His thoughts get interrupted when the door opened and a younger girl entered in

 

Momo stand up quickly in a signal of respect, but the younger simply goes to his chair in front of him, being separated by an expensive wood desk with some papers over them

 

Clearing her voice she begins the conversation

 

-So, why you call me here today Jihyo?-

 

Jihyo raised her stare at Momo's eyes and smirked

 

-That's how you call your boss?-Jihyo raised an eyebrow- and you know perfectly why you get called here, why don't we talk about your problems instead?-

 

Momo gulped has she began to felt nervous

 

-I don't know what you're talking about- 

 

Jihyo gave him a stare and then she sighed

 

-Okay, you don't have any problems, so tell me...why you let 2 of the suspects scape when you where near to them? Do you have a special treat with some of them? You have some business that we don't know? Tell me, explain yourself- 

 

Momo kept the head down as she was trying to find the correct words to explain the situation

 

-They shoted Sana in the chest and I was worried on that moment, so I forget about the mission and...-

 

She stops trying to find a good idea

 

Jihyo was trying to read her detective, but also her great friend, so she decided to interrupt her speech

 

-and... did you forget we wore bulletproof vests at the time?- Jihyo said slowly, trying to be clear

 

Momo nodded and put her head in her hands, trying to remember why she acted that way

 

Jihyo sighed and tried to understand the situation, she stare directly to momo's eyes

 

-It's okay Momo, I don't want to pressure you to say what's bothering you or whatever is on your mind right now, but you know we can't let possibles murderers, rapists or kidnappers out there... I hope you can solve whatever is happening to you... but if you do something similar to this again, I won't be able to help you and I'll have to give you a long break, am I clear?- Jihyo said giving Momo "The stare"

 

Momo gulped again and nodded once again

 

-Okay, now go help Mina investigate the kidnapping of a missing young man on the banks of the Han River, no fails, no excuses Hirai- Jihyo said reading some reports from the other detectives

 

-Yes captain- Momo walked out of his boss's office and let out a long content sigh, trying to clear her head

 

With slow steps she went to the main room where everyone looked at her once she set foot inside the place, groaning inside she went to her office ignoring the worried looks of her friends and colleagues, she closed the door and went to her computer, remembering the task that Jihyo had given him

 

About 15 minutes passed when a knock on the door of his office interrupted his concentration, holding back a groan she went to the door to see what happened

 

Momo opened the door and in front of her was Mina with her hand in the air, ready to knock again. Mina quickly placed her hand around her body a little shy about the situation

 

Clearing Mina spoke first

 

-Umm sorry to bother you right now, but Jihyo told me that she assigned you this case with me- Mina said holding a folder with the information of the case they were assigned

 

Sighing once more, she simply stepped aside and let Mina enter his office, she couldn't get out of this situation even if she wanted to, after all, this was his job

 

Mina took a seat in the chair across from her desk and unfolded the documents she brought with her, carefully organizing each document, Momo mentally braced herself and focused on her work once more, trying to ignore any extra thoughts besides work

 

20 minutes passed and there was only the sound of crumpling paper, the sound of keys being pressed, some sips of coffee and the rest was absolute silence

 

Mina felt uncomfortable with the situation, she had many questions that were not related to the current case, she wanted to ask a thousand things, but she did not dare to open , Momo's position was clear at that moment, she did not want to talk about anything that was not work, surprisingly Momo was the one who broke the hellish silence in the room

 

-Any progress in finding witnesses to help us to get the boy?- Momo said looking at his computer screen

 

Mina felt ignored and a little sad, but she quickly pulled herself together and tried to speak as normally as possible

 

-There are 2 subjects who were near the area at the time it happened, but we still haven't been able to identify who they are- Momo nodded her head trying to think of how to identify them quickly

 

-Where were those subjects at the time of the events?- Momo asked still avoiding looking at Mina

 

Mina felt even worse but she quickly responded

 

-One was sitting on a bench near the scene and the other was buying a dessert from a street vendor-

 

-Okay, so I'll go over there and ask if anyone remembers any of them- Momo responded by standing up and putting on her jacket to go to the cold streets of Seoul

 

Mina quickly stood up wanting to accompany her, but Momo was not going to allow it

 

-It's okay Mina, I can go alone, besides you managed to find useful information, you've done a good job- Momo gave her a small smile of thanks and hurried out of the office, leaving Mina with her words in and her heart in

_______________________________________________

 

Mina left Momo's office with her head down, trying to suppress the tears that threatened to want to come out of her eyes

 

She believed that this was a perfect opportunity to talk to her and clarify some things that have been bothering her

 

When she entered the main room she could see 2 of her friends quickly approaching her, trying to compose herself quickly she gave them a half smile trying to make it look as genuine as possible

 

-Hey, are you okay?- Nayeon asked, obviously worried by her friend's downcast posture

 

-Yes, I'm fine Nayeon, just a little tired- Mina blurted out a half-truth, tiredness wasn't a lie. Nayeon took her by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes

 

-You know you can trust us, right?- At the sincerity of her words, Mina couldn't help but smile

 

-Thank you, but I swear I'm fine, I just couldn't talk to Momo about anything- she let out a sigh feeling the frustration rising in

 

At the mention of her name, her other friend decided to intervene

 

-I'm not sure what's wrong with her, but I know something is happening to her, she's not the same person these last few days- Jeongyeon frowned as she glanced at the door her friend had rushed out of before saying anything

 

-Yeah, I know, I'm sure she's hiding some things from us too, but I have no idea how to help- Mina expressed with her gaze fixed on her feet

 

Nayeon and Jeongyeon gave each other a knowing look, they needed to talk to Momo, that girl is too stubborn and proud to say things on her own, she just needs a little push to express herself

