When Sana wakes up for the first time, it’s to make her wife coffee and some warm bread and kiss her goodluck, being married to a police officer is living in uncertainty about having her return home or not. Tzuyu told her it wasn’t like she was ever in any immediate danger, she was just stuck in the office all day everyday, it’s what police accountants do. Many could say it’s boring work, but it was a stable income and she could only be fired with just cause, so they didn’t need to worry much about that paycheck at the end of the month.

 

Tzuyu eats her breakfast with gusto, as she does everyday, gets her lunchbox and leaves to catch the first bus. It’s still dark when she walks down to the avenue where the busses run. Sana gets back to bed and sleeps some more until it’s time to go to the gym. On the way down, the officer never meets many people, she knows she’s being watched, but she lives in the community and doesn’t mess with them, so they leave her alone. These two were an unlikely couple, Sana was always a dancer, charismatic and a social butterfly, Tzuyu was enchanted when she saw the woman in a party at the school barracks and decided to take a chance.

 

Nobody believed it would go anywhere, the shy recruit that would come by the school and watch Sana dancing for hours, even though it was after work hours and the girl was clearly exhausted, she sat there with a shine in her eyes and love in her heart until the dancer finished her practice just to hand the older woman a humble bouquet or the best chocolates her pay could buy, a single truffle from a good shop. Sana would be delighted, sure, she had many gift her expensive things, it came with being one of the main dancers at a group A samba school. But to have someone so dedicated to her, knowing who she was, and still giving it a try and giving her the best they could offer was something that rarely happened to someone like her.

 

They were also one of the few legally married couples around, most people in the community would just decide to live together and that was a marriage. Not everyone could afford to register their union, but that never made it any less legitimate. Tzuyu insisted on them getting married ‘properly’, the police had good health and life insurance, and she wanted Sana to be covered as well. The other couple who were married ‘officially’ were Jeongyeon and Dahyun, it made sense as both were the richest ones around. Dahyun owned a bar, and Jeongyeon owned a small market, their house was the nicest too, all the way up the slum and facing the beach. 

 

It was funny how both were so different and fit so well together, Dahyun was a perfect bar owner, she was charming and charismatic, able to get the darkest secrets out of anyone with a few drinks and the right questions. Sure, she looked like she could use some sun, but everyone guessed it was part of the job, she did get home early in the morning, on days when she closed late, she would even meet Tzuyu walking down, on her way up.

 

Jeongyeon was also good at her job, she had sharp eyes and a strong build, never hesitated to whoop anyone trying to steal from her. She did beat up a few dangerous people in the beginning, but when the boss came around to question her about it, she said she isn’t about to let them steal from her because she had a family to take care of and couldn’t afford it. The man appreciated the honesty and bravery and ordered his people to stop trying to get for free, even declaring his own groceries should be purchased there from then on. That meant she was under protection, and by extension so was Dahyun, so nobody could touch them without serious consequences from then on.

 

Nayeon loved her wife, she really did, but she hated Jihyo’s job. Jihyo was a choreographer and was around gorgeous dancers everyday, many times in close proximity. Nayeon also couldn’t complain much, those same dancers were her clients, she owned a tanning salon, and she was sure touching those heavenly crafted bodies on the daily. The perfect tan lines didn’t just happen, and it was her job to make sure they would be achieved. They argued about it very often, Nayeon claiming her wife was two timing, Jihyo arguing she was just teaching them the dances and if anyone were to do that, it would be Nayeon. 

 

Then they would go back and forth for a while, one of them (mostly Nayeon) would storm off, the other would follow and they would end up having loud makeup . Everyone knew that was how they worked, nobody bothered to pay attention to them, but their neighbors suffered a lot whenever they fought. Said neighbors were Chaeyoung and Mina, both artists and incredibly gifted in what they did. Mina was a stylist, she worked conceiving, coordinating and supervising the costumes for the carnival parades. Chaeyoung was a composer, she wrote the samba the school would be using, and they met in the first meeting she attended, hitting it off right away. 

 

Mina had been sewing for the school for a few years before Chaeyoung joined, freshly out of college, no job and no connections. Whoever said an administration diploma offered a lot of options was a damn liar and should burn in hell for that. But, if there was something Chaeyoung knew how to do was spit some great lines. She lost count of how many times she was almost arrested during underground mc battles, and that was what landed her an invitation to join the school and help with the samba for the parade. 

 

It was a year round job for most, working for a samba school, the main dancers spent months working with Jihyo and coming up with the parade choreos, Chaeyoung worked with the other composers to try and find a good theme that could produce a good song. Mina would spend the time before the theme was defined overseeing the disassembling of the previous year costumes and then proceed to conceptualize and produce the ones for the next year. Not to mention all the fundraising parties they had to promote throughout the year. A dancer like Sana had to keep in shape year round, she also had to keep her perfect tan and show up for the parties to be eye candy for possible investors.

 

“I got next week off, do you want to do something? Go somewhere?” Tzuyu asks when she gets home after a tiring day.

 

“Your vacation isn’t in another seven months.” Sana questions, not stopping dinner.

 

“I know, but we are being audited all of next week, so I can’t be there.” The officer hugs and kisses her wife lovingly. “Something about preventing messing with registrations. Do you want to go somewhere or do something?”

 

“I’d love to go and visit my parents, but it’s a long trip and we can’t really spend that much right now.”

 

“We do have some money saved. And I can get a car so we can drive there. Sure, it’s an eight hour drive, but we can manage.”

 

“And where would you get us a car? Renting one would cost too much.” Sana shoos the other away from her. 

 

“Dahyun owes me a few favors, and she offered when I mentioned I was off next week.”

 

“When did you even meet Dahyun to have that conversation?”

 

“Just now, she was heading down to open and we talked a little. She said we could borrow it if we needed.”

 

“Then I might just take you up on that offer. But we have to be back on thursday.”

 

“Oh?” Tzuyu starts getting out of her work clothes so she can take a quick shower before dinner.

 

“There’s a party at the barracks on friday.” Sana gets a nod in understanding. “And I’d like to be rested for that.”

 

“Sure, we can come back wednesday night, we’ll arrive in the morning and you’ll have two whole days to rest. I know how tired you get during those.”

 

“Then we can go, I’ll call them while you shower. Now take those and put them in the basket.”

 

“Will do, love.”

 

Tzuyu kisses Sana a last time and gathers her clothes. She doesn’t really wear her uniform outside of work, it’s not really safe for her, but she took the time off to grab everything and bring home to wash. Sana hates when she leaves her clothes scattered. She will just wash them when they come back, as the queen of percussion, Sana is expected to be up and dancing all night long, so Tzuyu doesn’t mind doing the chores herself. It’s how they get people interested, find the investors, dance with them, rinse, repeat. Tzuyu had a bit of trouble adapting when they started dating, but she came to understand that it came with the job, and Sana always glowed the brightest in the avenue.

 

It’s not that Sana was being forced, or that she was exclusively a housewife, she had a lot to do too. But Tzuyu always worked longer hours and the administrative unit was all the way across town, that meant the officer had to take two busses to get there and two back, not to mention there was a fifteen minute walk up and down the slum to get to the avenue where the busses ran. The officer was always understandably drained, and her wife loved taking care of her. Sana would spend her days around the community, the furthest she had to walk was ten minutes to the barracks, and her work day always ended earlier. 

 

Tzuyu didn’t mind doing things herself, she lived like that for years before moving in with Sana, but her wife loved her and said she didn’t have to worry. What she did manage to get Sana to let her do was taking care of her uniforms, it was the most work, not to mention her boots. But they worked well together, and Tzuyu loved Sana too much for anything to be a problem for them. That is the reason the officer suggested taking her wife to meet her parents, Tzuyu actually asked Dahyun if she could borrow the car, not that the pale woman had a problem with it. It had been a long while since Sana had visited her family, and it would be another seven months until Tzuyu could take her vacation days.

 

“Is she in?” Jeongyeon asks the bartender for her wife.

 

“In her office.” The young man answers and goes back to the drink he was making.

 

Jeongyeon makes her way to the back, Dahyun’s office was small but enough for what she needs, all the way to the back of the building, behind the kitchen. Dahyun was busy filling some tables she needed to email her accountant soon, but she always had time for her lovely wife. Jeongyeon enters after a knock, she used to just barge in, but after that one time she walked into a meeting with a supplier and had a very hard time explaining the reason why she was disrupting business like that, she stopped. Dahyun still doesn’t let her live that one down. 

 

“Hello love, what brings you down here?” Dahyun saves her work and gets up to get her kisses.

 

“Well, I saw you talking to Tzu earlier and came to hear the gossip. But I also came for kisses and maybe a quickie.”

 

“How about that quickie first, then we can get kisses while I tell you about Tzu.”

 

“I’ll get the door.”

 

It was routine by now, with them both having opposite schedules, Jeongyeon would come to the bar in the evenings and Dahyun would go by the supermarket during the day. Their employees knew both would always have a quickie in their offices once the other showed up, so nobody wandered around there for the following hour or so, unless it was an emergency. Emergency meaning, they were on fire and didn’t notice. Anything else should be taken care of without them or wait until they were done. The couple opened the windows before settling back on the couch to cuddle and talk.

 

“So, Tzu.” Jeongyeon prompted.

 

“Right, Tzu. It had been a long time since I talked to her, she told me she had the next week off and asked if she could borrow my car to take Sana to visit her parents.”

 

“That kid is really too kind. You said it was ok, right!” 

 

“Of course I did, it’s been more than a year since Sana saw her mom and dad, Tzuyu said the man hurt his back two months ago and Sana was very sad she couldn’t go and visit him.”

 

“I like those kids a lot. Tzuyu is a good wife, despite everything she had to get used to when they began.”

 

“That she is. I can’t imagine being in her shoes, though. You dancing with people and being eye candy or work, no thank you. I’m already very jealous just thinking about it.”

 

“Well, can’t say I’d be able to handle that either. That kid is just too kind.”

 

“That she is. She should come by tomorrow morning to get it, if I’m already asleep, can you give her the keys and documents?”

 

“Will do, is the tank full?”

 

“I don’t know, can you check?”

 

“I will. Now, go back to your spreadsheets and I’ll go and give those kids a hand, get the car washed and your tank filled.”

 

“You already filled it.” Dahyun smirks and feigns surprise right after. “Oh, you meant the car!”

 

“You little nasty, beautiful woman. I love you so much.”

 

“Love you too, baby girl. Now off with you.”

 

Both women laugh and make out a little longer before Jeongyeon leaves. They knew how much Tzuyu and Sana are still struggling to make ends meet, they have been married for just over two years now, and have been living together for just under four. Tzuyu just made it to being an official, the recruit pay wasn’t nearly enough and they are saving to get a better place, maybe a bit bigger so they can start thinking about having kids. Filling the tank is just something that wouldn’t make much difference for Jeongyeon and Dahyun, but would help the younger couple a lot. 

 

Jihyo was helping her wife clean everything to close shop when she saw one of her favorite couples heading their way. The choreographer always ended her day earlier than her wife so she headed to the shop to help Nayeon clean everything so they could go home earlier and enjoy more time together. They loved each other, even if most didn’t understand their relationship, they understood each other and that was enough for them. Nayeon and Jihyo held Tzuyu close to their hearts, the girl had a very difficult life and Nayeon met her just before her older brother was killed for owing money to the wrong people. 

 

Since then, the older woman took Tzuyu under her wing and made sure the girl would have a good future. She was the one who told the girl to go to college, even if Tzuyu’s mom was working two jobs to pay for her brother’s debt, and the girl getting a job would help them a lot. Jihyo was already in the picture at the time and said she could get Tzuyu an officegirl job, the pay wasn’t much, but she would be able to afford the things she’d need for college without putting the extra weight on ms Chou’s shoulders.

 

Tzuyu’s father was unknown, he had vanished once her mother was pregnant with the girl, when she was five a letter came and her mother looked a little sad but relieved, she’d find out many years later that the letter was communicating her father’s death. Ms Chou raised her two kids on her own, her parents told her to handle herself when she got involved with the kids’ father and stood by their decision, Tzuyu never met and never wanted to meet any of her extended family. While ms Chou knew she had a good daughter, her son started surrounding himself with the wrong crew and made debts with people who had nothing to lose.

 

When Tzuyu was thirteen, her brother owed some dangerous people quite a bit of money and had no means to pay, so he was killed and nobody spoke about him again. Ms Chou got a second job to make the payments and, from then on, Tzuyu had to raise herself. When she was fifteen, Tzuyu met Nayeon. The woman was in her mid twenties at the time and decided she would help the lost little girl she saw on the market counting coins to see what she could get for dinner that day. Ms Chou was glad to have someone willing to take care of her girl, and didn’t mind Tzuyu spending most of her time with Nayeon, the woman offered her work at her tanning salon, just ironing sheets and washing towels. 

 

It was some money, and helped Tzuyu get her school supplies and one more meal a day. Nayeon made sure to get the girl into college, she knew it would be good for the girl’s future, when Tzuyu argued that she had to work and help her mother, Jihyo stepped in and got her a better paying job, enough so she could pay for the bus ride and materials for college and have a little to spare to give her mother. Ms Chou passed the year Tzuyu started college, the girl was devastated and if it wasn’t Nayeon and Jihyo forcing her to live with them, she would have gone down a bad path.

 

“Tzutzu is heading this way, love.” Jihyo tells her wife.

 

“It’s been so long since I saw that kid. What a bad daughter we have.”

 

Jihyo laughs and kisses Nayeon with all the love she has and makes her way out front to greet the girls.

 

“You know you should visit more. Nayeon is angry at you.” Jihyo scolds, not an ounce of irritation in her.

 

“We went to your house for dinner the day before yesterday!” Tzuyu whines.

 

“And that was two days ago!” Nayeon says as she comes from the back. “You know that’s too long!”

 

“Right, so you might not like what we came to tell you very much.” Sana giggles, letting herself be hugged by the couple.

 

“And what did you come to tell us?” The eldest woman crosses her arms and raises a brow.

 

“So, I got next week off and decided to take Sana to visit her parents.” Tzuyu just says it to get it over with.

 

“You what now?” Nayeon asks.

 

“My department is being audited for the whole of next week, so I’m dismissed from work. It’s been long since Sana saw her parents, so I’m taking her.”

 

“And how do you both intend to go?” Jihyo asks, always worried about her girl.

 

“Dahyun let me borrow her car, we’ll drive there.”

 

“Sana, you do know we have a party on friday, right?” The choreographer confirms.

 

“I do, we are coming back wednesday evening. We should arrive thursday morning.” The dancer explains. “Plus, Tzuyu’s vacation isn’t available for another seven months and you know how dad hurt his back two months ago.”

 

“Well, if you both promise to call and keep us updated, I’ll say have fun. It’s nice that you got the chance to visit them sooner.” Nayeon accepts.

 

“We promise.” Tzuyu smiles and lets herself be coddled. “We should head back, haven’t packed yet and we are leaving tomorrow morning.”

 

They say their goodbyes and head back home, packing light, it’s not like they would need much in the countryside. Tzuyu also messages Jeongyeon about a few items Sana’s mother likes and can’t find in her town, the older woman says she has them and that she would get them for the officer. Everyone helped everyone, but Tzuyu had a special place in the hearts of many. The trip to the countryside is nice enough, going up the mountains does take a little long, but the trip back will be faster, and Sana is always the best co-pilot. The Minatozakis were a very amorous family, Tzuyu loved spending time with them, even when it’s just a quick visit like this.

 

When they return, It’s too early (or too late if you will) and Sana collapses on their bed as soon as they get the bags in, her heart at peace having seen her parents and making sure they were fine. Tzuyu washes the car quickly and heads to Dahyun’s bar to return the keys and documents, after parking the vehicle by the older couple’s home. The pale woman is happy that her favorite kids had fun and dismisses the officer by the tenth time Tzuyu tries to ask if she needed anything in thanks. It was fine, it’s not like Dahyun did much to begin with.

 

Tzuyu got back home and started the washing cycle for her uniforms, that way she could just put them out to dry when she woke up again. The couple does get a nice sleep, both exhausted from the trip and Sana having to rest for the party on friday. Tzuyu wakes up first, her body wired to never go past eight regardless of the time she sleeps, makes something to eat, puts her clothes out to dry and decides to make a groceries run before her wife wakes up. They had left their fridge almost empty when they went, no point in stocking up if they weren’t going to be home. 

 

“Hey Tzu, I thought I wouldn’t be seeing either of you today!” Jeongyeon greets as the younger woman enters.

 

“Well, I can never sleep past eight, no matter how late I get to bed, you know that.” Tzuyu shrugs. “Oh, I already talked to Dahyun, but thank you so much for lending me the car. Sana was really happy to see her parents.”

 

“It’s no problem, kid. Now, what can I do for you today?”

 

“I came for some groceries, we had to go shopping when we left, so I told Sana I’d do it when we returned.”

 

“Well, have fun. I’ll be in the back if you need me.”

 

“Will do, Jeong. And thanks again.”

 

Jeongyeon ruffles the kid’s hair and laughs as Tzuyu grumbles because of it. The young woman proceeds to follow the shopping list, meaning to get back home, start another laundry load and get on to making lunch before Sana wakes up. Tzuyu had no such luck, however, she did get back before her wife was up, but when she was coming back inside from starting another load, Sana was sitting at the kitchen table and smirking at her knowingly.

 

“What did you do that you weren’t supposed to, while I was asleep?”

 

“Nothing that I wasn’t supposed to.”

 

“Right, because I remember clearly that you weren’t supposed to wash anything that aren't your uniforms, and I see all of them in the clothes line already. You were also not supposed to go shopping without me just because the list was ready, and I see our cabinets are full again. An-”

 

“Alright, fine!” Tzuyu interrupts and her wife giggles evilly. “I had nothing to do so I went down to Jeong to get the groceries, and took the opportunity to thank her for the car too. Then I came back and put the clothes we used on the trip to wash and now I was going to start with lunch.”

