A/N: Forgive me if there's any mistakes. Enjoy~ ^^

*

It was 11PM and Sana had never sprinted so fast in her entire twenty-three years of life.

She wasn’t a sport person you see, one would pick up that fact as soon as she saw how labored her breathe was at the moment, how her legs would clumsily almost tangled with one another, how her eyes were wide and vague and mouth agape to intake as much oxygen as she could for her desperate lungs.

And here she was, cladded in her purple sleeping wear, the rabbit head on each of her slippers bobbed up and down as they reached the fringe of the neighborhood and she swore if it wasn’t because of the slim fingers wrapped loosely and yet persistently around her wrist, she’d already fell down to her knees asking for a short break.

She glanced back to see her house lit up brighter than the rest and guessed that despite their effort, her dad had probably caught them anyway. It was proven to be true when she saw a faint silhouette in the middle of the road under the illumination of the towering, yellowish lamp street; the mouth of his dear shotgun appeared like an antenna in his equally black shadow of head.

Then there was laughter, hushed, but still considered as laughter nonetheless. And Sana glowered at the owner of the same fingers on her wrist, although she had given up a long, long time ago to go against what Chou Tzuyu want.

And tonight Chou Tzuyu want an adventure, and cars filled with cucumber and rotten fish, if her ears hadn’t failed her earlier.

The night was beautiful, indigo and starry and vast and just Sana’s favorite.

(It was Tzuyu’s favorite too, or so she had claimed back then during their high school time. But then again it was years ago. Sana had considerably changed over the time; she assumed Tzuyu had as well.)

The night was beautiful and yet she didn’t think that really matter now, was it? Not when your childhood friend had just suddenly popped up out of the blue in your balcony that was located in the second floor of your freaking house, hooded and masked. She then proceeded to (amidst Sana’s internal havoc) disclose the mission they had to to fulfill for the sake of the country and what not.

(Tzuyu’s speech didn’t need that long of time to convince Sana but it didn’t mean Sana was willing to join this vital mission for the country or the queen or whatever.

She was angry, slightly irritated but mostly baffled to the point the toothpaste on her hand fell and hit her toenail, foam dripping from the corner of her lips and eyeballs almost jumped out of its sockets when she saw Tzuyu, her black hair whipping along the breeze with all its glory it was almost enchanting.

to be her, Tzuyu just had to expect her reaction; seven years of friendship said it all, and literally maneuvered her to the bathroom to rinse even going as far to pushed her neck down toward the sink.)

Their pace slowed down and the next thing Sana knew she was in the passenger seat of a decent SUV car, panting and finally coming down from her train of thoughts. Tzuyu, who was behind the wheel, was cackling until her body was hunched and shaking and at one point startling Sana when she had accidentally honked the car with her forehead.

“Gosh!” Tzuyu exclaimed, brushing the invisible tears with the hem of her navy blue jacket, fastening her seatbelt in between. She turned to look at Sana, grinning like the world was attempting to amuse her and it did an incredibly good job at it. “What a way to flee from an angry chap.”

“That’s my dad you are talking about.”

Tzuyu paused and stared at her. “You know that I like uncle.” And the grin was once again back in full force; the black haired girl’s flippant side kicking in. “And he favors me too.”

“It’s you fault anyway!” Sana chided, barely catching herself before she could land a slap on Tzuyu’s shoulders, her hand balled into an unsure fist and Sana felt this overwhelming urge to lash out to the girl opposite her. All because… “If only you didn’t trip on dad’s cactus pot we wouldn’t be running like a pair of crazy dogs like this!”

“Speak about yourself!” Tzuyu argued. “You refused to follow my way out of the house. The safe and no harmful method to sneak out without getting caught.”

Sana deadpanned. “Climbing down the second floor with a single freaking rope is probably the risk I would never take in my whole entire life.”

“It’s safe.” Tzuyu shrugged, peeling a ten-meter-long rope away from her torso and tossed it to the backseat. Unsatisfied with the outcome of their quarrel, she added. “Besides, no offense, who put a freaking cactus in the living room anyway?”

“You-“ Sana gritted her teeth, gulped back the f word and composed herself.

She would agree under different circumstances, as she had went on and on about how weird it was to put a plant in the living room to her dad, cactuses out of all diverse plant species! But now wasn’t just any different circumstances. Especially not when you were kidnapped away from your house just when you were about to get ready for sleep.

Tzuyu shut her completely when she started the engine of the car, the rumbles sounded like a constant hit on an empty bin, emphasizing the age of the machine, disturbing the tranquil of the night that used to lap the neighborhood. Sana had no choice but to grip on Tzuyu’s elbow just in time before they drove away.

