Satzu Subunit 

“Oblivious Satzu do the ‘I Just Remix’ stage from MAMA 2017.”  
 

Tzuyu huffed as she went to take a sip from her water bottle. Finding the bottle mostly empty, sent a wave of frustration through Tzuyu's body. She was already on edge from dance practice. 

Normally Tzuyu loves the all day rehearsals that come with being an idol. It's why she left home so young and moved to a new country to pursue this career. She thrived off of the pressure of being perfect and exceeding expectations that always seem to be placed on her. 

This was different, however. She's usually in a practice room with eight other girls. Not to mention the choreographers and staff, but today it's just her and Sana. 

Not that she had a problem with Sana. Just like any of her members, Tzuyu held a certain fondness for them. How could she not? 

It was what they were practicing that was frustrating Tzuyu. 

Twice decided to do subunit stages for their MAMA performances. Everyone was paired off into duos and trios with Tzuyu and Sana being one of the duos. Sana was over the moon and already went to work finding The perfect song for them. Tzuyu on the other hand felt herself retreat into herself at the thought of being alone with Sana for an extended period of time. 

Tzuyu was so used to having her other members around. Other members occupied Sana's attention, but now all that attention is on her. Tzuyu definitely didn't know if she would ever get used to Sana's attention. It was loud and intense. Tzuyu knew Sana survived off of physical and emotional affection. Something Tzuyu was never good at. She didn't know how to express herself quite like Sana did and that often left Sana confused when Tzuyu would sometimes outright reject Sana's affection. 

Now she didn't have another member to hide behind. It was just her and Sana in a practice room together. 

"Here." 

Tzuyu was startled out of her thoughts by Sana. The older girl was holding out her own water bottle. 

"You're out of water, Tzu. Have some of mine." 

Tzuyu shyly took Sana's water. She was quite thirty. 

"We can't have you fainting on me, now can we?" 

Tzuyu tentatively took a few sips, but her body's need to rehydrate begged her for more water, so she continued to drink from Sana's bottle.

"That is unless you wanted me to perform CPR on you." Sana continued with a flirty giggle. 

Tzuyu nearly choked on the water she was drinking, only causing Sana to laugh more. Tzuyu's cheeks turned bright red and she couldn't tell if it was from the cute laugh coming from Sana or if it was the thought of Sana performing CPR on her. 

"I don't think CPR would be helpful if I fainted from dehydration, Unnie." Tzuyu finally said. 

Sana released a large sigh. "You're right. I'll have to find another way to get a kiss then." 

Tzuyu's brain short circuits. It happens every time Sana flirts with her or brushes her hand against Tzuyu's even if it is by accident. She chalks it up to not being used to receiving such affection, but she can't run away from how her heart never speeds up when the other members try the same antics. She doesn't know how many times she's pushed Nayeon off of a hug or rolled her eyes at Jihyo's pick up lines. None of them make her heart rate skyrocket quite like Sana does. 

Tzuyu shook it off. Sana does this with everyone. Tzuyu isn't receiving any special attention, so it shouldn't be affecting her like this. 

"We should get back to practicing."  Tzuyu hands Sana her water bottle back before going over to the stereo to cue up the music. 

Sana gets in position and waits for Tzuyu to start the music. The heavy bass vibrates through the room and Sana begins her section of the dance. 

Neither Sana nor Tzuyu were main dancers in Twice, meaning they never got a dance solo during a comeback. Not that they minded. Momo was always the go to when a dance solo was available. Still, when Sana first pitched the idea that she and Tzuyu should do a dance number, Tzuyu was excited. She knew Once would love to see the two of them show off their dance skills. 

Sana also chose a song very different from a normal Twice song. It was edm heavy and the choreography was powerful and sensual at the same time. They'd be showcasing not only their individual skill, but also the fluid motions of dancing together as one person. 

Sana began with a solo section. She moved her hands in time with her hips and Tzuyu had to remind herself not to get too distracted or she'd miss her cue to join. That was easier said than done. Sana never did things half way. Even when she was practicing, Sana acted as if it were a real performance. Most would consider this a good thing, but for Tzuyu that means she had to endure the intense stares coming from Sana. 

