Chapter Text
***
Driving to the airport at the crack of dawn was so not something Dahyun wanted to do that Sunday morning, but for her best friend? Of course she’d do it.
Dahyun and Momo lived together in a small simple apartment in the suburbs. It was not too far from their campus nor too close for their liking. They were juniors in college and just started to actually feel like adults.
Dahyun yawned and rubbed her tired eyes as the two drove down the highway. Momo just flew back in from her summer internship. She was lucky enough to have the opportunity but it also meant she spent the summer across the country, away from her best friend. There were two weeks before the fall semester started so Momo was definitely talking to make up for their lost time apart.
“I still can’t believe I was surrounded by so many idiots. I don’t even smoke cigarettes but those people made me want to smoke.” Momo sighed dramatically.
Dahyun chuckled softly, “You’re back home, don’t worry. No more idiots,” The older Korean woman paused and corrected herself, “Well at least none in the house. You and I both know there are plenty of idiots on campus.”
“I can never catch a break.” Momo rubbed her temples, causing Dahyun to laugh loudly.
Dahyun merged onto the exit routinely. She listened intently to Momo’s various internship stories. They talked to each other practically everyday while they were apart yet somehow Dahyun missed so much. If it weren’t so early in the morning, she would definitely be a lot more talkative and engaging. Now, she was just listening to Momo and nodding along.
Momo stretched her hands in front of her and sighed, “I’m so hungry. Please tell me there’s food at home.”
“You’re going to be mad-”
Momo quickly put her hand up, silencing the knowing answer, “Don’t even finish that sentence. Just go to the shopping center.”
Dahyun smiled and flashed her turn signal. A couple blocks away from their house was a little quaint shopping center. Not many things were open at the hour but a fast food restaurant. Dahyun knew Momo had spent months without a home cooked meal. She would have to hold out for just a little longer because it was way too early to start cooking.
The older Korean woman pulled into the parking lot. She parked the car and sighed deeply. The fatigue was starting to settle in. Momo turned to Dahyun and raised her brow, “No drive-thru? You want me to go in?”
“Momo.” Dahyun’s voice was sharp, in her naturally motherly stern tone made Momo throw her hands up defensively.
Momo exited the car and turned, leaning against the passenger side window, “Do you want anything-”
“ Momo. ”
“Alright, alright . Sheesh, remind me to never wake you up this early,” Momo tapped the door frame light and pointed her fingers at her friend, “Get out and stand up, at least. You’re about to fall asleep behind the wheel. You know I can’t drive home.”
Dahyun rubbed her face and groaned, “We literally live three blocks away!”
Her cries fell to deaf ears because Momo had already made her way to the fast food restaurant doors. Dahyun sighed once again and opened the driver door. As much as she hated to admit it, Momo was right. Dahyun was teetering the thin line of being awake and dead asleep to the world.
Thankfully, it was a warm summer morning. The pink and orange colors of the sky peaked through in the distance. The day was starting in the city and Dahyun sighed. She definitely didn’t get enough sleep the night before. Life was starting to pick up a lot quicker than she expected. Dahyun leaned against the car door and crossed her arms. At least the sunrise was beautiful.
Dahyun took her phone out from her sweatpants pocket. She was ready to take multiple pictures of the sky but stopped at the sound of ruffling nearby. Dahyun slowly lowered the device and furrowed her brow. She listened closer and the sound of ruffling was now accompanied by whimpering and whining.
Dahyun’s eyes roamed around the nearly empty parking lot. The rummaging sound continued. Her eyes wandered around before landing at the back doors of the fast food restaurant. Below the filthy staircase were an assortment of trash bags along the gravel. Between two large black trash bags was a small light brown creature. Its tiny body was wedged between the bags, rummaging through the garbage.
Dahyun squinted her eyes and slowly made her way towards the back. In her better, more awake, judgment she definitely would have not approached the noises. In her sleep deprived mind, something was pulling her towards the commotion.
To her surprise, rather than be met with a life threatening creature, the head of a small puppy popped up from between the trash bags. The brown puppy turned and tilted its head at Dahyun. The fear in Dahyun’s heart was now replaced with a cooing adoration.
The puppy’s floppy ears hung on both sides, complimenting its shiny deep brown eyes. The small dog was absolutely adorable. Dahyun smiled softly and bent down closer to the dog, “Hi baby.”
