Cheng Xiao didn’t remember how long they had been awkwardly sitting together for.

When Eunseo first let her in her house, she politely showed her around. Her flat was just as big as the one next door, but it was decorated in a significantly more modest and sober way, with more muted and pastel-toned colors, and the furniture arranged in such a clean way it made the house look a lot bigger than the CEO’s.

During said tour, Cheng Xiao learned that apparently, even before losing her memory, she had never been to Eunseo’s house. She had been invited many times, but according to her neighbor, she was constantly too busy or too tired with work to even sit for tea.

Cheng Xiao thought it made sense that the company kept her very busy, but she couldn’t believe her pre-amnesia self had spent so much time living next to such a gorgeous woman, who had invited her over countless times, only to constantly reject her. Maybe hitting her head had actually made her smarter. Nonetheless, she was very pleased to know of the writer’s interest in at least befriending her.

After that, Eunseo asked her what she wanted to do, to which Cheng Xiao really had no good answer for, leading them to the classic boredom last resort: watching TV.

From the moment Eunseo the TV and then sat down, Cheng Xiao knew she was very off. The smile painted on her face as she showed her around and chatted with her had faded into a straight line, and her eyes were focused on the ground instead of on the show. She was rapidly tapping her foot on the floor and her fingers on the armrest. She wasn’t reacting to the show in the slightest, and didn’t even seem to notice the many times Cheng Xiao had stared at her.

But just what was going on in her mind? It was as if, once again, she was out of Cheng Xiao’s reach. There was this somewhat grim, mysterious side to the cute, clumsy, kind writer that intrigued her even more. And when Eunseo sunk into that side of herself, she was unreadable, untouchable. Like she had raised a soundproof wall around her, not allowing anyone to touch her or talk to her.

But Cheng Xiao had to try. She had to know her. Instead of pushing her away, Eunseo’s distance felt somewhat challenging, somewhat inviting, as if whatever other world she was in, she had to go in as well and pull her out of it. She was determined to show her the same kindness and support she had seen from her so far. It was time to stop thinking about what to do or say.

As she was about to finally open , a phone vibrated on the coffee table, startling Eunseo, who jerked up with a gasp, quickly reaching out for it as Cheng Xiao observed her. She read the incoming text in silence, her body stiff.

After she was done reading, she let out a loud deep breath and relaxed her whole body onto the sofa. Slowly, she let her body lean in Cheng Xiao’s direction, her head eventually falling on the Chinese’s shoulder. The latter stiffened slightly and felt the flush on her cheeks.

“I’m a free woman.” She mouthed against her shoulder.

“W-what are you talking about?”

“For today at least.” Eunseo handed her phone to Cheng Xiao for her to read the text.

It was from Kim SeolA. “We will talk tomorrow.” Was all it said. Cheng Xiao couldn’t help but wonder if this was due to the… situation with Exy from earlier, but she wouldn’t ask.

“Well, you’re still going to have to deal with her tomorrow…”

Wow. Great. Really helpful. Just the right thing to say. Awesome, way to go, Xiao Xiao, you’re the best at comforting people. And I thought not keeping my mouth shut was a good idea.

“I don’t wannaaaaaaa…” Eunseo grunted, very suddenly wrapping her arms around Cheng Xiao.

Cheng Xiao’s heart skipped a beat and she stopped breathing. Not only because she had been startled, but because she was now trapped… between Eunseo’s arms. Her head on her shoulder. It was basically cuddling. Just what in the world was going on? Hadn’t Eunseo said they were just neighbors? Heck, she hadn’t even been to her house, ever. Was she simply this… touchy? Was she like this with everyone? Cheng Xiao had no idea how to deal with it or what to make of her actions. Especially because she had already cried in the writer’s arms several times that day. But this was different, she was now the one being hugged. Oh gosh, had she caused Eunseo to feel this way too? How embarrassing.

It was really weird… but she didn’t exactly dislike it. Only the part it almost gave her a heart attack. She definitely expected a way worse outcome from her… comforting words.