Shaking her head a little, Tzuyu refocused and walked to her mark. The two girl danced together as they were instructed by the choreographer. First they were separate, but eventually, they came together and danced as a unit. Tzuyu being the taller one, stood behind Sana as their bodies moved to the beat and with each other. When Sana's hips moved one way, Tzuyu's hands followed, but never actually touching. The dance mirrored a push and pull between the two dancers. So close, but never touching. 

When the music ended, the girls needed a moment to catch their breath. Sana pushed the hair that fell in front of her face back and let out an exasperated sigh. 

"Let's go again." Sana says. 

Normally, Tzuyu would be down to rehearse until  it was perfect, but it was late and they had been practicing for hours. She wasn't sure what more they needed to rehearse. Both girls had the steps down to a tee. 

"Was there something wrong with that run?" Tzuyu asks. If she messed up, it's best to know now and fix it. 

"Something feels off." 

"What do you mean? I didn't notice anything off." 

"Can't you feel it? Can't you see it when you're looking in the mirror?" Sana says.

Tzuyu automatically looks at the wall covered in floor to ceiling mirrors, expecting the answer to be staring back at her. 

"I don't think I follow, Unnie." 

"We're stiff. Out of sync with each other. It just doesn't look right." Sana plops down on the floor with her back against the wall. 

Before Tzuyu joined her on the floor, she grabbed her phone that was recording them. She sits as close to Sana as she possibly could, their knees touching, so they could watch the recording back and see what went wrong. The thing was, there was nothing wrong with it. The two girls did the dance exactly as they were instructed to. 

"See? It's just not right." Sana digs her heels in, still claiming something was off. 

Tzuyu furrows her brows. She's even more confused than she was before. Sana looked amazing and danced to perfection. What was Sana seeing that Tzuyu wasn't?

Sana noticed the confusion etched on Tzuyu's face. It was one of the only times Sana could tell what Tzuyu was thinking. 

"Don't you think it's weird how we do this entire dance and not touch each other once? The whole number is us dancing around each other, but you'd think at the end we would finally touch." Sana continued. 

Tzuyu supposed she understands what Sana is saying. 

"It would make sense in the narrative of the piece for us to avoid touching and then at the end we finally touch. Like two magnets pushing each other away, but also pulling each other in." Tzuyu matched Sana's energy. Wanting to dive deeper into the meaning behind the dance. Every dance needed a story.

"Exactly!" Sana got excited that her dance partner understood what she was saying. She leaned over into Tzuyu's space and played back the recording. Half of Sana's body came to rest on Tzuyu's lap as they watch the dance one more time. 

"Here!" Sana paused the video. "Right here is when we should start looking at each other." She resumed the video, but it wasn't long before she paused again. "And right here. Instead of moving away from each other, we should come closer and end with me holding onto you." 

"Holding onto me? Like what?" Tzuyu wasn't sure about this. They could get into a lot of trouble if they change the choreography too much. 

"Stand up, I'll show you." Sana stands and faces the mirrors. "Get into our ending positions." 

Tzuyu follows and stands behind Sana. The shorter girl, takes Tzuyu's Armand wraps it around her own shoulder, making their bodies pressed up against one another. Sana pops her hip out so it's angled towards Tzuyu. Sana brought her face impossibly close to Tzuyu's face and tilt's Tzuyu's head down, so they were staring right at each other. 

Tzuyu wouldn't say she was uncomfortable being this close to Sana. Actually it surprised Tzuyu how natural having her arms around the other girl felt, but this wasn't just some infamous gesture, it was something the two of them would be performing, on stage, in front of their peers and fans. 

"Tzuyu?" 

Hearing her name snapped her out of the spiral of thoughts she was about to go on.

"Where did you go, Tzu?" Sana's voice was soft, but it felt so loud to Tzuyu. Maybe it was due to Sana's face only being a few inches away from her. Tzuyu quickly realizes they're still in the same position with Sana's eyes intensely staring at her. 

Tzuyu untangled herself from Sana and backed away. 

