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" Oh come on , Tao .. It'll be fun . Tell you what . If you ever feel like bailing I won't stop you , just promise to tell me . "
It had been a few months since they were 'staying together' . They were good friends , after all . They would sleep in the same bed , do each other's hair , eat together .. they were .. good friends . Truthfully , Hu tao wasn't so sure anymore .. ever since Yanfei 'moved in' she had been in a happier mood . Actually waking up on the first alarm clock ring , going to bed at appropriate times , and eating more properly . There's times when she wondered , was she in a coma ? All of this .. simply was too good to be true . And if life had taught her anything , it's that most of the time , it actually is .
But a gentle tug brought her back from the daydreams , and Yanfei was still there . Bright green eyes sparkling even if she was in the shaded . A silent nod was given , causing the peppy law student to jump in joy . It was adorable , how childish a young adult can be . Sometimes she wonders , how one can have so little care for how the world perceives her . She's honestly jealous of her nature . They still had time before the festivities started , Yanfei had mentioned that she wanted to check out a new clothes store that opened recently .
She had wondered .. was Yanfei secretly hiding feelings for her .. it's not like she was hiding much , they held hands , slept together .. only thing left was to kiss ..
She's getting ahead of herself . Love between two women .. a whimsical concept she only found in reading material . Yanfei's just a very concerned friend . And it's not like she isn't grateful for it . If anything , she owed her a lot for helping her without even asking for it . And now to be the judge of attires chosen by the other , ranging from many shades of red and pinks to contrasting hues of green and yellow . It's another thing she noticed as well . She couldn't get away from those hues whenever she's around her . She even caught a glimpse of her underwear and yeah .. pink and reds . Though this time , the stark difference of greens made Hu tao pay more attention , urging the other to go with those options .
She chose to wait outside as the other payed . The cashier was giving her the stink eye .
Though to her surprise , a tap of the shoulder and a bag of her own , Yanfei bought her a shirt as well . It was black with a pink butterfly caricature on the front . She doesn't know why she wants to cry , causing the other to immediately jump into a hug .
" Hey .. if you don't like it , I can get a return , no biggie . " Yanfei's whispers were as soft as ever , consoling back rubs did plenty to calm the other down .
" N-no .. it's .. pretty . Thank you . " Maybe .. she thought .. Yanfei was .. different .
--x--
As expected .. the festival area was very lively . Pretty much half a city block was used , streets filled with stalls selling all sorts of goods , foods , and experiences . From familiar foods like wantons and dim sum to up and coming trends like takoyaki and crepes , both were thankful they accidentally fasted the entire day . It didn't take long for both to sample a little bit of everything , with Hu tao noticing how Yanfei has an affinity for tofu related foods and vice versa with mushrooms .
Though Hu tao thought the haunted house had one too many clichés and relied too heavily on jumpscares rather than ambience and tension , she mostly kept it to herself , she respected the hustle and played along . That .. and having Yanfei practically jump into her arms with every little twitch of the scene causes her own heart to jump though on much more .. happier terms . They ended up laughing it away , Hu tao gaining ammunition to tease the other and Yanfei seemingly finally able to crack the tough Hu tao-nut .
" Hey .. I'm kinda hungry .. " With a tug , Yanfei pulls the other to the side , away from the traffic flow .
" Already ? I thought the fried tofu filled you . " Her reply caused a huff , missing the point . With a sigh , Yanfei points towards the stall they stood in front of . It was a cute little Korean noodle shop , though she specifically stopped here because of a certain gimmick .
As the hostess came , she gestured towards the clothes line nearby . That's when it clicked for Hu tao ..
It's not that she doesn't like the Hanbok , rather it felt tacky compared to the tee she had on . The flabby arms along with the silk goreum made her feel like a fish out of water . But then she saw Yanfei , she redid her hair , usually puffy and lazily hanging (desperately begging little plum blossom to play with) was now tied up , with ornate hairpins skewered in to keep its shape .
She was stunned , jaw hung agape which caused the other to giggle , using a finger to gently close it .
" Careful .. a fly might land on your tongue . "
It was like their first time eating together over again , though this time a little more chuckling , uncomfortable-ness mostly came to prior discomfort within the traditional clothing . Thankfully she still had her tee underneath , sparing her from itchiness that might come
–x–
Crashing onto the bed , Hu tao let loose a rather loud sigh of relief . Sprawled out on her warm bed after a long day’s walking and eating . Yanfei could only manage a giggle as she finished combing her hair . From where she was sitting on the ground , she turned to face the bed , to face the other . Her face showed she was contemplating something , she wasn’t ever good at hiding what she was thinking .
“ Something .. on your mind .. Fei .. ? “
Anxious was Hu tao , always fearing the worst .
“ Nothing .. okay .. maybe just a question .. “
Dread .. dread fills her entire body , Hu tao could only manage to curl up into a fetal position , though still facing the other , anxiously waiting her next words .
A deep breath , Yanfei knew everything hinged on her words .. all their moments together .. it had to mean something .. right ?
“ Do .. you like girls .. Tao .. ? “
Yanfei had her eyes shut , afraid of rejection , just as much as Hu tao was .. which made the surprise of a kiss be that more explosive , drawing out a tiny squeak from her . Even through the silence , without words , Hu tao had said everything she wanted to hear .
This time , climbing into the bed , she didn’t fear scooching just a little close , practically purring as the other wraps around her . Just like last time .. she takes her hand , intertwines her fingers , and holds her close .
Just as close as Hu tao was holding her .
Maybe love .. just happens .. without rhyme or reason .