6. I

Sounds of early morning drive show from the 1990s radio cracked as only half the words spoken could be heard. Birds perching on the window, fighting and hitting themselves each other bellies against the window. Neighbour's kids playing and screeching at the topest of voices. Sounds of car and motorcycles moving here and there but still Tzuyu remained calm as ever.

The young lady was seated on the floor. Multiples of books surrounded her round and about, some extended to the cushion, dining table and literally everywhere.

"Aish" a voice said from behind. "You aren't-"

"Please, can I make use of your WiFi?" Tzuyu asked Sandara, interrupting her. "Please?", she asked within a second.

Sandara sighed, "no", she replied bluntly and picked up her handbag from the desk. Her casual outfit only made her look matured and graceful, though her alarming personalities.

" please unnie " Tzuyu whined, stretching her disoriented hair. She looked messed up.

"No. I'm sorry. I need to go and see a friend of mine before trailing off to see Jiyong", 

" ok, what if i tell you a story?"

Sandara sighed, "ok".

" It's rated matured though"

"Oh! Never mind"

"Wait, it's just a tidbit. There is this beautiful sirenic bitch I had come in contact with at Le vie et le cafe some days ago. I was being posted to tell her stories of which she commented about my stories being ridiculous. She even laughed at me, despite how hard I tried to put up these words just to satisfy her lust". Tzuyu said scrambling books and series of books around her. Sandara just folded up her arms and shook her head. " I need you to listen to the story so if it's rightly not interesting as she'd said, I'd be glad if you tell me that to my face not considering the fact that we're related ".

Sandara scoffed seeing her throw more books around. 

"No, i have important things to do right now tzuyu", Sandara said a matter-of-fact and made a step towards the door. She got closer to the door and forcefully tried to open the door but to no avail. Then, the sound of keys clicking against each other was heard from behind her. She stopped banging on the door and slowly turned to see Tzuyu swinging the keys left and right, looking at her.

She smirked, "Gonna let me now?"

"Listen Tzuyu, my time is very important, so as your stories are very interesting. Now,  if everyone appreciates your stories and there's just one person who says it's bad, then you should know that that person is mad. Simple. End of conversion, you don't have to make fuss about it. Not everyone will like you. Get that into your skull". She said rapidly as though rapping a line from a song only that, she was quite serious with what she'd said from her emphasis and facial expression.

"That's not the issue unnie",  Tzuyu sighed and flipped slowly across the pages of a novel. "'Your stories are boring', there, exactly what she told me right to my face. She'd being having lascivious thoughts and wasn't ashamed to say it to me." She shut her eyes in disbelief and groaned.

"Where else was she supposed to look at? My eyes? Tsk"

Tzuyu hissed and packed a series of books into a huge bag as many more were still dusted on the floor like sand that needed to be swept. She sighed and placed both hands under her jaw after finding not what she was looking out for. "My brain is getting exhausted of my asininity. Ah~, no one has ever told me my stories are bad".

Sandara picked up a book from the floor and flipped through it as she sat down on the mini table. "Please, Tzuyu. Suspend your fear of being disliked for a few moments and listen to what I have to say. It makes no sense. She don't dislike you. It's probably an oversimplification."

"It's not unnie"

"I believe all people are assholes. You won't find anyone that you like. You'll just find someone you dislike a little less than the last asshole. And I can't wait for that day. To have a woman that I can say I dislike a little less than all the other assholes." Sandara said unwrapped a tasty sweet pack.

Tzuyu sighed. "Right".

"Never waste a minute thinking about people you don't like or! People who don't like you. It makes the heart beat fast and that's terribly unnecessary. It just doesn't worth it because most of them might become your closest friends tomorrow. Who knows."

"And what if I can't do without thinking about them?" Tzuyu asked.

"Simple. Just imagine they are not existing", She uttered as Tzuyu's deep sigh made her continue, "Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too."

"I don't hate her unnie...., I don't even know her from Adam..-",  she sighed for the 1001 times, " i just.....never knew someone could bluntly talk bad of my stories, I never saw it coming, and. It hurts, that's all and trying to get myself over it, is kinda hard".

Sandara inhaled deeply and exhaled, the aroma of the  early morning coffee Tzuyu was making, crept through her nostrils.

"Tzuyu.."

"I know. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear," she chipped in. "Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs. After what Mercy did to me, it only taught me the basis of life truth. Bearing grudges and enmity, isn't my thing",  Tzuyu said and picked up the remote control as she turned on the TV. Her eyes darting away and back to her books.

"Or probably, she's just a humourless....-"

"And an ignoble person", Tzuyu added to Sandara's words.

