina currently had right now..

But they.. kept their interaction only after school time. sometimes, Momo the one who chatted mina first, asked her to stay, bring her to convenient store again or just asked mina to accompany her. Sometimes, Mina also helped Momo either teaching her about the subject she didn’t understand on the class, or do her homework.. Well, at first Momo asked mina to do her homework but the strict mina refused to do it. then it went lower to Momo asking to copy mina’s work which again refused by her.. and in the end, mina taught her how to finish it and yes of course.. momo a little bit struggled and frustrated with it.. but still.. it was a fun time.

During the day, they barely talked directly. they just acted like usual—them not knowing each other, Momo as Momo, and Mina as the mafia daughter that everyone scared of.

 Momo knew she couldn’t openly interact with mina. not because she is shy, ashamed or whatever.. but she knew mina won’t be comfortable with it.. well remember when momo offered mina that she would be her friend if Mina explained why she didn’t want momo to believe the rumors? Mina clearly told her that she didn’t want to mingle in between momo’s group.. probably because of the attention and such.. so Momo respect that and chose to make their interaction low key.

Mina seems like she understand why Momo chose to act that way, though she didn’t even confirm it.. And it just became an unspoken agreement between the two. Mina will still greeted Momo like usual, normally but.. they wont hangout or talk openly and instead, once or twice they chat using messenger.

Oh yes.. Of course Momo was still indeed waiting for mina to tell her things she reluctant to say about herself.. Momo just thought that maybe Mina wasn’t comfortable enough with momo or still wasn’t convinced that Momo really wanted to be her friend.. so maybe.. maybe if Momo kept trying to get close to her, mina would finally explained everything to momo and well.. become Momo’s new friend..

 

But well.. today.. their calm days.. might change just a little bit..

 

Momo was a little bit late that morning.. well thank god when the bell rang she already near her class and her homeroom teacher still on her way to the class.. But when Momo arrived at her class, she saw a commotion happened.

Her friends wasn’t on their seat.. in fact, half of the class weren’t on their seat.. instead some of them rounded up in some table near Momo’s desk. Momo didn’t need to think that hard to know what actually happened. The desk that they surrounded was Mina’s.. yes Mina might be in trouble

 

Some students quickly went back to their seat when they saw Momo on the door frame, but some still unaware of her arrival.

 

*BAAM*

“STOP DENYING!”

 

At first, Momo couldn’t really see what actually happened, after that loud sound that seems like someone banging on the table and sounds of Nayeon’s yell followed by tons of student murmured ‘ooh ooh!’ Momo decided to sneak herself deeper into the crowd.

 

“What’s with the lo—YAH!” Momo who finally could squeezed out from ocean of people, saw Nayeon grabbing Mina’s collar then she quickly pulled nayeon’s hands away from Mina and said, “Are you crazy??”

“You asked that to me? ask her!” Momo’s head snapped towards Mina yet the latter just shrugged and said,

“I honestly don’t understand what she’s talking about.”

“Oh you little pri—“

“Hey hey. Calm down…” Momo wanted to push Nayeon away from Mina’s desk but it ended up made her friend mad

“Why are you pushing me away from her? Are you siding her??”

“I’m just trying to calm things down since you are the only one who was too pumped up. Sana, Dahyun, Tzuyu.. help me please.”

“She deserve it Momo. after all she done to you.” And what sana said made Momo’s brows frown in confussion

“What? she did no—“

“Good morning girls..” And apparently their talked need to be paused because their homeroom teacher finally arrived

 

“We’re not done yet, you bully.” Nayeon gave Mina the last glare before she flee away to her desk, followed by Tzuyu and Dahyun.

“Wait, no! you guys are wr—“

“Hey hey let’s continue the chitchat later okay.” cut the teacher and with that, there was no time for momo to explain and clear things up to her friend.