The puppy hesitantly approached Dahyun with its tail between its legs. Dahyun put her hand cautiously in front of it, allowing it to smell her hand. The dog sniffed her hand and gave her hand one small unsure lick. Dahyun’s smile widened and she now rubbed the dog’s head. The small dog leaned into her hand and its tail wagged happily.
“What are you doing in the trash? You must be starving.” Dahyun’s eyes jumped around the bags. The small bit of trash the dog managed to get through was nothing but rubbish. Paper cups, paper wrappers, plastic straws and tops.
The sound of her name being called in the distance made Dahyun’s head spin around. Momo rounded the corner with her food in hand. The Japanese woman grimaced at the trash nearby, “Dahyun, eww. What are you doing in the trash?”
“Momo did you get a hashbrown?” Dahyun didn’t even give Momo a chance to answer because her hand was already opening the brown bag.
Momo’s head jumped back astonishedly. She easily gave Dahyun the bag, “Jeez, if you’re that hungry, you know I’d share with you.”
“It’s not for me, it’s for-” Dahyun and Momo’s eyes flew down to the small puppy approaching the pair. Dahyun’s brows furrowed at the sight. The puppy limped over with its back leg dragging. Its tail wagged joyfully nonetheless.
Momo’s eyes jumped between her best friend and the small dog, “I left you alone for ten minutes and you found a puppy?”
Dahyun bent down and gently picked up the puppy, very attentive of its back leg. The brown dog easily cuddled into Dahyun’s arms. Its tail never ceased to wag as it bombarded Dahyun’s chin with little kisses.
“Something’s wrong with her leg,” Dahyun noted. She looked up at Momo, “Momo, she was digging through the trash.”
Momo quickly grabbed the hashbrown in her bag and handed it to her friend. Dahyun brought the hashbrown to the dog and watched it happily scarf it down. The two friends looked at each other, both of their hearts swelling at the small dog.
Dahyun looked at Momo, “We have to help her.”
“Dahyun.” Momo started. They both knew they were busy college students. They wouldn’t have any time for a puppy, especially since their junior year was about to start. They were going to be really starting their first steps into their careers.
Momo was ready to shut down the idea but stopped at the sight of Dahyun. Dahyun’s eyes were soft yet pleading. Momo knows Dahyun’s heart was bigger than the world itself. Especially knowing how the past semester treated Dahyun, Momo felt sympathetic. Momo had seen Dahyun bring herself further and further into her protective shell. On top of Momo leaving for the summer, she knew Dahyun had ultimately been alone. They had their friends but Dahyun was always in her head.
Now with the puppy in Dahyun’s arms, Momo could see the Dahyun she had always known. The loving person with an even bigger heart.
Momo sighed and reached over to pat the dog. The small puppy licked the palm of her and nuzzled into her touch. Dahyun and Momo looked at each other once again.
“Come on. Let’s go.” Dahyun turned and made her way to the car.
Momo followed behind her, confused, “Wait- where are we going?”
“Call Chaeyoung. Tell her to meet us in twenty.”
“Call her? It’s like six in the morning, she’s not gonna be awake-” Momo was cut off by jingling of the car keys soaring towards her. The Japanese woman stumbled but caught the keys. She stared up at her friend in confusion, “I’m driving?”
Dahyun opened the passenger door and looked over her shoulder towards her, “I can’t drive and hold the puppy.”
~~~
“God, you’re so fucking lucky I love you.” Chaeyoung murmured in her groggy sleepy voice. She took her keys out of the building’s storefront and held the door open for the pair.
Chaeyoung was one of Dahyun and Momo’s close college friends. The younger Korean girl’s family owned a small veterinary clinic that was also a pet store. Chaeyoung was a veterinary and business double major so she was automatically the first person Dahyun had thought of in the early morning.
Chaeyoung ran a tired hand through her black and blonde hair, “Welcome home Momo.”
“Thanks. The morning has definitely not been what I thought it’d be,” Momo muttered. She routinely walked towards the clinic’s glass doors and patiently waited for Chaeyoung to unlock it, “How’s business?”
“Booming.” Chaeyoung answered dryly. She shuffled through her plethora of keys and unlocked the door once more. Chaeyoung’s apartment was walking distance from the store so once she got the call, she practically sprinted over to meet her friends. In her drowsy and panicked state, she didn’t think twice and now was finally feeling the fatigue crawl back in.
