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There weren’t many days during soccer season that Momo got to just stay home. Her time always divided into three: Sana, school, and sports. Sometimes if she was lucky school and Sana would mix though if she’s being honest the studying never lasted too long. Thankfully though Sana was patient, knowing if Momo had time she wouldn't spend it doing anything else or at least not without her around.
Now it was late on a Sunday, one of the only days that she got off from everything else. Both of them probably needing to get some rest for their morning classes but it was pretty obvious neither had any intentions of moving just yet. Momo sat on the floor between the younger’s legs, as sana sat behind her with her back against the bed frame. They had stayed in all day, away from the rest of the world, trying to get back some time that had been taken during the weekend tournament Momo had played in.
“Do you remember our first date?” Sana asked randomly, running her fingers through the older’s hair to undo the braid she had been working on for the past ten minutes.
“Of course, do you?” Momo countered hearing as Sana laughed softly from behind her before turning a bit and raising a brow.
“Obviously I do, I was just checking to make sure you did too.” The younger explained, pushing at her shoulder so she would turn back before gently grabbing at her soft brown hair again.
“I’m sure I could recite the entire day clearly without messing up if you wanted me to.” Momo replied, earning another laugh from her girlfriend as she started a new braid.
“Tell me.” Smiling to herself Momo thought for a second, trying to decide where she wanted to start from.
“Well I was a nervous wreck, it took me about two weeks before I could even walk up to you and ask, and when I finally did I stuttered like crazy before finally getting the words out.” She began, replaying the event in her head and internally cringing at her past self.
“Your laugh was so cute after I said yes and then-” Sana let out with another laugh as Momo rolled her eyes, stopping her before she could continue on.
“Anyways, I thought I was the one telling the story.” She responded, not wanting to relive any of the embarrassing memories the younger was bound to bring up.
“You were wearing that…
( It would be a lie to say there wasn’t a bone in her body that felt like it was going to explode from nervousness. She had no idea what dates were like, she had never even been on one let alone asked someone on one before.
She stood outside of Sana’s resident hall, the sun already setting as part of her felt bad that she hadn’t been able to find any other time during the day for their date. Wondering if Sana had meant what she said about not caring when they went on it.
“Hi.” She heard the familiar voice say softly, making her flinch before turning around.
“Hi...you uh...you look...beautiful.” She spoke slowly, as she looked Sana over. The younger instantly smiling at the compliment.
“You do too...It’s nice seeing you in something other than sweats and a hoodie. I was starting to think you didn’t own anything else.” Sana joked and Momo stilled for a second as she heard her laugh, getting lost in the sound before realizing she should probably say something back.
“I uh...yeah, I figured that wouldn't be very appropriate for the occasion.” She tried, feeling herself melt away as Sana just smiled back at her.
“So I uh...I know I was the one to bring this up and I should have probably planned something but I’m not too familiar with everything around here yet and I don’t want to take you somewhere that’s bad, which I don’t think will happen but still you never know and-” Momo continued getting Sana to smile as she rambled out the mess of words, the younger stepping towards her and gently grabbing at one of her hands.
“I know this really pretty spot my best friend and I went to our first night here, it’s kinda far but I think you’ll like it.” Sana asked, silencing her with the sudden actions and all Momo could pull herself to do was nod before allowing Sana to guide the way.
They ended up in front of the ocean, sat in the sand with a bag full of different snacks that they had picked up on the way. Watching as the waves crashed not too far from their feet. The moon shining against the water, allowing for both to have a better view of the one next to them.
“So how long have you been playing soccer.” The younger asked suddenly as she grabbed for a bag of chips from the bag, popping one into her mouth before passing the bag to the older.
“Since I could walk basically, though I'm sure I've always had a ball at my feet.” Momo answered accepting the chips as she happily ate them.
“Did you always know you wanted to play then.” Sana continued, unintentionally getting Momo to smile at the thought.
