with You

New Look

The next morning, Momo felt the ache in her chest even before her eyes opened. She hadn't slept well, her thoughts spinning with images of Mina and that model. She couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that had settled in her heart. But she pushed those feelings down, forcing herself to focus as she got ready. Today was about work, about MISAMO, and she couldn't let her personal feelings get in the way.

Momo arrived at the JYP building early, hoping for a quiet moment to steady herself before the meeting. She took a deep breath, then another, but the anxious twist in her stomach didn't ease. As if on cue, the door swung open, and Mina walked in, her eyes bright and filled with energy, her expression softer than Momo had seen in a long time.

"Momoring!" Mina called out with a wide smile. Momo's heart squeezed at the sound of her voice, and the cute nickname that she gave her years back.

"Hey," Momo replied, keeping her tone light. She watched as Mina placed her bag down and took a seat beside her. Mina seemed different, glowing in a way that Momo couldn't ignore, and she hated how part of her knew exactly why.

A few minutes later, Sana joined them, bouncing in with a cheerful "Good morning!" that filled the room with warmth. Their manager arrived shortly after, diving straight into discussions about Identity, their new title track. They reviewed the concept images, the choreography notes, and then moved to schedules. But Momo felt like she was only half-listening, struggling to keep her focus.

As soon as they had a small break, Mina turned to them, her eyes sparkling. "So..." she started, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear shyly. "I wanted to tell you both something." She smiled, biting her lip as if holding back her excitement. "I know you've probably seen the news, but... it's true. I'm dating Reiji. I didn't want it to be such a surprise, but he makes me really happy."

Sana's eyes widened, and she immediately broke into an encouraging grin. "Mina! That's amazing! I'm so happy for you!" She reached over to squeeze Mina's hand, her eyes glinting with excitement. "Reiji is gorgeous, by the way."

Mina laughed, cheeks coloring, and Momo forced herself to join in, nodding along with a forced smile. "That's... great," she managed, swallowing hard. She looked down at her hands, willing herself not to let her emotions show. She wanted to be happy for Mina, she really did. But each word out of Mina's mouth felt like a tiny crack forming in her heart.

Mina glanced at her, her smile fading slightly. "Momo, are you okay? You've seemed a little... off since yesterday."

Momo's throat tightened. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up the act, especially with Mina's concerned gaze on her. "I'm fine, just... tired," she lied, looking away. "It's nothing. Probably just the jet lag."

Mina nodded, though her eyes lingered on Momo, searching her expression. But thankfully, their manager called them back to the meeting, and Momo took the opportunity to look anywhere but at Mina.

Once the meeting ended, Momo was the first to leave, excusing herself quickly. She needed a moment to breathe, to escape the tension knotting in her chest. She made her way to the practice room and closed the door behind her, leaning against the wall as she took a shaky breath. She hadn't realized how hard it would be to see Mina so happy—so in love.

Just as she was about to close her eyes and collect herself, Sana entered, her expression both curious and concerned. "Momo? What's going on?"

Momo hesitated, biting her lip before speaking. "I just... I don't know. I thought I'd be fine. I thought I could be happy for her. But I'm jealous, Sana. I've been in love with her for so long, and now it's like... I'm just watching her drift away." Her voice broke, and she felt tears sting her eyes.

Sana moved closer, wrapping an arm around Momo. "I had an idea you felt that way. I'm sorry it's making you feel like this."
She squeezed her shoulder gently. "Have you ever thought about telling her? Maybe she doesn't know..."

Momo shook her head, looking down. "I thought she'd be better off not knowing. I didn't want to make things complicated. But now... I don't know if I can just stand by and do nothing." She took a deep breath, clenching her fists as determination filled her. "I'm going to try, Sana. I can't just let her go without a fight."

Sana gave her a reassuring smile, her eyes filled with support. "Then go get her, Momo! Show her just how much she means to you."
And for the first time all day, Momo felt a spark of hope.

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a/n: more to come soon! hope you're enjoying so far :) <3