Chaeng: Huuuuh! It's just a friendly dinner, Chaeng. It's not like you two will be on a romantic dinner date. It's just a simple dinner, period.
**Chaeng keeps on repeating the same words since she climbed up to her room after lunch. She knows how impulsive she was when she asked her for dinner, but she only has two weeks here, so why waste time waiting for the right chance?**
**But even though she's convinced that it's okay to ask her out, she's still not used to it. She doesn't know what to do. Like what to wear, what to say, how to behave, or even what to eat.**
**She covered her face with her hands, elbows resting on the table at the corner of her room, thinking deeply instead of resting and preparing for later.**
Chaeng: Relax. You have to calm down. Please, Chaeng, you have to calm down.
**She mumbled, hands still covering her face.**
**She slumped on her seat, releasing her hands from her face and letting them drop on her side. Why don't I start writing my next story, instead? She thought.**
**But even though she's been sitting in front of her laptop since early this morning, no single word had been written on it. She couldn't think of the right word or appropriate sentence to begin the first chapter of the story she liked to write. Well, the question is, what's the story about? She asked herself again.**
Chaeng: What's the story about, anyway?
**She asked loudly. Enough to disturb every living creature in her room. But she doubts there are other living things on it. The room is so well-maintained and everything looks so expensive.**
**She picked up her phone sitting at the back of her laptop and dialed someone's number. There's no point in letting herself suffer alone with this problem. Hmm, is it even a problem?**
Chaeng: Hey!
Tzuyu: Hello! I’m surprised you called!
**Tzuyu’s voice said teasingly. It’s not that she’s not expecting Chaeng's call. It’s just, even before when everything is still okay with Chaeng, she’s not used to receiving phone calls from her. It’s always her who calls no matter how much she always reminds her to dial her number to give her update with the stories she’s writing. That’s how odd she thinks her best friend is.**
Chaeng: Sorry. I know you’re busy. Well, are you in a meeting?
Tzuyu: No. I’m just in my office. Looking at some papers. So, you have good news for me?
Chaeng: Good news? Oh… no I don’t have. I still couldn’t write something that will impress you.
**Chaeng suddenly thought for a second. Is it really okay to ask her about it? Wouldn’t it be so embarrassing to ask someone about what to do on your first date? Shit, Chaeng! Stop thinking that it’s a date for Pete’s Sake! She nagged herself again.**
Tzuyu: So… why exactly are you calling me if you have nothing to give me?
Chaeng: Uhm…
**Chaeng was hesitant to ask questions. Well, she doesn’t actually know what exact question to ask. She doesn’t want it to sound strange, but this feeling and experience are somewhat new to her. So she wants to do it right even if it’s her first time.**
Chaeng: I met someone here. I mean, I asked her out. No, not really out. It’s just a dinner. A friendly dinner.
Tzuyu: Whoa! Whoa! Slow down. You don’t need to hurry up. I have all the afternoon to listen to you, you know.
**Chaeng couldn’t help but say it as fast as she could ‘cause she’s afraid that she’ll stutter again. Just like when she asked Mina earlier.**
Tzuyu: Take a deep breath first, okay?
**Chaeng willingly did what Tzuyu asked of her. She took a deep breath and tried her best to relax her senses to calm her heart from beating so fast. She doesn’t like the tension she’s feeling right now, too. So maybe it’s really better to let it subside first before she speaks again.**
Tzuyu: So… you met someone. Did I catch it right?
Chaeng: Yeah.
Tzuyu: Then you asked her for a dinner?
Chaeng: Yeah!
Tzuyu: Did she say yes?
Chaeng: Yeah!
Tzuyu: Then what’s our problem with that? Shouldn’t we be celebrating that finally, you’re going on a date after twenty-two years of existing in this world?
**Chaeng sighed audibly while still slouching on her seat.**
Chaeng: The thing is, I don’t know what to wear or I don’t even know what to say or ask or how to behave later. I don’t want her to think I’m weird or something.
