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tzuyu kisses the top of the last puppy’s head before tucking him inside the cage. it’s well past eleven in the evening and she’s just finishing off the last of the cleaning before she heads to bed. that’s one of the best advantages of living above her vet clinic. she’s picked up a few strays on the side too, wanting to keep them off the streets instead of letting them starve. so, her vet clinic is more of a mix of a shelter as well as the usual health services.
“good night cuties.” tzuyu smiles at the puppies and kittens fast asleep. she needs to take the bag of trash out of the room. she contemplates leaving it inside, feeling the tiredness creep in. but, she’d rather get it done now than deal with a foul-smelling clinic in the morning.
trying to be quick, tzuyu exits through the back door to where her rubbish bins are located. it’s dark and she can barely see where she’s going in the alley. the stupid lights have been flickering for over two weeks now. she’ll most likely have to replace it herself. just as she opens the lid of the bin, tzuyu hears a small whimper. she pauses, whipping her head towards the direction she’d heard the sound come from. could it be another stray dog?
never one to ignore cries from little ones, tzuyu leaves the bag on the floor as she walks in the opposite direction. the whimpers are no longer quiet, sounding more like a person. on reflex, tzuyu pats her pockets, checking for her pepper spray and her little switchblade. both were gifts from her best friends to keep her out of trouble. she’s never had a chance to use them and she really hopes today won’t be the first time. as she nears the edge of the alley, tzuyu becomes hesitant. there’s a streetlight shedding enough light for her to peek around. she can hear her heart’s thundering beats echoing in her ears.
usually, a normal person would turn back around and go into hiding. but, there’s a sense of uneasiness that takes a hold of tzuyu. she has a sudden urge to check it out.
“h-hello?” tzuyu mumbles, noticing a slouched figure in the shadows. it isn’t a dead body, right? of course, no one would abandon one in a side alley in the middle of the night.
more whimpering, groans that sounded like someone is in pain. she holds the pepper spray in her hand tightly, ready to spray it at any given second. the moment tzuyu spots the person – a woman – she almost drops the can. she can’t make out much, but the woman is wearing a vest and tie, leaning against the wall, visibly in a lot of pain. tzuyu’s focus immediately falls on her injuries. there’s a gash along her right cheek, which looks like it’s stopped bleeding. but the main area of concern seems to be the left arm. the woman looks as if she’s pressing on a deep wound.
“do you need any help? should i call an ambulance?” tzuyu rushes to her side. her breath catches in her throat when the woman opens her eyes, pure pits of darkness. it’s almost as if she’s staring right through her. “okay, no ambulances. can i help you?”
at first, the woman shakes her head, trying to hide further in the shadows. she makes an attempt to stand up, but stumbles, tzuyu steadying her.
“you’re not in any position to walk. i promise it won’t take long. i’m a vet and this is my place right here.” tzuyu points to the door. “i can patch you up inside.”
“outside.” the woman moans, head lolling to the side.
tzuyu grumbles under her breath, frustrated with her stubbornness. she contemplates her choices, realises she can’t do much. she’s grateful for the few extra units she picked up in university to deal with human injuries. “i’m going to rip your sleeve.” without letting her respond, she tears the white cloth, attempting to muffle a gasp at the sight before her. tzuyu swiftly ties it around her arm tightly, with hopes to ease the bleeding. some of the blood seeps through the white fabric and she shakes her head. “you can’t let that go untreated.”
“i don’t need it.” the woman steadies herself this time as she rises. she takes a few steps, heavily leaning against the wall to stay upright. but there’s the sounds of sirens and tzuyu notes how she flinches. she can’t stay out on her own.
tzuyu counts to five, getting to four before the woman slides down the wall. her stubbornness won’t do her any good. the way she’s going, she won’t even make it to the main road. sighing heavily, tzuyu heads over to her in quick strides, receiving no refusal of help this time as she wraps the woman’s uninjured arm around her shoulders. she guides the two of them inside, huffing as she finds a suitable place for her to seat the injured woman. her check-up area should do.
the groans of pain decrease and tzuyu’s fear of her health picks up. she knows she needs to sterilise the wound. she should have something in her cupboards for that. it’s not deep enough to require stitches. perusing her shelves, she finds an antibiotic solution to wash it off with.
