“Kookeu no! Those are my favorite pair of shoes!” You yell as you chase after the tiny dog around your room. Actually it’s been that way since this morning at four am to be exact. No one told her that taking care of a puppy was as hard as a real kid. Maybe harder if the mess of clothes and papers strewn all around the apartment was evidence enough.

“Not those! Jeongyeon’s going to kill you then me!” You yell as you and Kookeu wrestle with Jeongyeon’s favorite jacket. 

“No jumping on the table when we’re eating!”

“No! You poop here not on the carpet!”

To say that you were exhausted was an understatement. You plop on the couch as you watch Kookeu sleeping peacefully on his nest of pillows (courtesy of Kookeu himself stolen Jeongyeon’s closet). How does he look so angelic while asleep but like a complete devil when awake?

It’s only even been three days since you got him and every day since then has been hell. But you can’t ever stay mad at Kookeu forever because come on, who could? Was that even humanely possible with a cute puppy like him?

But you had to admit that you needed help. No just any help, you needed 911, you needed the military, you needed Tzuyu.

You haven’t tried contacting her yet because even if it sounded impossible, you were actually really shy to ask her for help. You thought you could train Kookeu by yourself and maybe just maybe, Tzuyu would finally take notice of you.

But unfortunately that was impossible for a mere mortal like you (you’re kidding, you’re a goddess but you get it). So here you were trying to make a coherent message for Tzuyu. You two exchanged numbers but Tzuyu had yet to send you a message too.

That is until a notification shows up on your phone. You didn’t read the message but you saw who sent it. 

Tzuyu

No.ing.Way.

You excitedly open the message still not believing that Tzuyu messaged you first. Two straight messages even. 

Tzuyu: How’s Kookeu doing?

Tzuyu: I’m asking you because Kookeu doesn’t have a phone, I would have asked him directly if he had one

Your eyebrow twitches while reading her messages. “Yah Chou Tzuyu!” You yell in the empty apartment and Kookeu stirs from his sleep. Oh no, you’ve awoken the devil. Thankfully he was as exhausted as you and closed his eyes again.

Nayeon: FYI but dogs have no opposable thumbs

Nayeon: And hello to you too! :<

Tzuyu: Oh I didn’t say hello, I just really wanted to know how Kookeu was doing

Nayeon: You…

Nayeon: Ughh, he’s doing great, I’M NOT

Tzuyu: Okay, as long as he’s good, bye sunbaenim

This girl, the nerve! You start to think of why you even had such a big crush on her because she was really starting to get on your nerve. But then you remembered why you were going to talk to her in the first place.

Nayeon: Wait!!!!!

Tzuyu: What? Did something happen to Kookeu?

Nayeon: What? No!

Tzuyu: Oh okay I almost called 911 just then, stop acting so dramatic sunbae

Nayeon: Has anyone ever told you how infuriating you are?

Tzuyu: Just you actually

Nayeon: …I

Nayeon: Nvmnd, anyway

Nayeon: I need your help

Nayeon: With Kookeu

Nayeon: BEFORE HE WRECKS MY APARTMENT

Nayeon: With my dead body found on a ditch the next day because my roommate will kill me if I don’t train Kookeu

Tzuyu: Okay stop spamming me

Nayeon: Does that mean you’ll help me? :))

Tzuyu: Only because I want Kookeu to be a good boy

Tzuyu: Not because I care about your well-being

Nayeon: Sure Tzuyu, keep telling yourself that ;)

Tzuyu: Has anyone told you that YOU’RE the infuriating one?

Nayeon: Only you Tzuyu, only you

Actually that was a lie. Jeongyeon and Momo always complain about how annoying you were but you weren’t going to let this tsundere girl know that. Tzuyu was so cute, you knew for sure she was just putting up a cold front. Tzuyu was ice but you were fire and you were going to warm this girl’s frozen heart with every way possible. Even if that meant getting on her nerves a lot.

Nayeon: Anyway, can we meet at the park?

Tzuyu: Okay

Tzuyu: This isn’t a date btw

Nayeon: I didn’t say it was!

Tzuyu: You totally thought of it didn’t you?

Nayeon: Shut up! 

You toss your phone on the couch again and scoff. Tzuyu’s lucky she’s cute. And knows a lot about animals. You unceremoniously wake Kookeu up and laugh as he twitches. 