"Huh?" Tzuyu asks, not sure if she heard everything Sana had said to her. 

"You spaced out for a minute there. I was worried something was wrong." 

"Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking." 

"Thinking about me?" Sana attempted to lighten the mood.

"What? No!" Yes.

Sana laughed, covering . "I'm only joking. Let's run the dance now with the changes, yeah?" 

Tzuyu silently nodded, afraid if she spoke she'd give away how flustered she actually was. 

They practiced for another hour, implementing the small changes. Tzuyu had to admit, the dance was really good now. She could feel herself get into the music and feel her arms and legs move more fluidly with the beat, but the icing on the cake was the ending. When Sana and Tzuyu finally come together, the electric tension in the room grew and Tzuyu really felt her body take over, acting as if the music was commanding her to. 

It felt too good. She wanted to keep dancing with Sana, but their practice room time was coming to an end. They had a schedule in the morning so both girls decided to call it a day. A driver came and picked up the girls to bring them back to their apartments. 

Tzuyu held the door open and let Sana climb in first. 

"Such a gentle-woman. Are you trying to make me swoon, Tzuyu-ah?" Sana giggled, but got in the van before Tzuyu could respond. 

Tzuyu followed in after Sana. 

"How do you do it, Unnie?" Tzuyu asked. 

Sana, surprised by the unexpected question, turns her head to face the tall girl. "Do what?" 

"Flirt with anyone like it's so easy." 

Sana tilts her head and Tzuyu swears she looks exactly like a puppy. 

"It's just the way I talk. I don't really think much about it." 

"Aren't you worried though?" Tzuyu asks. 

"About?" 

"About confusing people. Aren't you worried your flirting could give others the wrong idea? Are you not worried about leading people on?" Tzuyu didn't mean for it to come out as harsh as it did and she immediately regrets it when she sees the smile disappear from Sana's face. She doesn't know why she was pressing Sana about this.

Sana looks out of the window of the van. She thinks about what Tzuyu had asked her. 

"I like to feel close to the people I love." Sana's voice was so small and Tzuyu was mentally kicking herself for making Sana feel this way. "The flirting is just how I show someone I care about them. I hope it makes them feel good and in turn makes me feel good. I would never purposefully lead someone on." 

Tzuyu knows Sana has a good heart and she believes every word the girl is saying, but that doesn't stop Tzuyu from asking more questions. She yearns to understand the girl sitting next to her. 

"Then how do you express your feelings for someone you like? If you flirt with your friends, how is someone who likes you more than a friend supposed to tell you like them back? They might just feel like another one of your friends." 

Sana's head snaps back to look at Tzuyu. She stares into Tzuyu's eye for an uncomfortable amount of time. 

"I guess I've never thought about it that way." Sana smiled sadly, looking almost as if she was about to cry.

Now Tzuyu feels horrible. She didn't want to hurt Sana's feelings. She was only asking because she was curious. 

"Sana, I-" Tzuyu tries to walk it all back, but is interrupted by their driver telling them they've arrived at their apartment building. 

Tzuyu attempted to continue what she was going to say, but Sana beat her to it. 

"Don't worry about it, Tzuyu. Let's just go home and get some rest, yeah?" 

Tzuyu could physically see the mask get pulled over Sana's face. Her smile returned, but it was empty and Tzuyu could tell. 

The girls silently left the van and made their way to their respective apartments. They arrived at Tzuyu's first, but the taller girl hesitated to open her door. 

"Goodnight, Tzuyu-ah." Sana politely said and began to walk to her own apartment door just down the hall. 

"Sana?" Tzuyu called out. 

Sana stopped walking and turned back to the girl calling out to her, waiting for Tzuyu to say what she wanted to say.

"It makes me feel good... when you flirt with me." Tzuyu swallows, not sure why she felt the need to say this. "I know I don't express myself very well, but I like it. I like being around you." 

Sana smiles, this time Tzuyu could see it was genuine. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tzuyu-ah." 

Once Sana entered her apartment, Tzuyu was left alone in the hallway. She leans against her door and closes her eyes. Now that she's alone she wishes she wasn't. Would it be too weird to go knock on Sana's door?

