Dahyun steps into the apartment building, the coolness of it freezing the sweat on her face and neck. She wipes her forehead with her sleeve as she makes her way to the stairs. She isn't sure if Momo is already asleep and she doesn't want to wake her if she is. Dahyun went out for a run for about two hours, she hopes that Momo has calmed down in that time.
When she is up the first set of stairs, she gets met with the cleaning lady waiting for the elevator. They nod at each other as a greeting before Dahyun continues, going up with heavy steps. She sprinted for most of the run, so her legs are absolutely killing her right now. But she has to stop in her tracks and turn around when the lady calls for her.
"Excuse me, do you by any chance live in room C-22?"
"Yeah, with my girlfriend. Is something wrong?"
"There have been some complaints that there has been a lot of noise coming from that room. There was yelling a few times and now for the past few minutes there has been a banging noise. I made a call to the room and I'm assuming that it was your girlfriend who picked up. She assured me that the noise would stop, but it's still there."
Dahyun pales. What is Momo doing? Dahyun knows that she is upset, but what is she doing?
"I am so sorry about that. I will sort it out."
The lady thanks her and then enters the elevator. As soon as the elevator closes, Dahyun starts sprinting up the stairs, taking two at a time. The door card is leaving a print in her palm due to how tight she is holding it as she runs as fast as her already tired legs let her, adrenaline rushing in her blood.
Successfully arriving at the right floor, she thuds into the hallway, breathing heavily. There is a loud thud coming from the end of the hall, which is also where their room is. Just as Dahyun was about to run across the hall, the elevator door opens again. This time, it's a delivery man. He is holding a bag with a bottle of what seems like alcohol in it. Dahyun knows exactly what is happening.
She steps towards the man as another heavy thud echoes from the room, making him startle. Dahyun raises a hand and motions to stay calm. She is really embarrassed right now, since the whole apartment seems to be alarmed of whatever is going on in their room.
"Is this for room C-22?" Dahyun asks him, pointing at the bag.
He nods, but says nothing else. Another thud is heard and he jumps a little again. Dahyun gently takes the bag and thanks him, telling him that he can go. Although, Dahyun knows that this bottle of alcohol won't solve whatever is going on.
Dahyun catches her breath outside of the door and waits for more thuds, but they seem to be over for now. She then hears Momo shout something, assumingly from the bathroom, but the words are inaudible. She knocks first so as not to startle Dahyun by just walking in. To Dahyun's surprise, Momo shouts more audibly this time to say that the door is unlocked. Momo obviously isn't expecting Dahyun but rather the delivery man. Still, how could she just leave the door unlocked like that?
Dahyun opens the door and is greeted by plates and glasses in various stages of destruction. She steps over them and closes the door. A loud sob startles Dahyun from her place in the hall. It's not a sound that she hears often from Momo. Dahyun wonders how badly Momo broke down after she left.
"Honey?"
There is no answer other than the sobs growing quieter. A pain rips through Dahyun's chest at the thought that Momo doesn't want to be truly vulnerable near her, or that she is somehow hiding herself around her.
"Momo?"
Dahyun steps into the bathroom, following the sobs. When she opens the slightly ajar door, she finds Momo in the tub. Her hair is in disarray and she is holding a can of beer. The ache in Dahyun's chest spreads across her lungs, messing up the breathing that she had just fixed. Momo's eyes are red and puffy from crying, she has obviously drank a fair amount because of the flush in her cheeks. She doesn't hold Dahyun's gaze for long, instead she curls herself around her own body and shudders as she fights to get another breath past her tears.