“Well… why don’t you want to? Are you... scared, or something?” As if Cheng Xiao didn’t think she was making a fool of herself already, the ‘situation’ she was in was severely impairing the connection between her brain and .

Eunseo raised her head from Cheng Xiao’s shoulder to look at her for a second, and then released the grip on Cheng Xiao, straightening herself to sit upright, but still so close to her their legs almost touched. Cheng Xiao was finally able to go back to breathing normally, and Eunseo seemed completely oblivious to the effect she had on her. Maybe it really wasn’t a big deal.

“SeolA unnie is… peculiar.” She scoffed sadly. “She’s definitely very strong-willed and blunt in the way she says things. And also really harsh in criticizing my work when there’s the need for it, but she won’t hold back on praising me if she believes I deserve it.”

Cheng Xiao was actively listening and didn’t say anything even though Eunseo had paused. There was definitely more to say.

“We met back when I was in college. Unnie was a substitute teacher for one of my classes and I was really fascinated with how smart she was and the way she taught even though she was just starting out as a teacher. I reached out to her after class, we talked, and she showed interest in the fact that I liked to write. We kept in touch and eventually she was able to fix a connection with my current publisher. Thankfully, she took the responsibility of being my editor and with their help we were able to release the book I had been working on for quite a while – my very first book, ‘Same Heart’. I kind of owe her a lot of my success, really. She always believed in me.”

Eunseo sighed, then pulled her knees to her chest, her feet on the couch, burying her head on her knees.

“I’m blabbering again, ain’t I?” The writer slowly turned her head, still rested on her knees, to make eye contact with Cheng Xiao.

Noticing the sadness in Eunseo’s eyes, Cheng Xiao’s heart sunk. But she couldn’t help but be drawn to the beauty she saw in them. By the millions of things that hid behind them.

“No, not at all.” Cheng Xiao shook her head very slowly and carefully, not to hurt herself, and gave her a coy smile. “I like listening to you.”

Those words came out of in their most pure form, as simple and sincere as it was. And strangely, when she wasn’t thinking of what to say, or how to act, she was able to speak sincerely, without stuttering, without being self-conscious about what she just said. Eunseo had already opened her heart to her so much, she was now slightly more comfortable with speaking her mind. 

Eunseo’s beautiful, prominent cheekbones rose as she returned the smile, her cheeks slightly changing in color.

“You asked me if I was scared.” The author’s stare was sheepish again, as she turned to face straight ahead, avoiding her neighbor’s eyes. “The thing is… It’s not SeolA unnie I’m scared of. She’s a really good person and I really, really like her. She’s more than a sister to me. What you just saw happen… Is not her usual self. She may be straightforward, but she’s not mean, or irritable. It takes a lot to set her off like that and get her to do such a thing. The worst part is… she’s completely right. That’s what I’m scared of hearing, even though I know it just as well. I know it so well it hurts to think I’m going to have to hear it out loud from someone else. I’ve been failing her. After all she’s done for me, I’m failing to deliver and putting her on the line. It’s not fair to her. It’s all my fault.”

Cheng Xiao noticed Eunseo’s voice breaking as she was saying those last words, but she was sure when she heard muffled sobbing. She was trying to hold it back.

“Eunseo.” The Chinese slowly moved her hand to rest it on her neighbor’s shoulder. She wasn’t sure of what she was doing, but it didn’t matter anymore. “Please don’t be embarrassed. Or ashamed. If you do, I will feel ashamed of having cried in front of you too. I cried when I needed to, and it felt a lot better. You should also do that.”

Without even looking back at her, Eunseo swallowed, lowering her knees on the couch, and gently laid on her side, her head buried in Cheng Xiao’s lap.

Even though this took her by surprise, Cheng Xiao wasn’t shaken in the slightest. Eunseo now needed her the same way she had needed her before. As if she was in auto-pilot, not giving it a second thought, her hand placed itself on top of Eunseo’s head, tucking her hair behind her ear. Softly and slowly, she started caressing her hair. In the same rhythm, the writer’s loud, ugly sobs started to quiet down, her breathing returning to a normal pace.

