Archive of Our Own ^beta

The jetlag didn’t help.

Nayeon has been turning and fidgeting on her bed all night. It was painfully awful. She can feel the physical exhaustion from her sore calves and numb toes to her hoarse voice. She wanted to rest but her mind is doing nothing but flash worst-case scenarios triggering her anxiety.

Worst case scenario: Her reputation as an idol, ruined.

She replayed every detail in her head. For several times tonight in fact, trying to reassure herself. Her throat tightened remembering Momo’s fright when Jihyo walked in on them. Nayeon won’t be able to forgive herself if Momo decides to hate her after tonight.

It was right after taking their group photos. The space in the green room felt huge just with the seven of them. Jeongyeon and Dahyun were terribly missed. Their encore didn’t feel right without the TT enthusiast on stage. It didn’t feel right without the loudness that usually came from Jeongyeon as well. But they had to have their group photo nonetheless, this doesn’t mean they aren’t nine in spirit.

Nayeon stepped beside Momo, which she doesn’t often do. “Just friends and co-members.” They used to say. Nayeon tried to remain in her best composed and behaved self not to look at her peach. The lobby made her claustrophobic, especially with this pearl necklace around Momo’s neck. Illuminating the part of her Nayeon loved most.

Okay, maybe she was staring.

Nayeon thought she was the only one struggling until she caught Momo eyeing her knee high laced stocking as if it offended her. Fair enough.

She felt a hand grab her back when the photo snapping happened. But it wasn’t the tiny hands she knew by heart. It wasn’t Momo. She would never.

It was Sana who stood to her right. To Nayeon’s silent dismay. Her own hand itching to reach for Momo’s.

Maybe someday.

It was the necklace’s fault. Nayeon purses her lips; phone in hand, she opens it, lowering the brightness and texted Momo.

[I can’t sleep.] It’s the only thing she can do. Nayeon can’t simply barge into Momo’s hotel room even if she wanted to. [I’m sorry about earlier.]

Somehow it was shameful that this is keeping her at night more than the worry over Jeongyeon, and Dahyun. To her relief, the typing bubble appears as quickly as her blood pumped to her ears.

They haven’t gotten the chance to talk to each other after they left the Tacoma Dome. Not even during their ride. Nayeon didn’t have a choice nor the chance, not when Jihyo sat between them.

[It can’t be helped.] Read Momo’s voice, and for a second, Nayeon was able to breathe easily.

[Are you mad at me?]

[No. It’s not your fault.]

But it is her fault. It was her that pulled Momo out of their way. It was her who cannot wait to take refuge in the dancer’s arms, to tell her that dancing Rover with her was the highlight of their encore for Nayeon. And also take the stupid pearl necklace off her neck. Probably using her mouth, whatever. Nayeon thought.

[I’m just waiting for Sana to sleep.] Momo added. [Then I think I will be able to sneak in there.]

[You should get some sleep.] But really, Nayeon’s heart tumbled. [Aren’t you sleepy?]

[Just tired.] But then the next bubble that swooshed in said otherwise.

Nayeon’s heart did another flip.

Momo sent her a selfie. Nayeon wished it could have been a wholesome one. She could use a cute Momo pic right now. However, her peach had other ideas. Usually, she feels giddy whenever Momo sends her any selfies, but not when she had something between those full lips.

Not when her eyes were asking. With the stupid pearl necklace between her perfect teeth.

Turns out, she was the one who wasn’t able to sleep. Nayeon kept herself all night, or in this case, all morning. The anxious thoughts were canceled out by a single selfie. She wondered if Momo intently did this to drive the worries away, because if she did. Well, it worked.

Hours felt like longer minutes when you have a myriad of things in your mind. The same thoughts that made Nayeon jump when she heard approaching footsteps outside her door.

The thoughts of those pearls.

Her heart finally falling into a familiar rhythm for Momo. All worries fell in the background as Nayeon turns the knob, with a grin on her face.

But where Momo’s face should be, fell lower to Nayeon’s eye level.

“Not who you’re expecting?”

Big hazel brown eyes pierced through hers. In the corner of her eye, Nayeon caught a wisp of a white shirt and long black hair rushing back inside her respective hotel room.

