It was the middle of summer, two years to the day that Tzuyu first saw Sana.
Not the first day they met, but the first time Tzuyu had walked into the library and saw Sana stacking books between the shelves. Sana didn't know the significance of this day; she was oblivious as she sang loudly along with the radio as she drove.
Surprisingly she was a good singer, and Tzuyu smiled as she watched her behind the wheel. A few months ago Sana had got her license, finally overcoming the final barrier in her fear of cars.
The sun beat down on them as they left the city behind them. It was the middle of the day, and they had a long way to go.
"You're staring again," Sana stated, turning to face Tzuyu. Her glasses covered her eyes but Tzuyu knew they would be crinkling at the corners.
"I like staring at you," Tzuyu told her, lifting one of Sana's hands off the steering wheel and placing a kiss to the back of it. Sana rolled her eyes, smiling widely as she concentrated on the road.
"So when are you going to tell me where we're going?" Sana asked, raising an eyebrow and turning her head slightly in Tzuyu's direction.
"I'll tell you when we get there," Tzuyu smirked, taking in Sana's frustrated expression.
It was a surprise, something she had planned for Sana because she knew she would enjoy it, even if Tzuyu wouldn't.
---
It took them hours.
They drove through the desert, basking in the warmth of the sun as they chatted and Tzuyu listened to Sana sing whenever a song she liked came on.
Everything was right in the world, and neither of them wanted to be anywhere else. It was hard to imagine that two years ago, Tzuyu was scared of getting attached, of loving someone, and Sana couldn't talk and hadn't been able to overcome the trauma of her childhood. It seemed as if Tzuyu had been made to love Sana, to shower her with love and affection, and these days Sana would talk nonstop, filling every silence with her bubbly chatter. Tzuyu could hardly remember a life without Sana's voice in it.
By the time they got there Tzuyu suspected that she was three shades whiter, already dreading her decision. She was so scared, and maybe a little bit nervous as they pulled over where Tzuyu indicated. They got out, stretching their legs after sat in the car for so long.
"Now what?" Sana asked, gazing around at the featureless landscape. There were some gigantic rocks a hundred yards away, and a lot of sand, but besides that there was nothing.
"This way," Tzuyu said, holding her hand out for Sana to take.
The sun shone brightly on the horizon as Tzuyu led them towards the rocks; sunset was almost at hand. Out here it would be spectacular, nothing to interrupt the sight. None of the big city lights to hide the stars once night had fallen.
The rocks grew larger the closer they got, and with each step Tzuyu grew more nervous. She grasped tightly at Sana's hand, seeking comfort and reassurance. Sana would never let anything bad happen to her.
Up close the rocks were easily a hundred feet tall, casting giant shadows, which the welcomed after the blistering heat of the sun. Still, Tzuyu led them forwards, bringing them out the other side of the rocks.
Sana shaded her eyes against the sun, letting out a surprised gasp as she took in the view. A dozen yards away a man stood next to a half inflated hot air balloon, the source of Tzuyu's fear and anxiety.
"No way!" Sana squealed, throwing her arms around Tzuyu, who laughed as she hugged her back.
"Oh my God, I can't believe we're going in a hot air balloon," Sana laughed, bouncing with excitement, as she beamed at Tzuyu.
"Only for you would I do this," Tzuyu smiled, feeling warm inside from Sana's excitement. Right now she was glad she had thought of this, but in a few minutes she was sure she'd be regretting it.
They walked over to the man, who waved as they got closer.
"Miss Chou?" he asked, shaking hands with Tzuyu and then Sana. "Nice to meet you both. It should be ready in a few minutes."
Tzuyu nodded, and they both listened as he explained how to work it. Sana's excitement was palpable, she kept shooting Tzuyu smiles as they listened. Meanwhile, Tzuyu grew more tense, a knot of fear settling in her stomach.
---
Ten minutes later the balloon was fully inflated, straining against the ropes as it tried to float away. The owner led Sana and Tzuyu over to the basket, helping Sana in. Tzuyu took a deep breath, steadying herself, before accepting help into the basket.
"Alright then, if you need any help just radio down, if it's an emergency use the flags," the man informed them, loosening one of the ropes.
One by one, he undid them all, and Sana enthusiastically opened the gas valve at his command, filling the balloon up. It gently rose off the ground, and Tzuyu squeezed her eyes shut holding on tightly to the ropes. She listened to Sana's gasps of wonder and excited comments as they rose higher and higher.
She felt gentle fingers on her face as Sana caressed her cheekbones and jawline.
"Tzuyu, open your eyes," she whispered, leaning in close to press her warm lips against Tzuyu's.
Slowly, Tzuyu opened her eyes, staring straight into Sana's brown ones. They were crinkled slightly at the corners, filled with a spark of excitement and love. Tzuyu let out a shaky breath as she turned away from Sana's stare, looking out at the view.