 

“You are adorable but very naughty.” Sana gets up and approaches her wife. “Now you go and see if the uniforms are dry yet and I’ll make us lunch.”

 

“Bu-”

 

“No buts, you’ve already been too naughty today.”

 

Tzuyu huffs but obeys, not forgetting to kiss Sana with all the love in her heart before she goes. Indeed, most of the clothes were dry, so she gets those down and grabs her boots, might as well start shining them while Sana does her thing. They take the longest and Tzuyu prefers to get everything washed so she can iron it all at once, it’s cheaper in the electric bill to turn the iron just one time as well. As Sana finishes lunch, Tzuyu is done with her boots and the clothes are done washing, so the taller woman goes to put them up to dry while the other puts the food on the table.

 

“Thank you for the food, love.” Tzuyu says as she takes her seat.

 

“You are most welcome, hun. Now eat well, you’ve done too much today already and I’d like to spend some couple times with my wife later today.”

 

“Oh!” The younger woman blushes and starts eating.

 

Sana laughs lovingly but leaves it at that, they have a very nice meal and talk about anything as they eat. Tzuyu did get them some popsicles as dessert, giving Sana hers while she takes care of the dishes. Sana only lets her because it’s her favorite popsicle and she got distracted, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t whine once she registers what’s happening. They were a loving couple, so the most that ever happened as punishment was one tickling the other until they started kissing and everything was forgotten. 

 

They agreed to spend the rest of the day lazing around, Tzuyu was only allowed to get their clothes down at some point in the afternoon. Both end up having too much fun doing couple activities and end up forgetting they would also need dinner. Sana orders some burgers and tells her wife to it up, Tzuyu always loved her home-made food and would get whiny when they ordered in. The officer said nothing but did get dressed to go and get the food when it arrived. 

 

Both go to sleep very happy and very sated, and next morning brings another early rizer Tzuyu, this time she decides to iron the clothes before Sana is up and scolds her about it again. Not that Sana didn’t scold her regardless, but today she had to rest as much as possible, and couldn’t really stay angry when Tzuyu offered to massage her to make sure she would be in her best shape that evening. Back when the officer worked for Nayeon, she got certified as a masseur, the clients paid more for the service and she really did need the money back then.

 

Once they do arrive at the barracks, Sana is gorgeous, not that she isn’t always, but her wife can’t be taken as a reliable source. Her frilly skirt, spaghetti-strap tank top and simple sandals were subtle enough for her beauty to shine through. Tzuyu went the simple route, but matched her wife rather well. They made their rounds, talking here and there, until Tzuyu found them a table so she could go and get them both something to eat. She would do that again a few more times through the evening, but there was already some talk about dancing and the band was already starting to play.

 

Soon after the music started, Jihyo came by and whisked Sana away. Nayeon did stay and talk for a while, but had to go and talk to some people soon enough. At some point Mina manages to sneak away and finds her favorite kid sitting by herself and people watching. It was interesting how Tzuyu never minded just watching for hours as the gafieira raged around her, just so she could see Sana shine in her element. Mina smiled, it was always nice to see a love so pure in a world so corrupted.

 

“It still amazes me how you don’t mind your wife dancing with all those people.”

 

“Well, Sana knows I love her very much, and that I’ll never own her. She makes her own choices and if she decides I’m not enough anymore, she will tell me and I’ll go.” Tzuyu explains but doesn’t stop watching her wife.

 

“You are one amazing person, Tzu.” Mina links her arms with the kind giant and rests her head on the younger’s shoulder. “I know networking is part of the job, but sometimes I just wanted to be able to sit here in the quiet like you.”

 

“You are too important to the school. It’s your own fault for being so competent.” 

 

Both laugh at that. Mina always found it calming to sit with Tzuyu, the taller woman was always so serene and gentle that she felt herself relax easily. Chaeyoung, as one of the composers, was singing with the band. They did have singers, but the composers would always prepare a few new songs for these events and it was just easier if they sang it themselves. The stylist was always amazed at the unshakable trust between the younger couple, how Tzuyu would never doubt anything and remain calm no matter what. Sana was a lucky woman indeed, and moments like these showed Mina just why her old friend decided to leave the luxury her job could bring her for the half broke recruit.

 

At the end of the day, everyone understood the couple lived for each other by the honey in their eyes when Sana dragged Tzuyu to the dance floor. The taller woman danced awkwardly but did her best to follow. How the dancer would patiently and delicately guide her wife through the music. When they looked at each other’s eyes and everyone could see the world disappeared around them.