“Tzuyu, honey, come on out, you don’t want to be late for your first day,”

 

A very energetic voice covers the whole environment.

 

“Sana, you know you should not be shouting, you don’t want to make her nervous,”

 

“Oh, really Mina? Don’t tell me you are not making a big deal out of this, it is her first day working, you should be as excited as I am,” Sana reprimands her wife.

 

Sana and Mina had been married for over two years now.

 

They had been together since college.

 

“Clearly you take all the excitement for all of us,” Mina nonchalantly answers her wife.

 

She has a newspaper in front of her while sipping her coffee.

 

“OH, REALLY!? are you going to sta – “

 

Before Sana could give a childish remark to Mina.

 

“How do I look?” Tzuyu gets her attention.

 

The almost bickering couple looks at her.

 

“Oh my gosh, you look amazing,” Sana answers with tears in her eyes.

 

Mina smiles to Tzuyu.

 

She loves the fact that her sister could make Sana forget those little things.

 

That is right, Tzuyu is the younger sister of Mina. Tzuyu is freeloading with the couple since she entered college.

They live further from the city, but it is not too bad of a commute. They live there because the houses are cheaper compared to the ones near the business district.

 

They are just simple people. Living a simple life.

 

Sana is a photographer. She used to be a model, but Mina asked her to stop.

 

Only because she gets jealous easily.

 

Then, Mina is a professor at the University where Tzuyu graduated. She wanted to become a lawyer but since the University offers an additional discount for family, she had decided to pursue another path for Tzuyu’s sake.

 

“Are you sure you don’t need unnie to drive you?”

 

Mina asks Tzuyu.

 

It actually runs in their blood.

 

The cold demeanor and the snobbish effect.

 

They just have that aura that makes them zero percent approachable.

 

“Oh, Mina, you don’t want to embarrass your sister, right? She’d be the center of gossip if she’s seen taking off from your car,” Sana interrupts Mina.

 

She puts her bag strap around her body.

 

She is getting ready to leave.

 

“It is not like high school, Sana. Tzuyu will not get bullied if her family drops her off,” Mina defends.

 

Sana chuckles.

 

She likes it whenever Mina gets the tick.

 

“I know, but let Tzuyu commute, honey she’s a grown up now, she’s taller than you,” Sana taunts again.

 

Mina rolls her eyes.

 

Tzuyu just smiles seeing the behavior of her older sister and sister in law.

 

“I need to go, I will see you both tonight, love you,” Sana pecks Mina’s lips.

 

“And, Tzuyu, smile more so they won’t mistake you to be mad or something, and stop acting awkward, not really sure what it is to your family all awkward, hope my kid will not turn out like that,” She winks.

 

“You mean, our kid,” Mina butts in.

 

“Start some convo, like what’s your hobby, or what do you on a weekend, or let’s get some drink sometime,” Sana adds not minding Mina.

 

She walks out of the room shouting her goodbye.

 

The door shuts.

 

Tzuyu looks at Mina.

 

She smiles.

 

Mina gazes at her.

 

“What?”

 

Tzuyu shakes her head.

 

“Nothing,”

 

 

 

 

Nothing.

 

That is like what Tzuyu had been doing the whole day.

 

She got accepted into an online shopping company as an associate data analyst.

 

It is self-explanatory, her job is to analyze the data coming from the consumers. She is part of the IT division.

 

Now, she is supposed to be doing something but there is nothing on her plate.

 

“Hey,”

 

Tzuyu looks up.

 

“I’m Son Chaeyoung, I’d be your sunbae, haha nah not really I just started for like two weeks,” She smiles enthusiastically.

 

Though there is a certain awkwardness around her.

 

Tzuyu stands up.

 

She bows to Chaeyoung.

 

“Nice to meet you, I am Myoui Tzuyu, please take care of me”

 

“Ah err it is not necessary. We just you know started at the same time,” Chaeyoung feels awkward.

 

Tzuyu nods awkwardly.

 

They sat there.

 

And sat there.

 

And continue sitting there.

 

They both thought that it was an hour or something but, it was exactly two minutes.

 

Chaeyoung is searching for words to say.

 

Tzuyu is just blankly staring.

 

“Do you want to drink sometime?”

 

Tzuyu asks nonchalantly.

 

She is putting Sana’s advice into action.

 

“Ahh err, sure, what about tonight? We can unwind since it seems like it is a very busy first day,” Chaeyoung sarcastically comments.

 

Tzuyu nods awkwardly.

 

There is a big difference in how she interacts with the people she knows and who don’t.

 

Nothing really it is just she is more comfortable acting around her family than any other people.

 

Any other people.

 

And the sitting continues.

 

It will.

 

 

 

 

 

“It will be okay,”

 

A hoarse voice covers the dark room.

 

“Nayeon,”

 

The voice on the other line sounds concern.

 

“Jeongyeon, I am fine, it’s nothing, I just need a day off today,”

 

Nayeon insists rolling on her bed.

 

“You can take the whole week off, I’d take care of everything in here,” Jeongyeon reassures.

