The next few days are pretty hectic for Jihyo. She is busy with her University project, her part-time job, and now having to find a solution to Tzuyu's Visa's situation. She looked it up and realized Tzuyu needed to find a job within 2 months or she would have to leave Korea.
They get closer in 20 days living together than the last 2 months they had been talking at the store. Jihyo learns everything she wanted to know about Tzuyu for so long and Tzuyu doesn't hold back. She asks even more questions than Jihyo does. Despite the language and communication barrier, they understand and fit each other well.
When Tzuyu wakes up, Jihyo has already prepared her breakfast and left a good morning note on the kitchen countertop. When Jihyo gets back from her classes, Tzuyu has already prepared the table, waiting for Tzuyu to cook them something because she can't cook for life. They clean the plates together like they did the first time and then sit on the sofa and watch some drama until Jihyo has to go to work or Tzuyu has to go hand out her CV to as many shops as she can. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, they clean the apartment together and every night they talk for an hour before sleeping, their blankets close together every night now.
It is Saturday and cleaning time. Tzuyu puts on some music and starts dancing with the broom on her hands. Jihyo laughs at the sight before her and wonders how she is so lucky to have found a friend as cute and bubbly as her. She has not been bored one day since Tzuyu came into her life.
Tzuyu writes on the phone and shows it to Jihyo. "Dance with me" it says. Jihyo doesn't have time to react when Tzuyu is taking her to the middle of the living room, throwing the broom to the side and holding her with her right hand on her back and her left hand on her shoulder.
Jihyo feels nervous. Too nervous, actually. The strange feeling on her stomach back again at full force. Why is she feeling like this again? She thinks. She must have been too entranced that she feels Tzuyu shaking her up and clasping her fingers close to her eyes for her to wake up.
Jihyo reacts and composes herself again. She takes one step back but Tzuyu holds her again pushing her against her body. She shakes her head as a way to tell Jihyo to not go. She starts moving to the music and Jihyo let's her guide her. It's one of the ballads Tzuyu likes. Jihyo forgets about what's good or bad or wrong or right and just lets herself be, moving with Tzuyu and feeling the music.
The song ends and a dance song starts playing. Jihyo is still not over the previous moment when Tzuyu starts jumping making Jihyo jump with her. They start laughing and dancing all over the room. After a few songs, they are exhausted and stop dancing. The rest of the day passes as always but Jihyo is still thinking about the dance. She can't stop thinking about that dance for days.
One night, when they are about to sleep, with her phones on their hands to communicate, they start talking about their past. About their friends, their families, and what kind of childhood and adolescence they had. Jihyo is curious about something but she's not bold enough to ask.
Just then, Tzuyu brings up the subject that's been on her mind for an hour now. Well, since that day they danced to the ballad.
"Unnie, why don't you have a boyfriend?" Tzuyu writes on the new phone Jihyo got her.
"I..." She starts saying out loud. She is about to write something on her phone when Tzuyu shows hers again.
"Or a girlfriend?" The new message says.
Jihyo is shocked to death. Does she ask because she's more open or because she thinks I might like girls? She knows Taiwan is more open than Korea but none of her friends ever dared to be so direct or openly speak about something like this. She's from the countryside, were it's taboo to talk about it so since she was little she's never even had to think about it. Now, living in Seoul, she is more open and accepting seeing foreigners of all classes around and reading social media posts about her favorite idols and actors. But it still is shocking to be asked so directly. She's had a boyfriend. She thinks she's straight but she's never had to think about the possibility and she's never liked a girl, or any other boy whatsoever so she's not sure what do say. She now is unsure and questioning her sexuality for the first time and she does not want to lie to Tzuyu, who is still awaiting an answer.
"I don't have one. I don't know why." She writes.
"But you're really pretty. You must have many boys and girls lining up to you" she writes and smiles at Jihyo.
"Tzuyu!" She says out loud a bit too loud for the time it is. Tzuyu laughs. She takes the phone and instead, writes her a question.
"And you? Don't you have one? Or someone you like?" Jihyo writes. Tzuyu starts typing and Jihyo doesn't know why she's feeling so impatient. She wants to know the answer already.
"I have never even gone on a date before" Tzuyu replies.
"Really? But you are a model. You really are beautiful." Jihyo writes back without hesitation. She expected Tzuyu to have dated a lot with her looks and personality.
Tzuyu smiles at her. Jihyo called her beautiful again and she can't be happier. Tzuyu wants to answer her with the truth, that she's bisexual and she has liked both men and women, mostly women but she has never dated anyone because they didn't want to date someone like her.
"I liked boys and I like girls before but no one wanted to date me because I can't talk". She replied.