“Definitely. There's nothing else I've ever been so passionate about…Did you know you always wanted to be a teacher.” Momo replied looking beside her as Sana finished chewing with a small nod.
“My parents home schooled me until high school, so I didn’t get much of the public school experience everyone around me did. Part of me thinks that’s why, but I also just really want to work with kids.” The younger explained as she looked through the bag for something else.
“What was that like, being home schooled for so long.” Momo continued surprised at the new information.
“It had its ups and downs. A lot of the time it was really quiet, but I also got to have my own schedule every day so if I wasn’t up for doing anything I didn’t have to…what’s it like playing in front of big crowds.” Sana replied, tasting the new bag of chips before shaking her head and handing it over to Momo who just laughed.
“Honestly that’s a hard question...I don’t think I really notice the crowd when I’m playing...Though I do get nervous if I know that someones watching me in the stands, which probably doesn’t make sense. But my senior year was pretty hard with scouts watching...what grade do you want to teach.” She answered not liking the chip bag either as she placed it next to the first discard one and grabbed for something else.
“Kindergarten. Everyone always thinks I'm crazy for it, saying why would I want to look after kids that young all day, but it’s in those years that are really impacting on a child for the rest of their life basically. Why wouldn’t I want to be that person, you know...Why did you decide to leave home and go to school here.” It took Momo a second to reply, taking in the younger's reasoning as she looked at her. Quickly looking away as Sana net her eyes
“Oh uh...I knew Jeongyeon and a few of the other girls from club tournaments and all the staff were really welcoming when I came for a tour, I guess it was just an easy transition though being far from home was the one downside...why did you decide to come here.” She finally got out looking back at the water while trying not to listen to the way Sana softly laughed at her for not being able to hold eye contact.
“Well, if we’re being honest…I just wanted to get away from my parents. Which sounds rude because I left the county when I could’ve just gone to school outside of Osaka but I think I needed it. I was too sheltered as my best friend would say, though it’s funny because she followed me here...why’d...why’d you ask me out tonight.” The younger questioned, watching as Momo snapped her head back around to look at her. A small smile making its way onto her lips and Momo hated how her heart skipped a few beats.
“You don’t have to answer, I’ve sensed I make you kinda nervous sometimes.” Sana boldly added, making Momo shake her head as she looked down at the sand below her with a soft sigh. Neither said anything more for a moment, the sound of the waves and the very few people walking around them keeping the world from falling into a full silence.
“You're smart...like really smart. You always answer questions beyond what I'm sure the rest of us are able to comprehend sometimes, and while some may think it makes you weird I find it attractive. You're also really nice, and you take things slow when we do group projects when you could just do everything on your own instead of having to wait until the last minute to turn everything in. And you have a really beautiful smile, when you laugh it fills up your whole face and your eye’s do this thing I can't really explain. And I don’t know, ever since we met you’ve just made things easy. Like tonight, I’m sure you’d rather have gone out during the day instead of after dark but you understood it was the only free time I’d have this week so you waited...I could go on but I’d rather hear why you agreed.” Momo rambled feeling as Sana looked over at her halfway through her full on ramble and it only made her more nervous than she already was.
“You like my smile?” Sana asked quietly, getting Momo to look back at her with a sighing laugh.
“Yes, and a lot of other things too.” She replied feeling her insides jumble up as her heart continued to skip past a few beats.
“I uh...I saw you on our first day of class. You were in the hall staring off randomly as we all waited for the professor to arrive. And when we were all going in you held the door open for everyone and sat in the back row by yourself. When we got put together for the first group project everyone joked around about you being just another dumb athlete but you did the most work out of all of them. I guess I like that you aren’t what everyone makes you out to be and you also don’t seem to care...And you also have a cute laugh.” The younger spoke, liking the way Momo’s skin became bright with blush.
This went on for a couple more hours, getting lost in asking and answering questions before being snapped back to reality as Sana’s roommate texted when she’d be coming back. The clock on her phone way past midnight as they both just laughed helping each other up from the sand after gathering all the half eaten snacks.
