Satzu - reliable

#2

Cold, evening fall air stroke against Momo's face. An attempt in vain to wipe away the tiredness that had accompanied her like a transparent veil made out of a numbing mixture including the sounds of arriving and departing machines as well as the noises of the automatic air conditioner which had been always present during the whole train ride.

Even though, it was already quite late and the sky that slowly began to dawn was visible through the huge, impressing crystal dome, the train station was still moving and pretty much awake because of all those different people who were busily filling the place. The architect's intention of creating a vivid ambient was clarified throughout the said crystal dome whose only mission seemed to be the protecting and overviewing of the travelers and commuters with their small bags or big suitcases.

The air felt everything but refreshing to Momo, despite it was cold. It felt more as if a large cloud made out of the smell of trains, engine oil and people would be adding up to the veil of tiredness that wraps around her like an obstinate perfume. It was that kind of perfume which would be causing a headache if you wore it all day. The loud whistling noises that announced the arriving of new trains were also not helping.

But despite all of that, the young woman felt a mixture of nostalgy and sweet happiness rising in her body, making her feel warmed from the inside. She inhaled the dirty air and tilted her head slightly as she patterns the huge clock in the center of the train station whose hands orbited the middle of it in a pompous way. Every time when the longest of them moved, Momo imagined the resounding ticking noise in her head.

She somehow just now realized how excited she had been during the whole train ride to come back to her hometown. And also, how much she needed a short break from her college studies at that moment. Momo's eyes continued observing the place, scanning faces and faces and checking them on familiarity as suddenly excited, kind of hopping footsteps ran towards her, followed by a pair of arms wrapping around her body.

"I missed youuuu!"

Momo hugged her best friend back, smiling widely, chuckling because of the aegyo the other one had performed. "I missed you too, Sana." And she meant it. The previous weeks had been really stressful because of college stuff and the older one had felt really sorry every time when she had to hang up their weekly phone call earlier because of studying.

So, in that moment, Momo felt just extremely happy to be in the city where she grew up in again. Being there with her best friend made the feeling even better.

-

"I mean, I am not complaining but why are you here in the first place? Didn't you say you wanted to finish this semester first?" Sana asked casually while pressing the red button on her car key.

Both women had stepped out of the train station building, facing the sight of streets and blinking lights. It had already dawned completely so that the streetlights illuminated the walkways coldly. Nevertheless, the air was a lot clearer than it had been at the platform, so Momo took a deep breath before answering the other's question. "Yeah, you are right. I wanted to concentrate on college stuff first. But everything has been quite complicated lately. Plus, I might or might not have met someone through the internet who lives here."

Sana's facial expression changed from the literal human definition of the smirking emoji towards an indignant countenance. "Oh. My. God. How dare you? You got to know someone who lives here and don't even think about telling me about them? I am disappointed in you." Sana shook her head disapprovingly however started laughing. "But for real, you have been single for too long already!"

Momo looked at her friend in disbelieve and clicked her tongue. "I said, we got to know each other by texting and stuff, it doesn't mean I am suddenly not single anymore. It means that the chances are pretty high that we'll come along pretty well while meeting. Not everyone needs to jump into a relationship after talking twice at the theater box office." She pulled her coat closer to her body to protect it against the coldish wind that nudged limp leaves that had already fallen down every which way around them.

"Whatever. You can put your things on the back seat by the way." Sana opened the front door of her car, acting as if she didn't get the hint about one of her former relationships. The other one smirked provokingly and plunked herself down on the passenger seat while the car's owner sat down on the seat next to her, starting the engine.

"But yeah, talking about being single, how have you and Mark been recently?" Momo surveyed Sana's side profile before guiding her gaze towards the window and the happenings on the lane.

The driver needed a few seconds to answer. "I would say, we are alright. But on the other hand, he is so damn bad with breakups. I literally needed months to get him over his ex and now that it is over with the two of us, I am not sure if we are in good terms. He is just a dick most of the time to be honest. So I don't think, I will be missing him. For now."

The statement obtained a response with a light humming on Momo's side. "I never liked him. But do you remember when you wanted matchmake me with his sister?"

Sana chuckled. "His sister is for real the only cool person in that family. Nayeon is literally the best. But I can gladly abstain from the rest. My grandma seemed to love Mark though. She never missed an opportunity to mention how nice it would be to have him as a grandson in law." She rolled her eyes but concentrated on the happening on the street again while putting on the brakes abruptly. In the meantime, Momo's fingers grope around the knop of the care door, holding on to it tightly while shaking her head. "Sana, are you trying to kill us? You can definitely not drive like that!"

The mentioned one snorted through her nose and steered the car deftly past a middle-sized truck. "Oh, come on! I do have a driver license and you do not so I will bring us safely through this."

Momo clicked her tongue but made a smoothing movement with her free hand that wasn't desperately clinging around the door knop. "First of all, I don't need one because I do not even own a car and secondly, safely??! But alright, what about the project you told me about? Did you come any further?"

Sana's face brightened up in excitement by the mentioning. "So yeah, the project is actually going quite well. I will be able to start next week." The car passed by a streetlight, throwing a shadow on the occupants' faces.

"It was about children, right?" Momo let go of the door knob in relief as Sana drove them safely away of the big main line and kept going on a less busy byroad.

"Exactly! Not everyone is as privileged as me and has parents who have time for them. So I want to give a group of children the opportunity to be with others outside of kindergarten so that they don't have to feel that alone all the time!" Sana smiled and her eyes sparkled while Momo nodded approvingly. "That sounds really cool! I am sure you will do a good job."

Sana started nodding happily for her part. "Thank you! Mina, you know, the family's friend's daughter who is living at my parents' house because of school at the moment, even offered to help and all. But I think, it will also work out like that. I'll get a guest worker though." Her fingers thrummed impatiently on the steering wheel as some cars that were driving on the small street as well caused a small tailback. But then she turned her face to Momo as the latter continued the conversation. "Oh right, I totally forgot that you are living at your parents' again since the breakup."

Suddenly, a lurch went through the small car and the two women, sitting inside. "Sana!! The red car was in right of way!!" Momo smiled apologizing at the other driver whose way they had cut by not regarding the traffic laws while the woman next to her seemed to hide cutely and in embarrassment behind the steering wheel.

"I said, I wouldn't kill us but I didn't mention there wouldn't be some ... turmoil on the way. It wasn't such a big deal. You remind me more of Nayeon today than of yourself. We are there by the way." Sana chuckled and parked the car skillfully next to a huge hotel whose windows were starlike shining and twinkling at the two friends.

Momo smiled happily. "Thank you for driving and bringing me here safely. See you soon." One part of the sentence might have been meant a bit sarcastically but she just continued as if it wasn't and hugged her best friend briefly before gripping her stuff from the back seat. Then she walked towards the hotel while Sana was driving away.