 

Nayeon hisses.

 

There is a moment of silence.

 

“Nayeon?”

 

She hears heavy breathing from the other line.

 

“Nayeon it is okay to cry, you been together for like forever,” Jeongyeon tries to reassure Nayeon.

 

But she knows that there is nothing she can say to even aide Nayeon’s broken heart.

 

“Do you need me to come over?”

 

“…*heavy breathing*”

 

“Nayeon?”

 

“I’m okay Jeong, I just need to take a rest, good night,”

 

“Nayeon it is already morning ~”

 

Jeongyeon sighs.

 

She realizes that Nayeon could have been drinking all night.

 

She could be drunken, trying to be numb with all the torment.

 

Jeongyeon looks at her computer.

 

And there displays an article that shakes the whole business world.

 

[BREAKING NEWS: PARK JIHYO is engaged to Hirai Momo]

 

“Park Jihyo,”

 

Jeongyeon reads aloud.

 

She knows her. She knows her too well.

 

She is the daughter of the richest man in South Korea, but she does not know her because of that rather she knows her because Nayeon and Jihyo dated.

 

They dated for over five years.

 

They were inseparable during college it was automatic. They were like magnets that have their atoms align just for each other.

 

They were perfect for each other.

 

They were so in love.

 

But fate has it.

 

They needed to separate because of every cliché love story shown in the telenovelas.

 

Jihyo is rich.

 

And her family needs her to grow their business.

 

And as it was announced she is marrying, Hirai Momo. The daughter of the owner of the largest Japanese airline.

 

Jeongyeon knows how hurt could Nayeon be.

 

So, she lets her be.

 

At least today.

 

At least, now.

 

 

 

 

 

“Now, drink up!” Chaeyoung announces.

 

Tzuyu and she got a little too close.

 

Tzuyu was just awkwardly looking at her.

 

Nodding and listening to her when Chaeyoung was talking nonsense about her paintings.

 

And how she wishes to be a graphic artist for a gaming company, not an online shopping company.

 

Now, Tzuyu’s head hurts. She did not want to come to work with a very bad hangover.

 

But what can she do? It already happened.

 

She feels like there is someone hammering it.

 

She imagines the disappointment in Mina’s face seeing her acting irresponsible, but Sana was winking trying to scold her.

 

They are not Tzuyu’s parents, but they are acting like Tzuyu is their own child.

 

The elevator door opens.

 

Tzuyu is unmindful of her surroundings for the first time. She is more mindful of her head.

 

“Crazy night?”

 

A person from the elevator that Tzuyu barely puts any attention to speaks.

 

“I went out with my coworker last night, we had a little too much drink now, I am  hangover,”

 

Tzuyu answers hoping that the hammering will disappear.

 

She is not the one who answers just to anyone. If anything, she is very awkward.

 

“I see,”

 

The voice responds.

 

The elevator dings to Tzuyu’s floor.

 

She shakes her head and straightens up her posture.

 

“Good morning Tzu~” Chaeyoung stops from lively greeting Tzuyu.

 

Tzuyu looks puzzled.

 

She then stares to where Chaeyoung is looking at.

 

“Im Nayeon sungsangnim, good morning,” Chaeyoung greets with respect.

 

“Oh, good morning Chaeyounggie, guess you had a crazy night too,”

 

Nayeon smiles to Chaeyoung teasingly.

 

Tzuyu gulps.

 

She gulps because she just told her boss that she had a crazy night after her first day.

 

She gulps because she feels guilty about coming in to work with a hangover.

 

She gulps because she heard of Nayeon, she is a little strict type of a boss. A little narcissistic she needs to be greeted and recognized especially by the newbie.

 

She gulps because Nayeon has a certain effect she could not recognize.

 

“We could have met if you were not occupied with your headache, Im Nayeon, I’m your boss,” Nayeon smiles ily.

 

And, now Tzuyu gulps because of that.

 

“Tzuyu, Myoui Tzuyu, please take care of me,”

 

Tzuyu introduced herself right away. She bows to Nayeon 90 degrees.

 

“Ah err, it’s not necessary, but yeah,” Nayeon feels awkward with Tzuyu bowing in front of her.

 

Tzuyu stands up straight with a determined face.

 

Nayeon smiles genuinely to her.

 

“Go swing by my office in an hour, I will teach you what you need to do, Tzuyu,” Nayeon says warmly.

 

Tzuyu is intimidated to Nayeon at first that is why she is acting all awkward. She would just act awkward no matter what.

 

*knock… knock*

 

“Come in,” Nayeon answers the door.

 

“Sungsangnim, it is Tzuyu reporting,”

 

Tzuyu asked Chaeyoung a hundred times on what she should tell Nayeon.

 

And as for starters. Chaeyoung said that Nayeon loves hearing her say that line so Tzuyu should do it too.

 

But there is a big difference between how Tzuyu and Chaeyoung execute it.

 

Chaeyoung acts cute sounds cute and is very cute.

 

Tzuyu acts awkward sounds awkward and is very awkward.