"If I may judge what you've said. Of a truth, her remarks were ill-adviced, to say the least. You're one of the illustrious story tellers the cafe have. And still, that's no a licence that everyone must like you. Like I'll always tell you, Don't waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear."

Tzuyu's phone rang as she hurriedly answered. "Bonjour mon cher!", she said aloud.

"Bonjour aussi! bonne matinée à vous! son Chaeyoung sur la ligne,"

"I know" Tzuyu said.

"Why aren't at work? A lot of customers are asking after you. Besides, our coordinator is upset at your absence without notice. What happened?" Chaeyoung,  the cafe's famous tomboy asked.

Tzuyu gulped and ran her fingers across a book, "I had an intensive headache and it made me so feeble. I'm trying my best to stand up on my feet. I couldn't even see properly"

She
Lied. Tell me a reader who wouldn't be good at telling impressive lies? All formulated from the head? Except a Duangkamol.

"Oh, have you taken something?" Chaeyoung asked and Tzuyu nodded with a quick 'hm'. Sighing,  Chaeyoung said, "take care of yourself girl. I just wanted to know your whereabouts and the reason for your absence. It's good you're safe and.... Recovering smoothly."

Tzuyu smiled victoriously,  "I'm grateful Chae".

" nah, that's the spirit. Oneness "

She smiled again.

"OK, au revoir mademoiselle"

"au revoir"

Tzuyu giggled as the call had ended. She dropped her phone on the mini table on which dara was seated upon.

"You're good at telling heartbreaking lies" Sandara stated.

The Taiwanese shrugged, "why not? In times like this, I couldn't think of playing the good girl role especially now that le vie et le café had signed the gxg stuffed things into the cafe"

"Igbt?"

"Yup",  Tzuyu nodded "we've got the imprimatur from the local government". Kicking a book afar end, she laid her head on the couch beside her and flipped open a book"

"What's your favourite book at the moment Tzuyu?"  Sandara asked, squatting down to select a book of her preferred based on the cover.

"Salem’s Lot by Stephen King" She said and flipped through a novel she was reading calmingly.

"Hahahahahahahaha! Such a Jacobean book!" Sandara screeched making Tzuyu roll her eyes.

"I know you unnie, you don't like good books,  you only prefer books that are meant for kids like... Arrrrrm, The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss and Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White".

Sandara hits her forehead,  " how did you know?"

"Well, I was curious when you told me that you never had time to read any book, so had none to boost off. Curiosity had kicked me into your room and found two tiny paged stories in your room and under your pillowcase, precisely." Tzuyu said, flipping through the second page of the novel she was reading. Sandara sighed.

•••

The day darkened quite fast. Mark and Sana had rounded up with their necessary shifts and practice and headed for home. Both talked friendly to each other about the day's hectical job and how well they'd acted.

Soon, Mark arrived at Sana's house. The lights from both sides of the car died out and then, the engine went soundless.

Taking a quick move out of the car, Mark got to where Sana was and opened the car door for her. "Thanks", she said and briskly got out of the car, though looking exhausted.

Mark shut the door and turned to Sana who smiled at him, both stared blankly at each other. It was so unusual. Mark cussed mentally at himself for being the prime cause. He searched for words to say and finally came up with one of polite words,  " it was fun today and thanks to you", he added with a smile which made the Japanese flush red.

"Thank you too for always keeping me company",  she said starring adorably into his eyes. The wind blew across getting her exposed body so cold, she wished she could bury herself into his masculine body, wrapping herself deep in his overall. He smiled, making her reciprocate.

" go and rest now" he instructed and noticed a figure afar off, behind Sana. He looked up at the tensed and angered face of the male behind her.

Sana, noticing the new mood, turned, only to see the face of Fred, the man she hates with passion. On his hands was a bunch of beautiful flowers. She knew he'd bought it for her, but she cared less about his damned reaction and turning back to Mark, like he wasn't there at all, she held his collar and kissed his lip. Though the kiss was a shock to both men, it was a soft kiss that spoke of hidden truth about her undying feeling to have him. Mark widened his eyes, totally numb and puzzled. He could see how much the young lady was enjoying the kiss.

Shafts.

That was it. Fred had enough of heartbreaks and this was the worse. He dropped the bunch of flowers and walked away.

Pulling herself off him, she licked her lips. This was a kiss she would cherish forever, a night to remember.

"What was that for?" Mark asked as the young lady walked back to where the abandoned flower was and picked it up,  inhaling it's aromatic smell. She turned to him with a wide smile.

"I don't know. But either way, thank you to helping me get rid of Fred tonight".