Chaeyoung insisted Tzuyu should go home after the incident. Tzuyu insisted she was fine and wanted to go back to practice since there was still some time left.

In the end, they stayed in the infirmary, just talking, which turned out to be a better outcome for an injury than Tzuyu ever expected.

Chaeyoung sat in the bed with crossed legs. Tzuyu couldn’t remember how the conversation started anymore, but it lead to Chaeyoung explaining how she decided she wanted to be a basketball player.

“I’ve always been shorter than everyone, and people made sure to point it out to me all the time. In PE classes especially, I was always the target. No one wanted me in their teams because they said I would make them lose the game. They didn’t even give me a chance to show them I was actually good at almost every sport, especially basketball, since I always played it with my dad and brother. And so, in 9th grade I got tired of it and decided I wanted to join the basketball team. I think you can guess their first reaction.” Chaeyoung gave Tzuyu a small smile, to which she responded with a frown. “They laughed, of course. ‘Come back when you're 1 meter taller’, the captain said. I still remember that , Nayoung…”

“I would have punched her.” Tzuyu blurted, earning a chuckle from Chaeyoung.

“You’re cute when you try to be tough.”

“I am tough.” Tzuyu answered, trying her best not to stutter and hide how much her insides were shaking.

Chaeyoung giggled.

“You can't fool me, Tzuyu.” Chaeyoung said. Seeing the disappointment in Tzuyu's face, she gave her no time to answer. “Anyway, as I was saying, Nayoung gave me an opportunity, but she was really good and much taller than me, so I failed. It was then that decided I needed to practice really hard if I wanted to become a basketball player. And believe me, I really wanted to. Not only because I wanted to prove that height was not everything, also because I started enjoying it a whole lot more. So I practiced for the rest of the year so I would be good enough to join the team in 10^th grade. It was a pity Nayoung changed schools and didn’t watch me turn into the captain of the team.” Chaeyoung finished with a proud smile.

Tzuyu listened in pure awe. Chaeyoung was a true inspiration and her story seemed like one from a movie.

“Am I that amazing you were left speechless?” Chaeyoung smirked.

“No!” Tzuyu answered. “I mean, yes, you’re amazing.” She smiled, scratching her head.

Chaeyoung's smirk turned into a shy smile as she looked the opposite direction.

“You’re cute when you're shy.” Tzuyu's turn to .

“I’m not cute.” Chaeyoung retorted.

“You don’t fool me, Chae.”

Chaeyoung's jaw dropped.

“Wow, using my words against me? I'm impressed. And since when did we drop honorifics and all? Chae?!”

Tzuyu gulped.

“W-we're in the same grade. You can't force me to speak formally to you.”

Chaeyoung held her laugh, her dimple appearing more than ever, and Tzuyu swore that was the cutest thing she had ever seen.

“Since I like you, I’ll allow it. And because you’re cute.”

Chaeyoung seriously needed to stop calling her cute.

---

“Tzuyu!” Momo called, seeing her finally walk past the school gates.

“What the hell are you still doing here? Practice ended like an hour ago.” 

“I didn’t want to interrupt your… moment with Chaeyoung, but I was also worried about you, so I was waiting for you. God, I'm so sorry Tzuyu.” She apologized, taking a closer look at her swollen cheek.

“It’s okay, it was my fault.” Momo widened her eyes, not expecting that answer. “I mean, you’re still an idiot for yelling like that. I bet you embarrassed Mina.”

“Well, she likes being cheered on!.” Momo said, walking away.

Tzuyu followed, shaking her head.

“You’re perfect for each other, I can tell.”

Momo took a bigger step and stood in front of Tzuyu, beaming.

“We are perfect for each other! Oh Tzuyu, she’s so beautiful and cute and talented and charming and smart and-“

“Okay okay, I got it. Did you learn all that during lunch?”

“It was more than enough time to be sure she’s the one for me. Please, help me win her heart!”

“What do you want me to do?” Tzuyu raised an eyebrow and resumed her walk, Momo now following behind.

“She said ‘text me later’, so I need to text her today! But I don’t know what to say! Do you see how tragic that is?!”

“Momo, for 's sake, just write ‘hey, wanna go out?’ and ta-da, you ask her out. Why do you complicate everything?” Tzuyu flailed her arms in the air.

“Tzuyu, if you really want to win a girl's heart, you can't just say 'Hey, wanna go out?' It makes you look like a player who says that to just any girl.”

“I don't see what you mean.”

“You need to be romantic and make her feel like she’s the queen of the world. Damn Tzuyu, you don’t understand a thing about getting a girl.” Momo said, her voice more serious than ever.

Tzuyu scoffed.

“You're clueless yourself. If you actually did know how to, you wouldn't be single.” Tzuyu bit her lip as to not laugh in Momo's face.

Tzuyu had to listen to Momo's whining for the rest of the walk home.

“Jesus Momo, I can’t listen to your voice even for one more second. Come in, I’ll help you.” Tzuyu rolled her eyes and opened the front door, hearing Momo clap behind her.

They stepped in and let their tired bodies dive into the couch.

