Stuck With You

seventeen

“Who are you?” Tzuyu asked again when no one answered.

The room fell into stunned silence.
Her tone was calm, too calm, and that alone sent a chill through everyone. Nayeon’s eyes filled with tears as she buried her face into Jeongyeon’s chest.

“This can’t be happening,” Dahyun whispered, biting her lip to keep herself from crying.

Mina wrapped her arms around her cousin, unable to believe what was unfolding before them.

Meanwhile, Chaeyoung quietly lifted her phone and snapped a picture. Moments like this were rare, everyone vulnerable, raw, and scared.

Tzuyu caught the movement and smiled. The next second, she broke into laughter.
So did Chaeyoung.Realization hit the others all at once.

“She’s pranking us?!” Dahyun shouted.
Chaeyoung’s eyes widened as she noticed the murderous stares aimed her way and so she ran.

“You small bean, get back here!” Dahyun yelled, chasing after her. When Dahyun finally caught Chaeyoung, the rest of the girls joined in, attacking the poor cub with extra cushions.

“Ow! You’re all so mean!” Chaeyoung complained. “Why am I getting hit? Yoda was the one who tricked you, not me!”

“Because you didn’t warn us,” Nayeon said, settling onto Jeongyeon’s lap. “And we can’t hit Baby Tzu when she’s injured.”

“But seriously,” Jeongyeon added, wrapping her arms around Nayeon, “You scared us. We really thought you lost your memory.”

“The doctor did say there was a possibility,” Dahyun said, glancing at Tzuyu. “So of course we believed it.”

“He said possibility, not a diagnosis,” Chaeyoung clarified. “I thought the same at first. But God’s good. This Yoda only has minor injuries, and the doctor said she can leave in a few days.”

Smiling softly, Tzuyu spoke. “This accident wasn’t completely bad, You’re all here together. And Nayeon-unnie and Jeongyeon-unnie didn’t even fight today.”

Hearing this, everyone’s attention immediately shifted to the two. Without warning, Dahyun quietly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture just like she had done with Sana and Tzuyu at the seashore.

Jeongyeon noticed the smirks around them and immediately dropped her arm from Nayeon’s shoulders, pushing her away.

“Why are you always like this?” Nayeon huffed.

“You’re heavy,” Jeongyeon replied.

Days later, Tzuyu was finally discharged from the hospital and returned to the dorm. Dahyun filled her in on everything that had happened while she was unconscious. Since the accident, Dahyun had been quietly watching over Sana, keeping her promise to do everything she could for the girl Tzuyu cared about.

Sana, however, had been unusually quiet ever since that night. No one noticed, not her sister, not her friends. They were all too busy worrying about Tzuyu.

Every night after class, Sana would find herself wandering to the school garden, hoping foolishly that she might see someone waiting there.

Tonight, she was in the library, finishing her homework.

'Why am I like this?' she thought while packing her things. 'Do I like Long-leg?'

“Of course I like her,” Sana muttered. “She’s nice. She’s my friend.”

'Yeah,' her conscience replied. 'Just a friend.'

“Ah! What am I even thinking?!” Sana exclaimed, slamming her hands onto the table.

Realizing what she just did, she froze. Everyone including the guards was now staring at her. Embarrassed, Sana apologized, returned her books, and hurried out of the library.

On her way to the seniors’ dorm, she spotted Jihyo and ran straight into her arms.

“I missed you,” Sana said softly.

“Why so sudden?” Jihyo laughed.

“It’s been days since I last saw you,” Sana pouted. “Everyone’s busy. When I go back to the dorm, my roommates are gone, and when I wake up, they’re already out again.”

“So you only missed me because everyone else disappeared?” Jihyo teased, pretending to walk away.

“Jihyo-ah, that’s not what I meant.” Sana said, grabbing Jihyo's arm.

“I know,” Jihyo smiled. “I just missed seeing your pout.”

They then walked back to the dorm together, chatting happily.

Later that night, Tzuyu—who had no classes the next day—walked Dahyun back to her room. Feeling restless afterward, she decided to take a walk.

Without realizing it, her feet led her toward the school garden. Sana was there. But she wasn’t alone. She was talking with Nancy and Mingyu. Knowing those two, Tzuyu stopped in her tracks. She didn’t want them revealing her identity to Sana. She wanted to be the one to do it herself. So she turned away.

As she left the garden, Tzuyu smiled faintly at herself.

“I know you didn’t mean it when you called me your girlfriend,” she murmured, “but I’ll make it real someday.”