“now that we’re no longer fighting this, my name is tzuyu.” tzuyu introduces herself, hoping to fill in some gaps about this woman and who she is.
there’s an amused glint shining in the woman’s eyes as she looks at tzuyu. she drags her tongue across her lips and tzuyu hates that her eyes follow. she snaps herself out of her trance, the switch from the woman’s refusal earlier to now is jarring.
“sana.” she relaxes, almost as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
“how did you get such an injury?” tzuyu furrows her eyebrows.
sana is quiet as tzuyu tends to the injury. she risks a quick glance towards her, exhaustion plastered across her face. it makes tzuyu hurry, wrapping a bandage tightly around the wound. there’s some silly band-aids she can use for her cheek, courtesy of her best friends, of course.
“business deal gone wrong.” sana’s answer is brief, hesitant. “do you usually pick people up from alleys and take them in?”
“well, not people. animals yes.” tzuyu smiles as she talks about the strays.
“you said you’re a veterinarian? have you been here for long?” sana takes interest in tzuyu’s work. almost as if she’s deflecting, not wanting to be on the receiving end of such questions.
“for someone who didn’t even want to be treated, you’re quite chatty.” tzuyu raises an eyebrow at the woman who only chuckles at her words. she curses under her breath. she shouldn’t be so drawn to her when she doesn’t even know anything but her name. “i’ve been working here for a few years. before, though, i worked with my uncle at his clinic.
“something you knew you’d be doing from a young age?” sana asks.
tzuyu cups her cheeks, taking note of the way she inhales sharply. she knows where sana’s eyes are lingering and she refuses to acknowledge it. she soaks a towel in soapy water, gently dabs it against the cut on her cheek.
“i’ve always had a soft spot for animals. i couldn’t see myself doing anything else but taking care of them.” tzuyu nods as she pulls out a pink band-aid to cover the cut.
“your love for them is adorable. i admire your dedication.” sana smiles sincerely and tzuyu’s taken aback, cheeks burning.
“all done.” tzuyu sighs, rubbing her face with her hands. it’s well into the early hours of the morning. the adrenaline from finding sana and helping her to safety is now wearing off. the reality of the situation is now sinking in. what if this person had been someone on the run? or a criminal? tzuyu knows she’s technically keeping her hidden.
if her friends caught wind of this, they’d definitely kill her for thinking of it in the first place. rescuing a stranger? but, tzuyu has never been one to leave helpless people to fend for themselves. the guilt would have been ten-fold if she’d left the woman to suffer outside. she shakes her head. tzuyu lacks the time to contemplate any of these things when her mind is swarming with her wellbeing instead.
“it’s late and i don’t believe you’d want to leave in the middle of the night. i can set up the spare room for you. please don’t move around a lot. i’m worried the wound on your arm will start bleeding again.” tzuyu pulls away from sana, pointing down the hall.
“i don’t want to inconvenience you. i’m sure i’ll be able to find someone to take me home.” sana shakes her head.
“it’s not a good idea, sana.” tzuyu crosses her arms over her chest. she pretends she’s not flustered by the way sana suddenly locks eyes with her upon calling her name.
“i appreciate the offer. it’s better if i don’t. it’s not a good idea.” sana reaches for her phone, typing away before tzuyu can get another word in. “my friend will be here in ten.”
tzuyu nods, sits quietly. “tell me something about yourself. i feel like i’ve been annoying you and talking your ear off.”
“you’ve been anything but annoying tzuyu. and i owe you something, i believe.” sana shakes her head. “i’m an only child. though, the person who’s coming to pick me up, momo, is my best friend and like a sister to me. she’s been there for me through everything and plays a big part in my life.”
“that’s sweet. reminds me of my best friends.” tzuyu laughs. she freezes when she notices sana’s gaze on her, looking stunned.
“you should do that more.” sana says as she shuffles closer.
“what? smile?” tzuyu frowns.
“laugh. you look beautiful.” sana compliments honestly. tzuyu feels the heat creep up to her cheeks at the statement. “you’re a special person, tzuyu. how can you be like this both inside and out?”
“that sounds terribly biased. from one meeting?” tzuyu teases.
before sana can say anything else, there’s a knock on the door. it must be momo. tzuyu goes to open the door to let her in. she looks furious as she walks up to sana. the two speak in a foreign language that seems a little familiar to tzuyu.
is that japanese? she’s heard one of her friends talk with her parents in a similar dialect. mina’s language sounds a little bit different though. maybe a different accent.
tzuyu lingers at the door, watching as momo wraps sana’s arm around her shoulders to help her out. there’s an ache building in tzuyu’s chest as she watches her leave. it’s stupid, she knows. how the hell did she manage to form a crush on her in the span of a few hours?
just as sana steps out of the door, she whispers something in momo’s ear, leaving her and tzuyu alone for a moment.
