Another silence was in the room, but Dahyun decided to break it this time.
"Listen... This was a bummer, the whole MoChaeng situation. But they're going to be okay. And we did what we could for now. And I don't want to end this day on a somber note."
"Okay, I'm listening."
"So I was thinking about getting back to the performance festival. This way, we can get each of them something... And! And I can win that stuffed bear."
"Huh... I mean, she did say that they needed privacy so there is nothing we could do for them now. And why not have a good time. Also, you'll never get that bear, but I appreciate the enthusiasm!" Tzuyu smiled at Dahyun.
"I'll get it if I have to play the game till the morning!" Dahyun defended herself.
"Oh I would like to see that!"
"You would, wouldn't you?" They both joked.
"Well, let's pay this and go then!"
"This one's on me... I mean, I took you out. And also, you know, I feel that the dinner could have ended on a higher note."
"No! No... I loved the whole day. This wasn't planned. Don't feel bad about it." Tzuyu tried to comfort Dahyun. She then added:
"But I am getting you something at the performance festival!" she said with a smile.
"Deal!" Dahyun replied with a grin.
The conversation then flowed back to their interests and disinterests again as they enjoyed their pancake. When they finished it, Dahyun got up to pay as they were leaving the restaurant.
So far, so good. The evening is going great! I hope it will continue this way. She mused.
As they got out of the restaurant, Dahyun received another message:
We're home, thank you for asking. I'll just take a shower and go to sleep, talk to you tomorrow :*
That's what Momo had written and Dahyun replied back:
Okay, if you need anything, just tell me.
To which Momo immediately replied:
Just a bit of privacy for now, thanks :*
Dahyun then showed the messages to Tzuyu as they were walking back to the performance festival. Tzuyu nodded and said:
"Okay, now I'm so glad they're home safe. And yeah, privacy is what they need, nothing we can do."
"Nothing we can do." Dahyun commented as well.
"Oh Dahyunie, don't be so sad, they will get through this one way or another. Come, look at me!" Tzuyu pushed Dahyun's chin so they would look at each other. "Let's enjoy this evening for a little while, okay?" She said with a huge smile on her face.
"Okay, let's." Dahyun smiled back. Oh when she puts her hand to make me face her.... I love that! She mused.
Tzuyu on the other hand thought - I really love it when I can cheer her up. It's such a nice feeling.
They silently walked to the performance festival and decided on which rides they wanted to go on.
"The Ferris wheel of course!" Tzuyu said excited.
"Heh...." Dahyun was nervous.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No... It's just that... I'm not a fan of heights."
"What if I told you I would hold you real tight?" Tzuyu said cutely and Dahyun's eyes sparkled immediately.
"Then I would say "fuck you for making me do this, but also, I can't resist you when you're like this" hahaha!" Dahyun responded.
"We don't have to go-"
"No! I want to now! And I want to be held tight!"
"Are you sure?"
"Tight, I said!" Dahyun said it in the cutest way possible and Tzuyu was convinced.
As soon as they got on the Ferris wheel, Dahyun demanded, again in the cutest way possible, that Tzuyu immediately held her tight, no matter what the height of the Ferris wheel was at the moment.
Tzuyu happily obliged and hugged Dahyun firmly, yet gently at the same time. There was a warm feeling between them as the wheel went higher and higher and they were sitting there in a comfortable silence.
I really thought I couldn't do this. But her... holding me like this... It makes me feel invincible. How does she do that? And again, how am I falling so fast?
"Look Dahyun, you made it! We're at the top!" Tzuyu praised Dahyun.
"Yeah... It's really nice... The view..." She said while looking out of their cabin.
"It really is." Tzuyu responded while looking into Dahyun's eyes. Dahyun blushed and didn't know how to respond. What am I saying? What is happening? Tzuyu was panicking from these new emotions. I better play it off cool and just lie there on her shoulder again. And then she did that.
Dahyun was blushing hard as Tzuyu was resting her head on her shoulder. She just complimented me! I really have to find the courage to tell her how I feel, it has to be tonight. It has to be perfect! I mean, this is perfect... But I don't know, I need a bit more time!
The Ferris wheel started to descend as the two started to talk again, continuing their conversations from the restaurant. What followed was a night of fun - more rides, carnival games, picking out what to get for Momo and Chaeyoung... Everything they did made them want to do something new.
"I can do this!" Dahyun said before throwing the ball in order to win the stuffed bear for Tzuyu.
"No you can't" Tzuyu teased with a smile.
"Watch me!" Dahyun winked at Tzuyu and threw the ball. She missed.
"Okay... Now, let's try to stay positive!" Dahyun spoke with a smile on her face after the miss.
"You're right, I've been so negative, I'm sorry."
"I know you were just teasing, it's okay!" Dahyun reassured her with a smile.
"Oh... Great! Then go get 'em, Hyunie-bee!" Tzuyu cheered on.
And just like that, Dahyun managed to hit the target. She won the stuffed bear and handed it over proudly to Tzuyu.
"It's a bit big." Tzuyu jokingly complained.
"I know you can manage it." Dahyun encouraged her.