Jihyo can't believe what's written on the phone. "Are these people mad? You can talk, just in a different non-spoken language. And you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Are they blind too?" She's getting angry thinking about it and realizes she's said it out loud when Tzuyu kisses her cheek. She freezes in place. She's not sure Tzuyu understood all of it but she thinks she might.
"Thank you. Good night" Tzuyu writes on her phone and shows it to Jihyo who is still lying down frozen in place looking at the ceiling. Tzuyu turns off the light and gets on her blanket, but moves closer to Jihyo and puts her left arm and leg over her. They sleep like that for the first time. Jihyo unable to move an inch all night.
The next night, Tzuyu gets close to her again and Jihyo starts feeling weird again. She's been feeling uneasy all day. Tzuyu told her who she liked but she left her answer too ambiguous. She wanted to be clear with Tzuyu.
"Tzuyu" she tells her. Tzuyu looks at her expectant. She has this bright expression on her face that makes her look extremely cute and innocent. But she's not always as innocent as she looks, when she gets bold like last night, she has the ability to change to a very charming and daring one. Jihyo is a bit obsessed with this duality.
"I had a boyfriend before. But I don't know if I only like boys. I don't know if I even like boys for sure. We only dated because he insisted". Jihyo did not only want to tell her the truth, she has been waiting for someone to help her understand her feelings. She dated him, but she's not sure if she felt anything for him or if she just liked that he liked her.
"Ok. How did you feel when you were with him? How long were you together?" Tzuyu asks.
"We were together for 2 years, since I was 16. I don't know how I felt. I only remember he liked me, asked me out and we went on some dates. He broke up with me because I never initiated any kiss and didn't want to take it one step further. I was too young". Jihyo writes feeling a bit uneasy but relieved after confessing everything for the first time. She's been wondering about this for so long.
"Why didn't you want to kiss him? Was he ugly?" Tzuyu writes and Jihyo laughs hard after reading it.
"He was normal, I don't know. I just didn't really liked kissing back then I think" Jihyo writes, feeling a bit shy.
Tzuyu thinks for a while and starts typing. "And now?"
Jihyo is not sure what she means. "Now what?" she writes.
"Now, do you like kissing?" Tzuyu asks thinking that even if she didn't date, she must have gone to some parties at least. Jihyo's heart starts beating faster again. Tzuyu is too bold for her own good.
"I don't know. I have not kissed anyone since then". Jihyo replies, feeling too nervous about what could Tzuyu ask her again.
"Do you think you could ever kiss a girl?" Tzuyu asks with confidence.
"I don't know. Maybe?" Jihyo writes without thinking. Talking with Tzuyu, she feels able to express herself freely without any social pressure or prejudice lurking in her head.
"Do you think you can kiss a boy again?" Tzuyu asks then.
"Maybe?" She replies.
"OK. I think you just have to try and you'll know. I think sometimes you can dislike a girl or kissing that girl, but like girls. And you can dislike kissing a boy but like boys. It depends on the person. You will find someone you want to kiss one day. You don't have to think hard about it, Hyo". Jihyo was perplexed reading that answer.
Tzuyu is very wise for her age and experience. Having had to sit back and just see other people from a distance all her life, not being able to talk back to them, she's learned a lot about how they feel, communicate, and express themselves. She's been able to see the good and bad of people, when people mean something for real and when they lie just to get the answer they want. She can see how honest Jihyo is with her right now.
Jihyo doesn't write again. She gestures good night to Tzuyu and lets her curl up to her to sleep.
The next few days, Jihyo can't stop thinking about kissing. She walks around looking at people and asking herself if she would kiss them. She thinks she's gone mad at some point and is afraid people will somehow read her mind.
She goes back to the apartment to find Tzuyu sleeping on the sofa with the TV still on. She looks at her petite figure from head to toes, smiling at how cute she looks all curled up like that. She gets a blanket and covers her, thinking she must be cold. She touches her forehead to make sure she's not sleeping because she's sick. She is not hot and Jihyo feels relieved.
She is unable to move or look away from the pretty sight before her eyes. She looks at her nose, then her eyes, then her cheeks, and finally her lips. She's been too obsessed with kissing lately and can't help but ask herself the same question she's been asking about other people all day. Would she kiss her? She thinks hard but can't come up with an answer. She looks back at her eyes but soon after they are on her lips again. Then she looks at her beautiful black hair but her body is working on its own, it seems, and she goes back to looking at her lips. She doesn't know why she's acting like this but she can't stop. Unlike Jihyo, Tzuyu's lips are thin and she can't help but think they are perfect for her pretty face. Her body moves on its own again and she starts touching Tzuyu's bottom lip with her finger when Tzuyu wakes up at the touch.