Tzuyu decides against it. She's done enough for one night. Now she just wanted to rest her tired bones. Entering her apartment, she is met with the sight of her roommates, Dahyun and Chaeyoung eating at the kitchen table. 

"Hey." Tzuyu greets them. 

"Hey Tzu!" Dahyun enthusiastically says. 

"How was your rehearsal with Sana?" Chaeyoung asks. The short girl stuffs with some instant ramen. 

"It was good." Tzuyu says as she pulls out water from the fridge. 

"Just good?" Chaeyoung asks. Her and Dahyun share a look. 

"Uh yeah? It was a rehearsal, Chaeng, what is it supposed to be?" Tzuyy thought it was a little suspicious that Chaeyoung was so interested in her rehearsal. Dahyun loves to ask questions, that was normal, but Chaeyoung? Something was off. 

"Nothing! Just curious how it was to practice with just you and Sana." Chaeyoung went back to eating. 

Tzuyu looked at her two best friends. They were definitely hiding something.

"It's Sana. The practice went exactly how you think it would go." 

Tzuyu zeroed in on her friends. Chaeyoung went back to eating as normal, but Dahyun refused to make eye contact with her. 

"Dahyun?" 

The girl in question began tapping her fingers on the kitchen counter, a habit Tzuyu knows Dahyun does when she's nervous. 

"What's going on with you guys?" Tzuyu really didn't have the energy for this. After everything that happened between her and Sana, she didn't have it in her to deal with her friends' nonsense. 

"Look, Sana made us promise not to say anything!" Dahyun blurted out.

"Hyun!" Chaeyoung yelled out across the kitchen. 

"I'm sorry!" Dahyun held her head between her hands. 

"Sana made you promise not to tell me what?" Tzuyu asked. 

"Look, you were off at your Zooc photo shoot when they came to the rest of us about the subunits..." Chaeyoung started. 

Tzuyu remembers that day, but she swore the subunits were chosen randomly by the JYPE staff. 

"... everyone was talking about what subunits they wanted to do and when Dahyun and I mentioned doing a School Meal Club subunit, Sana pulled us aside and asked us if she could be paired with you." Chaeyoung wiped with a napkin. "She told us and the rest of the girls to act like the managers chose the subunits." 

"Why would she do that?" 

Dahyun and Chaeyoung gave each other a knowing look. 

"Why do you think she did it, Tzuyu?" 

So Sana was the one who wanted to do a special stage with Tzuyu? Why? Tzuyu was now more confused than ever. 

"I don't understand why this had to be a secret." Tzuyu says. 

"She didn't want to scare you off, Tzu." Dahyun adds. 

Tzuyu's face matched her confusion. "Scared off?" 

"C'mon Tzuyu, you practically flee anytime any of the members try to show you some affection. She didn't want you to think she'd be all over you." Chaeyoung bluntly said. 

Tzuyu thinks that's sweet. Sana did tend to be aggressive with the love, not that it was a bad thing, but Tzuyu did enjoy some personal space. Sana knew that and didn't want Tzuyu to think she would overstep her boundaries. Sana might lay it in thick with the flirting, but she would never do anything to make Tzuyu feel uncomfortable. 

But isn't that exactly what Tzuyu implied earlier with all her questions? She had probably convinced Sana she was uncomfortable with her. 

"I think I'm going to head to bed, guys." Tzuyu suddenly was feeling I'll. She wasn't really up for talking anymore. 

"Did we say something to upset you?" Dahyun asks. 

"No, I've just had a long day." Tzuyu walked to her room, ready for this day to be over. Such a stark difference from earlier.when she was with Sana and they were just dancing, Tzuyu didn't want the day to end. 

 

The next morning, all nine girls are up bright and early for a group photo shoot. Usually, most of the girls were tired and quiet when they were required to get up super early, choosing to nurse an iced coffee

 

Everyone but Sana.

 

She always seemed to be well rested even when they all knew she didn't sleep much the night before. She chatted with anyone who would talk to her and lifted everyone's mood in the process.

