5

“Jeongyeon! Oh God, where have you been?!”

Her mom instantly came running towards Jeongyeon as soon as she reaches home.

“Oh my, you’re so wet. Tzuyu hand me a towel.”

Tzuyu’s eyes widened seeing Jeongyeon’s damp state. She quickly ran to the bathroom to get a new towel and handed it to her mom.

Their mom put the towel on Jeongyeon’s head and wiped her step daughter dry. “Tsk. You’ll get sick. Go take a shower. Quick!”

Jeongyeon complied from her mom’s order and made her way to the bathroom.

After taking a shower, Jeongyeon stared at her reflection in the mirror inside the bathroom. And the person she saw, shocked her.

The person has dead red eyes and looks so exhausted and miserable.

 It looks so ugly… only to realize that she’s looking into her own reflection.

Jeongyeon started to feel scared on what is becoming of her. She’s too caught up with her brokenness that she’s forgetting to take care of herself.

Maybe the reason Mina dated Junior and doesn’t want to be with her again is because she has become ugly.

*

Tzuyu was sitting on the bed reading some book when Jeongyeon entered their room to dress up.

Tzuyu looked up and put down the book she’s reading. “Where have you been?” She asked.

“Somewhere.” Jeongyeon answered as she closed the door before making her way to her dresser to get some clothes. Then she turned at Tzuyu. “I’ll dress up.”

“Then dress up!” Tzuyu said out of annoyance. She was annoyed on how Jeongyeon is acting and not answering her properly. Just where is the place called somewhere?

“You wanna watch me dress?” Jeongyeon mocked.

Tzuyu huffed and stood up to leave the room. But before leaving she said, “Let’s talk after you dress up.”

So after Jeongyeon dresses up they talked. The two girls are sitting on their bed. Tzuyu in an Indian sit while Jeongyeon is resting her back on the headboard of the bed.

“What are we going to talk about?” Jeongyeon asked nonchalantly.

“Will you please just forget Mina? It’s pretty obvious that she doesn’t care about you anymore. Move on!”

Jeongyeon gasped at what Tzuyu said. Every word stabbed like a knife in her chest. She’s too speechless that all she can utter was, “How dare you?”

Tzuyu didn’t intend to hurt Jeongyeon like that but her emotions are just getting the best out of her. And she’s really annoyed.

But Tzuyu fell silent as guilt washed over her. But she couldn’t make herself apologize; her pride just doesn’t let her.

“Tell me? How should I forget her?” Jeongyeon said in a very low voice.

Tzuyu doesn’t know how to answer Jeongyeon’s question so she keep on staying silent.

Jeongyeon scoffs. “Why can’t you speak now? I thought you wanted to talk? But y’know what? This is my life! Why do you care?” She said as she smacks her hand on the bed, moving closer to Tzuyu.

Tzuyu jumped a bit from Jeongyeon’s outburst. She had made Jeongyeon angry and she doesn’t know how to deal with it so she stayed silent. It’s the best thing to do right now.

Jeongyeon sighed to calm herself down. She doesn’t want to be angry. “Please just stop caring. I can deal with this, eventually.”

Tzuyu finally found her voice. “How are you going to deal with it? When you get to the point that you wanna kill yourself?” Then she dared to look into Jeongyeon’s eyes.

Jeongyeon’s eyes widened. “Is that how you think of me?”

“Yes. You’re always down and you’re very emotional.”

Jeongyeon softly scoffed and shook her head from Tzuyu’s reply. “Oh right, we do not absolutely know each other well. We just keep on judging each other based on what we saw. If you think of me as very emotional, then I think of you as very unemotional—heartless even.”

“Yah!” Tzuyu threw a pillow to Jeongyeon. But Jeongyeon just let Tzuyu hit her as she reflected on what Tzuyu had told her.

Killing herself.

But Tzuyu has a point, she’s very emotional. And Jeongyeon also thinks that she might reach to that point if she won’t help herself to move on.

Then silence engulfs the room again as both girls reflected from their actions.

“I’m sorry.”

It was Tzuyu who first apologizes. She doesn’t want to fight Jeongyeon; she only wants to talk to her hoping that she can help Jeongyeon feel better or better yet, move on.

Plus she also wants to prove to Jeongyeon that she’s not heartless. But she knows that she can be tactless but she’s not heartless.

Jeongyeon completely calmed down after Tzuyu said sorry.

“You’ve got a point. I might reach to the point on becoming suicidal. Thanks and uhm… I’m sorry for calling you heartless.”

Tzuyu only nodded.

“…”

“…”

“Aren’t you crushing on someone else Jeongyeon?”

Jeongyeon only looked at Tzuyu but didn’t answer.

So Tzuyu continued. “Is she the only one you see?” she’s pertaining to Mina. “There are many beautiful girls in the school.” She added.

“Beautiful… You mean… are you referring to yourself Tzuyu?” Jeongyeon said with an amused look on her face.

Tzuyu blushed and she’s not sure why she blushed. Was it on how Jeongyeon looks at her with that amused smile on her face or the fact that Jeongyeon finds her beautiful?

“I-I-I’m not. Uhm… I mean for example, Sana? Minatozaki Sana? Or err… your friends you’re always with in the cafeteria...” Tzuyu trailed off.

Jeongyeon thought for a bit. And wondered why Tzuyu dropped Sana’s name. “Mrm… I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you try?”

“Try what?”

“Uhm… nothing. Just forget it. But you know what?” Tzuyu said, changing the subject. “I remembered mom told me something before that there’s someone out there who is destined to be with us; to love us unconditionally. So don’t lose hope and don’t let your heart be stuck only for her. Whatever happened between the two of you, just consider it as a lesson and learn to forgive yourself. Not everything is your fault. Quit blaming yourself for everything. And…” Tzuyu put a hand on Jeongyeon’s shoulder as she scooted closer to her before continuing.

“It’s her loss that she let go of a person like you; someone who can love so sincerely and unconditionally. You don’t deserve someone like her. You deserve someone better. Give yourself a chance.” Tzuyu doesn’t know where she gets all that but she hopes that she had said the right thing to Jeongyeon.

And what Tzuyu had said helped Jeongyeon to see things clearly. Although she’s not really sure why Tzuyu is being like this to her, but she appreciates it.

Then a smile slowly formed on Jeongyeon’s lips at how amusing Tzuyu can be. She never expected to hear Tzuyu to talk sense. She never knew that Tzuyu has this kind of side.

Tzuyu suddenly feels awkward on how Jeongyeon is looking at her. She put down her hand from Jeongyeon’s shoulder and looks down. “I’m sorry if I seem to keep on meddling with your life. I just want you to be… b-better. So err…”

“Thanks Tzuyu.” Jeongyeon said which only made Tzuyu more awkward.

“Err… yeah. Uhm… I’m feeling sleepy now. Goodnight.”

Then Tzuyu went to lie down pulling her blanket over her head.

Jeongyeon giggled breathlessly. How can Tzuyu be so adorable?

“Goodnight.”

*

Jeongyeon fixed her appearance the following day. She must look beautiful and handsome at the same time.

She suddenly remembered her ugly reflection yesterday. “No. I won’t let myself to look ugly, ever again.”

Jeongyeon then took the blow dryer trying to style her hair.

Tzuyu is happy on how Jeongyeon is making an effort to fix herself today. Then she thought of applying a light lipstick on Jeongyeon’s lip.

“Jeongyeon, face here.” Tzuyu said in a commanding tone which Jeongyeon instantly complied. She turned around and faced Tzuyu.

But she was surprised when she felt something touch her lips and on how close Tzuyu’s face is and it instantly caused her heart