“Can I come in?” Jihyo huffed. She seemed exhausted. Frustrated even. Nayeon was scared Jihyo would physically smack her if she refused.

Their leader didn’t have to be invited in. She stormed straight to Nayeon’s hotel fridge, and Nayeon’s excitement to cuddle and pillow talk with her peach completely vanished. Replaced with an unnerving tightness in her throat. She can’t exactly pretend that she doesn’t know what Jihyo wants from her.

Many times she had annoyed Jihyo for spoiling things online, intentionally and unintentionally. Well, this moment right now makes those nothing. But if there’s something she’s great at though, is being a pro. “Hey. Don’t you have your own water in your room?”

Jihyo pretends not to hear her and continues rummaging through the fridge. With a clearer head, Nayeon realized that she should have told Momo not to sneak into her room anymore. Not when Jihyo works out early in the morning, and she never skips during rest days.

In hindsight, Nayeon cannot help but be impressed with her friend’s discipline and routine. Even from where she’s standing, Nayeon can see the ripples cutting the back of Jihyo’s thighs. Her fitness shorts hugging the shape of her waist; thanks to her oversized pump cover tucked under her sports bra, Nayeon is staring at the crevice of her lower back that shimmered with fitness sweat and the morning dew of Seattle.

So much different from the delicately sharp and glossy back Nayeon’s used to kissing all night.

“I just want to talk.” Jihyo scoots out of the mini-fridge, shuts the door, and nods at her. Coming up with a beer bottle in her hand. “Have a seat with me, Im Nayeon.”

Nayeon’s fingers quivered. She is still not used to hearing other members address her with her full name. And with Jihyo, it is either she’s having a laugh or Nayeon’s in trouble. Simple math. There’s no need for deliberating. It’s the latter.

Jihyo drops her gym bag beside the coffee table as she situated herself in front of the hotel windows. Nayeon gulped. Do they really need the scenery for drama? She could have opted to sit on the floor, beside the bed, so she could hide under if and when Jihyo snap to scold her.

“All wines and just leftover beer.” Jihyo beckons her.

Nayeon hesitated but followed her friend to the windowsill. “We’re really not big on beers.” Is it too late to find an excuse to run away? A medical condition perhaps?

“We…” Jihyo mused and brought the bottle to her lips. Drinking with one raised brow. “Momo’s the only one downing wine bottles, not you, unnie.”

Nayeon isn’t liking this detour Jihyo is choosing. Is she waiting for Nayeon to come forward? Is she asking for an apology? Is she asking for an explanation of what she saw last night? What explanation can there be when Nayeon had Momo sprawled half naked on a table?

“Last night.” Their bright smiling leader’s usually soft gaze turned cold. “Why were you with Momo in the equipment room?”

“Jihyo we were just⸺” Nayeon and Momo never prepared for this. They only made sure to be discreet. Keep each other a secret. And that meant denying Momo. “We were just fooling around. I don’t know what you saw.”

There was a quick silence before Jihyo tuts and shakes her head. “Try again.”

Nayeon doesn’t have anything but the same script. “We were just goofing around.”

“Really?” Jihyo didn’t buy it. She wasn’t stupid. “Because to me it looked like you were making out and you were inches away from ruining her.”

Nayeon felt heat on her face and ice cold on her knuckles. There was a disappointed look on Jihyo's face. Nayeon was scared. 

“Try again.” Jihyo was firm and unaffected. She didn’t even seem to care about the obscene act she saw despite growing up in a strictly conservative country. “Since when?”

“It was just⸺”

“Whenever Momo’s avoiding you on stage.” Jihyo’s voice was loud enough as it is, but more when she’s spitting facts. “Dropping your hand when we’re outside, shying away from your path when there are cameras, how does that make you feel?”

Shattered.

“You don’t really think I don’t notice?”

“Helpless.” Nayeon finally pushed herself to face her friend. “Hurt.”

“Now what do you think Momo would feel if she heard your cover up just now?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you the truth.” Nayeon reaches for Jihyo. “It’s not because you can be really scary from time to time.” Like now, to make a point. “But because we weren’t ready to.”

