Arms crossed on top of the table, Elsa pictured, with her eyes closed, the events that happened the day she said something about wanting to try things out with Belle. Specifically, the kiss she shared with Anna.

The thought had Elsa shivering in equal delight and confusion. Her hands tightened as she released an involuntary whimper. She couldn't put her finger on what that kiss meant, but she already missed the contact. It was the first time she felt Anna's lips on hers, and something Anna initiated herself. She was too shocked to reciprocate, but that wasn't what bothered her the most.

Why did Anna kiss her?

Was it alright to hang on to the idea that the little antics and gestures of Anna were being caused by her? That Anna was affected because of her presence? That, if she ever dared to think, Anna actually felt the same way? Elsa wasn't oblivious; she could notice when something was off, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions. It wasn't her place to assume someone else's feelings, especially when it was too risky to think about.

"Elsa?" Elsa's eyes opened, and then she lifted her head to see Anna dressed up. "Hey! Uhm, I might be out for a long time. Probably won't eat dinner here."

Elsa tried her best to fight the still-growing heat on her face when she realized she was looking at Anna's supple lips. She gulped. Anna was acting normal like the kiss didn't happen. Elsa was close to believing that it was a dream, but Anna had been spending her time outside their apartment ever since then. It couldn't be a coincidence, right?

"Where are you going?" Elsa asked.

"Hans' house." Anna gestured to her bag. "His laptop broke and can't help out if he's here. He's going to use his computer since we need to digitalize our project."

"I'll take you." Elsa stood and before she could take another step, Anna cut her off.

"No need! He's already outside."

"Oh," Elsa breathed. Then, there was a shift in the air. Elsa was having a hard time meeting Anna's turquoises again, and she settled on watching her fingers tap on top of the dining table. "What time are you... going home?"

"I'm not sure," Anna answered. "But he'll drop me off."

"I..." Elsa hesitated. "I'll take you to his car." She pressed her hand firmly on top of the table when Anna tilted her head to the side. "I want to talk to him."

"What for?"

"Just... let me." Elsa walked past a stupefied Anna and picked up her shoes to change to it before facing Anna again. "Come on. It's not nice making someone wait."

"O-Okay."

When Anna stepped forward, there was a splitting second where they just looked at each other. Then, they both averted their gazes somewhere else. Elsa fiddled with the tip of her braids as she discreetly watched Anna wear her doll shoes, knowing full well that the redhead wasn't looking at her. Then, she turned around to unlock the door when she saw Anna done.

"Anna?"

"Hm?"

Elsa curled her fingers inside the pocket of her sweater, trying to draw out some courage. There were many things she wanted to ask but wasn't brave enough to. Maybe hiding her feelings for Anna already became a habit throughout the years. Maybe that was why it was difficult for her to open up or ask something silly.

"About the kiss," Elsa began, eyes settled on the floor. She took a deep breath and looked at her side to see that Anna wasn't walking with her anymore. She turned around and saw the girl now only standing a few steps behind her. "Anna?"

"Yeah, about that!" Anna snapped her fingers, and then she started rubbing the back of her neck. "We never did that even with rule number four! Can't fulfill the deal without it, right? W-Was that a surprise?"

Elsa's lips opened and closed like a fish until she lost her nerves. "It's fine. I was surprised, but it's fine."

"Oh, good." Anna sighed, shoulders slumping. "I was afraid you'd get angry or something. I mean, I became impulsive again and kissed you, and it wasn't even romantic or anything. You would probably prefer to do it with Belle. "

"Well, I..." Elsa cringed inwardly when she tried to imagine kissing the brunette. Sure, the girl was pretty, but they were friends. Then again, Anna was also her friend. "I don't think it's wise to kiss her just like that."

"You really do like her," Anna quipped. "You respect her enough not to kiss her without her consent. Makes me feel like I actually molested you."

"You didn't," Elsa blurted. When Anna tilted her head, Elsa tore her gaze away and looked at the window. "It's not really molestation if... if I liked it," she finished awkwardly, voice getting softer and lowering in volume as it reached the end.

