Imperfectly Perfect 3

20 : Differing Perspectives

"Aunty really wrote this?" Tzuyu asks in almost teary eyes as she gently gives the piece of paper back to Chaeyoung.

"Yeah." The soccer ace softly answers. "My mom's really something. Isn't she?"

"She—" The younger girl pauses to compose herself. Everyone was just silent, kind enough to let Tzuyu take the sudden surge of emotions brought back by the letter to her. She faintly smiles to herself. "She really is a very wonderful person. I was never able to tell her but I was indeed a blessed girl to have her by my side. All those times that it was just me and my dad... and I was— I was so lost without my mom, she became my best friend and my number one cheerleader."

Sana gently reaches out her girlfriend's hand to silently support her wave of emotions while Tzuyu promptly leans onto the older girl's shoulder to comfortably rest her head on it.

Mina and Chaeyoung just gave glances and smiled softly at each other.

"So..." Tzuyu started speaking again after another minute. "Let's talk about this deal that I made with my father. Let's talk about how in the world we could all get out of this stupid situation."

"Umm... Just to be clear." The council president clears her throat. She raises her hand to point around all the other girls. "So you three already know about it, right? It's just me who doesn't know about the details?"

The soccer ace awkwardly chuckles. "Minari—"

"Yes. That is right." Tzuyu butts in to explain instead. She is incredibly looking calm and collected at the moment. "To give you further insight about the events of how the information was passed on... Jihyo and Chaeyoung knew about it from the very start. They are the first two people I felt like I needed to tell after I talked about it with my father. Then, it was Nayeon Unnie. And then, at the coffee shop, unexpectedly and unplanned, it was Sana."

Mina slowly nods in acknowledgment.

Chaeyoung reaches the council president's arm. "Minari, sorry for not telling you about it. I always thought that it wasn't my right to talk about it."

Mina flashes a faint smile. "It's fine. I understand."

Then, Sana loudly clears her throat, getting everyone's attention. She straightens her body and lets out a huge sigh. "Then, who should do the honors of storytelling this deal?"

Tzuyu and Chaeyoung immediately gave each other a knowing look. The soccer ace made a face to which the young cheer captain somehow understood and nodded.

"Umm... Sa— Sana." Tzuyu calls out. "B— Baby."

"Yeah?"

"If you'd like..." The younger girl slowly spoke as she exchanged cautious glances with Chaeyoung. "Yo— You can start it, and then... I will just be pitching in if— if ever you missed anything or— or something like that."

Sana looks at her girlfriend unamused with one eyebrow raised. "You'll just be needed to pitch in if you happen to not have told me everything about that deal, Chou Tzuyu."

"Of— of course, I already told you everything!"

"Good. And for the record, no offense to Mrs. Son but..." The vice president pauses to look around at the other girls. "I still think that the deal is stupid and I still don't agree with it."

"Ugh." Chaeyoung facepalms herself. "Why do you have to be like this, Minatozaki?"

"What?" Sana quickly asks in an annoyed tone. "It's not like you're the one who's getting married, Son Chaeyoung."

The soccer ace rolls her eyes. "You know what? I can't comprehend you. What is wrong with it, huh? You and Tzuyu like each other! You two are even girlfriends right now for heaven's sake!"

"Wait, Chaeyoung. Please—" Tzuyu tried to pacify her fiancé but Sana spoke again.

"SO?" The vice president is now starting to raise her voice. "Then, why don't you try and marry Tzuyu then because of some stupid business deal! Because, news flash! The romantics are outdated! You may be right, Son Chaeyoung. That's the right reason to be married! To sign a stupid business deal and cancel someone else's fixed marriage!"

"Sana. Baby—" Tzuyu holds on to her girlfriend's arm to try calming her. "Let's not talk like this. Let's all pause for a moment, manage our emotions, and lower our voices."

Chaeyoung loudly scoffs. "You're too sensitive about all of this, Sana. It's not like you're not benefitting from all of this. Try to think of it, you can have Tzuyu all for yourself. Isn't that what you wanted from the beginning? You're making me confused! What the hell is wrong with marrying her?"

"Hey, Son Chaeyoung!" Tzuyu is also starting to lose her control. "Could you please stop running your mouth for one second?"

The soccer ace scoffs again and flashes a mocking smile. "What? Am I now the person here who's making it difficult for us? Am I now the one who—"

"CHAENG." This time, it was Mina who called the smaller girl out, finally shutting her up. "Please."

However, Sana suddenly sprung from the bed, roughly shrugging off her girlfriend's hand on her arm. Her eyes are now visibly brimming with hurt. "You're just selfish, Son Chaeyoung. How could you think like I'm some kind of tool to get you out of this situation? You're just lucky that my best friend is a very good person who assures you that she will never leave your side. You don't have the right to tell me anything because— because in any case you don't realize it, among the four of us here? It is you who's taking the easiest road."

"YOU—" Chaeyoung was about to answer again but she quickly pursed her lips when Mina immediately grabbed her shoulder and shook her head at her, obviously signaling her again to stop.

Then, with tears now flowing from her eyes, Sana stormed out of the dorm room and into the hallways.

"Sana!" Tzuyu quickly stood up and abruptly gave the soccer ace a glare. "You're the one in the wrong this time, Chaeyoung. You owe her an apology." And she briskly moved to walk towards the door, running after her girlfriend.