Today was different. Sana was like everyone else, silent. It's not like it hasn't happened before, but this time y could not assume it was her doing. She knew Sana could be sensitive and Tzuyu's naturally reserved personality could be misread as cold. 

Later, they would have to go to the dance studio and practice for their subunit. MAMA was only one day away and they would practice until the last moment. 

Tzuyu mentally prepared herself for an awkward practice. What she didn't expect was for it to affect their dancing. They were good, but by their own standards it was just good. Not great, not amazing, but good. Neither Tzuyu nor Sana would be satisfied with just good and that made the taller girl wonder why Sana was putting half her heart into the dance. For someone who puts it all out there just for a rehearsal, seeing Sana perform halfway was unnerving. 

They didn't talk much. Only pointing out where they could improve or change something here and there. It was driving Tzuyu crazy. She was so used to Sana constantly making noise, making small talk, commenting on how good Tzuyu looked during a certain part of the song, and now that it was mostly quiet, Tzuyu felt the need to speak. 

"Do you think we'll be ready for tomorrow?" Tzuyu asks.

Sana pulls her hair out of its ponytail to re-tie it. "We're professionals aren't we? I think we're more than ready." 

It wasn't exactly the vote of confidence Tzuyu was expecting from the usually bubbly girl, but she did have a point. No matter the circumstance, they would always put on a good show. 

"I'm nervous what people will think of it." Tzuyu says. 

"We can go back to the original choreo if you're that worried, Tzuyu-ah." 

"No, I like it the way it is." Tzuyu cleared . "It feels different though... than how we were doing it yesterday." 

"What's different from yesterday?" Sana asks as nonchalantly as one could. Tzuyu began to feel like she was going crazy. Was she just imagining the change in Sana's demeanor? 

Tzuyu was momentarily distracted by Sana taking off her loose cardigan. She was wearing a tight fitting tank top underneath. 

"It just felt better. That's all." Tzuyu averted her eyes and looked down at her own hands. 

Tzuyu could hear Sana take a deep breathe before walking over to where Tzuyu was sitting. The older girl offered her hand to help Tzuyu up which was accepted without question. Even though both their hands were a little sweaty from dancing, Tzuyu didn't mind the feeling. 

"Tzuyu-ah, Can I be honest with you?" Sana was looking directly at Tzuyu. 

Tzuyu wordlessly nodded. 

"I haven't really felt like myself today, so I'm sorry if the dance feels off." 

"Since our conversation yesterday?" 

"You're a lot more perceptive than others give you credit for." Sana says as she squeezes Tzuyu's hand. That's when Tzuyu realized she never let go of Sana's hand after she stood up. 

She looked down at their hands. "I don't think that's true." 

"Maybe you're just perceptive with me then." 

"Maybe." Tzuyu practically whispered. "I didn't mean to upset you yesterday." 

"I'm not upset. Just thinking a lot." Sana lets go of Tzuyu's hand and moves away from her. "I've been called fake a lot by people who don't know me or like me, but to hear someone I care about a lot-" Sana clears . "I just thought you knew me better than that." Sana looks away. Probably not keen on Tzuyu seeing the hurt on her face. 

"The other members tease me a lot. Most of the time it's easy for me to tell when they're teasing me, but with you, sometimes I can't tell if you're being serious or not. I get confused." Tzuyu closes the distance between her and Sana. "I do know you, Sana. I've never thought you were fake, never." 

A sigh of relief escapes Sana. She turns and throws herself at Tzuyu, who quickly wraps her arms around the older girl's waist to make sure she doesn't fall. The hug was warm and Tzuyu tried her best not to melt completely into Sana's embrace. 

"Can I be honest now, Unnie?" 

"Of course, Tzu." 

 Neither girl let go and Tzuyu was more than okay with having to not look Sana in the eye. 

"I think sometimes it's suffocating when the attention is on me. I was worried that is what it would feel like when it would be just the two of us, but it didn't. I guess I began to over think it a little." 

Sana pulled back. "You were asking those questions because you couldn't tell if I was teasing you or if I was legitimately flirting with you?" Sana sounded almost hopeful. 