Somewhere in the walk to her car they had laced hands, Momo not too sure who initiated it though she had a feeling it wasn’t her with how fast her heart began to beat. The drive back to the younger’s dorm better than the drive to the beach. Both of them actually talking instead of getting engulfed in an awkward silence with only the radio acting as background noise again.
“You don’t have to walk me to the door.” Sana let out as they followed the familiar path to the front of the residential hall, and the older just shrugged mentaly deciding she wasn’t going to let Sana walk back in the dark at such an hour by herself.
“But now you’ll have to walk back to your car alone.” The younger tried again, making Momo smile.
“True, but if someone tries to attack me I'll just kick them in the shin’s. I’m pretty good at it.” She replied, getting Sana to laugh as they finally reached the front doors to the hall.
“Will you...Can you text me when you get home, so I know you weren’t actually attacked.” Sana asked as they stood facing each other, similar to when they had met early that evening.
“Of course.” She answered, feeling fluttery at the request as both of them awkwardly stood there waiting to see if there were anything more the other wanted to say.
“I uh...I had a really good time tonight, and I’m sorry again that I didn’t know where to go and that I couldn’t have been here earlier. I’ll definitely figure it out next time.” Momo continued feeling the guilt seep back in as she thought about how late it already was, though Sana quickly began to shake her head.
“It’s okay, I know soccer keeps you busy but I’ll be looking forward to next time...I like picnics and movies.” The younger informered with a small smile, Momo making sure to keep note of it as she nodded back, unable to keep herself from smiling shyly.
“I’ll see you in class Monday.” Sana added with a small wave before turning around slowly and walking inside. Leaving a happy Momo in her spot as she tried to contain the little girl like giggles building up inside her before she too turned around, nearly tripping on the sidewalk as she walked back to her car.)
...and then I went home and texted you about how I fought off like five guys by myself and you laughed at me before saying I needed to get some rest.” Momo finished, only now noticing that the hands in her hair had stopped moving, making her turn back around to see what Sana was doing.
“Why’d you stop.” She asked, confused as to why Sana was just staring back at her with an expression she couldn’t quite read.
“You...you remember all of that.” Sana asked, ignoring the older’s question which only added to Momo’s confusion as she turned the rest of her body around to face her.
“Uh, yeah. Why wouldn’t I.” She replied, not understanding what the big deal was or why Sana was now looking at her so weirdly.
“I don’t know, we just never talk about it I guess...but you really remember.” The younger continued, reaching across and pulling at the front of Momo’s shirt so she’d be close again.
“Yes I remember, I remember how stale all the chips were when I got home because we opened them all and didn’t eat more than one bite. I remember falling when we were walking up the sand back to my car and you laughing at me before falling too and how we just sat there for like five minutes trying to stop laughing. I remember...I remember thinking I didn’t want the night to end because I was afraid you’d get tired of waiting around for me.” Momo explained, moving to sit next to her girlfriend against the bed frame. Resting her head on Sana’s shoulder as she wrapped her arm around one of the younger’s before sliding her hand down to lace them together.
“Funny because now you can’t get rid of me even if you tried.” Laughing she just looked up at her, getting lost in that smile she loves so much before leaning in to kiss her lips. Groaning when Sana smiled against her before pulling back a bit.
“You have class tomorrow.” The younger let out, her hand on Momo's shoulder acting as the only barrier to keep the older away before she moved to stand on her feet.
“Which means you should get some rest if you don’t want to be all grumpy before class.” Sana added, holding her hands out and laughing softly at how Momo groaned again before accepting her help up.
They both ended up under the older’s comforter, Momo pushing herself into Sana’s arms as she felt the younger’s fingertips find her scalp again. It was something they both knew would get her to fall asleep quickly and Sana just smiled to herself as she thought of how easy it was for Momo to recall their date so vividly. Loving how she never ceased to make her heart to things she never felt before…