The Late Bird's Tale: A Tale of the Floating World

Part 2 || 7 | Momo | A Delicate Matter II, An Empty House II

Written on 3/6/24. Spring Season, March 2024 edition.
Written on 3/26/24. Spring Season, March 2024 edition.
Momo Yume (picture reference).

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Part 2 || 7 | Momo

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A Tale of a Delicate Matter II

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While Sakura was listening to the weird events leading up to Judy's disappearance from Franklin's house during a sleepover and reappearance in Judy's own house, Momo had been walking with Judy in silence to her house. They were about halfway to their destination on the other side of the block from Grace's house when Momo noticed that Judy hadn't spoken a word during their impromptu afternoon stroll.

"Hey, are you okay?" Momo said.

"I'm fine," Judy said.

Momo waited for her to say something else, even if it was off topic, but she said nothing else for the next few paces towards their destination.

"No, really," Momo said, deciding to press her luck with a more direct approach. "Seriously, do you feel lost? Or trapped? Or uncertain about something?"

Judy glanced at Momo, then averted her eyes—

Which told Momo that Judy was hiding something, though the jury was still out on what it was.

"Why are you asking all that?" Judy said.

"The truth is," Momo said, committing herself, "after Sakura bungled everything, I wanted to talk with you alone about what's been bothering you."

"You noticed it, right?" Judy said.

"Yeah, I noticed it," Momo said, recalling the silence between Judy and Grace after the brief flare-up about who had boyfriend trouble. "And you can ask me what's going on with the case we're dealing with in return, but just be aware that since it's still ongoing, and you're one of the key witnesses in it, I can only reveal so much. Deal?"

"Okay, deal," Judy said, and then Momo waited for her to compose her thoughts, till Judy let out a sigh. "You're right, I do feel lost."

"About what exactly?"

"About Grace sharing my feelings for her," Judy said, looking down as she walked beside Momo down the neighborhood sidewalk. "I mean, she and I go way back, like since we were in preschool, and we both shared everything together: our lunches, our snacks, our interests, our secrets, almost everything, really. She's been my best friend for so long that I didn't realize I had feelings for her, till she started going out with Franklin at the end of middle school."

"When did she meet Franklin?" Momo said.

"At the start of middle school," Judy said and smiled. "I used to tease her about having a boyfriend, and Grace would always turn red and deny it," but then her smile disappeared as she lapsed into a morose silence.

Yet Momo followed the drift of it, saying, "But then you started getting jealous of Franklin?"

"Yeah," she said.

"When did that start happening?"

"I'm not sure," Judy said. "Maybe I've always been jealous of Franklin, because he gets to have her in a way that I wish I could have her, but don't get me wrong. Franklin's a good guy, and I wouldn't trust Grace with another guy, and I don't really have anything against him, either. I just wish she'd return my feelings for her."