 

Nayeon can only smile awkwardly.

 

“Take a sit,” Nayeon invites.

 

Tzuyu nods awkwardly.

 

She sits by the couch next to Nayeon.

 

Tzuyu is so used to long silence, to awkwardness.

 

But somehow, it is different when it comes to Nayeon.

 

There is a certain effect that Nayeon has on her.

 

“Here,” Nayeon offers a glass to Tzuyu.

 

Tzuyu looks at it questioningly.

 

“It is a hangover drink, I made myself yesterday, figured you need one,” Nayeon answers Tzuyu’s unspoken question.

 

Tzuyu just awkwardly look.

 

And Nayeon is controlling herself not to smile. She must admit this awkwardness could turn into adorableness.

 

“Don’t let them push you around just because they are your sunbae,” Nayeon sounds authoritative.

 

Tzuyu drinks from a glass. It creates a pattern on top of .

 

That made Nayeon smile.

 

“Chaeyoung sunbae did not force me, I was the one who invited her to drink,” Tzuyu says seriously.

 

Nayeon just looks at her in shock.

 

“If you are going to punish us, please let me take the blame, Chaeyoung sunbae has nothing to do with it,”

 

Tzuyu is clearly doing another advice she heard from her sister in law.

 

“Always take the blame, your sunbaes will love you!”

 

“Punishment? We are not in school, no one will get punished if they come to work with a hangover, you’ll only get reprimanded if you disobey company rules. Like being late, not finishing your work, or drinking alcohol during working hours,” Nayeon explains.

 

Tzuyu looks at the ground.

 

Nayeon finds her extraordinary.

 

“Then should you not be punished, because you are drinking alcohol?” Tzuyu asks like a child.

 

Nayeon coughs out her drink.

 

She feels embarrassed.

 

“I had a rough day, yesterday,” Nayeon explains pretending to chuckle.

 

Tzuyu just nods.

 

“Any, let’s start with your task, so this is our cloud storage, the data are live data coming in from the consumers…...”

 

Nayeon immerses in talking to Tzuyu.

 

She explains everything to her.

 

The formula, the scripting, the whole task.

 

Nayeon is explaining everything to her and Tzuyu understands all of it.

 

But from time to time Tzuyu would glance to Nayeon, and just look at her.

 

Even Tzuyu wonders why she does that.

 

There is something in Nayeon that attracts Tzuyu’s eyes to just look at her.

 

She looks at her tired drowsy eyes.

 

Her small pointed nose.

 

Then her pulpy red lips.

 

She also notices that Nayeon has a certain hobby of biting her lower lip using the two front teeth she has.

 

“Just like a bunny,” Tzuyu dreamily speaks.

 

“Excuse me?” Nayeon asks. She barely heard what Tzuyu said.

 

Tzuyu’s eyes search for an answer.

 

“Nothing, please go on,” she startles.

 

Nayeon nods.

 

She continues on what she is explaining.

 

And Tzuyu decides to just focus on everything that Nayeon had been teaching her.

 

Rather than focusing on Nayeon’s very attractive face.

 

Turns out everything will be explained by Nayeon today until they are finished.

 

“Lunchtime!”

 

A person burst inside Nayeon’s office.

 

She did not even bother to knock or introduced herself.

 

Nayeon glares at her.

 

“Oh, sorry, I did not know that you’d be in a meeting,” She says Lively.

 

“What do you want Yoo Jeongyeon?”

 

Jeongyeon is looking at Tzuyu.

 

She does not know why the girl is flustered.

 

But one thing is for sure, Tzuyu looks extremely attractive.

 

“I said it lunchtime, we should go have lunch catching up and you know, bonding as friends,” Jeongyeon reasons out.

 

“I am not hungry, and we are not done yet,” Nayeon counters.

 

“Didn’t you say that I could go out to eat lunch?” Tzuyu savagely asks Nayeon.

 

Nayeon opens in disbelief her new employee just threw her under the bus.

 

To be honest she cannot blame Tzuyu.

 

She said that right before Jeongyeon burst into the room.

 

“Come on, Nayeon, we should talk, at least talk about it,” Jeongyeon sounds serious.

 

Tzuyu is just sitting. She does not know if it is her time to take a leave or something.

 

Nayeon looks at Tzuyu.

 

She feels that Tzuyu wants to ask if she can finally go.

 

“You can go,” Nayeon answers the unspoken question of Tzuyu.

 

She stands and awkwardly bows to both Nayeon and Jeongyeon.

 

When Tzuyu is gone.

 

“She seems weird,” Jeongyeon comments.

 

“You hired her, didn’t you?” Nayeon rolls her eyes.

 

She drinks on the glass of alcohol she poured herself earlier.

 

“She’s pretty,” Jeongyeon comments.

 

Jeongyeon is actually the HR Manager of this small company.

 

It is a startup Online Shopping Company, ONCES.

 

Nayeon is the COO.

 

Then there is Jeongyeon as The HR Manager.

 

And Park Jihyo, the president of the company.

 

This online shopping company is one of the investments that Jihyo has.

