Imperfectly Perfect (MiChaeng SaTzu)

68 : Abiding by the Deal

Jihyo sips her coffee and glances at the girl silently sitting across her on the coffee table. She clears her throat and gives her a knowing look. "So, are you going to just stare at that coffee cup of yours or you'd tell me why you suddenly asked to meet today?"

"Umm..." Tzuyu shifts on her seat.

The two girls are currently in a coffee shop around their university area. They are occupying a small table to themselves with two coffee mugs, one sandwich, and one cake slice on top.

The council president softly smiles. "I was just kidding. Whenever you're ready, Tzu."

"Jihyo..." The cheer captain glances at the girl in front of her. "The truth is... I have a problem."

"I'm guessing this is about Sana?" Jihyo gives her a knowing look.

"Yeah. I'm not— I don't think I know what to do with our situation."

Tzuyu decided to step out of the Chou mansion after her breakfast with her father and sister. She called Jihyo on the phone who happened to have not gone home this weekend and is just in their university dorms. The cheer captain then drove directly to the place where they are right now.

"Why? Last month when we talked about it in the school cafeteria... I thought you had everything planned?" Jihyo slowly elaborates in an obviously careful manner. "And I believe I remember that you clearly said that you're making some good progress with her."

"We are."

Jihyo raises one of her eyebrows. "So what's the problem?"

"I— I think—" Tzuyu lets out a deep sigh. "I think dad would make his next moves before I could make mine."

"What do you mean? Did he explicitly tell you something?"

"No. Not something like that. It's just... this morning, we had a little argument about that dinner we're having with Chaeyoung's family. I'm worried that it might backfire on me."

Jihyo pauses and blinks her eyes a couple of times. "Now, that's a first. What did you do to be in an argument with uncle? You've been so obedient all this time."

Tzuyu started to pick up her fork and aimlessly dividing her slice of cake into smaller pieces. "You know that it's different this time. This year, I already have Sana. I already found her."

"Chou Tzuyu." Jihyo looks at her unamused. "You already found Sana three years ago when Nayeon's girlfriend coincidentally was in the same student organization with her."

Tzuyu suddenly halts her actions. "But it is just recently that I was able to confirm if she still remembers me!"

"Okay, okay." The council president raises both of her arms in the air. "So what happened? Why did you and uncle get into an argument?"

The cheer captain continued dissecting her food. "I tried to bail out from the dinner this year."

"WHAT? I'm sure that uncle would never allow that."

"Yeah. I'm not even sure why I tried." The cheer captain rolls her eyes. "Tsk. I even had the guts to ask Sana out on a date that day."

"WOW. Hey, Chou Tzuyu! What the hell were you thinking?"

"I— I was—" Tzuyu pursed her lips. She lets out a sigh as she picks up her coffee cup and takes a sip of her beverage. She pauses for a moment before continuing. "Ugh! Anyway, that's the problem. I don't know how to navigate my Valentine's day this year."

The council president stifles a chuckle. "I don't know who would skin you alive on that day. Uncle or Sana? But, I'm pretty sure that you're going to wind up dead either way."

"Eww. What's with that gory response? And, hey! Do you think this is funny?"

"Sorry." Jihyo can't help but let out her chuckle this time. She calms herself first. "Okay, okay. Sorry. So I'm guessing you want to hear my take about this situation of yours?"

The cheer captain simply nods. "Of course."

"Hmm..." The council president pauses for a moment, visibly trying to think what to say. "Hmm... Then, just adjust Sana's schedule."

"That's it?"

"What? Do you think there's anything better to do than—"

"And here I thought you would think something else other than obvious."

"Hey, Tzu! You know that—" Jihyo pursed her lips. She closes her eyes momentarily and heaves in a deep breath. She takes a second to look around the place. She leaned a bit closer to the cheer captain's direction and continued in a softer voice. "May I please remind you that you're the one who struck a deal with your father four years ago. If you want to fix this mess, you have to fulfill the agreement. You know how serious he is with your future."

"But it is my future!"

"Exactly." The council president elaborates with certainty. "And that's what parents are mostly concerned about. Their child's future."

Tzuyu then pouted like a kid and started eating the relatively smaller slices of her cake.

"But if I may ask..." Jihyo shifts in her seat, seemingly to look for the right words for what she is about to speak. "Umm... Why... are you two moving so slow?"

"Huh? What are you—"

"I mean—" The council president quickly speaks again. "Don't get me wrong, Tzuyu. I perfectly understand that you had to search for her on your own when you got back from Taiwan. And you already explained why you haven't tried to approach her not until last year."

"I don't want to rush anything. I want to take things slow. I— I want things to happen naturally." The cheer captain's cheeks faintly tints in red. "All my life I've been looking for her. It's like all my existence, ever since I got to know her when we were kids, I— I feel like I've always been longing for her."

"I'm guessing you're still not planning on telling her about the deal?"

"Not yet. I don't want to get to a point where she would think that I'm just using her. That's why I'm trying my best to be extra careful. I— I would rather die than lose her again."

Jihyo sincerely smiles at the girl in front of her. "Tzuyu."

"Hmm?"

"You really love Sana that much, huh?"

"I do! I really do!" The cheer captain quickly answers without hesitation.

The council president flashes a knowing grin. "I know. There's no way that someone who is so pretty and popular like you would turn down all those students who ask you out if you're not head over heels to this Minatozaki girl."

Tzuyu simply smiles with her dimples showing in response.

"So, what are your plans on your very first date with her?"

"Ugh. That's the other problem." The cheer captain dramatically massages her temples.

Jihyo immediately gives her an unamused look. "Don't tell me..."

"Jihyooooo..." Tzuyu pouts and looks at the council president with puppy eyes. "Help me, please. I still can't decide on what to do that day!"