It's almost half past ten in the night when Tzuyu's eyes snap open, the announcement for her desired subway station woke the woman up from her trance. Her ears are plugged in, the sweet voice from the radio interview keeping Tzuyu entertained for the half an hour train ride.

She barely had enough strength to walk, let alone keep her eyes open; she almost settled on staying the night at the office. Like she always did when the project's report deadline is due the next day, or when it's already too late to catch the last train home.

But not tonight, Tzuyu reminds herself, a small smile etched on her weary face.

She makes a small jog to the bakery shop she always frequents, the place about to close any minute now. The owner is kind enough to let her in despite already locking the cash register. Of course, who wouldn't, when the usually serious-looking tall woman suddenly brightens up as she points to the last chocolate cupcake on display.

"It's for a special occasion, I supposed?"

Tzuyu pulls out an earpiece from the question, the old lady placing her choice of treat in a small white box. She shrugs, wearing a polite smile as she admires the cake from the transparent window of the package.

"Sort of." She put the specific amount of money on the counter, making a small bow to the kind lady. "Thank you, and good night."

The earpiece returns to her left ear again, the volume slightly raised as Tzuyu cradles the box close to her chest. It's not much, but it will suffice for the small celebration later.

However, her smile slowly falters, along with the last verse of the guest's song played by the radio - one she had memorized by heart. The sweet voice fills her ears again, sending words of encouragement as well as good night wishes to the listeners, and Tzuyu looks down at the cake.

She sighs; looks like it will be just her and the cake tonight.

The tall woman didn't realize she had reached the front door of her house, the radio interview also coming to an end. She trudges up the small steps with a long sigh, pulling off the earphones now already muted. The dark living room greets her as she opens the door, just like how dim Tzuyu's hope is to have her here for the celebration. 

Tzuyu is used to living alone, but tonight, she feels awfully lonely.

She shouldn't be this affected. It's just a childish tradition they agreed upon in the past which didn't hold that much meaning. But that's the problem; the day they exchanged names on the back of the cafeteria means so much to Tzuyu, she hates herself for feeling like this. It was years ago, she shouldn’t think much about it; she’s not supposed to.

Instead, she snaps a picture of the cake and sends it with a small note below it.

I didn't forget today, finally. 😎

Good work on the radio guesting too!

No, she never forgets it - the memory is engraved in the back of her mind like a sore thumb for years now. But she wouldn't let her pathetic self be exposed like that… not to Sana.

It would be a burden for the artist, so Tzuyu pretends she had forgotten about it every year, merely celebrating it in her head instead. But it changed when fate decided to give her life a bit of a twist; they met again, after a few years of separation. Surprises came after another in the form of Minatozaki Sana, and what shocked her the most was, Sana does remembers. 

She cherishes that fateful day too, surprisingly.

After that, whenever Tzuyu deliberately forgets the anniversary, she was met with the adorable pout resembling a squirrel. It was an endearing sight to see, an addiction for Tzuyu's longing heart of the nation's idol.

She checks her phone again, not expecting an immediate reply. Sana must be tired too, probably on her way back to the company after being a guest on the radio just now. Tzuyu doesn't feel like celebrating by herself either, so she puts the cake in the fridge and prepares herself for bed.

She hugs the bolster tightly, hoping it will ease the tightness in her chest. She misses Sana, so damn much. But she can't. She's not privileged enough to have Sana to herself. No, she doesn't have the right to… at least, not yet.

So she did what she always does when she misses the artist; by playing Sana's cover of Freesia as her lullaby. Yes, she knows Sana has a discography worth three years of chart-topping singles - she's an avid Shushu since the artist's debut. But nothing can top Sana's cover of the song.

It marks a special place in Tzuyu's heart, a history of its own that is only shared by the two.

Soon, Tzuyu lulls to sleep, drowned by fatigue and weariness. But mostly of the syrupy, mellow voice that owns her heart, basking Tzuyu into a hovering space of tranquility and warmth that is Sana.

In her dream, she hears a distant voice calling her name, followed by a set of giggles she's so well-versed with, it sends pleasurable tingles down her spine; like it always does. Even in this unknown realm of deep conscience, she knows Sana. The fleeting touch over her cheek, tickling her nose, brushing her lips, and the arm drapes over her waist, slipping to a stop just above her short’s waistband, a finger straying inside, idly rubbing her soft skin.

Tzuyu hums delightfully, a light peck lands just barely in the corner of her lips. It wasn't a dream, after all.

"You really love this song, huh?"

The sleepy woman chortles, peeking an eye open at the intruding light invading the dim room coming from her phone. Sana's face is illuminated by the screen, an amused smile playing on the latter's face as she holds the phone to see the playlist. 

"Not really." Tzuyu discards the earphones from her ears, her attention now on the unexpected visitor. "I just love your voice."

"How can you be this cheesy even with your current state?"

"Because I'm Chou Tzuyu, I'm born to be cool."

Sana's laughter fills the room, and it's bright all of a sudden inside the dark room. The hand over Tzuyu's waist squeezes tighter, their body meshed closer between fluffy pillows and soft comforter, and Tzuyu never felt so alive in the comforting embrace.

"I saw the cake."

"Wow, I didn't expect an artist to raid my fridge in the middle of the night."

A gentle slap meets her upper arm, followed by a frown. Tzuyu is quick to turn around, flashing a teasing grin to the woman draping all over her. She prods the exposed skin of Sana's neck with her nose, nudging the ticklish spot as a silent apology before placing her lips there.

A pleased sigh greets her ear, fingers clutching the back of her shirt. She pulls away after gently nipping a spot, the flushing face of Sana makes her feel all sorts of heightened emotions. She leans in, nuzzling their noses together, both pairs of eyes automatically shut from the tempting distance.

"I bought the sweet buns, as per our usual celebration." Sana breathes out, "But it feels petty compared to the small cake."

The cute high nose scrunched up, followed by a muffled chuckle.

"Well, I'm a er for bread, so…"

"Yay, I win!"

Their joined bodies shake together from their hearty giggles, followed by a simultaneous release of breaths. Their eyes met, and Tzuyu held her stare, gazing deeper into Sana's warm pair of natural caramel orbs.

"Sana."

"Yes?"

She gulps, voice barely above a whisper. "I miss you."

A beat and a blink, before crinkling eyes greets her. "I'm here now."

The anxiousness in Tzuyu's eyes melts away, replaced with a twinkling desire that speaks of thousands of emotions. But Sana recognizes one she’s so familiar with; a desire for her love, the one she yearns from Tzuyu as well.

So she leans in, capturing Tzuyu's lips in a passionate confession of unspoken words. Hands clinging tightly around broad shoulders, desperately conveying her ache of the frightening emotion. 

Tzuyu feels it, through fervent kisses and ardent touches, of Sana's longing and answer to her beating heart.

Please, wait for me... just for a little bit more.

And Tzuyu succumbs to Sana's wish, because she's worth it. Sana is worth all the years she's been waiting to have her love reciprocated back. 

A/N:

When Sana sings Freesia on Eunji's radio last year guesting ShaMyoTzu, my mind just floats back to the one and only SaTzu LieV.. good ol times 🥺

On another note, OMG this series was supposed to be light and fluff, are we expecting drama soon???? No, just kidding. Unless... *evil laughter*

Btw, do you guys like the flow of this story?