“thank you, tzuyu. i know i was stubborn, so i can’t thank you enough for disregarding that and still helping me.” sana sighs defeatedly. “you saved my life and i can’t repay you enough for that. i’m sorry this is the way things will be. but i… i hope we never meet again, for your safety.”
her words puzzle tzuyu. she opens her mouth to ask for an explanation but sana leans forward, invades all of her senses. she kisses her cheek and waves, leaving quickly.
tzuyu is left staring at the door in shock and utter confusion.
/
the shrill tone of her alarm blares in tzuyu’s ear. she stirs, not wanting to leave bed. her shoulders are aching and her head is pounding from this morning. but, she knows she needs to get out of bed. she stares at the ceiling. flashbacks of her interaction with sana cross in her mind and it almost feels as if it had all been a dream. sana breezed in and out in merely a few hours and now tzuyu feels like a muddled mess.
her words about not meeting again loop in her mind as she heads down to set up for the day. but what if tzuyu wants to meet her again? see her again? she mumbles to herself about her wandering thoughts, aware of the silliness. she can’t be daydreaming about her. the door opens to her clinic and she pushes the thoughts away, keeping it hidden. she has a job to attend to. she can’t be distracted.
(even though her patients come and go throughout the day, tzuyu’s mind is plagued with sana; who is she?)
/
tzuyu plays with the straw in her drink absentmindedly. it’s been almost a month since she met sana and she still hasn’t been able to erase the memories from her mind. thinking it would be a good idea to help the movement, she chose to hang out with her friends for dinner. though, it seems it’s not working either.
“okay, i’ve had enough. what’s bothering you?” mina holds tzuyu’s hand. “you’ve been out of it all evening and even dahyun and chaeyoung have noticed.”
upon the mentioning of her other two friends, tzuyu turns to face them, both looking at her with concern. she feels guilty for making them worry when it’s not even a big deal.
“i’ve just been so busy with work. i think it’s taking a toll on me.” tzuyu lies. she doesn’t know how to tell them that her mind has been invaded by a woman after meeting her once. “sorry guys. i’ll try to focus.”
“is that all?” dahyun furrows her eyebrows.
“and maybe i met someone.” tzuyu gnaws on her lip as the girls squeal. she wants to keep it brief. “but, it’s not going anywhere. i only met her once and i don’t think we’ll meet again. i need a distraction.”
“oh, don’t you have that thing on later mina?” chaeyoung gets an idea.
“a distraction, you say?” mina grins. “do you want to come to the company dinner with me? i can bring a plus-one. mom and dad want me to be there but i’ll be bored out of my mind. we can have some fun.”
“are you sure? don’t you want to bring someone else as your date?” tzuyu frowns. “i’m sure you have a line of people who would love to go with you.”
“now i just think you’re trying to get out of it. it’ll be next saturday at the minatozaki hotel. i’ll come pick you up.” mina rolls her eyes. “for the rest of the night, let’s go back home. i think we’d all rather have a sleepover with you than be out here.”
tzuyu’s never felt more grateful for her friends.
/
her bed is piled up with clothes, countless dresses and coats thrown away in haste as tzuyu tries to find a suitable outfit for the evening. mina’s parents are pretty well-off. meaning, this is an event that’ll be formal and requires an attire that suits the theme. tzuyu can’t find anything close to that in her wardrobe and she needs to be ready in a few hours.
as if hearing her worries from miles away, her phone buzzes, indicating a call from mina.
“wear the black suit. the one that has the belt on the coat.” mina doesn’t even need to ask to know that tzuyu would be struggling.
“would that be okay? i don’t want to not seem formal enough.” tzuyu pulls out the one mina suggested.
“you pull off everything you wear, i really don’t know why you think it won’t work. do you want me to come early to help you?” mina asks.
“you’re the best.” tzuyu admits, hearing mina laughing.
it soothes her nerves when mina arrives, choosing to wear a navy-blue velvet suit. it’s embellished with gold brooches, screaming expensive as always.
“my suit is nothing like yours!” tzuyu grumbles.
“you’ll be fine. i brought a shirt for you to wear.” mina hands over a silk white shirt. it’s probably worth more than she can even estimate.
in the next half an hour, mina is there to help tzuyu finish off her look. her hair is in waves, a small portion tied back. the lustrous black suit matches well with her shirt and tzuyu’s left speechless at how it makes such a difference. they scrap the tie, leaving the top few buttons open. though, instead, mina folds a navy-blue patterned napkin in her breast pocket, matching with her own.
“you look amazing.” mina nods, appreciating her work.
“thanks mina. always saving me.” tzuyu thanks her sincerely. she hopes she can have a good time this evening.
“let’s go.” mina guides her to their awaiting limousine.
the hotel is stunning. tzuyu marvels at the grandiosity it exudes. the hints of gold in almost everything, from the furniture to the lighting. whoever owns this place knows the beauty of decorating. the ballroom is just as stunning. tzuyu doesn’t feel underdressed.
mina is right next to her, taking her around the hall as soon as they have the time. she’s amazed with the presence of all the guests. they hold such an air of superiority as they talk with others. tzuyu turns to look at the entry to kitchen and almost does a double take. she can’t mistake the sight with anything else, she knows it.
standing on the side in a maroon suit, is sana.
why is it that the only thing tzuyu tries to run from is what comes to hit her in the face? the purpose of this evening had been to forget about sana. she curses under her breath and looks away. mina looks at her in worry but tzuyu smiles, trying to shrug off her worry. she inhales deeply, tries to calm herself down. she can deal with this. it’s just another evening with mina and that’s all she’s going to focus on.
when she turns around, she hates that she checks once again, looks in sana’s direction. and tzuyu is greeted with sana’s eyes on her own, not a hint of surprise on her face. the corner of her lips turn up a smidge, refusing to be the one to break their eye-contact.
“tzu?” mina calls for tzuyu’s attention, tapping her shoulder.
“hmm? what’s up?” tzuyu turns around, mina having a suspicious smile on her face. “no, i’m not doing it.”
“you don’t even know what it is!” mina gasps.
“you’re up to something.” tzuyu squints at her best friend.
“i was just going to ask you for a dance.” mina pouts, offended by tzuyu’s lack of belief.
“are you trying to make someone jealous?” tzuyu raises an eyebrow. she knows she’s right when the tip of mina’s nose turns red.
“i feel sorry for whoever they are.” tzuyu grumbles, offering her hand to mina. they take the floor, which already has a few couples dancing slowly. she wraps her arms around mina’s waist, not sure where they’re meant to go. “is it normal to be dancing at these events? it feels awkward.”
“yeah, usually i get asked by many of the men and i thought i’d take a step forward and beat them to it by asking you.” mina’s answer makes tzuyu chuckle. she adjusts her hands, lets them linger on tzuyu’s shoulders.
“oh, i’m so lucky to be in the arms of myoui mina then.” tzuyu teases.
the two bicker for about five minutes, trying to get a rise out of each other. that is, until there’s a tap on mina’s shoulder. tzuyu is rendered speechless as she sees the two women standing behind them.
“can we cut in?” momo speaks up, directing her question to mina, who nods immediately.
so, the person she wanted to make jealous was momo? tzuyu shakes her head, confused about the scenario playing before her eyes.
“the two of them have known each other for a while. just going back and forth with their feelings.” sana explains as she holds out her hand for tzuyu.
it’s different seeing her like this, tzuyu realises. because during that night, she’d failed to notice how beautiful she is. yes, to a certain extent she’d been already smitten by her. but tonight, tonight sana looks jaw-dropping. it takes her off-guard, especially when there’s a small smile on her lips as she looks at tzuyu. this time, her hair is pulled back into a ponytail. seeing her up close, tzuyu realises that the cut on her cheek has faded, barely visible now.
sana’s hand is warm as tzuyu places her hand atop hers. she’s quick to guide it to her waist. tzuyu lets her slip one hand through her free one, watching as she raises it in the air. sana rests her other hand on tzuyu’s shoulder, drawing her close. is this how it’s meant to be? tzuyu looks at the other couples, all in similar positions, or more intimate. she blushes at the thought of being as close with sana.
“i didn’t think you’d approach. with the whole never meeting again speech you gave me last time.” tzuyu mutters as sana sways them.
