“GUESS WHAT, LOSERS!!” Nayeon almost breaks down Mina’s door in her haste.

 

“You finally found your checkbook?”

 

“You finally realized how tone-deaf you are?”

 

“You finally decided to eat your veggies?”

 

“Yes, no, and no. But I totally aced that bio test last week!” An elated Nayeon crows, hi-fiving Momo while Jeongyeon groans in frustration.

 

“Are you serious?!”

 

“100%!” Nayeon turns to slap her comrade in the face with the test paper. Jeongyeon almost falls over from the force.

 

“Congratulations.” Mina calls from her spot at the stove, where she’s making ‘scrambled eggs’. “But would it kill you to open the door like a normal person next time?”

 

Nayeon rolls her eyes. “What are you talking about- I totally did.” She says, effectively closing down the conversation and taking a seat at the counter next to Jihyo. “Anyway, it’s all thanks to you, Mina! None of this would be possible without your loving, steadfast, totally voluntary support-”

 

“Are you sure it was voluntary?” Jeongyeon mutters from the other side of the open-ended kitchen, where she’s bringing a tea kettle to a boil.

 

“Shut up Jeong, you benefitted too.”

 

Mina ignores them in favor of making sure her eggs don’t burn. It’s a beautiful Friday evening, and no one is going to ruin her weekend this time. She doesn’t quite remember inviting all these people to her house (it started with Momo inviting herself in because, well, that’s what Momo always does, and then Jeongyeon showed up out of nowhere and then Dahyun came in through the window again smiling so brightly, Mina didn’t really have the heart to say anything to her, and then Jihyo followed her in and then Nayeon appeared waving a test paper in all of their faces which brings them to the current situation), but that’s alright- her parents are still on their business trip in Japan and her house is big enough to host everyone with minimal casualties.

 

Speaking of casualties. 

 

“Ow! Hey, watch it!”

 

“Sorry!”

 

Sana bounces into Mina’s house, closing the door behind her. Somewhere in between roasting Nayeon and Mina’s scrambled eggs, Jeongyeon had gone to open the door for Sana who had proceeded to hit her in the face with it.

 

“Would it kill you to open the door slowly next time!”

 

“I’m sorry! I will!”

 

Jeongyeon gives her one last glower before returning to her seat at the counter, where Momo places a steaming mug of chamomile before her. She mouths her thanks before taking the mug and throwing the steaming beverage down in one gulp. Jihyo proceeds to do the same.

 

Momo stares at them. “I’ve never seen anyone drink tea like that.”

 

They shrug. “We’re used to it.”

 

“So do you just boil your throat?”

 

“Whatever you want to think.”

 

Momo shakes her head in amazement before setting a fresh mug in front of the newcomer. Sana smiles gratefully at her, taking a delicate sip. Momo nods in approval.

 

“See this? This is civilized behavior.”

 

Jeongyeon glares at her. “What do you mean, ‘civilized’?!”

 

“We’re civilized! Both of us!”

 

Momo glares back. “No one on the planet drinks tea like that, you barbarians!” She looks quite scandalized at the scene she’d just witnessed.

 

Mina clears as they look at each other in confusion. “Momo spent her summer in England last year. Apparently, it’s left quite the impression on her.”

 

Who knew Momo was so into tea culture.

 

“B-Barbarians?!”

 

“Take that back!”

 

Before the duo can lunge at Momo, Sana leaps up from her seat with the loudest squeal they’ve ever heard. Even Nayeon plugs her ears.

 

“Ew! Sana, what was that?”

 

“Can you shut up, please? I’m trying to concentrate.”

 

“On what?” 

 

“Mind your business!”

 

“AHHH- what was that?? Should I call the cops??”

 

Jeongyeon turns around, slightly panicked. “Don’t call the cops! They’ve been after Nayeon since September!”

 

“Only since September??”

 

Dahyun blinks at the older girl. “What did you do?” She seems genuinely curious.

 

Nayeon just shrugs. “I’m not sure.”

 

Mina casts her a wary side glance but says no more. Sana is still elated, flapping her arms up and down in a blur.

 

“Guys! Tzuyu just invited me to her house!”

 

“What??”

 

“What??”

 

“What??”

