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14

"Seyoung!" Tzuyu called, her voice a little sharper than intended, snapping Chaeyoung from her intense sketching.

Chaeyoung turned, a laugh escaping her lips as she rose and walked towards Tzuyu, who leaned casually against the doorframe.

"Who the hell is Seyoung?" Chaeyoung asked, a playful smirk tugging at her lips.

"I'm…foreigner, dude," Tzuyu replied, her gaze lingering on Chaeyoung, a silent adoration in her eyes that Chaeyoung seemed to miss completely.

"Okay, okay. So, what's up?" Chaeyoung asked, her tone light.

Tzuyu didn't realize how long she'd been staring, lost in the beauty of Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung snapped her fingers.  "Earth to Tzuyu."

Tzuyu blinked, startled. "Uh…coffee?" she blurted out, the words a little breathless.

"Just us?" Chaeyoung's question hung in the air, a delicate possibility.

Tzuyu nodded, a hopeful smile gracing her lips.

"Nope.  Make it three," a voice cut through the quiet anticipation.

"Four," the voice corrected, a little mischievously.

Sana and Mina appeared, their arrival a jarring intrusion into the budding intimacy.  "Hey, Chae, Tzuyu," Mina greeted, her smile strained, her eyes betraying a hint of apprehension.  "Sorry, Sana dragged me.  Okay if we tag along?"

Tzuyu's stomach clenched.  Sana had ruined everything.  She opened her mouth to protest, but Chaeyoung's voice, bright and welcoming, cut her off.

"Sure, Unnie!" Chaeyoung's dimpled smile was radiant, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside Tzuyu.

Mina and Tzuyu both felt a pang of longing, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken feelings that hung between them.

 

At the cafe, the tension was palpable.

"What do you want?" Tzuyu asked, her voice deliberately cold, pointedly ignoring Sana.

"Machi—" Sana began, but Tzuyu cut her off, her tone sharp.

"Not talking to you, Sana Unnie," Tzuyu said, her words clipped and devoid of warmth.

Sana pouted, her playful demeanor replaced by a hurt expression as she gently shook Tzuyu's shoulder.  Mina and Chaeyoung exchanged worried glances, their laughter a fragile attempt to mask the underlying tension.

Chaeyoung ordered a strawberry milkshake, Mina an iced americano.

Tzuyu went to the counter, Sana following close behind.

"Bummer," Sana whispered, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness, making Tzuyu turn.

"You are the bummer," Tzuyu retorted, her voice tight with suppressed frustration, before turning away.

"Hmm…is it because I ruined your little…date with Chaeyoung?" Sana's voice was a low purr, a deliberate taunt.

Tzuyu rolled her eyes, paying for the drinks.

"If I were you, I'd ask Minatozaki Sana out instead.  She's much more fun, you know?" Sana's words were a barbed arrow, aimed straight at Tzuyu's heart.  Tzuyu merely scoffed and returned to their table.

The closeness between Mina and Chaeyoung was a constant, painful reminder of what she couldn't have.  Tzuyu bit her lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.

Sana, seeing Tzuyu's silent suffering, decided on a drastic measure.

"I want to court Tzuyu," she announced, her voice ringing out, drawing the attention of everyone in the cafe.  The stunned silence that followed was deafening.

Tzuyu's gaze locked onto Sana's, her expression unreadable.

Mina's gasp broke the silence. "Whoa, Sana-chan!  Are you seriously courting a girl?  And…asking Chaeyoung for permission?"

"Yes, Mitang! I want to court Tzuyu, and I need Chaeyoungie's blessing," Sana declared, her voice playful, yet the desperation in her eyes was undeniable.

"From me?" Chaeyoung asked, her surprise evident, her eyes wide.

Sana nodded, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Well, if it's okay wi—" Chaeyoung started, but Tzuyu abruptly stood, cutting her off.

"Excuse us for a second, Unnie," Tzuyu said, her voice strained, her bow stiff and formal.  She grabbed Sana's arm, pulling her roughly out of the cafe and into a secluded alleyway.

Mina and Chaeyoung watched in stunned silence.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Tzuyu's voice was raw with anger, the years of suppressed feelings finally erupting.  This was clearly a deliberate provocation by Sana.

"Courting you," Sana said, her voice quiet but firm.  "And Tzu…you're hurting me."

Tzuyu looked at Sana's wrist, the angry red mark a testament to her harsh grip. She released her hold, her own hand trembling.

Sana touched her wrist, a soft sigh escaping her lips.  "For a girl, that grip was incredibly strong, Tzuyu-chan," she whispered, a hint of self-deprecation in her voice.

"Stop, Unnie," Tzuyu whispered, her voice choked with unshed tears, her head bowed low.

Sana moved closer as tears streamed down Tzuyu's face.  "Hey…please don't cry…I'm so sorry."

Sana reached out to cup Tzuyu's face, but Tzuyu flinched away, slapping Sana's hand aside.

"Don't…talk to me…ever again," Tzuyu choked out, before turning and running, leaving Sana alone in the alley, the weight of her impulsive confession and Tzuyu's rejection crushing her.  A single, heartbroken word escaped her lips.

"Fuck."