“honestly, i wasn’t expecting to meet you at all. but then i saw you walk in with mina and couldn’t resist.” sana sighs, shaking her head. “but, this will be the last time. this isn’t a good idea.”
somehow, tzuyu doesn’t believe that. though, she doesn’t argue with sana words. allows herself to be spun and embraced, sana’s lingering touch burning, heated against her skin. allows herself to be once again enraptured by the person by her side. there are so many questions on the tip of tzuyu’s tongue. sana’s entirety is so mysterious. why is she here this evening? how does she know mina? why does she know mina? what does she do? why was she injured that night?
“what are you doing here this evening?” sana asks, eyes locked onto tzuyu’s. “you know mina?”
“she’s my best friend.” tzuyu is tugged a little closer, nose brushing against sana’s. they both gasp almost inaudibly at the contact. an overwhelming sense of heat radiates across their bodies. “how about you?”
“ms minatozaki, sorry to disturb you. your presence is needed in the kitchen.” a woman comes up to the two of them hesitantly. sana doesn’t get a chance to answer.
minatozaki? wait. tzuyu’s eyes widen as she realises who sana is. the owner of this hotel? before she can have her thoughts clarified, sana’s gone and tzuyu’s even more confused than before.
she wants, no needs to talk to her.
tzuyu looks over to mina, finds her completely engrossed in whatever momo is saying. she won’t notice if tzuyu disappears for a little bit.
she won’t be able to enter through the kitchen. instead, tzuyu chooses to take a back exit, ending up in the side alley. she can hear some whispering, an urgent conversation of sorts. she closes in, wondering who it could be.
when she peeks over the corner, sana is standing there, in another one of her suit vests, matching her maroon coat from earlier. the cuffs of her shirt sleeves aren’t rolled up even though the coat is gone. it’s cruel how she looks breathtaking no matter what she wears. she shakes herself out of her wandering thoughts, focuses on sana. her back is towards tzuyu, so she won’t be able to pick up her presence. she shuffles a little closer, finds the same woman from earlier talking to sana.
tzuyu doesn’t try to muffle her steps, all she really wants is to talk to sana.
but, nothing could really prepare her of what is to come.
“being the mafia leader doesn’t mean they’ll leave you alone, you know that. they’ll find what’s most important to you.”
“i know they won’t. but i told them what would happen if they cross the borders. i gave countless warnings. they can’t be that reckless.” sana hisses.
it’s a sight to behold, tzuyu thinks, seeing such a different side of sana. the one minute she’s spent here has told her more about sana than all of their conversations combined. she doesn’t quite know how to comprehend what she’s just heard. the person she’s been crushing on is possibly one of the most dangerous people in the world. not just working for the mafia, but being the mafia leader . tzuyu shakes her head, takes a step back, ends up stepping on a discarded can. the two women whip their heads towards her and sana’s eyes widen, opening her mouth to speak.
but she can’t stay. chooses to turn around and pretend she’d never seen it all unravel before her eyes. weaving through the crowd of the room, tzuyu exits the function quickly. she can take a taxi back home instead of burdening mina with transport.
“tzuyu, let me explain.” sana is hot on her tail.
honestly, she doesn’t even know why she’s trying to escape. she’s overwhelmed. but sana had warned her already, several times.
just as she turns around the corner, she’s suddenly pushed against the wall. tzuyu grimaces as she’s greeted with the sight of a woman she’s never seen before, dressed in pure leather. what could she want with her? a circle of men slowly crowd around her and tzuyu gulps, trying to look for a break to slip through.
“i don’t have anything for you to take.” tzuyu raises her hands, surrendering.
“that’s not why you’re here. what do you know about minatozaki?” the woman seethes as she pushes her elbow against tzuyu’s collarbone. “why are you so precious to her?”
“nayeon, leave her alone.” sana snarls, outside the circle of men. “your boss shouldn’t have sent you here. i told him to leave us alone.”
“he wants to send a message. super easy, right? it’s part of the job, you know that.” nayeon smirks, pulling out a pocket knife. she turns back to tzuyu, nears her cheek.
