Sana POV

I'm still in shock about what is going on. The girl who I was close to is back after all these years. She looked stronger, Tanner… but most of all… more mature. As we arrived at the bar, the rest of the party greeted us.

Nayeon: Finally back!? Come take a shot! Tzuyu-ssi you too!

Sana: Unnie…

Nayeon: Aw come one! We have two soldiers here to protect us now!

Jihyo: You mean OFF duty soldiers…

Nayeon: Whatever… the point is, we're protected! Sana come on!

Sana: Oh all right… just a few more…

As I took a shot Tzuyu was still standing there. I saw a chuckle come out of her and I couldn't help but notice. Before I said anything, Mina spoke.

Mina: Yaaa~ Tzuyu-ssi what's so funny? We haven't seen you in forever! What's on your mind.

Tzuyu: Haha I just had a culture shock!

Sana: Of what….?

Tzuyu started chuckling again as we both finally sat in our seats.

Momo: Oh spit it out Chou!?

Tzuyu: Haha sorry! But do you remember Minatozaki turning of age?

I then pondered and realized in shock what she meant.

Mina: Oh I remember! Sana couldn't drink at all!

Sana: YAHH!

Momo: Oh my God! I almost forgot that moment!

Sana: Please please please… let's forget! TZUYU!

Tzuyu started laughing and everyone joined in. Jihyo unnie then raised her glass and pointed at Tzuyu

Jihyo: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER TZUYU

Tzuyu: Aye.

I was in shock as everyone else was as Tzuyu went into attention. Jihyo unnie started smirking and spoke.

Jihyo: I command you to tell this story!

Tzuyu: Aye Aye

I was now in shock and facepalmed both my hands as I knew the horror.

Mina: We'll help add to the story

Tzuyu: Well to start off, we were all of age, but we wanted to wait for her birthday to Ice her and make her drink.

Momo: Shockingly… Sana here hates to drink! She gets wasted easily and doesn't like how it makes her feel.

Mina: You can say that she is a one-shot wonder!

Sana: I can’t help it… my body can't metabolize alcohol...

Everyone started laughing and I just curled up… Tzuyu reached over and held my hand. She mouthed 'I'm so sorry' I secretly shook my head as she smiled. It was awhile since we were this close. I then braced myself as the story went on.

Tzuyu: So, Mina-ssi planned a little surprise happy birthday visit for Sana with the pharmacy cohort in their graduating year, just to give a shout out. I wasn't living together with them yet and Momo-ssi suggested that I come.

Momo: Anyways, we all waited in the apartment until she came back from her shadowing rotation with a birthday cake. Mina hid the bottle of soju behind her as we waited for her to come.

Tzuyu: Minatozaki finally returned as everyone shouted happy birthday and she jumped back in surprise. She blew the candle out and the cohort clapped. After exchanging gifts everyone excused themselves as they were preparing for next week's midterm test.

Mina: It was just me, Momo and Tzuyu. I then showed the bottle to Sana as she gave a huuuuge sigh of dread.

Momo: She couldn't escape as it is a tradition to drink no matter what on their birthday if someone gifted the drink and they need to consume it right away.

Tzuyu: So she began drinking the bottle, only finishing ⅙ of the content… it was so cute as she tried to offer her drink, so she begged not to finish.

Momo: All of us said no, but after a while Tzuyu-ssi felt bad and finished the bottle for her as she kept on pleading!

Mina: Yeah! Miss. No. Fun.

Tzuyu: I couldn't help it!

I then started to blush from embarrassment as I slammed my head on the bar table to avoid any eye contact. I then peeked over to see when the story was done.

Mina: But man Tzuyu can drink… she downed the test of the bottle in seconds and wasn't even tipsy!

Jihyo: No way! She always refused to drink during her residency… I always thought she was a weak drinker.

Tzuyu: Ani. I can hold my liquor well. I just didn't want to risk the smell in the air as I come in the next morning that may affect what my supervisors would say.

Jihyo: Party pooper…

Momo: But the best part!

Sana: UUUUUGH….

Tzuyu: So Minatozaki turned as red as a tomato instantly. At the moment we all knew she was about to hurl. But she kept on fighting and started squirming in her seat as she was fighting the urge!

Mina: Tzuyu went to find a trash bag in case she did and Momo guided her where it could be in the apartment. Sana kept squirming and giving the excuse that she was cold. So I fetched her a blanket and hydrated her like crazy with water.

Momo: And to remind you! She drank ⅙ of the bottle of soju! It was basically a shot!

Tzuyu: We ran by her side as we found a bag and placed it in front of her. She then started rambling in a foreign line. I'm assuming it was Japanese.

Sana: Daijoubu... Daijoubu…

Tzuyu: EXACTLY LIKE THAT!

Everyone started laughing and I was just trying to calm myself down saying 'it's okay...it's okay'

Mina: HAHAHA That's Japanese for 'is okay'! I'm sure she was trying to calm herself to force herself not to yack.