 

-Mina, if you want, we could try to talk to her, maybe she needs a little push to be able to talk- Nayeon suggested with a smile, looking at both Mina and Jeong. Mina considered the possibility, and felt that there was nothing wrong with trying

 

-It's okay Nay, just don't push her too hard, you know how she is- Nayeon nodded with a smile and assured her that they were just going to try to establish a friendly chat

 

Mina decided to end the conversation, thanking her friends for their support and understanding, and headed to their shared office

 

When she entered the office she could see her partner and friend, her cheeks full of food, while she tried to chew too much at the same time, giving her the squirrel look already known by everyone in the department. She couldn't help but laugh at the scene, imagine a squirrel with full cheeks and glasses too big for her head, it was definitely funny

 

Her partner turned around quickly trying to swallow as fast as possible trying to avoid more teasing. She soon finished eating and turned around to confront her office colleague/friend

 

-Yah Mina, stop laughing- Sana gave her an irritated look, but it didn't help when Mina started laughing harder, seeing the pout on her friend's lips. Sana stood up and hurried over to her and started tickling her sides

 

-Okay Sana, I give up- Mina said between laughs. Sana smiled triumphantly and collapsed on her desk to finish her meal. The atmosphere cooled down a bit and when Sana finished eating, they both decided to continue with their work

 

After 1 hour of continuous work, they both decided to take a short break to analyze the information they had found on their respective cases

 

The study lasted another hour and then they decided to have a drink to combat the next 3 hours they had left in the office. Sana chose a cappuccino with some cookies, something simple to get home to eat more calmly, while Mina chose a green tea accompanied by some jelly-filled rolls, one of the benefits offered by the location of their station

 

When they got back to his office they started a small talk, which couldn't be small when Momo's name slipped into the conversation. Mina settled into her seat trying to avoid the discomfort that came every time she remembered the current situation of her other best friend

 

-I've been trying to talk to her for a few days, but she always comes up with some lame excuse to get away from me- Sana exclaimed frowning and puffing out her cheeks, a gesture she makes when she's in a bad mood

 

-I know, I tried to talk to her early today, but I didn't get anything, we just talked about work and it almost seems like she doesn't want us near her- Mina said bitterly at the feel of those words on her tongue

 

Sana and Mina looked at each other sadly, knowing that they were both being ignored by their best friend

 

-I talked to Nay and Jeong about it too, they told me that they will try to talk to her, I hope they get a different result than us- Mina smiled a little hoping that Momo would open up to them. Sana smiled back

 

-In fact, I talked to Dahyun, Tzuyu and Chae, maybe they could hack her phone or break her car so maybe i can catch her, even for a few minutes- Sana said a little embarrassed for revealing her plans, that although they weren't malicious, definitely no one would take it as well as she might think, Mina opened her eyes in an exaggerated way, listening to her friend's plan

 

-I don't think it's a good idea Sana, she's in a very weird mood, maybe something like that is counterproductive, you know her, she'll probably get mad and stop talking to us for a few days- Sana sulked, but she knew that Mina was right, Momo doesn't have the best character and if you provoke her it could be a big problem

 

-I know, but I'm desperate, I haven't been able to talk to her in more than two weeks, I don't think I can take much more- Sana dropped into her chair dramatically, as she pouted

 

Mina smiled at her friend's dramatic reaction, but Mina was just as desperate, but she knew how to keep herself composed on the outside much better than her friend, but on the inside the nerves and the fear that something bad had happened to her best friend is same as Sana

 

-Let's see if Nayeon and Jeong can have a different result, Momo won't be long, possibly she's already on her way back- Sana smiled in Mina's direction and nodded

 

-Yes, I think it's the best we can do- Sana took Mina's hand and looked into her eyes

 

-Don't worry Minari, everything will be fine- Sana gave her best smile with the firm wish that her words would come true

 

-I know, i hope so...-

__________________________________________________

 

Momo was in her car, she had just finished her review of possible witnesses, she loved her job, it also helped her not to think about unnecessary things...like her feelings

 

She wasn't sure what to call what she felt, but she was sure it wasn't good, not when she didn't feel good about it, not when she felt uncomfortable with those people, not because it made her suffer when she didn't want to, that's why she decided that those feelings couldn't be good 

 

So she did what she knows how to do best, bury them in the back of her mind and her heart, she preferred that a thousand times, than continue to feel pain

 

But this whole situation had consequences, she couldn't act in the same way as always, because those feelings were still there, instead of giving her peace of mind, they tormented her, made her feel sick and guilty, her conscience turned against her, reminding each step how pathetic and vile she was

 

She never had the opportunity to talk about it, because she had no one to talk about it with, she seemed to walk on a minefield every time she thought about her feelings, so she stopped doing it, denied them to the point of exhaustion and forced herself to act on the sidelines, trying to stay sane, if she still could

 

But it's never as easy as it seems, not when the reasons for her confused and sick feelings were with her most of the day, it seemed like fate was trying to torture her, the reason?...

 

She had feelings for 2 people at the same time, she had thoughts that didn't correspond to a friend, much less two at the same time, and every time she saw them she had sensations that she shouldn't have for a friend

 

When she realized this, she decided to act, she distanced herself and walked away from them, for the sake of her friends and for her own sake, sincerely believing that this was a good way to avoid a bigger problem

 

But his conscience was amused by his misery, reminding him of who she was and what she was doing

 

You're trash, do you really think you deserve something with that attitude of yours?

 

Momo gritted her teeth as she drove back to the station, stifling some curse, trying to stay under control

 

Do you think you even deserve some love?