“What are you doing?!”

Tzuyu furrowed her eyebrows at the frantic behavior Sana was showing at the moment.

“Uhm, driving? I thought it’s obvious enough?”

“Do you even have a license?”

Tzuyu scoffed, her posture straightened as though the question had affronted her greatly. “You never say anything when I drove you home from school-“

“Do. You. Have. A. License.” Sana insisted, narrowing her eyes to intimidate the other girl.

Tzuyu sighed. “I have it. Happy?”

“I wouldn’t know, would I?” Sana retorted as she leant back to her seat, her arms crossed and she realized, a second later, that she had been a tad harsher than what she intended to be.

But it was either Tzuyu had become half-deaf or refused to admit Sana’s victory or she just simply lost the ability to form a respond.

“Anyway.” She cleared and it took Sana a beat to understand that Tzuyu had meant the hand that was still on her elbow. Sana brought her hand back to her lap quickly, averting her gaze to the wing mirror instead. It was reflecting the quietness of the world outside the car but not the turmoil inside her mind.

“As what I’ve said before, we have missions ahead of us so we shall go before dawn.” Tzuyu said as though this was just an everyday occasion. And it was probably her nonchalance or her radiating ‘I don’t know what’s wrong’ vibe that infuriated her. Moreover when the pedal was stepped and the familiar surrounding turned blurry as they made their way into the highway, Sana was having a hard time to control her temper (And it rarely resurface, mind you).

“I haven’t agreed to any of this!” Sana complained but Tzuyu just simply simpered.

“It doesn’t matter now, does it?” Tzuyu hummed, turning the volume of the radio up. Sana observed the way Tzuyu’s short nails scraped against the blue monitor and scowled at Tzuyu’s attempt to drown her protest. “Unless you want me to drop you here. A little warning, it’s not advisable for a girl to walk alone in the middle of the night.”

“This is duress! I haven’t given any consent!”

“Well, my offer’s still up. I’m not kidding when I said I can drop you here.” Tzuyu drawled, presumably gloating, knowing fully well that Sana wouldn’t ask for such thing.

Sana grumbled and nipped the seatbelt dejectedly, eyes narrowed into crinkled slit in resigned. Typical pop-ish song was playing over the radio, the oversweet lyrics warring her exasperation and they would make her cringe if she didn’t spend the entire ride huffing and puffing already. Somehow, she could foresee that this rather absurdly spontaneous venture wouldn’t end well for her part.

“What’s the ‘missions’ anyway?” Sana inquired irritably, still not liking the idea to face Tzuyu properly. Call her childish but she had every right to be cheesed off. “You haven’t really told me. I only recalled rotten fish and cucumber.”

“The mission is to bring some justice and to enlighten people’s mood from the Monday blue.”

“It’s hardly an hour until Tuesday.”

“And the clock has yet to point at twelve. Come on, stop being so uptight.”

“I’m not uptight.” Sana muttered sulkily and reached to release her dark locks of hairs from the suffocating bun. The wave landed lightly on her shoulders, bouncing when she whipped herself to face the door; her back on Tzuyu.

Tzuyu took no offense of the action and just chuckled.

It was silence after that, not counting Tzuyu’s constant whistles along the song the speakers sang. This radio station had been broadcasting some classic Maroon 5 hits so far and Sana was almost, almost went on with a flow (It was a habit to sing along with Tzuyu during their night drives before). But the car came into a quick halt before she could and Sana lifted her head from the window just in time to see a glimpse of the name of a Chinese restaurant with a flickering neon arrow sign on a red, gigantic board across the parking lot.

“Do you mind if we stop by for a sec?” Tzuyu didn’t wait for a reply and unlocked the door to get herself out once she had parked the car.

It bewildered Sana completely, as she looked at Tzuyu who was stretching in front of the hood of the car, then down to her outfit. It was surely inappropriate (or just downright embarrassing) to go out in this kind of state.

Then, as if her internal battle could be heard all the way to there, Tzuyu jogged to her side of door and knocked on the window. Sana rolled her eyes. Tzuyu could have just opened the door and she wouldn’t be able to stop her, but she rolled down the window anyway.

“Here,” Tzuyu ped her jacket and slung it inside, leaving her in white t-shirt with the latest Star Wars poster printed on the front. Sana tried to hide a subtle smile from emerging. What a geek. “I figure someone’s embarrassed enough to walk around in her pajama.”

“Ditto.” Sana said sarcastically and stepped out from the car, Tzuyu’s jacket clung to her shoulders (it was certainly bigger than her size but she could settle with it) and gravels crunched beneath her. She caught a whiff of Tzuyu’s perfume, mixed with the scent of the typical fabric softener.

