Shrill, high-pitched laughter and giggles has been echoing from one of the bedrooms for hours now, tickling Momo’s ears as she sits quietly in the living room with Boo and Dobby; at least her tiny babies give her the attention she quietly craves. She wasn’t expecting anyone to be home since it’s one of their only free days in a long while. It’s almost half way into the year but time passed so quickly without any of them even registering the events from day to day. Any other time though, Momo would be glad to hear that particular person laughing it up with Momo herself but not when there’s someone else with her in that room.

“You know you shouldn’t be complaining, Momo.”

“I didn’t even say anything!”

“Your face says it all.” Jeongyeon snorts. She might be full of mischief but her observation skills are also fairly on point. “I don’t know what you’re even thinking sometimes. You don’t like it when Sana clings to you but you don’t like it when she isn’t too. Greedy woman, aren’t you?”

Momo scrunches her nose in response, pouting at the sentiment. She knows Sana is avoiding her and boy, is it obvious. If moving out of the dorm wasn’t bad enough, the latter rarely comes back here and if she does, she’s usually with someone else which shouldn’t matter anyway but it does. Nothing actually happened between the three of them but Sana just wanted to change roommates; at least that’s what she told Jihyo. Since Mina and Jihyo both have a spare room after Jeongyeon moved out, Sana gladly took the change of environment.

A bit too happy about it if you ask Momo.

Jeongyeon tries not to be obvious about her amusement, knowing Momo is not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to feelings. “I know what you’re thinking and even though I want to laugh at you, let me be kind today. Mina is teaching Sana how to play a game, it’s not any of her other friends.”  

It’s supposed to be relieving her jealousy but for some reason, it doesn’t help. In fact, Momo finds her chest feeling equally tight as before. Mina almost never ever leaves her dorm, or room for that matter; that woman will play games till the sun rises and sets. For her to come downstairs and teach Sana in her former bedroom is quite suspicious, for lack of better description.

“Now if you excuse me, I need to hit my weekly quota of giving Sana cuddles and kisses.”

...

Stupid Jeongyeon.

Entering the bedroom, Jeongyeon is more than ready to see Mina clutching her head in frustration – Sana isn’t the best at computer games – and begging her to help out. What she doesn’t expect is seeing Sana’s head on Mina’s lap, the older between the two having tears flow from her eyes.  

Jeongyeon rushes to the other side of the bed, eyes wide with worry. She gently brushes off the tears with her thumbs, rubbing her cheeks. “Sana... what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“She’s feeling sick.” Mina mumbles, the back of her hand against Sana’s forehead. She would have screamed for help but Sana slapped a hand over so fast (and refused to let Mina go). “We were playing Mario Kart but her head started hurting really badly. I think a fever is coming.”

Now, Sana might be a very sensitive person by nature but when she’s sick, her emotions are amplified multiple times. The worst case by far was a few years ago during Thanksgiving and all the Korean members went home, the others doing their own thing... She was both homesick and had taken ill simultaneously. It was very, very tough on the foreign line; they took turns to watch over her day and night. Hell, even Tzuyu took her by surprise; constantly changing the cold compress and occasional hugs. Needless to say, Sana bought them several gifts just to show her gratitude.

Both Mina and Tzuyu welcomed the gifts with open arms, making full use of them. Momo, on the other hand, lives up to her reputation of being a complete tsundere; she brushed off the thanks and shrugged – taking care of Sana wasn’t a big deal.

“Do you want me to call Momo in?”

“No! I mean... don’t disturb her.” Sana whispers, squeezing her eyes shut in an attempt to lessen the pounding sensation in her head. “I would rather stay with someone who doesn’t mind hugging me... I know she doesn’t like it.”

Both Jeongyeon and Mina share knowing looks, silently agreeing to bring this topic up soon enough. Sana’s affection is something the members are all used to; Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Jihyo and Jeongyeon (nowadays) learn to welcome it; Mina and Tzuyu have their moments; Nayeon and Momo, very rarely. The stark difference is that Nayeon doesn’t really have skinship with any of them too, while Momo seems to only dislike it when it’s Sana. She doesn’t want to push the boundaries lest it causes friction between the members somehow, but Sana lives off affection.

What better way is there to do it than try her best to avoid Momo? As long as Momo is within her radius, Sana naturally gravitates to her.

