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Momo tried to pay attention to Aizawa-sensei’s lesson. She really did. However, when it’s a topic she already knows extensively, her mind inevitably wandered a little. Her gaze lazily lowered from the blackboard, resting perfectly on the back of Jirou’s smooth, exposed neck.
Ahh, why does she have to have such short hair...
Momo could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She attempted to cover it up by resting her jaw in her hands and letting the natural shape of her hands cover up the blush poking through. She could hear Aizawa-sensei ramble on about the history of England, but it was drowned out by her cheesy thoughts.
Jirou’s pale, flawless skin. Her deep purple hair. The way her hair is so irregular yet so impeccable. Her bright, hearty laugh. The way her eyes sparkle when talking about her passions. Her calloused fingers from playing the bass guitar among many other instruments. How perfectly those hands would fit in her own… She sighed hopelessly. She couldn’t deny the way she feels about Jirou. There was no way she could play dumb to her own emotions when they were so prominent and direct.
Momo glanced to her right to avoid staring at Jirou only to make eye contact with Shouto. After a second, he put on that ridiculously smooth smirk he’s trademarked by now. He’s absurd. Momo huffed and buried her face in her hands to avoid the suggestive looks he was giving her.
Shouto and her were distant friends when they were younger because of their families’ statuses, but they had grown close over their time at UA. Being the only two in their class that got in based on recommendations, they had something in common. He’s the only one she’s told about her massive “schoolgirl crush” on Jirou, as he’s the only person she would trust with that personal information. If anyone else found out, they would not cease in trying to hook the two of them up. If she ever begins seriously dating Jirou, she would want it to be on her terms.
That is if Jirou even likes her back. Momo doesn’t even know if she favors girls. She has commented on the physical appearance of other girls in the school before, but that could mean anything. You don’t have to be attracted to girls to compliment them and enjoy their company. Anyone can find a girl pretty...
Her mind was bombarded with an avalanche of thoughts. It felt like a storm was beginning to brew in her stomach.
And you can’t just ask someone if they like girls! That is a very personal question! But if I do not figure out if she could reciprocate these feelings, I could grow old and die still holding onto these feelings...
She felt her breath quickening. Of course she would do this to herself. At a highly inopportune time, nonetheless.
Out of the fading world around her, she felt a small wad of crumpled paper hit her right arm. Looking over, she saw Shouto. He was making familiar motions with his hands and mouth that conveyed the message Breathe. So she did.
She took a couple of deep breaths and pushed her thoughts aside for the moment. She silently thanked her trusted friend for realizing the hole she was burying herself in and decided to legitimately focus on the lesson to distract her from everything else.
“Class dismissed. Everyone pack your stuff up and get out of here.” Aizawa-sensei mumbled after the bell had rung.
Momo pushed her seat out and stood up, watching as Jirou walked out the front door of the classroom. She sighed, picked up her bag, and walked out the back door to meet up with Shouto. He was standing across the hall with a calm smile on his face. ”You were overthinking again.”
Momo pouted, and Shouto let out one single chuckle. He started walking in the direction of the dorms knowing Momo would follow. From behind, Momo laid her forehead on his shoulder as they walked, face towards the ground.
”I know, but Shoutoooooo,” she drew out his name like a child complaining to their mother, “how can I not overthink it?” She placed her hands on his shoulders and lifted her face to look him in the eyes. “There are just too many unknown variables to take into account!”
”I think the best way to find the answers to your questions is to ask her yourself.”
”Wha-“ She straightens up and transitions to walking by his side. “I cannot just ask her! If I ask the wrong things at the wrong time, she might never ta-“ Momo was cut off by a sudden tap on her shoulder.
“Hey, you two! I hope you don’t mind if I butt in for a sec.”
All of the thoughts tumbling around her mind vanished into the air and the face she’d been thinking about all day was 8 inches away from her own. Jirou smiled widely, and Momo could only hope she was unaware of what they were just talking about. Luckily, before Momo could make a fool of herself, Shouto replied, “Oh, not at all.”
“Perfect. Hey, Yaoyorozu. I was wondering if we could meet up later today? There’s that math test coming up, and I cannot, for the life of me, wrap my head around all these theorems. I assumed you’d be a safe bet for study help since you’re basically the smartest kid in class.”
Did she go out of her way to talk to me? Wait, did she call me the smartest kid in class? WAIT SHE ASKED ME TO HELP HER STUDY
A light tap between her shoulder blades from Shouto brought her back to reality enough to respond. “Uh, y-yes of course! Umm, where and when?” Momo stammered. Come on, Momo, keep it together.
”Well, uh, you could come to my place. Or I could go to your dorm if you want. But I don’t have to if you don’t want,” she explained. Momo had never noticed how straight and uniform her teeth were until now.
“Oh, uh, I am good with either option. Whatever you prefer.” Momo clasped her hands together in front of her and started nervously twiddling her thumbs. She could feel her heart pounding in her ears, her stomach slowly becoming lead.
“I have no preference, either... But! I’m the one who’s asking for your help, so I don’t wanna make you host me. My place?”
”Oh! Please, do not feel obligated.” Momo did not want to seem eager to see her dorm. She had seen it briefly when everyone had the decorating competition when they first moved in, but she didn’t see enough.
”No, no. It’s fine.” So polite. “Sooo, does around 7 work? After dinner?” Jirou looked at Momo with a hopeful look in her eyes that made Momo’s composition melt out of adoration.
”Y-yeah! Of course! Your room, 7 pm. Got it! I’ll be there!” Momo responded excitedly.
Jirou’s face was adorned with a big grin. ”Yeah! Great! I’ll see you then!” She turned around and jogged in the opposite direction towards Kaminari, waving to Shouto and her as she went. Momo gave a gentle wave back, still in slight shock over what just transpired. It took a minute for everything to sink in.
Momo turned to Shouto and points to herself. “Did... did I just...”
”Yep,” he responded plainly.
”And she...” Momo points behind her towards Jirou.
”Uh-huh.”
Shouto could see the moment of comprehension in her expression. The widening of her eyes. The reddening of her face. The slight raise of her shoulders. With a sharp yet quiet squeak, Momo grabbed his shoulders and held them tightly as they headed back to the dorms.