Tzuyu wasn't sure if she wanted to answer the question. How would Sana even answer that? 

"I don't know. Were you... flirting with me as your friend or... as something else?" Tzuyu didn't know if she wanted to know the answer to her own question. 

The universe thought so too because before Sana could answer they were interrupted by someone walking through the door. 

"Sana-Chan! It's dinner time!" The sound of Momo's voice broke the air in the practice room and the two girl broke apart instantly. "Not a lot of dancing going on in here I see." Momo looked between the two girls and noticed an awkward vibe. 

"We were just finishing up, Momoring." Sana left to go get her things and Tzuyu was left wondering what Sana was going to say.

"Did you want to join us Tzuyu-ah?" Momo asks. 

"Um thanks, but I think I'll just eat at home." Tzuyu doesn't think she could sit through a dinner with Sana even if Momo was there. 

"Suit yourself! Let's go, Satang." Momo holds the door open for Sana to follow. Sana hesitated for a moment, but walked over to Tzuyu before leaving. 

"We're ready for tomorrow. My head will be in it, I promise." Sana said before leaving with Momo. 

Tzuyu had no option but to believe Sana, but she really did care. She cares more about her and Sana on a personal level than she did as idols. She felt like something had shifted today, but she wasn't really sure what. 

 

The next time Tzuyu sees Sana is at MAMA. 

She would have liked to get a few more practice runs in, but Sana had said she was busy. This didn't help Tzuyu's nerves at all considering they had just been informed there was no time for a dress rehearsal. 

They had just finished their Twice group performance. All went well, but Tzuyu and Sana were rushed into the green room to change outfits and get their hair redone. With all the chaos, there was no time to talk. 

One of the stage hands comes to grab the two girls from the green room once they're dressed. It was then they were left alone, even if it was for a short period of time  before they went on stage. 

"Ready?" Sana asks in a low voice. 

Tzuyu nodded. "You?" 

Sana looked ahead at the stage where a group was currently finishing up their performance. She didn't look at Tzuyu as she silently grabbed her hand. 

"You look amazing, Tzuyu-ah." Sana says. She finally turns her head to look at Tzuyu. "Seriously." 

"You never answered my question, Unnie, from yesterday." A new surge of confidence pushed Tzuyu to seek answers. Maybe now wasn't the best time to do so. They were about to go out on stage after all.

"You're the last person I want to confuse, Tzuyu-ah." 

The lights of the stage went black as the performers finished. That was the signal for Tzuyu and Sana to make their way on stage. Sana went to take her place but Tzuyu held her back. 

"What are you doing? We need to go on stage." Sana urged Tzuyu forward, but the taller girl stood firm. 

"Tell me. Am I like everyone else you flirt with or am something else? I need to know." 

Sana knew she wasn't going to get Tzuyu to move unless she answered the question. She also knew she only had a few seconds before they both were pushed on stage by a stagehand.  

"God, Tzu you've always been something else. I promise to explain more once we're finished here." 

That was enough for Tzuyu. She pulled Sana along with her onto the stage and in their respective spots. Her heart thudded in her chest  much like the beat of the song. The lights and the audience was forgotten. 

The only thing that mattered was her and Sana on stage giving it their all. The Sana from Yesterday was nowhere to be seen. This Sana was dangerous. Looking for too long would have you ensnared in the trap that is Sana's dancing, but Tzuyu welcomed it. She became addicted to the feeling of dancing with Sana. 

Before Tzuyu knew it the song was more than halfway done and they came together for the final stretch of the song. The part they changed.  The part where they dance as one, touching. 

Their views were perfectly in sync and Tzuyu noted how her taller frame and Sana's shorter one fit together like a puzzle piece. She wondered what it would be like to hold the Japanese girl from behind in a hug. Would she ever get the chance? 

As the final beat of the song nears, Tzuyu's arm snakes its way across Sana's shoulders. Exactly as they did it in practice. Sana held onto Tzuyu's arm to bring her in close. Tzuyu knew their faces would be centimeters, just like it had in practice, expect this time Tzuyu's urge to close the distance was a thousand times stronger. She could see Sana staring up at her. 