“I’m starving, I’m gonna get something to eat.” Momo said as she got up.

“This is my house by the way.”

“Tu casa es mi casa.” Momo yelled from the kitchen.

Tzuyu sighed and realized Momo left her phone in the coffee table. Tzuyu smirked and grabbed it. She was glad she knew Momo's passcode.

“Do you want something to eat, too?” Momo yelled again.

“As if you'd leave me anything.”

About five minutes later, Momo came back, munching on an apple.

“What were you doing?” Momo asked, seeing the hidden smirk on Tzuyu's lips.

“Just chilling.”

Momo frowned, but accepted her answer.

Silence settled in. Tzuyu grabbed her own phone to pretend she was busy, but she kept eyeing Momo from the corner of her eyes.

“W-What?!” Momo shouted, widening her eyes. Finally, the reaction Tzuyu was waiting for.

“What, what?” Tzuyu played dumb.

Momo seemed to have lost her ability to speak, so she turned her phone to Tzuyu. She could read the text notification.

[18:37] Mina <3
Okay, meet me tomorrow by the school gates after classes ^^

“You’re welcome.” Tzuyu winked. “No, wait, let me add something.”

She took the phone from Momo’s hands. She was still too shocked to even complain, and let Tzuyu type away. After a few seconds, Tzuyu returned the phone to her.

“What… What did you do?”

“I asked her out. Well, you asked her out.” Tzuyu smirked. “You're supposed to meet her outside her classroom and take her somewhere fun. Make her feel like the queen of the world. No pressure.” Tzuyu teased, patting her shoulder.

It seemed that it finally hit her, as Momo's lips slowly grew into her silly grin and her eyes shined.

“I asked Mina out!” She said, like she did the most incredible thing in the world, when it wasn’t even her doing.

“Well, you’re wel- Yes, you did good, Momo.”

“Thank you so much Tzuyu, I love you so much, you’re the best friend anyone could ask for and the best person-“

“Okay, enough, get off me.” Tzuyu said, trying to shrug Momo off, since she launched herself to hug her.

“I could kiss you right now!” Momo added.

“Save those for Mina, will you?” Tzuyu pushed her, acting disgusted.

---

Tzuyu got up, ready to leave, when Momo grabbed her arm.

“Come with me!”

“Why would I?”

“Because I’m nervous, just stay with me until we reach the classroom!”

Tzuyu sighed.

“You’re such a baby.” She said, leading the way.

Momo walked beside her, playing with the straps of her backpack, muttering something.

“Are you casting a spell or what?” Tzuyu asked.

“I’m telling myself not to act weird.”

“Nah, that's completely useless. You're better off hoping she puts up with your weird crap.”

“Wow, since when are you so motivational?” Momo elbowed her.

“Well, I-“

“Momo!” Mina called from afar.

Tzuyu looked ahead to see Mina waving with her gummy smile, and beside her was Chaeyoung.

Oh God.

Momo rushed to her, and Tzuyu joined, an awkward smile on her lips.

“Hi Tzuyu!” Mina smiled at her too.

“H-Hi.”

She could see how shaken Momo was.

“O-Oh, since the four of us are here, how about we go on a double date?” Momo blurted out, speaking so fast Tzuyu had a hard time deciphering her words. When she did, she widened her eyes and found Chaeyoung wearing an amused smirk.

When Tzuyu was about to pull Momo to protest, Chaeyoung stepped in.

“I think it’s a good idea, actually.”

“Great! So let’s go.” Mina said, leading the way, Momo following.

Of course Tzuyu was left behind with Chaeyoung. They followed them to the school gates and Chaeyoung stopped on her tracks, grabbing Tzuyu's arm. Tzuyu's head turned back, puzzled.

“Let’s just let them do their thing. They’re already so in their own world they won’t even notice our absence. And I don’t think we wanted to be each other's third wheels, am I right?” Chaeyoung smiled.

Each other's third wheels?

“Y-Yeah, I think so.” She agreed, even though she had no idea what that meant. Tzuyu was great at Korean already, but some idiomatic expressions they used were just so confusing and meaningless... but she wouldn't make a fool of herself and ask about it.

“So, where do you wanna go?”

Tzuyu looked at Chaeyoung with parted lips.

“Home?”

Chaeyoung chuckled.

“You’re inviting me to your house already?" Chaeyoung teased. "I was thinking about going for a walk or the basketball court, but if you wanna take me to your house, fine by me.”

Tzuyu blinked once, twice, until…

“Oh! Oh, you meant where do I wanna go with you?” Tzuyu gestured with her hands, pointing to several random places.

Chaeyoung watched with an amused grin and raised eyebrows as Tzuyu stumbled on her words.

“If you want my company on this beautiful Friday afternoon, but if you wanna go home I under-“

“Of course I want to!” Tzuyu almost slapped her own mouth. “I mean, yes, we should… Do something. Together.”

Chaeyoung smiled. The killer smile.

“Shall we go then?” She said, extending her hand.

Tzuyu didn’t know if she should grab her hand or not, but she didn’t give it much though.

Her hand moved on its own to grab Chaeyoung’s, anyway.