Momo looked in the mirror. She ran her hands over her head a few times, making sure no stray hairs were escaping. She decided to keep her hair down tonight for a more casual look, but put a couple of hair ties on her wrist just in case she changed her mind later on. Splitting her hair in half and pulling it all to her front, she picked up the textbook and notebook she was bringing. She stood in front of the mirror once last time. The maroon sweater said “casual study session” but the black leggings and short boots said “study date”. She couldn’t look like she was trying to impress Jirou; that seemed too desperate, and she would notice. She was double guessing the shoes, though. She’s only going down two floors… Would Jirou think it was weird to wear shoes if I wasn’t even leaving the building? Jirou’s laidback, if she were in my place, she wouldn’t wear shoes. Would she? Momo’s irrational anxiety was slowly building, much to her chagrin. I’ll just wear shoes. Play it safe. She’s more likely to judge if I don’t than if I do...
She tugged the books closer to her chest and gave a confident huff. I got this. Just act... natural.
She picked up her purse and closed her door behind her.
Knock knock knock
After a few nerve-wracking seconds of waiting, the door swung open. Somehow, Jirou looked even more stunning than usual. Momo’s seen Jirou in casual clothes before, but this was different somehow. Maybe the fact that this was a date? Probably. It was probably the atmosphere. Or Jirou is just that great.
Her heather gray shirt had a rainbow-colored, multi-sided shape that was open facing outwards. The shape was only interrupted at the base with an orange walkway, accompanied by a silhouette standing atop it. The word “Muse” was written across the middle in bold, black letters with serifs on the top and bottom of the word. Maybe it was a band she liked. Momo liked the design, but what was distracting was the fact that it was a loose-fitting tank top. One of the sleeves was slowly falling down her shoulder. Thank goodness she’s wearing a better fitting tank top underneath. Her skinny, light blue ripped jeans were very flattering. Momo felt a little rebellious against her conservative upbringing being with her.
A smile spread across Jirou’s face, which made Momo smile as well. “Yaoyorozu! Right on time, as expected! Please, come on in.”
Momo walked in, set down her books and purse, and started taking her shoes off. All of a sudden, as she took her left shoe off, she was hit by a wave of anxiety. She was alone with the girl she had a major infatuation with. If she blew this, she would lose every chance she had with her. No, this was just a study session. Her feelings had no place here. Not yet.
She finished taking her shoes off and picked her various things back up. She saw Jirou pull a handful of papers out of her bag, and then gently lob her bag across the room. She then stood up, sat down on the edge of her bed, and looked at Momo expectantly. Momo took note of the music staff bedding she had. Cheesy, but perfect. She walked over and sat on the edge alongside her host, avoiding looking directly at her by looking around the room.
Momo couldn’t quite believe just how music filled it was. There was a multitude of musical instruments. Could she play all of these? After a few seconds of awkward silence, Momo decided to take the initiative, for once. “So, what did you need help on?” Now that the topic was schoolwork, something she was fairly good at, if she does say so herself, most of her discomfort faded away.
Jirou snapped back into the nonchalant mood she’s always in. “Okay, so which bastard decided to make the quadratic formula a thing?” Momo snickered. “Because it sucks. How do you know what to put where?” Jirou held out a worksheet they had a couple of days ago with practice problems. It was covered in eraser smears and little scribbles.
Momo opened her math textbook to the page about the formula in question. “Okay, so there are three different variables, right?”
Jirou got up from the bed and walked across the room to her desk. “Do you mind if I play some music? Just in the background. Nothing too intense.”
“Oh, of course. I don’t mind at all.” Momo was interested in what she was gonna play. She knew Jirou liked a lot of different genres of music, but not which ones. She was curious to see what else she listened to besides rock and roll.
Jirou bent over her computer and Momo diverted her gaze to the alarm clock on the side table by her bed as to not stare. 8:24. She’d been there for almost 90 minutes already. “Any requests?” Jirou called over her shoulder.
“Hmm, how about Muse?” Momo said hesitantly. She tried to sound like she knew what she was talking about, but she doubted she did.
Jirou laughed quietly. “Alright, Muse it is.” A few seconds later, Jirou stood back up and faced Momo, but didn’t walk back once the song started. “This one’s a good one.”
The song started with something that was probably guitar and drums. Jirou closed her eyes and started moving her hands like she was playing invisible drums. Then some piano was added in. Jirou switched from playing drums to playing piano and made a show of it. Momo had to put a hand to her mouth to help stifle the laugh that dared to come out. She placed the book in her lap to the side, making sure her pencil was saving their place.
Then the singer came in. Jirou dropped her piano, made a fist with her left hand, and starting lip-syncing into it. She wasn’t as lively as she was with the piano. but was still very animated.
Far away
Jirou opened her eyes, finally. She made eye contact with Momo for only a split second before closing her eyes again, leaving Momo wishing for more.
This ship is taking me far away
Jirou’s eyes suddenly opened again, and she turned around and reached into a small box on her desk. Just a few beats late to the next lyric, she whipped back around to face Momo, holding a real microphone instead of an imaginary one.
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die
Momo couldn’t stop herself from smiling. A smile crept onto Jirou’s face, as well. The singer put one foot forward and lowered into a mid-lunge stance. With her right hand in a fist, she launched into the second verse.
Starlight
I will be chasing your starlight
Momo couldn’t help but lean forward with her elbows on her knees. It was so captivating watching Jirou put on a faux performance just for her. She was amazed Jirou dared to do this.
Until the end of my life
I don’t know if it’s worth it anymore
Jirou shook her head to emphasize the lyrics. Momo watched as strands of Jirou’s hair draped across her face and felt as her heart reached a dangerous tempo.
“I thought this was just going to be background music,” Momo laughed.
“Eh, I changed my mind.” She smiled wickedly. She reached out and put her icy hand on Momo’s forearm, pulling her upwards.
Hold you in my arms
She wasn’t mouthing the lyrics for this next verse, and Momo panicked for a second thinking she intended for her to ‘sing’ a verse. Then, Momo felt Jirou’s hand grasp hers. Jirou pulled her to the middle of the room and turned to face her, reviving the eye contact they had a moment ago. She didn’t let go of Momo’s hand as she performed the next line
I just wanted to hold you in my arms
Numbness spread from where Jirou’s hand was touching hers.
My life
You electrify my life
Jirou slowly let all of her weight fall backward, depending on the connection between them to keep her from falling over. She lifted her left leg off the ground, like a ballerina. Momo instinctively pulled the arm connected to Jirou up and put her left arm under her waist to keep her from falling, simulating a not-so-traditional dip. Her arms tingled.