After a short while, Eunseo’s hand slid through her head, reaching out to get a firm grip on Cheng Xiao’s, which was still caressing her hair. And so they stayed that way, losing track of time and thought, not a word being said. For a reason Cheng Xiao couldn’t understand, the both of them seemed to be really comfortable with silence fallen upon them. And sometimes, they didn’t seem to need to communicate in words.

The now full silence, as Eunseo had already stopped crying, was broken once again by a vibrating phone on the coffee table. Finally, she let go of Cheng Xiao’s hand and sat up, reaching for her phone. After she read it, her eyebrows drew close together, and she frowned.

“Is something wrong?” Cheng Xiao asked, leaning forward and frowning along.

“My mom has been hospitalized. I’m headed straight to her. I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it back today and I won’t be able to buy the phone either. It’s nothing serious, so please tell Cheng Xiao not to worry. I will keep in touch. Make sure you take proper care of her and have her rushed to the hospital as soon as you notice something off. Thank you.” Eunseo turned to Cheng Xiao, handing her the phone. “It’s from Kim Bona.”

Cheng Xiao read the text herself in disbelief. Even though Bona had specifically said she shouldn’t worry, that was a really farfetched request. Is it really possible not to worry about someone that’s had a family member hospitalized?

“Hey, she said it was nothing serious. Don’t make that face.” Eunseo smiled reassuringly. “It’s not worth it to worry about it. Do you know what’s worth to worry about? Your stomach. You’re hungry, right?”

“Well, yes… But first… I don’t suppose I can borrow a change of clothes?” Cheng Xiao looked down, extremely embarrassed to say it.

Eunseo looked down at Cheng Xiao’s lap, where the other was facing, and her face paled. Possibly with the realization she had drenched her neighbor’s lap in her tears.

“Gosh. Yes. Yes you can. Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I’ll go get you some pajamas.” She said, facing away and getting up to walk in the direction of her room.

“Pajamas…?” Cheng Xiao pouted in confusion.

“Well… You’re staying here for the night, right? Your assistant would murder me in cold blood if I let you go back to that mess, especially since you got attacked and injured. Doctor Nam told me to keep an eye on you. I promised two people I’d take care of you, I can’t just let them down.” Eunseo smiled warmly, but quickly changed into an alarmed look after seeing Cheng Xiao’s frozen expression.

“What? Are you uncomfortable with it? If you are I can take you to the hotel, but you know, it would be best if you stayed here with me because after all somebody tried to attack you, you know, and they might want to try it again, so like, what if they do right? That would be really dangerous and then I would blame myself and then I would die because then it would be my fault and Bona would know that and really it would be a painful death if she were to kill me, so I don’t want you to die and I don’t want me to die, so you see, I can also be here if you feel sick during the night, I mean you hit your head and you might have a really bad headache and stuff and actually I know this really good ancient Chinese technique against headaches, but if you’re Chinese you must know about it, but I’m not sure if you do or if you remember it so I can teach you and----“

Cheng Xiao’s confused pout gradually grew into a dreamy stare right at the cute blabbering girl, not really listening to a word she said with how absorbed she was in her beauty and uniqueness. With how gloomy and emotional this day had been for the both of them, it felt refreshing for her to see the writer back to how she was when the day first started, the same she had been when she rushed into her hospital room, ‘accidentally’ held her hand, and made her smile even though she had just woken up and found out she knew nothing about her life. She made her feel it was more important to get to know her… or remember her, than it was to remember about herself. She was… caught up in her, to say the least.

Then finally, she could not hold back her giggle anymore, interrupting Eunseo’s lengthy monologue. It was hard to think she was a famous author when she had such a hard time with words, sentences and speech itself, when she was embarrassed.

“No, no, no. I want to stay with you. I mean, here. I want to stay here. To be honest… I am scared of going back to my house. But I hadn’t thought about where I’d sleep before you mentioned it. Sorry if I looked uncomfortable. Thank you so much for letting me stay.”

