i would wait (forever and ever)

VIII

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i'm so glad you made it

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to no one's surprise, your school's football team celebrated their third consecutive win despite sana and momo's attempt to sabotage the game.

it wasn't like anyone's mad at them for that, though; minus a furious coach park. everyone else, on the other hand, found it rather funny when mascot-momo attempted to do a head stand and sana got knocked out in the huge costume after trying to catch a football sometime around 2nd down.

as planned, you drove up together with sana and jihyo to the post-game house party hosted by jackson wang, immediately getting lost in the pools of sweaty crowd dancing in the living room while the couple disappeared straight into one of the bedrooms upstairs.

since it's difficult to find a familiar face in the dark space, you decided that a drink could keep you company in the meantime. pouring yourself a half cup of beer, you leaned your back against the kitchen counter relaxedly before looking down at your phone to send tzuyu a text, since mina and jeongyeon are most likely with each other at the time, too. tzuyu said she was still on her way, so you were left with no choice but to just chill by yourself and wait for her.

well, actually, you do have another option: momo.

but then, you thought momo is probably with chungha right now. or perhaps with some other girl. free spirit, remember?

suddenly, you were starting to rethink your decision of going to the party at all.

what if you saw her with chungha again? what if she hangs out with you just for a second before abandoning you so she and chungha could go do whatever they do?

why does it even matter?

you're not even momo's girlfriend.

"hey,"

you were glad a rather unfamiliar voice caught your attention before you drowned completely in your thoughts. turning around to where the sound came from, you were instantly met by the sight of a boy with a, somehow, slightly familiar face. you guessed that you probably shared a few classes together, but you didn't really know what his name was.

"hi, what's up?" you smile, accepting the boy's hand when he reached out to offer it.

"oh, nothing, i'm sorry. i was just standing by the end of the hall and i couldn't help but notice you from there. i'm jinyoung, by the way. i'm friends with jackson."

"oh, okay. i'm im nayeon." you nod, smiling politely and pulling your hand back after you finished shaking his.

"yeah, i-i know," jinyoung laughs to himself as he scratched the back of his head nervously. "we shared the same class last semester."

you pressed your lips into a thin line, smiling at him tightly as you struggled to think of a response.

"right... physics, was it?"

"literature," jinyoung chuckles awkwardly, and you could only wish for the ground to swallow you alive. "but it's–it's fine if you don't remember me. i mean, i'm pretty quiet most of the time, too, so..."

you breathe out a chuckle, too, smiling at him apologetically right after both of your embarrassed laughters died down. after a few seconds, jinyoung clears his throat again, attempting to speak, but an equally raspy voice came interrupting him right before he could finish his sentence.

"so, nayeon, i've been meaning to ask—"

"nayeon-chan!"

you didn't mean to be rude to jinyoung by turning around instantly after hearing that insanely addictive voice calling that stupid nickname out, (i hate that nickname!)

(or you hate how you love it so much because— are you kidding? momo calls you it.)

speaking of, you were easily met by the sight of an obviously tipsy momo struggling to make her way towards your spot and smiling widely at you when you were finally a bit less blurry from where she stood. "hey, i'm so glad you made it!" she grins that same, annoyingly charming grin that never fails to bring those happy twirls back inside your stomach.

but it didn't last long, (you've expected it not to, anyway), because just before you could abandon your conversation with jinyoung entirely to meet momo halfway through the crowded room, suddenly there was another girl's voice overpowering yours,

"momo, there you are!"

and suddenly, chungha was clinging to momo's arm, giggling as she placed a quick kiss on momo's cheek,

"i've been looking for you everywhere. come on, this is our song!"

and suddenly, you can only watch as chungha pulls momo away completely until they disappeared together into the crowded dance floor.

i'm so glad you made it, momo's first (and last) words to you for the rest of the night came ringing back against your inner skull, and you felt the familiar happy twirls inside your stomach sink and turn uncomfortable, yet again.

well, i'm not.

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