Gift
Leader X Maknae: A Series of JiTzu OneshotsSummary: What do you give to one who already has it all?
Jihyo's doomed.
It's June 13 and she has less than twenty four hours to find the perfect gift for her perfect girlfriend. She had racked her brain for ideas but each one had either already been taken by the other members or was not 'good enough' in Jihyo's eyes.
She had initially planned on getting a piece of jewellery, most probably a ring or bracelet, for the younger girl. But after thinking things through, she didn't like how cliche the gift was. Chocolates? She shook her head at the idea. The memory of the maknae line reorganising their whole refrigerator to hide the chocolates was still fresh in her mind. Something cute? She was sure she had seen Momo running into her room with a toy puppy a few days ago. So that idea went into the bin with the rest of her plans.
Though she was sure that Tzuyu would be more than pleased with any gift, it was the first time they'll be spending her birthday as a couple and she wanted the gift to be special, which only increased the burden she seemed to be carrying. But what could you give to one who already has it all? Tzuyu came from a well-off family and is currently one of the most famous idols in the industry. She could get anything she wanted with a single word. And the thought of that made Jihyo nervous. What if her gift isn't good enough?
As of now, the maknae was in school with Chaeyoung, completely unaware of her panicking girlfriend's plight. Jihyo on the other hand was pacing around the living room with the remaining members' eyes following her every move. It amused them to see Jihyo like this. Their normally cool headed leader, who could seemingly solve any issue was gone and was freaking out over something as simple as a gift.
"You're going to leave a hole in the floor if you continue to walk back and forth like that," Nayeon quipped as Jihyo continued to trudge around the room. Having had enough of the girl's dizzying movements, she got off her seat and took Jihyo's hand, leading her back to the couch. "What do I do unnie? I'm going to be the worst girlfriend in history," Jihyo whined as she unceremoniously plopped herself into the sofa. She looked so much like a lost puppy that the members made it their mission to help out their leader.
But they too were at a lost.
Jihyo watched as the members somehow managed to obtain a giant whiteboard and were scribbling down ideas onto it. Each of which however were immediately turned down by the others for being impossible to do or just being too ridiculous.
"We could have gotten her a puppy," Nayeon stated, tapping her chin with the marker as she looked at the list she had written. "But Momo is allergic to them and Dahyun is afraid of them," Sana pointed out while to two in question nodded by her side. Momo raised her hand but before she could even suggest anything Jeongyeon had already shot down her idea with a, "No Momo. We are not getting Tzuyu jokbal," prompting her to lower her hand with a pout.
This is getting us nowhere. Jihyo thought. "Anyone has a better idea?" she asked with a sigh, ready to throw in the towel. Maybe she could get Tzuyu a card, some more chocolate and then just hope for the best. Besides, everyone loves chocolate.
"How about preparing an event for her?" Mina tried to suggest, but her words (as silent as ever) only fell on deaf ears when Sana excitedly screamed out her idea.
"You could do what I did for Dahyun's birthday!" This left the members staring between the two in disbelief. While somewhat curious of what the gift was, the smirk on the Japanese girl's face and the way the younger girl's cheeks burned a shade of scarlet as she literally flew out of her seat to silence her, gave Jihyo enough reasons to instantly turn down the idea and make a mental note to cleanse the house with holy water.
"Or," Mina said, finally gaining the members attention, "you could prepare a simple event for her." She stopped to gauge the reactions, continuing when she caught the way Jihyo's ears perked up at the idea. "Tzuyu is surprisingly into romantic things. You could surprise her with flowers or a picnic or something cheesy and she'll love it."
Jihyo beamed at her fellow 97-liner, grabbing her by the shoulders and engulfing her in a bone crushing embrace. "That's a great idea Mina! Why didn't you say anything earlier?" Mina could only roll her eyes in response before Nayeon cut in.
"Only one thing. Jihyo has a day packed with meetings tomorrow. She'll be out the whole day," Nayeon reminded the leader causing her face to fall as she sank back into her seat. There goes another idea, she thought.
"But we don't," Dahyun voiced out. "Jihyo unnie can instruct us on what to do and leave the rest to us. Right unnies?" The girls agreed without sparing another thought but Jihyo was still reluctant, not having the heart to bother her members. "Are you really ok with this?" she asked just to be sure. However the determination in their eyes and Momo's words took the burden off her shoulders. "We want to see Tzuyu happy too," the dancer had said and Jihyo grinned.
"Let's get to work then," she announced and they immediately got to work.
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Tzuyu hated the cold.
It's one of the reasons why she began sleeping with Jihyo once they finally started going out, although she wouldn't dare say it out loud. The leader was as warm as her personality, and there was a sort of comfort she would gain just by being with her. So when she woke up on her birthday to an empty bed, without the warmth of her girlfriend by her side, she was slightly more than disappointed and a little upset. And to make things worse, she still had to attend classes on a day like this.