“Since when?”

There was that question again. Nayeon had to look back. She always joked about how she would write their love story. She had some ideas, but ideas are never really concrete, especially when you have Jihyo asking you. “The lines were blurred for a long time. But since the Christmas of 2021.”

Jihyo squints, as if trying to remember where she was at that time. “How do you feel about her?” She empties her beer. “Aside from wanting to take care of her. I have heard that one before.”

Nayeon expected scolding, and even condemnation. But not this interrogation from Jihyo. This isn’t a conversation over beer. This is Jihyo asking Nayeon to prove her intentions for Momo are real.

“She makes me happy.”

What a crappy cliche. Nayeon cursed herself. This doesn’t even encapsulate everything that Momo stands for in her life.

“Come on, Im Nayeon.” Jihyo urges. “You can do better than that.”

“Then ask for specific details!”

For a split second they glared at each other. But then burst out laughing just as fast. Nayeon still appreciated that Jihyo is her friend, at the end of each day.

“Fine.” Jihyo concedes. “When was the first time she ever made you feel giddy? And please name something that I am aware of. If you can.”

How to pick one? When there are a lot. Especially ones that involve Momo dancing. That narrows down Nayeon’s thoughts. “Everytime she looks up to me on every Fancy stage.”

“Fancy?” Jihyo was surprised but then says, “Ah, with Tzuyu’s lines.”

Nayeon was impressed and embarrassed that Jihyo pieces it together quickly, but she is built that way, like a good leader would be. “I know those were the first times we tried a different concept for our choreo, but I can’t help it whenever she looked at me like that.”

Nayeon can still picture those moments clearly in her head and get the same feeling, despite her peach dancing to Fancy casually nowadays. “I started wanting more, and not just during Fancy stages. Does that make sense? Do you feel me?”

The pause was long enough for Nayeon to feel self-conscious. Jihyo narrowed her eyes as if she’s trying to figure something out. “I get it.”

How?

The sudden shortage of words is frustrating. Nayeon is usually good with all sorts of interviews, speeches, and even giving messages to fans. Is it Momo? Is she short circuiting because it was Momo that she has to talk about? Or is it Jihyo making her nervous?

“What do you really want to know, Jihyo-ya?”

“We all love to watch her dance.” The tone Jihyo used was upsetting. It sounded like she was invalidating Nayeon’s truth. It stung because Nayeon was speaking her heart out. “How did you know you wanted more than just be around her?”

“You mean, how did I confirm it myself?” For someone who barged into her hotel room six in the morning, why does it feel like Jihyo was the one unsure?

“Same thought,” Jihyo spat. “Different words.”

How did she know for sure? There was nothing that prepared Nayeon for this question either. Well, is there anything she was ready for? Perhaps it is because this would be the first time she had someone else to talk about Momo. 

“I started to feel jealous.” Was the only thing Nayeon was sure of in the beginning.

“Of Heechul?”

Nayeon rolled her eyes at the mention of that name. “And of other members.”

“Even me?”

“Even you.”

Especially Jihyo. Nayeon silently hated it when Momo would sing Jihyo praises about her singing prowess. It is not even about Nayeon not being confident with her own voice, but she wanted Momo’s eyes on her. Just her. The same way no one can come close to her dancing for Nayeon.

“What did I do?” Jihyo sounded offended, like the idea of stealing Momo’s attention was the last thing in her head. “Is it because of the 2Wice Date?”

“No!” Nayeon considers for a second. “No. Momo is only ever comfortable with me.” And well, with Sana, and probably Chae. Regardless. “You can hardly ever call that a date.”

Momo’s only carefree and soft with her. And that reassures her greatly that Nayeon's actually grateful.

The shadow that befell Jihyo’s face was unreadable. Nayeon didn’t mean to tease about the obviously uneasy episode of TTT.

“Can I tell you what I think?” Jihyo leans forward, elbows on the table with a thin beer blush on her cheeks.

“Depends. Are these things upsetting?” Nayeon doesn’t want to hear about social stereotypes right now. Especially, even though she herself wasn’t able to fully comprehend this. What matters is Momo and that she loves her back.