 

While she taking her seat, Momo secretly looked to her back—towards Mina’s desk. She could see mina a little bit uneasy on her seat. She exhaled while caressing her own arm, like she’s trying to make herself calm. And with that, Momo grabbed her phone and quickly sent her a chat

 

MM: I’m sorry for my friends.. I’ll try to clear the misunderstanding

 

And not long after that, her phone buzzed and she got a replied from mina.

 

MN: No, you don’t have to

 

After reading that kind of message from mina, it made momo automatically looked once again towards her back.. Momo was expecting to see a gloom looking Mina.. But when their eyes met, instead of an annoyed face, or even a glare, Mina gave her a smile.. her usual warm puckered smile that made her eyes closed while doing it.

Although she tried to look fine, Momo still could see behind those smile..

><

After the homeroom session was done and their teacher went out, Momo’s friends about to confront mina once more. But to her surprised, Mina hasn’t back from her restroom leave after the homeroom teacher finished the attendance list check.

Since the first period teacher hasn’t showed up, Momo’s friends decided to once again confronted Mina. But to their dismay, the desk was left without its owner. And this, became Momo’s chance to fix the misunderstanding.

 

“Where that girl go??” Asked the furious Nayeon.

“She might be hiding somewhere. Let’s find he—“

“Hey hold up hold up! All of you need to calm down.” Said Momo to her friends that was about to turn away from momo’s desk towards the door.

“You expect us to calm down?? after what she did to you??” said nayeon

“Look.. I don’t know what you heard, but I think all of you need to listen to my explanation.”

“Oh god.. did she intimidated you harshly so you can’t help but protecting her?” asked dahyun

“No. That’s not wh—“

 “You don’t have to be afraid momo.. everyone is on your side..” said dahyun while she patted momo’s shoulder.

 “I told you guys this all just a mis—”

“That mafia girl did so many bad things to you. and we’ll beat the crap out of her.” said Nayeon

“Listen to me please.. she is not like tha—“

“If you worried over our safety, don’t worry. we’re not afraid of her anymore. screw her family background we can still win with many support behind us.”

“God.. You guys are so wrong.. just hear my explanation fir—“

“Momo, stop protecting her please. This is not the right time to be a kind pe—“

“Can you all just shut up and listen!!!”

 

Its very very rare for momo to rise up her voice like that.. yes she sometimes loud.. but yelling with anger and frustration like that? that was a first and of course that made all her friends stunned… or more like the whole class..

 

“Now, can I start my explanation?” all her friend nods in rapidly, a little bit intimidated by Momo’s anger.

 

“I don’t know how you guys can think that Myoui bullied me, but she never did that. She might look cold and intimidating but she is not like what you think. trust me..”

“But.. we heard that..  she intimidated you, forced you to stay longer after school so you would do whatever she wants..” added sana

 “Someone even said that she forced you to do her homework..” dahyun added

“No.. that was so out of the context..”

 “We also heard that she asked you to pay for her foods at convenient store..” said Tzuyu

“What? no! that was all my own intention..”

“People said that she bossed you around, didn’t even bother to bring her own food to the cashier.” Said Nayeon with anger evident on her face

“God no.. that’s wrong. Everything you said was so wrong..”

 

Momo then let out a sigh, a sign of frustration due to those wild accusation.. after that, Momo explained everything to her friends. how she first talked to her and how she got to know mina’s “real” identity, how she ended up went to the convenient store and bought mina some food. She also cleared things up about the homework thing..

Those accusation probably could happened when people saw tiny bit of what happened between them and concluded it right away.. what happened in convenient store, probably because those girls that momo met, happened to see Mina put her drink on momo and they concluded it that mina forced momo to pay her foods. Then same thing probably happened with the homework thing.. some student probably happened to see mina scolded her.. while the truth is, she scolded Momo for giving up and not serious with her works.. and again.. things were brought out of context..

 

“So.. you believe me now?”

“well.. uh.. a little?” Said Sana

“You guys already used to the thought of Myoui as the daughter of mafia.. that’s why its hard for you guys to believe that she actually just an ordinary person..”

