"You cut your hair."
"Yup." She places their coffee on the table before pulling a chair to join her two friends.
They are having a short break at Blooms. Just to gossip a little before they get drowned at work again.
"Why did you cut it?" Mina asks and pulls her cup. "Your hair is healthy and nice."
"I just want to."
"You hate short hair." Momo points it out. "You like your hair long." Just the truth, nothing but the truth.
"I just want to try something new. Besides I'm attending cooking class, it's more comfortable to have this kind of hairstyle." She touches her hair that is now slightly touching her shoulders.
Momo squinted her eyes at the ridiculous reasoning.
She has heard the phrase almost everywhere, Sana is so lucky to have Tzuyu. She wants to hear something new, like, Tzuyu is lucky to have the gorgeous, hot architect, Minatozaki Sana. So she shamelessly cut her hair to look young, wear simple clothes, and light makeup.
"Are you doing this to impress Tzuyu?" Momo smirks. "Does she like short hair?"
Speaking of Tzuyu, the woman with an innocent face, looking sleek, proper and professional most of the time you wouldn't suspect her to be that aggressive. Sana couldn't get their kiss out of her mind. She couldn't believe that Tzuyu could kiss like that, like with tongue. The woman looks disinterested with physical contact. It's unbelievable. Anyway, it's always the quiet ones.
"No. Why would I do anything for her? That's ridiculous."
Fuck you for knowing everything. She bites her inner cheek. That's bad.
Mina sips on her iced americano then she shakes her head, smiling. "You keep denying the obvious. How's the cooking class anyway?"
"It's okay. Chopping the ingredients is more difficult than the actual cooking."
"How long do you have to take the class?"
"Few months. My mom won't leave me alone if I don't finish it."
"Cook us something. If we don't die then you pass." Momo suggests.
"I still want to live." Mina teases.
"Let me think about that."
"Or you want to cook first for Tzuyu."
"I don't think she will eat anything I cook. I just need to attend the cooking class to satisfy my mother."
"So you will marry her."
"I will."
"That's nice." Mina approves. "You complement each other."
"What if you meet the person you really like. Like everything you're looking for a partner. He has it all. Will you still marry her?" Momo asks a very interesting question.
The question freezes her on her seat. Will she still marry Tzuyu? Funny. Tzuyu has everything she's looking for in a partner.
Sana shrugs.
"She likes Tzuyu." Mina giggles. "I don't think she will find someone better than her. If I were you, I'd marry her right away. She's an ideal partner, sexy and—"
She and Momo look at Mina in horror.
"Did you just—"
"Oh my god." Momo covers her mouth. "You can't be the mistress."
Sana raises her eyebrow and crosses her arms above her chest. Mina is 3 years older than Tzuyu, one year older than her. And Tzuyu likes someone younger, if she will tolerate the age gap, she will surely choose her, because it's just 2 years instead of 3. Right?
Mina rolls her eyes then clears her throat. "I talked to Chaeyoung earlier, they were at the clinic. Tzuyu is ill." Mina says after.
"She's sick?"
"Yeah, I guess."
It will be suspicious if she leaves immediately so she acts nonchalantly, uninterested. "Maybe hang over?"
"I did ask Chaeyoung. It wasn't because of alcohol."
"Then what?"
"She works out every day. That's why." Momo gives Mina a suspicious look. "According to Chae. I was talking to Chaeyoung." Then she makes it clear.
"Really? I thought her workout was reading books."
"She runs everyday. Chaeyoung ran with her one time but stopped at 3km. Tzuyu ran 15km."
Running from problems isn't enough??
"How are you and Chaeyoung?" She tries to lengthen the conversation so it won't be obvious that she's already thinking about Tzuyu.
What now?
"What do you mean? We're friends?"
"She hasn't asked you out?"
"What? Why will she ask me out?"
"You didn't know she likes you?"
"What are you talking about? We're just friends."
Momo looks at her two friends. Why am I friends with these dense people?
"What? You're not. She likes you."
"Shut up you both." Momo chimes in. "I heard they hired a new senior engineer."
"What does it have to do with us?" Sana asks, stirring her drink with the straw.
"I just want to inform you since they say she's friends with Nayeon and she arrived with Tzuyu this morning."
"What? What's her name?"
"Somin?"
Mina nods on the side. "Yeah, I think that's her name."
Don't show your affection towards each other inside the company. That threat from Jihyo is all she could think about while walking in the canteen, to where Tzuyu is sitting, staring at her untouched food, looking so devastated.
Did she lose everything? She looks like she has all the problems in the world.
"Can we talk privately?"
Sana made sure that no one is around before they sneak into the fire exit stairs. The safest and probably the last place people will go into unless they hear the emergency alarm.
"I heard you're not feeling well."
Tzuyu bends forward, and rests her forehead on Sana's shoulder.
"You okay?"
Tzuyu shakes her head.
"What happened?" She hugs the tall woman and asks her softly, "was it bad?"
Tzuyu doesn't answer and she grows worried. Tzuyu doesn't share her problems, she keeps them to herself. Whenever she faces difficulties she will shut down completely. She won't eat, she won't talk.
"You can tell me."
"The therapist."
"You went to counseling. How was it?"
They started to attend to their mothers' demands, they haven't talked about it but Sana is sure that it must be tough for Tzuyu since she didn't really cheat.
Then Tzuyu burst into tears.
"Hey. What's wrong? What happened?" She rubs the back of the taller woman, her shirt is getting wet from tears. "What happened?"
"She asked..." Tzuyu sobs. She bites her lip while it keeps trembling. "S-she asked me."
"What did she ask you?"
"She asked if.."
"It's okay. It's okay. Tell me when you're ready."