 

Momo finally reached the station and got off in a hurry, trying to get to her office to immerse himself in work so that her mind would be quiet once and for all

 

They deserve better and you know it

 

Momo quickly ran to her office trying to get there as fast as possible, when she arrived she closed the door with force and slipped on her knees with her teeth and fingers clenched, she tried to compose herself quickly and stood in front of her computer trying to occupy herself into something productive

 

The work helped her to clear her mind, it was curious how she seemed to work backwards from everyone else, an hour after discovering some extra clues in her current case, a knock on the door of her office took her out of her concentration again, without wanting to stand up, she gave permission to enter whoever was behind that door, to his surprise, it wasn't just one person, there were two

 

Nayeon and Jeongyeon entered the room and sat across from Momo, side by side, still speechless. Nayeon was the one who made the first move hoping this wasn't a big mistake

 

-Hi Momo, how are you feeling?- Momo was totally puzzled by the situation, they were both looking at her with analytical eyes, studying her, every expression and she didn't liked that

 

-I'm fine Nayeon, do you need anything?- Momo spoke calmly trying to resume to her work quickly, she was not in the mood for this kind of talk. Nayeon looked at her warily, analyzing her in detail

 

Jeong noticed the prolonged silence and tried to continue some kind of small talk, hoping not to hit any sore spots

 

-So Momo, how about you take a little break and join us for a little meeting? Just the nine of us like old times- Jeong tried hoping it would work

 

-I'm sorry, but I can't, I have work to do... but thanks for the invitation, I hope you have fun-

 

Momo went back to her work again, she didn't wanted to be rude, but she knew the direction they wanted to take and she wasn't in the mood for such things

 

10 minutes passed and no one moved from her place, Nayeon was frowning but didn't say anything, Jeong was just looking at her hands and Nayeon, feeling completely out of place 

 

-Look guys, I appreciate you worrying about me, but you shouldn't, I'm fine, okay? If it's not too much trouble I'd like to work in peace, can you do me that favor?-

 

-Okay Momo, we're off then- Jeong touched Nayeon's shoulder to tell her to get out, but the girl didn't move, on the contrary, with each touch she clung more to her place 

 

-I've had enough Hirai!- Nayeon stood up and placed her hands on her hips, looking directly at Momo. Momo for her part was also a bit shocked by the sudden outburst, but she tried to stay calm and avoid a ridiculous fight

 

-Calm down Nayeon, we're at work- Momo tried to reason

 

-I'm not going to calm down, not until you put your damn stubbornness aside and stop hiding like a baby, you're grown up now Momo, now tell me...what's going on?- Nayeon and Momo were staring into each other's eyes with suffocating intensity, Momo was slowly losing the little patience she had, and Nayeon wasn't really helping her. Jeongyeon was in the crossfire, grabbing Nayeon by the shoulder trying to drag her out of the office, but Nayeon was tired, she could see how sad Mina was earlier, and she also knows that Sana is having a hard time, even the younger ones miss their funniest unnie, and of course, she miss his friend and partner, just like Jihyo and Jeongyeon too

 

-You know Momo, we have no idea what's going on and we're fed up, we want to help but you're stubborn as hell, so if you don't want to tell us I'll have to force you- Jeongyeon looked at Nayeon with wide eyes, they had agreed to be friendly and understanding, but apparently patience is not his virtue

 

Momo clenched her fists and bit her lip trying to hold back any stupid comments and actions, but Nayeon was testing her

 

-Look Nayeon, this is not the right place or time, please get out of my office now- Momo felt a headache approaching. Nayeon slipped out of Jeong's grasp and walked over to Momo, facing each other

 

-It's never the time Momo, you've been ignoring us like we're some kind of pest... you know, I asked myself if you really even consider us your friends-

 

What the hell are you Hirai, you not only hurt your best friends, but also all your colleagues, and you say you deserve something?

 

Her jaw clenched and her fists clenched even tighter, she tried to control her breathing, hoping to silence the voice in her head

 

Jeong realized that Momo was near her limit, she was never good with confrontations and to tell the truth, Nayeon wasn't helping at all

 

Trying to avoid something even worse, she grabbed Nayeon's shoulder and arm and tried to drag her out, but the woman seemed to be glued to the ground, she couldn't move her, and in a single movement Nayeon released her grip and gave her a look, before to turn her towards Momo

 

-Nayeon please... just get out of my office, I'm not in the mood for this- Momo kept her head down trying her best to contain herself. Nayeon smiled wryly and crossed her arms over her chest

 

-You know, I don't give a if you're in the mood or not, everyone at the station has picked up on your attitude, and I'm not leaving here without an answer- Momo stayed silent trying to contain herself and shoo her away at the same time 

 

Nayeon frowned, feeling on edge as well, she really didn't want to force her, but she was tired of not knowing what was going on

 

-You know, Mina was about to cry this morning when she left your office, and Sana has been begging for some of your attention, we thought you could talk to them, but you treated them the same as everyone else, don't you feel at least sorry for them?- 

 

You are such a hypocrite, feelings? You thought You has feelings for them and you treat them like a piece of garbage, you have reached a new level of stupidity Hirai

 

Momo put her hands on her head trying not to lose control, but the voice in her head just tormented her

 

You don't even deserve to be called her friend, and you wanted something else?