“But.. that what was people been saying right? and she herself never denies it.” said Nayeon

“nor even confirmed it.”  After momo said that, once again her friend became silent.. Like they were thinking about it.

 

“So.. she is really the daughter of your mother’s lawyer?” asked Tzuyu

“yes. not a mafia nor even she came from shady family..”

“But.. she still have gang right? I mean she looks.. though, rebellious and.. intimidating..” asked dahyun

“No… during weekend she barely went outside.. how could a homebody have a gang..”

“so.. the rumors are.. wrong? But—“

“come on.. rumor is just a rumor.. just because people talked about it, doesn’t mean it’s true.. well if you still couldn’t even trust me, you could ask my mom about it. she adores myoui so much and you’ll probably will hear amazing things about her from my mom..”

 

But their talked once again cut by teacher who just came in. 

 

“We’ll talk about this again later. I’m still curious why you spend so many times with her alone yet could also act like you didn’t knew her..” said Nayeon and with that her friends started to went back to their seat. But before that, Momo said

“Oh right.. You guys better apologize to her later. especially you, nayeon.”

“Yeah yeah whatever..”

 

After her friends left and the teacher told the whole class to open the book, momo once again peeked to her back.. yet.. mina still hasn’t back.. she of course worried.. so she decided to chat mina

 

MM: Hey, first period is about to start.

MN: I think I’ll skip

MM: where are you?

 

Mina didn’t immediately answer momo’s chat. There were few minutes with no answer.. it made momo a little bit anxious though.. but then momo thought that mina probably reluctant to tell momo her location because she actually skipping class to calm down herself after what happened earlier.. maybe.. just maybe.. if Momo said that she already talked to her friends, mina probably would tell momo her location.

 

MM: Oh right.. I clarified things with my friends.. They’ll apologize for what they did to you later.

 

And not long after that, her phone buzzed with a short answer

 

MN: I’m at Infirmary

That message.. ended up made momo couldn’t concentrate to the class. why mina in infirmary? Does she sick? Or.. maybe.. she got shocked with what happened earlier this morning? Or what?

Like a habit, whenever momo couldn’t concentrate to the lesson, she would take some snack that she put under her desk and when she took out a jelly—the jelly that mina usually gave her every time they hang out after school together, made momo decided to do stand up from her seat and asked permission to her teacher.

 

“Uh.. ma’am. I need to go to the rest room.”

---

At the infirmary

Momo who arrived at the front door of the infirmary kinda eased herself first. Doing the breathing control to normalize her breath.. she was dashing so hard from her class to here and well she wasn’t the athletic type to start with.. so yeah.. that’s why she a little bit out of breath now.

After she felt better, she then slowly slide opened the door and looked inside. She didn’t see any of the doctor there.. instead, she saw a ‘restroom break’ sign on the doctor’s table. Momo then came inside, and scanned the room, looking for any sign of mina. and there.. she saw one bed that closed by a curtain—indicating someone is inside it..

Momo then walked towards it and when she near it, she called mina.

 

“Myoui?”

“Momo-ss??”

Not long after that, the curtain in front of Momo opened and there she saw mina.. looking a little bit gloom than usual.

 

“what are you doing here? didn’t you say class is starting?”

“yes. uh.. I just.. wanna skip too.”

“No you can’t.. you’ll get trouble if the doctor found you here.”

 

Momo ignored Mina’s nags and went inside the sleeping space then sat on the bed. “I’m THE Hirai Momo after all.”

 

A small smile appeared on Mina’s face as she said, “Guess I couldn’t doubt that.” and after that she closed the curtain and sat beside momo.

 

But none of them said anything.. it was just silent. Momo came here to ask about Mina’s condition. Whether she’s okay or not, whether she felt sick or maybe.. just maybe.. she actually affected by her friend’s confrontation earlier..

back in the class and through her way here, she was so determined to ask mina about it.. yet now.. she felt so nervous without any rigid reason..

