Birthmark (1/1)

"Don't do anything stupid tomorrow, Momo. I'll be watching, so don't you dare—""Stop treating me like a baby!" Momo says, annoyed.It won't be her first time on an interview alone, but it will be the first time she's going in without a manager in sight, and despite a decade of interview training, it's still common for Momo to say stuff she shouldn't be.Two years after their disbandment, the girls have started their solo careers. Some are continuing the idol life under JYPE Entertainment, some are models, and some are having peaceful and normal lives. Although, it's no surprise that they're all still in touch and even meeting up every weekend. It sounds rather unachievable, but some relationships grew even bigger instead of falling apart. A great example is Mina and Chaeyoung. Mina is a successful ballet teacher, whereas Chaeyoung is a worldwide known rapper. But there's something that's keeping them closer than ever. Only a few days after the group's disbandment, they confirmed that they're dating.How about the other rapper? Well, Dahyun saw that her life was too eventful, or too stressful even. That's why she decided to take a break. Although, the girls are still, to this day, finding it somewhat difficult to be happy for Dahyun. The reason for that is because she has decided to move away, far away from Seoul to peacefully live in a cozy hut, on the quiet mountains.Tzuyu also has moved away from Seoul, to her parents in Taiwan. She sends messages to their groupchat pretty much every day, asking them what they're up to and how they're doing. It doesn't seem like something she would do, but I guess you notice how precious your friends are when you are seperated from them. However, Dahyun has never reached out to them. It's as if she has completely disappeared, not leaving a single trace behind. Although, before leaving, she said that she has to work some things out, and that it might take some time. But was it really necessary to leave the groupchat too?"Alright, go and do your thing. I'll be watching you from here," Nayeon says to Momo before giving her a little push forward.Momo takes deep breaths as she brushes through her hair and bangs a few times. She adjusts her black dress a little before looking back at Nayeon, who is crossing her fingers. Momo smiles when she sees Nayeon mouthing "You can do this" to her. Thankful for the the support of her best friend, she confidently steps out of the door, cameras and lights locking onto her instantly.With one of her pretty smiles on her face, she walks along the carpet leading to the seating area. She waves at the cameras and people standing behind a small gate with their microphones, waiting to ask her questions. Before getting dizzy due to the flashes all over the room, she manages to greet the interviewer before sitting down on the big couch."Hello everybody! We have a stunning lady with us today. Please give a big and warm applause for Hirai Momo!"Half an hour into the interview and Momo has realized that not having a manager was a bad idea overall, a really bad one. Momo places down her third empty glass onto the table. The interview is getting too boring for her already. Well, it's no surprise, since she has never been a fan of interviews since their debut days. She's feeling gross, her dress feels too tight on her skin, and the lights are causing a headache. That's why she fills more beer into her glass, twisting it around in her hand as the interview talks to the cameras in the background.However, in just a matter of seconds, everything takes a big turn. It even causes Momo to stop moving the glass around, instead placing it onto the table. With her entire body, she turns towards the interviewer, who has finally asked something Momo finds interesting. She shouldn't answer it, of course she shouldn't, but who is here to stop her? Her managers certainly would have ended the interview by now, but the interview is still rolling as Momo opens her drunk mouth to answer the question about her past loves."There's someone," she finds herself saying, face warm from the third glass of beer she has emptied. "Someone I still think about."It's a statement she knows she'll regret in the morning. The people in the crowd are looking at her, eyes alight with curiosity, and she knows she should stop, but it's too late already. She might be watching, after all."My first love," Momo's lips curl at the memory, "Someone I still love."It's a statement that sets off a wave of questions that Momo answers absentmindedly. How long ago was this first love of hers? How long did it last? Is she looking for someone new nowadays? The phone sitting next to her is buzzing like crazy by the time she says something that doesn't seem like it's going to end well."I want to see her again."Multiple gasps from the guests can be heard and then a wave of whispers between them. Even though Momo is anything but sober, she can hear the voices. She hears them talking about the fact that she used the pronoun "her". Eventually, as expected, the doors of the studio burst open with not a manager, but Nayeon. Nayeon makes quick work of