 

Do you think you're the victim here? When you are the only one to blame

 

Momo got down on her knees holding her head with her hands, her expression making it clear that she was in pain. Nayeon and Jeong looked at each other strangely, both not knowing what to do next. Momo stood up and walked to a corner of the room, one hand on and the other still on her head. Nayeon was getting nervous quickly and walked over to her, trying to hug her

 

But before she could even place an arm on her, Momo grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against the wall, Nayeon moaned and felt a sharp pain in her back, when she opened her eyes, she could see Momo's gaze, one she had never seen before, it was full of emotions but none that sound even pleasant, all she could see was pain, anger, sadness, but above all anguish

 

-You don't know anything Nayeon!- Her grip tightened on the collar of her shirt, and she almost felt her feet floating, felt dry and fear began to invade her senses

 

-You're just a ing nosy!- Momo separated her from the wall and slammed her against it again, letting herself get carried away by her emotions and losing control of her completely

 

Jeongyeon came out of shock and quickly tried to separate Momo from Nayeon, but Momo was completely beside herself, when Jeong put a hand on top of her she lunged at her, abruptly dropping Nayeon to the ground. Jeongyeon could only see Momo's distorted figure above her, her senses began to fail with each punch she received, but she was sure of one thing, the person who was hitting her, was not Momo

 

Before she could pass out, she could hear the office door open and Jihyo walk into the room

 

-What the hell!- Jihyo quickly punched Momo in the face and grabbed her by the neck separating her from Jeongyeon, the poor girl had blood all over her face and Momo had her hands full of blood from both Jeong's face and his own shattered knuckles

 

After Jihyo's punch, Momo came back to her senses although a little confused and lost, she turned to see her hands and was surprised to see so much blood on them, her gaze met Jeongyeon and Nayeon sitting on the ground, looking at her with fear and concern, Jeong was a mess, with bruises and cuts in several places on his face, while Nayeon tried to clean it a bit with paper towels, Momo quickly looked down, embarrassed and guilty once again, Jihyo was still in front of her, but she didn't dared to see her, she knew what would happen next and could only pray to the gods to have mercy on her

 

The commotion in the office didn't go unnoticed for the rest of the station, soon people were milling around the door, trying to satisfy her curiosity of whatever was going on

 

Sana and Mina seeing the commotion also followed the crowd, trying to make their way through the crowd to see inside the room, in front of the open office door were the younger girls, all 3 of them had looks and expressions bordering on fear, surprise and sadness. Sana and Mina gave each other a confused look and when they reached the door, Sana put her hands to to stifle a scream, while trying to process the images she was seeing, Mina for her part, was in shock, she couldn't breathe, she felt like she was going to pass out at any moment

 

The scene caused unwelcome murmurs and whispers, so Jihyo pulled herself together and spoke: 

 

-Everyone back to work, we're not in a circus- The voice of his boss dispersed them all trying to resume their activities normally. The corridors and the office became free again and Jihyo looked at Nayeon and Jeongyeon

 

-Jeong, go clean up and we'll take you to a hospital to treat your injuries, Nayeon, please take care of her- They both nodded to their leader and left the room, Nayeon helping Jeong out on his feet. Jihyo took a deep breath and looked at Momo, who kept her head down avoiding looking at her

 

-Momo, to my office, NOW- Jihyo quickly left for her office and Momo quickly followed her, she knew she was screwed, she just expected a little mercy, even if she didn't deserve it

 

Momo entered the office and when she closed the door, she was immediately greeted with a knee to the stomach, immediately getting on her knees, another kick hit her directly in the stomach again and a hand grabbed her hair, seeing Jihyo's completely enraged look

 

-What the hell do you think you're doing!? If you have a problem, it doesn't give you the right to hit your colleagues, worse yet, your friends... we tried to talk to you and did you hear us? Of course not, but that apparently don't care- Jihyo was fuming from how furious she was, Momo looked down from her to her hands again, seeing how the blood on her hands was completely dry, shame and guilt were all she could feel

 

This is what you deserve, you little piece of

 

Jihyo should just kill you right now, that's what you get for being a with them

 

Momo felt Jihyo's hands leave her hair and she looked up to see sadness, pain and disappointment in her eyes, feeling embarrassed once again, she could only look down again

 

-2 months...I'll give you a 2 month break to try to fix your , but you'll be watched 24 hours a day in your apartment, I'll assign shifts to watch you all the time...now...your badge and your gun- Momo stood up shakily, and gave her gun and badge, still unable to look at her

 

-Okay, now wash up, get your things and go home... you're lucky I won't press charges, even though I should- Momo could only nod

 

-I'm sorry- Momo left Jihyo's office with her head down, quickly heading to the bathroom, she could feel all the stares on her so she hurried inside quickly. She closed the door and washed, looking in the mirror she couldn't recognize herself, she only saw a person completely different from her

 

This is who you are and always were, a monster

 

Momo shook her head and dried her hands, hurrying off to her office to gather her few belongings and leave

 

She only had 4 valuables things in that small desk, before, they were very nice and fun memories, now they reminded her of what she was, and what she is now. A little penguin stuffed animal with another little squirrel, next to a little raccoon with googly eyes, and in front of the stuffed animals a photo of the 3 of them on a shared vacation, making silly and funny faces. A tear slid down her cheek and she choked back a sob, shaking her head at the memories and put all in a little box, hurrying to obey Jihyo's orders

 

Momo hurried out of the station, trying to ignore all the prying eyes again, when she was about to leave a voice stopped her

 

-M-Momo- Sana was standing with Mina next to her, both of them with glassy eyes, both of them seemed about to cry and Momo hated it, hated herself for putting them in this situation, but she had no idea how to get out of the situation

 

Taking a deep breath she placed the box on the floor and approached Sana, looked into her eyes for a few seconds and then hugged her, Sana immediately returned the hug and pressed her against her body, Momo brought her lips close to her ear and whispered a small apology. -I'm sorry- Momo broke away from the hug and directed her full attention to the younger one, giving her the same tight hug and whispering an apology in her ear in the same way

