Tzuyu's POV:
'Date someone else.' Says the inner, frustrated voice in my head.
'Like that's possible.' I say back. I'm so totally and completely in love with Mingyu that no one else could ever mean what he means to me. I'm thankful that we get to back home in two days, for thanksgiving. I think time with my family and friends + not having Tiffany around 24/7 will be a much needed change. I know for sure that she's going to Australia for most of thanksgiving break, with family.
"All packed?" Mina asks, on Skype.
"Yep, finally done." I say, jamming my last few oversized sweaters into my suitcase.
"Well..." she shrieks.
"Well, what?" I say, grinning.
"Jungkook decided to spend thanksgiving at home and we're going on a road trip together for the rest of break."
"Yours or his?" I joke.
"His, but since I'll be spending about 90% of my day there anyway, it really doesn't make a difference."
"Stuff seems pretty serious?"
Happiness radiates off of her when she answers. "He's the one."
***
I haul my two tumi, navy blue suitcases out of the back of a yellow cab and tip the cabbie generously because it's thanksgiving and this is when us Chinese get most into the spirit of giving. The air around me is cool, crisp not so different from what the weather would be like in Seoul right now. But I like this time of the year: A huge family lunch on thanksgiving, , being huddled up as a family by the warm fire with our neighbours, buying hot chocolate from the Starbucks two streets down, beginning to Christmas shop with Mina and later (closer to Christmas): giving the poor ice-cream man some business and making our traditional, double-fudge, raspberry sorbet, ice-cream cake.
"Honey, it's so good to have you home." I'm engulfed in a giant bear hug, surrounded by the smell of cinnamon and vanilla.
"It's so good to be home." I say back.
I spend the next hour sitting in the kitchen, sipping on a hot chocolate and filling my mom and dad in on what college has been like so far.
"What about the guy scene?" my dad asks and I cringe but reply, in mono-tone "No one." My mom sees that it's a touchy subject and tries to change the topic by discussing something else but my dad doesn't seem to get the hint.
"Mingyu?"
"Is dating Tiffany." I say and excuse myself because I can feel the tears coming on. I can hear my mom scolding my dad and the sound of footsteps coming up the staircase to my room. I'd yell "Leave me alone" but know that this time, it isn't going to work. She comes in, as expected and sits down on my turquoise bedspread.
"Tzuyu sweetie, he didn't mean to pry. He's your dad, he's naturally protective."
I burst into tears.
"Well he doesn't need to be. Not like we're dating anymore.. Mingyu's with Tiffany now."
She ruffles my hair and I feel five again.
"Well he's missing out on being with a beautiful, intelligent and incredible young lady then. I know how hard this must be but moping around isn't going to bring him back Tzuyu. When he's ready, he'll come back on his own."
"What if he doesn't?"
She smiles. "If he loves you as much as I think he does, he will."
***
I throw on the pair of maple leaf printed, red and white jeggings that I bought in Singapore when I was fifteen and somehow still fit me, pairing with them with a white crop top and my black, leather jacket. Slightly on the crazy side but hey, what's life without taking risks, right? I've definitely been influenced by Mina, Eunha and Rose... before going to Seoul, I didn't care too much about fashion but I can now say that I have my own, distinctive style.
"Off to Mina's." I call out to my mom, in the kitchen.
I'm just about to open the door when I hear her talking to someone else. I'd know that voice anywhere- Mingyu. I quickly open the door and slam it shut, grabbing my cycle and peddling hard. I reach Mina's house in half the amount of time I usually would, my breath forming a tiny puff of steam in the winter air. I hear Jungkook before I see him and collapse onto Mina's bed.
"Mina, Tzuyu's here." He yells out.
She takes one look at my face and puts two and two together. "Tzuyu, what did he do?"
"Nothing new, I just can't seem to forgive him for not telling me that he's with Tiffany." I start to sniffle and Jungkook wraps me in a hug.
"Please don't cry baby girl."
Mina starts to laugh. "Baby girl?"
And I snort. "I'll try not to Jungkook."
"That's the Tzuyu I know."
Mina smiles up at him. "I love you."
He nuzzles his nose against hers. "And I love you."
They sicken me but at the same time.. my insides have turned to goo.
Mina comes over to give me a hug. "He still loves you."
"You're delusional, he's with Tiffany now."
"I agree with Mina." Jungkook says.
"It's like he's rubbing Tiffany in my face you know."
"Just stay away for a while. Distract yourself. Come hang out with Mina and I more often or with Somi and Jimin."
"Thank you guys."
Mina hits herself on the head and Jungkook and I start laughing.
"You're dating a lunatic." I say to him.
"A lovable lunatic." He teases, looking at Mina and winking.
"You guuuuys- I just remembered something. I called your house to talk to you Tzuyu, just before you came over here and I could hear your mom talking to Jake. He probably came over to talk to you."
I groan. "I know, I heard him too, just as I was leaving to come to your house."
"Maybe he wants to make amends Tzuyu? You guys are best friends." Jungkook has a point.
"Maybe.. it's just a lot to deal with."
"It's only been three weeks since they started dating, not even the full amount of time that you told him he had to wait before you'd date him again."