Dahyun beelined to the medical table in the middle of the room. Chaeyoung and Momo followed behind. Now all three women surrounded the table. Dahyun gently put the puppy down on the stainless steel table. The brown dog looked up at all three women.
“When did you guys get a puppy?” Chaeyoung asked. The Korean woman tilted her head, staring down at it. The puppy’s head tilted, staring back at Chaeyoung.
Dahyun soothingly patted the dog’s little head, “I found her rummaging through trash. Her back leg is hurt and I didn’t know what to do.”
“We definitely could’ve had this conversation later in the day.” Chaeyoung’s tired expression was painted all over her face as she looked up at Dahyun.
A little pout made its way onto Dahyun’s face. Her eyes directed her younger friend towards the small creature. Chaeyoung hated to admit it but the small dog was adorable. Its big brown eyes were also looking at her pleadingly.
“Can you please just check the dog out?” Momo begged, her voice softened, “For Dahyun, please?”
Chaeyoung let out a deep sigh and shut her eyes. Dahyun truly never asked for much. It was the least Chaeyoung could do in comparison to how much Dahyun had done for her. The Korean woman walked over towards the sink and started washing her hands, “Do you plan on keeping the dog?”
Momo shook her head, “We just want to help it-”
“I do,” Dahyun interrupted. Her face was very firm in her stance, “Can your parents help me with the paperwork and shots?”
“Of course they will. Just not this early,” Chaeyoung smirked a playful smile, making Dahyun finally smile for the first time that hour, “Where did you find her? You said she was going through some trash?”
Chaeyoung grabbed some gloves and began routinely checking the dog’s body. No sign of any other injury beside the back leg. She was just a normal, stinky puppy. Through her fluffy fur, Chaeyoung could feel how thin she was.
Dahyun fiddled with her fingers nervously, “She was at the shopping center by the house. Momo wanted breakfast so I was waiting outside for her. The poor thing was crying and digging through trash. She must be starving.”
“That makes sense, she stinks,” Chaeyoung gently grabbed the dog’s bent up back leg. The small creature whined in pain, “I know, I know. I’m sorry. Just let me see it, okay?”
Chaeyoung examined the back leg and paw. Both Dahyun and Momo watched silently. Had it not been so early in the morning, they would have definitely commented on Chaeyoung being such a good vet. Her care for animals was naturally compassionate.
Chaeyoung nodded and began removing her latex gloves, “So thankfully, it’s nothing crazy. Her leg is fine, there’s no signs of external injury or swelling. It’s just her back paw pad. She has some small cuts and it’s burned on one of them. Nothing ointment can’t fix.”
Dahyun let out a sigh of relief. She reached over and patted the dog’s little head with a small smile on her face, “Thank you Chaeyoung. You’re a lifesaver.”
“It’s no problem at all. It’s just a relief to see you smiling again.” Chaeyoung tossed her gloves in the trash and smiled at her friend. Chaeyoung along with their other friends knew how bad depression had gotten Dahyun the previous semester. They were starting to see their old friend back once again.
Momo crossed her arms and sighed, “How much is the ointment? Do we need to get it over the counter?”
Chaeyoung shook her head, “We sell some. I’d suggest the spray and some bandages since she’s so young. She’d probably try to lick off the balm,” She looked up at her friends and raised a brow, “You do know getting a dog isn’t cheap, right? You’re gonna have to get a lot.”
“I know. I’m willing to do it. Just look at her, isn’t she just so cute?” Dahyun scratched gently behind the dog’s ears, making it close its eyes blissfully at the touch, “What do I have to get? I’ll get it all right now.”
“You need a lot, honestly,” Chaeyoung turned to the nearby sink and started washing her hands once again, “Start browsing through some stuff on the floor. I’ll meet you guys out there. I have to close up the clinic.”
Dahyun nodded, “I’ll leave her here with you. Come on Momo.”
Momo didn’t even have a chance to protest before Dahyun was dragging her out of the doors. Chaeyoung shook off her wet hands and turned to look at the puppy. The small furry creature was patiently sitting on the table, looking back at her. Chaeyoung dried her wet hands and smiled at the dog.
The Korean girl walked over and scratched under its chin, “You’re lucky Dahyun found you. Had it been anybody else, I’d still be asleep by now,” She leaned in closely, playfully whispering in a volume only the two of them could hear, “But that’s okay because I’m going to make her buy the expensive dog food as punishment. Lucky you, little one.”
