red string (natzu au)

xi. i'm all about you

"thanks for today. and take care on your way home." tzuyu gave engineer jung a tap on his shoulder before they separated ways.

it was tiring to walk to the parking lot, not to mention her car was parked even further. but she couldn't even think of it now, all she could think about was, finally, she could go home and rest.

it was a long day, obviously. they're still not even halfway through the project but it was okay since tzuyu could honestly use distractions right now. she hadn't beeped nayeon's phone in a while now, not because she got tired, but because she's granting her the time and space she needed. she still missed her, though. terribly.

she missed her so much she was even imagining nayeon standing by her car, watching her as she took steps towards her. this wasn't good. she's getting worse every day. tzuyu blinked her eyes tightly, shaking her head. she needed to get rid of the thought of nayeon. just for a little while. she begged her mind.

but when she opened her eyes, nayeon was still there. and now, they stood face-to-face.

"sleepy?" nayeon asked her.

oh, she wasn't imagining. nayeon was actually there. her hair was flawless on her shoulders and she was wearing light make-up. yet she was already striking.

tzuyu was in another planet for a moment, trying to process everything in her mind. and then she wrapped her arms around the shorter girl's body, locking her in her embrace. she was so happy to see her she could cry and never let go.

"i'm sorry..." tzuyu kept whispering in her ear, even when she felt nayeon already hugging her back.

"stop saying sorry..." nayeon cooed as she stroked the taller one's hair. "i'm the one who should be sorry. i left you there even though i knew you were sick."

"it's okay i understand why you did that." tzuyu said, assuring nayeon that it was, indeed, okay.

"i just didn't know how to react, or what to say. i was startled and it kinda overwhelmed and scared me so-" nayeon's rambling caused tzuyu to break the hug.

the latter held her cheek in such a gentle way, her thumb rested over nayeon's lips to shut her up.

"hush..." tzuyu said quietly. when nayeon's tensed expression relaxed, she smiled at her and dropped her hand back to her side.

nayeon was just looking up at her, eyes filled with serenity. they stood there quietly for a little longer before tzuyu spoke up again.

"so... what's the plan?" tzuyu asked. her voice was so soft, so gentle. she was letting nayeon make the decision.

"to take this slow." answered nayeon, not letting go of tzuyu's gaze though her heart could practically jump out of her chest now. "having the label would just pressure us and pressure is the last thing we need right now."

"we'll take it slow, then." tzuyu poked her nose, making the shorter girl smile. "i'm guessing sana gave you the address?"

"who else would?"

they still wouldn't look away from each other, simply because they loved how the eye contact made them feel. but then tzuyu looked up to the sky, it was almost dark.

"what do you say, we grab dinner together tonight?"

"i say that's a good idea."

they hopped in tzuyu's car, both smiling. tzuyu drove with nayeon comfortable in the shotgun seat. the speaker was on, its volume not excruciating in the ears. bubbly by colbie caillat was playing and nayeon was humming to it, and tzuyu listened to her quietly. she let nayeon's saintly, soft hum fill her ears along with the music. the street lights were now lit, illuminating a yellow almost orange radiance. the brief traffic made the travel a little longer but they reached the place just on time for dinner.