**Tzuyu laughed. Well, she doesn’t mean to offend her best friend. It’s just, she finds it funny that Chaeng is worried about these small details.**
Chaeng: Arrgh! I know I’ve called the wrong number. I shouldn’t ask. This makes me sound pathetic. Didn’t I?
**She said softly. Suddenly regrets asking stupid questions. But even though she thinks those are just stupid things, she still couldn’t think straight.**
Tzuyu: Hey! Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound offensive. I just didn’t expect someone like you will ask me about that. I mean, of all the people I know, you’re the best person to ask about it. Look at the stories you’ve written. It’s as if you’re writing it based on your experience, so I really don’t get why you’re calling me, asking me such things, you know.
Chaeng: I also thought about it. But it feels different when you’re already there. Like… writing it is somewhat like being in your fantasies, you know. Things that you want to see or dreams you want to come true. But when that moment comes, no matter how much you know what to do, it still feels different.
Tzuyu: Hmm… you must like this person you met there so much, don’t you? Well, just be yourself, I guess. You don’t need to be someone perfect. Or you don’t need to behave to be someone you’re not, just to be likable. Just be yourself. Just be comfortable. At least if there’s something weird about you, she’ll notice it immediately, and would tell you how weird you are as early as today, right?
**Chaeng chuckled for a moment. Thinking if Mina will find her strange or cool or whatever.**
Tzuyu: What? Did I say something funny?
Chaeng: Nah! Maybe I just really think I’m weird, you know.
Tzuyu: Well, I couldn’t agree less. Anyway, who is this lucky girl? Is she pretty? How is she? Describe her to me.
**Tzuyu asked excitedly. Well, since it’s the first time her best friend asked her about someone, she’s also curious about what kind of person she likes.**
Chaeng: Hmm… all I know is there’s something weird that happened to me when I first saw her. I felt my body quivered when she stood in front of me for the first time, and her voice stayed in my head even after she turned her back towards me. As if a song that I couldn’t erase in my thoughts.
Tzuyu: Oh… shut it!
**Tzuyu interjected. It’s not the things she wanted to hear from her. She wants more. She wants to hear something tangible. Something visible. And something that would make her says, “wow, you’ve made the right choice.”**
Tzuyu: Talk to me like a normal kid who just discovered something great. Like she’s pretty, tall, sexy… something physical, you know. And not say something that a writer would write in her manuscript to describe what she felt when she first had her first love.
Chaeng: Hey! What you want to know is such a cliché. I won’t do that. Besides, what’s wrong? I’m a writer. What do you expect from me?
Tzuyu: Something I could easily understand. Anyway, I hope to meet her soon and give me updates on your first date. I won’t mind even if I’m in a meeting or something.
Chaeng: Yeah right!
**Chaeng answered with a wide smile ‘cause she could feel Tzuyu is as excited as she is. But their difference is, she’s nervous about it.**
*****
**Mina was staring blankly outside. She was sitting at the corner of her café, instead of standing behind the counter roasting coffee beans or arranging her pastries and cakes on their glass display. Just like what she does all the time.**
**But she was there with her coffee in front of her, thinking about Jeong. Reminiscing the moment when they first went out for a date. It was surreal ‘cause she never pictured herself sitting in a fancy restaurant with a girl. She couldn’t even believe she’ll say yes to her invitation after months of talking at the cafeteria, hallway, and library.**
**“Isn’t it weird to date a girl?” Sana asked when Mina told her she’ll go out with Jeong. They both met Jeong in the university during freshmen when they got lost searching for their second period. She helped them find their classroom. And since then, Jeong became a familiar face at lunchtime. She always shows up at the cafeteria with her tray and joining them at lunch.**
**Well, Sana knew there’s something odd with her and with the way she treats her best friend. But she didn’t expect that Mina would say yes ‘cause Mina never mentioned she likes her. And she never heard Mina compliment a girl ‘cause she’s cute or something. So, seeing them sitting side by side after their first date kind of feel weird for her. But she eventually got used to it and realized that love has no gender.**
**Mina sighed heavily as if something bad happened. She pulled her cup of coffee but didn’t dare to take a sip. She just hugged it with her both hands, feeling the warmth on her skin. “Is it now okay to go out with someone else, Jeong?” She thought.**
**Yes, it’s been a year. It’s been a year since she lost the first person who held her heart for five years. But is it really okay now to open it again for someone she barely knew?**
Ryujin: Hey! What are you doing here?