“We all know you’re unnecessarily annoying to all members but you chose Momo to be the worst rascal.”

Why is she feeling a little bit gleeful about it? Nayeon shakes her head in an embarrassing agreement.

“On the other hand, you look after her the most. We all do, but even covering for her because you know I wouldn’t scold you as harshly.”

Nayeon wanted to play dumb. “You knew?”

“She isn’t funny.” Jihyo made her confusion clear. “I don’t find her funny as I would others, but you always seem to genuinely laugh at anything she says or does. Even if she’s just really dumb at times.”

“Hey!” Her heart skipped a beat at the allegation. “That’s not true.” But she really wanted to defend Momo. “She can be funny when she rumbles on her stories.”

“You’re usually the only one who replies to her in the group chat. I assume to protect her feelings. As if you don’t live together.” Jihyo’s doe eyes got even larger at the last note. “And you live together!”

“You keep mentioning her at most interviews, and keep mentioning her abs.” Jihyo scoffed, more dramatic than normal. “I have better abs, unnie!”

Nayeon was laughing at this point. “Really? You do?”

Her five foot three of a friend took offense and got up, pulled up her pump cover shirt with a hand and flexed her core. “See? Do you also want to feel them?”

“No!” Nayeon shrieked at the thought and Jihyo was even more gasping, eyeing her.

“Feel them! I worked hard for this!” Jihyo yells a little too loud. “I even have the better biceps.”

“No!”

The petty struggle lasted for a whole minute or so until Nayeon was catching her breath. Even Jihyo, despite being fit, was panting. Her friend quickly realized that their hands were laced together and quickly brushed off the physical contact. 

Nayeon took a good look at the core muscles in question. Jihyo’s waist was snatched, trimmed with ripples that don’t require any lighting adjustments. Paired with a pair, Nayeon used to be jealous of. Jihyo didn’t really have those until puberty. Her diaphragm rose and fell as she breathed, clenching the upper abs peeking under her sports bra. And the lines that clearly state they all lead down there. All of these details were meant to be stared at, to be glorified, worship even. But for some reason, it didn’t hit Nayeon the way it would hit everyone else.

“I don’t see anyone else but her.” Words came out of her mouth. “I can’t seem to find perfection in anyone else but Momo.”

A smile formed on Jihyo’s lips. “Now that’s something.” 

Nayeon blinked, realizing what she just said. She has to write this down. She would be telling her peach these exact lines. That’s if she remembers. No one else could compare to her abs, not even Jihyo.

Stupid abs. She doesn’t even have enough muscle mass to have cuts.

“I get it.” Jihyo’s eyes lingered far away.

“You do?”

“And does she…” Jihyo takes a deep breath. Nayeon wasn’t sure why. “Feel the same way?”

Finding perfection in Nayeon, and Nayeon alone? Love her with the same gravity? She wanted to tell Jihyo that she doesn’t have any idea, at least not verbally. Momo rarely tells her those three words; it is always Nayeon who finds herself whispering in bed and even everytime she feels it. Every single time she’s in awe of the woman in front of her, even without doing anything of importance. She would tell Momo she loves her, hit on her, ask her out. Especially at the sight of Momo gathering her hair up before taking a shower. Alright, enough.

“She loves me more.”

Jihyo said nothing. Hard to read if she was waiting or deducing.

“She draws me a lot.”

“And?”

“She traveled to Busan alone during my solo debut.” Nayeon can still remember how exhausted Momo looked from the trip, and how her heart danced. “Just to get me my favorite local snack.”

Jihyo’s eyes darted to an empty space, falling into silence

“She refused to follow my home quarantine protocols when I was sick.” Nayeon’s eyes, slightly stinging. There is something about recounting everything that made her fall even harder out loud. “She chose to get the virus than let me sleep alone sick.”

Jihyo nodded, probably confirming the events that she was aware of. “Momo hasn’t fallen ill since our rookie days. Her immune system was strong until you.”

“I know.” Nayeon blinks away the tears. She can’t decide whether to grin or shake her head. Momo, too, can be stubborn. “She told me ‘in sickness and in health’ and she’d rather get sick too than be apart from me for a few days.”