I was now dying on the inside…

Momo: Anyways, Sana's face all of a sudden turned pale… we all knew that signal since we all drank before. Tzuyu leaned forward, opening the bag as Sana hurled into it.

Tzuyu: Yup that's pretty much it! Lesson learned. Never make her drink ever... Especially whenever we weren't prepared. But today I'm shocked cause she didn't even turn completely red yet…

Sana: Yah…. I've built up my tolerance… for the last 6+ years or so!... But I will admit… I'm at my limit…

Nayeon: Yah… but there was that one time you drank so much at a bar when you were getting your Ph.D.? Why?

I then became quiet having no idea how to answer that. It was because I missed Tzuyu… and I haven’t heard from her as we graduated from undergrad… I became depressed and drank my heart out as I was anticipating her text… we were terrible at contacting each other… sometimes we don't even text for a while... we would forget to reply to each other. But this time… it was 2 years… Momo and Mina were there… as I was sorting out my feelings…

'Why isn't my closest friend not contacting me'

I didn’t know how to respond but Mina and Momo spoke up, saving the day.

Mina: It was a tough day… we were on...uhmmm…

Momo: ROTATION! We had to deal with some impatient customers and Sana got a huge yelling… We were stressed as it was finals week

Mina: We all then went drinking to relieve ourselves!

Nayeon: Huh. I never heard that before? All the feedback would have been reported of what was going on.

Momo: I guess it slipped since we were all busy.

I then sighed from relief as I looked at my glass. Tzuyu then grabbed my glass and placed it away, replacing it with a glass of water instead. I looked at her as she smiled.

Tzuyu: You're starting to look a bit red. I'll drink the rest of your drink.

Sana: Mhmm…

As Jihyo-unnie started to tell her over the sea stories, everyone was attentive. I was distracted as Tzuyu drank my drink. She finished in no time. Then Jeongyoung placed whiskey on the rocks in front of Tzuyu as they both smiled from the sudden reunion.

Jeongyoung: How have you been drinking buddy? It's been what? 6 years?

Tzuyu: Maybe a bit more! Sorry for not visiting often. I've been working and going overseas for my residency in the Navy.

Jeongyoung: Ehhhh~ that's cool! Bet hella people were hitting on you still!

Tzuyu: I wouldn’t have noticed... even if I wanted to, I wasn't looking for anything to start with! Oh and thanks for the drink! You still remembered my go to!

Jeongyoung: Of course! Let me know if you need anything! And come by more often!

Tzuyu: Will do! I'm here for a week before I go on duty again, so I'll come often before I leave!

Jeongyoung: You better! We still need to drink together!

They both laughed and talked for a bit more, but then Jeongyoung had to leave to attend to the other customers. She then left after the short catch up. Tzuyu started drinking her drink and sighed in delight

Sana: You haven't drunk in a while Tzuyu?

Tzuyu: Mhmm. I think it's been 7 years since my last drink.

Sana: That long?

Tzuyu: Unfortunately yeah. Surgeries kept me busy and I was paying off my debt and loans. But now I get to relax for a bit after securing a very stable job today.

Sana: Oh really?! Congratulations!

Tzuyu: And congratulations to you as well. You're a full pledge pharmacist now! Sorry for saying it so late…

I shook my head smiling, reassuring that it was okay. Tzuyu smiled and finished her drink. But one thing did bother me…

3rd person POV

Sana: I'm still in my least year or residency... But… I wanted to ask...

Tzuyu: hmm?

Sana: I texted you 4 years ago how you were doing… I never got a reply… Did your phone number change?

Tzuyu panicked… she didn't know what to say… in her head she said

' I didn’t know what to do… I was excited for the text as you went out of your way because of our different career paths… in my head, all I could think of is ‘I don’t want to bother her and'…'

Tzuyu: Yah… you were dating someone remember? The guy really gave me a tough time because I was spending so much time with you.

Sana: O-oh… I didn’t know that. He was always nice to me?

Tzuyu: Oh no please don't get it wrong! He's a good guy! I really liked him… what I meant… what I meant was that I felt bad for the guy… he asked nicely if I had a thing for you… I just uhh... said that uhmm…

Sana: We were close friends….?

Tzuyu: M-mhmm

Silence emerged between them. For Tzuyu she was figuring out her feelings those last 4 years apart. During undergrad she started to feel strange… but she couldn't figure out what exactly she was feeling… she decided to distance herself away from Sana… to forget everything. But today… all those confusing feelings came back. She didn't know what to think.

On Sana's end, she was grateful but disappointed. The fact that Tzuyu distance herself so that her relationship should flourish. When she first was dating her ex back then she was happy… but when she decided to tell Tzuyu, Tzuyu jumped up and down being happy for her. Even then… She had mixed feelings… she was hoping maybe… Tzuyu could have been a bit jealous… the words that Tzuyu said at the moment replayed in her head over and over…

' Finally!!!! Someone sees who you really