 

She funded it for Nayeon.

 

Only for Nayeon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nayeon holds a glass of soju.

 

One of her employees poured her a drink.

 

She had been drinking the whole night.

 

She is out with her fifteen employees including Jeongyeon and her team.

 

They are celebrating as a welcome party for Tzuyu and Chaeyoung.

 

Even though Chaeyoung had started before Tzuyu they had not had time to celebrate because of the stocks of their products.

 

So, now, they are out for a quick celebration.

 

“Tzuyu, do you have a partner?”

 

Jeongyeon teasingly asks.

 

Chaeyoung gives Jeongyeon a high five.

 

They are in sync.

 

In every way.

 

Jeongyeon’s joke makes Chaeyoung laughs in all the language.

 

And, Chaeyoung’s joke makes Jeongyeon laugh like an animal.

 

They are too alike.

 

Or, something else.

 

Tzuyu looks at every person on the table.

 

They are all anticipating for her answer.

 

Like they are asking if they can score on Tzuyu.

 

That, except Nayeon who had been pouring herself soju shot one after another.

 

She barely cares about her environment.

 

“No, I don’t have any,”

 

Tzuyu answers.

 

She does not know why she is looking at Nayeon while she answered that question.

 

Not that Nayeon would care.

 

“Oh – President Park, what are you, I mean welcome,” Chaeyoung asks in shock.

 

There is Park Jihyo walking inside their reserved room.

 

She smiles at everyone.

 

“Don’t stand, it is okay, continue in having fun,” She courteously tells everyone.

 

She looks around the table and she finds who she’s looking for.

 

She glances at Nayeon who looks in another direction when Jihyo looks at her.

 

Jihyo narrows her eyes to Nayeon, but she focuses in another direction.

 

“You must be Tzuyu, I’m Park Jihyo, the ~”

 

“The President of the company, I am Myoui Tzuyu, Nice to meet you, and congratulations with your engagement,”

 

Tzuyu says.

 

She immediately stands up.

 

Then offers a bow that could break her spine.

 

She is too formal and respectful.

 

As for what Jihyo thought.

 

Jihyo smiles.

 

“Thank you,”

 

She courteously answers.

 

“President, that is such a lovely ring,” One of the employees say.

 

Jihyo politely answers their queries and congratulations.

 

“So, when is the wedding?”

 

“You look blooming today, president,”

 

“You two are perfect together,”

 

Praises and compliments keep on being thrown to Jihyo.

 

And Jihyo is just smiling.

 

Until ~

 

A loud thud on the table happen.

 

Nayeon puts her shot glass down with a very strong force.

 

Everyone looks at her.

 

And everyone shuts their mouth.

 

She cannot take the compliments.

 

She cannot take the thank yous.

 

She cannot take it.

 

The words they have.

 

The praises.

 

The compliments.

 

It all transformed as bullets that shot Nayeon’s bleeding heart.

 

The person she loves the most marrying a person who she never knew.

 

All of it.

 

It breaks Nayeon’s heart.

 

She glares to Jihyo.

 

She then stands up to walk out of this torture.

 

Jihyo stands up.

 

She is ready to follow Nayeon but Jeongyeon stops her.

 

“She has too much to drink, let her be,”

 

“The more I need to follow her,” Jihyo says worriedly.

 

Jeongyeon stares at all the other people around them. She is telling Jihyo to keep it together, at least for their employees.

 

The last thing they want to see is an infidelity.

 

Tzuyu did not say anything but she stands up.

 

She bows to Jihyo and to the rest of the team to excuse herself.

 

But no one really saw her.

 

They were all focused on Jihyo’s action.

 

Tzuyu got out of the room.

 

She runs to Nayeon.

 

Again, she has not figured out her own reason she is interested in Nayeon.

 

Why is she even running to catch her?

 

Why does the hurt in Nayeon’s eyes concern her?

 

Why does she feel this to Nayeon?

 

“Nayeon-nim,”

 

Tzuyu caught her.

 

She pulls Nayeon’s arm to face her.

 

Nayeon looks at her.

 

There is a sadness display in her eyes.

 

It is in too much pain.

 

Tzuyu had never seen anyone in this much pain.

 

There is an unspoken shout inside Nayeon’s eyes asking Tzuyu to save her.

 

Asking Tzuyu to take all the pain away.

 

Yet, Nayeon is not even crying.

 

She is not even doing anything.

 

She lets the pain swirl inside her.

 

Take all of her.

 

And it hurts just looking at those eyes.

 

Those eyes that need rescue.

 

Those eyes that need refuge.

 

Nayeon’s heart is bleeding.

 

Her mind is going crazy.

 

And Tzuyu is just standing there looking at her eyes.

 

Helplessly tormenting in this scene.

 

A scene that she barely understands.

 

But before she could do anything.

 

A pair of hands cups her cheeks.

 

And Im Nayeon tiptoes to clash their lips together.

 

Im Nayeon pulls her for a deep kiss.

 

A kiss that invades Tzuyu’s whole being.

 

Her heart thuds incoherently.