Nayeon’s reminiscing was cut short by a silent scoff. She heard it. Jihyo wasn’t even looking at her, paying attention, but was obviously uncomfortable. Did Nayeon say something wrong? Were the details too much apart from Momo being corny too?

She can’t help but feel upset. “Hey! You asked me to be honest here, why are you judging?”

“I’m not judging.”

“Your face is.”

“I listened.” Jihyo asserts herself standing up in all the hundred and sixty centimeters greatness. Her eyes dim and shift into something that Nayeon can almost recognize. “I hear you, unnie.”

Why are Jihyo’s eyes sad?

“You adore her and she cherishes you. You through passion and her with devotion.”

Nayeon realized she held her breath until the last word escaped Jihyo’s lips. That was beautiful. As expected from a lyricist main vocal. Maybe this confrontation wasn’t so bad after all. She can now breathe a little bit freely knowing that at least one other person knows. The love of her life isn’t a grand secret anymore.

 “Thank you.” Nayeon unconsciously adjusted her ring. “I don’t expect you to understand⸺”

“I get it.” Jihyo breathes. “Everything you said.”

This is the third time Jihyo has said she gets it. Nayeon was unsure, after all, sympathy and tolerance isn’t the same as genuine understanding. That means you know where the other person is coming from. You feel them, you get them.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” Was the safest start Nayeon could think of. Jihyo despite having the lightest grin and inspiring energy started to be distant. Nayeon gritted her teeth, she never liked it when Jihyo’s shouldering burdens alone. Whatever weight is in question, Nayeon can help. It’s time to be the eldest one they can rely on. “Park Jihyo, are you okay?”

Jihyo’s aloof demeanor softened just as quick as the question was asked. When was the last time someone checked up on this girl?

“I have a lot on my mind. Things that need work on.” Jihyo buries her face into her palms. “I don’t know where to start.”

“With your album?”

There’s another set of muffled grunts from Jihyo. “That’s not even it!”

Wow. Nayeon wanted to say but chose to show her wiser side. “Let’s start within the last couple of days, what’s going on in your mind?”

Jihyo opens her mouth but Nayeon stops her. “And don’t say Once please.”

“I was worried enough about Jeongyeon and Dahyun.”

We all are. “But?” 

Nayeon regulated her face and waited.

Jihyo just stared at her. Tears brimmed those big eyes. 

“Jihyo.” Nayeon’s running out of patience, her short-stocked patience proving to be exclusive for Momo. She wanted to smack Jihyo for an answer. “I know what’s going on.”

“You do?”

She doesn’t.

“Yes.” Nayeon just knows how to make people talk. “I was just waiting for you to tell me yourself. The way you did for me.”

Truthfully, she doesn’t have any clue. Nayeon only got the part where Jihyo is stressed about something more important than her solo album.

Something.

“I don’t know.” For the first time, Jihyo whispered. As if she doesn’t even want to hear herself. “I don’t know what I’d do if something happens to her.”

Someone.

Again, Nayeon stops herself from screeching WHO? Safe to assume that Jihyo was talking about Jeongyeon given her COVID-positive test results this week. However, the way Jihyo sighed towards the American morning horizon said otherwise. Her thoughts lingered far away, far from being real. “The last time she was ill, I couldn’t stand it.”

Jihyo grunts in frustration and Nayeon’s mouth drops open.

Oh.

Finally recognizing the look in Jihyo’s eyes. Nayeon used to have the same exact look whenever Momo’s not home, whenever she gets home talking about someone else. The sadness, the longing, the pain. All unsaid, all kept inside.

The pain of not being with the one that holds all your thoughts, all your being. It’s only just now that Nayeon figured out the actual point of this conversation, this confrontation. From Jihyo’s discerning questions to her deep sighing of three I get its.

“You didn’t come here to interrogate me about what you saw last night.” There’s no point of being upset with Jihyo. Turns out, she needed Nayeon. “This isn’t a confrontation. It’s a confirmation.”

Jihyo crumbled as much as she was physically unable to show and express raw feelings.

Nayeon partly wanted to slap her conflicted friend for giving her a panic attack earlier today. If she wanted advice, couldn’t she have said so? This could all have been avoided. Well, done Jihyo. You always do great even at being dramatic. Nayeon thought.

“Does she know?” Was the heart wrenching question she had for Jihyo right now. She knows because she can still remember all the silent longing she held out for Momo.

"I think so. Yes.”

What do you mean you think so? Nayeon wanted to yell. For someone emotionally mature, Jihyo can sometimes be challenging.

Nayeon parked the idea of slapping Park Jihyo. She stood up and brought the remaining can of beer Nayeon had in her fridge. “American beer for courage.”

“I don’t know when it started either. I get it when you said things were blurry for quite some time.” Jihyo chugs almost emptying the can. “I can’t even bear another Cry For Me stage, not when she’s⸺”

“Staring back at you?” Nayeon recounted her Fancy stage curse. But at the back of her mind, she’s scouring the choreo. Who is who on the formation. She is trying to pick up the details but this is Jihyo’s story to tell. Her story, her feelings, her pacing.

Even Jihyo’s questions made sense now.

“Do you care about her or do you also have romantic feelings for her?” Nayeon tries to map it out better for Jihyo. She doesn’t think her friend has even allowed herself to process these said feelings at all. Hence the bottled up frustrations. “Which is it?”

Because for Nayeon, the moment she found herself wanting Momo’s mouth on hers. It was practically over.

Jihyo struggled to speak, “Both.”

“Have you told her then?”

“No!” Jihyo shoots back. “Was it easy telling Momo?”

Nayeon could have answered but this isn’t her page. She would let it slide. “Pretend I’m her.” Nayeon tries despite not being sure which other Twice member had Jihyo smitten and whipped. She will figure it out later, if Jihyo won’t say.

“Unnie!” Jihyo suddenly whined like a child. “I can’t!”

“Yes, you can.” Nayeon changes her voice into someone she wasn’t sure of. “Hi, Jihyo! What’s wrong with you? Why are you avoiding me?”

Jihyo looked like she would throw up but stared straight into her eyes. “I have feelings for you.”

Nayeon bites her tongue so as not to laugh. This is weird. So weird.

“Feelings that make me act on the spot, ones that put me on the spot too. I am plagued by the thoughts of you. I try to escape but I also get irritable when you’re not around. I wish I could avoid it, make it stop. But not being around you is worse. Sad. I started to depend on your warmth. When you look at me I feel fuzzy. When you hug me, I wish time would freeze.”

A tear escaped Jihyo’s eyes.

“I am struggling with these unsaid feelings. It’s becoming harder each year that passes. You are special, I wish you could always see yourself from my perspective. You are beautiful and kind. The most I’ve ever met.”

Did Nayeon hear years?

“I think I’m in love with you. I won’t say it. I can’t, not until you help me out. But I hope my actions are enough. I hope you feel it. I hope you feel me.”

Jihyo’s breathing staggered. Nayeon blushed.

Well, damn. Jihyo managed not to sing her love declaration, but it almost sounded like a song. And what Momo managed years ago to say wasn’t even a verse-long.

Before anything else, “How many songs did you write for her?”

“About her.” Jihyo exhales. “I lost count. There’s always undertones of what I want to tell her. It’s the only avenue I know.”

“What’s stopping you?” From telling her?

Jihyo finishes her beer, finally. “I’m scared.”

The Park Jihyo, scared? “Of?”

“Of making a mistake.”

Nayeon didn’t expect that. “I thought⸺”

“Of not getting it right.” Jihyo quickly follows up. “I don’t know how to do this. How do I do this? How far can I go for her? Where do we even start? Would she even have me?”

Nayeon’s temples hurt. She remembered how easy it was after Momo said she wanted her back. They didn’t go through these details Jihyo’s anxious about. But they’re okay. Now, how do Nayeon tell her friend that it would be okay? That probably, the ball shouldn’t even be on her court alone?

“What if you try to give her a say in these? Why are you trying to decide alone?” Nayeon pets Jihyo by the head, affectionately. “Did you ever consider that she could make it easier for you as well?”

That depends. Unless this is Dahyun Jihyo’s pining for.

