MISSION POSSIBLE: dating my brother

• THREE •

- after a while -
- outsid the arcade -

Yunah and Moka spilled out of the taxi like two clowns tumbling out of a tiny car at the circus, landing right in front of their beloved arcade—their second home, really. It wasn't that far from their neighborhood, just a few streets away, but since Moka had the misfortune of injuring her foot in a freak accident involving a rogue skateboard and a very enthusiastic dog, they opted for the taxi. "So, you said you met this mysterious guy at the grocery store, right?" Moka asked, slamming the door behind them as the taxi sped off, leaving them in a cloud of exhaust and anticipation

"Yep! And it was so early in the morning that I'm pretty sure he didn't just teleport there from some secret dimension," Yunah replied, trying to sound wise while Moka leaned on her like a koala on a tree, struggling to maintain her balance.

"So, that means he must live in the neighborhood!" Moka exclaimed, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"I guess so," Yunah nodded, trying to sound as confident as a fortune teller predicting a bright future.

"That means he goes to our school! Oh, this is fantastic! Did he seem familiar or something? You probably bumped into him at some point, right?" Moka's eyes sparkled with hope, like a kid in a candy store.

"Not really, I don't think he looked familiar," Yunah replied, and just like that, the hope in Moka's eyes fizzled out faster than a soda left open overnight, replaced by a pout that could rival a sad puppy.

"Ugh! Why is this so complicated? How on earth are we going to find him? Should we start a search party? Maybe put up missing person posters with a cute drawing of him?" Moka sighed dramatically, throwing her hands in the air like she was auditioning for a role in a soap opera.

"But wait! I remember something important! He's a biker!" Yunah exclaimed as the light bulb in her brain flickered back to life, and Moka's eyes sparkled again like she just found a hidden treasure.

"A biker?!" Moka gasped, practically bouncing on one foot. "That's so cool! Did he have a cool leather jacket and everything?"

"Well, he was wearing a helmet, and he also had this basketball backpack," Yunah added after a dramatic pause, as if she were revealing the plot twist in a thriller movie.

"A basketball backpack? That means he's a basketball player!" Moka squealed, her excitement reaching new heights as she looked at Yunah with wide eyes, practically glowing with enthusiasm.

"How's that gonna help us?" Yunah asked, rolling her eyes so hard it almost looked like they were trying to escape her head. Moka's excitement quickly faded, revealing a disbelief one.

" i mean what are we gonna do? Are we just gonna follow the sound of bouncing balls until we find him! Or set up a lemonade stand outside the gym and hope he stops by!" Yunah suggested, her imagination running wild.

"Or we could just put up a giant neon sign that says 'Biker Basketball Player Wanted!' That should do the trick!" Yunah added with a laugh, Moka just gave her a pitiful look releasing a sigh.

"Yunah—okay, I know we've been friends long enough for you to know I'm not one to throw around insults like confetti, but I'm really starting to think you might be a total idiot," Moka said, giving her friend an exaggerated side-eye that could rival any dramatic soap opera moment. "Listen, hear me out! If he's a basketball player, that means he's on the school team, right? And guess what day it is? It's Friday! So, what do basketball players usually do on Fridays?" Moka leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief.