Chapter Text
SUMMER
They returned to their usual routine, but Tzuyu could feel their every interaction was laced with something. There were some subtle changes that Tzuyu noticed in Nayeon’s behaviour. Her touches were more deliberate, and confident as she intertwined their hands during walks to the cafeteria or to the dorm. Her hugs were longer and tighter whenever they had to part ways or when Nayeon just felt like hugging her. Even hours after, the warmth of the hug never left her.
It was something, but at the same time, it was nothing at all. Nayeon still hadn’t made a move and she couldn’t really force her. These little things helped her curb her doubt, however. Her doubt that the girl was never serious with her intention. So, she waited and waited and suddenly it was almost summer.
It was hot like the devil’s butt hole, as Chaeyoung eloquently dubbed the season. The heat was unbearable to the point that everyone went to the library to cool down. She and her friends were among those people and apparently Nayeon and her friends too.
“Tzuyu!” Nayeon called her loudly, becoming embarrassed immediately when people were shushing her.
She felt her face heat up from the attention, but she didn’t mind it and opted to walk towards Nayeon’s table. Sure enough, Jeongyeon and Jihyo were there too beside her. “Hey Nayeon. First time seeing you in here,” she teased.
“Yah!” Nayeon smacked her arm but immediately clammed up again when she realised how loud she was. “Shut up, I do go to the library," she whispered. She leaned her head on Tzuyu’s shoulder the moment the girl sat down, her friends peering at them curiously.
Tzuyu could feel their gaze on her but she ignored them. “I thought your test was already over.”
“Theirs have, but mine hasn’t,” Jihyo chirped in, giving the other two the stink eye. “They’re just here for the AC.”
Both girls had the sense to look sheepish at the call out. Tzuyu just chuckled, patting Nayeon’s head and then intertwining their hands together. She knew the couple saw that, but she didn’t care at the moment.
“So, you came here alone? Where’s the disaster duo you’re always with?” Jeongyeon asked.
“As if you’re not a disaster along with them,” Jihyo ribbed.
Everyone had met each other before this, instantly connecting like a house on fire, especially between Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung and Dahyun. Much to Jihyo’s chagrin because they all share the same brain cell when it comes to dry humour and mischief.
“They just finished with their exams and are on their way here.” Tzuyu used her free hand to take out her textbook from her bag. Nayeon noticing this tried to move away but Tzuyu just held her hand tighter. Nayeon feeling sorry helped her take it out.
“Excellent, I have an announcement to make.”
Tzuyu looked at her questioningly then at Nayeon but none tried to explain. She shrugged and started revising her notes. When the duo arrived, Jeongyeon reached out and closed her book, effectively stopping her from studying.
“Okay then,” Tzuyu murmured, focusing on the older girl.
“Alright, now that everyone’s here, I have an announcement to make.”
“You’re getting engaged with Jihyo?” Dahyun cuts in.
“W-what are you—hey!” Jeongyeon glared at the duo that was high-fiving each other. She then turned to Jihyo, “It’s not that I don’t want to—”
“I know babe, don’t worry,” Jihyo assured the girl. “Girls.” She looked at them pointedly and they apologised, looking like kicked puppies.
Tzuyu snorted, amused by the situation. She could feel Nayeon stifling her laugh using her hand and she couldn’t help but smile at the other girl endearingly. Her attention was broken when Jeongyeon cleared her throat.
“As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted. I’m going to have a sort of get-together this summer break at my vacation house by the beach. I was wondering if you guys want to come and hang out for like a week or something.”
The table broke into excited chatters and murmurs. Chaeyoung and Dahyun ask questions about what they are going to do and how big the house is. Tzuyu sat back, contemplating, her parents wouldn’t mind, probably. Even though she's not a fan of the beach, it didn't mean she wasn’t excited about it. She never had a sleepover with friends before. She never got that far.
Nayeon squeezed her thigh, getting her attention. “You’ll go?” She whispered.
Tzuyu didn’t understand why the girl needed to whisper like that, but she indulged her, leaning forward to whisper back. “I don’t know. I have to ask my parents first. Are you going?”
“Yeah, I am. We always do this during summer break. It’s like tradition.”
Tzuyu pondered. “You don’t mind us coming and breaking this tradition?”
Nayeon shook her head. “We like you guys and the more the merrier right?”
“What're ya’ll whispering about?” Jeongyeon butted in between them.
Tzuyu jumped in her seat from the sudden intrusion. “Nayeon’s asking if I’m going or not.”
“Are you?” Jihyo asked.
“I Have to ask my parents first. But I’m pretty sure they won’t mind.” She waved her hand. Everyone was satisfied with her answer and got back to whatever it was the discussion before.
Nayeon started playing with her fingers. “Do you know how to swim?” She asked curiously.