“She seems like someone you can depend on.” Nayeon says, definitely not fishing. She means it.

“She is.” Jihyo sighs. And Nayeon can now tell she’s about to know who it is. “She’s⸺”

Jihyo’s eyes dwelled on the far horizon yet again. It’s almost 9 am judging by how high the sun has gotten. Quietly humming, closing her eyes with a light smile on her face. “I haven’t thanked you yet.”

“For?” Nayeon smirks. Proud of her wisdom. Her phone vibrates on the table. “I just basically told you to man up and tell her already.”

“⸺for saving her.”

That day, that time Nayeon was thankful she got inside their bathroom in time.

The guessing finally ends. The doors opened.

Nayeon’s hairline felt to have dropped off of her scalp. Jihyo just nodded at her.

“Unnie! You’re having breakfast? Can me and Momo join?” The brightest of voices they could easily recognize anywhere. And of course, that wasn’t really a question.

Jihyo’s eyes shot her with a quick murderous look. Nayeon shook her head quickly to say she didn’t have any idea at all.

Under normal circumstances, Jihyo would have strangled her for this surprise. And also for sharing her keycard with Momo, but well, she has a history of losing room cards before (apart from the real reason why.)

However, Jihyo’s glare is suddenly nowhere to be seen. Not in the presence of her shining light.

She wanted to scoff and tease Jihyo about it. But decided to be nice for once, especially when Sana ran straight to their table and straight to Jihyo’s lap. Nayeon wondered now, does Sana have tunnel vision for Jihyo then?

How blind has Nayeon been? Why didn’t she get these before? The only person Jihyo rarely pesters. The only one she allows to have her way over her. The only person that sits on her like that.

Of course.

Perhaps she has been focused on Momo all these years. Her Momo walked in after Sana, carefully and quietly looking between her and Jihyo. Observing if the war is over, has the war been won? Oh the stories, Nayeon would have to update Momo on later.

Momo looking carefree and still amazing in sweatpants and a tank top. Nayeon stops her eyes from darting down Momo’s beautiful face.

“I missed you.” Nayeon mouths. “It’s okay.”

Momo, thankfully, got that and nodded.

Back to the pair in front of her. “Jihyo was just asking for my advice.”

Oh the look on Jihyo’s face. Nayeon laughed.

Sana had her arm around Jihyo’s neck while the tight-lipped vocalist held her princess by the hips like she was scared Sana would be taken away from her. Have they always been like this? 

“Momo-ya,” Jihyo calls out, “Did you sleep well?”

The panicked look on Momo’s face was enough for Jihyo, poking her tongue out to get back at Nayeon. Oh two can play this game.

“Don’t you have something to say to Sana?”

“Really?” Sana’s eyes glimmered more so with the Seattle sun hitting her face.

Nayeon watched Jihyo’s eyes soften at the sight right in front of her. Now that’s something Nayeon knows. Under regular inspection, no one would have caught it given that Jihyo’s eyes were peculiarly big like that, but Nayeon caught it. The way they dilated in front of Sana, and how quick she concealed it with a grin.

Kiss her. Nayeon wanted to command. Because she would if Momo’s on her lap glistening under the sun. 

“I haven’t done monitoring yet. Will you do it with me?” Jihyo says, too soft.

Then there it is. Sana looked at Jihyo, holding on to her as if she was everything. There it is, the answer Jihyo’s still overlooking at. Sana’s ever cheery but right now she’s elated at a single simple request. Grinning from ear to ear when Jihyo asked something of her. She squealed, excited to hear that Jihyo needed her presence and wanted to be with her. A seemingly pure child happy and content to receive a candy.

Candy.

Nayeon would remember them like this. Or at least, she would start remembering Sana and Jihyo this way, as one pair. Unconsciously she started humming, “when we’re moving our feet, you got me right where I wanna be.”

For the first time, she saw someone else aside from Momo. These two are something. Underneath the table, Momo clutched onto her fingers. Nayeon smiled at her peach and then to Jihyo in front of her as she brought their hands on the table for two other people to see.

“Ehh?” Momo blushes quietly. “What’s happening?”