 

Jihyo tilts her head, genuinely confused. “Why on earth would she invite you? You’re not even pretty.”

 

“Yeah- are you sure you didn’t read it wrong? There’s no way Tzuyu would logically invite you to her house. You’re like, the epitome of fashion terrorist.”

 

Sana stares at her. “Are you insulting my fashion choices?”

 

Jeongyeon shrugs. “I’ve seen you wear some pretty questionable pieces.”

 

Sana scowls. “Okay that might be true, but I don’t think any of them were bad enough to label me as ‘fashion terrorist’-”

 

“Fine, fine. How about fashion failure?”

 

Sana falters, looking like she’s in careful consideration. “That’s better, I guess.”

 

“Fashion failure it is.” 

 

“Which makes her the fashion terrorist.” 

 

Momo squeaks indignantly and almost chokes on her tea. “What did I ever do?!”

 

“Anyway,” Jihyo continues. “Sana, sweetie, please just make sure your corneas aren’t cracked. Insurance doesn’t cover the surgery.”

 

“They’re not! Look!” Sana waves her blinding phone screen up in the air for them all to look at. Sure enough, Tzuyu’s message is up and asking her if she’d like to come over and practice their duet one day (as per the conductor’s request, since for some reason the band hasn’t been making as much progress as usually during their lesson classes recently). It’s a rare chance, and a golden opportunity for Sana (she silently thanks the deities for Nayeon’s lack of organization and Mina’s biology lessons).

 

“The address is there and everything. Seems legit enough.” Nayeon muses, munching on a rice krispie from Mina’s cabinet. “So are you really going to practice with her?”

 

“Well, I probably should. We’re not going to have time in school to get anything done, and the conductor’s been all up on our asses about focusing in lessons for some reason.”

 

“He’s probably just paranoid.” Mina easily dismisses the notion. Dahyun nods in agreement.

 

“Well, if she was brave enough to invite you and your ugly sweaters to her house, then she must realize that too.” Jeongyeons says aloud, thoughtful and pensive. Sana squeals again (softer this time; she’s mindful not to catch any attention that would put Nayeon in prison).

 

“This is amazing, you guys!”

 

“Oh get over it! Find something prettier to wear, while you’re at it- that shirt you’re wearing is hurting my eyes!”

 

Sana looks down at her bright orange shirt self-consciously. “I should. Mina chan!”

 

“I’m not fashionable either!”

 

The flutist is immediately latching onto her side, clinging to her sweater. “Pleeaase, Mina chan?? You’re my only hope!”

 

Nayeon shrugs dismissively. “Better than asking Momo I guess.”

 

“What is your problem-”

 

“Nothing, it’s just that you look a little funny sometimes-”

 

“At least I know how to fish!”

 

They blink at her, confused. “What are you talking about?”

 

Momo is defiant. “That’s right- I heard about your little fishing fiasco. Your boat flipped over!” She points accusingly at the trio + Mina. They gasp accordingly.

 

Jihyo looks salty. “That is irrelevant and should be classified information-”

 

“OKAY.” Sana cuts them off aggressively. “You’ve made your point! I have more good news to share!”

 

“You’re leaving?”

 

Sana looks visibly aggravated. “Can you please-”

 

“Sorry, sorry.” Jeongyeon holds her hands up in surrender. Momo silently snickers and exchanges a three way hi-five with Nayeon and Jihyo as Dahyun looks on, amused. “So what’s the tea?”

 

“I’m hosting my annual Halloween party this year.”

 

“.........”

 

“And you’re all invited!”

 

“....”

 

“...”

 

“...............”

 

Sana throws her hands up as she looks around the kitchen. “Well?????”

 

Everyone just stares at her (except Dahyun because she’s gone every year).“What’s in it for us?”

 

Sana blinks, thinking seriously about the inquiry. “Free food and costumes?”

 

They look at each other pensively. “We’ll see.” Nayeon answers declaratively for all of them, moving to hide Momo behind her back. “Let me check my schedule.”

 

Sana stares at her. “You have a schedule??”

 

Nayeon tilts her head like she’s wondering why Sana is so confused. “I have a planner and everything.” She produces a bright green agenda planner from out of nowhere to show the other girl, who cranes her neck to get a better look.

 

“And you still forgot about the bio test?”