“That’s what you get for making such a mess in the house Kookeu.”

Kookeu just whines and you give him a quick kiss on the forehead. “Let’s go meet your future mom.”

--

Maybe you weren’t ready to see Tzuyu yet because you’re gasping for air as you watch her walk to the bench where you and Kookeu were currently seated. She was wearing a simple white hoodie and a mini skirt so why were you drooling so much? 

“Hi baby.” That was the first thing she says as she reaches you.

You would have died on the spot with that greeting till Tzuyu bends down and picks Kookeu from your lap.

“How are doing baby? Is this girl taking good care of you? Is she hurting you?”

This girl…

“Well hello to you too Tzuyu.”

“Ohh right I forgot you were here.” She actually tells you in reply.

You couldn’t help but groan. She’s lucky you’re so used to getting jabs from Jeongyeon. If you were a normal person you would have probably ran away crying from Tzuyu’s mean acts.

“Can we just get to the part where you help me train Kookeu instead?”

“Isn’t that the whole purpose of this meet-up?”

You give her a fake forced smile trying to control yourself around this tall Taiwanese girl. “Yeah it is. Let’s start then shall we?”

Tzuyu shrugs and puts Kookeu on the ground then leads him to a shaded tree.

“Hey wait up!” You scurry to get the bag full of dog necessities which included water, food and toys which were not heavy, no not at all.

--

“Why is he such a good boy when you’re around?”

Tzuyu smirks. “Because he likes me better.”

“HA HA. No seriously.”

“I think you spoil him too much sunbae. He needs to understand authority.”

“You mean scare him?” Your face contorts into a petrified one and Tzuyu actually laughs. And maybe you stare a bit too long at her crooked smile and those deep dimples that you would probably be dreaming about later tonight.

“No sunbae. You don’t need to scare him. Let’s relate it to you major. How do you discipline pre-school kids?”

You ponder on your thoughts for a while and think of the kids you recently tutored from your last on the job training. 

“Well first, I make them know that I’m approachable but I don’t let them do everything that they please.”

“Exactly. It’s also like that with dogs.”

“Ohh I kind of get it now.”

“That’s the basics anyway. We also have tricks with training dogs.”

Tzuyu grabs the bag of treats from your bag then and calls for Kookeu to come back as he tried to catch a damn butterfly.

“Kookeu, come here.” Tzuyu shows him the treats and Kookeu scurries to her with his tiny paws.

She gives him one piece and pats him on his head. “That’s a good boy.”

Once Kookeu finished eating his treat he looks up at her again wagging his tail and asking for more. 

“Not yet. First, I need you to sit.” Tzuyu teaches him and it takes a few tries but once Kookeu finally sits, Tzuyu gives him another treat.

She repeats the process a few more times until Kookeu knew that in order to get a treat, he needed to sit when Tzuyu says sit. 

“That’s amazing.” You couldn’t help but blurt out.

Tzuyu chuckles. “It’s called conditioning. It’s one of the simplest tricks in the books sunbae.”

“Let’s not forget that this is the first dog I’m actually taking care of okay?”

“Oh right, you’re really incompetent when it comes to animals.”

“Yeah yeah, I know I am.”

“So why’d you volunteer at the shelter then? I still don’t understand that.”

The blush already spreads to your whole face before you could stop it. “Uhm uhh…”

Tzuyu just raises her eyebrow waiting for you to continue.

You sigh in defeat. “I’ll be honest, I went in the shelter so I could impress a certain someone.”

Something in Tzuyu’s eyes changed then, it looked a lot like disappointment. 

“Ohh I see. So you really don’t like animals at all?”

You shake your head. “It’s not like that. That certain someone was my inspiration to get in and actually learn how to take care of animals.” You smile to yourself then remembering the real first time you met Tzuyu. 

She was climbing a tree in her god damn uniform and you were about to yell at her to come back down till you realize she was just saving a kitten that got stuck pretty high up.

You laugh to yourself as you saw Tzuyu thinking of how she would get back down only then realizing how high up she went too. You ran as fast as you could to the janitor’s shed just nearby and carried back a heavy ladder.

