Home

29

Momo's POV

Days bled into each other, marked only by my unsuccessful attempts to reach Dahyun.  Sana remained tight-lipped, her silence a heavy weight in the air.  My worry for Dahyun finally pushed me to seek out her address, leading me to her doorstep.

A deep breath.  Here goes nothing.  I pressed the doorbell, the seconds stretching into an eternity.  Just as I was about to give up, the door opened, revealing not Dahyun, but a woman I vaguely recognized.

"Uh, sorry… Dahyun's still sleeping, but you can come in," she said, stepping aside.

Hesitantly, I entered.  The woman disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me to survey the scene:  a chaotic landscape of empty beer cans and bottles littered across the living room floor.  My stomach clenched.  Had they been drinking?  Had something… more happened?

Before I could spiral into conjecture, Dahyun emerged from her room, hand to her head.  "Dahyun," I called out.

Her eyes, bloodshot and narrowed, met mine.  "Unnie, what are yo—Ugh, my head! Somi, did you buy meds?!" she groaned, collapsing onto the sofa beside me.

So Somi was the woman.

Somi, returning from the kitchen with two cups of coffee, placed one before me, ignoring Dahyun's protests.  "Don't drink again if you can't handle it," she said, her voice laced with exasperation.

I accepted the coffee with a thin smile, my unease growing.  Somi settled onto the other sofa, turning on the TV.  I needed answers.

"What happened to you, Dahyun?" I asked.

Dahyun rubbed her temples.  "Devastated. What do you think?" she snapped, her irritation palpable.

"She's been spouting about her best friend betraying her all night, and she wouldn't stop drinking—" Somi began, but Dahyun cut her off.

"Shut up, Somi. What are you even doing here?"

"Well, Ms. Kim, you called me last night to keep you company. Now you're asking me? Unbelievable," Somi retorted, rolling her eyes.

I felt completely lost.

"Ugh, I don't care anymore," Dahyun mumbled, defeated.

Somi stood, a mischievous glint in her eye.  "Welp, that's my cue. I thought Chaeyoung was coming, but I guess I got scammed by a heartbroken eagle."

"Goodbye, unloved ex," Dahyun shot back, but Somi simply smiled at me before leaving.

Now what?

"Have you eaten?" I asked Dahyun.

"No.  By the way, why are you here, Unnie?"

"Drop the 'Unnie,' Dubu. I was worried. The girls are frantic."

Dahyun nodded, her shoulders slumping.  "I don't really care about anything else right now, Momo. I might actually hate Tzuyu if I see her. I need to cool down."

A sliver of hope pierced my worry.  She didn't want to end their friendship.

"Can you tell me what really happened?"

Dahyun went to the kitchen for water, leaning against the counter as she began to recount the night she'd seen Sana and Tzuyu kissing at the train station.

"Oh…" was all I could manage.

"I feel lost," she whispered, her voice heavy with despair.

My usual solutions felt inadequate.  Food instinct it was.

"Let's eat breakfast. What do you want?"

"You can cook?" she asked, surprised.

"Nope. That's why we're going out."

Dahyun opened her mouth to protest, but I winked, a playful smirk on my face.  I just hoped a good meal and some company could ease her pain.

Chaeyoung's POV

"Yo, Chaeyoung," Jeongyeon's voice cut through my preparations.  It was her discharge day.  She'd be moving to an apartment near Mom's, and I was supposed to pick her up this afternoon.

My excitement faltered.  "I've already called Mina," Jeongyeon continued, her voice bright. "She's coming later, and I want to ask her out."

What could I do?  "Oh, okay, Unnie. Just tell me if you're going home. I'll pick you up after."

"Ah, no, it's fine, Chae. I can manage.  Mina will be with me.  And Jihyo said you still have rehearsals. Good to know you're still into music, baby Chaeng," she said, her voice warm.

Mina…  My heart sank a little.

"Okay, Unnie. Yeah, music's all I have anyway."

"You still have me, pal! What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, Unnie. I'll get going now, okay? Take care~"

"Bye, baby Chaeng~," she replied, and the call ended.

Mina… Myoui Mina.

Flashback

I’d never seen anyone dance as elegantly as she did.  Dahyun had dragged me to a theatre-like studio to escape Tzuyu's strictness, and there she was, a vision in a black mini dress, performing a ballet.  I, who usually avoided crowds, was mesmerized.

"Whoa, is that the Black Swan of the Law department?" someone whispered.

Black Swan.  The name fit her perfectly.

Dahyun nudged me. "Hey, let's scram. It's so romantic in here."

"I don't want to," I said, my eyes glued to the stage.

"What the—I thought you didn't like it here," Dahyun said, clearly confused.

"Now I do," I replied, still captivated.

Dahyun's teasing smile didn't break my focus.  The dancer finished, and I realized I hadn't even recorded it.

"Oh, I think I know that girl. She's our senior, from the Law department," Dahyun said.

"What's her name?" I blurted out, my excitement betraying me.

"I think she's Myoui Mina. Yeah, I have a senior friend who's also her friend," Dahyun replied.

Myoui?  It didn't sound Korean.

"Ah, yes. She's also Japanese," Dahyun added.

I nodded, relieved to finally know her name.  From that day on, I searched for her.

And then…

Dahyun burst into our classroom. "Chae!!!! We've got an invitation from our seniors! Drinks and food at a tent near campus!"

"Is she there?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"Who?" Tzuyu asked, her voice sharp.

"Hella yeah! What are you waiting for, move that ass!" Dahyun exclaimed, slapping my arm.

"Shh, Dahyun, language," I laughed, packing my bag.

Tzuyu came along, her presence a silent guardian.  The night unfolded, a blur of nervous introductions and stolen glances.  Mina's gummy smile sent shivers down my spine.  Then, a drunken man appeared, shouting insults, his words directed at me.  The humiliation was unbearable.  I fled, Tzuyu close behind, rescuing me from the drunken man's harassment.  Then, Mom's call, another wave of torment.

Eof

A single tear escaped, quickly wiped away.  Don't cry, idiot.