“if you even dare to touch her, you’ll regret it.” sana’s anger begins to pick up.
nayeon simply laughs, locks eyes with tzuyu. “it seems you’ve turned the lioness into a kitten.” she nicks tzuyu’s cheek with the edge of her knife, drawing blood.
tzuyu barely blinks when sana attacks, the gleam of her silver brass knuckle shining in the moonlight. she knows she shouldn’t stand idle. she tries to look for a weapon, finds a discarded metal baton from one of the men on the floor. tzuyu follows in sana’s footsteps, hits the men from the back while sana attacks from the front. she watches the conflict flicker in sana’s eyes as she joins.
she’s distracted.
“sana!” tzuyu calls out. but she’s not quick enough. a hit to her lower back leaves her reeling.
it’s the last man, looking smug as he grabs sana by the collar of her shirt. he lands a punch on her jaw. she loses her footing but tzuyu can tell it’s not going to stop her. she’s getting ready to strike again. but, before sana can drive her brass knuckles into his body, nayeon attacks him from the back, using the butt of her gun to knock him out.
“i had him, you know.” sana grumbles.
nayeon rolls her eyes. “sure, keep telling yourself that sweetie.” she turns to tzuyu, smiles softly. “sorry about that. i hope it didn’t hurt.”
tzuyu is completely confused and dazzled at the same time. what just happened?
“shit, sana. you don’t look good. i told you to have backup.” nayeon rushes to hold sana up.
“i got distracted.” sana groans, eyes flitting to tzuyu for a mere second. “we’re almost at the end. you need to get out of here before he hears that you’re helping me.”
“he’s an idiot. he won’t realise.” nayeon shakes her head.
“can someone explain what’s going on please?” tzuyu cuts in, wanting answers.
“sana is trying to finish the entire syndicate. close it forever. not everyone is happy about it. they heard about you and want to exploit sana’s weakness.” nayeon summarises. “i tell sana everything that happens on the inside and pretend to be on my boss’ side.”
“that’s about it.” sana sighs, licking the corner of her lip and wincing. “thanks for that nayeon. see you in a few weeks.”
tzuyu scans sana’s face, frowns when she spots all the cuts and bruises. she knows it happened because she’d been worried about tzuyu fighting them too. she’d caused this mess.
“it’s not your fault. i just didn’t expect you to be badass.” sana chuckles, whining in pain after.
“let me take you back to my clinic.” tzuyu offers.
“no. this is where it stops, tzuyu. i put you in danger. i can’t do that again. can’t risk it. not until this whole task is over. i don’t want to see you hurt. even if it’s just nayeon, she still hurt you. that too because of me.” sana shakes her head. “this is my fault. it’s dangerous for you to be with me while they know you’re my weakness.”
“how did they find that out so quickly?” tzuyu frowns.
“when i left your clinic, they already knew. word travels fast in this industry.” sana’s smile is bitter.
tzuyu sighs defeatedly. “well, if this will be the last time we meet, let me at least tend to your wound.
“it’s kind of surprising how keen you are to do this when you heal animals for a living.” sana says cheekily.
“i’m surprised you’re okay with me healing you again without another argument.” tzuyu squints at her.
“well, you helped me when you didn’t even know who i was. i think that’s worth than anything in words. i trust you more than anyone else. just don’t let momo hear that.” sana grins.
/
sana is perched on one of tzuyu’s examination tables, kicking her legs mindlessly as she waits for tzuyu.
“when did you become the leader for your clan? you seem experienced.” tzuyu asks as she brings the usual soapy mixture again. she dips a towel in the bowl, waiting for sana’s answer.
“i took over from my parents when i saw what the other clans really did with their power. i think i was nineteen.” sana recollects. “the two of them were very encouraging and helped me with every step i made, every choice. it’s been difficult finding evidence and trying to unite these clans. most of them have been willing to join our crusade against the final clan. the one nayeon is part of. he’s a stubborn one, that clan leader. won’t bow down to anyone.”
“if anyone, i know you have it in your power to do it. nayeon is going to be with you, right?” tzuyu asks.
“i plan to bring her over. she’s already promised. i know she always stays true to her words.” sana nods. “all the time this has taken, i think it’s been worth it.”
“it’s taken you years for you to reach this point. your patience is admirable.” tzuyu nods. “proud of you for almost getting there. you can do finish it all.”
there’s silence after tzuyu speaks and she’s afraid of looking up, thinking she’s overstepped. though, she’s stunned by the look in sana’s eyes. the gratitude shines, a watery smile on her lips.
“what?” tzuyu’s voice is laced with concern.