 

Momo broke away and picked up the small box from the floor, giving them one last look, she walked out of the station 

 

Sana and Mina were rooted to the ground, still not knowing what to do or say, they both regained control over their bodies and walked back to their office

__________________________________________________

 

Sana was working on autopilot, her body doing one thing, but her mind kept thinking about what had happened 

 

Nayeon and Jeongyeon went to the hospital under Jihyo's supervision, they had been out for more than 1 hour and Sana was anxious to know what the hell happened, but she had to stay calm, her nerves were visible, but she tried to stay compound

 

Mina was no different, her features didn't reflect the intensity of the anguish that was consuming her inside, but her obvious glances at her watch reflected her anxiety. Both girls were waiting for their friends to arrive, hoping to be clear about the situation 

 

The door of the police station was opened and the 3 friends entered the main room receiving looks wherever they will walk, Jeongyeon had received stitches due to the depth of some of her injuries, her face was covered in patches and gauze trying to help in the healing process as fast as possible, Nayeon just had a little chip on the back of her head, some ice and there would be no problem 

 

As soon as they entered the main room they all went to check the status of their partner and friend, the 3 youngest had anguished and worried looks, when Sana and Mina went out to the main room to check on Jeong, Jihyo took the opportunity to organize a meeting a little more private

 

-Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Mina and Sana to my office quickly.- She said pointing to her office with one hand

 

-Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, you guys are coming too- She gave them a serious look and the 3 younger ones obeyed without complaint

 

-The rest, go to work guys, it's not a day off- And with that the 8 friends headed to Jihyo's office. Once Dahyun closed the door, Jihyo lowered the blinds and settled into his chair, the rest stood in awkward silence, all wanting to talk but no one knew how to begin. Jihyo looked directly at them, randomly jumping between them, as she searched for the right words to tackle the next conversation

 

-Momo will be taking a break for 2 months, hope that helps her- She let out a sigh preparing for her reactions with her next sentences 

 

-Before you say anything, I want you to listen to me first, then you can comment on what you think is right- Except for Nayeon and Jeongyeon who already knew what was coming, the others nodded slowly

 

-Momo is disabled from any mission for those 2 months, as well as her salary will be reduced by 30%, she will also be monitored 24 hours a day, I will assign schedules so that each of us will monitor her one day a week, Nayeon and Jeongyeon will be assigned together, I think it's obvious why- Jihyo finished speaking and there were all kinds of reactions written on the faces of her friends, some of surprise, others of nervousness, fear and concern, nothing that she wouldn't expect previously

 

They were all silent, trying to digest what they had heard. Tzuyu was the first to compose herself and quickly asked

 

-It's not a claim or a complaint, but why did you choose the 3 of us?- Tzuyu pointed to herself next to Dahyun and Chaeyoung. Jihyo smiled at the question

 

-It is a reasonable doubt, but very simple to explain, because before being colleagues or co-workers, we are her friends, I am not going to put a stranger inside her house to watch her, i believe that we all know that Momo is not well, and the last thing she needs is additional stress, so I thought this was a good way to try to help her- Tzuyu, Dahyun, and Chaeyoung nodded understandingly and enthusiastically at their leader's intentions

 

On the other hand, Sana and Mina were not very convinced of all this, they understand the situation and the risks, but the need to monitor her 24/7 was excessive, it is as if they did not trust her in the least, Sana understands the situation, but she can't hide her discomfort, she has always been very expressive

 

-I understand the situation Jihyo... Momo is not well and that's a fact, but don't you think it's a bit excessive to be looking at her all the time?- Sana tried to sound calm, but her nerves were on edge and she wasn't the best at handling her emotions. Jihyo gave her a look and then leaned back in her chair without taking his eyes off Sana

 

-Maybe you're right, it's a bit excessive, but I have no choice, did you ever imagine that Momo could do something like that to Jeong?- Sana turned her gaze to her other friend, and giving her a quick look, she completely summed up Jihyo, Jeong had swollen lips, swollen cheekbones and still very fresh wounds, his eyebrows had some marks that she doesn't know how they happened, maybe with nails, Sana doesn't know, looking down she nodded in understanding, reluctantly agreeing to the proposed measures

 

-Alright, now...Jeongyeon, would you mind explaining to everyone what happened- Sana looked up and her ears pricked hoping she didn't miss anything that was said next

 

-Nayeon and I entered her office, we had promised Mina to try to talk to her about whatever was happening to her, at first she was ignoring us like in the last few days, using work as an excuse- Jeongyeon took a breath and asked Nayeon's permission with her eyes, Nayeon noticed and only nodded once giving her permission to speak in great detail -Since Momo wasn't paying attention, Nayeon started to be a bit more insistent, trying to get her to talk somehow, we insisted that she had to talk and stop hiding whatever is happening to her, but... Nayeon maybe went a little too far from the line, Momo had already made it clear that she didn't wanted to talk but... we still insisted, there was a moment where Momo knelt down and grabbed her head, we saw her look and it was clear that she was suffering, when Nayeon tried to comfort her, Momo grabbed her by the shirt and slammed her against the wall twice, I tried to pull them apart but Momo... well, you can see what happened- Jeongyeon finished his explanation and the entire room fell silent

 

The silence was broken when a couple of sobs were heard, Sana and Mina were hugging each other, Sana Mina's hair trying to give her some kind of comfort, her head was buried in Sana's chest trying to suppress her crying somehow

 

Mina tried to calm down, Sana's support was of great help to her at this time 

 

-Thank you very much Sana- Mina gave her a grateful smile for her comfort 

 

