"Where is that apartment?" Chaeyoung happily checked the numbers on the doors. "I would kill her if she gave me the wrong address." She's bouncing on her feet while expecting to see the number plastered on one of the doors in the building. Finally she had the courage to show up and see Mina.
She gathered all the strength she needed to show up in Mina's apartment after Sana gave her the address. She contemplated a lot, practiced her speech and imagined the reaction that Mina would have.
But since when did she trust Sana? That's a very good question.
She forgot to buy anything for Mina. No flowers, no fruits, no food, no vitamins, just her amazing self. But that doesn't mean she didn't spend on the unannounced visit because she had to bribe the guard. Goodbye $200.
"Really?" She shakes her head after seeing the number on the door again. "Am I on the wrong floor?" Getting impatient she breathed deep, calming her eager self. "You will find it." She encouraged herself. "I'm sure I will." Then she answered herself.
She looked around relentlessly with her small feet getting sore. With every wrong turn she would scratch her head and sigh but her excitement never faltered, hoping the next door will open by the woman she's eager to see.
"Why is it so hard to find you?" She asked after failing to see the numbers on 5 consecutive doors.
Her next turn made her world collapse in an instant. Her excitement vanished, her body cold.
She's known her best friend long enough it would be embarrassing if she mistakenly took her for another person. So she knew, that tall girl who's hugging another girl, right outside the door of an apartment unit, is her best friend.
She ran and hid as if she's the one who hugged someone else while in a relationship. She held her chest while she processed the image in her head.
"Tzuyu and Mina.." she muttered in disbelief. "How is that possible?"
That moment a song by Olivia Rodrigo played while her heart breaks in the background.
🎵 You betrayed me, and I know that you'll never feel sorry, for the way I hurt
Her back against the wall as tears escaped her eyes. She felt cold, her head spinning, there were so many questions she wanted answers for. How could Tzuyu get the girl she likes since she was hired by the company? How could Tzuyu hug the girl of her dreams? They were best friends, Tzuyu knew how she liked Mina, she knew how crazy she was for her.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. How could Tzuyu betray her?
🎵 You talked to her when we were together. Loved you at your worst but that didn't matter
It's a cold morning. People are wearing scarves and long coats. Some order hot coffee before they go to work, some have iced americano. The temperature unexpectedly drops and now people have to adapt to a cold temperature.
Somewhere in one of the buildings in the city, a heated meeting is happening that could melt permafrost in Antarctica.
The blinds are still closed, the room is warmer than the temperature outside. Four engineers around the meeting table. The meeting room feels so small and cramped for Elkie and Jeongyeon. The huge table with 12 seats is not enough for the intense aura coming off the small engineer.
How dare she cheat on Sana after confessing she loves her?! Chaeyoung thought to herself. She thinks she's being discreet but she's been very expressive through her facial expression. Her face contorts in disgust, annoyance, anger and hunger since she missed breakfast, not once but all weekend, because she's too heartbroken to eat.
Traitor. That's who you are, Tzuyu. She bites her lower lip hard, but not too hard cause it hurts. At the back of her small mind she knew that it could be a misunderstanding, she could be assuming things that are not true but she's mad and hurt.
People do stupid things when they are mad.
On the other side of the table, Tzuyu doesn't know why Chaeyoung is acting cold when she's supposed to be mad after she displays a picture with her ex in it. Sana saw it and now they are going to Singapore to meet her university friends. She sighs, her arms crossed above her chest.
She can't think of any good excuse, if Sana wants it she gets it.
"Tzuyu can handle more than one project. Right, Tzuyu?" Chaeyoung asks in an unfriendly tone as the discussion continues. You're just tall. She smirks after comparing their qualities in her head.
"I can." The tall girl answers innocently, half of her brain is thinking of a possible scenario that would stop them from meeting her university friends. It includes a plane crash that of course she doesn't want to happen but what else can stop Sana?
"See. She has NO PROBLEM with it. Right?" Chaeyoung scoffs. "You have such great time management skills."
"Wow." Jeongyeon whispers. "Is that a special skill you have to say it like that? Are you that amazed?"
Chaeyoung is not amazed, she's deeply hurt. She does everything for Mina to like her. Buy a car, make her apartment nice and clean all the time so when she.. maybe want to visit her place she will give a good impression. Maybe Mina will smile at her more.
"I don't." And Tzuyu answers again, still clueless like she always is. Her mind still wanders into different problems. Maybe an invitation from her mother?
No no. She shakes her head. Her mother likes Sana for her, she won't play along with her plan.
"I know. You manage your time so damn well."
Elkie raises her eyebrows, looking so done and tired after a rough night.
"I do." Tzuyu answers proudly.
