Twelve-year-old Dahyun holds Tzuyu’s hands as she runs inside their classroom. She’s eager to show her best friend her new stationery set she bought over the holidays. And, she needs to give Tzuyu her present too.

“What did you do over the holidays?” Dahyun grins at Tzuyu as they sit beside each other. For some reason, Tzuyu’s been quiet all morning and Dahyun wants to cheer her up. “I have something for you! I saw so many things!”

Tzuyu hesitates responding to Dahyun’s question. She doesn’t know how to bring up her holidays. She doesn’t know how to tell Dahyun that she was leaving at the end of the term. Her parents need to travel overseas for a few years for her mother’s job and Tzuyu is unaware of when they’ll return.

Dahyun waits for a moment, but Tzuyu shakes her head and inches closer to the items Dahyun has pulled out. “Tell me about your holidays.”

“Japan is beautiful! The cherry blossoms were the first place we went to, actually. There were so many people holding hands, mum had to cover my eyes. I think they were on a date.” Dahyun giggles as she recaps.

Tzuyu hangs on to every word Dahyun says like it’s a riveting story. It’s a distraction she welcomes and it’s better than talking about her own situation.

“You know, how about we make a deal?” Dahyun cuts in her story, gaining Tzuyu’s attention immediately.

“Hmm? What kind of deal?” Tzuyu responds, leaning her elbow on her table.

“When we’re old enough, we can go out on a date. The person who loses the handball game at recess will be the one to confess.” Dahyun’s gaze on Tzuyu is soft. Before Tzuyu can say anything, she moves forward and presses her lips against Tzuyu’s cheek.

Tzuyu flushes red because it’s not what she expects. It’s also because she knows it possibly won’t happen. But, if she were ever to return – if her parents decided to come back, she wants to be the one who asks Dahyun out on a date. She wants to be the one who gives her a bunch of roses and take her out to a lovely dinner.

The two of them never speak of their friendship that borderlines a relationship. They’re clingy, not so much in public, but more in private. Dahyun always teases Tzuyu about her love for kisses because when sleepovers are planned, it’s always Tzuyu who’s kissing Dahyun endlessly. They shy away from affection in public and usually limit it to hand-holding but with Dahyun talking about a date, is their relationship finally defined?

“That’s a good deal. Best of 5?” Tzuyu smiles for the first time that day and Dahyun feels successful with her attempts to cheer her up.

“You’re going down!” Dahyun sticks out her tongue.

“You want to go out of a date in the future that badly?” Tzuyu teases, making Dahyun blush.

“Only, if that person is you.” Dahyun speaks with sincerity.

Tzuyu bites her tongue. The countdown to her departure looms over her head and everything she does. She doesn’t want to leave Dahyun without telling her. She thinks that’s way too heartless. She knows she has to tell Dahyun before it slips out of someone else’s mouth. But she also doesn’t want to spend the rest of her time being upset about leaving. Tzuyu doesn’t want Dahyun to be sad because of her – yet, it’s inevitable.

When the bell for recess rings, Tzuyu runs to their usual handball court and waits for Dahyun. If you didn’t get there earlier enough, you were bound to not get a court to yourself and Tzuyu knew she had to bolt out of there first.

“Are we eating first or playing first?” Tzuyu asks as Dahyun approaches with her white lunchbox.

“Let’s play! We won’t be able to finish the games if we eat first.” Dahyun theorises.

Tzuyu chuckles. Even though she’ll be losing, she has to show that she made an effort or else Dahyun will know for sure that she lost on purpose. She wasn’t known as the handball champion for nothing (Dahyun was the only one who called her that but she took it in with pride).

She wins the first round, loses the second, wins the third and then loses the final two. Dahyun is in shock when she wins the final rally in the fifth game. Tzuyu has to hide her smirk when she sees how ecstatic her best friend is who runs up to her and engulfs her in a hug.

It’s then when it hits her again. Tzuyu won’t be able to do this in a few months. She’ll be far away from Dahyun and she has no clue on when she’ll ever see her again. Of course, Tzuyu will make sure to write to her and send her postcards and photos and everything. But it’s their years of friendship that is going to become strained soon.

“Hey, so as promised – you’re asking me out on a date when we’re old enough.” Dahyun grins, raising her pinkie to Tzuyu who doesn’t hesitate to intertwine it with her own. She makes the extra effort to kiss their thumbs and Dahyun turns a little bit red.