She groggily dragged herself out of bed, turning off her alarm as she made her way to her closet. To her surprise, she found her uniform all prepared for her already, neatly ironed and ready to be worn. Tzuyu however was more interested in the single red rose tucked away in the pocket of her blazer with a note was placed alongside it. Though a little confused, the sight of the familiar handwriting was able to answer any questions she had at the moment.
Happy Birthday Tzuyu!
Did you know that I've loved you from our first meeting?
That's what a single rose represents.
Love at first sight.
Did you know that I've loved you from our first meeting?
That's what a single rose represents.
Love at first sight.
Her lips curled into a smile at the cringeworthy message. Leave it to Jihyo to write such cheesy words.
She placed the rose on her dresser and slipped out of her room. She headed towards the bathroom to freshen up, making sure to make a detour to check the living room for any sign of her girlfriend. However, there was still no sign of Jihyo and she couldn't help but wonder where the leader could be. Shrugging away the worry, Tzuyu continued to make her way to the bathroom, taking a shower and slipping into her uniform before joining the members in the kitchen.
Momo was the first to spot her when she stepped into the room, a silly grin on her face as she ran over to the maknae. "Happy Birthday Chou Tzu!" she wished, wrapping her arms around the taller girl. Tzuyu reciprocated the hug with a thanks as the rest of the members approached, pulling her into a group hug with her in the centre while they sent her their birthday greetings. But Tzuyu knew she had to be cautious around the older members.
Out of the corner off eye, she could see Nayeon and Sana exchange looks and she immediately prepared for the worse, knowing exactly what they were up to. Like snakes, they lunged at her, attempting to plant kisses on her face. She ducked and slipped out of their grip, earning whines of complaints from the older members as they collided with each other instead.
"Your breakfast is on the table," Jeongyeon announced, pulling her away from the clutches of the touchier members before they could try again, something she was grateful for. The members guided to her usual seat, treating her like a princess along the way, much to her amusement. They were their loud usual selfs, laughing as they pulled out the chair for her to sit and it was there where she found another rose waiting for her, resting on the table by her cutlery.
When I first realised that I love you,
my biggest fear was that my love was unrequited.
Thank you for confessing and showing that the love was mutual.
Enjoy your breakfast and have a great day at school.
my biggest fear was that my love was unrequited.
Thank you for confessing and showing that the love was mutual.
Enjoy your breakfast and have a great day at school.
Tzuyu could feel members taking peeking at the note from behind her and she quickly shooed them away as a blush crept onto her cheeks, prompting bouts of laughter and plenty of teasing from them. But while the older girls joked around, Tzuyu felt a strange emptiness, probably due to the absence of her girlfriend and the members noticed this.
"She has a full schedule today," Mina spoke up when she found Tzuyu shooting downcast looks at the vacant seat beside her. "She tried to postponed the meetings but the managers wouldn't let her." The birthday girl could only sigh. She couldn't blame Jihyo for this. Being the leader of the group called for some sacrifices and this was just one of those she was force to make. Tzuyu just wished that it didn't have to happen today of all days.
"Why don't you let Nayeon unnie and I take you out today instead?" Tzuyu could hear Jeongyeon suggest but she was still too upset to respond. "Don't be so sulky Tzuyu-ah. How about we take you to that dog cafe you like so much?" That suggestion however did catch her attention and she immediately pushed away her sadness, nodding eagerly at the idea bringing laughter to the table once again. Besides, she was sure she would be able to spend time with Jihyo before the day ends.
And that was more than enough for her.
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Throughout the day, Tzuyu continued to find roses with little notes attached to them, each one just as cheesy as the next.
Three roses. Three words.
I Love You.
I Love You.
She had found that written on note number three. The rose was at her seat in school, resting on her table, gaining stares and whispers from her fellow classmates. The note was shorter than the other two but Tzuyu knew it was just Jihyo being careful. No one wanted to deal with another scandal after all. But the whispers grew in volume and she could hear the gossip the students had begun to spread. A secret admirer? Or a secret lover? All were curious about the mysterious sender and Tzuyu was starting to get a little uncomfortable with the attention.
"Ignore them," Chaeyoung whispered to her as she slipped into the seat next to her. She leaned over to examine the flower and made a face when she read the note in Tzuyu's hands, mumbling something about her expecting the leader to be more creative with her choice of words. Tzuyu slapped her arm softly in response before slipping the rose into her school bag as their teacher walked in, silencing the whispers and beginning their lessons.
Her fourth and fifth roses were delivered other by the two oldest members when they came to pick her up for their lunch date. But number six had her grinning at the leader's childishness. The two oldest members had brought her to her favourite dog cafe after school as promised, and while happily playing with the puppies there, a fluffy brown and white one ran over to her, barking at her when she failed to notice it. But when she did, she was in for a huge surprise.
"Gucci!" she exclaimed when the dog simply strutted towards her and plopped itself onto her lap. She picked the chihuahua up, cuddling it and giggling as it her face. Tzuyu had missed her dog deeply, having not seen it in months. When she had finally placed him back down, the dog ran off again, only to return moments later with a rose clamped between its teeth. Realising it was from Jihyo, she quickly shot up, scanning the cafe for any signs of the older girl. But she was nowhere to be seen.