The puppy licked the palm of Chaeyoung’s hand, making her smile widen. She gently picked up the dog and shut the lights off in the clinic.
~~
Dahyun and Momo sat in a comfortable silence on the ride back home. The back seat had multiple bags of essential items for the small dog. Dahyun couldn’t afford much but she got what she could. Momo glanced over at Dahyun and the dog.
Dahyun repeatedly pet the dog’s head in a comforting manner. The dog looked so small laid out in her lap. Momo sighed and continued to look forward. Momo wasn’t a huge pet person. She didn’t want to cause a fight and argue with Dahyun about it. She didn’t necessarily mind pets in the house but she wasn’t the biggest fan.
Dahyun stared down at the dog lovingly, “Chaeyoung said she was a Japanese akita. I wonder what you’re doing out here, little one.”
“You know, you’re going to have to eventually give the thing a name. You and Chaeyoung have been calling her little one since we found her,” Momo quickly glanced at the dog and back at the road ahead, “She looks like a cookie. Name her Cookie.”
To both of the women’s surprise, the dog barked at the name. It wasn’t a pleasant bark either. That was the first time she had made any noise in the hours they had her.
Dahyun chuckled softly, “I’m guessing she doesn’t like the name Cookie. What about, hmm, Brooklyn?”
The puppy barked once again.
Momo put on her turn signal and turned at the light, “Maybe Chocolate?”
The puppy barked once again.
“What about Mochi?” The dog whined, “Well that was better than barking. Maybe she likes Japanese names.”
Dahyun turned to Momo expectedly. The Japanese woman turned towards her, “What?”
“Well! What are some Japanese names?”
“I don’t know. Everybody names their dogs stuff like Sakura, Akamaru, Pochi. One time these twins in kindergarten named their dog Kuru which was stupid because the dog was literally white. Now that I think about it, Satoru and Sana were pretty dumb-”
The dog started barking wildly, catching both women by surprise. The dog’s tail wagged happily and she barked more. Dahyun shushed the dog and made it lie back down, “What was that?”
“I guess she likes the name. What did I say?”
Dahyun shut her eyes and snapped, trying to reel back in the conversation, “Umm, Sakura? No, Kuru. No. No. Umm, Satoru and Sana-”
The statement caused the dog to yelp even louder. Its tail wagged at breakneck speed. The calm puppy was now lively in Dahyun’s lap. She smiled widely at Momo.
The Japanese woman shook her head, “Oh no, we are not naming the dog after that idiot who couldn’t tell the difference between black and white-”
“Is that the name you like? You like the name Sana?” Dahyun asked the dog sweetly. The dog jumped up, leaving several happy licks along Dahyun’s chin. Her tiny body moved in every which way enthusiastically. Dahyun giggled and played with the excited dog.
It was settled. Her name would be Sana.
~~~
Dahyun and Momo let out exhausted exhales as they both flopped onto the couch in their apartment. The sun shined brightly through the living room window. It was still so early in the morning and both of the women were beyond tired. They managed to bring everything upstairs and the new puppy, who was wandering around the living room curiously.
“Alright Dahyunnie, I’m going to bed. This entire morning wore me out,” Momo lifted herself up off the couch and turned to the dog, “See you later, Cookie .”
Sana immediately barked at Momo, making both of the women laugh. The dog was surprisingly very smart, it’s like she understood everything they were saying. Maybe being dog owners wouldn’t be so bad.
Momo trekked her way to her room and the fatigue somehow passed on to Dahyun. Dahyun let out a long yawn and rubbed her eyes. She glanced down at the puppy just to have innocent chocolate eyes staring right back at her.
“It’s definitely bedtime.” Dahyun pet the dog once more and headed towards her room. Little did she know, the small dog was right behind her, following her shamelessly.
The small dog liked this human. Dahyun, was it? She was nice enough to feed her and fix her aching paw. She actually managed to figure out her real name too. Had she known Dahyun and Momo would treat her like this, she’d have searched for them ages ago.
Well, except Momo. She liked to call her Cookie.
But she would possibly come around, the dog hoped. Maybe she could stay here forever and have a nice little perfect family. Just two women and her ol doggy self didn’t sound half bad.
“ Mmm, my bed at last.” Dahyun’s smooth voice brought the dog back to reality. The Korean sighed dramatically and face planted down onto her mattress.
Sana marched her way over to the mattress. After several failed leaping attempts, she finally found herself on the mattress. It was softer than she imagined. Sana’s head lifted up at the sound of soft snores. Dahyun was already fast asleep.