Let’s conspire to re-ignite
Jirou’s head rose above the crest of her chest to look at Momo.
All the souls that would die just to feel alive
Momo couldn’t bear being in this position any longer, so she pulled Jirou up to a standing position. What she didn’t predict, though, was that standing her up would land her mere inches from Momo’s face. Their noses were almost touching. Jirou’s shaky breath on her neck gave her goosebumps. Momo couldn’t look anywhere but Jirou’s piercing yet beautiful eyes. She felt like she could see every perfect imperfection on her face. But all too quickly, the moment ended.
I’ll never let you go
Both girls immediately retracted their hands and gazes, realizing how close together they were. They both started stumbling over apologizes at the same time.
“S-sorry! I didn’t mean to get all up in your face, the-“
”-no, no, I’m the one who took it a little further than need-“
”-t I was the one who acted crazy first. I shouldn’t’ve-“
”-ere fine on your own, I didn’t need to put my arm around your waist. I’m sorry.”
Momo finished her thought only to be met with a beat of silence.
Our hopes and expectations
Jirou turned and lowered the volume of the music down. Not off, but enough where they could hear each other easily. As she set the microphone down on the desk, she turned to face Momo.
”You don’t need to apologize for putting your arm around my waist. It was better than me falling over like a doofus, right?” She chuckled awkwardly.
Momo rubbed her upper arm nervously. “I guess so. I just-“ She was interrupted by a furious gurgling sound.
She felt like an idiot. She couldn’t believe she forgot to eat dinner and didn’t remember that fact this entire time. Jirou specifically said their study session was “after dinner”. How could she forget such a simple thing?
“Was... was that your stomach?” Jirou chortled at the end of her sentence.
”Y-yes...” Momo said sheepishly. “I may have forgotten to eat dinner.” She laughed nervously, putting a hand on her stomach and the other on the back of her neck.
”I was a little worried about that when I didn’t see you down in the common area. Come on, let’s go get you some food,” Jirou stated.
”A-are you sure?”
“Yeah! It’s not like they close down the pantry.”
Her consideration only dealt another blow to Momo’s already weak heart.
“I guess that’s true... Studying can wait for a little bit, can’t it?”
”Yes, it can.” Jirou picked her phone up and started typing something. Then, she slid her phone into the back pocket of her jeans and walked towards the door. Momo decided not to put them on as Jirou opened the door and stood to the side.
"Ladies first?" She motioned towards the opening.
Momo chuckled despite her nerves being frazzled and walked out the door. Jirou followed, closing the door behind both of them.
The common area, somewhat surprisingly, didn’t have anyone in it. Most people usually head back to their dorms after 9:00. The only time people stay down here later than that is on weekends. Maybe everyone was being more punctual than usual, what with the test coming up. The responsibility of the students with their sleep schedules here is impressive but still expected.
“Anything, in particular, you feel like having?” Jirou said over her shoulder as she walked a little bit ahead of Momo.
”Uh, not really,” Momo said hesitantly “Surprise me?”
Jirou turned around and started walking backward. With a slight grin on her face, she said “Alrighty! I’ll be back, then.”
Momo pulled her lips thin and put on the closest thing to a smile she could. Once Jirou disappeared behind the kitchen counter, she turned and took a seat on the loveseat next to her.
Momo restrained a whine and moved her hands from resting gently on her knees to covering her face.
She must think I pandering to her… I mean, I picked the band on her t-shirt when she asked for music, and I let her pick what I have to eat... Who just does that naturally? There’s no way she doesn’t think I’m desperately trying to play in her favor. I can’t even interact with her properly. I think I would die of shock if she ever wanted to be friends with me after thi-
Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud clattering sound coming from the kitchen. Momo tried to pinpoint where it came from, worry blooming in her heart. “Are you alright?” she called out.
”Yeah, yeah! I’m okay, sorry.” Jirou replied. She probably just dropped something.
Now she must think I’m overbearing, too. Momo returned to her original position with her hands resting on her knees. She took a deep breath. This night isn’t going well. Why did Shouto let me do this? Jirou’s too cool to hang out with someone as awkward and inarticulate as me, nevertheless, date me...
She heard the clicking of the pilot light on the stove. Once the clicking had stopped, Jirou asked, “Do you wanna eat down here? Or should we head back up to my room?”
“Down here is alright with me if it’s alright with you.” Momo didn’t want to risk any chance of getting Jirou’s organized room messy.
”That works for me! Less transportation needed.”
After a couple of minutes of Momo staring blankly into space, Jirou wandered back on over with a triumphant call of “Dinner’s ready!”
Momo looked over just in time to see Jirou place a bowl of ramen in front of her. Nothing fancy. It was probably instant.
“Thank you for making me dinner, Jirou-san. You didn’t have to.”
“Don’t worry about it! I made you come over and tutor me, the least I can do is make you some food.” She sat down on the couch adjacent to Momo and opened up a bag of popcorn. “Also, just ‘Jirou’ is fine. We’re all friends here.”
Momo tried to make a mental note of that, but was distracted by the fully popped bag of popcorn Jirou had fabricated. “When’d you pop that? I never heard it and, I might be wrong but, popcorn is fairly loud.”
Jirou chuckled. “Oh no, I have a couple pre-popped bags hidden. They make for a good late-night snack, but making them when everyone’s asleep is not a smart move. I don’t mind that they’re not fresh.” She tossed a piece into her mouth.
Momo smiles softly as she picked up her bowl. “You have this all planned out, don’t you?”
”Yep. Thanks to you.” She paused, turning to face the TV set across from her. Her expression softened, and her gaze became tender. “You’re so organized all the time. You always have a plan, your notes are super neat and tidy... I thought it was pretty cool, so I wanted to try to be like that.” The corners of her mouth curled up slightly. “Thought maybe I’d get my life together more if I followed your example but all I’ve got to show for it so far is some already-prepared snacks…” She pulled her legs up into a criss-cross position and relaxed into the back of the couch, closing her eyes peacefully.
She wanted to refute what she just heard but she was stunned for a moment. How could Jirou think that?
“I-I’m not as stable and organized as you think I am, Jirou-san.” Jirou lifted her head and looked into Momo’s eyes. “I don’t have my life together at all.” Momo tore her gaze from the pitiful-looking gaze currently fixated on her.