Surprise! Look who I managed to bring over.
Six roses signifies how much I miss you.
You haven't seen me for a whole day.
I wonder if you miss me like you miss Gucci.
P.S. I can't believe I'm jealous of your dog.
Six roses signifies how much I miss you.
You haven't seen me for a whole day.
I wonder if you miss me like you miss Gucci.
P.S. I can't believe I'm jealous of your dog.
Tzuyu read the note after slumping onto the floor in disappointment. She sighed and Gucci's fur. It was getting late and she still had not seen the leader and she was beginning to doubt her chances of her being able to spend time with her girlfriend before the day ended. She hated sounding like a clingy girlfriend but she really did miss the older girl. A lot more than Jihyo would think.
She had expected that rose to be the last, but that was not the case.
She found two more after leaving the cafe, raising the count to eight and Tzuyu couldn't help but wonder how many Jihyo had actually gotten her. Even her mother had one for her, a knowing look on her face as she handed it over to her after they had met for tea. When they had eneded the meal, her mother had pulled out the rose, saying that she had been asked to deliver it. Number nine, some mentally counted, plucking the note and reading Jihyo's handwriting.
A gift of nine roses promises an eternal love.
Meet me at our usual spot later.
And don't forget the roses.
Wo Ai Ni!
Meet me at our usual spot later.
And don't forget the roses.
Wo Ai Ni!
"She's waiting for you," her mother told her. "Go to her." Tzuyu nodded and bid her mother farewell, promising to meet her after their encore concert. For now, she had a more important thing in mind.
It's about time they met.
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As ordered, Tzuyu found herself by the Han river with the nine roses in hand.
She walked along the familiar path, relying on her memory to guide her there. She had come here often with Jihyo even before they had started dating, when they were mere rookies trying to make a name for themselves. It's been awhile since she's visited the place, the lack of time and privacy they had being the main factors. The last time they did come here, they had to flee from the paparazzi and their more obnoxious fans. So she's thankful that the park was empty with only a few occasional couples crossing her path.
Arriving at her destination, she could see Jihyo's small figure pacing around the area as she always does when she was nervous. Deciding to pull a prank on the older girl, Tzuyu sneaked up behind the panicking girl, slipping her arms around her and causing her to jump, startled at the sudden contact.
"Tzuyu-ah! You scared me," Jihyo cried, clutching her heart, causing Tzuyu to burst into laughter as she embraced the older girl and nuzzled her neck. "I missed you," she mumbled against Jihyo's shoulder, smiling when the leader whispered a "me too." And they stayed like that until Jihyo pulled away, making her way to the picnic basket and pulling out another rose.
"For you," Jihyo said, shyly holding out the rose to Tzuyu and waiting for the maknae to accept it. Tzuyu couldn't help but smile at the older girl's reddened cheeks as she took the rose, reading the last note.
Here's the last rose for today, bringing the total to ten.
A perfect ten to let you know how perfect you are.
I really don't deserve someone as perfect as you,
But I promise to love you for as long as I live.
Happy Birthday Tzuyu-ah!
A perfect ten to let you know how perfect you are.
I really don't deserve someone as perfect as you,
But I promise to love you for as long as I live.
Happy Birthday Tzuyu-ah!
Turning to Jihyo once she was done with the note,Tzuyu found her shuffling her feet, looking at shoes, unable to meet her girlfriend's gaze. "Did you prepare all of this by yourself?" She asked her softly and Jihyo scratched the back of her head, clearly embarrassed."Sort of?" came her unsure reply. "As much as I want to say yes—"
"Hey, don't forget us. We helped too!" The members shouted as they walked over with a cake in hand. Jihyo nodded. "They helped with most of it. Since I was stuck at the meeting." "You're just being humble Jihyo," Nayeon butted in slinging an arm over the leader's shoulder. "She did most of it. We just gave her an idea and helped her deliver the roses."
"So did you like it?" Jihyo asked, her eyes showing her anticipation. Tzuyu , pretending to think things through, earning a whine from the older girl but ultimately, she leaned forward to peck her on the forehead. "I love it," she replied and thanked everyone, starting the party as they ate and joked the night away.
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Later that night after all the festivities, Tzuyu found herself in bed with Jihyo , arms wraps tightly around the leader's warm, smaller body, glad to finally have some time to themselves. "Thank you for everything unnie," she whispered as to not wake her roommates and Jihyo hummed in response. "You know what's the best gift I've gotten today?" Tzuyu asked Jihyo, the leader staring up at her expectantly.
"Having you for a girlfriend," came her answer and she giggled as Jihyo blushed. "Go to sleep Tzuyu," Jihyo muttered out of shyness snd Tzuyu complied. Snuggling closer to the leader and bidding her goodnight, falling asleep to the sound of Jihyo's heartbeat.
With that came the end to a perfect birthday. And Tzuyu couldn't ask for anything better.
A/N: This was should have been posted a month ago but nonetheless, here's a fic for Tzuyu's very belated birthday. Although it's a lot cheesier than I would like...
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