Jihyo acts as if nothing happened, pulls the blanket a bit higher, and goes to the Kitchen but Tzuyu knows. She's been awake since Jihyo entered the apartment. She felt her cover her, stay next to her, and touch her lips.
Tzuyu doesn't want to assume but Jihyo has been acting strange, feeling shy and nervous around her more than ever before. She's liked her for months now, since the day she first brought her to her apartment. She didn't think Jihyo would ever like her back but she is now helpful after Jihyo confessed there's a possibility she might like girls too.
Days pass and Tzuyu looks up jobs everywhere but no one is willing to hire a person who first, can't speak, and second, barely understands Korean. She contacted model agencies as well but having been fired from her previous one and not having much experience, no one gets back to her.
There is only a week left now before her visa expires and when Jihyo arrives from Uni she finds Tzuyu crying on her blanket. Jihyo can't stand seeing her like this and gets on Tzuyu's blanket too, hugging her tightly from behind. "Shh. Don't cry, please" she tells her rubbing her hand on Tzuyu's back, trying to calm her down. "Are you crying because of the Visa?" she asks her.
Tzuyu understands Korean better now and nods her head. "We will find a solution, please don't cry, Tzu" Jihyo tells her holding her tight.
Tzuyu wants to talk but she can't and she does not have the will to move and get her phone, nor does she want to let go of Jihyo so she cries harder. "Tzu, I can't see you cry like this, please look at me" Jihyo tells her but Tzuyu doesn't move. Jihyo gets up and gets a napkin but Tzuyu doesn't look up so Jihyo gets inside the blanket again, this time facing her.
She wipes her tears and puts the napkin on Tzuyu's hands. Jihyo starts caressing her face and Tzuyu calms down a little. "I've thought about something. I will talk with my manager later and ask him to hire you. I'm giving my part-time job to you. I will find something else, ok? I hope he agrees". Tzuyu can't believe this. She's willing to give her her job? She can't accept it. She starts crying again and saying no with her head. Jihyo knows what she means, she doesn't need to speak. "Tzu, it's ok. Really. You don't have to cry. He can hire you for a few days, you can extend your visa, and then I can find another job or he can hire me back, maybe. I'm tired of working there anyways".
But Tzuyu can't accept this. She wants to scream. Wants to tell her she does not have to do something like that for her. She's been too good to her already. She feels useless now that she can't find a job and Jihyo has to care for her. She likes her too much to be away from her but at the same time, she wants Jihyo to live her own life as she did before she appeared. She feels sorry and thankful to her so she starts sobbing. She can't help it. She has no other way to express everything she feels.
Jihyo, seeing her like this, hugs her tight again, facing her. Tzuyu looks at her but doesn't react. "Please, Tzuyu" Jihyo says wiping the tears that are falling from Tzuyu's eyes to her mouth. "Push me away if you want but please don't cry. I really can't see you cry anymore" she says and stares at her lips again, now wet from the tears that fell down her face. Tzuyu sees her looking at her lips but can't react. She can't stop crying and Jihyo doesn't know what else to do. "Tzuyu" she says looking at her eyes, then at her lips and back at her eyes again. Jihyo has 3 problems. She's too close, she can't stand seeing Shuhua cry, and she wants to kiss her. In an instant, she brings her hand from Tzuyu's cheek to the back of her neck and brings her closer to her, their lips almost touching. At that Tzuyu's cries become little whimpers and Jihyo is glad but the little sounds Tzuyu is now making are not really helping so she does the only thing she can think of to shush those cries and kisses her.
Jihyo's thick lips against Tzuyu's thin ones fit perfectly. The kiss is short and not deep but Jihyo can feel the butterflies in her stomach reach her throat and then spread throughout her entire body like lightning. Tzuyu feels exactly the same and stops crying. She stops thinking about the problems she has and instead, kisses Jihyo again. Jihyo is surprised she's kissing her back. Tzuyu holds Jihyo's face and deepens the kiss, wanting to feel her closer. Tzuyu has never kissed anyone but some people are just natural, Jihyo thinks.
Jihyo can't believe she's kissing Tzuyu and she likes it, way way more than she expected. Kissing her ex-bf didn't feel like this at all. For the first time, Jihyo wants more. Tzuyu is as close to her as she can be but Jihyo still needs Tzuyu closer. She can't get enough of her. She stops kissing her, both panting now, and puts Tzuyu down so she's facing the ceiling now. Jihyo looks at her and smiles. Tzuyu smiles back. "You look beautiful even when you cry" she says before pinning Tzuyu down to the bed and kissing her again.