-It's nothing Minari, that's what friends are for- Sana smiled back and patted his head. The other members were touched by the two Japanese, but the meeting had to end soon to wrap up the long and stressful day. Jihyo cleared and ended the meeting 

 

-Okay guys, if nobody has anything to add... we can end this meeting, I will give you your schedules as soon as I have them ready, for the moment I will take care of Momo during today and tomorrow, I will keep you updated- Jihyo was silent in case of any claim, complaint or doubt, but everyone was silent

 

-Great, then see you tomorrow, you are free to go, be careful on the way home- They all thanked their leader and left the room

 

Mina and Sana were ready to go home when Nayeon and Jeongyeon rushed over to them

 

-I'm sorry Mina...I told you I wouldn't push her and look what i did- Nayeon looked at the ground ashamed of her actions, still not sure what to feel. Jeongyeon placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her, trying to reassure her

 

-Don't blame yourself Nay, you just wanted to help and I'm sure no one expected what happened- Nayeon looked up and nodded briefly 

 

-Don't worry, we'll have our chance to talk to her...I just want to help her, but I can't if she won't let me- Mina felt her tears threaten to spill out again, taking a deep breath and pulling herself together

 

-Do not be mortified by this, you will see that we will be able to recover our Momo- Mina wished she could believe her own words, but she still had many doubts

 

-Let's go home...I think we all need it- Without saying another word, Sana and Mina headed to their shared apartment, hoping to forget this nightmare and clear their minds

__________________________________________________

 

Jihyo arrived at Momo's apartment and knocked on the door twice, quickly footsteps were heard from inside and the door opened, revealing Momo with bandages on her hands 

 

-I see you're better now- Momo immediately hid his hands behind his back feeling embarrassed again

 

-Can I pass Momo?- Momo quickly gave her access and went to his living room to collect the scissors and glue that she used to put the bandages on him. Jihyo analyzed the interior of the house, it wasn't small or big, average perhaps? There was a somewhat large kitchen, a living-dining room not very large, but enough for 5 people perhaps, a small backyard with some cables for the clothes and a room with 2 beds, one double and one single, with the bathroom connected to the room and to the Main hallway

 

Jihyo smiled remembering who the double bed was for. Momo remained silent and motionless sitting on her sofa, looking at her hands over and over again

 

Letting out a sigh Jihyo sat down on the sofa next to Momo, giving her some space, just invading her privacy was enough

 

-Are you ready to talk Momo?- Jihyo asked calmly trying to keep a calm tone. Momo did not move or react to the question, his mind kept reminding her of what she had done, it seemed like a broken record which could only reproduce the same scene over and over again, his hands were the perpetual memory of what she did

 

Jihyo sighed again seeing that Momo was still stubbornly not wanting to talk

 

-Momo, you can't go on like this, whatever is on your mind is affecting you and it will affect the people around you, as you have seen- Momo tensed visibly, she knew it was true, but she didn't know how to say it, what was she supposed to say? Could she or couldn't she be in love with her two best friends? Was that even love? Thousands of questions swirled around his head like a stampede 

 

It's not love, Monster, love doesn't make you want to beat your friends to death

 

Momo took her head in her hands and her senses were unsteady. Jihyo immediately stood up and tried to take her hands, but Momo moved away from her

 

-STAY AWAY!- Momo stood up with one hand on and one on her head. Jihyo could see her eyes full of fear and terror, she had never seen her that way, she tried to step in front of her to offer some kind of comfort, but Momo stopped her immediately, again

 

-Jihyo stop!...p-please...I don't want to hurt you- Her last words came out in whispers as her voice cracked and a few sobs escaped her lips. Momo ran into her room and locked it, leaving Jihyo confused, worried and sad. Jihyo sat on the sofa again as she held the bridge of his nose trying to regulate his breathing

 

-Damn...-

____________________________________________

 

Jihyo was lying on the sofa, trying to think about what she should do now, Momo hadn't left her room since yesterday, she had to sleep on the sofa and if she was honest, she was uncomfortable and cold, but she didn't know whether to go to Momo's room was a good idea, she went to the nearest store in search of some ingredients for breakfast and lunch, but even when it took a few minutes, the house remained the same, only some sounds were heard in the bathroom and the rest was an overwhelming silence

 

The sound of her phone snapped her out of her thoughts and she quickly answered the call 

 

-Good morning Tzuyu- 

 

-Good morning boss- Letting out a laugh, Jihyo cut to the chase 

 

-Do you already have the schedule format that I asked you for?-

 

-Yes, I have finished it, all that remains is to assign the names on the corresponding days... you told me that the schedule would be from 8 in the morning to 8 the next day, all that remains is to assign the order of each one-

 

-Great, Tzu, thank you very much, I sent you the order of the names on the phone, check it and when you have it, please give a copy to each of the guys, I would really appreciate it-

 

-Understood captain, I'll do it...everything ok there?- Jihyo sighed loudly

 

-Not Tzuyu, but everything is under control at the moment, I'll update you once I can- 

 

-I understand Jihyo, good luck, see you soon- 

 

-Thanks, I'll need it- Jihyo hung up and went to make breakfast, something simple, a couple of bacon and egg rolls and a couple of slices of toast with orange juice. She knocked on Momo's room door twice and she waited for some sign that Momo was awake, when she didn't hear anything she sat on one of the dining room chairs and started to eat breakfast though with no real appetite

 

About 2 hours passed and the breakfast was already more than cold, but Momo didn't come out of her room. Jihyo knocked on her door again a little more desperate this time

 

-Momo, you should eat, I know you're awake, you're not cheating on me- She tried to stay calm, but this situation was stressing her out a lot

 