extracting Momo from the studio and stuffing her into the passenger seat of her own car."God, I shouldn't have let you go alone," Nayeon scolds herself as she drives Momo to her apartment. "Your name is going to be all over the headlines, idiot."Momo is too dizzy for anything, so she just keeps quiet for now."I hope you know that you're alone in this. I won't save your ass this time!" Nayeon curses as the car swerves around a corner.Momo certainly thinks she'll puke when she gets home. She leans her head on the car window."Do you think she saw?" Momo asks with a quiet voice."Who? Dahyun?" Nayeon's harsh voice softens by a sliver. "How would I know?"Nayeon is right. How would she know? It's not like she has talked to Dahyun, just like everyone else."I'm gonna puke," Momo says with a choke."Don't! I just had this cleaned—"Nayeon will surely make Momo pay to get it cleaned, but when nature calls, Momo answers with a fountain of vomit.In the morning, Momo wakes up in bed with a killer headache and nothing on but her underwear. Her hand crawls to her phone by her nightstand. She's mildly grateful that she had the foresight to drop Boo and Dobby off at Sana's apartment, because there's no way she can get up to feed anyone now, including herself. Routine has her scrolling through Twitter. As Nayeon predicted, Momo is all over the news."Soloist and Former Idol MOMO Admits to Liking WOMEN"

"TWICE member MOMO Mentions Teenage Fling with a WOMAN"

"Another Woman-Lover from the Nation's Girl Group"

"MOMO from TWICE is GAY???"Many years into show business, Momo should be used to journalists spinning stories in every way they can, but a part of her heart still lurches with every new headline her eyes catch. However, she think she's fine, since there's no outrageously and unnecessary contract to follow anymore. And it was bound to happen anyway, coming out to the public. Maybe she just should've planned it better?There are five missed calls from Nayeon that she thinks can wait until she gets something to eat. She pulls herself from bed, shrugging on a tank top while on the way to the kitchen. She's halfway through her bowl of cereal when her phone rings again. Momo answers, readying for another earful from Nayeon."Unnie," a familiar voice says.Momo chokes on her cereal. She'd recognize that voice anywhere. Her back straightens, giving all of her attention to the phone call."Dahyuni?""Yeah, it's me. I saw the news.""Right, that..." Momo's words are too slow for the thoughts racing through her mind. "Dahyun, where are—""Unnie," Dahyun cuts her off, "Did you mean it?"Momo's throat clogs up. "Dahyuni, where have you be—""Unnie, please. Just tell me. Did you really want to see me again?"It's like Momo is at the interview again, dizzy and dazed with possibility. "Yes, I meant it."A breath, then silence. But Momo knows that Dahyun is on the other end of the line and that this is the closest they've been in years. Her heart rattles in her chest. She hears an exhale."Can you open the door? It's kind of cold outside."Momo blinks. Suddenly her apartment seems messy and unfit for guests, especially for Dahyun. "You're here?""Apartment 14-A, right? Nayeon unnie said—""Wait, I'm coming," Momo says as she stumbles off her kitchen chair. Her phone is pressed to her ear as she runs to the door, the static ringing like a lifeline. "Don't move.""Why would I—"Momo swings the door wide open and sees Dahyun again for the first time in years. The younger one is all bundled up, looking nothing like the dolled-up idol she was before. Although, she's still gorgeous; porcelain skin and delicate features disguised in a thick coat and a beanie pulled low over her brow. Her phone is pressed to her ear, catching the roar of a passing car that echoes in Momo's own.A cold draft hits the bare skin of Momo's chest and legs. She's just in a tank top and her underwear. But she's frozen with so much to take in and so much to think about. Dahyun is here, in front of her. Dahyun's chuckle echoes the past, the twinkle in her eyes just as familiar."Unnie, you're not dressed," Dahyun says, bringing her phone down. "You should go back insi—""Dahyuni." Momo steps forward. Headlines be damned, she's ready to embarrass herself a little more. "You're here."Dahyun takes a step closer towards the girl. "You'll get sick, let's—"Momo pulls Dahyun into a hug. It's the same as it was years ago, Dahyun melting in her arms. The corners of Momo's lips curl up of their own accord and she feels the same with Dahyun's cheek pressed to her bare shoulder. She presses her face to Dahyun's beanie, pulling her closer."Dahyuni, I missed you.""Yeah, you kind of put that on the news.""I did." Momo chuckles."You did." Dahyun's hands settle on the older one's cold waist. "I couldn't not come after you told everyone and their mom about how much you missed me."Momo pulls her closer, if that's possible. It's getting colder the longer she stands here, but Dahyun's coat is warm enough for the both of them. "Was that all it took?""No. I just had to sort some things out by myself." Dahyun pulls away, cheeks flushed. "But I'm here, all sorted