Jeongyeon blinks consecutively, Elkie turns her head to whoever is talking. The two have never fought, never had any misunderstanding in the past. Watching them speak words with other meanings is not something they thought they would witness.
Chaeyoung is losing her patience while Tzuyu looks like she's dreaming with her eyes open.
"Are you two okay? Do you want to extend your weekend?" Now Jeongyeon would remember not to call a meeting at 8am on Monday morning.
"Definitely." The shorter woman answers while Elkie remains quiet and Tzuyu still in her own world.
"Okay. Then let's end this meeting. Let's do well this week." Jeongyeon cheered them up. "Let's have a team dinner this friday. Invite Sana with you." She tells Tzuyu.
Chaeyoung huffs but a great idea comes to her mind. "Should we invite Mina and Momo too?"
"Wha—"
"Sure. Inform them." Jeongyeon stands, grabbing the papers on the table. "Tell Momo she can't drink like the last time."
Tzuyu glares at Chaeyoung who has a smug look on her face. The shorter woman smirks before leaving the meeting room after Jeongyeon and Elkie.
"What the fuck is wrong with her?" She doesn't curse often but fuck, Chaeyoung is freaking annoying her early in the morning.
"Where's Sana?" Tzuyu moves her head around, looking for her girlfriend. She was in a rush earlier that she didn't get to text her.
"She's not here." Momo answers dryly. Her eyes were glued on the computer monitor.
"Where did she go?"
"I don't think she's going to work today."
Taken aback, Tzuyu asks, "Why? She's not going to work? She isn't here?"
"You heard me." Momo sighs and rolls her eyes before facing the tall girl. "How could you not know?"
Tzuyu has noticed that Momo is irritated too just like Chaeyoung. "Where's Dahyun?"
"Site."
"Why is everyone in a bad mood today?" She shakes her head disappointed and leaves the office of the architect.
Momo hears her and rolls her eyes.
The engineer checks her phone while walking to the elevator, slightly getting worried, peeking in front of her to avoid collision with another bad mood in human form.
"She didn't message me." She tilts her head, furrows her forehead while typing to ask where Sana is. She looks at her message and when her message doesn't get read immediately she calls Sana; she's getting impatient.
When you've seen how cruel the world is you'll be scared too if you can't find the person you care about. Phone calls are ignored, messages that are left unread. What's next? Getting a phone call from a random number and asking for ransom or else they will cut your loved one's ear or finger. It's gruesome but it happens in movies and real life.
Tzuyu rushes to get her car keys and drives to Sana's apartment. She still abids the law despite the fear in her chest. Stopping at red lights, following the maximum speed which is not as fast as someone in a race track. Different scenarios come rushing and invading her mind. She's cold, her heart beats crazy fast but she has mastered to remain calm in difficult situations where most people get emotional.
The engineer walks hastily then just runs inside the building after she gets out of her car. What's the point of looking sane when you're so worried inside?
Tzuyu is not the type of person that would shout during an emergency. She's the type that would call 911 instead of asking people around her because if she can't help the people she cares about, how could strangers help them?
"Sana!" She shouts and looks around the apartment. She first goes to the bedroom which is reasonable and a good idea.
There she found a weak woman lying on her side on the bed, sweating and in extreme pain.
"My god. Sana. Hey." She sits on the bed and touches the forehead of her girlfriend, checking her temperature. "What happened?" She asks. The temperature is normal so it's not a fever. Sana is a bit pale and sweating a lot, her arms are wrapped around her tummy. "Stomach pain? Let's go to the hospital. I'll get you some—"
"M-menstrual cramps. It's so bad."
The tall engineer stops and stares at the architect. Sana would have this extreme period pain, she feels bad for her even before.
"I can't move. It's too painful." Sana adds.
"It's okay." Tzuyu stands up from the bed and turns on the air conditioner. "Just to cool down the room temperature. You're sweating a lot."
Sana nods and hugs her stomach tighter.
Tzuyu reaches for the phone on the study table. Sana couldn't answer her phone because it was far from her. "I'll make some soup." She says while placing the phone beside the Architect. "Call me if you need anything."
"Thank you."
She sighs and leaves the room, immediately proceeding to make something for Sana. She goes straight to the kitchen, checking the cupboard, the fridge, and everywhere. There's nothing she could cook. All Sana has are instant noodles. Nothing has changed at all, she smiles sadly and boils water for the noodles.
Leaning on the counter, her hands gripping the edge of the marble. Keeping a secret would not only hurt Sana, it's hurting her already. She thought keeping it a secret is better than lying. If Sana finds out about it she will tell her the truth but until then she will keep it a secret, bury it so no one else would get affected by it other than her and Mina.