Their breaths mingled together and it felt like an eternity before the lights dimmed. They were then standing on stage in the darkness, but both knew as much as they'd like to continue standing in each other's arms, they couldn't. They needed to get off stage before people saw the obvious lingering stares they were sharing. 

This time it was Sana that pulled Tzuyu off stage and into an empty green room. They knew they didn't have much time. They both were expected to rejoin their group mates in the audience. 

Neither talked, just taking some deep breaths to try and steady their breathing after such a performance. 

"Sana-" Tzuyu tried to start, but Sana launched herself at Tzuyu. Her arms wrapped around Tzuyu's neck and the taller girl responded by holding Sana by the waist so she didn't fall. "Oof! Jesus Sana. A little warning before you knock me over." 

Sana tightened her hold around Tzuyu's neck. She buried her face in the taller girl's neck. 

"I'm sorry." Sana whispered. 

"For?" 

"For ever making you feel like you're not special to me. For ever making you feel like I see you as just another person I flirt with because you are so much more than that." Sana said. 

Tzuyu pulled the girl back so she could see her face. "I need you to speak plainly, Sana. I don't want to leave this room even more confused than I was before." 

"I asked to be paired with you for this subunit." 

"Yes, I know that." 

"Wait, how do you know that? I asked everyone to keep it a secret." Sana crossed her arms. 

"It doesn't matter how. Please continue." 

"Anyways, I wanted to perform with just the two of us. Partly because I knew it would be really good, but it would also give me a chance to have one on one time with you. Something we never get." Sana continued. "I hoped the time together would either reaffirm what I already knew I felt or prove that it was just a little crush." 

"And what happened?" Tzuyu was curious what conclusion Sana came to. 

Sana let out a heavy sigh. "It definitely isn't a crush, Tzuyu." She looked up at Tzuyu with hopeful eyes. "But I don't want that to influence how you feel." 

"How I feel?" Tzuyu thought it was obvious how she felt, but maybe she wasn't as obvious as she thought she was to others. "I feel like I'd like to explore whatever we could be... but-" 

"But?" Sana closed her eyes, waiting for the rejection. 

"But I worry about what could happen to us. What people would do if they knew." 

Sana nodded. "I understand. We could get in a ton of trouble, even get kicked out of Twice." 

"Can we take this day by day? Maybe see if all of it is worth the risk." Tzuyu held Sana's hand firmly in her own. 

"You're already worth the risk to me, Tzu." 

"I have a feeling you're also worth the risk, but let's try, yeah?" Tzuyu brings Sana's hand to her lips to give it a reassuring kiss. 

"Together?" 

"Always." 

Sana broke out into a blinding smile, no longer able to contain herself. She laughed in typical Sana fashion, causing Tzuyu to follow. 

Once the laughter died down they were left holding each other's gaze in a way that change the tension in the room. Tzuyu wanted so badly to lean down to kiss her. 

Sana must have been able to read her mind at that moment. "Are you going to keep a girl waiting, Tzuyu-ah?" 

Tzuyu normally wouldn't, but this was different. This wasn't just any girl. This was Minatozaki Sana, one of her best friends, her group mate, and someone she's become increasingly enamored by. 

"Are you?" Tzuyu fired back. 

Sana's shocked face sent Tzuyu into a fit of giggles, something not many get to see. Before Sana could recover from shock, Tzuyu leaned down and stole a peck right from Sana's lips. The older girl didn't even have time to react before Tzuyu stopped. 

"Hey wait! Come back!" Sana pulled Tzuyu back down into a much longer sweeter kiss. 

The two girls were in their own world and not privy to what was transpiring just outside the door. 

 

"You owe me 500,000 won, bro." Chaeyoung said as she closed the slightly cracked open door. 

"What? No way!" Dahyun cries. 

"Yes way. They're locking lips so you lost the bet." Chaeyoung laughs at her unlucky friend. She was sure she was going to lose that bet, but thrilled her two friends won her some money.