 

She feels heated up.

 

She feels something going on in her stomach.

 

She once read that there are a million feelings in someone’s lips.

 

And all those tiny molecules that cause feelings, worked their way inside Tzuyu’s system without a warming.

 

Much as Nayeon’s kiss.

 

It lingers.

 

After trying to determine every feeling in her system.

 

Tzuyu finally figured out something.

 

Im Nayeon.

 

Yes, Im Nayeon harassed her.

 

So, as what Sana told her, “You need to punch someone straight to her nose when that person harassed you,”

 

It played in her mind and with an impulse.

 

Tzuyu punches Nayeon’s nose.

 

She punches it really hard.

 

And she walks away.

 

Away from Nayeon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nayeon holds on her nose.

 

She thinks it is fractured or something.

 

It hurts as there is blood clogged in it.

 

But Nayeon cannot complain.

 

She cannot take an action because it is her fault.

 

She freaking kissed Tzuyu without a warning.

 

A punch in her nose is a light punishment, she could be in jail for ual harassment.

 

Now, she has no face to show to Tzuyu.

 

Nayeon walks into their office.

 

She sees Tzuyu on her desk working.

 

She did not fail to notice the bandage around Tzuyu’s fist.

 

Now, people can only have one rumor to talk about.

 

They can surely connect the dots.

 

“Good morning sunsaengnim,” Chaeyoung greets Nayeon.

 

She is standing next to Tzuyu’s desk.

 

Tzuyu did not bother to even look at Nayeon.

 

Nayeon smiles to Chaeyoung.

 

Chaeyoung wants to laugh but she cannot do that of course, not in front of Nayeon, her boss.

 

The strip around Nayeon’s nose is something that is funny per say.

 

“Uhm Tzuyu,” Nayeon calls embarrassed.

 

Tzuyu looks Nayeon blankly.

 

“Good morning,” Nayeon smiles awkwardly.

 

Tzuyu still sees the sadness in her eyes.

 

It is written there still.

 

“Can you come to my office in an hour?” Nayeon asks politely.

 

She is keeping the distance for Tzuyu not to misunderstand anything.

 

Tzuyu nods stoically.

 

Nayeon feels her nose hurting.

 

It hurts a lot.

 

She walks into her office closing the door.

 

 

 

 

*knock *knock

 

Tzuyu knocks on the door.

 

She is following the order that Nayeon gave her.

 

She knocks once again but no one answered.

 

“I’m coming in,” She announces.

 

She looks inside the office but it is all empty.

 

No one is there.

 

But there is another door that is slightly open, she thinks that Nayeon could be inside that small room.

 

So, Tzuyu comes in.

 

“Sungsaeng – nim,” She calls.

 

She looks around for a while it is a mini kitchen inside this office.

 

Tzuyu had never seen this before.

 

Well, she had been in the company for a little over a week.

 

Surely, she would not know as much.

 

Tzuyu nods.

 

She is ready to go out.

 

But the door suddenly opens.

 

Then it shuts in an instance.

 

Tzuyu is ready to pop out of nowhere and remind Nayeon about the meeting but~

 

“Nayeon, when are you going to act mature about this?” A frustrated voice accuses Nayeon.

 

“What are you talking about Jihyo? You expect me to congratulate you on your engagement, compliment you and send my best wishes to you? Is that what you expect me to do? Act maturely about this!?” Nayeon counters madly.

 

Jihyo clenches her jaw.

 

“I expect you not to kiss an employee when you saw me standing there running for you, I expect you to at least respect me,” She answers with a broken voice.

 

“Respect!? Are we really going there? I dated you for five years, I loved you with everything I am, but a month after you broke up with me, you are announcing your engagement, do you think I feel respected?” Nayeon bursts out.

 

“You know it is going to happen,” Jihyo reasons out.

 

“I know that I will never be enough for your parents, that I will never be the right person for you but, seeing all of these in front of me, seeing you flashing your ring, it’s just… It hurts,” Nayeon admits.

 

There are tears in her eyes, but she cannot just cry.

 

Not in front of Jihyo.

 

Jihyo clenches her purse.

 

There is a moment of silence.

 

Tzuyu is just listening from the room.

 

Should she go out?

 

“What can I do?” Nayeon speaks.

 

She is looking at the ground.

 

“- Nayeon, we talked about this,” Jihyo’s voice sounds broken.

 

“What can I do, Jihyo? What should I do? Please tell me, please, I need you, I love you, please choose me,”

 

Nayeon begs.

 

She pulls Jihyo for an embrace.

 

She hugs her.

 

She is pleading for her to come back.

 

For them to love each other the way they are meant to.

 

“Tell me Jihyo, please tell me, I can’t live without you, I tried, I smile to everyone put up a mask to stay strong, but I can’t not without you, so please, just come back to me, please” Nayeon pleads.

 

Her voice is broken.

 

She is hugging Jihyo tightly.

 

She is not letting go.

 

She is baring all of her to Jihyo.

 

She loves her.

 

She loves her more than anything.

 

And Jihyo knows that.