“Nope. I might just stay on the beach. The ocean scares me.” She turned to Nayeon and was stunned at how close the other girl was.
“Then you can sit with me on the beach. I don’t like the water either.”
Tzuyu couldn’t help but smile, endeared by how cute Nayeon is right now. Especially with the way her cheeks were tinted pink because she was staring too hard. Her eyes roamed all over Nayeon’s face, stopping at her full pink lips. She wondered how soft it’d be if she pressed her lips against her. Jeongyeon calling their attention had her break her stare, again. She really needed to stop doing that.
“If you guys could stop staring into each other’s eyes for a sec, I was adding something else to the announcement,” Jeongyeon huffed playfully. They both blushed, suddenly sitting straight. “Anyway, there’s 3 other people that’s going to join us.”
“Who?” Nayeon asked.
“Sana, Mina and Momo. They’re in my class,” Jihyo answered.
“Mina?!” Dahyun sputtered, but then composed herself when everyone was looking at her weirdly. Chaeyoung covered her mouth trying to hold in her laugh.
“Yes… I guess that’s an okay from you then, Dahyun?” Jihyo teased. Dahyun gave a thumbs up, her smile tight. Jihyo turned her attention to Tzuyu and Nayeon. “You guys?”
Tzuyu shrugged, not really minding new people.
“They’re cool, yeah? I haven’t met them myself.” Nayeon questioned.
“You can vibe check them when you meet them. But yeah, they’re pretty cool.”
When all was set and done, everyone continued with their activities. They stayed at the library until evening and had dinner together to end the day. Tzuyu and Nayeon head back to the dorm, hand in hand, despite the sweat. It just felt right.
They shower (separately of course), turn off the lights and lie down on their own bed. Tzuyu was about to doze off, the cold shower helped combat the warm weather until Nayeon called her name. She turned her head towards the girl. “Hmm?”
“I can’t wait to spend summer break with you,” Nayeon murmured softly.
Tzuyu felt her heart tugged at that. Her doubt disappeared little by little. “I can’t wait either.”
---
They were sitting by the curb with their bags under the hot sun, waiting for Jeongyeon to come pick them up. It was officially summer break as exams were done. Tzuyu got the okay from her parents and so the plan went into motion. They had a long drive ahead of them.
“It’s hot as fuck where the hell is she?” Nayeon complained.
Tzuyu reached out and patted her hand. “They’ll be here. Don’t worry.” As soon as she said that, a car honked from across the street.
Jeongyeon rolled down the window waving at them. “Get in losers.”
Nayeon rolled her eyes, but got up anyway, pulling her bag to the car. “I’m going to choke her.”
After they finished tetris-ing the bags, they head off to Tongyeong where Jeongyeon’s house is located. The others head off on their own with their cars, meeting at a gas station near the house so Jeongyeon could lead. It was an uneventful drive so Tzuyu spent most of the time looking outside while listening to music because Nayeon slept and never woke up. When the sea was in view, she couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty. Almost jostling Nayeon off her shoulder because she wanted to see everything.
When they arrived, she woke Nayeon up gently, caressing her cheeks. “Nayeonnie, wake up, we’re here.” Nayeon snuggled even closer to her, practically clinging to her side, head in the crook of her neck, mumbling. “I told you pulling an all-nighter was a bad idea. You’re so bad at waking up.” She smiled when Nayeon whined. “I know you’re up. Come on, it’s better to sleep on a bed than here.” After a few minutes of coaxing the older girl to wake up, they finally got out of the car.
“Were you guys making out in my car or what?” Jeongyeon deadpanned. They both blushed at that and Jeongyeon just rolled her eyes affectionately. “Help get the rest of the things inside, it’s gonna get dark soon.” She walked away, bringing a cooler into the house.
When everything is organized, they rest in the living room. The couch was so huge that it could accommodate almost half of them. The TV plastered to the wall was playing some variety show to make up for the quietness the house brought and it was a pretty big house, Tzuyu thought. The backyard was also huge and it had a barbecue pit and picnic table; the view overlooking the ocean was only a few walking distance away from them.
“So!” Jihyo clapped her hands, gaining the attention of the others. “Let me introduce my friends since you guys don’t know them.” Jihyo directed the attention towards the trio that were huddled on the couch together. “That’s Momo.” She pointed to the girl sitting in the middle, wearing a Barbie shirt. “That’s Sana.” The girl with brunette hair waved enthusiastically at them. “And that’s Mina.” The last girl gave a small and shy wave.
Chaeyoung elbowed her on the rib. “Look at Dahyun.”
Tzuyu rubbed the spot and looked at Dahyun, almost snorting because of how smitten she looked. “So obvious.” She then felt her neck warming up, an indication that someone was staring at her. She turned to look and it was Sana, head tilting to the side cutely, staring at her. She gave a smile and Sana’s smile widened.
Suddenly Nayeon tightened her grip on her thigh. She squinted at her, but Nayeon just ignored her, laying her head on her shoulder. She then pulled Tzuyu’s arm to circle it around her waist. “Cold?” She asked. Nayeon nodded, so she wrapped her arms tighter even though it was warm outside.
They all introduced themselves to the three girls and when everything was set and done, they talked about the room arrangement. Jeongyeon and Jihyo took the master bedroom. Chaeyoung and Dahyun shared a room with two single beds (much to Dahyun’s disappointment). The trio took the room with the king-sized bed. Nayeon and Tzuyu shared a room with a queen-sized bed.
But the thing was, it didn’t look like the queen-sized bed that Tzuyu knew. When she saw how small the bed was, she became nervous. Not only was it small, they pretty much had to be in each other’s space lest they fall to the side. She had an inkling that Jeongyeon did this on purpose.
When Nayeon came in, she immediately jumped on the bed and lay down with a sigh. “So soft…,” she murmured.
“You slept in the car for hours though,” Tzuyu chastised, taking a seat on a sofa. “Surely you’re not going to sleep some more.” She shook her head as she heard soft snoring coming from the girl. “I’ll wake you up for dinner then.”
After changing into something comfortable, she went downstairs to help prepare dinner. When she got to the kitchen, Momo and Jeongyeon were already there, prepping the ingredients.
“You guys need any help?”
Momo glanced at her and then back to the chopping board. “It’s okay Tzuyu, it’s gonna be something simple so you can relax.” Jeongyeon hummed at the back agreeing.
Tzuyu nodded and left the kitchen, heading towards the living room. Sana was the only one there on the couch, watching TV. When she saw Tzuyu she patted the seat next to her, beckoning her to sit and Tzuyu complied.
“What’re you watching?” She leaned back to get comfortable. Sana did the same, sitting so close that their shoulders almost brushed.
“This new drama. It’s pretty intense.”
“Oh! I’ve watched this with Nayeon. Yeah, it’ll get intense a few episodes in.”
They focused on the show, discussing with each other back and forth about anything and everything that was happening. Sana is a very fun and easy person to talk to, despite just meeting her a couple of hours ago. They connected pretty easily even though they were just talking about the show they were watching. Next thing she knew there was a body plopped on her lap, effectively covering her line of vision.
“Nayeon, you’re up. I was about to come get you—” She went speechless when Nayeon suddenly turned halfway to hug her, head deep in the crook of her neck. She felt her face flushed, because sure, they hugged a lot, but they’d never been this close before. She hugged back, looking at Sana smiling amusedly at them. She just lets Nayeon do her thing until Jeongyeon comes into the living room to call them for dinner.
“Not on my couch please,” Jeongyeon sighed. But then she chuckled when she saw how helpless Tzuyu looked.
Tzuyu heard Nayeon grumbling into her neck, but she moved anyway. She then grabbed her hands to pull her up. “Let’s eat.”
Tzuyu just followed the girl, bewildered at her behaviour. Luckily, dinner went well without a hitch. They helped wash the dishes and when everything was done, they went to their respective room. Nayeon went to shower first, leaving Tzuyu alone to ponder on what’s been going on with her. It’s not that she didn’t like it, she’s just confused as to why Nayeon does it. She’s not complaining though.
After she took a shower and went back into the room, she was hit with another dilemma, the bed. The last time they slept in a bed together was when she confessed to Nayeon and after that they slept in their own bed, never sharing again. She entered the room and saw Nayeon already under the cover, phone in hand watching videos. She shuffled closer; every step hesitant.
Nayeon spotted her coming and pulled up the cover so Tzuyu could slide in. “Come on, I was waiting for you so we could watch the next episode.”
Tzuyu hummed, getting herself comfortable but not trying to get into Nayeon’s space too much. But it was unnecessary because Nayeon immediately latched onto her side, clinging to her arm, and laying her head on her shoulder. She tensed, startled by the sudden gesture, but relaxed considerably when Nayeon babbled excitedly about the show.
She felt her eyes starting to droop and didn’t even realise she had fallen asleep until Nayeon nudged her awake. She hummed, opening her eyes to see Nayeon so close to her face. She blinked sleepily and then her face started to feel warm from the attention. “Nayeon?”
“You’re very pretty.”
Tzuyu’s heart jumped. She felt so embarrassed that she turned on her back to cover her face with her hands. “Please…”
Nayeon chuckled. “What? I’m right.”
She kept quiet, not knowing how to respond. Then she felt Nayeon tried to pry her hands away.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable,” Nayeon apologised, guilt in her tone.
She turned her head to look at Nayeon. “It’s not that I’m uncomfortable. It’s just that, hearing it from you made my heart flutter.” This time it was Nayeon’s turn to feel embarrassed as the girl covered her flushed face with her hand. “See?”