"I guess I'll wait, if we're meant to be, he'll come back to me." For now I'll just have to try to smile even when it's another girl he's got his arms around, another girl he'll spend hours cuddling with, another girl he'll kiss by the fire, another girl that isn't me.
Mingyu's Pov:
"Hi Mrs. J, It's so good to see you again. I just stopped by to catch up and see Tzuyu, if she's home."
"Well it's good to see you again too Mingyu, Tzuyu... let me just check..."
I hear the door slam shut. "I'm going to Mina's mom."
"You just missed her honey. I don't know how long she'll be, do you want to stay here and wait?"
"No it's alright, thanks Mrs. J."
"See you later then Mingyu!" I smile and nod and make my way out of the kitchen when a sudden thought occurs to me, I'll wait for her outside Mina's house and catch her as she's leaving.
"Umm Mrs.J?"
"Yes Mingyu?"
"Did Tzuyu seem uh different when she came back?"
"What exactly do you mean?"
"Did she mention anything related to me and did it cause a change in the way she usually acts?"
"Only that you were dating Tiffany." Mrs J. says casually, gauging my expression and choosing to ignore the second part of my question.
I pause, lost for words. "We aren't serious." I say finally.
She meets my eyes, looking up from the batter she was mixing.
"It might be a good idea to let Tzuyu know that.. she cares more than she lets on."
"Got it, thanks Mrs. J."
"You're welcome Mingyu."
***
I grab my navy blue coat from their coat-hanger, put on my ankle-length coal coloured boots and put my headphones in, turning the volume on my itouch up to maximum sound and blocking the world out. The wind whips around my black-brown hair and by the time I reach Mina's house I'm windswept. Instead of ringing the doorbell (something that is a second nature to me), I force myself to take a seat on her porch and take some time out to think about everything that has happened since I left home. The wind must have carried over a waft of Tzuyu's body mist because brown sugar vanilla is definitely in the air. It makes me miss her even more. Speak of the devil-
"Oh hi Mingyu, if you'll just excuse me."
I look at her, surprised to still see a flicker of annoyance in her sky blue eyes.
"Tzuyu, wait." I reach out and touch her hand, shooting her a pleading look with my eyes.
"I need to ask you something."
She brushes my hand off and sits down; somewhat next to me, close but far enough for her own comfort.
"Are you okay?"
She glances at me with misery in her eyes.
"Do I look okay?"
"No." I whisper, brushing back a loose stray of golden hair that had fallen over her eyes.
She looks at me, really looks at me, for the first time in weeks.
"I-I need to do something, then you can be with Tiffany and I'll have no regrets."
"Wha-"
My words are cut short when she moves closer, puts her hands around my neck and kisses me with a fierceness I've never seen from her before. She bites my lower lip and pulls back, leaving me staring at her with a dumbfounded expression on my face, my hand never leaving her soft cheek.
She gently pushes my hand off her cheek and I let it fall to my side. When she leans in again, I think that the best one minute of my life is going to repeat itself.. I don't expect the slap that comes my way (though I probably deserve it).
"Ouch." I shoot her a calculating look.
"That was for breaking my heart."
Water fills her eyes and I wrap my arms around her, feeling bad that I was the reason behind the tears from those gorgeous sky blue eyes.
"Shh, please don't cry."
"I never liked the rainy season." I mutter to myself but she hears and smiles, just slightly.
"Tzuyu, there's something you should know."
I pick up my phone and dial Tiffany who picks up after the third ring.
"Hi, is now a bad time? This is urgent."
"Hey, no, what happened?"
"Can you please tell Tzuyu everything that happened?"
I hand Tzuyu the phone and watch as her facial expressions range from sad to confused to annoyed to angry.
Instead of yelling profanities at me the way Eunha would have done, Tzuyu addresses the matter in a very calm manner. A bit too calm, the sort of calm that comes before a storm.
"When were you planning on telling me?"
"When the amount of time you told me I had to wait was up." I say, quietly.
"Seeing you with her Mingyu, it broke my heart."
"Not being with you Tzuyu, broke mine." I reply, looking down.
She forces my head up with her hand and my eyes never leave her lips. I'm acutely aware of her saying something but I have no idea what.
"Mingyu!"
I snap back into reality.
"Yes Tzuyu?"
"Did you kiss her?"
I look at her surprised. "No, never."
"And you didn't like her at all?" Doubt flashes over her face and I hate it. This is what it did- pretending to be with Tiffany, made Tzuyu trust me less.
"No, I promise I didn't. Every time I held hands with her, I told myself that I was one step closer to getting you back."
"I thought if I initially fooled you into thinking I'd dated another girl and then told you the truth later, it would all be okay. I was wrong, I'm sorry.. It's just there was no other way to get you back." I add.
"Because I'm too stubborn?"
"Maybe." I say, kissing the tip of her nose.
"I'm sorry too." She says finally and I breathe out a sigh of relief.
"I never meant to hurt you." I say, kissing her cheek.
"I-"
She stands up on her tippy toes to kiss me which has me smiling because I've definitely shot up. I'm now 6'1. The second kiss we share is much gentler, bittersweet because I can still see some pain behind those beautiful eyes of hers.
"What can I do to make it better?"
"Kiss my booboo away." She replies, winking.
It's like she read my mind. And, so I do just as she says, making up for every day that we lost.