 

She knows it.

 

But~

 

“Nayeon, please don’t make this hard for any of us, we can’t. We should not,”

 

Jihyo says keeping herself together.

 

And with that.

 

Tzuyu heard a flop on the floor.

 

“Stand up, Nayeon, don’t do this,”

 

Tzuyu figures Nayeon kneels in front of Jihyo.

 

“Jihyo please, I know you love me, I know you still do,” Nayeon pleads.

 

Jihyo looks at Nayeon.

 

There is a bursting feeling inside her that she cannot define.

 

Her hands are shaking as she caresses Nayeon’s head.

 

“Jihyo, please,”

 

Jihyo just stands there.

 

She looks at Nayeon baring her pain.

 

And it hurts her.

 

But she cannot admit it.

 

There is no way she would do so.

 

“I’m sorry, I should not have cared, I did not mean to give you false hope, I’m so sorry,” Jihyo controls her tears from falling.

 

She removes Nayeon’s arms around her.

 

And ~

 

Tzuyu hears the clacking of heels.

 

Then the door shuts.

 

 

Then, she heard sobs.

 

Silent sobs of pain and agony.

 

Now, Tzuyu understands it.

 

She understands why Nayeon is in pain.

 

Why Nayeon kissed her.

 

She understands everything.

 

Tzuyu holds on her chest.

 

She does not know what to feel.

 

She does not know what to do.

 

She feels stupid punching Nayeon’s nose.

 

She feels ~

 

A lot.

 

There are a lot of things that run in her head.

 

Why does her heart feels hurt hearing Nayeon’s situation?

 

It could be a very painful life.

 

But how could Nayeon smile?

 

Tzuyu leans her back on the wall.

 

She squints her eyes.

 

She does not know how long but she had a certain habit to sleep in some places.

 

One time she slept inside a bus and woke up in a province.

 

She needed to call Sana to pick her up that time.

 

And yes, she slept on the corner of ~

 

“You’re awake,”

 

Tzuyu looks up.

 

She sees someone leaning on the wall across her.

 

Her arms are crossed over her chest.

 

Tzuyu looks at where she is.

 

Oh, yes, how can she forget that she was in Nayeon’s mini kitchen?

 

She stands up right away.

 

“Uh.. err, sorry about, I’m…”

 

“Ah No, it’s okay,” Nayeon says waving her hands.

 

“Omo, it’s dark, I barely did any work,” Tzuyu notices the deem light by the window.

 

“It could have been my fault, I asked you here,” Nayeon reasons out.

 

Tzuyu recalls Nayeon’s sob.

 

Nayeon’s plead.

 

Nayeon’s words.

 

There is a long moment of silence.

 

“Judging by your look, you must have heard me and the president,” Nayeon says looking at the window.

 

Tzuyu did not answer.

 

She can see the sadness in Nayeon’s eyes.

 

She seems she is about to cry again.

 

“I’m sorry for punching you,” Tzuyu utters.

 

“Don’t go pity on me, I deserved it, I stole a kiss from you,”

 

“My first kiss,” Tzuyu looks in another direction.

 

Nayeon looks at Tzuyu.

 

The moonlight illuminates on her face.

 

“Now, I feel worse, I stole someone’s first kiss, I should just die,”

 

Nayeon dramatically says.

 

Tzuyu looks at her with a hint of a smile.

 

How can Nayeon smile when she is broken, pulverized in the inside.

 

“It’s really bad you know, I mean, I don’t know what I could do to make it up to you, I can’t return it, I mean that would just make me steal your second kiss, then I am a monster,” Nayeon jokes.

 

She tries to act normal.

 

But Tzuyu knows.

 

She sees right through Nayeon’s innermost feelings before.

 

And this time, she understands better.

 

“Tell me Jihyo, please tell me, I can’t live without you, I tried, I smile to everyone put up a mask to stay strong, but I can’t not without you, so please, just come back to me, please” Nayeon pleads.

 

Nayeon’s words.

 

The loneliness in her eyes.

 

The pain.

 

What can Tzuyu do to help her?

 

“I know, it’s not enough but can I buy you dinner? I mean this is a gesture of my apology and I think I need someone to eat with me,”

 

Nayeon says looking at Tzuyu.

 

She is once again smiling.

 

But, this time it is more obvious than before.

 

The yearning.

 

The longing.

 

The attention she needs.

 

The plead.

 

Tzuyu nods.

 

Nayeon smiles.

 

They ended up in a very expensive restaurant.

 

It is on top of a seven-star hotel or something.

 

“I did not know you have dinner in somewhere as fancy as this,”

 

Tzuyu looks around.

 

She feels underdressed inside this place.

 

She had heard about of these types of places from Sana but never had she been in one.

 

Until now.

 

Her first kiss could cost a lot.

 

“I like the view here, it feels that you are on top and you can do anything, the impossible, becomes possible,”

 

A quick flash of Jihyo saying those words appear in her mind.

 

This is their place.

 

A place where Jihyo takes her when they feel that the world is against them.

 

Against their love.

