sing me a love song // liu yuxin/cai zhuoyi

fate got us good

Zhuoyi curses at herself for spending a bit too much on her favorite instant coffee. Lately, work has been horrible to her and she had to stay up late often, sometimes it doesn't let her sleep. The bags under her eyes were visible, puffy and it was almost purple. Coffee was one of the things that kept her alive during those times.

Recently, she had this favorite brand of instant coffee that had her hooked. Now, she  could not control herself for drinking it. She shrugs at herself and convinces that it was a need rather than a want.

Will you ever learn to manage your money properly?

She laughs in vain, as she wished that the voice would just shut the hell up. Just this moment because goddamn, she was in public and she doesn't want people staring. She felt like she was going mad.

Her hands curled into fists as she closed her eyes tightly, trying to suppress the headache she was going through. God, make it stop.

But the voice doesn't leave. It was there not planning to leave sooner, almost like it was mocking her. She hates it so much but she wasn't the one to complain.

The voice was still clear and along with that, she paints a picture in her mind. It was a girl. She had short hair and kind eyes that started at her until she felt better. Her lips were thin but it was red and it was almost funny because in a different time frame, Zhuoyi bought that lip color just for her.

"You think I would make it?" Zhuoyi sits on the floor, loosing all hope after that long practice session.

The latter female sat in front of her, facing the other. She was all sweaty just like Zhuoyi. "Of course. You're Cai Zhuoyi!" she cheers for her and Zhuoyi almost tears up.

"I probably won't make it this far if not for you." Zhuoyi tries to hide the smile, the fact that she was head over heels for the girl in front of her.

"We will make it, okay?" she looks at Zhuoyi in her eyes and she smiles. She tucks the hair sticking out of Zhuoyi's sweaty forehead behind her ear and kisses her. "I love you,"

Zhuoyi takes a breath in, "I'm sorry." she whispers as quietly as possible, careful not to attract unnecessary attention.

Her nails almost dug into her palms and it stings. She opens her eyes amd curses the weather again for not letting her work today. If she was at work, she probably won't think about these things, won't she?

But she can't really tell. She reminds her of most things, just like that person on the counter there. They had the same eyes, hair short—cut into almost that of a boy and they had that sharp jawline that can cut open your skin if you ever touched it.

Damn, they really looked like her. Even their style is the same!

Not long she was already staring at the costumer paying for their drink near the counter. Until, that person notices that someone was actually staring at them and they turn their head to see who it was.

And their eyes locked. Zhuoyi could cry at the moment, remembering how soft it was; how comforting it was to look at those pair of eyes again.

She presses her lips into a thin line and her heartbeat sped up by a thousand. She could not believe that she was seeing her again, for the first time in so long.

There was a small doubt that it really wasn't her. What was she doing in this place? For all she knew, that person moved away from her city. But maybe she was paying a visit.

Well, it's all or nothing. If that person was not who she expected it to be, that's okay. People make mistakes sometimes, right?

Somehow, she could not manage to speak. Her tongue was all tied up and she cannot form coherent words anymore.

"Y-Yuxin?" it has been so long since that name came out of her mouth. It almost felt like it was new.

She averts her gaze away from the person in front of her, hoping for the worst.

"Yes," the person replied. Zhuoyi swore mentally, glad that she will not embarrass herself.

Shortly after that mini celebration in her head, she finally took a grasp on what was really happening and suddenly the migrane was there once again.

It was awkward. What would she say to her? What would she do? Should she act like nothing happened back then and hust be like: "Yo what's up, rain's pretty heavy, don't ya think?" ?! Of course not! That would be fucking ridiculous.

"I," she starts, "I was not expecting to see you here."

Yuxin smiles coolly and takes a sip on her coffee, "Me too."

"I was just here because Inhad a day off and now I'm seeing you!" She laughs but this time it was an awkward laugh. "How have you been?" God, that was awful. But it was better than making her feel awkward.

Just show her that it was all back then and now you are both in good terms. That's going to work, right?

Yes.

"Oh, actually I just moved in a neighborhood nearby." Zhuoyi motioned to the other girl that she should sit at the chair across her table. And she did.

"Ah," now she doesn't know what to say. How should she know? Yuxin rarely spoke and because of that it was hard to keep up a conversation going.

How did they go from talking about endless things to this, staring at each other trying not to make things worse.

They both didn't know what to do. Zhuoyi guesses that Yuxin doesn't want to be seated with her but maybe she was just overanalyzing things again. But then she could be right.

She just wants the ground to eat her up alive at this moment.

---

*unedited