Elsa wasn't sure why she let herself say that, but she didn't have the heart to take it back. That was to say, she was still nervous because she didn't know how Anna would take it, and so she decided to wrap her arms around herself protectively.

"Ah!" Anna shrieked, making Elsa jump. "Shucks! Hans is still waiting downstairs! Come on, Elsa! It's not nice making other people wait!" Anna grabbed the blonde's wrist and dragged her along the hallway until they reached the ground floor.

Elsa frowned. Didn't Anna hear her? Her voice was falling the moment she admitted those, but really? It took everything she had to say those just to not be heard?

"Hans!" Anna waved and let go of Elsa's wrist. "Sorry! Sorry! We had a little emergency an—"

"Save it." Hans waved a hand. "You two need to take a breather. You're both red and look exhausted," he said, and Elsa's eyes widened a little.

Both girls looked at each other, and, indeed, their faces were flushed, but Elsa was willing to bet that it wasn't because they were tired. She opened her mouth to say something, but she frowned instead when Anna opened Hans' car to place her things inside.

"Elsa said she wanted to talk to you." Anna laughed and closed the back door.

"Oh?" Hans hummed. "What is it?"

The dryness in her throat couldn't get more uncomfortable as she gave Anna a look. Thankfully, Anna caught on to her train of thoughts and settled herself on the passenger seat. Hans watched the odd exchange of looks before facing Elsa completely.

"So...?" Hans trailed off into a question.

Elsa closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm her breathing. When she opened them again, Hans took a step backward, surprised to be on the receiving end of Elsa's glare. "Anna told me you wanted to sleep with her before," Elsa said. "I want to know and hear from you. Was that true?"

"Yeah." Elsa narrowed her eyes pointedly. "When you're in a relationship, Elsa, it's normal to want some sexual contact with your significant other. She was my girlfriend then, but I didn't force myself on her. I loved her, and I didn't want to disrespect her."

"You still do." It was a fact Elsa wasn't willing to dance around in. "Anna trusts you, Hans, even after all that. She was angry, but now, she actually thinks you're a good friend and much better than before. As much as I don't want her to spend time with a guy who tried to get her in bed, I have no other choice."

"Why thank you." Hans bowed exaggeratedly, making Elsa ball her hand into a fist inside her sweater pocket. "But for your peace of mind, I'm not going to touch her. If I'm going to make her mine again, I'll do it fair and square. I'll try to get the approval of her parents and everyone close to her if I have to, and that includes you."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'd try until I get you to say yes," Hans answered without hesitation. "I won't get anywhere if I let myself get downhearted because of a rejection."

Elsa was speechless as the guy only looking at her with a smile in place. It wasn't mocking, but there was definitely something there. It almost felt the same as the smile Belle shot her when she suggested looking for another girl. It was as if... he could read her.

"What are you implying?" Elsa asked cautiously.

"I'm not implying anything. It's just the truth. You can't get anywhere if you only let your fear of rejection control you."

"Now, hold on." Elsa took her hands out of her pockets and curled them on her sides. "Are you saying you're planning to get her back?"

"What I'm saying is..." Hans started, face turning serious. "Life is too short to live with 'what ifs' or mope around something that's beyond my control. I don't want to keep wondering what could happen, Elsa. If I want something, I'm not going to wait for it. I will do something to make it happen."

Elsa's grip loosened, replaced by intensive trembling. Words wouldn't slip out of her mouth despite her thoughts running a million miles per second. She was slowly coming to the realization that even though they had met each other before, this was the first time they'd talked one on one.

"Actions," Hans began, snapping Elsa out of her reverie. "They speak louder than words."

"What are you saying?"

"You know what I mean." Hans reached out to the handle of the door on the driver's seat. "My number is still the same, in case you're curious. Knowing Anna, she forced it on you back when she was still my girlfriend," he chuckled, opening the door and sitting behind the wheel.