But still this silence is way too.. weird.. so Momo tried to break the ice

 

“So.. uh.. are you.. okay?  are you sick or something?”

“a little bit unwell but a sleep will do.”

“You sure? nothing more than that?”  asked Momo and there.. mina forcing her smile again as she gave momo a nod

“you’re not here because of what happened earlier,, perhaps?”

 

Mina was silent for a second and Momo could see that she act not like how she used to. Averted her sight from momo as she stared the floor, and  then she gulped nervously before she said..

 

“No..” Yeah.. momo didn’t buy that at all.

“liar.”

“I’m fine, really. I’m used wi—“

“You said you don’t like lying but you keep lying whenever its about your real feelings. Tell me the truth.”

 

Another silence pause happened. But this time, Momo realized one thing. Mina squeezed the matrass tighter than earlier and the way her jaw slightly tighten, it obvious for momo to tell that Mina was trying to hold her feelings.. seeing that, momo decided to jump of the mattress, squatted down to match Mina’s eye level  and said,

 

“Hey. I know we only talked like few weeks.. but you can rely on me if you want. I’m here.”

 

There was a pause after momo said that.. It made momo a little bit anxious whether mina would trust her or not, whether mina want to rely on her or not.. things between them ran too fast perhaps.. and that’s why momo still unsure whether mina would or could trust her.

 

On the other side, the way Momo said it in such a gentle manner, somehow it could convince mina that it’s okay for her to show what she actually feel. So Mina finally said something to momo in such a tiny voice.. Yet due to the close distance, momo still could hear it clearly. Words that crush her heart.

 

“I was so scared…” with just that words.. Momo then stood up again to sit beside mina and hugged her. which the latter immediately did the same.

“everyone was glaring at me.. murmuring.. pointing their fingers at me..” Mina.. was clearly not fine. She was shaking and her voice, she was definitely crying. 

“Every time I tried to say a word, they cut me off and yelled at me. said that I’m a liar and no one would ever trust my words.... I wanted to yell at them too, I want to scream too, I want to defend myself too.. but i.. I can’t I was.. I was too scared..”

 

her grip on momo’s shirt kept getting tighter and tighter every time mina went deeper to explain things she felt due to the commotion earlier this morning.. Momo kept listening to each words mina said and caressed mina’s head, hope it would calm her..

 

After few minutes with no one talking, just them hugging each other with momo slowly caressed mina to ease her, mina’s sobs finally died down and momo saw this as a chance to finally say something to mina

 

“I’m so sorry that you have to face that kind of thing..” said momo and mina just snuggled deeper into momo’s hug.

“Especially my friends the one who confronted you.. you see.. basically they are just.. trying to protect me. but unfortunately they did it in a wrong way..” momo paused a bit before she said

“But, you will never have to face this problem ever again, I promise. I already cleared things up with them and well.. I kinda snapped a bit at the process so.. probably the whole class heard our conversation.. so yeah..”

 

Mina broke their hug, slowly sat back “You.. really talked to them?” asked Mina. She didn’t expect momo would really clarify things to her friends.

But somehow.. the way mina looks right now, her surprised combined with flattered expression plus her glistening eyes… made momo’s heart felt.. weird. Like there’s a tingling feelings that made her wanted to pat Mina’s head or just simply pulled her back into her hug. you can say.. she looks adorable which momo definitely won’t admit she felt that way.

 

In the end, the timid momo tilted away her head a bit, trying not to look Mina directly due to the sudden nervousness.

 

“W-well yeah.. of course! I told you I’m going to do it.. I told my friends few things about you and your family. Trying to clear things up that you are not a daughter of mafia and well.. also kinda told them that we usually hangout after school.. so yeah. they and probably the rest of student in our class that overheard our conversation knew the truth about you.”

“Why did you do that?”

