Sana nervously paces in front of Dahyun’s classroom, waiting for her best friend’s class to end so she can panic. The Japanese doesn’t know what to do.

 

She just said yes to go on a double date with Nayeon and this girl she met online, but she doesn’t even have a girlfriend herself. Of all the times she says yes without listening, it had to be for something like that. 

 

She recalls their conversation.

 

“Sana-ya,” Nayeon nudges the distracted girl, “Sana!”

 

“Yes?” Sana mumbles, eyes focused on her phone. She hears Nayeon’s loud voice going on about Tinder and a girlfriend? before she finally puts her phone down to actually listen to the talkative girl.

 

“So as I was saying, go out on a double date with me and Jeongyeon?” Nayeon asks, “I need you there to make things less awkward but you going alone would make it weirder, so help me?”

 

“Sure,” Sana accepts absentmindedly, with the status of her wallet as the only coherent thought in her mind, “I don’t wanna pay for the food, though.”

 

“Great!” Nayeon smiles happily, “Just get your girlfriend to pay, use your aegyo!” Nayeon chirps before the older’s phone buzzes, interrupting their (one sided) conversation.

 

“I have to go. Thanks a lot Sana-ya!” Nayeon says before dashing off.

 

It was at that moment, Sana knew she ed up. If Nayeon wasn’t in such a rush, she’d see sana drop her phone to the ground and her soul leave her body once the words had sunk in.

 

How’s she supposed to get a girlfriend in a week?!

 

***

 

“Unnie, come on. It isn’t that hard,” Dahyun comforts the older girl as Sana snuggles up to her. 

 

As soon as the younger got out of class earlier that day, the Japanese practically tackled her to the ground whining incoherently. They were getting weird looks left and right, and Dahyun was left with no choice but to bring the poor girl to her dorm room to explain everything about what Dahyun knows to be another stupid situation that Sana has gotten herself into. Again.

 

“Easy for you to say, everyone loves you!” Sana whines into Dahyun’s shoulder, “You’re small and cute and you’re Dahyun!” She continues to whine, squishing her best friend’s cheeks like a stress ball.

 

“You say that like you don’t have a new girl chasing after you every month,” Dahyun swats Sana’s hands away then rolls her eyes as she hands Sana a bowl of chocolate ice cream.

 

“T-they were accidents!” The Japanese exclaims, confusing Dahyun.

 

“Sana, what--”

 

“I-- I thought they meant girl friend,” Sana tries to explain, “ With a space..”

 

Dahyun blinks, looking incredulously at her best friend.

 

“You flirt with them, though--” Dahyun’s interrupted by a loud Sana.

 

"Everyone thinks I flirt with everyone! I don't!” Sana whines loudly, not unlike a sad puppy, much to Dahyun’s embarrassment. The walls aren’t thick around the dorms after all, “It-- It’s not my fault they ask so casually! Also, they looked pretty straight to me!” Sana tries to justify.

 

“How can you be so gay, but not have a working gaydar?” Dahyun asks and Sana groans with a mouthful of ice cream. It’s in no way graceful or cute, but the petite girl won’t voice that out. Her best friend has enough problems already.

 

“I don’t know! Ugh, what is with people sending me mixed signals all the time?!” Sana whines again, “Help me, Dahyunnie! Be my fake girlfriend, pleaasee!” Sana pouts with a chocolate mustache. Dahyun knows it’s her attempt at being cute.

 

It isn’t cute, but it works anyway.

 

“Okay,” Dahyun concedes. “But it’s gonna be obviously fake if I pretend to be your girlfriend, but there’s this cute girl in one of my classes who I think is your type, gay, and friendly enough... I could introduce you to her tomorrow?”

 

“Yes!” Sana’s mood turns a whole 180 at her best friend’s words, “I love you, Dahyunnie!” The Japanese clings tighter onto Dahyun.

 

Dahyun sighs, the things she does for her friends.

 

 

Sana used to think that Dahyun’s not just her best friend, but also her most honest friend.

 

She doesn’t anymore.

 

Not when she’s faced with a tall freshman that towers over her form with this aloof and cold look that makes Sana want to run away. Sure, she’s super pretty and girls like her are her absolute type, but she also feels like she’s going to be smacked into another universe if she says something out of line. How Dahyun isn’t intimidated by this girl’s presence alone despite looking like a munchkin beside her, she has no idea.

 

“Bonjuru! Sana unnie, this is Tzuyu! She just transferred in earlier this semester,” Dahyun chirps happily, looking smaller than ever now that Tzuyu’s towering over her, “Tzuyu, this is my best friend, Sana unnie!”