The small puppy turned in a little circle and made herself comfortable at the foot of the bed. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut and she too, soon after was fast asleep.
What a nice little home she’d found.
~
The sun blared through the blinds of Dahyun’s room. It was a surprisingly cooler day than most, that summer afternoon. Dahyun had woken up minutes prior and was stretching her body gently. She looked out the window and smiled at the beautiful blue sky above. Dahyun was truly grateful for the scholarship she had earned to be able to live in such a nice area. All the years of hard work and dedication truly paid off. She got herself into a good college for her music abilities. With the support of her loved ones, she felt like life was truly going her way for once.
Life had been hard the past couple months. Her and her long term boyfriend broke up mid-way through her spring semester. It just seemed like after that, life continued to dog pile onto her. She couldn’t catch a break. Then her best friend had to go away for several months, so she had to live alone. Of course, her other friends would visit her when they could, but she had truly felt so alone. They were dark times in her life but she knew this new school year would be better than the last.
It was just her luck, life was looking up and the doggy distribution system chose her. The poor dog was hurt and hungry, she just had to save it. Dahyun smiled to herself at the thought of the cute dog.
“Good Morning little one-” Dahyun stopped at the sight of a vacant floor. Her eyes jumped all around the room. There was no dog in sight.
Dahyun furrowed her brow and slowly stood up from her bed. The first day with her new pet and she had no idea where it was.
The Korean woman opened her room door and scanned the hallways. Empty as well. Her eyes stopped at the sight of a trail of flour from the dining room to the kitchen. The sound of clanking pots made her flinch. Dahyun quickly walked towards the kitchen in a panic, “Momo? Why is there flour on the floor-”
Her sentence was cut off at the ridiculous sight in the kitchen. Sana’s tiny doggy body was seated on the floor, nose and paws covered in flour. Momo’s hands and shirt were also covered in flour. The Japanese woman was bent down, pointing a scolding finger at the puppy.
Momo quickly shot up at Dahyun’s voice, “Sana did it!” She pointed a finger at the dog, clumsily dropping the egg she was holding. The fragile produce fell to the floor, cracking on impact. Sana walked over to the splatter egg, ready to lick it up.
Dahyun scurried over and scooped up the small dog before she could. A bewildered expression painted itself across her face, “What in the world is going on?”
“You tell her Sana .” Momo bucked at the small dog. Sana barked back, almost defensively.
“Momoring, she’s not going to talk.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Momo looked at her friend stupidly and pointed back at the dog, “She is smart, Dahyun. Don’t let her fool you, she’s a little weasel.”
Sana barked back Momo again, this time going to bite her finger. Momo retracted her finger, “She tried to bite me! After I just said I’d make us all lunch. You’re not getting a damn thing!”
Dahyun dusted off the flour on Sana’s nose and looked up at her friend, “So is somebody going to tell me or is it going to have to be Sana?”
The two began cleaning up the mess in the kitchen together. Dahyun put the dog down on the floor and patted her head, telling her to stay. The small dog obeyed and watched them both move around the kitchen.
Momo wiped the counter and told the almost comically ridiculous story. She was walking to the kitchen when she heard Sana scratching against Dahyun’s door. Momo let the dog out and it followed her around the kitchen. Momo had the tendency to talk out loud to herself so Sana must have heard her talk about waffles. The Japanese woman took all of the necessary ingredients and measuring cups. Sana must have gotten too excited about the food because she was jumping up trying to help. The poor small dog jumped up and accidentally knocked down the full cup of flour and the box it came in. If Momo hadn’t been cackling so hard at the sight, she would’ve stopped Sana from running around, spreading the flour further into the kitchen and dining room.
Dahyun turned to the small creature, still obediently sitting where she left her. She couldn’t help but smile. The dog seemed to have a big personality in that small body. Dahyun scooped the dog up and scratched her affectionately behind the ear. Sana’s eyes closed happily and her foot thumped at the sensation. Her tail wagged contently.
“It sounds like you’ve taken a liking to Sana.” Dahyun teased her roommate.
Momo rolled her eyes and waved her off, “Yeah yeah, whatever,” Momo glanced down at the small dog, who was already looking back at her lovingly. Momo smiled softly and pet the dog’s head, “She’s cute, I guess. Even though she made a huge mess.”