”I get frazzled over basic decisions, I slip up when given an important task, I let my teammates down when under pressure... The only thing I’m any good at is schoolwork, and that’s only because of the environment I grew up in.” She heard Jirou sigh, and Momo felt her stomach try to force its way up her throat, trying to flee out of embarrassment. “I-I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get so heavy. I just- I didn’t want you to have false ideas about me. Just- forget I said anything. It was selfish to make this about me. I didn’t mean to start pushing my problems on you. This is only a study date, not somewhere where-“
“W-woah, woah, woah, Yaoyorozu. Calm down. Please.”
Momo quickly shut her mouth. “I’m sorry. Rambling is a bad habit of mine.”
”You don’t need to keep apologizing. Seems like that’s a bad habit, too.”
Momo immediately tried to apologize again. “I‘m sor-“ Jirou made a harsh shushing sound and extended her arm, palm facing Momo.
”Don’t you dare.”
Momo instinctually wanted to cough up another apology but thought better of it.
Jirou lowered her hand. “First off, I told you to just call me Jirou. The “-san” part sounds uptight.”
Momo has already forgotten about that and mentally vowed to drop the honorific, no matter how informal it felt. She refused to idle on the fact that she said it was uptight, and nodded her head in acknowledgment.
”Second, you don’t give yourself enough credit. Everyone makes mistakes like that. But you’re psyching yourself out, blowing little pebbles of mistakes into huge boulders. Remember USJ? You’re the only reason we were able to take everyone out on that mountain.” Jirou stood up. “You gave me a weapon to help fight those jerks off with. You made that thick blanket so that Denki could fire off at full force without hurting us. You did those things on your own volition, too. We wouldn’t have stood much of a chance if it weren’t for you.”
Momo watched as Jirou walked over and sat down beside her, never breaking eye contact. She felt her heart rate quicken as Jirou’s bangs swayed softly with her movement.
”You have the highest grades in our class. You’re not just good at this stuff, you’re fantastic at it. And it’s not just because of your elite background. You have such an amazing mind. It’s really a shame you lock it up behind your fears.”
Momo felt her eyes start to water with emotions she couldn't comprehend. But she couldn’t cry in front of Jirou. But she just couldn’t look away. Her eyes were so sincere and warm. Momo could stare at them for hours and never get bored, never lose interest in the thousands of emotions they’re conveying.
“Lastly...” She paused. “You think this is a date?”
Momo went from entranced to panicked and overwhelmed in seconds. She was really hoping Jirou didn’t hear that part of her ramble. She tried to distance herself from the girl across from her as quickly as she could, but she was cornered.
“Umm I-I mean, by definition it’s uh- it’s a date. Dates don’t have to be... romantic to be considered dates. It’s just a good generic term to categorize it u-under.” Yeah, real smooth.
“Ah. I see.” Jirou straightened her back with this pompous, know-it-all look to her face. “Well, get to work on that ramen. But take your time. I’m in no rush to get back to studying.” She smiled and removed herself from Momo’s side, walking back over to her original spot and picking up her opened bag of popcorn. She took out a small handful and shoved it into her mouth, looking nonchalantly at the ceiling.
Momo was still in a slight shock from what just happened. As she watched Jirou slowly devour the bag of popcorn, nothing around her felt quite real. Numbly picking up her bowl, she slowly digested what Jirou had told her.
“Do you mind if play some music again?”
Momo's mind fell back into reality at the sound of Jirou’s voice. “No, go ahead,” She replied as Jirou got up to walk over to the speaker system that a bunch of classmates, including Jirou, saved money to get. She figured some music would make the silence between them less imposing and empty.
After a few moments of silence, something that sounded like a keyboard started fading in. Following that came some drums, guitar, and heavily distorted vocals. It sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it. Jirou slowly made her way back to the couch, pretending to play the drums as she walked. Momo couldn’t help but smile, seeing how much she was enjoying herself.
The first verse started, but due to the singer’s tone of voice, she couldn’t quite make out all of the lyrics. Momo let the music fill the background, not focusing on it strongly as she made her way through her bowl. She looked in Jirou’s direction to see what she was doing and for a split second, the two girls made eye contact before Jirou hurriedly shifted her gaze back towards the bag situated in her lap. Momo returned to staring at her ramen bowl.
Was she watching me? Or was it a coincidence we looked at each other at the same time? Maybe she just zoned out and my movement made her aware of her surroundings. Agh, I'm overthinking this... She took a couple of breaths and started to focus on the quiet music to distract her.
She tuned in right before the chorus, by the sounds of it.
We’ll give it a shot
Wooooaaah, we’re halfway there
Wooooaaah, livin’ on a prayer
She didn’t recognize it before but now that we’ve reached the chorus it sounds familiar. “This is ‘Living on a Prayer’, correct?” she asked, hoping to redeem herself.
Jirou laughed, leaning one of her elbows on the arm of her chair. “You guessed it.” She smiled warmly, and Momo naturally reciprocated. This song had been played before at one of the little parties that their class puts on every so often. That’s where she’s heard it before. It was indeed quite catchy.
If she had the courage, right now would be an opportune time to confess, but her instincts glued her in place. She desperately wanted to just tell the girl beside her everything she loved about her, but her throat felt stuffed. This tension she was feeling was unbearable but controlling. She almost wanted to come up with an excuse to leave just to avoid ever talking about this, but that would just make it worse when they saw each other in class the next day. There was no easy way out. The best thing she could do is just let this all play out, hoping it doesn't get worse.
She lowered her bowl from her mouth and got up to take care of her dish. She stopped for a moment, letting the music fill the air. “Do you want me to take your bag, as well?”
“Oh! Uh, sure.” She handed Momo the empty bag. “Thank you.”
Momo turned and walked towards the kitchen, throwing the bag in a waste bin she passed by.
As she started washing her bowl in the sink, she looked out the window. It was dark. It looks like you can see some stars tonight. It would be perfect for stargazing. Then, she remembered something she read this morning that could change the course of the evening.
She dropped her bowl in the sink with a soft clatter and turned around with childlike glee. “Jirou! There’s supposed to be a meteor shower tonight!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together triumphantly. “We should go watch it! I don’t think it has started yet.” She noticed that Jirou wasn’t as excited about this as she was. “I mean, we don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just read about it this morning, and I thought you might enjoy a break from studying.” Momo had always enjoyed astronomy, even if she isn’t too knowledgeable in the field. Her mother used to take her stargazing when she was younger, so the activity has always had a nostalgic feeling.