“Let’s just go to sleep,” Nayeon declared, turning herself around away from Tzuyu.
“That’s what I was trying to do,” she mumbled, turning too.
They had their back against each other and when she was about to fall asleep, she could feel Nayeon scooted closer to her.
“Goodnight Tzuyu.”
“Goodnight Nayeon.”
Morning came and Tzuyu woke up because her bladder was full. She tried to move but it felt like her action was obstructed. There was something very warm stuck to her back and her sleepy brain still hadn’t made the connection as to what it was. She wiggled some more and the thing—no—person groaned in annoyance. Nayeon was cuddling onto her back, like a medium-sized jetpack. She checked the clock on the bedside table, and it read 6:30 am, still early for any human on a summer break.
“Nayeon,” she whispered, elbowing her gently to let her go. The girl in question just whined and burrowed deeper into the nape of her neck. The puff of air sent shivers down Tzuyu’s spine.
“Is this okay?” Nayeon murmured, loosening her hold.
Tzuyu melted at the question. “More than okay. I just need to go pee that’s all.” She could feel Nayeon smiling against her neck and in turn, it made her smile too.
After 2 hours of added sleep, they made their way downstairs for breakfast. Everyone was already up and about, bustling outside the house, ready to leave. Jeongyeon spotted them and gave them a huge grin. Tzuyu felt uneasy by that grin.
“Finally, the lovebirds decided to join us.”
Tzuyu sat down, ignoring the comment but her blush gave her away.
“Buzz off, don’t tease Tzuyu,” Nayeon scolded, sitting beside her. Before Jeongyeon could retaliate, Jihyo came and set their plate of food down, effectively stopping them.
“Jeongyeon behave,” Jihyo gently reprimanded.
Jeongyeon pouted, pulling Jihyo onto her lap. “But, but.” Her girlfriend raised an eyebrow and she grumbled her displeasure, but she shuts up anyway.
“Whipped,” Nayeon coughed into her hand. Jeongyeon just flipped her the bird.
“Anyways,” Jihyo cuts them off. “I’m gonna tell you the plan for the next 7 days.” She adjusted herself on Jeongyeon’s lap to face them.
“We have a plan?” Nayeon asked. “I thought we were just going to stay here and not do anything.”
“It’s summer break Nayeon, not hibernation. Besides, the others never visited this place, so we should take them around town and have fun.”
Nayeon relented and let Jihyo continue. “Alright, so today we’re going to go to the port after dusk to have some seafood. Tomorrow we’re going to have lunch at the fish market and buy some for the barbeque at the end of the week. On the third day, we’ll check out the mural and have a little photoshoot there, because that’s what Chaeyoung is into. Fourth day, cable car ride to the mountain when it’s nearing sunset. Fifth day, art museum. Sixth day, we can try island hopping and on the last day it’s free and easy, so you can do whatever you want. We’re just going to have a barbecue in the evening at the beach.”
“Holy fuck,” Nayeon muttered under her breath.
“That sounds fun,” Tzuyu exclaimed, genuinely excited because she had never done those kinds of activities with friends before. She looked at Nayeon excitedly. The girl smiled back dopily.
“Yeah, it’ll be fun.” Nayeon rolled her eyes when she heard Jeongyeon coughing out ‘whipped’ into her fist.
“So today, you guys can do whatever you want until evening. The others want to go to the beach to play volleyball and I’ll be joining them too. Come on Jeongyeon don’t be lazy.” Jihyo got off Jeongyeon’s lap, heading towards the backyard.
“What? And miss you jumping around and sweating. Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said with a smoulder, earning a flick on the forehead by Jihyo.
Tzuyu bit her lip to stifle her laugh while Nayeon cackled maniacally beside her, hitting her shoulder in the process, but she persevered.
After they finished breakfast, they went to the beach and Tzuyu was amazed at how close they were to the ocean. They went down a set of stairs and walked towards their friends lounging near the volleyball area.
Mina, Sana and Dahyun were on one of the blankets, taking cover under an umbrella from the sun. The rest were playing volleyball, looking like they were about to punt each other with how serious they looked, Jihyo especially. Despite her tininess, Jihyo managed to spike the ball so hard the other team couldn’t block, resulting in a point.
“Hey ya’ll, having fun?” Nayeon walked over, picking up the ball.
“Are you going to play?” Jihyo asked. Suddenly the atmosphere changed, and Jeongyeon looked like she was about to pass out. Chaeyoung and Momo shook their head as if to warn her.
“Oh? So you’re ready to lose, Park?” Nayeon smirked. They were all stunned but then realised that she was almost as competitive as Jihyo. Tzuyu’s not going to lie, Nayeon looked super attractive right now.