Her stomach dropped, all the air leaving her lungs as she saw how high they were. The wind whipped her hair around her face and her knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip on the edge of the basket.
It was beautiful.
She had planned it perfectly so that the sun would start setting once they got into the sky. They could see for miles in each direction, a barren landscape except for their tiny car on the side of the road and the massive rocks below them. On the horizon, the sun started sinking lower, painting the sky a thousand colours in its wake.
"It's beautiful," Tzuyu let out a shaky laugh, her nerves getting the better of her. She could the lump of fear in her throat as she stared out at the landscape, as the basket gently shifted under her feet. Sana moved to stand behind her, resting her chin on Tzuyu's shoulder.
"Thank you for this," Sana said, her hands encircling Tzuyu's waist to keep her grounded in reality. She wouldn't let anything happen to her, even up here.
"I know how scared you must be feeling right now," Sana smiled, raising one hand to pull Tzuyu's hair out of her face, placing a gentle kiss behind her ear.
Tzuyu let out a breathless laugh, turning her head to smile weakly at Sana, "you don't know the half of it, darling."
"Well I love you more for doing this," Sana smiled at her, "it's incredible up here. I almost didn't think you were going to get in the basket."
Tzuyu turned around in Sana's arms, her hands holding onto the rim of the basket, baring her teeth in an anxious smile.
"You told me once that you wished you could fly, and well, I didn't think skydiving would be quite as romantic," Tzuyu laughed nervously, her heart racing as she looked into Sana's eyes.
How grateful she was for those beautiful eyes that she loved so much.
The sky was darkening, the first stars revealing themselves as sparkling dots against the inky blue sky.
"I'd follow you anywhere, even to the moon itself," Tzuyu admitted breathlessly, "and if you want to fly I'll try my best to make it happen, and it you want to touch the stars I'll do that too."
Sana smiled widely, her eyes full of love and adoration as she looked down at Tzuyu . Letting go of the railing, Tzuyu reached up and braced herself against Sana's shoulder, gently but firmly pushing her backwards.
"I love you Sana, I really do, and I didn't think it was possible for me to ever love anyone," Tzuyu laughed, her eyes filling up with tears. She could feel her heart pounding in her ears as Sana stared at her across the basket, her head tilted to the side as she gave Tzuyu a confused smile.
There was a gap between them.
Enough space for Tzuyu to kneel down, pulling out the little box that had been weighing down her pocket the entire drive here, and for the past two months as she had planned the perfect night.
Flipping open the little box, Tzuyu took one of Sana's hands in her own. She kissed the back of it, gripping it tightly as she looked up at Sana, before letting it go.
'Will you marry me?'
Her hands were steady and sure as she signed the question, even as Tzuyu fought back tears. For the first time since she had stepped foot into the basket, she wasn't scared. There were no doubts or hesitations as Tzuyu knelt there, offering up the ring nestled in the velvet folds of the box.
All the air seemed to rush out of Sana's lungs as she looked down at Tzuyu. It was picture perfect; the sky fading from inky black and starlit down to a deep orange as the last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon. The hot air balloon was lit up from within by the gas flame keeping it afloat. And Tzuyu looked beautiful, bathed in the moonlight and warm, orange glow of the flame flickering above her.
A tear slid down Sana's face as she smiled widely at Tzuyu.
"Yes," it came out as a sob, and she laughed, "yes!"
Tzuyu let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, laughing in relief as she slipped the ring onto the fourth finger on Sana's left hand, placing a kiss on it.
Sana half pulled Tzuyu up off her knees, enveloping her in a warm hug as she cried tears of happiness. She pulled back, noticing that Tzuyu was also crying, and brought their lips together, putting all of her love behind it.
Pulling back, they both laughed, sniffing as they smiled and brushed away each other's tears. Sana gently brushed Tzuyu's hair out of her face, and placed another soft kiss to Tzuyu's lips as her hands cradled her face.
"I love you," Sana told Tzuyu, her voice hitching as she tried to stop crying. She was just so happy, she had always thought she would be the one to propose, when Tzuyu was ready. It meant more to her than Tzuyu would ever know that she had learnt to let go of her past and let Sana love her. And for her, Tzuyu had let her walls down and loved Sana unconditionally.
"I love you too," Tzuyu whispered.
Together, they stood side by side, Sana's arm wrapped around Tzuyu's waist as Tzuyu leant her head on Sana's shoulder. The last bit of sunlight had disappeared over the horizon, leaving nothing but darkness pierced by dots of light and the hot air balloon floating in the sky.
The soft glow of the hot air balloon illuminated the figures of two people intertwined, the pale scars of a sacrifice, the letting go of a fear, the promise of tomorrow, and the ring on a finger.
All signs of their love.
The end.