Sana barked back in protest, making both women laugh. Yeah, this dog was definitely fitting right in.
~~~
Dahyun lazily scrolled through her Netflix recommendations. It was now later in the evening, way past sunset. The two roommates decided to let themselves have a lazy day and just lounge around the house.
“There’s nothing to watch.” Dahyun grumbled to herself. She switched back to the home screen to find a different streaming service. She adjusted her head on her hand and sighed.
She settled on an old Disney movie and let her head rest on the pillow leaned up against the cushion. Sana trotted over towards Dahyun and stared at her from her small stature. She sat almost proudly with her brand new pink collar around her neck, like she was gloating.
Dahyun noticed the tiny dog and smiled, “You wanna come on the couch with me?”
Sana’s tail wagged excitedly. Her little paws alternated in her little happy stomp. Dahyun patted the spot beside her propped up arm. After several more failed leaping attempts, Sana made her way onto the couch. The small dog laid closely beside Dahyun.
“You’re definitely a cuddler. A clingy little puppy.” Dahyun noted aloud. She rubbed the dog’s head and focused on the movie on the screen. She mindlessly petted the dog as the film progressed.
Some time had passed and Momo walked up towards the front door beside the couch. She had on a loose hoodie and athletic shorts. Dahyun looked over from her movie at her friend, “Going out?”
“Just to the convenient store at the shopping center. I want some juice and we ran out,” Momo opened the door, “You need anything?”
Dahyun sat for a moment, raking through her mind and stomach for an answer, “Maybe some peach rings?”
Sana’s tail wagged happily. Dahyun laughed and patted her tiny head, calming her down, “Can you also get something small for Sana?”
“Get something for Sana? She just got here and she’s already getting spoiled!” Momo walked over to the dog and scrunched her face playfully, “You’re going to steal Dahyun from me!”
Sana playfully fought back against Momo’s bigger hand. She bit the air in a very obvious failed attempt to retaliate. Momo grabbed the dog with her one hand and lifted her high in the air, “Can’t bite me in air jail.”
The small dog squirmed around, also failing to flee from air jail. Momo laughed at the ridiculous sight. She laid the dog onto Dahyun’s chest and turned back to leave, “I’ll be back, don’t miss me too much.”
Dahyun rolled her eyes and adjusted herself so Sana could lay comfortable on her chest. The dog was small and light against her. Her tiny weight was tolerable, Dahyun didn’t mind.
Dahyun brought the cover around her legs further up, lightly covering her and Sana. The dog didn’t seem to mind as it actually calmed down from the air jail adrenaline rush. The movie continued to play on the screen and before long, Dahyun felt her eyelids slowly draw down. Soon enough, her and the small dog were fast asleep together on the couch.
~
Momo trudged up the stairs and stopped before their apartment door. Thankfully, the bag wasn’t heavy but somehow the hills near her house always wore her out. The Japanese woman sighed and reached for her keys, easily unlocking the door. The dark atmosphere of the house swallowed her back into reality, in comparison to the bright hallway.
Momo turned to close the door, locking it routinely, “They didn’t have peach rings so I bought you dried peach slices. Is that alri- HOLY SHIT!”
Momo jumped back in shock, her feet failing her as she tanked straight to the ground, bottom first. The loud commotion made Dahyun stir awake. The Korean girl squinted, half opening her eyes, “Hmm?”
“Who the hell is that?” Momo shrieked out as she crawled away from the couch terrified.
Dahyun furrowed her brow, “What are you talking abou- oof.” As Dahyun tried to lift herself up, her forehead collided with another. The Korean girl winced and held her head. Rather than be met with the small brown puppy on her chest, her eyes opened to see a woman holding her own head.
Dahyun blinked and let her sleepy eyes focus on what was before her. Now that she realized it, her chest felt a lot heavier than before. Dahyun’s sleepy eyes refocused to see a pale light haired woman with her blanket on her shoulders. She had beautifully long eyelashes and lips as pink as candy. Dahyun’s eyes studied the woman only to realize one fatal detail.
She was naked.
On top of her.
There was a naked lady on top of Dahyun.
A terrified scream ripped out of Dahyun’s throat. The Korean woman scrambled from under the woman and speedily crawled next to Momo. The two women grabbed each other tightly.
Momo looked down at Dahyun’s shaking body, her own voice shaking as well, “What the hell happened? I leave for half an hour and you’re here with some lady?!”
“I don’t know that lady!”