Without warning the door opened and Jihyo almost fell on her face, Momo walked out with her head down and headed towards the kitchen to get her breakfast, she took her plate and went back to her room

 

-Thank you- In a blink of an eye the room closed again and Jihyo didn't know what to do

__________________________________________________

 

Tzuyu gathered the remaining 7 members in the main room to hand over their schedules

 

-Alright guys, these are the schedules that Jihyo took care of giving you- Giving a copy to each one, assigning their rest days, work days and the day they would have to accompany Momo

 

Monday 8am-Tuesday 8am - Jihyo

Tuesday 8am-Wednesday 8am - Sana

Wednesday 8am- Thursday 8am - Nayeon and Jeongyeon

Thursday 8am - Friday 8am - Mina

Friday 8am- Saturday 8am - Dahyun

Saturday 8am - Sunday 8am - Tzuyu

Sunday 8am- Monday 8am - Chaeyoung

 

Everyone kept silent analyzing carefully and starting to organize their week mentally, it was Tuesday, but Jihyo was on charge of the unforeseen situation, which meant that tomorrow, Wednesday, everyone fixed their eyes on the sheet and as if they had trained him, they all looked at Nayeon and Jeongyeon at the same time

 

-Wow guys, don't worry, we'll be fine- Jeongyeon quickly tried to dispel her friends doubts about him

 

-As Jeong says, remember that we are not dealing with a psychopath or a murderer, we are talking about Momo, the same girl who is afraid of bugs, what happened...was an accident- Nayeon intervened trying to somehow calm the looks, and also convince herself of what he was saying

 

-We'll keep you posted and if anything happens we'll get back to you right away, okay?- Even with a little hesitation, the atmosphere seemed to calm down a bit and they all decided to go back to their places with their minds on everything except work

 

Nayeon took a deep breath hoping that what she said was true

_______________________________________________

 

Nayeon and Jeongyeon arrived together outside Momo's apartment, still with some uncertainty they knocked on the door and a tired and irritated looking Jihyo opened the door for them, giving a not very pleasant welcome to be honest

 

-What the hell happened Jihyo? Why didn't you tell us anything?- Nayeon immediately rebuked her friend 

 

-Because nothing happened, almost literally, the only thing I know for sure is that she went to the bathroom, I'm not sure if she ate or if she needs any help with his injuries, I don't know anything... I feel in a stranger's house- Jihyo sighed looking down at her feeling helpless and useless

 

-Come on Ji, it's okay, you can rest, lets us handle it- Nayeon gave him an encouraging smile. Jihyo looked at Nayeon and then at Jeongyeon

 

-Are you sure you don't want me to stay? I wouldn't really mind- Jeongyeon was quick to intervene

 

-No Jihyo, you've been here almost 2 days and from what I can see, you haven't slept well, Nayeon and I will take care of it, you've done enough- Jihyo smiled and thanked the two

 

-Fine, but I'm on the lookout for anything- With that, Jihyo retired to her home to try to rest 

 

Nayeon and Jeongyeon entered the apartment and as soon as they closed the door, another one opened, Momo rushed out of her room and unconsciously Nayeon and Jeongyeon tensed, the memories of what happened were still fresh and even if they wanted to turn the page as fast as possible, it wasn't that easy

 

Nayeon and Jeongyeon quickly went on the defensive and when Momo was no more than 5 meters away she collapsed onto her knee

 

-You are free to hit me as much as you want, sorry- Momo was still with her head down, kneeling, her shoulders slumped. The two elders looked at each other in confusion, but Jeong quickly pulled himself together and slowly approached Momo

 

-Do you want me to hit you?- She asked still standing, looking at Momo's shrunken figure below her. Momo nodded slowly still without looking up

 

-Only if you want that, I can't force you- Her voice was low, but they could hear her clearly. Jeong quickly leaned down and pulled her into a tight hug

 

-Fool, I could never hit you when you're like this- Momo collapsed into Jeong's embrace, her tears cascading down, with careless screams and sobs, apologizing and hating herself even more

 

Nayeon watched the scene with tears in her eyes and a proud smile for her two friends... 

 

After the moving scene, everything seemed not to happen, Momo walked away from them again and didn't say a word, she just sat quiet on the sofa

 

The 2 older ones were somehow grateful that at least they could see her and she wasn't locked in her room. The pleasure did not last long when Momo stood up and went to her room, but before entering she stopped in the doorway

 

-Sorry again, I'll find a way to make up for all this- She didn't wait for an answer and went into her room. Jeongyeon sighed with her hands on her face

 

-Okay, I'll go get something to eat for the three of us, we'll see if there's anything we can do later- Nayeon just nodded at the request and smiled

 

The day went by quickly, Momo only went out to grab a leg of the fried chicken that Jeong had bought (at Nayeon's insistence) and nothing else happened. Nayeon and Jeongyeon were trying to keep busy by talking or checking their cell phones, but what they really wanted was to talk to Momo. Bedtime came and they both didn't know what to do, the sofa was too small for the two of them. Momo came out of her room with a pillow and blanket to sleep on, Nayeon and Jeongyeon looked at her in confusion

 

-You're going to sleep in my room, I will stay on the sofa- Nayeon quickly wanted to say something but Momo cut her off

 

-It wasn't a question Nayeon- Momo looked directly into her eyes and she had never felt so intimidated by the girl in her life before

 

-Okay, rest easy Momo- Jeongyeon took them to the room along with her suitcase of clothes and they changed to sleep. Nayeon kept thinking about what was happening, her mind was in chaos

 

-Don't think too much, I can hear your thoughts even here- Jeongyeon and Nayeon had decided to share the marriage bed, it didn't feel right to take Momo's bed. Nayeon smiled, but her eyes still reflected concern