‘Just remember, Momo, that no matter where you are in the world, no matter what you’re doing, the sky you look at is the same as the one I see. I’ll never be too far away.’
Her mother’s voice rang clear in her mind. All those nights spent admiring the expansive night sky had brought her so much comfort. She wondered if she could share this feeling with Jirou.
The fact that Jirou hadn’t responded yet was worrisome, and Momo was just about to brush off her idea as idiotic when Jirou stood up with a thoughtful expression on her face.
“Where should we watch it from? Do you think we can get to the roof?”
All the anxiety in Momo’s heart was released for a brief second as a wide smile covered her face. She couldn’t contain the relief and excitement she felt from Jirou complying with her plans.
“I’m not sure. I can’t remember if there is a way to get up there,” she pondered.
Before she could figure out an answer, Jirou walked out from behind the couch. “Well, let’s go find out!” She bounced towards Momo and gently grabbed her forearm, dragging her towards the staircase. Her hands were still ice cold
Miraculously, there was actually a door to the roof. Jirou paused once she reached the top, used the railing to brace herself, and drove her foot into the crash bar of the door with a triumphant yell. The door swung open to about a 45-degree angle, and she caught it before it closed all the way again. ”Always wanted to do that.” Her breaths were labored as she glanced over her shoulder at Momo, probably from running up the stairs and then proceeding to kick a door open. She pushed the door all the way open and held it that way for Momo. After she walked through, she turned to Jirou and pretended she was doing a curtsy, lifting an imaginary skirt and doing a version of a plié. “Why thank you, kind sir.”
Jirou replied by bringing her feet together and bending at the waist, one arm across her torso and the other stuck out straight to the left. “Of course, madam.”
She lifted her head to look at Momo only seconds before she began to shake with stifled laughs, reeling in her arm that was extended to meet the other at her torso. Momo came out of her curtsy and brought a hand to her mouth, trying to cover up that she was starting to laugh as well. She couldn’t help it, though. The fact that Jirou was so entertained by this simple yet strange exchange between the two of them was just so… adorable. Jirou let out a sigh of contentment. “You’re a riot, Yaoyorozu.”
“Please, call me Yao-momo. Or just Momo, if you’d prefer.” Momo was hoping introducing this sense of informality would bring her closer to Jirou, in a way.
Jirou chuckled once more. “Alright, Momo. But only if you call me Kyouka, then. If I have to be casual, so do you.” She stood back up from her bent position, standing face to face with Momo.
She already felt a little closer to Jir—Kyouka. “Well, Kyouka, shall we look at some meteors together?” Momo offered, still playing with the formal theme they had a moment ago. Calling each other by their first names felt… refreshing… exotic, maybe?
Kyouka had this relaxed smile on her face that made all the tension inside Momo just melt away. “Let’s do it.” She walked towards Momo, passing her on her left, and continuing towards the edge of the roof. Momo turned and followed, sitting next to where Kyouka sat down.
Momo took a second to breathe. The soft breeze wafted the scent of evergreen trees to them, but it still smelled fresh, pure. The sky was mostly clear, spare a few stratus clouds. If she closed her eyes, she felt like she was back on her mother’s balcony, sitting motionless in her mother’s lap. She could imagine the sound of hundreds of cars passing on the streets below, so brisk yet so controlled. The thought of it all calmed Momo’s mind, bringing a peace she hasn’t felt in years to her.
She drew her knees close to her chest and looked up to the stars. She was no astrologist, but she could pick out a couple of constellations. She rested her elbow on her knee and pointed towards the sky. “There’s Orion. See the three stars lined up in a row?” Kyouka followed Momo’s hand.
”Oh, cool!” She remarked. Momo felt her heart swell.
Momo looked around to see if there was another she recognized.
“That’s the Big Dipper, but you probably already knew that.” Momo regretted pointing that one out as soon as she said it.
“Minor details. Any others?” Kyouka said without hesitation.
“Ummm…” Momo thoroughly searched the sky, looking for something familiar. She scanned the slowly, pleading with starry expanse to show another constellation so she wouldn't disappoint Kyouka with no follow-up constellation. Then, she spotted the familiar wide W shape hidden amongst the stars.
”Oh!” Momo, excited about her discovery, pointed quickly at the arrangement of stars. ”That W shape is Cassiopeia!”
”Yo! That’s cool!” Momo could feel her cheeks start to heat up. She felt complimented, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that her rooftop companion was just making small talk.
Both girls fell silent, the distant sound of frogs and crickets mixing with the rhythm of their breathing. The longer the silence was stretched, the more Momo couldn’t stand it. It felt thick, dense, like a wall between them that she so desperately wanted to climb but couldn’t even begin to figure out how to.
A part of her wanted to frantically tell the shorter teen beside her all of the thoughts and feelings she had about her. All of the hopes and dreams and desires.
It seemed so easy to do. And this was the perfect place and time to do it. They were alone, together, under the stars. So why couldn’t she?
“We don’t actually know each other that well, do we?” Kyouka’s sudden inquiry caught Momo off-guard.
“No, I… I guess we do not…” It’s not like I’m that interesting of a person, though.
Momo was expecting a response, a prompt from Kyouka, but was met with silence. She didn’t want to share that much about herself since most of it wasn’t that exciting, but her curiosity of Kyouka was getting the better of her. She had cast a line, and Momo fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.
Being the bland person she was, she suggested the first thing she thought of. “How about a game of truth or dare?”
Her proposition was followed by a second of silence, and then a second of pure regret. In a heated frenzy, Momo stuttered, “I mean, we don’t have- I just thought- you were right and- about us not knowing each other- and that was the first thing I thought of-“
“I’m down.” As always, Kyouka’s response was short and sweet (just like her).
“O-okay!” Momo replied with a little too much enthusiasm, eager to learn about the girl beside her, She cleared her throat and adopted a calmer approach. “Should I go first? Since I proposed the game.”
“Sure,” Kyouka replied, leaning back on her elbows for a more reclined position.
That’s when the flaw Momo had ignored became the harsh reality.
She had never actually played truth or dare before.
She knew it was a stereotypical sleepover game, but her sheltered upbringing left little to no opportunity for friendly sleepovers. But she couldn’t just back out of going first now. She just had to try her best! She cautiously started taking her turn. “Okay… A truth… Oh! A truth about me is-”
“Hold on, Momo.” Momo stopped, knowing that she probably was playing the game wrong. “You’ve never played truth or dare, have you.” Oh God, she knew. Momo instantly wanted to collapse in on herself, to disappear into her own personal dimension where she’d never have to interact with Kyouka again. A girl as cool as she was wouldn’t wanna hang around someone who didn’t even know how to play a basic party game.