---

Her tired body dove into her mattress. She closed her eyes and let everything that happened in the past hours set in her memory.

Yes, it all happened.

They took a wall by the river.

They held hands, for God knows what reason.

They sat in the grass, feeling the warm sun and the light breeze while talking about everything and about nothing.

They shared ice cream with each other.

Chaeyoung walked Tzuyu home and just before they parted ways, Tzuyu invited her to come in, to which she gladly agreed.

Time flew, and it was already dinner time. Chaeyoung offered to cook for the both of them, and Tzuyu was glad she insisted on it, because she was quite ashamed of her terrible skills with food.

Tzuyu's mother was still at work, so they would be alone.

Chaeyoung's food was truly amazing, and she just couldn't keep the compliments under her tongue.

When Tzuyu's mother finally arrived home, she introduced Chaeyoung to her, her palms sweating. Why was she like that? This didn't happen when she introduced Momo to her Mom. They're both just friends, so why?

Her mother recognized Chaeyoung's name by “The girl who hit Tzuyu in the face with a basketball.” Tzuyu felt embarrassed, quickly adding “She’s the basketball team captain Mom, and that was an accident. I was distracted.” Chaeyoung laughed, and her mother patted her shoulder. “Thank you for being Tzuyu's friend. Even though you threw a basketball at her face, she seemed really happy talking about you.”

Tzuyu blushed and froze. Her mother leaned closer to whisper something in Chaeyoung's ear, something Tzuyu couldn’t listen. But whatever her mother told her left Chaeyoung with an embarrassed smile and a flush in her cheeks.

“Should I take you home? It’s a bit late already, isn’t it?” Her mother said, grabbing her car keys.

“Oh, it’s not necessary, I live quite close actua-“

“It’s okay Mom, I’ll take her there.”

Both her mother and Chaeyoung quirked an eyebrow with Tzuyu's statement.

“Since it’s close, I’ll walk her there and come back.”

“But then you’ll come back alone.” Chaeyoung pointed out.

“You'll go alone too if I don't go with you.” Tzuyu answered back.

“But I’m a tough girl, I don’t let anyone mess with me.”

“Well I'm taller than you, and I'm intimidating.”

“Height is not everything, I'm the captain of the basketball team and besides you're the one who got hit in the face for being distracted!“

“Okay, fine, let’s just go.” Tzuyu got tired of the silly argument, and placing an arm around the shorter's shoulders, she pulled her with her towards the door, leaving her mother behind.

They walked in silence, Tzuyu paying attention to the way they were going.

Her house was close by indeed - a little under 10 minutes walking. And now she knew where Chaeyoung lived. Why did that matter, though?

Tzuyu walked Chaeyoung to the entrance.

“Thank you, Tzuyu.” She looked up to stare at her eyes.

“Oh, it was nothing. It was the least I could do after you made that amazing food. So, thank you.”

Chaeyoung looked away for a few seconds.

“So… I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Yes. Have a nice weekend.”

“You too.”

Tzuyu took a step back, and another, never breaking the stare, before turning to walk. But she remembered something. She her heels and blurted.

“What did my Mom tell you?”

Chaeyoung was just about to step in, but she stopped and turned to face her, gaping.

“Hmm…” She looked up at the dark sky for a few seconds, until a smirk appeared on her lips. “Why should I tell you?”

“Because she's my mother and she's embarrassing. I want to know if you have dirt on me now.”

Chaeyoung took a couple steps closer and stood right in front of her, a bit too close. She looked up again, straight into Tzuyu's eyes.

“I’ll tell you under a request.”

Tzuyu gulped.

“What is it?”

“I want a good night kiss.”

It was a miracle Tzuyu was still conscious. A nervous giggle escaped .

“W-Why? Do you want me to tuck you in your bed and sing you a lullaby too?” She tried playing Chaeyoung's game.

"Hmm... that wouldn't be so bad either, would it?" Chaeyoung rubbed her chin and wrinkled her nose. “But just the kiss will do for today. If you’re so curious about what your mom told me, you would do that, wouldn’t you?”

Tzuyu was getting beaten at her own game time and time again. She couldn't believe her throne as the queen of manipulation persuasion was under threat.

She could chicken out, and play like she didn't care to know after all. But was that still what this whole thing was about?

Chaeyoung turned her face and tapped her cheek with her finger.

Tzuyu's brain felt like a glitching Windows 95. Chaeyoung had that unpredictable side, and she didn’t seem to stop surprising Tzuyu day after day. She couldn't figure out what was going on even if she tried.

Risking on playing her game once more, Tzuyu leaned in to give Chaeyoung her so wanted good night kiss. Tzuyu felt as if her head was slowly entering an oven.

She looked at Chaeyoung, waiting for her part of the deal, studying her reaction. The smirk that was still present on her lips soon transformed into a mischievous grin.

“Good night.”

And she ran back, stepping in her house and closing the door.

Tzuyu stood still, smoke coming out of her ears. Son Chaeyoung should have known better than to play her like that. She was not about to let her go without exacting revenge.

---

A/N: Sneaky Chaeyoung kekekekekekekekekeke