“Get ready.” Jihyo got in position, a fire of determination burning above her head.
“Wanna be on my team?” Nayeon asked Tzuyu.
Tzuyu nodded and got in position at the back, the same as Jeongyeon. Nayeon and Jihyo were positioned in front as offence. The others who were lounging focused on them, becoming spectators. Chaeyoung blew the whistle and they were off.
Jihyo spiked the ball almost immediately but Tzuyu managed to counter it so skillfully that Jeongyeon and Jihyo weren't able to counter it back. Nayeon looked at her in awe. “I played volleyball at one of the schools I went to,” she explained, smiling wide when Nayeon gave her a thumbs up.
That seemed to tick Jihyo off. “Jeongie, if we don’t win, you’ll sleep on the couch for the night.” Jeongyeon looked at her girlfriend in horror. Because of the ‘threat’ she was fired up alongside Jihyo and her determination to win amplified.
It lasted for almost an hour because both teams’ scores kept being tied. But the winner was team Nayeon because Tzuyu managed to spike hard and far enough that Jihyo couldn’t reach. Also, because it was almost lunchtime, and everyone was hungry. They went under the shade, sweaty and panting from the game and the sun.
Jeongyeon shuffled towards Jihyo, head hanging down in shame. “I’m sorry we didn’t win baby. Please don’t kick me to the couch.” She pouted.
Jihyo laughed and held her face, bringing her girlfriend close so she could kiss her. “I’m not going to do that. It was just a joke.” She kissed Jeongyeon on the lips and then on her cheek. “You did super well actually, despite battling with a professional.” She directed the last line towards Tzuyu, who almost choked on her water.
“No, no, I’m not a professional. I just know the basics of it,” Tzuyu denied.
“You did super well either way,” Nayeon complimented her, prompting a blush from the girl.
Sana popped up from behind them, joining the complimenting session. “You were like a volleyball goddess Tzuyu,” Sana said with awe, darkening the blush on Tzuyu’s face.
Tzuyu scratched her neck, a bit embarrassed by the attention, “thanks.”
“So, what are we having for lunch?” Nayeon suddenly asked, pulling the attention towards her. Tzuyu felt grateful for the distraction, squeezing Nayeon’s hand as thanks.
They went back to order since no one had the energy to cook. They ate lunch and lounged around until evening came. As promised, they went out for dinner at the port. Jeongyeon led them to a secluded restaurant where only the locals knew and away from the tourists.
Despite the delicious meals, Tzuyu couldn’t help but concentrate more on Nayeon. The way she never let go of her hand even once, walking alongside her through the crowd. It’s normal for them of course, but even when they’re sitting Nayeon doesn’t let go, her thumb circling her skin.
Sometimes Nayeon would lean towards her to whisper about one thing or another and Tzuyu took a whiff of her perfume, getting drunk on it. Drunk on the attention that Nayeon was giving her. As if they were something. She pushed that thought back into the recess of her mind.
Belly full of seafood, they went back happy and satisfied. Everyone immediately heads toward their respective room to sleep. She was ready to go to sleep, but Nayeon had another thing in mind as she scooted closer towards her.
“Yes, Nayeon?”
“I feel like we haven’t really opened up with each other that much.”
Tzuyu was confused. “I don’t understand.”
“I mean, I didn’t even know you played volleyball, or you went to a lot of different schools—,” she backtracked. “Unless you didn’t want to talk about it and that’s fine too.”
“You want to know more about me?”
Nayeon looked at her weirdly. “Yes?”
Tzuyu turned to her side and faced her. “What do you want to know?”
Nayeon copied her. “Everything.”
“It could take all night.”
“I don’t mind. We can even exchange stories.”
Tzuyu observed Nayeon for a second, taking in her features. Even in the darkness, she could see how radiant the other girl was. Her sincerity showed through her expression. “Okay.”
So Tzuyu talked. She told every story she could think of under the sun despite her drowsiness because the whispering was soothing. She talked about the constant moving, her friends who never called her back, and how she joined different clubs and learned lots of skills from there. How she’s never been in love before. That made Nayeon’s cheeks tinted pink and her heart flutter.
Nayeon told her about her childhood. How she’s with her mom now, how she met her platonic soulmates, how she was the student president in high school. She talked about the people she’s been with; how hard it was for her to trust people, how hard it was to open up about herself after a particularly nasty breakup and Tzuyu understood that this moment was significant for Nayeon so she held her hand throughout.
They didn’t even realise that it was already morning and they would have to leave the house in a couple of hours, but they didn’t care. What matters is the moment they have now. The level of connection they have for one another had deepened considerably and Tzuyu could feel herself falling more for Nayeon. She just hoped Nayeon felt the same too.
---
The next few days were spent with no incident. They followed the schedule that Jihyo had prepared and had the time of their life acting like tourists. Tzuyu never really had the chance to go on a vacation like this because she couldn’t stick around long enough in one place.