“I- yes, I haven’t played this game before…” She laughed, half because she felt like an idiot and half to try and ease the tension coiling in her chest. “I just- I’ve heard about it and how it’s a fun sleepover game that helps you bond with your compatriots.” She tucked her hands in her sweater sleeves to keep from pulling all the grout out of the cracks. “Maybe you should go first.”
“Alright.” She interlocked her hand and stretched them outwards. “Let me show you how it’s done,” she said with a smile. “Momo, truth or dare?”
Was she supposed to pick? “Uh… Truth?”
“What’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done? And you gotta answer honestly.”
Momo immediately knew what it was, as it’s been haunting her ever since she did it. She sighed, not too happy to be digging up old feelings of guilt. “When I was younger, there was this girl at my private school. She was very outgoing and tried to socialize with me often. One day, she asked if she could come over to my house, but just thinking about how much energy it took to interact with her was tiring me out, so… I might’ve lied and told her that my mother wanted me to stay and practice piano that day and that we couldn’t meet up…” Momo seldom lies, so lying to someone who meant no ill just because Momo didn’t feel like hanging out? Inexcusable.
“That’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done?”
“Y-yes?” Momo said hesitantly.
“Oh, Momo, honey.” Momo’s cheeks began to darken from a mix of regret and the use of a pet name. “You’re such an angel.”
“Wha- are you saying what I did wasn’t extremely rude of me? I lied to someone for my own selfish reasons! That’s unjustifiable…” She turned her gaze even further away from Kyouka, embarrassment harassing her face.
“I’ve literally done the exact same thing.” Momo started at Kyouka’s hand on her shoulder, her posture stiffening at the contact. She turned back towards the girl at her side. “Hell, I’ve done the exact same thing to people in our class .”
“But… no one in our class deserves such treatment…” Especially the people Kyouka hung around. They were all so delightful to be around.
“Eh, I’m more antisocial than you think I am.” Kyouka returned to her forward-facing position. “Besides, it’s not like you insulted her or outright told her you didn’t want to hang out or be friends. You told a lie to keep from hurting her. Really, that’s a good thing. So what if you didn’t feel up to it that day? You shouldn’t feel obligated to bend yourself to fit other people’s needs. Everyone deserves to be a little selfish.” Momo wanted to refute, but she couldn’t find a fault in her statement. “I think what you did was a good thing. Good for her feelings and your mental health,” Kyouka stated triumphantly. The guilt in her stomach slowly subsided as Momo thought about this.
She laughed. “You know, for someone who’s supposed to be smart, I clearly didn’t think about that…”
“Nah, you’re plenty smart.” Momo blushes (again) at her comment. “But don’t worry about lying to that girl. Besides, it’s in the past either way.”
“That is true…”
“Enough about that, though. Let’s continue the game,” Kyouka said with a smile. Momo had almost forgotten they were playing a game…
“So, I ask you ‘truth or dare’?”
“Yeah. And then if I pick truth, you gotta ask me a question that I have to answer honestly. If I pick dare, you dare me to do something. Make sense?”
“I think so.” Momo still felt embarrassed that she made it seem like she knew how to play when she actually didn’t, but the fact that Kyouka wasn’t making a big deal out of it was nice. “Kyouka… Truth or dare?”
The relaxed teen next to her took a couple of seconds to think. “How about truth? An eye for an eye, as they say.”
Momo couldn’t help but laugh at the debatably incorrect use of that saying. Kyouka crosses her legs in front of her, bringing pressure off of her elbows.
“Okay, how about this? Your truth is: why did you want to study math with me? You seemed pretty fluent in the current subject already.”
To Momo’s surprise, she saw Kyouka’s eyes widen and a touch of pink arise to her cheeks. In place of an answer, Kyouka laughed nervously and rested her chin in her hands, blocking Momo from her periphery.
“I- uhh- I just wanted to spend… time reviewing!” She dropped her hands and turned towards Momo with a smile on her face. “Yeah! I wasn’t sure if I had to topic down or not, so I wanted your advice to see if I actually knew the topic,” Kyouka admitted with a small laugh.
“Oh! That makes sense,” Momo agreed with a soft smile. It’s nice that she was putting such an effort into her schoolwork. She didn’t take her as someone who tried hard to earn good grades.
“Alright, alright. Your turn.” Kyouka turned so she was sitting facing Momo. “Truth or dare?”
“Mmm… Dare.”
“Ooh, switching it up, I see. Luckily, I already got a dare in mind.” The fact that she had one prepared surprised Momo. “You need to let me braid your hair at some point. Or maybe let Mina do it. She’s probably better at braiding than me…”
“That’s all?” Momo thought there would’ve been more to the dare.
“Yeah.”
“You could’ve just asked me instead of using a dare on it.”
“I mean, I guess so… but we didn’t know each other that well and I didn’t want to come off as weird…” And then for the second time this night, Momo saw Kyouka’s face darken slightly as she pulled her lips together and dropped her gaze towards her lap. Seeing Kyouka blush was such a jarring sight, but it was so captivating at the same time. The pink that spread across her cheeks was in contrast to her dark hair and pale skin, which made her blush more obvious. It was endearing how flustered she was, especially since Momo had never seen her blush before today.
Momo giggled. “Either way, the answer is yes, you can braid my hair.”
Kyouka smiled, pink slowly fading from her cheeks. “I’ll probably cash that in at the next movie night. Or maybe tonight, if we’re awake enough.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Momo said cheekily. She was slightly taken aback by how relaxed she felt. She was literally two feet from the girl she’s had a huge crush on for multiple months, and she hadn’t broken down or seriously embarrassed herself yet. Her stomach tensed, bringing a familiar sense of nervousness to her muscles as she thought of that fact. She tried her hardest to not let her anxiety show on her face as she’d done so often before.
“Okay, okay. My turn.”
“Of course. Truth or dare?”
“Let’s go back to learning things about each other. Truth.”
Momo had forgotten that that was the original reason she suggested this game. “Okay, your truth is: what’s a bad habit you have?”
“I would probably say picking at my fingernails.” She extended her hands. Her nails were indeed very short, especially compared to Momo’s long, glossy nails. “After playing bass for so many years, it bugs me when my nails are longer than a certain length.”