Tzuyu threw her head back for a fruity laugh and led them toward the back of the restaurant where everything was eerily quiet and uncanny.

“Always an A+ for sarcasm, where’s the trying to be sweet gone?”

“Excuse you I’m adorable now.”

“You are.”

Sana failed to detect the hint of genuineness on that tone as she had discerned a rather peculiar sight ahead of them. She was incredibly bothered by the unmoving lump covered with an old cloth beside the garbage they were currently heading to. She inhaled a sharp breath when her bug-eye noticed it shift and tugged on Tzuyu’s hem of the Star Wars t-shirt to draw her attention.

“What’s that?” She whispered out of fear. Tzuyu looked at the direction of her gaze and snorted.

“A weirdo, let me tell you.” Tzuyu whispered back. “Come, I’ll show you.” Tzuyu simply ambled forward through the ravine between bricked walls and the restaurant with Sana scurrying beside her.

“It’s not a ghost or anything, right?”

“Yeah, I’m those bratty kid who called the decease weirdo.”

“Just making sure.” Sana mumbled, brows bumped into a scowl. “Geez, your sarcasm is compatible with mine and you called me an A+”

“Nah, I’m just an okay.”

They stopped in front of the lump and Sana had had her body behind Tzuyu’s at this rate, just in case Tzuyu had made a lie out of herself and the lump was actually a zombie who had been luring them into its trap. So in case her deduction was right and it decided to attack, she could just Tzuyu to the zombie and runaway for her life.

Minatozaki Sana was always prepared.

Wait, but then she would have two zombies coming after her….

“Momo.” Tzuyu hissed, kicking what seemed like… a foot? With the tip of her red converse. When she achieved nothing, she repeated the process, checking her wristwatch once or twice and yelled louder the more she goes.

“MOMO!”

The ‘lump’ jerked from under the cloth and flailed its arms like mad. Sana backed away; subconsciously pulling Tzuyu with her as she cowered behind the latter’s back. A contrary to her who was freaked out by the wild gesture, Tzuyu remained unfazed. If anything she was slouching out of boredom, her hand dangling on her side.

Deciding that she had enough, Tzuyu grabbed the cloth and yanked it away to side, revealing a girl, probably around Sana’s age, with disheveled, blonde hair and a can of coke in between her thighs.

The blonde paused abruptly; her berserk hands had turned still and become a shield for her head instead. She peaked out from behind her eyelids, sighing when she noticed the two’s presences, unaware at how Sana had been staring warily at her.

“God I thought I was blind for a second. Thanks Tzuyu.”

“Quit making a fool of yourself Momo, where’s that thing I ordered?” Tzuyu demanded as she crossed her arms over her chest. Sana jabbed her on the rib, her brows knitted into a frown.

“That’s rude.”

“Yeah, that’s rude.” The blonde, Momo, said as she accepted Tzuyu’s helping hand to host her up. She dusted her jeans, shooting Tzuyu a disdain look, although there’s a gleam of deviltry reflected in her eyes.

“Don’t mind her. We’re close.” Tzuyu explained and Momo sniggered in the background.

“Yeah only when you need something.”

“Do you want Nayeon’s number or should I give it to Junior instead?”

“Hirai Momo at your service.” Sana giggled when Momo gave a solid salute and a deep bow before she sallied forth to the backdoor of the restaurant. Even if she was a little bit clueless about the precise topic, it wasn’t that difficult to connect the dots together.

“She was in the same university as me.” Tzuyu told her with a shake of her head. “It’s more about the norms to admit that she was my senior.”

They were about to follow Momo inside when the blonde tottered unsteadily out a minute later, a bulging, enormous sack on her tow. Judging from her scrunched up expression, Sana assumed it was pretty heavy and somewhat wasn’t pleasant to be carried at all.

“Phew, hope that’s enough for you.” Momo wiped her forehead, cracking her spine with a groan. “Man, I snuck this out from my employer, waiting for you in this ungodly hour and sleep beside a garbage, all because a woman.”

“Things we do for a woman.” Tzuyu said and both of them nodded their head except for Sana who was completely lost by now.

“Yeah.” Momo shrugged, before she turned to Sana, who was looking like she had entered the wrong party. “Hi there, I haven’t introduced myself yet I believe?” Momo didn’t continue after that so Sana offered a lackluster smile.

“The name is Hirai Momo.” Momo said coolly, hands on her pockets. “What’s yours?”

“Sana.” She said. “Minatozaki Sana.”

“Oh! A fellow Japanese! We should hang out sometimes. I can introduce you to Mina and the rest of the gang.”

Sana actually found the idea to be not so bad at all. She smiled, more sincere this time. “That’d be lovely.”