It’s their thing.

It’s been their thing for a good ten years now, or more.

 

jeong: im staying over at the dorm tonight

jeong: sana’s having a fever

zyozyo: oh no

zyozyo: i won’t be back too late

zyozyo: ask momo to take care of her so you can cook something

chaeng: i’ll buy unnie some ice cream later

chewy: ill come down soon

 

Chaeyoung? Tzuyu?

Neither of them should be in this conversation though? It should only be... oh. She sent the text message in the room with all nine of them. Before Jeongyeon can say anything else, the room door flies open with a bang.

“WHAT HAPPENED?”

“She’s feverish. Do you mind taking care of – ow!” Jeongyeon yelps, looking down at the fingers pinching her thigh. She sticks her tongue out at Sana, earning another one of those – that girl is scary. “Actually, can you and Mina cook something for her? I’ll be here.”

Momo nods absentmindedly but her eyes are fixated on Sana’s hands, one in Mina’s and the other still holding onto Jeongyeon’s shorts. When did she start going to others instead of me when she’s sick?

Over the years, Sana never fails to come to her for anything. During their early trainee days, Sana only had Momo to rely on. Coming from Japan and signing the contract on the same day too, they were bound to be the best of friends. Naturally, the bubbly and overly friendly Sana freaked Momo out but she grew to treasure her – there is no one like Sana. After debut, the times they were alone at the dorm with flashes of lightning and claps of thunder crashing against their window, Momo always hugs Sana so tightly during those nights. Or Sana protecting her from fireworks on stage, wrapping her arms around her even though she herself gets shocked easily too.

Sana arrived alone in Korea a few years ago, their manager waiting for her at the airport when they realised a thunderstorm had begun not long ago. The video of Sana screaming with her hands covering her ears before reflexively crouching had made its way around the internet and that broke Momo’s heart.  Ever since then, Momo makes sure to check on Sana whenever there’s a storm, even if she’s at the other members’ dorms.

Why and when did things become so awkward between them? 

“Momo?”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll make something healthy... take care of her.” Momo stares at Sana for a little longer before turning around with hunched shoulders. She doesn’t even wait for Mina to follow, simply exiting the room quietly.

Jeongyeon and Mina’s eyes meet, light bulbs forming above their heads. They don’t usually get up to mischief together but when they do, it’s usually chaos that spiral out of hand afterward. Whilst Mina leaves the room to join Momo in the kitchen, Jeongyeon adjusts herself so Sana’s head is now on her lap. She uses one hand to rub Sana’s temple, the other using her phone as quietly as possible. Where’s the fun in making plans if none of the remaining members know?

 

jeong: so, mina and i have an idea...

 

 

The days that follow are horrid, for Momo at least. She keeps trying to have a chance to talk to Sana alone, check up on her and her fever... even useless conversation fillers would suffice, really. Whenever there’s a window of opportunity to get Sana alone, someone else would swoop in and grab the other woman. Why did every member suddenly feel the need to be by her side like bodyguards twenty-four-seven? Worst still, it’s exactly when Momo starts to approach her. Sana goes off regardless of whichever member it is with a million-dollar grin on her face, barely turning around to pay attention to Momo.

Things are just so different.

“Sana-yah, do you want to –

The front door bursts open before Momo can finish her question, revealing a slightly dishevelled Chaeyoung. “Sana-unnie! We’re going to be late for the museum exhibition!”

“We better run then.” Sana grabs her duffel bag lying on the sofa, rushing towards the shoe rack. She (surprisingly) still remembers Momo’s presence so she sends her an apologetic look. “Sorry, Momo. We can hang out tonight if you don’t have practice.

If you’ll even have time for me after that, is what Momo nearly responds to Sana’s harmless statement. She clenches her left fist under the table, merely sending the two off with a contrasting joyful wave. 

Truthfully, after their little dates with each other, Sana and Chaeyoung have gotten significantly closer than before. Not to say they weren't close, but their conversation during filming had produced a newfound fondness for each other. Sweet words of affirmation and assuring Sana of her personality was something she needed to hear. Going forward, Chaeyoung lets Sana do whatever she wants without as much protest as before, much to the latter's delight. There isn’t anything to get jealous over; Sana probably sees Chaeyoung as nothing more than a little sister. Being an only child and all, it would make sense Sana is more affectionate to the younger members by leaps and bounds. 