“How long have you been playing bass?” Kyouka rested one of her hands on her ankles once more, using the other one to help count years.
“Mmm, technically, I’ve been playing for around 8 years, but five of those years were simultaneously spent on the upright bass since my middle school had an orchestra.”
If she’s been playing bass for 8 years, then… “You started playing bass when you were eight?”
“Yeah,” she reminisced. “I’ve been playing guitar even longer.”
Jeez, how much more talented could she get? Momo mused, impressed. She was almost afraid to ask, but her curiosity was stronger. “How long have you been playing guitar, then?”
“Probably close to 11 years.” She chuckled. “I wasn’t any good for a long time since I was a literal toddler, but I fell in love with music around that age.”
Momo was stunned. She was playing the guitar before she was even in grade school? “I must say I’m impressed. I’ve been playing piano for many years, but nothing like you.”
Kyouka lit up, her head centering once again. “You can play the piano?” Kyouka exclaimed.
“Yes, to an extent.” She felt nostalgic. She hasn’t played the piano since she started the school year.
“Oh, dude, you gotta show me sometime.”
”If you insist.” Momo chuckled nervously. “I didn’t take you to be the type who enjoyed classical music.”
“Eh.” Kyouka shrugged. “I don’t hate it. But,” she held up a finger, “I do enjoy a talented musician. So it balances out to a yes.” She smiled, and Momo’s heart skipped a beat. She smiled anD CALLED ME TALENTED.
“I’m not that talented…” She tried to focus on the horizon instead of the musician in front of her, the distant tail lights blurring together. “There are plenty of pianists who have mastered the craft in ways I’ll never be able to.”
Kyouka laughed. “You’re still better than me!” She elbowed Momo playfully in the arm.
Momo’s stomach was slowly knotting as she continued being in the spotlight. “Enough about me. What other instruments do you play?” She was genuinely curious. The question wasn’t just a ploy to take her crush’s eyes off of her, although that was a bonus.
Kyouka buzzed her lips with a sigh as she turned her head towards the sky. “Uhhh… Well, you already know I play the bass and guitar…”
“Yes,” Momo agreed.
“I also know some ukulele…” She was counting on her fingers as she listed them. “Drums… Except I’m not very good at them.” She chuckled and fell silent. Momo could see the hesitation in her stature. “I also, uh- I played clarinet for a while… But I haven’t recently…” She rubbed the back of her neck slightly. “Don’t tell Kaminari though. He’ll never let me live that down.” She chuckled again. The same chuckle as before after she mentioned she wasn’t that talented of a drummer. It was saturated with embarrassment and reluctance; two things that Momo didn’t believe should accompany a talent.
An idea slipped into Momo’s mind and she couldn’t help but smile wide out of spontaneous excitement. “I know a lovely duet we could play if you still possess your clarinet!” She paused, realizing her folly. “That is if you’re at all interested in playing classical music.”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” Kyouka said with a smirk. “I didn’t not like the classical stuff back when I still played. Either way, I’d still love to hear you play, and if a duet is a way to get that then I’d play with you every day.”
Kyouka’s comment made Momo falter for a second, but her overly precise mind pushed the lingering remark aside. “The piece I had in mind was Saint-Saëns’ Clarinet Sonata, Opus 167. It’s technically a clarinet sonata instead of a duet, but I would still love being your accompanist,” she said with a smile. The melody of the piece faded into Momo’s head, and the thought of playing that beautiful piece with this wonderful, talented girl made Momo melt inside.
Kyouka let out a breathy laugh. “I do hope you know I barely know the difference between a duet and a sonata,” she joked, lying back on the hard concrete of the roof with an amiable smile. “I’ll have to look it up. I’m probably pretty rusty though, so buckle up.”
Momo turned her body sideways, legs stacked and bent to the side. She instantly had an insouciant comment on how that would be expected after a long period of time without practice prepared in her mind, but the response died before it could leave her throat.
The way Kyouka looked at this angle was… stunning. Unlike before, her coarse, dark hair was diffracting a nearby streetlight in a way that made the indigo tint of her hair stand out even more against the inky backdrop of the night sky. As a calm breeze passed through, she took a slow breath and gently closed her eyes, relaxing for a moment. Her smile softened further and her lips parted slightly. Momo could feel an unidentifiable force pulling her towards them as this one serene moment stretched into a lifetime. The music in her head was silenced by the sudden desire to move above Kyouka, hands parallel to her undefiled neck. To lower her head until her lips met the ones in front of her. To let hands wander; hers or Kyouka’s. To tell her--
“You getting tired, Momo?”
Momo’s eyes snapped open. Kyouka was now propped up on her elbows looking worriedly towards Momo. The truth of what she was thinking about started to weigh on Momo’s mind and she felt her face ignite in a blaze of self-consciousness as her thoughts were caught in an avalanche. What was I just thinking about oh god I’m horrible I can’t even interact with her normally without thinking about something completely uncalled for. How long was I just staring at her like that?. She coughed slightly to clear the lump forming in her throat. “Y-yes, a little bit,” she put a couple of fingers to her lips in a futile attempt to impede whatever thoughts may try to leave her head. “It’s, uh- It’s also a tad cold out here, don’t you think?” She looked towards Kyouka in preparation for her response but was met only by her wide eyes.
The two girls maintained eye contact for a brief moment before Kyouka blinked and replied, “Yeah, it is,” and looked out towards the tree line in the distance. Momo followed suit, bringing her knees up and towards her chest.
She needed to get her feelings under control and soon. This was getting very much out of hand. “Where were we in the game?” she questioned.
“Uhhh, I think it was your turn to answer?” Kyouka replied.
“I cannot believe you kissed a frog.”
“I was young!” Momo laughed a little. “I guess I was impressionable enough, too.”
Kyouka laughed through her teeth, leaning forward and hitting the ground with her hands. “Let’s go find a frog. I bet your prince will actually appear this time,” she teased.
Momo gasped incredulously. “As if I would want a prince,” she huffed exaggeratedly.
Kyouka released her laugh this time instead of holding it in. She sighed. “Fair, fair. I’ve had my fair share of ‘princes’,” she emphasized this with air quotes, “and none of them were what they were cracked up to be.” She rolled her eyes and looked towards the tree line in front of them.
Momo looked up towards the moon as this break came to their conversation. Wait a second... "I just realized," she mused, "that we came up here to watch the meteor shower." She couldn't help but be a little sad they missed it. Or maybe they couldn't see them from where they were located either way.