Anna's brows furrowed as she looked out the window and asked a silent question. Not wanting to make her feel uneasy, Elsa tried her best to smile despite the uneasiness she felt after hearing Hans' words. Reluctantly, Anna gave an apologetic smile before waving meekly.

As soon as Hans' car went off, Elsa allowed herself to dwell on her own thoughts. She was staring at the corner where his car turned, thoughts repeatedly cycling on their conversation. She wasn't stupid, and she knew that his words were bits of advice delivered quite arrogantly and a little too blunt, but one thing was clear: he knows.

Anna stuffed her face with chocolate while finalizing the colors of a background, ignoring the scowl on her partner's face. It was the first time she wouldn't say anything and simply started working nonstop. The silence between her and the tall guy was odd, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Anna, as much as we're going to get this over with faster with what you're doing, I'm worried you might smudge chocolate on your own Cintiq pen," Hans joked, trying to lift the girl's mood.

It didn't work. Nothing could lift Anna's spirit now when seeing Elsa hurts so much. She wanted to hug Elsa because every time she would feel messed up, the blonde's presence always calmed her down. But now, it was the very reason for her heartbreak. She could only depend on chocolate - and she had been eating tons. So much so that she could almost finish all of Hans' chocolate in his humble apartment.

"You should really tell her," Hans sighed.

"What?"

"You're a mess, Anna. You have to tell Elsa."

"And risk everything?! She made it crystal clear, Hans! She's already dating that girl in the same major and gym! In fact, I'm pretty sure she's there again, getting cozy and clingy with all their sweat a—"

"At least just tell her. You can't exactly move on if you see her every day."

"I know that!"

Anna was already lucky she was able to create a poor excuse for that kiss. Her stupid self just had to move against her will, and she had seriously thought Elsa would've caught up. Maybe she did, but Anna was glad that she didn't push on the topic anymore.

But it was difficult to move on.

Seeing Elsa every day wasn't helping, and even if Elsa wasn't in sight, she was always inside her head. Everywhere she went, it was always screaming about Elsa, Elsa, and Elsa. Anna was going crazier with each passing day. She knew she couldn't avoid Elsa by leaving their apartment all the time. They still live under the same roof. She needed to think of something, anything that could help her move on because moving out of their apartment wasn't an option.

"What on earth did you two talked about anyway?" Anna asked, trying to push her agitation back.

"Nothing you should worry about," Hans said. "Just the usual. How I'm not allowed to force myself on you or anything. Nothing new."

"You didn't say anything stupid, did you?" Anna raised a skeptical brow.

"Depends on what you mean by stupid. I only said that if I'm ever going to make you mine again, I don't need to force you into it because I'll earn my way through. I don't know if she bought it, but that's none of my business."

Anna's jaw dropped at the very casual way he just told her how he was going to earn his way to her heart. It was almost unsettling, but also comforting. She didn't want to use him as a means of getting over Elsa, and she knew that Hans knew that too. They were both aware that he still felt something for her, but no one dared talk or be awkward about it. At this point in time, she was close to believing that his love was demoted to the 'crush' level.

"You, on the other hand, I think I do have a say in this." Hans sat down on the sofa and placed his elbow on his knees. "You did use me before, even if you didn't notice it yourself. How long are you going to keep it all bottled up?"

"As long as it takes." Anna's face filled with determination. "I'm not going to stoop so low anymore. I know what I feel now, and I'm going to deal with it on my own without bothering or hurting someone else."

The two redheads glared at each other, their thoughts not synchronizing. Anna knew what it was that Hans wanted. Maybe he did have the right to feel that way, but she was against the idea. It was true, she felt guilty for everything she did to him and to her previous boyfriends. They were serious about her, but her feelings weren't real for them. But out of all the guys, she felt inclined to Hans more. He was the only one brave enough to get hurt on purpose for her sake.

"Okay, you know what? You're coming with me." Hans grabbed Anna's pen and practically carried her on one shoulder.

"Wait, what?! Hans! Put me down!" Anna struggled and wiggled and swayed and moved like she didn't know how to settle down. "Let me go! Where are you taking me?!"

"To that gym that you love talking about."