She was amazed at everything, especially the cable car ride because they were so high up. Nayeon clung to her the whole time, occasionally looking out when someone pointed out something. When they reached the top and watched the sunset together, it was the most peaceful she ever felt. Especially when Nayeon laid her head on her shoulder, intertwining their hands together on the rail.
All in all, everything went according to plan and Jihyo was ecstatic. It was the last day of their little trip and everyone was busy preparing for the barbecue in the backyard. Tzuyu got the task of marinating the ingredients along with Sana in the kitchen. They bought a lot of food and Tzuyu wondered if they’ll be able to finish it all.
“Did you have fun Tzuyu?” Sana suddenly asked.
“The whole trip? Yeah, I did. Did you?” Tzuyu answered absentmindedly.
Sana hummed. “I did too. I’ve only ever been out on a trip like this with Momo. Never in a big group like this.” She passed the marinated chicken to Tzuyu.
Tzuyu took it and put it in a container. “I’ve never gone on a trip with friends before. This is my first time actually.”
“Glad you enjoyed it.”
Tzuyu beamed at her. “The company helped make it even better.” In a split second, Sana came near her, hand reaching out to her face. She froze, confused at the sudden action. She felt Sana tuck her hair behind her ear.
“Sorry, that piece of hair has been driving me nuts.”
“O-oh, thanks,” Tzuyu stuttered.
“E-hem.”
They whipped their head towards the noise, startled to see Nayeon standing by the archway. She was frowning and Tzuyu didn’t know why. She hoped the others didn’t give the girl a hard time.
“Hey Nayeonnie, we’re almost finished.”
Nayeon grunted. “I’ll take the ones in that container.” She walked past them and took it, leaving as fast as she came without sparing a glance at Tzuyu.
To say Tzuyu was confused was an understatement, she was hurt at how dismissive Nayeon was towards her. Sana must’ve picked up her sullen mood, so the girl tried to distract her by conversing about different topics, but the distraction could only go so far. Her mind was fully occupied with Nayeon.
The next person who came to the kitchen was Momo, picking up the last container of ingredients to be brought to the grill. She kissed Sana on the cheek as thanks and a pat on the head for Tzuyu. They match well with each other, Tzuyu thought as she observed the couple. They show their love for each other through small gestures instead of loudly declaring it. Sana told her the reason why was because Momo’s not that fond of showing off and Sana respected her wishes. Tzuyu wondered if she and Nayeon would love each other loudly or as quietly as them.
She wanted to talk to Nayeon about what happened, but apparently, despite the party being small, the girl managed to avoid her every time she even came near her.
Either Jeongyeon caught wind of Nayeon’s behaviour or she was trying to play cupid as she assigned the both of them to buy ice cream from the convenience store. Nayeon sidled up to the girl to whine, but Jeongyeon’s pointed stare left no room for discussion. Tzuyu noticed what she had done, and it hurt her even more because it was obvious that Nayeon really was avoiding her.
The convenience store was a walking distance away from the house, so they opted to walk rather than drive. It was awkward and stifling the whole way because neither of them wanted to talk to each other, air heavy and thick, not because of the heat. Even though the opportunity was there, Tzuyu didn’t know how to start the conversation.
After they bought the ice cream, Tzuyu could feel her steps getting heavy. Nayeon still wouldn’t look at her or talk to her so she stopped walking, watching her walk away without even glancing back. She turned around and headed towards the beach.
She found a spot in the sand and sat down; knees tucked underneath her chin. It was quiet except for the sound of the water lapping on the shore, serving as a background noise for her messy thoughts. The moments from before kept replaying in her head and each time it did, she felt even more upset. Maybe this was how Nayeon felt when she avoided the girl. She tucked into herself, breathing deeply to calm her thoughts, but it was not working like how it used to.
She didn’t even realise she had been sitting there long until she heard footsteps coming from behind. The person sat next to her and judging by the perfume, it was Nayeon.
“Tzuyu.”
She remained silent, not coming out of her position. When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she flinched away. Even though she’s calmed, she’s still hurt by what Nayeon did to her.
“Tzuyu, please look at me.”
The pleading in Nayeon’s voice made her relent though. She sighed, unfurling herself from her position and looked at Nayeon straight in the eyes. The sight she saw startled her. Nayeon was crying.
“I’m s-sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like that with you,” Nayeon stuttered, gripping her knees in anxiousness.
Tzuyu frowned, she hated seeing her cry, but she was still confused as to why Nayeon was acting dismissive and avoiding her in the first place. “Then why did you?”
It was a few moments of silence and Tzuyu was about to get up and walk away, but Nayeon reached out to her. She hesitated for a second but sighed and held her hand; it was cold.
“I got jealous.”