"Huh, I guess you're right. We were too caught up in our conversation evidently."
"Well, it's probably too late to see them now." She stretched a little bit, which pulled a yawn from her lungs. She realized she didn’t quite know how long they’ve been up here. “Shall we turn in for the night?” she offered. She heard Kyouka shift beside her.
“Sure,” she said softly. Momo didn’t want the evening to end yet but she wasn’t sure if she could bear being next to the person she’s hopelessly smitten with. It was also actually quite chilly in her opinion, and getting a good amount of sleep is important.
“Before we leave, there’s something I want to give you.”
Momo turned to face Kyouka. “Wha-”
Within a moment, lips met hers.
Momo’s eyes widened in surprise but then fell shut. It was so… soft. Compared to Kyouka’s rugged, edgy personality, her lips were so soft and warm. Momo felt the tension release from her back as she let the sensation of Kyouka’s lips on hers flood every single one of her senses.
Her vision was dark, but it was not daunting.
The scent of Kyouka’s shampoo replaced the distant evergreens and gasoline. It wasn’t fruity, but it still smelled feminine. Exactly like her.
Instead of the gentle wind blowing past her ears, all Momo heard was the lack of breath between them. The silence was riveting.
The hard concrete beneath Momo’s legs faded away. All she could feel was the heat radiating from Kyouka’s knee and face. The world outside the two of them became numb.
They were both still for a moment, a sense of belonging overtaking the vastness of the outdoors.
Momo felt her hand gently stir, yearning to close the gap between them. Her thoughts earlier had been so bold but now she was timid in her actions like she was approaching a wild rabbit, afraid to scare it off. She let it begin to fulfill its wish, but Kyouka slowly pulled away, leaving Momo’s hand hanging in the air, inches away from the smaller girl’s cheek. Kyouka quietly releasing the breath she was holding.
Momo was static, afraid to move and lose the lingering feeling of Kyouka’s slightly chapped lips pressed against hers. Her heart began aching, already nostalgic for how peaceful she made her feel. She let her hand fall to her lap, her eyes still locked into her companion’s entrancing, wide-eyed gaze. So many questions raced through her head. She broke the silence as she tried to force any of the multitudes of thoughts she was having. “I- I… wha…” The moon silently slipped through the canopy of clouds, reflecting off of Kyouak’s eyes with brilliance.
Suddenly, Kyouka’s breath hitched. “..’m sorry,” she choked, frantically got to her feet and raced towards the door off the roof.
“W- wait!” Momo rushed to her feet as well but stumbled a little as this is the first she’s stood in a bit. Kyouka sounded so distressed and above all the other emotions Momo was feeling right now, comforting her was at the forefront.
Kyouka swung the door off of the roof open with too much force, causing Momo to break out into a faster run. These shoes weren’t made for running but her aching feet could never overcome the strong desire to absolve whatever was plaguing her. She slipped by the door as it closed and grabbed the railing as she hurried down the staircase. The unwarranted panic in her chest spiked as she almost missed a step, but she was closing the distance between the two.
“Kyouka!” she cried, reaching out as far as she could, barely reaching the collar of her shirt. She took the opportunity, gripped her shirt and tried to pull her to a stop. Kyouka fell back and Momo wrapped her arm around Kyouka’s shoulder, trying to keep her from running away. They both stumbled, almost tumbling completely, but Kyouka held onto the railing while Momo staggered the steps she was standing on. They stood for a moment; labored breaths filling the air as Momo pulled Kyouka’s shoulders into her chest, not wanting to give her a chance to run again. After a moment, one of Momo’s legs started cramping from the awkward pose she was standing in so she lowered herself to the ground, Kyouka following suit. Neither spoke. From Momo’s experience, silent comfort was the best option.
The next few moments were measured and minimized. A tear fell on to the sleeve of Momo’s sweater. Kyouka’s forearm covered her eyes. Deep breaths were taken. Messy breaths were taken. Momo closed her eyes and focused on the warmth of Kyouka’s neck.
Kyouka’s form relaxed slightly after a moment. “Fuck,” she swore softly. “I’m so sorry… ‘bout everything.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“I can’t believe I kissed you. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think it through at all like an idiot .”
“...please, don’t be sorry.” Kyouka’s chest tensed. Momo felt her throat closing up. It felt like her body was telling her to stop, to not reveal her feelings she’s tried so hard to keep buried, but she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t bring herself to keep this from the girl she was holding in her arms. Kyouka tilted her head up and made eye contact with Momo. Her bloodshot eyes were contrasted by her smeared eyeliner. She sniffled, and then quickly turned her head to the side as her eyes began to water again. It hurt so much to see her in distress like this. “Please,” Momo pleaded as burning tears began to fall onto her already heated cheeks. “I don’t know how you haven’t figured it out already if I am quite honest. I have a terrible poker face.” Momo laughed dryly, and a small, sad smile pulled Kyouka’s lips thin. A feeling of solicitude tore the air from her lungs. She instinctively began to close in on herself and brought Kyouka’s small frame with her, placing her temple against Kyouka’s own.
“What do you mean?” Kyouka croaked.
“I mean I have wanted to kiss you for months now. For what feels like years.” Her eyelashes grew heavy with tears. "I have wanted, for so long, to be by your side, to listen to your stories and your music... everything about you, I have yearned for. I could never bring myself to tell you how I felt because I did not want to lose what little we had together.” Momo leaned into the girl below her even more, holding on to her like she was a hat in a windstorm.
Chilled hands grabbed the sides of Momo’s head and brought her forehead up to rest on Kyouka’s. “Then I guess we should make some memories together, huh?” Even as cold as her hands were, it was the warmest Momo had felt all night. She smiled as a few final tears fell up the bridge of her nose.
“I would love to,” she whispered. Kyouka released Momo's head from her hold and wiped the tears from Momo's cheeks as they stared deep into each other's eyes. Momo's seen her eyes up close a multitude of times tonight and yet, they're just as mesmerizing as always.
"Are you okay?" Kyouka asked after a moment.
Momo chuckled. "I should be asking you that, you know."
"I asked you first, though."
Momo couldn't help but smile at her playful banter. "I'm fine. Are you okay?"
"I'm great," she confided as she smiled softly.
“...hey, Momo?”
“Yes?”
“Can I kiss you?”
She laughed. “Of course you can.”