 

“The president,”

 

Tzuyu speaks.

 

Nayeon looks at Tzuyu in a very sad expression.

 

She does not want to talk to about it, but Tzuyu heard everything.

 

And Tzuyu seems different.

 

So, Nayeon takes a deep breath.

 

“Yes, she brings me – “ Nayeon displays a melancholy expression.

 

“I mean the president is here,” Tzuyu points behinds Nayeon.

 

Nayeon looks at the direction.

 

And there she sees Jihyo with a girl she just saw from the paper.

 

Hirai Momo.

 

Momo whispers something to Jihyo.

 

Then, the next thing Tzuyu knew.

 

She is sitting beside Nayeon with Jihyo and Momo in front of them.

 

They are already sharing a table.

 

“ONCE is doing well, right?” Momo opens a topic.

 

“It is, we plan to hit IPO in the next years,” Nayeon answers.

 

Momo nods.

 

She thinks for a while.

 

Then she chuckles.

 

“Actually, I am not really a business person, I let Jihyo takes care of that, I am more of a philanthropist,”

 

Momo says sipping her wine.

 

She caresses Jihyo’s .

 

Jihyo smiles at her.

 

Nayeon drinks her wine in one gulp. She is obviously pissed with the two interacting like that.

 

Jihyo is acting like how she used to act around Nayeon she is pretending that she likes Momo.

 

That she loves Momo.

 

Tzuyu is just observing.

 

“So, Tzuyu, are you two dating?”

 

Momo opens another topic.

 

She is actually a sweet girl.

 

But Nayeon believes that she is an evil person.

 

Of course, she would. Momo has Jihyo, the thing that she wants more than anything.

 

Tzuyu blushes for a reason she cannot comprehend.

 

“Momo, you are making Tzuyu embarrass, Nayeon said that it is a welcome dinner or something,” Jihyo answers for Tzuyu’s sake.

 

Jihyo rubs Momo’s arm.

 

She feels unease with the question.

 

And all the people in the table knows why, except Momo.

 

“If I were you, you should make a move, Nayeon is a big fish,” Momo playfully whispers to Tzuyu.

 

Tzuyu smiles awkwardly.

 

Nayeon rolls her eyes.

 

She looks at to see how will Jihyo react.

 

But Jihyo did not even react, rather she laughs like it is a good joke.

 

And, that hurts Nayeon more.

 

They converse about anything they could think of.

 

Momo and Jihyo are the ones who are talking mostly.

 

They look fine.

 

They look like they are happy and Nayeon hates that.

 

Nayeon would in. She would normally end up giving a sarcastic comment or anything that would argue with Momo’s belief.

 

If she’d see a chance to tell Momo that she is wrong, Nayeon would grab the opportunity and just try her best.

 

However, Jihyo would always in to save Momo.

 

And, Nayeon would stop.

 

Tzuyu is just quietly eating her meal.

 

She is awkward with crowds.

 

Furthermore, she does not want to add another tension to the actual tension their table has.

 

There was a battle between Momo and Nayeon.

 

But as the result had been written Momo won.

 

She won because she was the one who takes Jihyo home.

 

Jihyo is hers.

 

And that kills Nayeon’s inside.

 

“Don’t you ever say. I just walked away I will always want you. I can’t live a lie, running for my life

I will always want you. I came in like a wrecking ball I never hit so hard in love

All I wanted was to break your walls All you ever did was break me, Yeah, you wreck me”

 

Nayeon holds on the mic.

 

She sings with all her heart.

 

She is drunken once again.

 

This time she is singing her lungs out. She does not mind about anything.

 

Tzuyu does not know how it happened but it happened.

 

Nayeon asked her if she wants to go to a Karaoke and Tzuyu agreed.

 

She agreed out of pity.

 

Why else would she agree?

 

“Tell me, Tzuyu, you think is better than me?” Nayeon drunkenly asks Tzuyu.

 

She is sitting on the side drinking her watermelon smoothie.

 

She puts on her phone to bring Mina in this bar sometime because the watermelon smoothie is just amazing.

 

“Yah, Tzuyu, is she better than me?”

 

“She is pretty too and owns a business, also, she is hot and seems fit, she takes care of her body, and sweet to the president…”

 

“YAH STOP, whose team are you in?” Nayeon whines drunkenly.

 

“But that’s the truth,” Tzuyu defends.

 

“Why are you so honest?”

 

“Because it is better too –“

 

“That is a rhetorical question,” Nayeon drunkenly defends herself.

 

Tzuyu shakes her head.

 

How could hurt Nayeon be?

 

Nayeon sings her lungs out until two in the morning.

 

She wants to stay more but she is too drunk to even function.

 

That was Tzuyu’s 12th watermelon smoothie that night.

 

She drives Nayeon to her house.

 

Thanks to the GPS inside Nayeon’s car.

 

Also, since she had not been drinking, she was able to carry Nayeon to her bed.

 

Tzuyu looks at her house.

 

It is so deemed.

 

Much as Nayeon’s deemed feelings.

 

It represents sadness.

 

Torment.