“i think this world doesn’t quite deserve you, chou tzuyu.” sana shakes her head. “you’re way too kind. helping a mafia leader and encouraging her to do her best.”
“this mafia leader is a secret softie at heart. i think she’s an exception.” tzuyu rolls her eyes. she dips a cotton bud into an ointment and cups sana’s jaw tenderly.
“did you order more medicine and first-aid equipment?” sana realises some things are new. the way tzuyu’s cheeks redden is her answer. “okay, you’re definitely adorable.”
“i didn’t know what could happen to you. i wanted to be prepared.” tzuyu mutters.
“even if i never came back again?” sana raises an eyebrow.
“i don’t know. i felt like we would meet, no matter how many times you would say we wouldn’t see each other.” tzuyu shrugs. “better to be prepared, really.”
sana smiles at her, awful at keeping her teasing to a minimum. she doesn’t need to speak for tzuyu to pick up on it.
as tzuyu tapes the bandage, the realisation dawns on her. she doesn’t know when she’ll be able to see sana again. she frowns at the thought. what if she didn’t come back? she gnaws on her bottom lip, wishing for her to be safe. she’s reckless and relies on her quick thinking rather than stopping and considering consequences. tzuyu fears for her life.
“what is it?” sana whispers, cupping tzuyu’s cheeks and guiding her closer. she’s in between sana’s legs now, yet barely touching.
“i’m scared. worried i won’t see you again.” tzuyu locks eyes with sana as she expresses what’s bothering her.
“i can’t tell you for sure. but one thing i know is that i want to come back. i will come back to you.” sana declares. she pulls out her brass knuckles, places it in tzuyu’s palm. the weapon is silver, palm grip being a blue dragon. “i’m going to return just to collect this. keep it with you.”
tzuyu nods, lowering her head. warm hands cradle her cheeks again and she closes her eyes as she feels soft lips touching her forehead.
she hates how it feels so much like a goodbye.
/
tzuyu finishes off with her final appointment of the day. she’s exhausted and she collapses against her chair, resting for a few moments. sana’s brass knuckles sit atop her shelf, a reminder of the woman that still plagues her dreams.
the bell on her door jingles as someone enters. tzuyu isn’t in the mood.
“i’m sorry, but the clinic is closed. please return tomorrow.” tzuyu sighs. the footsteps don’t recede though. she’s annoyed, not needing the extra stress. she’s riled up and ready to give them hell.
only for her to freeze in her spot. tzuyu almost thinks she’s seeing things. sana stands before her, holding a pretty bouquet of flowers. she’s still dressed in one of her stupid stunning suits. almost as if she knows how amazing she looks in them.
“hi, i’m minatozaki sana. i had something to collect. is now a good time?” sana grins as she introduces herself. tzuyu runs to her, still unbelieving of the sight before her eyes. “can i take you out for dinner?”
though, tzuyu doesn’t want to hear anything anymore. she’s been craving this moment for more than a month. she pulls sana by the lapels of her coat, brushes her nose against hers. the shift of sana’s emotions amuses tzuyu and she can’t fight the smile that forms on her lips.
“i need you.” sana mumbles. “more than i realised.”
tzuyu nods, overwhelmed with warmth as sana presses her lips against hers. there’s a searing palm on her lower back, seeping through tzuyu’s shirt. it’s gentle and tender until it’s not. sana’s kisses set her alight. she threads her hand in tzuyu’s hair, bites her lips teasingly. tzuyu feels like she’s about to lose control, no inhibitions about this , about sana. she wants more, she takes and sana lets her.
“kissing before the first date? isn’t that a little bit risky ms chou?” sana teases as she pulls away. tzuyu whines, burrowing herself against sana’s neck.
“thank you, for coming back.” tzuyu whispers.
“i told you i would.” sana smiles at her softly. “this time, i’m going to do things right. even though you threw that plan out the window when you kissed me. this is me, ready to give you all of what i have.”
“you say that like you’re not the owner of the biggest hotels in the country.” tzuyu grumbles. “i’m ready.”
“more than anything, i’m grateful that you waited. i won’t let it go to waste.” sana promises, bringing up tzuyu’s hand to kiss her palm. “let’s go? mina told me about your favourites. hopefully she didn’t betray me.”
“you spoke to mina before me–”
(they don’t quite make it out of the clinic in time, with sana’s unconventional methods of silencing tzuyu and her wandering hands)