“Come on, let’s eat.” Tzuyu inches Dahyun to the silver bench and they share their recess together. She trades her sultanas for Dahyun’s apples and she trades her blackberry juice for Tzuyu’s orange.

Tzuyu’s tempted to break her departure to Dahyun and spends ten minutes gaining courage. But, before she can speak, the bell rings and they return to class.

Lunch goes by too fast since they’re practicing for archery and the thought of telling Dahyun slips Tzuyu’s mind again.

When it’s time to go home, Dahyun places Tzuyu’s gift gently in her hands before running off to her car. It’s the first time they go home separately because Dahyun’s piano lesson gets pushed up earlier. Tzuyu is unable to tell her again.

Tzuyu’s mom greets her with a kiss and a hug when she arrives home. She notices her daughter is quieter than usual and she sighs. She knows Tzuyu doesn’t want to leave Dahyun, or this place, but her job here fell through. She had to travel overseas.

“How was school? Did Dahyun get you a gift?” She attempts to talk to her daughter.

Tzuyu nods and pulls the box in front of her.

“Why don’t you go shower and I’ll set up some snacks for you to take to Dahyun and her family.” She suggests, sending her daughter to her room.

With another nod, Tzuyu walks to her room and jumps on her bed first. She’s curious about what Dahyun gave her. Taking a lot of care with the package, Tzuyu slowly peels off the blue wrapping to the box.

She feels overwhelmed with what she sees inside.

It’s a snow globe.

There’s two girls inside; Tzuyu knows it’s the two of them. She laughs as she sees two dogs by their sides. Dahyun put in Ahri and Gucci, their pet dogs.

And when she shakes it, Tzuyu is left speechless.

There are cherry blossom petals that fly around the four of them with each shake. Dahyun definitely handcrafted this. It’s impossible that it all fit in so well with them. She still remembers when she talked to Dahyun about her love for the famous pink petals and Dahyun even asked her if she wanted to come along with her to Japan. She’s a little crazy sometimes.

Tzuyu cradled it in her hand and turned it around, noticing an engraving at the back. It was simple but in that instant, she couldn’t help her tears.

Dahyun loves Tzuyu and knows that Tzuyu loves her too. We’re forever.

A knock on the door startles Tzuyu and she quickly wipes away her tears. “I’m going to shower now Mom.”

She’ll tell Dahyun today. She has to.

Tzuyu almost runs out of the house with the snacks, only to get scolded by her mom and slows down. Dahyun’s place is a five-minute walk from her house and she’s there in no time.

Mrs Kim is the one who opens the door and Tzuyu greets her with a grin before she passes on the snacks to her.

“Dahyun is in her room. You can go up.” Mrs Kim smiles, patting Tzuyu’s head as she basically runs towards her room.

She barges in as soon as she’s there and Dahyun almost falls off her bed in fear before calming down upon seeing Tzuyu.

“Hey Tzu–”

Tzuyu engulfs Dahyun in a tight hug that surprises her too. She shuts her eyes tightly as her courage fades a bit.

“You okay?” Dahyun asks softly, rubbing Tzuyu’s back.

“There’s something I need to tell you.” Tzuyu holds on to Dahyun, not wanting to break the embrace. “Wait, first – I can’t believe you made a snow globe just for me. I love it. It’s beautiful.”

Dahyun hums and sways with Tzuyu in her arms. Making that snow globe was the highlight of the holiday. She has a matching one for herself too. “I thought it would be nice to have something that was just for us two.”

“It’s lovely.” Tzuyu sighs, resting her head on Dahyun’s shoulder. This is where being shorter was beneficial, even though Dahyun always teases her for being the shorter one between them.

“What is it? You know I can always listen–”

“I’m leaving. We’re leaving at the end of this term. Mom has a job overseas and we need to go.” Tzuyu feels Dahyun stiffen in their embrace and she stills too.

“How long are you going for?” Dahyun clears before talking. Tzuyu knows she’s trying not to cry.

“Mom didn’t tell me. It could be a few years.” Tzuyu mumbles.

“But you’re coming back. You’re coming back, right?” Dahyun pulls back to ask Tzuyu.

“I – even if mom doesn’t come back, I will.” Tzuyu nods.

“Promise?” Dahyun’s eyes water.

“Promise.” Tzuyu smiles.

She hopes it’s not a promise she’ll be breaking. She will return. She’ll come here on her own if she has to.

“Then, we better make the best out of this term, huh?” Dahyun chuckles as she hugs Tzuyu again.

---

A girl kisses the cherry blossom snow globe on her desk before she picks up her keys and heads out of her door.

It’s been seven years.

Seven years of not seeing her best friend. Seven years of just talking to her over the phone and through messages.

But they’re still as tight and as close as when she left.

They’re both nineteen now and in college, graduating high school successfully despite submitting countless assignments last minute from staying up talking to each other until morning.

Tzuyu holds a bouquet of roses in her right hand as she walks to Dahyun’s college campus. It’s chilly outside and she walks faster, getting to a sheltered area and wiping off the snow that remained on her jacket.

After seven years, she’s back in her hometown.

She’s back to see Dahyun.

She’s back to take her on a date.

The promise is yet to be fulfilled and Tzuyu will finally get to complete it today.

Tzuyu sees Dahyun before Dahyun sees her. She’s sitting in the sun in front of the library, head down in her books. She laughs because only Dahyun would be the type of person to sit out in the cold and study. She takes big steps towards her and clears as she approaches Dahyun.

“Can I sit here?” Tzuyu asks.

Dahyun just waves her forward and nods. Tzuyu raises an eyebrow at her treatment but then remembers that her voice is not the same from before. She stands in front of Dahyun, blocking the sun in the coldness and finally – finally, Tzuyu manages to get her to look up at her. Tzuyu knows she’s about to scold her for taking the warmth but Dahyun freezes. She believes it’s because Dahyun recognises her. Her eyes widen.

“Tzuyu?!” Dahyun gasps, standing up immediately.

Tzuyu counts a second before she’s pulled into a hug (and smacked and pinched too).

“You’re really here!” Dahyun still can’t accept it. Tzuyu laughs, and hands her the bouquet of roses. “And you remembered? Maybe I’ll forgive you for turning a few years into seven.” Her eyes shine with appreciation.

“Well, I’m here to take you on a date. Time to put your books away. No studying today.” Tzuyu clucks her tongue as she points to Dahyun’s items on the bench.

“How commanding.” Dahyun grumbles. “When did you turn into a giant?” She’s no longer taller than Tzuyu.

“It’s really great to be tall. I finally understand you. The air is fresh up here.” Tzuyu teases Dahyun and gets whacked in the stomach.

“Shut it.” Dahyun growls.

Tzuyu rolls her eyes and slips off her thicker jacket, pulling it over Dahyun’s shoulders. She blushes at the gesture and Tzuyu smiles in success. “I have no idea why you’re not wearing a jacket outside.”

“It wasn’t that cold.” Dahyun shrugs, grabbing all of her things. She intertwines her hand with Tzuyu’s and walks forward, only to be tugged back into Tzuyu’s arms.

Tzuyu cups Dahyun’s cheeks with her warm hands before she leans in and presses her lips against hers slowly. Dahyun melts against Tzuyu, fitting snugly against her chest. She chases after the feeling of bliss, kissing Tzuyu again, and again.

“Three years of waiting for that kiss, totally worth it.” Tzuyu mutters when they break apart.

“It’s not my fault you asked me to be your girlfriend then.” Dahyun clucks her tongue.

“Hey, the moment was right.” Tzuyu defends herself.

“Uh-huh. Whatever you say. Weren’t we going on a date?” Dahyun reminds, changing the subject.

“OH! Right. Let’s go.” Tzuyu grins, pulling Dahyun along.

“How does she forget about her date?” Dahyun murmurs to herself.

“I can hear you.”

---

“How far do we have to go? My legs are aching.”

“Just be quiet, we’ll be there soon.”

“I need my legs to be okay. They’re shaking.”

“If you talk less, we’ll get there faster.”

“There’s no correlation. Can we take a break?”

Tzuyu stops in her tracks and looks at her girlfriend, who smiles at her sheepishly. Before she has a chance to argue, Tzuyu throws Dahyun over her shoulder. Dahyun shouts in disapproval, slapping Tzuyu’s back but she ignores it all.

“If you’re going to keep asking me, I’m going to drop you in the middle of nowhere.”