Momo looked at in disbelief, “You don’t know the lady??”
“No!”
“Then who the hell is she?”
“How should I know? I fell asleep watching a movie and woke up to this!” Dahyun and Momo’s head snapped back towards the woman on the couch. She rubbed her forehead, trying to alleviate the burning feeling. The woman finally looked over at the pair.
Dahyun and Momo flinched at the eye contact and held each other tighter. The light haired woman rubbed her eyes tiredly.
“How did you get in my house?” Dahyun barked out with a stern pointed finger. She tried to sound as tough as she could but her voice came out as shaky as a leaf in the wind.
The woman pointed to the door. Dahyun and Momo turned to one another once again. Momo nodded quickly, “I’m calling the police.”
The woman tilted her head in confusion. She began making her way towards Dahyun but the Korean woman screamed loudly. Her hands flew up to her face and covered her eyes, “Cover yourself! Cover yourself! Please cover yourself!”
The light haired woman flinched and retracted back to the couch. She grabbed the covers over her shoulder and wrapped her body. Momo’s eyes jumped around the room, “We have to get the hell out of here right now.”
Both women sprung up. Momo dashed for her room and Dahyun ran into the kitchen. The younger woman held her kitchen knife shakily between her two hands. She pointed it at the woman, “Don’t come near me! I won’t hesitate!”
Momo ran back into the living room, “Where the hell is Sana?”
“I’m Sana.” The woman finally spoke, her voice delicate. The two women’s heads snapped towards one another.
Dahyun’s grip tightened around the knife, “Who the hell are you? How did you get into our house?”
“I’m Sana,” The woman repeated. She lifted her hand out of the covers and pointed at the two women, “Dahyun. Momo,” She turned the finger back onto herself, “Sana.”
“This bitch has lost her mind.” Momo exasperated through a heavy breath.
The woman tilted her head, “Bitch?”
“Yes, bitch ! You! ”
“I’m not bitch. I’m Sana.” The woman repeated.
“You cannot be serious-” Dahyun stuck her arm out, cutting off Momo. The Korean woman squinted and stared harder at the woman on the couch. Peaking through the blanket, was a bright pink collar, tightly wrapped around her neck.
Dahyun silently handed the knife to Momo and slowly approached the woman. The light haired woman smiled brightly at Dahyun. Dahyun reached over and curled a finger around the collar. She quickly snapped it off the collar and turned it around examining every bit of it. Right in the middle was a small heart tag with the name Sana in the middle.
Dahyun looked over her shoulder at Momo, “This is Sana’s collar.”
“No. I’m not fucking believing that this woman is Sana. Sana is a dog . She is a full grown woman!” Momo was now nervously shaking with the knife, “If you’re Sana, where did we find you?”
“Trash.” The woman answered easily.
Dahyun turned her head back towards Sana, “Where was Sana hurt?”
The light haired woman lifted her leg, showing her left foot. At the balls of her feet were cuts and a small burnt patch of skin. Dahyun gasped, her hands covering her mouth. Those were the injuries the little dog had.
“No, no, no! This does not make any damn sense. You are not Sana!” Momo continued. She shook her head violently and gestured towards the woman with the knife, “You have to be some sort of stalker. M-Maybe she was following us and watching us all morning?”
“I’m not stalker. I’m Sana.” The light haired woman repeated.
Momo rolled her eyes, “Congratulations stalker . What do you want, a cookie?”
The light haired woman pouted angrily, “I’m not Cookie, I’m Sana! I’m not Brooklyn, not Chocolate, not Mochi! I’m Sana! ”
The knife fell to Momo’s feet, clattering against the carpet. Now her hands were covering her mouth. The only people who could have possibly heard that car conversation were her, Dahyun, and the little dog Sana.
“Holy shit.” Momo muttered. She turned to Dahyun who had an equally shocked expression, “There’s no way.”
Dahyun turned to the woman. She gradually inched her way closer to the woman. They stared at each other silently for a beat.
Dahyun hesitantly reached over and cupped the woman’s cheek. The light haired woman instantly fell into the embrace. Dahyun reached behind the woman’s right ear and scratched lightly. The light haired woman’s eyes closed shut as a blissful smile spread across her face. Her foot tapped happily at the sensation.
Dahyun’s hand flew back as a loud gasp left her lips. She had the same reaction as her little Sana. Dahyun and Momo turned to one another with wide eyes.
How did their puppy turn into this woman?