"Okay, now, I will buy you the bee because I promise you I would buy you something nice here."
"Oh wow! Tzuyu-bear and Hyunie-bee!"
"Yes, yes!" Tzuyu smiled at the nicknames. "You haven't called me that in a while."
"I... wasn't sure you wanted me to."
"Hm... Well, I like it. I mean, I always liked it. But I liked hearing it again." She gave Dahyun a sly smile as she paid for the bee.
"Hey, just... for fun... Would you mind hitting the target just once? I know you could do it." Dahyun suggested.
"Oh... Okay." Tzuyu spoke with a smile. She hit the target on the first try and Dahyun was amazed.
"Oh wow! I... Wow!" Dahyun had no more words.
"I can't believe it either!" Tzuyu replied. She then took a bee key-chain as a reward and gave it to Dahyun, who was still amazed by Tzuyu's shot.
They then found a spot in the grass, a spot where they were close enough to a concert that they could enjoy it, but also far away enough that they could have a conversation.
"What a day, huh?" Tzuyu spoke first.
"Yeah.... I... Would love to repeat it sometime... I mean, not everything, I would like to make it even more diverse for our second date." She blurted out that last part, covering her mouth because she wasn't sure if she should call it a "date" or not.
"Date?" Tzuyu asked with a confused smile.
"I mean... You know... We went out... And you know, a dinner and everything else..."
"Oh."
"It's just... Ugh... Tzuyu, can I tell you something? Can I confess something?"
"Yeah... Sure..." Tzuyu was getting more and more confused.
"I've been waiting to tell you this since yesterday. I didn't because I really wanted to have a nice setting to it. I think you deserve it. I think you deserve nice things in your life-"
"Awww thanks Dahyun, you too!" Tzuyu unintentionally interrupted Dahyun. "Oh, sorry, I interrupted you." She apologized.
"No, no, it's okay... Thank you for saying that."
"So... what did you want to say?"
"Oh yeah... So... Ugh... Well, I'm just going to say it. Tzuyu... I'm in love with you." She paused but quickly continued: "I didn't plan on it. I didn't think about it. It's just... The way I feel. It's the way I feel for you now, and I thought you should know. I love the teasing... And you... You are amazing at it. But... what fascinated me more is how you are amazing towards me whenever we interact. You are just... fun to be with, and caring, and kind, and funny... And we can talk for hours. And we have so much in common... And yeah... I fell in love with you." She ended her monologue with a faint smile.
Tzuyu sat there in silence. She didn't know what to say. In love? We were having fun. I teased her, she whimpered and that was it. I mean, yeah, sure, we had some "moments"... Times when we would hang out where there was no teasing, but we still had a great time... Yeah... Those... "moments"... Huh... Was that the warm feeling I was having all those times? Am I... falling in love with her without even realizing it? This is so confusing. But I do have to talk.
Dahyun was patiently waiting for an answer since she knew the things she just said to Tzuyu were a bit unexpected. Tzuyu then spoke softly:
"Dahyun... I have to be honest."
"Okay?"
"I... don't know what I feel for you."
"Okay."
"And... I don't know if I feel anything for you... except for the whole teasing thing that is."
"Okay." Every time Dahyun spoke now, her voice was getting quitter and sadder, and she really wanted to hide that fact, but couldn't.
"So... I need time. And no, this is not one of THOSE moments where I blow you off and don't speak to you. I want to be able to speak to you and I want to have the same interactions we've been having up until now. It's just... I will have some inner monologues every now and then, and I want to be able to... Think in peace.... Again, this does not mean that I want to isolate you, because I don't." She took Dahyun's hand into her own as she said those last words. She then continued:
"I just need to think. Alone. Occasionally. Is that okay with you?"
Dahyun didn't expect such a turn of events. She was waiting for either full rejection or full acceptance. This was somewhere in between, like an unexpected temporary "rejection". She wasn't sure what to think of it, but she knew she liked the way her hand felt in Tzuyu's right now, so she spoke:
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay." She smiled faintly at Tzuyu.
Tzuyu then kissed Dahyun on the cheek.
"Okay... Let's go home now. It was a long and productive day."
"Agreed."
Dahyun wrapped her arm around Tzuyu's as they walked out of the park and caught a cab to go home.
During the way to home, they didn't speak much, but the atmosphere wasn't tense. They were just tired from the day they had.
"I hope Momo and Chaeyoung will like the presents." Dahyun spoke with a smile.
"Me too." Tzuyu smiled back.
When they got to the mansion, everyone was sleeping except for Nayeon and Mina who were watching TV together. They greeted the duo and decided to go to their bedroom after that.
After they got ready for bed, they stood in the middle of the room, looking at each other.
Tzuyu decided to hug Dahyun and spoke softly:
"Goodnight, Hyunie-bee."
"Goodnight, Tzuyu-bear." Dahyun responded with a smile and they both went to their respective beds.
I just want her to follow her heart, whatever she decides. Dahyun mused before falling asleep.
I don't know what to do. This is all so confusing. Tzuyu pondered before going to sleep.