“Use this!” You shout up at Tzuyu while assembling the ladder for her to use to get back down and Tzuyu nods her head following your instructions while still holding on to the kitten. 

“Thank you sunbaenim.” She bows ninety degrees and you get surprised as she stands back up. Wow she was really tall, you would have thought she was your senior if she didn’t call you sunbaenim earlier.

“Uhh yeah no problem, just be careful next time okay?”

“I should be saying that to this little guy over here.” She says as she scratches the cat’s chin. “Thank you again sunbae, I have to go now and bring this kitten to the shelter.” That’s all she said before running like a girl on a mission.

So of course when Momo introduces her to you the next day, it only took you a second before asking Momo to get you in the shelter.

You couldn’t help but smile at the memory and it turns into a full-blown laugh as you see Tzuyu’s questioning face. This was why you never backed down even when Tzuyu was being mean to you because you’ve seen her soft side and you made it your own duty to always bring that out of her.

“What’s so funny sunbae?”

“Nothing, I just remembered how I first met that certain someone. But anyway yeah, she inspired me I guess. Without her, I wouldn’t have been interested with animals at all. So no Tzuyu, I didn’t get in the shelter for very shallow reasons.”

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have judged that quickly.” She says very apologetically. “I’m glad that you took an interest to animals and even adopted one at that.”

“It’s okay I didn’t feel offended.” You look down at Kookeu currently sleeping in your lap. He really loved sleeping there. “If I didn’t get into the shelter then I also wouldn’t have been able to meet this little baby.” You his fur gently.

“You’re doing a great job with him actually.”

You snap your head to Tzuyu then. “Did you just actually compliment me?” 

She just rolls her eyes. “Honestly at first, I thought you’d crash and burn with this task but turns out you’re doing better than I expected.”

“You could have just stuck with your first statement you know. You don’t have to keep insulting me to cover up your softness.” You smile slyly then. “I see right through you Tzuyu.”

Tzuyu seemed genuinely surprised with that but recovers quickly. “I’ll admit that I’m actually amazed you haven’t run away crying yet.”

“It’s not that easy to get rid of me.” You give her an angelic smile then.

“Maybe because I want you to stay.” Tzuyu mumbles in such a soft voice that you probably wouldn’t have heard but you did and you feel your whole body heating up right now because no way. Tzuyu wouldn’t say that to you, would she? You think you’re starting to get delusional after all. This whole day was probably a dream and you were going to wake up in your messy apartment again.

Any minute now.

But Tzuyu didn’t disappear in front of you and she was actually blushing as well. 

“Wh-what did you say Tzuyu?”

“Nevermind.” She says and stands up then. “Come on let’s go, it’s getting late.”

You sigh, the moment was gone just like that again. But you acquiesce and follow her anyway. 

--

“You didn’t have to walk me home but thanks anyway Tzuyu.” Kookeu was still fast asleep in your arms. You sometimes forget that he was only four months old.

“I just wanted Kookeu to get home safely.” She says with such a blank face you actually had to roll your eyes. She hands you the really heavy bag from earlier which she offered to carry this time around.

“I already told you that won’t work on me. But fine, whatever helps you sleep at night. Bye Tzuyu, see you soon.” You say, taking the bag from her.

You were about to close the door when Tzuyu’s voice stops you.

“Wait sunbae.”

You turn back to her puzzled but freeze when you come face to face with her only millimeters apart. Your mind blanks completely when she presses her soft lips to your own and you couldn’t even comprehend what was happening till she pulled away just as quickly.

“Wha-“

“This certain someone just wanted you to know that she’s impressed and-“ She says that in such a fast way and you’re still reeling from the kiss earlier that you’re just staring at her. “And she’s happy that you stayed in the shelter. Bye again sunbae.”

She runs away like lightning right after saying her final sentence just like that time when you first met her. 

“Kookeu? Am I dreaming?” Because this would be a really cruel dream to wake up from. But Kookeu’s soft on your hand says otherwise. Holy this is real, you’re alive, you’re not dreaming.

And Tzuyu just confessed to you in her own weird way.

 

--

 

tbc

 

-

hey yall! Hope you enjoyed that! Next chap will be the last but don't worry :) i'm gon write natzu again

also, i got locked out of my old twitter acc so i made a new one XD you can now reach me at @jes_keith