“why? hm.. First, because I’m part of the rumor so I need to clean my name too. Second, I know the truth. third, although we’re just starting to get to know each other, you are still my friend so I—“  

 

Suddenly after hearing the word friend, mina moved closer to momo and her teary eyes were long gone.. this time, the anticipated look was combined with a small smile. But well… she went too close and made Momo panic

 

“w-wait.. you are too close! Too close! M-Move back!” 

 

Mina did what momo told her. but only few scooched and later kept the same exact expression.

 

“W-well as.. what I’m saying.. you are my friend.. So I need to protect and help my friends..” Momo could see the tip of Mina’s side lips were twitching after momo said that..

“A-and the last thing is.. I just hate it the fact that people kept talking bad things about you when you are… way better than that and actually….”  

 

The long pause from momo made mina anticipated the word.. she didn’t know what momo would say but she probably need to prepare herself for that.

 

With completely averted her sight away from Mina, Momo then said, “uh.. w-well.. your actually a very fun, kind, and n-nice person..”

“I see you stuttered..” Momo’s face went tint red when Mina said that.

“I’m not lying. It just.. telling you this face to face kinda… weird.. not in the bad way! it’s like.. uh.. embarrassed? But not in the bad way either.. gosh how should I put it.. it jus—“

 

And there.. finally.. finally Momo could see and hear Mina’s laugh again.

 

“You are really such a timid person, Momo-ssi.”

“What? n-no I’m not! How could yo—“

“Thank you.” and yup that sealed momo’s mouth right away.

“Thank you for helping me to clarify things about my rumor, thank you for considering me as you friend and…. Thank you for being here.. it means a lot.”

 

*THUMP* *THUMP*

 

“Y-yeah sure.. whatever.. wait didn’t you say you needed more sleep? Now continue it. lay down or something..”

 

Yup.. momo just saying that so she could run away from the shyness she currently dealing with and it’s crystal clear on mina’s eyes. But she wasn’t really going to complain or teased momo upon it. truthfully, she is kinda tired so an extra sleep was really what she needed.

 

Seeing Mina was about to change her position back to laying on the bed, Momo automatically stood up and move away to the nearest chair that located right beside the bed.

 

“Are you going to stay?” asked Mina who realized momo ain’t going outside the curtain.

“Yes. told you I want to skip. Don’t mind me.. I’ll be here with my phone and you can just sleep.”

 

After that, Mina proceed to lay herself under the cover and tucked herself comfortably.. with back facing Momo. When she was about to close her eyes and started to sleep, Momo called her

 

“Y-yah Myoui..” Mina gave momo a hummed, a sign she still hasn’t asleep.

“J-just want to confirm it.. we.. are friends now, right?” Mina turned around due to that question and with a smile she answered, “yes, yes we are.”

“Okay.. so.. uh.. since we are friends.. wouldn’t it be weird if we are too formal with each other? y-you know.. you kept calling my name in such formal manner..”

“So.. you want me to drop the –ssi and just call your name?”

“y-yes, something like that..”

“sure.. Only if you start calling me by my name. not my surname.”

“Fine.. I’ll do it…”

“deal..”

 

Mina then spun her body back to it previous position and ready to drift herself to the dreamland. She cried plenty time already.. before momo came, she already cried alone.. when momo came and hugged her, again she cried.. so yeah.. mina’s eyes were so tired and really need some rest now..

Until suddenly she heard a really subtle voice calling her name.

 

“Mina…”

“Yes?”

“Y-you heard it?? I thought you were asle—you know what. Forget it. It’s nothing.. sorry. just go back to sleep..”

“Okay then, momo.”

 

And well.. both of them secretly let out a smile, without neither of them knew it.

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Author's Notes:
Hi hi everyone~~
This one it’s a little bit longer than the previous, sort of an apology for being late (as usual)..
Well..  Next chapter would be the last part of this story and.. please anticipate it too!!
and I’ll soon post my other stories too. ehehehe please be patience with me.. I’m employed now so.. yea couldn’t really write as frequent as usual..

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Thank you for reading this story! Love you guys!!!







Kamsahamnida