***Sana's POV***
"I knew you two would end up together," Mia said while I was helping her prepare our lunch for today.
Tzuyu decided that we should visit Mia before we take Beauty to her grandparents. So, we went to her restaurant after we had our breakfast and Mia was surprised, to say the least, when she saw Tzuyu entering her door, with our daughter clutching her left leg.
"You were really inseparable when she first introduced you to me, and I'm feeling a bit of déjà vu whenever I look at her with your daughter," Mia said.
"Yes, they have been like that ever since Beauty learned Tzuyu's her mother," I told her while I was cutting some carrots.
"I can see your face in her but I am also seeing Tzuyu in her manners. It's like I am looking at the two in one body," she said.
"Yeah, I get that a lot," I answered.
"Anyway, Tzuyu must be really happy when she learned you have been visiting me and her parents' grave all these years." Mia took all the vegetables and put them in a bowl.
"She did not know any of it," I told her.
"What? Why?" Mia asked me, her face was showing the confusion she was feeling.
I sighed. "Tzuyu and I are not together, Mia. You know how she left and vanished like a bubble for years."
"But she is back, and she is here with us again. Isn't that the same as being together?" Mia asked me again.
She has another family, so we cannot be together.
But that is not my story to tell.
"We are... taking things slowly.." is all I said.
"Young people this day.." Mia sighed.
"Back in my days, everything was simple. We know what we want so we did anything and everything to get it. We did not overcomplicate things, because if you do that, you never know, it might be too late already."
I did not answer her. I sat at one of the chair and just watched Tzuyu and Beauty playing at the counter top.
Good thing there was not so many patrons today.
"And I am sure Tzuyu also knows what she needs to do. Not a single Chou turned their back on a responsibility," Mia said.
Is that all we are to her? A mere 'responsibility'?
I sighed.
All this thinking will not help me or us in our situation. What we need to do is to have that much needed 'talk'.
But, do I really want to know? Do I really need to know? Am I ready to know her answer? The truth? Can I accept it?
But for the sake of our daughter, we need to clear our situation. I need to know where my daughter and I stand in Tzuyu's life.
"Sana? Are you all right?" I heard Tzuyu's voice.
"Sorry, what were you saying?" I asked her.
"I did not say anything. I just noticed you were spacing out?" Tzuyu said. She was softly caressing our daughter's hair while Beauty was playing with her doll.
"Mommy, is our food ready? I am hungry," Beauty said when she turned to look at me.
I smiled when I heard that and walked towards their direction. All the while I can feel Tzuyu's stare at me, and I tried my best not to look at her. I do not want her to notice that something has been bothering me, but I also know that this attempt is futile because nothing can escape her piercing gaze.
"Yeah, it is almost done. Want to go with me and check if it is already cooked?" I asked her.
"Okay!" Beauty said. I carried my daughter's small body and was about to walk away when I felt Tzuyu's warm hand stopped me on my arm. I felt soft tingles running from the spot where she touched me up to my ear then to my cheek. I can feel my face getting hot and I am sure she noticed it too.
"Are you sure you are all right? I noticed you have been spacing out a lot. Is everything okay?" Tzuyu asked me again. She did not try to hide her concern and worry and somehow, it made me feel warm and happy inside that she has been paying attention not only to our daughter but also to me.
"Yes, I am okay. You do not have to worry about me." I reached out to caress her face using the back of my hand and I knew what I did caught her off guard because of how shocked she looked like. This is the first physical contact we had which I initiated first, aside from the two slaps I gave her not too long ago. And somehow, it felt good to just touch her like this.
Like how I did before.
When Tzuyu tried to lean closer to my touch, I withdrew my hand. I turned around and left her on the counter, her eyes unreadable.
----
After we had our lunch, Tzuyu took us where her parents' remains were laid to rest. She did not tell us where we were going, but I knew this road since I have been here a couple of times already. Tzuyu stopped at one of the flower shops we passed along the road and bought two large bouquet of flowers.
I remember we only brought one when she took me there years ago? Or maybe she just wanted to compensate them for the years she did not visit?
"Mommy, where are we?" Beauty asked from the backseat when the car stopped.
"Remember why we went here in Taiwan? We are here now. We are visiting your grandparents, honey," Tzuyu answered her. She went out of the car and opened my car door before carrying Beauty from the backseat.
She tried to carry the two bouquet but I saw her struggles, so I offered to carry Beauty instead.
"Thank you," Tzuyu said.
After a few minutes of walking, Beauty asked to be put down.
"Mommy, I want to walk," Beauty said, and so I let her. Tzuyu and I matched our strides with our daughter's small strides. I was holding her left hand while Tzuyu was tailing us silently.
"Here we are," Tzuyu said.
Beauty looked at the granite gravestones in front of her. She pulled my hand making me look at her.
"Do not be scared, honey. You can walk closer and talk to them," I told her.
"They are going to hear me?" Beauty asked me.
"I am sure they are listening right now." Tzuyu grabbed Beauty's right hand. "Want to come with me and offer this flower?" She asked our daughter. Beauty just nodded and they walked closer to the gravestone.
Tzuyu kneeled in front of them and wiped the dry leaves that were littered away from the tombstones. Beauty did the same and paid them her respect and prayers, and I did the same.
Tzuyu stood up and took a few steps backward.
Why did she only offer one bouquet?
She was still holding the other one.
When she was standing beside me, I asked her the question I have been meaning to ask.
"Did you bring them here already? Jihyo and Jay, I mean." I gulped while waiting for her answer. I saw from my peripheral view that she looked at me first before answering.
"Yes, they have been here just a year ago." Her simple answer made me feel a slight of pain, but I kind of expected her answer already.
Of course, why would not she bring them here?
"Sana, can you watch Beauty for a while? I am just going to pay respect to someone." Tzuyu did not wait for my answer. She started to walk and stopped a few meters away from us.
I watched her as she kneeled and cleaned the gravestone like what she did on her parents' and offered the other set of bouquet of flowers.
I do not remember her visiting another one before.
"Mommy? What is mommy doing over there?" I felt Beauty tugging the hem of my skirt.
"She must be paying respect to one of her relatives. Are you done praying for your grandpa and grandma's soul?" I asked Beauty.
"Yes! Let's go to mommy!" Beauty said then she raised her arms. I carried her and we slowly made our way to Tzuyu.
Is she crying?
She must have noticed our approaching presence because she turned her head sideways before wiping her tears. Or it must have been my imagination since I did not see it directly.
I thought it was only I who noticed it, but apparently my daughter too, because she immediately went to Tzuyu's arms when we reached her. She snuggled on Tzuyu's neck and tightly wrap her tiny arms around it.
"Mommy, do not be sad." I heard Beauty murmured.
"Mommy is not sad. You know why? Because little Beauty is here," Tzuyu said while giving our daughter her gentle smile. "You give meaning to Mommy's life. You are my personal sunshine. As long as you are with me, I will not be sad." Tzuyu said then the two of them started to walk away.
Beauty extended her left arm to my direction, as if telling me to hold it, and so I did. We walked back to the car with Beauty on Tzuyu's arms and our daughter holding me on her left hand.
I wanted to ask Tzuyu who was that person, but obviously it was a topic she was not yet ready to touch.