She didn't see Tzuyu cry before. Really. Like bawling her eyes out like what she did before when one of their clients cursed at her.
"She asked if I cheated because the sex wasn't good."
"W-what? Was she asking about us? What?"
She bites her lip hard to stop herself from reacting violently. Who the hell would ask about sex as a reason of cheating?
Okay relax. Breathe in, breathe out.
Tzuyu nods and embraces her tight.
It might look like a small thing for ordinary people but not for Tzuyu. And she would not think twice punching the person who would laugh and ridicule Tzuyu for feeling that way.
Tzuyu has always been a private person. It took 4 months before Tzuyu agreed to have a meal with her, ride her car, and watch movies together. During those 4 months after Tzuyu moved into her apartment, the younger woman was respectful but careful. Tzuyu didn't share things about her life until she made sure that she was not dangerous.
Tzuyu gets anxious and scared easily whenever she feels her privacy being violated.
"What did you say?"
"I told her no but she kept asking personal questions."
Sana nods. Well of course the therapist would ask her personal questions because it's part of the whole process. But she understands Tzuyu more or she chooses to.
"I understand." She keeps rubbing her back, stroking her hair, while Tzuyu whimpers in her arms.
"Let's tell your mom you don't need it."
Tzuyu shakes her head.
"Tell me what you wanna do."
The younger woman shakes her head again.
"Alright. We won't do anything."
She continues to rub her back until she calms down. "Don't fall asleep. I won't carry you."
"I'm not."
"You like my hug?"
"No." But Tzuyu tightens her arms around her waist.
She giggles and pats her back. "Should I accompany you next time?"
Tzuyu shakes her head again.
"Alright."
She closes her eyes while calming Tzuyu with her embrace and affectionate touch.
Tzuyu looks like a tough cookie because that's what she wants other people to think. For Sana, Tzuyu is as soft as her pillow. A young and smart woman, afraid to be lied to again.
One of the many things that she learned about Tzuyu is that she doesn't want to be alone when she feels the world is going against her. But she doesn't ask anyone because she doesn't want to bother them.
"Sleep in my apartment tonight."
Tzuyu turns her head, now she's facing her neck. "Did you cut your hair for me?"
Now that's a hard question to answer.
"Hello, Mrs. Chou."
"Hello, dear. How are you?"
"I'm good. How about you, Mrs. Chou?"
"Good, good. Happy that my Tzuyu is dating someone as pretty as you."
Sana covers her face with her free hand though no one is around and Tzuyu's mom won't see her. "Thank you. Uhm—is this a good time to call?"
"Yes, of course. What do you want to talk about? Did you and Tzuyu fight?"
"No. No. Uhm—Tzuyu is not comfortable with the counseling. She's not comfortable with the therapist."
"Why? What happened? She didn't tell me anything."
"She doesn't want to bother you."
"That kid. What do you suggest? She needs to undergo counseling for her behavior. I won't tolerate it."
Sana bites her lip. She doesn't think Tzuyu will cheat on her or anyone. As far as she remembers, all of her past relationships ended on good terms. If that even exists.
"I know someone, maybe you could tell her, change the therapist."
"Just tell her. She can change her therapist if she wants to."
"About that—it's better if it comes from you. She didn't ask for my help so I think she doesn't want me to help her."
Sylvia sighs. "Okay, dear. I will do that. Thank you for calling me and taking care of my Tzuyu."
"Thank you, Mrs. Chou, for being understanding."
"Thank you, Sana. Tzuyu is hard to understand sometimes."
She smiles shyly then bites her lip. "Yes, Mrs. Chou but we understand each other. Please don't worry."
"Not anymore, because I know you're there for her."
Yeah right.
"Move."
"What? Where do you want me to sleep? Your bed is small."
Tzuyu doesn't have a queen sized bed, she has a freaking double.
"I don't know. Just move."
"No. You want to sleep here instead of my apartment. You sleep on the couch."
"This is my apartment. I thought you wanted to stay with me?"
"Not anymore."
"Then go home."
Okay. Sana is hurt. She didn't expect that at all.
"I can't believe you. You want me to go home alone at midnight, and ride a taxi." Sana gets up and grabs her bag on the bedside table. "Asshole."
Tzuyu holds her arm on time before she steps out of the bedroom. "I'm kidding. You can have the bed. I'll sleep outside."
"It's not funny."
"Sorry. I have an extra blanket, do you want it?"
"Yes." Sana answers with her mad face. "Please." Then her voice gets softer. "You sure you want to sleep on your couch? You have a two seater. You won't fit."
"I don't think we'll both fit in my bed."
"This is 120cm, right?"
Tzuyu nods.
Tzuyu's apartment is obviously for someone who dislikes people. Two-seater couch in the living area, a small table and one chair, one! She didn't bother to buy another chair for her dining set.
"We can. Come here." Sana lies on her side, and pats the bed. "Hurry up."
"Do we need to face each other?" Tzuyu asks while lying down on the bed, feeling weird that she will look at Sana this close again after their kiss.
"Yes, because I want to ask you something."
"What is it?" Tzuyu lies down facing her.
"Uhm—we still hate each other right?" She clears her throat when she feels getting distracted. "Right?"
"You hate me. I don't hate you."
"Was the kiss.. alright?"
"I think it's better if I face the wall."
"What? Come on. I'm just asking. We're both adults here."
She pulls Tzuyu, forcing her to face her again. "Come on, Tzu."
The teasing won't disappear anytime soon. And this is her before Tzuyu left her apartment. Energetic, funny and talkative.
Or maybe just likes Tzuyu so much.
"Those two didn't know there were security cameras in the staircase?!" Jihyo slams the table after she receives an email from the President to keep the two away from each other. "Ugggghhhhh!"