 

“Mistakes were made.” Nayeon cuts her off as fast as she can, a little too eager to dismiss the subject. Dahyun snickers again behind her hand as she exchanges humored glances with Momo, who is also doing a very poor job of hiding her giggles. “Anyway, thank you for the gracious invitation and good luck at Tzuyu’s house. If you’ll excuse me.”

 

They blink at her as she rises from her seat. “Where are you going?” Mina asks, genuinely curious.

 

“I’m going to pick up my car from the grocery store.”

 

“What?”

 

“Did I stutter?”

 

They look at each other in slight wonder. “Why would-”

 

“I’ll see you all soon! Bye lovelies!” Nayeon sings as she slams Mina’s front door shut.

 

“... is there a repair shop at her grocery store?”

 

“Why would there be?”

 

“Well, why else would her car be at the grocery store?”

 

“Maybe it got hungry and wanted some snacks.”

 

They all turn to stare at Momo, who looks around curiously. “What? It’s possible.”

 

Oh my.

---

 

Knock knock.

 

Tzuyu looks up from her laptop upon hearing the rattle of wood. “Coming!” She calls, closing the device shut and making her way down the stairs.

 

Minatozaki Sana grins at her, flute case in hand. “Good afternoon!”

 

“Good afternoon, sunbae. Come in.” Tzuyu steps aside to let the girl into her expansive house. Like Mina, her parents aren’t home either; the Chous are commonly found working on weekends and resting on weekdays, unlike most other parents, but Tzuyu doesn’t mind the unusual schedule. They’re around often enough as it is, and having the house to herself on weekends is actually kind of nice.

 

“I hope you didn’t have any trouble getting here.” Tzuyu says conversationally as she shuts the door behind them and sets out some slippers for Sana.

 

“Not at all!” Sana lies through a blinding smile and gritted teeth. It’s a straight lie; Tzuyu lives in the ‘richer’ part of town, all the way atop a hill overlooking the rest of the town. It’s an arduous drive, up a long, winding driveway with no clear end in sight. Sana was almost convinced that Tzuyu had given her the wrong address on purpose, until she saw the outline of the girl’s large house at the top of the hill.

 

Why does this girl have to live on a freaking mountain?!

 

“That’s good to hear. Are you hungry, or have you eaten already?”

 

“I’m fine, thank you! Your place is really nice.” Sana says, looking around her curiously. It’s definitely a snazzy place; classic, open-style, similar to Mina’s home but more mansion-like and more isolated. She doesn’t seem to have any neighbors- or, at least not any visible neighbors. Sana feels a small sense of relief- at least if she majorly embarrasses herself, no one will be around to witness it (except Tzuyu she supposes, but still). But she doesn’t plan on it. Not today, not tomorrow.

 

“Thank you. My mom designed it- she’s always had a thing for altitudes.”

 

“Awesome- so, should we start then?”

 

Tzuyu smiles. “Sure.”

 

Everything’s going well. Sana and Tzuyu are sitting in chairs in Tzuyu’s naturally lit living room. It’s a really nice space; there’s a grand piano in one corner with large windows, there’s a coffee table some feet away with a couple of fashion magazines and music scores, there’s a vase full of white flowers, and Tzuyu apparently owns more than one music stand (Sana had offered to bring her own, but Tzuyu had assured her she had an extra).

 

“This one’s Chaeyoung’s.” The younger girl explains with a small smile as Sana’s gaze falls on the dual stands. “She left it here yesterday.”

 

Sana makes a mental note to thank the younger girl (later, if she can actually catch her elusive little friend. Chaeyoung is hard to come by). “What kind of flowers are those?”

 

“They’re actually a type of lily- Calla lilies. My mom loves them, she bought a bunch from a flower store that opened up recently.”

 

Sana tilts her head, thinking. “Oh, that’s nice. Do you know which store?” She racks her mind for flower stores in their town. She can’t really think of any.

 

Tzuyu shrugs as well. “Not sure, really. She just said it was fairly new.”

 

They settle into a comfortable silence, both finally assembling their instruments and filling the space with flute scales and sweet clarinet melodies. Sana tries her best to limit stealing glances at Tzuyu’s ethereal figure, sitting perfectly upright as her long fingers flit effortlessly over the clarinet body. The purple tint has washed out of the younger’s hair, which now gleams a healthy, natural oak brown. Strangely, it makes Sana like her even more- it’s mature, calm, and Tzuyu doesn’t need colors to make her stand out as it is. She’s effortlessly beautiful, a fact that amazes Sana every time she sees Tzuyu, and she’s smart and she’s kind of charming despite her quiet nature and Sana doesn’t know when it stops.

 

Anyway. Everything’s going well. They’ve just about finished warming up, and are starting to run through some measures of ‘Ode to Joy’, when there’s a mysterious shadow that flits outside the large windows across from Sana.

 

She frowns. It’s a perfectly sunny day, a crystal clear autumn afternoon. Why would there be a shadow- in that strange shape, nonetheless- outside Tzuyu’s isolated home window?

 

She shrugs it off. It’s probably just her imagination; she’s always had a vivid one.

 

Must not be important.
 

Unfortunately for Sana, there’s an intervention occuring outside the window. Mina smacks Momo’s arm hard after she’d reached out to snatch the blonde back. “Yah! How could you be so careless?!”

 

Momo scowls, clutching a hand over her shoulder where Mina had smacked her. “Why do you hit so hard? It’s like smacking two sticks together.” She cradles her ‘injured’ part, glaring at Mina.

 

“Stop it, you two! If she sees us, it’s over!” Jeongyeon hisses. Dahyun sits at her side, munching on a bag of fruit snacks that Mina had gifted her earlier. She’d slept in way too late today and didn’t have time to eat breakfast when Nayeon’s Jeep had pulled up to her house.

 

Mina sighs. “Why are we here again?”

 

Jihyo pops her head out from behind one of the shrubs on Tzuyu’s lawn. “They’ve sat down to start practice.” She whispers loudly to inform them, tucking her binoculars away safely.

 

Nayeon nods approvingly. “Nice! Let’s move to the garage then.” She takes a step, well out of Sana and Tzuyu’s line of sight, and then there’s a slight squeal from the ground.

 

The older girl nearly jumps out of her skin (literally), toppling back with flailing arms. Luckily, Mina is fast enough to clamp a hand over before her scream can alert the entire town to their location. Nayeon is heaving for breath with wide eyes, flat on her and practically lying in Mina’s arms, as she gapes at the figure that emerges from the other bush.

 

“Ch-Chaeyoung?!?”

 

The younger girls glares at them. “Keep it down!” She shushes them and they all fall silent, startled, but obedient as they follow her gestures to crawl and join her on the other side of the window. One by one, they crawl under the window so the practicing duo won’t see them and make a silent dash to the far corner of the house.

 

“What were you doing in Tzuyu’s hydrangeas?!” Nayeon demands, still shocked. “I lost ten years of my life when I stepped on you!”

 

Chaeyoung brushes off her ripped blue jeans indignantly. “I could ask you the same thing!” She looks around and quickly realizes that Nayeon is not alone. Momo stands to her feet with Mina’s assistance, thoroughly rocked, Jeongyeon pops up next with a pail on her head, Jihyo has a pair of binoculars hanging around her neck, and Dahyun is eating fruit snacks. The youngest looks thoroughly surprised.

 

“What are you all doing here??”

 

Mina waves enthusiastically. “Hi Chaeyoung!” Jeongyeon shoves her aside.

 

Jihyo waves a hand around with a small shrug. “Spying on Sana. What does it look like we’re doing?”

 

“And what are you doing?”

 

Chaeyoung throws up her hands helplessly. “Spying on Tzuyu. What does it look like I’m doing?”

 

Nayeon beams, pleasantly surprised at the younger girl’s answer. “Why, Chaeyoung! You should’ve said so before- we could’ve given you a ride!” She runs over aggressively to wrap Chaeyoung in a tight hug that no one asked for.

 

“Yeah, the more the merrier! Why don’t you join us?” Jihyo and Momo sport matching toothy grins, turning to fully face the sophomore.

 

Chaeyoung stares at them through her round glasses as she weighs her options. She’s clearly outnumbered. She’s also outmuscled, and even if she tried to run Nayeon had a car parked somewhere in the bushes- they’d catch up in no time. And it might not be bad to snatch a ride home, if she could. 

 

“Alright then. But, why are you spying on Sana unnie?”

 

Momo shrugs, making weird gestures with her hands as she tries to explain their irrational actions. “She said the conductor asked them to practice their duet separately, and then Tzuyu apparently invited her over to run it through a couple times. We’re here to supervise.”

 

“Supervise?” Chaeyoung arches a relatively skeptical brow.

 

“Yeah, supervise!” Nayeon and Jihyo link arms to cheer, exchanging the most enthusiastic high-five that Chaeyoung is slowly getting used to witnessing. She’s mildly surprised that their hands haven’t fallen off yet. 

 

How powerful.

 

“Anyway. Why are you here, then?”

 

Chaeyoung balks a little. “Umm…”

 

“Tzuyu, can I talk to you for a minute?”

 

Both Chaeyoung and Tzuyu look up at the conductor. “What is it, sir?”

 

He smiles at her, always approving and kind. Tzuyu is his best clarinet player, after all; she never disappoints and is always well-behaved. Every band teacher’s wish come true. “Have you looked at Ode to Joy yet?”

 

Tzuyu thinks for a few seconds before sporting a sheepish smile and a truthful answer. “Not really. I’ve played through the first few measures, but I haven’t gotten really far.”

 

The conductor waves a reassuring hand. “That’s no problem- I just wanted to bring something in the piece to your attention. The clarinet has a duet with the flute at a certain part of the song, and I’d like you to take the clarinet portion of it if that’s alright with you.”

“Sure.” Tzuyu nods. They’d all pretty much expected this anyway- she’s entitled to most, if not all, of her section’s solos as it is.

 

The conductor continues. “The first chair flutist, Sana, has already agreed to play the flute part. I’d like to ask you to look over the part and practice it with her, whenever the both of you have time. We’re on a tight schedule as it is in class so I don’t think we’ll have time to focus on just your parts specifically.”

 

Tzuyu blinks. “Oh. I understand.” She nods as she snaps her clarinet case shut. Chaeyoung watches on silently. “Does she know?”

 

The conductor smiles sheepishly. “She should- I’ve already been over all this with her, but she’s- well, a little flighty sometimes and I’m not sure if she’ll remember.”

 

Chaeyoung’s the only one who notices Tzuyu’s awkward smile. “Ah, alright then. Don’t worry sir- we’ll have it down in time for the concert.”

 

The conductor looks grateful for an angel like Tzuyu. “Thank you.”

 

Truthfully, although Sana’s been nothing but weird with Tzuyu, Chaeyoung knows that the taller girl harbors no ill feelings for their senior. She also knows for a fact that Sana has the biggest crush on Tzuyu- thanks to her subtle observations and the whole ‘chair’ fiasco Sana had gone through at the beginning of the school year. 

 

“So would you be willing to give it up, since it’s ‘just a chair’?” Chaeyoung quotes placidly, gazing at Sana through the thick lenses of her spectacles.

 

Sana shoots her a withering glare. “NO. Absolutely not! My love life is on the line here, don’t you understand??” She practically barks, shaking both Chaeyoung’s caffè latte and her own caramel frappuccino.

 

Chaeyoung blinks at the older girl sitting across from her. “Love life?” She asks with carefully veiled curiosity.

 

Sana sighs dramatically. “I need to have that duet with-“

 

Chaeyoung watches, amused as Sana halts midsentence looking like she’s wishing she could take back everything she’s said in the past five minutes. It seems like she’d forgotten who she was talking to- Chaeyoung is Tzuyu’s best friend, and the title comes with a certain set of unspoken responsibilities (like not hesitating to tell Tzuyu everything and anything, especially when it concerns her). Oh dear. Chaeyoung stifles a laugh as Sana slumps down in her seat, visibly deflated.

 

Chaeyoung holds her tongue though, waiting expectantly, and is further amused when Sana shoots her an awkward smile in a last-ditch attempt to cover her tracks. “Uhhh- with Momo!”

 

Oh my. Chaeyoung raises a brow. “Momo?”

 

She sips her latte calmly, watching the panic wheels turning in Sana’s head as the older girl forges on. “Yeah- Momo said she's really impressed with my flute playing, you see, and I have to keep my chair if I want to maintain my good image!” Sana rubs the back of her neck sheepishly when she’s done rambling. Chaeyoung puts on what she thinks is a fooled explanation, aiming to have Sana think that she’s fooled Chaeyoung with her awkward lies. Luckily, Sana seems to buy it.

 

Momo looks scandalized. “That traitor! Using me as a scapegoat, without my permission!”

 

Jihyo tuts disapprovingly, gently reprimanding Momo. “That’s what you get when you don’t copyright your name.”

 

The blonde’s shoulders slump over in defeat. “You’re right. Can you get me one of those copyright forms when we leave?”

 

“Wait- why is your name copyrighted?” Mina suddenly asks, turning to address Jihyo with extreme curiosity.

 

“I’ll bring you one on Monday, Momo.” Jihyo ignores Mina as she nods at Momo who smiles gratefully.

 

Chaeyoung shifts her weight to one leg as she appraises the pissed percussion player. “She also muttered something afterward about, and I quote, ‘I wouldn’t date Momo if she were the last lesbian on earth’.” 

 

Momo almost faints. “That- that- what-”

 

Jeongyeon sighs and goes to pat Momo on the back comfortingly. “There there.”

 

“She didn’t- she hasn’t even seen my abs-” Momo babbles something else incoherent before all but dropping into Jeongyeon’s arms. Mina waves an unsympathetic hand over her face to fan her extremely offended friend.

 

Chaeyoung sighs as she takes in the scene before her. Sana is a good person- she’s always smiling at everyone and wearing her heart on her sleeve. Always well-intentioned, kind, and generous with her peers. Chaeyoung can’t help but admire the older girl, especially after getting to know her a little better. She knows that Sana’s got heart eyes for Tzuyu, and usually she’d be against anyone trying to do anything with Tzuyu, but Sana’s not trying to do anything as much as she just genuinely likes the taller girl. Chaeyoung knows that Sana would be good for Tzuyu, even if just a little bit. So when Tzuyu had told her that she’d invited the older girl to practice the duet with her, Chaeyoung couldn’t help the concern that rose in her chest for her best friend, who wasn’t the most social or good at dealing with others. 

 

Hence their current predicament. When Chaeyoung had snuck over, hoping to keep an eye on her socially stunted best friend, she hadn’t expected to run into anyone else- much less the six others that currently stood before her trying to resuscitate a famished Momo.

 

Dahyun holds out her hand. “Want some fruit snacks, unnie?”

 

Momo just opens . Dahyun ungracefully jumps the rest of the bag in the older’s mouth; to her credit, Momo doesn’t choke and she’s able to get back up within twenty-eight seconds.

 

“Thank you, Dahyun. Now, where were we?” Nayeon straightens up to look at them all.

 

“The roof! Get on the roof!” Jeongyeon points an excited finger at the extremely high roof of Tzuyu’s mini-mansion. Momo turns pale.

 

“No way!”

 

“Yes way! Get your over here and help me with the belay!” Jeongyeon produces what seems to be a harness and a belay device out of the duffel bag on Mina’s shoulders, and drags the reluctant blonde to strap her in.

 

Chaeyoung is impressed. They came prepared.

 

“Who’s up first??” Jeongyeon barks at them impatiently. Jihyo excitedly raises her hand.

 

“I volunteer as tribute!”

 

“Get your here too!” Jeongyeon has somehow managed to get the rope attached to what seems to be a chimney on the roof. Jihyo trots over happily, allowing Jeongyeon to clip the device onto her harness.

 

“Woohoo!” Jihyo cheers as she begins her ascent. “This is so much fun- why didn’t we think of this earlier?”

 

“Because none of our houses are this tall?”

 

Chaeyoung watches in mild fascination as the whole thing unfolds. Mina comes up beside her, donning a comforting smile and a supportive hand. Chaeyoung turns to the pretty older girl gratefully, expecting something along the lines of ‘sorry, they’re not usually like this’ but then-

 

“Want to go next, Chaeyoung?” Mina beams at her. Chaeyoung gulps a little as she watches the scene over Mina’s shoulder, as Momo is forced to ascend after Jihyo.

 

“Um- sure.”

 

Mina just grins at Chaeyoung’s slightly shocked face and gently wraps slender fingers around her wrist. “Come on then! I’m sure it’s safe.”

 

“You’re only sure-”

 

“Up you go!”

 

Chaeyoung claps a hand over to keep her screams in as Jihyo, who has already successfully reached the rooftop, reaches over to grab Chaeyoung’s rope and yank her up.

 

The older girl looks impressed, approvingly at Chaeyoung. “She’s so light- much lighter than you, you pig!”

 

Momo shakes her head sadly as she gazes down at the younger. “Poor thing. Who starved you?”

 

“We can feed her later- now come here and help me pull!” Momo just laughs at the look on Jihyo’s face but complies, the duo immediately hoisting a befuddled Chaeyoung up to join them on Tzuyu’s roof.

 

The younger girl stares placidly. “I’ve been to Tzuyu’s house many times, but I’ve never set foot on the roof.”

 

“There’s a first for everything!” Mina sings airily as she straps herself in next. Momo and Jihyo have no trouble pulling her up and she lands with a slight ‘ooph’ next to Chaeyoung, who’s got her knees to her chest as she looks down at the ground below.

 

Mina peers over as well. “What a view.”

“Tell me about it.”
 

“INCOMING!” 

 

Both Mina and Chaeyoung shriek a little as Mina instinctively pulls Chaeyoung to her chest, shielding her from the incoming Dahyun, who had been lighter than Momo and Jihyo anticipated, and gone flying up a little too high upon the extra force.

 

Chaeyoung cowers in the warmth of Mina’s arms. The older girl is strong- stronger than she looks, at least. It’s an interesting fact Chaeyoung can’t help but notice. “Thanks.” She mutters gratefully.

 

“No problem. It’s a long way down.”

 

Her heart is beating a little faster than usual. She supposes that’s a little normal though, considering her huge crush on Mina. Unlike the last time she was in Mina’s arms (think: ditz!Sana and gym nets), this time, there’s a lot less going on. Sure she’s sixty-something feet in the air again and sure there’s something being launched her way, but as she watches Mina watch their other friends flying through the air, she can’t help but want to count the moles on Mina’s face, brush her fingers over her lips and tell her how beautiful she is and-

 

Chaeyoung blushes. When did she turn into such a sap?

 

Must be the height thing.

 

“So, you’ve never been on Tzuyu’s roof hm?”

 

“Never.” Chaeyoung replies honestly. “I mean, why would I?”

 

Mina just laughs. “I don’t know. The view, maybe?”

 

She’s not wrong. The view is amazing, up high on Tzuyu’s tall house, with the autumn sun softly filtering over the trees and striking Mina’s eyes a bronzed gold. Chaeyoung feels her breath catch in .

 

“Yeah. The view.”

 

“Anyway, I’m really glad we ran into you today, Chaeyoung. I wasn’t really sure about the whole ordeal, but seeing you made this whole thing worth it.” Mina smiles at her as they watch their friends sling up the roof one by one. Nayeon comes up with a muffled shriek and is greeted with a ‘stop being a wuss’ from Jeongyeon down below. “I’ve been wanting to get to know you for a long time.”

 

Chaeyoung swears her heart nearly stops in her chest. Mina is looking at her, nothing but earnest and nothing but kind- it’s like she actually wants to get to know Chaeyoung for who she is, not for any of the ridicule everyone pins on her at school and not for any of the shenanigans she’s affiliated with in chemistry and band, and it’s almost incomprehensible to her why someone like Mina would want to get to know someone as ordinary as she feels.

 

The older girl continues with a slight blush tinting her cheeks. “I know it’s weird, but you- you’ve always been so gentle and kind. You’re so special, Chaeyoung, and I-”

 

“What the hell?!?”

 

They all freeze in their tracks. Mina and Chaeyoung’s heads snap to the right, looking off the roof, and they know the game’s up.

 

Sana looks like she doesn’t know if she should be furious or if she should laugh. Her eyes dart back and forth between Nayeon and Jihyo, who are trying to wrestle their belay off Tzuyu’s gutter, and Mina and Chaeyoung who are sitting a little too close to be considered friendly. “Wh- what are you doing here?!?”

 

Dahyun blinks placidly down at her. “What are you doing here?” She’s backed by six other pairs of eyes staring down at her, unmoving, unblinking.

 

Sana exhales heavily through her nose.

 

Oh my gosh.

 

---

 

Sana knew something was up when she saw those weird shadows moving across Tzuyu’s lawn.

 

It just didn’t add up; Gucci (who she quickly learned was Tzuyu’s beloved Pomeranian) was asleep- had been since Sana set foot in the house. There were no trees, or at least none that were mobile. Tzuyu had informed her that there was no maintenance scheduled for the property today, and that the closest neighbors were well above seventy years old- far too old to be moving so fast. She had her suspicions, but she didn’t want to waste valuable time with Tzuyu. So she held it in, tried her best to ignore the hushed voices that flitted around every now and then, ignored the shadows and the weird shapes and chalked it up to stray leaves and branches.

 

But when she heard the footsteps on the roof, she knew it was over.

 

“Tzuyu?”

 

The younger girl stops, mid-clarinet note. “Yes?”

 

“Excuse me a moment, okay?”

 

Tzuyu shrugs. “Sure.”

 

Sana plasters on her best smile as she awkwardly sets her flute down on her chair, and turns to make a break for the door. Tzuyu just turns back to her music, chalking it up to the older girl’s weird behavior.

 

Sana sprints to the back left corner of the large house the moment she excuses herself from practice. To her horror and mild disbelief, her worst suspicions are confirmed; seven people (who certainly don’t live here) have climbed onto the roof of Tzuyu’s grand living space, eating fruit snacks and arguing about tea culture.

 

Momo is first to see her. “Oh my!” She points at Sana and gets the rest of their attention.

 

Sana feels her blood boil. “What the hell?!”

 

They look guilty as they are. Sana has so many questions (like how did they get up there, why does Momo look like she wants to punch her, why do Mina and Chaeyoung look so cozy sitting there, why does Dahyun have so many fruit snacks) but there are more important matters at hand.

 

“I knew it! I knew something was weird about today!” The flute player laments, dropping her face into her hands. “I heard the footsteps and everything!”

 

“But we didn’t break anything!”

 

“Yeah- not a single roof tile wrecked!”

 

Sana sighs. It is a remarkable accomplishment for them, but she can’t accept this situation.

 

“Would you all get down from there, please???”

 

They sulk and whine, but begrudgingly begin the process of lowering themselves from the roof. Sana watches as one by one, they drop down through the air. Momo lands first, ungracefully splattering into the grassy ground. Nayeon follows her, then Chaeyoung (when did she get here??) and Mina follows her quickly. Jihyo does a (really bad) somersault as she leaps down, letting the belay hold her weight. Dahyun goes next, then finally Jeongyeon.

 

Sana glares at them. “You are all going to come with me and explain to Tzuyu why you were on her roof on a Saturday afternoon.”

 

They sigh, but the gig’s up. Momo gets up to follow her, and then a pissed Sana starts to lead them all to the front door.

 

“Shall we?”

 

Chaeyoung looks up to see Mina’s extended hand and her bright, gummy smile. She’s tired, that’s a definite, but something has changed between yesterday and today. 

 

She thinks about all the time she’s spent admiring this girl from afar, never taking any initiative to talk to her or even go near her. She thinks about her quieter days, just going through the motions of school, studying, keeping her head down, and playing her oboe- how steady and routine, the direction she’d turned her life to. Never stepping out of line. Never introducing anything new.

 

And then she looks at Mina, their friends that mill around looking like kicked puppies trailing after Sana to Tzuyu’s front door. Mina’s bright smile, her fearless instincts despite her quiet demeanor. A girl who never cares what others think of her. A girl who’s always kind, always gentle, sensitive to the needs of those around her and caring enough to talk to anyone despite what anyone else might think. She thinks about Mina and the chem lab they’d done together, the awkward time they’d spent lying in a gym net with everyone watching, the music they’d shared in band with their friends and today’s failed spy show. Mina is- she’s kind of weird. She’s odd, beautiful, smart, and quirky. She’s everything Chaeyoung isn’t, and she accepts everything Chaeyoung is without question and an open heart.

 

So when Chaeyoung moves to take Mina’s hand she can’t help but think yeah, maybe being with this girl isn’t such a bad thing at all.