“Alright, alright, enough with the chit chat. We have some errands to do.” Tzuyu said in annoyance. She lifted the sack with ease and hauled it to the car with long strides.

“A thank you would be nice!” Momo called out at Tzuyu’s retreating figure. Momo smirked and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Huh and I just borrow you for a couple of seconds.”

“What?”

“What what?” Sana may not know the blonde for more than ten minutes but it was clear that she was playing dumb.

“What’s wrong with you borrowing me?” Sana repeated, not giving up.

“Wow, look at the time, I need to stalk a pretty girl. But no worries, you are pretty yourself. Bye Sana, I’m sure we’re gonna meet again somehow. Oh and nice slippers!” Momo winked cockily and disappeared into the restaurant, leaving Sana blushing and flustered.

“Hey what took you so long?” Tzuyu was back to her side, scrutinizing her reddening up face, much to her dismay. “And why’s your face so red?”

“It’s hot in here.” She fanned her heated face with her palms. Her slippers squeaked as they walked back to the car and she almost cussed out loud. “Let’s just get out from here.”

“Momo did nothing to you… right?”

“N- No…” Sana spluttered.

Tzuyu glanced sideways out of suspicion before she shrugged dismissively. “Okay. Oh, and have I told you how cute your slippers are?”

“Shut up!” Sana snapped and banged the door of the car closed. She could see from her peripheral vision how Tzuyu had her arms held up in the air, muttering ‘I’m just saying.’ Into thin air before she went inside as well.

“The real deal is about to start.” Tzuyu announced as she swiftly reversed the car and brought them away from the Chinese restaurant. Sana stayed mum, still pouting, tugging her pants lower as to hide at least the fluffy, prodding ears of the rabbit from anyone’s sight, although it was indeed not possible. “Why are you pouting anyway?”

“Am not.”

“You are.”

“This is just my normal lips.”

“Puckered and all.”

“I hate you.”

Tzuyu smiled. “I love you too.”

Once again, they reached their destination before Sana could process the sentence and Tzuyu motioned her to duck low this time. Sana refused at first, squinting her eyes to show her displeasure of being ordered around but Tzuyu wouldn’t have any of that. She pulled Sana’s forearm down, making her squeal at the intensity of the strength. If it wasn’t because of Tzuyu fast reflex, her temple would have collided with the dashboard that was dangerously close to her head.

“Why do you-“

“Sssstt! Someone might hear you!””

“It’s midnight you idiot!” When Tzuyu gave her a warning look, she grunted but lowered her volume nonetheless. “No one’s lurking around at midnight.”

“What about bad guys?”

“Well-“

“And people who just couldn’t sleep?”

“That beside the-“

“Or people on night shift?”

“That’s now what I-“

“And, I don’t know, us?”

“Alright, alright! I get your point!” Sana snarled, putting her chin on her knees and wished she could slap those smirk off Tzuyu’s irresistible face. “Beside you are abducting me so the last one is invalid.”

“Whatever you say.” Tzuyu responded lazily. Before Sana could make a decent comeback, Tzuyu seized her chance away.

“On the count of three we’re going to run to that black Audi in front of house 38. You will be on the watch while I do my job. Teamwork is essential here unless you want the cop to throw us in jail.”

Sana widened her eyes and was about to interjected when Tzuyu cut her off.

“No time to whine. One, two, three, now!” And Tzuyu already sprang out even before Sana could say ‘Which car?!’

Sana leapt out from the car, adrenaline rushing to her limbs like a tsunami and she found herself feeling like she was chased by a group of starving hyena, except that she was the one who had invaded the hyena’s territory this time all thanks to Tzuyu who was already meters away ahead of her.

“Omg omg omg omfg.” Sana mumbled as she squatted down behind the Audi car that Tzuyu had referred. She observed the surrounding like a maniac, her eyes darted from one place to another, and her movement was quick and jerky like rusty cogs on a wheel. She felt bead of sweats started to form on the back of her neck. Her nerve got worse when she noticed Tzuyu was adeptly messing with the keyhole on the door of the Audi car with a pin.

“Whose car is th- No, what the hell are you doing?!”

“You’ll see.” Like someone who had been doing the job for years, Tzuyu successfully unlocked the car, and Sana jaw dropped at that.

She scanned the interior of the car, from the expensive leather seat, the laptop on the backseat and the Gucci glasses hung on the rear mirror. She froze on her spot when Tzuyu dumped the content of the sack they had gotten from Momo earlier to the same expensive leather seat without an ounce of doubt, splattering liquid to the laptop and the branded sunglasses. The smell of rotten fish and all those no-longer-concrete-shaped seafoods wafted into the air that Sana pra