Curious [Twice Fanfiction]

III

She greeted Tzuyu. It was a simple 'hello'.

It was an unexpected thing, and Tzuyu was caught off-guard.

Tzuyu was so flustered that she was tongue-tied. She couldn't think of a response.

Not even when the girl waved a hand in front of her. Not even when the girl suddenly stood in front of her and inspected her face, closer than they've ever been before.

Warmth. That was all Tzuyu could feel at their proximity. She could feel her breath fanning her face and it painted a darker shade of crimson to her face.

Shouldn't she feel weirded out by now? By how Tzuyu was behaving? Maybe.

Tzuyu couldn't greet her back. It was all so sudden. She couldn't think of a proper response. 'Hello' seemed to slip her mind.

So she pushed her away a little.

And again, she ran back to her house.

—————

The girl was persistent, Tzuyu was sure.

Even though she had rudely shoved her off and ran away the day before, the girl still had the audacity to say 'hello' to her.

Tzuyu still wasn't mentally prepared to say 'hello'.

But she beamed at her, flashing one of her dazzling smiles. And she smiled back, if she wasn't already smiling.

The bookworm handed her a small paper bag and Tzuyu raised an eyebrow at her.

“They're crepes. I'm not sure if you like them but I hope you accept my apology for startling you yesterday.”

Just like that, the goddess went off, leaving her with the said snack.

But not before turning back and setting an odd sense of warmth in Tzuyu's heart.

“Eat it! I made it myself. Don't worry, they're not poisoned.”

It wasn't the fact whether it's poisoned or not that bothered Tzuyu. Or even the sweet smile she threw her way.

It was the extra length of apology that she did that made her ponder.

But one thing was clarified for Tzuyu: She was the nicest stranger she'd ever met in her life.

—————

Her 'hellos' never cease, even though Tzuyu never really reply with another 'hello' back. Tzuyu could only smile at her, but a smile wider than she was used to giving her when they first met. One could say Tzuyu was rather shy, but she'll warm up pretty soon. But how soon is soon?

She knew that the girl who constantly captures her attention, the girl who constantly absorbs herself into fictional and non-fictional world and the girl whose smile could match a thousand splendid suns will soon grow tired of her and refuse to wait for her verbal reply. She'll move on, refusing to acknowledge Tzuyu's presence. A smile alone is never enough in making friends. In one way or another, communication is the key to keeping them lest we intend to be forgotten.

Tzuyu was petrified of being forgotten.

She could not let that happen. Not when she finally found a sunshine to sought after.

So she made up her mind.

When evening rolled around the next day, she dashed to the park and sat at her usual spot: underneath the big ancient tree where she could see her best. Sometimes she'd just sit and stare at her, and somedays she'd try not to stare and put her earphones on, letting herself get lost in some other world created by the music she listens to.

Music is always an escape from reality. A solace. A salve for the wounds and the scars from life. A saviour when you're on the verge of contemplating life. No matter what you listen to.

Heads on, she was heading towards Tzuyu's direction, the soft thumps of her Vans echoing against the pavement before it finally stopped in front of her.

“Hello.” Her voice was Venus' version of Iliad if ever there was such a thing: lyrical, sweet, gentle, and epic. A voice that Tzuyu was growing fond of. Coincidental enough, she was clutching Homer's Iliad. Perhaps that was where she got her impression of her voice from.

She smiled at her in response. But no, she knew that wasn't enough. She needed to say it back.

So she opened her mouth and said a simple 'hello' back.

Except her voice was stuck in her throat and it came out as a strangled sound instead.

Tzuyu covered her mouth with her hands and looked down. It was embarrassing. Way to embarrass yourself again, Tzuyu.

Timidly, Tzuyu looked up at her again only to find her also in embarrassed state.

Why would she be embarrassed? Aren't I the only one who's supposed to feel embarrassed?

“I'm sorry.” Sorry for what? For Tzuyu being constantly tongue-tied?

But Tzuyu watched as the girl whom she admire ran off to her reading spot. Funny, considering it was always her who ran off first.

Tongue-tied Tzuyu was too tired to comprehend anything so she immersed herself in music, her eyelids closing as the notes played on but she wasn't sleeping.

Alas, Tzuyu didn't notice her maiden calling for her from afar.