 

Tzuyu only nods, but extends her hand for a handshake. Dahyun, for some reason, is bouncing happily on her feet. They’re complete opposites, and Sana would’ve laughed at their contrasting personalities if it wasn’t for what she has to ask of this intimidating girl later.

 

“Nice nice,” Dahyun comments distractedly at their handshake, “I gotta go now, Bonjuru!” She suddenly says and runs away.

 

But maybe she isn’t so intimidating! Sana tries to convince herself. After all, she’s friends with Irene, Joy, and Jennie. They’re the university’s most intimidating girls, but really, they’re just all cute softies on the inside. Each of them have this cute fact about themselves that only a few people know. Like Irene loves fabric softener more than the world and taking her favorite brand away from her will depress her, Jennie is scared of many things and everyone who knows this will protect her, and Joy loves her dog Haetnim, and lives solely to protecc the tiny floof from harm. (Joy’s words, not hers.)

 

Maybe, Tzuyu’s just like them too.

 

Maybe.

 

“Hi!” Sana says a bit too loudly. She has to do this, she thinks, putting a smile on.

 

“You wanted to tell me something?” The tall girl replies curtly and crosses her arms. Sana swallows, absolutely intimidated by the freshman as she lets out an involuntary giggle. It’s her defense mechanism to be all giggly and bubbly since it seems to always get her out of sticky situations like these.

 

“Y-yeah! I, um, have a huge favor to ask of you, if that’s okay…” Sana looks around nervously as she pouts cutely, spotting some onlookers gossiping from a distance.

 

“Do you want to go somewhere more private?” Tzuyu asks, looking over Sana’s shoulder and glaring at the gossiping students.

 

“Yes, thank you!” Sana heaves a sigh of relief. 

 

Maybe this Tzuyu girl isn’t so bad after all, Sana thinks.

 

That relief is quickly squashed when she finds herself in Tzuyu’s room, of all places. Okay sure, it’s private, but she’s about to drop a huge bomb on this poor freshman.

 

Freshman… Sana remembers suddenly, Tzuyu’s younger than her. She can do this.

 

When Sana looks up to her feet, she’s met with inquisitive eyes. She’s sure that this girl is going to be the death of her. And just as she's about to ask, her feet suddenly do this wonderful thing as she steps forward  causing the Japanese to fall into the arms of one strong freshman.

 

"Oof! Sorry!" Sana apologizes, but makes no move to get out of Tzuyu's hold. The Japanese fails to notice Tzuyu's slight discomfort at the contact, feeling too comfortable in the freshman's arms.

 

"Are you okay--" 

 

“Will you please bemygirlfriend?” Sana squeaks out  while she still can, and suddenly giggles when she sees Tzuyu’s eyes widen like saucers. It’s cute, Sana thinks. Tzuyu’s shocked expression makes her look like a surprised puppy.

 

“Um,” Tzuyu, for once, seems to have lost her aloof nature, scrambling for something to say, “I’m not gay.” She continues, looking away from Sana with crimson tinting her bewitching face.

 

“Oh honey, that’s what they all say,” Sana replies with a newfound confidence, feeling Tzuyu's heart beat faster as she snuggles closer. 

 

If Sana is sure of anything in her life, it’s the fact that Dahyun’s gaydar is one of the most accurate, if not, the most accurate of all. So it’s either Dahyun’s wrong, or Tzuyu is actually just a shy baby gay trying to work everything out.

 

Sana’s betting on the latter. Her best friend has never let her down.

 

“But don’t worry, I can help!” Sana slides closer to the flustered freshman, “And besides, I wasn’t finished!” Sana says and giggles when she sees the younger bite her lip.

 

“Can you be my fake girlfriend?” Sana asks properly this time, “I accidentally said yes to my friend’s double date. She assumed I had a girlfriend, but I really don’t right now and Dahyun says you’d might be able to help me so…”

 

“I don’t think I can help,” Tzuyu states honestly, her poker face returning as she continues, “I’ve never dated before.”

 

“Well think of it as a girlfriend experience then,” Sana says and smiles, trying to hide her surprise at the fact that someone that looks like that hasn’t dated before, “Even if you say you aren’t gay, maybe I can change your mind? And if you aren’t, well, at least you’ve confirmed it…” Sana trails off, trying to gauge Tzuyu’s blank expression.

 

“It’s a win-win situation, honestly. You get to experience dating a girl without all the drama and heartbreak, and I get a date!” Sana chirps, sending Tzuyu a winning smile.