Her confusion must’ve been visible on her face because Nayeon became flustered.
“In the kitchen, you and Sana—”
“You were jealous of me with Sana?” She asked incredulously.
Nayeon opened and closed her mouth, hesitant. “Yes,” she said quietly.
Tzuyu let go of the breath she was holding, something that she didn’t realise she was doing. She was floored by the admission because she thought Nayeon didn’t want her anymore. She also realised then, that they can’t tiptoe around this, uncertain with one another. She was done waiting.
“What are we Nayeon?” She asked softly. “I can’t go on like this anymore. Not knowing whether you’re being friendly or not. Not knowing if I even have a chance to be with you or not.” She squeezed Nayeon’s hand. “I don’t think I can pretend everything’s normal if we go back because it’s not. I really do like you Nayeon and I just want to know, do you feel the same way for me too?”
She observed Nayeon, waiting. She masked her expression pretty well, so Tzuyu couldn’t get a hold of what she was thinking. Her stomach churned as time went on.
But after what felt like an eternity, Nayeon finally answered, “I like you too,” she breathed out.
Despite the earth-shattering confession, Tzuyu could feel there was something more to it. “But?”
“I’m scared.”
“Is it about that being roommate thing?”
Nayeon shook her head. “You know damn well that’s just an excuse.”
“Then what’s wrong Nayeon?”
“What if I’m not good enough for you?” She said dejectedly. “Remember what I’ve told you before, about the fallout that I had with my ex.” Tzuyu squeezed her hand in comfort and Nayeon continued. “I wasn’t enough for her. I didn’t treat her good enough. I couldn’t save whatever scrap of love we have. I couldn’t—” she sobbed. “That’s why she’s with someone else. I d-didn’t do enough, and I don’t want you to find out later just how bad I am.”
Tzuyu grasped Nayeon’s shoulder and pulled the girl in for a tight hug. She couldn’t believe anyone would make Nayeon feel this way. It made her blood boil but right now she just wanted to shower Nayeon with all the love she could muster. “Nayeon, you’re the most wonderful and most selfless person I have ever met. That person was blind and had never deserved you in the first place.” She pulled and looked Nayeon straight in the eyes. “I would never think of you like that, ever. Because I don’t need enough, you’re more than that; I just need you.”
Nayeon inhaled sharply. “Really?” She asked, voice small.
Tzuyu nodded. “Yes.” She breathed out.
Tzuyu was hyper-aware of how close they were to each other. She couldn’t help but glance down towards Nayeon’s lips, imagining how soft it’d be pressed against her own. And it seemed she wasn’t the only one thinking of it.
“Can I kiss you?” Nayeon whispered.
Tzuyu felt blood rush through her ear, in awe at how those words could make her feel so much. She let out a shaky breath, “please.”
So Nayeon kissed her. It was soft and tentative as if the girl were giving her space to turn away. But she deepened it, tilting her head to the side so their lips could slot against each other easily. The noise coming out from the back of Nayeon’s throat sent a jolt of lightning down her spine and she couldn’t get enough of it. They pulled back at the same time, their foreheads pressed against one another, and they were out of breath. She didn’t think kissing could be this exhilarating.
After her heartbeat had calmed enough, she laughed, hearty and loud because she couldn’t contain the happiness she was feeling. Nayeon laughed too, free and easy and Tzuyu absolutely loved it. She pulled back from Nayeon, still smiling as she remembered what sparked this whole thing up. “Sana and Momo are dating.”
Nayeon was bewildered. “No way. I thought they were best friends.” She groaned. “I have to apologise to Sana then.”
“What did you do?”
Nayeon avoided looking at her, expression sheepish as she scratched her cheek. “I kind of glare at her whenever she was near you.”
“Kind of?”
“Full-on glare, but I’m going to apologise to her when we get back.” Nayeon stood up, dusting herself off and extending her hand towards Tzuyu. “Let’s go back?” She asked, looking a bit anxious.
Tzuyu took her hand, noticing that it was warm now. “Okay.”
They got an earful from Jihyo for wandering off and not informing them. But a whisper from Jeongyeon stopped her chiding. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “Get that ice cream in the freezer then go eat. Everything’s ready on the table.” But before they left, Jihyo warned them with a smile. “You guys better pray the ice cream hardens before dessert time because I will be upset if it’s not.”
They scurried off in search of a freezer, not wanting to face Jihyo's wrath. When they reached the kitchen, Mina and Dahyun were there, making out against the counter.
Tzuyu coughed into her hand, almost laughing when they detached from each other like those beetles Dahyun separated last spring.
“O-oh hey! You’re back. That was fast.” Dahyun stuttered, not so subtly trying to fix her shirt.
“We’ve been gone for like an hour.” Nayeon raised her eyebrow, amused by the situation.