 

-I know, but I can't help it- Jeongyeon took her hand under the blanket and turned to face her 

 

-Look at me- Nayeon turned her head to the side, meeting her gaze. Smiling reassuringly, she squeezed her hand once more

 

-Everything will be fine, we'll get her back- Nayeon smiled back, wanting to blindly believe that was true 

 

-I know, thank you very much Jeong- Without further words, both decided to rest, hoping to see the light at the end of the tunnel

_________________________________________________

 

The next day Mina was in front of Momo's door, having a mental battle before knocking, she raised her hand ready to knock, when the door opened and Nayeon put a finger on her lips signaling to be quiet, Mina put a hand over and entered, careful to make as little noise as possible

 

Inside she could see a covered figure on the sofa, forming an inconsistent smile, she walked to a dining room chair and placed her small bag with her clothes and other items for the day

 

Mina saw Nayeon and Jeongyeon making silent gestures, pointing to the door and waving goodbye to her, when the door closed, Mina allowed herself to turn her full attention to the unconscious figure on the couch

 

Momo slept with her face crushed on the sofa, a small trace of slime could be seen on the corner of , her features looked tired even while sleeping, Mina felt a pang in her chest as she remembered why she was there. Momo felt a small current of air seep into the warmth of her quilt and she shifted uncomfortably, slowly waking up from her sleep, as she tried to open her eyes little by little, her vision was blurry and not very clear, blinking slowly she tried to adjust her vision, when his eyes focused a little more, she could see a figure in a chair and she stood up abruptly, throwing his quilt to the floor and his pillow following the same fate

 

Mina felt a bit of pain at Momo's reaction, but she quickly hid it with a smile

 

-Good morning Momo, did you sleep well?- Momo was beginning to understand the order of Jihyo's schedule, returning to the present, she could see that Mina was still looking at her with the same smile and her, Momo didn't know what to do

 

-I slept well, I think- Momo really didn't know what to say exactly. Mina smiled genuinely at the first exchange of words in a while with her best friend

 

Both remained uncomfortable in their places, not knowing what to do or what to say, Mina wanted to ask a thousand things but she wasn't sure if it was the right time or if there would ever be a time to be able to talk. Mina tried to break the silence around them 

 

-How about if I made us breakfast, I'll be quick, I just need a few ingredients and that's it- Mina tried to hide her excitement a little at the idea of ​​having breakfast together again. Momo just nodded in understanding, letting her do as she wished

 

-Okay Mina, I'll be in my room then- Momo was about to walk away when a hand grabbed her wrist, she quickly looked down to find Mina looking at her with pleading eyes. Mina acted without thinking, quickly letting go of her wrist and putting her hands. together in front of his body

 

- I-I was wondering... if you could be here, you don't have to talk if you don't want to, I just want to be with you- Mina cringed at her own words, feeling a little embarrassed. Momo blushed and turned her head away trying to hide her reaction, she recovered and nodded once

 

-Okay Mina, I'll stay here- Mina showed a gummy smile that reached her eyes and Momo knew that she had made the right decision. Mina went out to the store in search of what was missing and Momo waited for her just as she had promised

 

The rest of the day passed normally, Mina was not the best talker and Momo simply didn't know what to say, after eating they both sat on the sofa with their cell phones in hand, a considerable space between them, silence was not something that will be uncomfortable, but given the circumstances Mina wanted to break it and be able to talk like she had never wanted to before in her life, but Momo gave no sign of wanting to talk and Mina respected that, still not knowing if it was the right decision but she wanted to trust that Momo will talk when she is ready

 

-You should rest Mina- Mina almost jumped on her spot at the sudden voice, Momo was still looking at her phone without even looking at her. Mina shook her head in denial

 

-I'm fine Momo- The silence settled again and Mina cursed herself for not being a good talker. The following minutes turned into hours and Mina fell asleep without knowing exactly when, a blanket rested on her body and the aroma of peach invaded her senses, she turned her head to see that Momo was not there and the calm she felt at some point was thrown out the window when she stood up and ran to Momo's room, when she opened the door as she could see the girl curled up on herself, sleeping soundly

 

Mina smiled and checked her phone, seeing that bedtime was approaching she decided to change and take a shower, making it her nightly routine and getting ready for bed 

 

When she returned to Momo's room, she lay down on the double bed that she commonly shared with Sana, but that she had also shared with Momo previously, before the avalanche of memories that flooded her she couldn't help but cry a little, turning on her side she looked at the figure who was in the other bed 

 

-Are you alright M-Momoring?- She suppressed a sob with her hand trying to speak even though Momo didn't hear her 

 

-Do you trust me?- Her tears continued to flow down her cheeks, biting her lower lip to keep from making a sound 

 

-P-Please talk to me Momoring- Mina fixed her gaze on Momo, but the other girl kept her back to her and she didn't move from her position. Mina bit back another sob and decided to try to sleep, exhaustion soon overtaking her and her tears drying against her skin as she entered the realm of dreams

 

Momo cried silently, her eyes wide as the tears fell slowly, her fists clenched against her chest as she tried to keep quiet, her jaw clenched and she tried to sleep even though she knew it wasn't possible, before sleep could catch up with her she whispered an apology in the darkness of her room

 

-I'm sorry...-

_________________________________________________

 

 

 

A/N: Hi Guys, this is my first fic in English, so, I'm sorry for any grammatical or spelling errors

Remember you can find me in Wattpad as @PeachxPinguMimoArmy

I hope you enjoy this story as mucho as I did writing it

This story will hace 3 chapters, the following ones will be shorter, but I hope you still enjoy them

I will try to update every week

Thank you very much for reading and see you soon