**Ryujin rarely see her sister sitting at one of the tables. She’s always busy pacing behind the bar or at the kitchen checking everything even if she already checked it a few moments ago. So when she came in and didn’t see Mina, she searched for her instantly.**
**Mina absentmindedly checked her watch and saw that it’s already five in the afternoon. How long has she been sitting there? She thought.**
Mina: Oh… I didn’t notice the time. I thought it’s only three or something.
Ryujin: So, you’ve been sitting there for a while now?
**Ryujin’s forehead furrowed.**
Ryujin: Is everything all right?
**Then she pulled the chair opposite from Mina, who’s now sipping her coffee as fast as she could. But since it’s still hot, she couldn’t chug it at once.**
Ryujin: Hey! I’m asking you, what’s wrong? No secrets, remember?
**Ryujin suddenly get worried. She’s suspecting that maybe Mina’s thinking about Jeong. That maybe she’s having a moment again, just like several months ago. When she’ll just stop in the middle of making coffee and cry. Or just froze while staring at the cheesecake she’s slicing. She’s worried that it’s happening again. So she feels that it’s her responsibility to watch her sister and remind her of the things in front of her rather than the thing that’s no longer there.**
**Mina put down the cup and stared at Ryujin. Yes, they made a pact that they won’t hide anything from each other. And that no matter what happened, they will be there when someone needs them.**
Mina: Nah. There’s nothing wrong. Maybe, I’m just thinking about Jeong. I guess I’ll visit her tomorrow morning before I come here.
**Ryujin didn’t say a word, she just reached for her sister’s hand and squeezed it.**
Mina: Maybe, I should ask her if I could now go out with someone.
**That instantly shocked Ryujin. It’s the very first time she heard Mina spoke about going out with someone after the accident.**
Ryujin: Did you… did you just meet someone that might… you know… go out with?
**Her eyes went wide. Still couldn’t believe the thing she heard from her sister. If that is possible, why didn’t she notice it? They talk every day. They work in the kitchen every day. But she didn’t see anything odd or never seen her spoke to someone at the café or on her phone. Did she miss something?**
Mina: Hmm… I did. Well, it wasn’t as if I’m expecting it to happen sooner, and besides… she just asked me for dinner ‘cause she wants us to be… friends.
Ryujin: Where did you meet her? I mean, you’re always here. I didn’t see you talk to someone or speak to someone on the phone. And anyway, who is she?
**Mina paused for a while to drink her coffee. It’s not that she doesn’t want to reveal who that person is. It’s just kind of odd that she just met this girl several days ago, and here
she is going out on a dinner.**
Mina: Hmm… you know her. I mean, you’ve been serving her breakfast ever since she checked in.
**That shocked Ryujin even more. If her guess is right, she wouldn’t mind if they’ll be more than friends.**
Ryujin: Why do I feel so happy with your news?
Mina: Hey! It’s not as if we’re going out on a date or something. It’s just a friendly dinner, you know.
Ryujin: I won’t ask someone for dinner if I just want to be friends with her. If she wants to be friends with anyone here, why didn’t she ask me, instead? We’ve been talking since she arrived here, and you know that.
**Ryujin said smirking. Doesn’t have any intention of hiding her approval with the dinner her sister was talking about.**
**She’s right. Mina thought. Who am I kidding? And why do I act as if it’s my first time to receive an invitation from someone. Of course, even if she said it’s just a friendly dinner, it still doesn't sound like that. So maybe… maybe she likes me, too? Is that it?**
**Ryujin stood up, still not done smiling at the news she had heard from her sister.**
Ryujin: If you want me to cook for you, then I'll be glad to do so.
**She said while walking away, not daring to look at her sister. That's her way of teasing her and making her feel that she's okay with it.**
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