 

She looks at Nayeon.

 

She is silently sleeping.

 

Tzuyu picks her phone up. She dials Sana’s number.

 

She needs Sana to pick her up.

 

There is no way she will tell Mina about this.

 

Or else, she’d be grounded.

 

Tzuyu just obeys her sister, always.

 

She lifts her phone.

 

But before she can do anything.

 

She feels Nayeon pulling her waist.

 

Nayeon hugs her waist.

 

And before Tzuyu knows it.

 

Nayeon is sobbing in her sleep.

 

She is crying like a river, tears aren’t stopping.

 

“Please, Jihyo, please. Stay, I love you,” Nayeon cries.

 

She buries her face on Tzuyu’s waist.

 

Nayeon sobs with all the emotions she had been trying to hide.

 

The emotions she shouted to the only cure but ignored.

 

Nayeon cries like a child.

 

She cries all of her.

 

And Tzuyu could only look at her.

 

Watch her pain.

 

This is too much for someone to watch.

 

It is too heartbreaking.

 

It is worse than the legend of the falls.

 

It is so tragic.

 

Tzuyu can do nothing but to caress her head letting her whale.

 

Letting her cry.

 

Tzuyu had made a decision.

 

She pulls Nayeon’s blanket up.

 

She squeezes herself in, and she lets Nayeon coos on her body.

 

Nayeon hugs her scared of losing a companion.

 

She hugs her so tight until her tears stop from falling.

 

Tzuyu feels indifferent.

 

She feels tickled, tensed up with Nayeon’s hot breath touching her exposed skin.

 

Then there it is again, a sudden change of phase in her heart.

 

There are creatures in her stomach, she thinks it could be the watermelon smoothie.

 

What else could it be?

 

She feels that it is getting hot once again.

 

This is bad.

 

But, Tzuyu feels peace. She felt it when Nayeon scoots closer to her. Hug her tighter.

 

She feels peace.

 

Because Nayeon feels ease.

 

She is also calm.

 

Maybe, this is what they need.

 

A great long sleep.

 

Until it was just them peacefully sleeping.

 

And Tzuyu just lent her shoulder, all night for Im Nayeon.

 

Giving her the affection, she longs for.

 

Tzuyu squints her eyes.

 

She can hear a sound of boiling and frying.

 

She looks around and she realizes that she is in a foreign place.

 

She follows the kitchen, and there she sees Im Nayeon making something.

 

Tzuyu looks at Nayeon’s back.

 

Her hair is tied up and it exposes her flawless nape.

 

Her porcelain-like skin.

 

Tzuyu feels it again.

 

The thud in her heart.

 

The creatures in her stomach.

 

She barely understands what is happening.

 

“- uh hi,” Tzuyu speaks to make Nayeon aware she is awake.

 

“Oh, Tzuyu, good morning,” Nayeon turns around.

 

And Tzuyu had a mini heart attack.

 

Nayeon is wearing her round specs.

 

Rather than insulting, she thinks Nayeon looks perfectly beautiful with those specs.

 

“You wear glasses,” Tzuyu awkwardly states.

 

“Yeah, I wear contacts most of the time, I slept with it last night but no big deal,” Nayeon nonchalantly comments.

 

There is a moment of silence.

 

All Tzuyu did is nod awkwardly.

 

“Thank you, for last night, and for forgiving me stealing your first kiss,” Nayeon shyly admits.

 

Tzuyu awkwardly nods.

 

Nayeon chuckles.

 

Tzuyu looks at her threatening.

 

“Are you always awkward like that?” Nayeon asks.

 

“Is it really bad?” Tzuyu asks curiously.

 

“Nah, It’s kinda cute,”

 

Nayeon comments.

 

Tzuyu looks in another direction. She feels embarrassed.

 

Nayeon smiles.

 

“Here, I cooked some breakfast to make up for dragging you last night, It was just –“

 

“It’s okay, you don’t need to explain yourself to me, I was there, remember?” Tzuyu says.

 

They eat breakfast across each other. Nayeon would have a moment that she would just stare at her food and stir it or what not.

 

Tzuyu does not know how to react with that behavior so she lets her be.

 

“What do you normally do in a weekend?” Nayeon asks.

 

“Nothing much, I walk our dogs in the park near our place, then I go to the market with my family, clean my room, wash the cars of my sister and sister in law, meet up with some friends, then sleep, it is just the usual, how about you?” Tzuyu answers honestly.

 

Nayeon smiles.

 

She just figured it out.

 

Tzuyu’s charm is being honest.

 

She is like a person who acts who do not care but she does. She does in so many things.

 

“I do literally nothing, watch shows all day and work at night, that’s it,” Nayeon answers with a smile.

 

Tzuyu nods.

 

“You can come with me sometimes if you are bored,” Tzuyu invites.

 

She invites it without any hidden agenda. It did not even cross her mind that Nayeon is her boss.

 

“Is that so?” Nayeon asks smiling.

 

Tzuyu just nods.

 

“Okay,”

 

They continue eating.

 

They converse about so many things.