(If Momo actually has the balls to be honest with herself though, the only reason she isn't jealous of Chaeyoung is because the younger one has an obvious crush on Dahyun.)  

“Oh, for God’s sake.” Momo groans, banging her head on the coffee table in front of the television.

Before Momo can even move from her previous position, the front door opens again, revealing Dahyun poking her head in this time. 

“Hi, Unnie! Is Sana-unnie at home?” 

SERIOUSLY?

Beckoning the younger member to come in, Momo pours a glass of water for her – maybe she can get a bit more information on why everyone’s so clingy with Sana lately. “She just left with Chaeyoung not too long ago. What’s up?”

“I thought we could watch a movie together at my dorm. Mina-unnie even lent me the projector and screen that Jihyo-unnie got for her during Christmas.” Dahyun pouts.

Well, nothing weird about this.

Dahyun and Sana have always been very affectionate around each other... so Momo shouldn’t have anything to feel jealous of. If she uses that same logic with everyone then why is she even so sore about them hanging out at all? Is it because Sana is close with everyone else? No. Is it because their members pay more attention to Sana and barely any to her? Absolutely not. Is it because Sana doesn’t pay her any attention anymore? Maybe... Is she starting to feel a little off balance because it feels like she’s suddenly missing something in her daily life? Yes.

While Momo is absorbed in her thoughts, Dahyun stifles a chuckle at the constipated expression on her face. It’s always a fun sight to see Momo losing all semblance of self-control, very unlike her tsundere behaviour.  

 

dubu: this plan is amazing

dubu: when do we need to stop

chewy: when i feel like it

 

No harm trying to probe further, Dahyun rubs her hands together under the table. If she can collect useful information for the other members then so be it. “Unnie, are you mad? Why do you look so unhappy?”

“Do you think Sana doesn't want to spend time with me anymore?” 

Not really, we’re just staging an intervention.

“What makes you think so?” Dahyun sips her water; there’s no other way to make sure she won't laugh. “Sana-unnie is still the same around us though.” 

Momo’s pout grows even bigger, face down on the table again. “I think it’s just me… Everyone seems to be acting normal with her but it’s like she just forgot about me.” Even the words sound bitter as they leave her lips, but there’s no other way to phrase it. 

Sana didn't forget Momo or anything regarding her, far from it too; in fact, she talks about Momo so often that she herself doesn't realise it. Whenever she’s hanging out with the other members, the focus of their conversation slowly morphs into that of Momo if they wait long enough. Not that they're complaining, it’s just sad to see Sana falling so hard and then not being able to talk to her about it. If she doesn't approach them with knowledge of those feelings, it means she's not ready or she isn't even aware. No one said anything about testing Momo though, which Jeongyeon and Mina came up with. 

“She doesn't come to me when she's sick, when there are thunderstorms, when she's scared…. nothing. I know she moved to Jihyo and Mina’s dorm but even then, she still sent me texts asking me to call her, but not anymore…” 

Momo always wondered if people described their sadness as not being able to breathe at times, turns out it's all true. As she describes the difference in Sana, her chest keeps tightening and her breath shortens as a result. 

Their sneaky, well-intentioned game plan is producing some really interesting results but Dahyun didn't prepare for Momo to be so emotional. 

“Maybe you should tell Sana-unnie then. If you miss her, be open about it. She’s not a mind reader.” 

“I’ll think about it.”

Oh, geez.

That basically means it’s not going to happen.

 

 

“Chaeng, these are so beautiful! They look expensive too!”

Chaeyoung’s smile widens at Sana looking around the exhibition hall with open; the woman’s first time to an art event and it’s with Chaeyoung. They haven’t been here for that long but Sana already doesn’t want to leave. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, Unnie. You look a lot better after that fever too.”

That incident still makes Sana blush; she couldn’t really remember much because of her headache and fever but Jeongyeon told her she refused to let her or Mina leave the room when Momo was standing right there. To say that it’s embarrassing wouldn’t make sense because it wasn’t a big deal, but Jeongyeon’s description of Momo’s reluctance to leave the room is. The days that followed saw Momo constantly trying to hang around Sana (no matter which dorm she was at), very unlike her usual routines.  

Did Momo catch on?

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