out."It was difficult for Dahyun too, her heart has never stopped longing for her friends. How she spent her nights is something she finds pathetic and plans on taking to the grave with her. Every night, she got into bed and stalked the girls' social medias, checking what they're up to. She always spent extra long time on Momo's page, admiring every single picture and video multiple times. However, she doesn't plan on telling anyone that information.Dahyun looks Momo in the eyes. "Unnie, I missed you too. I wanted to see you the moment I saw the news."Momo can't believe her ears or her eyes. "But where were you all this time?""Can we talk about it inside? I don't think it's appropriate to pour my heart out with you half-naked outside your apartment."Dahyun turns a shade redder and something flutters in Momo's chest. Momo nods, her hand finds Dahyun's and it feels like something is going right again for the first time in ages."Of course, come in," Momo says as she leads Dahyun inside.They step inside together before Momo closes the door. She lets go of Dahyun's hand so the girl can remove her coat. Momo just stands there, still in barely any clothing, watching the girl she missed so much. She can't fight a smile when she notices how Dahyun hasn't changed at all, her hair still the same length and color it was when Momo last saw her. Momo wants to hug her even more and caress her hair, but she holds back for now. Finally, Dahyun hangs her coat and beanie up before turning to Momo and eyeing her up and down."Aren't you gonna put something on?"Momo is zoned out. "Ah, right. I'll be back in a second. You can get comfortable on the couch."As Momo speeds off upstairs, Dahyun enters the living room. She walks around, examining the furniture and the weird choice of colors. She gets settled on the couch, grabbing a blanket to cover herself up. She pulls it up to her nose when she notices a familiar smell coming from it. She could recognize that smell anywhere, Momo's scent. Her eyes slowly close as she takes it all in, gripping onto it tightly. But she's quick to pull it back down when Momo comes back with two cups in her hand."Lucky for you, I got your favorite drink.""You still remember." Dahyun's eyes shine a sparkle."Yeah, grapefruit soda."Momo places the drinks onto the table before sitting down next to Dahyun. The younger one opens up the blanket, inviting Momo to join her, which Momo instantly does. Under the blanket, Momo grabs her hand again. She holds it tightly as if she's not allowing Dahyun to go anywhere. Then, their eyes meet and it feels like time has stopped as they're just looking at each other. But suddenly, Dahyun tilts her head curiously as a small grin forms on her lips."Huh, strange..."Momo's eyebrows rise for a split second as she shifts her eyes nervously. Did she do something wrong? Does her breath smell? There's something in her teeth, isn't there?"Is there something wrong?" Momo asks.Her worried eyes turn confused as Dahyun begins to shake her head and giggle at the older one's sudden concern. Slowly, Dahyun takes hold of Momo's cheek and runs her thumb in little circles around the cheekbone."No, idiot. It's just that... you, uhh.""I what? You're scaring me!""You have a birthmark on your cheek. Has it always been there?"Momo lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she visibly relaxes, slumping into the comfort of Dahyun's hand on her cheek and taking her own to tuck a few strands behind the other girl's ear. At that, Dahyun's thumb halts its movements completely. She looks at Momo with an unreadable expression before another grin stretches across her lips."You know... I would say that your new birthmark is very cute, just like you."Momo bites her lower lip in an attempt to suppress a chuckle at Dahyun's flirting antics. "Is that so?""Yeah, and I think it—"Before Dahyun lets herself finish the statement, she leans in and places a single kiss atop Momo's birthmark. Then, without further thinking, she goes in for two more, one in the center of her cheek, and the other placed strategically on the very corner of Momo's lips. When Dahyun leans back again, Momo still has her eyes closed and her mouth upturned in a smile. Dahyun takes in the beautiful sight in front of her as Momo slowly opens her eyes and lands her gaze upon the younger one."You know what, Dahyuni? Now that I'm getting a clearer look at you, it seems that you have a birthmark on your cheek too! How weird is that?"A playful glint dances in Momo's eyes as Dahyun wrinkles her nose in confusion, which Momo thinks is just about the cutest thing she has ever seen."Unnie, what are you talking about? No offense, but I know my own face and I definitely don't have anythi—"Dahyun is caught off guard by her own high-pitched yelp as Momo closes in on her with a mission of her own."Dahyuni, idiot. It's right here!"Giving Dahyun a chance to back away, Momo slowly brings careful lips to Dahyun's cheek as she repeats the same three-kiss pattern that she received. Only this time, she misses the corner of Dahyun's mouth completely and places a soft kiss directly onto Dahyun's lips....