The girls looked flustered and Tzuyu took pity on them. “You guys should go eat.” They hurried along, but Tzuyu got a hold of Dahyun. “Does Chaeyoung know about this?”
“Not yet.”
“I’ll act surprised then. Oh, and congrats Dahyun.” She beamed at the girl. Dahyun smiled back, giving Tzuyu a pat on the head.
“Who would’ve thought,” Nayeon said, astonished.
“Nayeon, really?”
---
The barbecue was a success. Everyone had fun eating and drinking the plethora of dishes prepared by Momo and Jeongyeon. They even had a dancing and karaoke session afterwards, where Jihyo and Nayeon dominated the mics. Nayeon dedicated a few songs to her that made her feel warm and embarrassed. It went well into the night, or at least until everyone was exhausted.
Tzuyu was on her way back to their room when she heard voices around the corner. She stopped short when she realised it was Nayeon and Sana's voice. They were speaking in a low and serious tone, so she waited, not wanting to interrupt whatever conversation they were having but she heard her name being mentioned. Scooting closer to the edge of the wall, she listened in.
“Congratulations to the both of you then,” Sana stated cheerily.
“I-uh, thanks.” Nayeon paused. “But that’s not the only reason why I stopped you. I want to apologise—”
“There’s no need for that Nayeon. If anything, it was amusing seeing you so worked up for Tzuyu.” Sana stepped closer. “It just shows me that you’re very serious about her and that’s pretty admirable.” She leaned even closer, smile toothy and eyes sharp. “If you’re not, well, me and Momo could let Tzuyu join us.”
“Excuse me—”
“Good night Nayeon. Good night to you too Tzuyu.” She waved and skipped away.
Tzuyu got out of her hiding spot, blushing up a storm because she got caught and because Sana said something so scandalous like that. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
Nayeon waved her hand, clearly flustered as well. “It’s okay. Let’s just go to sleep.”
They lay down in their usual position. Nayeon was the big spoon because Tzuyu found out that she preferred being held rather than holding unless the girl wanted to change position. As she was about to drift off, she could feel lips pressed against the back of her neck. She felt content washed over her.
That night she dream of Nayeon and her at the beach again, holding hands as they let the wave wash over their feet.
---
They left the house after they cleaned everything up. Chaeyoung and Dahyun planned to continue their journey to another city down south but this time with an additional Mina. Sana and Momo went back to their apartment in Seoul, but they made some stops along the way.
Tzuyu observed the world outside the car window, taking in the scenery as they headed back towards Seoul. Jeongyeon will drop her at the train station first because she has to get back home. She felt happy to finally go back home after months of not meeting her parents, but at the same time, she felt sad because she’d be away from Nayeon.
When they were near the station, she gently nudged Nayeon awake, grinning when she saw a tiny bit of drool at the corner of her lips. “You got drool on you,” she teased.
Nayeon immediately wiped it off, embarrassed. “Shush. Are we here?” She asked.
Tzuyu nodded sadly.
Nayeon sighed. “Okay then.”
Before Jeongyeon parked the car, she looked at them in the rearview mirror. “You guys stay in here and say your goodbyes. We’ll help take out the bag.” As soon as the car was parked, the couple left the car, leaving Tzuyu and Nayeon in the backseat.
Nayeon shook her head, amused. “They’re so—”
“Nice. Now kiss me before I go Nayeon.”
Nayeon was stunned by the demand that she didn’t move fast enough. So Tzuyu took matters into her own hands and pulled the girl into a kiss. It was so different from their first kiss. Rough, deep and oh so desperate. As if they’re trying to commit each other to memory. Tzuyu hoped it did because it might help her curb her longing for Nayeon.
“I lo-like you. So, so much Tzuyu.” Nayeon panted against her lips.
Tzuyu pretended to not hear the slip, agreeing that they were not ready for that yet. “I like you too Nayeon. So, so much.”
Before she could think of kissing Nayeon senseless again, Jeongyeon knocked on the window, startling them. The girl looked apologetic as she tapped on her watch. She turned her attention towards Nayeon, wiping the lone tear at the corner of her eyes. “I have to go now.”
“I know.” Nayeon opened the door, letting her out.
She hugged Jeongyeon and Jihyo, thanking them for bringing her along. She then turned to Nayeon, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’ll see you after the break.”
Nayeon sniffled into her neck. “Okay.” She murmured.
It took 5 minutes for them to let go of each other but when they did, Tzuyu kissed Nayeon on the cheek before grabbing her bag to go inside the station. She waved one last time, then turned around in search of her platform.
Her train had not arrived yet, so she stood in line, waiting. While waiting, she felt a burning ache in her chest and it kept on burning even when she arrived home. After greeting her parents, she sat in her room, constantly looking for that second bed she was used to.
She missed Nayeon.
“Fuck.”