 

“Why can’t you just tell your friend that you aren’t dating anyone?” Tzuyu decides to ask instead.

 

“Have you ever experienced third wheeling during a date?” Sana asks, observing Tzuyu’s blank expression slowly sour at the thought of it, “Please don’t let me suffer alone,” Sana pleads.

 

“Okay... Can you let go of me?”

 

“Nope! You're comfy, and you're my girlfriend now!”

 

 

 

Tzuyu sighs, wondering what on earth she had just gotten herself into as she pokes at her lunch. The United Nations are bickering about something as she thinks, blocking out their rowdy conversation.

 

Why did she say yes anyway?

 

It’s not like Sana’s cute smile and effortless cuteness made her say yes or anything. Absolutely not. Objectively speaking, Sana is naturally cute with her bubbly personality despite being a total klutz. (Sana tripped over nothing for a total of three times when Tzuyu brought her to the dorms, it’s not like she counted how much times Sana tripped. It’s just, Sana’s giggles are a bit distracting so she managed to remember.) She’s just cute like Dahyun, who’s full of smiles and happy bonjurus. They’re both cute… Admittedly, Sana’s just a bit cuter… Just a bit.

 

Wait, what?

 

Tzuyu shuts down her thoughts, and instead tries to pick up on her friends’ conversation. She’s not going there today, nope. 

 

“My English isn’t that bad!” Seulgi says in accented English. Tzuyu squints for a bit, trying to get the context of her unnie’s words.

 

“I’m Great Britain, and I say your English is atrocious, Miss Korea Number 2,” Yeri shoots back. Whatever it is, Yeri’s insulting Seulgi. As a kind soul who feeds her regularly, Tzuyu won’t allow her unnie to be bullied for long.

 

“It’s not—” Seulgi pauses, “Wait, what does that mean?” She turns to Wendy who kindly explains it to her.

 

“Dyeing your hair blonde doesn’t make you British, Yeri,” Tzuyu remarks coldly all of a sudden, and Lisa howls out in laughter. Wendy’s expression is frozen in shock.

 

“Shut up, China!” Yeri points her juice box towards the Taiwanese who only shrugs in response.

 

“It’s Taiwan.” Tzuyu clarifies, not at all affected as she returns to peacefully listening to their conversation while Yeri recovers from her burn.

 

Their conversation continues, until it suddenly stops when Jisoo elbows Lisa, telling everyone to shut up when a group of girls come their way.

 

Everyone looks stunned, and Tzuyu’s no exception when the Jennie Kim starts making conversation with Jisoo. She’s just holding it in better than everyone else until someone taps her on the shoulder.

 

“Chou Tzuyu, right?” Tzuyu recognizes the girl as  Rosé Park.

 

“That’s me,” She answers calmly, curious as to why this girl had suddenly made conversation.

 

“I wasn’t able to contact you earlier because I have a lot on my plate lately, but I’m here to tell you that you’re in,”  Rosé says and sends her a friendly smile. Tzuyu’s eyes widen slightly as she realizes what this is about.

 

“Thank you,” The Taiwanese says gratefully and  Rosé beams at that, “Actually, if I could just borrow you for a second so I can explain the brief for the shoot…”

 

 Rosé whisks Tzuyu away for a while, filling her in on details for the modelling gig she was accepted for. The whole conversation is a breeze until  Rosé unknowingly drops a bomb.

 

“You’ll be working with two other schoolmates too, by the way. Do you know Im Nayeon and Minatozaki Sana?”  Rosé says, and Tzuyu’s mind pauses for a bit, realizing that she didn’t catch Sana’s surname. When the bubbly girl entered her number on her phone, she just wrote her contact name as No Sana No Life .

 

“Uh,” Tzuyu’s brain supplies eloquently, realizing that she hasn’t responded in a while, “I know Nayeon unnie. I’m not sure I’ve met Sana, though.”

 

“Hm, okay,”  Rosé replies, contemplative before she speaks again, “Fair warning though, Sana’s a rookie at this. It’ll be her first shoot, but everyone in the set knows her since she always messes around with Nayeon when she has a shoot. You also don’t look like the touchy type, but Sana unnie’s exactly that. She’s flirty too, but she’s really nice. Just tell her when she’s being too much, and she’ll stop.”

 

Tzuyu blinks. That was surprisingly helpful information.

 

But maybe it isn’t her Sana after all.

 

 

 

When Sana arrives fifteen minutes late to her photoshoot, she isn’t ready to see a familiar freshman posing cutely for the camera. She isn’t ready to see Nayeon at the side waiting for her turn, either.

 

“,” Sana says in the smallest