“Uh, it’s uh… not a problem at all, you’re welcome to stay with m--- here all the time!! I uh… I’m gonna get clothes bye!” Eunseo turned mechanically to resume her way towards her room, way too stiffly and unnaturally, leaving behind a still-giggling Cheng Xiao.

Dinner was exciting. Of course, with Eunseo insisting on cooking while Cheng Xiao rested, the ‘fun’ was bound to start with the preparations. Since Cheng Xiao felt bad about making her cook by herself, she demanded that the meal would be something simple to make.

3 badly cracked eggs, 2 sloppily chopped onions (and almost a small bit of a chopped finger), and way, way too much green pepper later, the two bowls of messy, flaming hot, but still tasty ramyun were ready.

The conversation immediately sparked with how both girls considered themselves resistant to spicy food, since they were both able to eat and enjoy the extremely spicy ramyun. Then, it just flowed naturally.

They talked about how Eunseo had started to write because she had no friends and ended up befriending her Korean teacher in middle school – and consequently how she seemed to have a pattern of befriending her teachers rather than her classmates; About whatever Cheng Xiao could remember about her company’s business, her functions, and how she had come to meet Bona and bring her to the company; About the places Eunseo wanted to take Cheng Xiao to, and which ones she would definitely remember because they were really popular, or which ones she would have a lot of fun at…

Cheng Xiao was really enjoying the conversation, and getting to know more about Eunseo. It was as if she could spend hours talking to her… so much that she actually did. They once again lost track of time with each other and lengthened their conversation way beyond meal time. It was slightly past midnight, and it was definitely time for them to go sleep.

“So you can go sleep on my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch. I’m going to get some clean sheets.” Eunseo said as she stood up and started going to her room.

However, a gentle tug on the sleeve of her shirt stopped her.

“Eunseo… w-wait.” Cheng Xiao said as she also stood up, facing the ground in attempt to hide her flaming face. “I’m… scared of sleeping alone. After I found out what happened last night. Can I s-sleep in the same room as you?”

It was not an excuse. She was, in fact, terrified with the thought of being left alone after what happened. She was also scared she would get paranoid and go back to drowning in her thoughts of frustration and questioning of her own identity if she was left alone. As embarrassing and possibly inconveniencing as it was, she had to ask.

“S-sure. I can sleep on the floor.”

“No, no way I will sleep on-“

“Don’t even think about it. It’s insane that you would even consider sleeping on the floor when you have a head trauma.”

Cheng Xiao had to agree it would be unwise, although she couldn’t help but feel bad about Eunseo sleeping on the floor… Maybe if she asked her to sleep on the bed with her… It was a pretty big bed after all…

NO NO NO NO NO WAY WHAT THE, WHAT AM I THINKING, CANCEL, DELETE, ABORT, NOW. DO. NOT. OPEN. MOUTH.

After all the preparations, Cheng Xiao was finally able to lay on the huge, extremely comfortable bed, taking care to do so very slowly. However, when her head touched the pillow, she couldn’t help but hiss in pain.

“CHENG XIAO! Are you okaaa----OWWW.” Eunseo worried so much about that faint cry she automatically tried to dash to the bed… not before hitting her foot on the bed structure.

“I’m okay, it’s just slightly uncomfortable when the back of my head touches somewhere. But it really doesn’t hurt a lot. What about you, though? You didn’t have to worry so much…”

“It’s fine, I’m way too used to this. Sorry I overreacted.” Eunseo said as she bent over to massage her foot for a few seconds before going to her makeshift bed on the floor.

The owner of the room used the remote in her other hand to put the lights out.

“Good night, Cheng Xiao.”

“Good night, Eunseo.”

“Don’t worry about anything… just sleep.”

---

A/N: Finally! Finally I was able to close the first day of the story. Sorry it dragged on this long and thank you for being patient! Please accept this double-length Eunxiao-focused chapter as my apology :) I really, really hope you like it. Thank you so much for your continuous support. You guys are so patient with my story dragging and my slow updates and so kind in your comments I want to hug every single one of you ;;

P.S.: The last line of the chapter is a reference to the lyrics of 'Good Night'. Did you catch it? :)