FLASHBACK

“Life is so despicable, honey” he said while reaching Ma’s hand.

Pa slowly closed his eyes.

Father, don’t go!

“Quick! Search if he’s alive!” I heard a man screamed outside our car. I quickly did what Pa has told me to do. My body is trembling with fear but I have to resist it.

A man started to come near us. He looked at the front of our car.

“They’re dead, yo” a man said.

“They!?” another man with a husky voice said. I felt that the man with the husky voice looked at our car.

“!” the man with the husky voice angrily shouted. “The woman and the child are not supposed to be there!”.

When they were about to leave, I tried to squint my eyes. I didn’t see the man’s face but I noticed something. In his wrist, there was a circular tattoo with the letter ‘M’ inside of the circle.

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BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I immediately woke up the moment I heard my alarm. Of all the things that I could have dreamt of, why does it have to be the moment my father died?

I touched my cheeks. It was wet from crying.

I looked at my reflection as I remember what happened yesterday.

Pie and I separated our ways when it’s time for our first class. Actually, I was just maintaining my composure ever since she said that Van was the one who brought her that clip.

I clenched my fist very hard. Oh, how I wish I didn’t even remember anything at all.

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THE NEXT DAY

Damn it, Van is still really pissing me off. What’s his deal? First, it’s clear that he liked Yam and now he’s aiming for Pie? And he even claimed that he was the one who gave her the clip. HE’S THE WORST!

“Thahan? Dude, are you okay?” Zee said as she called out my name. He was driving us home.

It broke my reverie and so I got back on my senses.

I furrowed my eyebrows. While it’s true that in the documents, my name is now Thahan and now goes with Tina as a nickname, I can’t still process why Zee called me Thahan. See, she never called me that and kept on calling me Tina. “Why are you calling me Thahan? You’re a weirdo, bro”

He chuckled. “Well, I guess I just miss calling out that name”.

Oh, I see. I almost forgot.

Zee is still Thahan’s little sister and she will always be, no matter how muscular she is now. She must be longing for her brother a lot.

“Whatever!” I shrugged, avoiding to be emotional and all. Like she knew what I really feel deep inside, she just smiled at me. I wonder how Zee understands me so well.

After a moment of silence between us, he tapped my shoulders.

“The school trip is in 3 days. Aren’t you excited?” she asked, her eyes on the road.

I chuckled. “Yeah sure…” I shrugged. I wasn’t really looking forward to that trip. It lasts for three days and I was worried that Aunt In might close the shop during those days because we’re not there to help.

I looked at the window as I remembered what that Van guy did. I really hate him.

“By the way, is Pie your ex-girlfriend?”

My jaw dropped when I heard that. I straightened up myself. , how did she know?

“W-What where d-did you you get that i-dea!?” I said as I forced out a smile. I clenched my fist harder.

Zee looked at me and then immediately turned her eyes on the road. “Nothing. Jane mentioned that Pie’s ex is someone named Kim. At Maya’s, remember?”

I could feel my heart beating so fast upon hearing that name. I looked at Zee and tried to hide how nervous I am right now. “I-It must be s-some coincidence haha”

She chuckled as she looked at me straight in the eyes. “Yeah, coincidence. That happens”

Her gaze re the road. She tapped the driving wheel as she said, “You know, Jane told me that Pie hasn’t move on yet. When it’s her ex’s birthday, she would cry a lot and drink a lot”

Oh. Maybe that’s why she was so drunk on that day.

“Pie is really beautiful when she smiles, that’s what I think when I first met her. But after becoming her friend, I learned that she’s lonely inside. It’s really amazing how she uses that sweet smile of hers to hide how she truly feels”

I kept on listening. Zee doesn’t make any sense. Why is she telling me these?

“Now I wonder, if that person she loves so much comes back to her life, will she be able to use that smile, not as a wall, but as an expression of how she truly feels?”

If I would confess to her that I am Kim, then she’s just going to hurt more. Once that happens, she might not be able to smile at all.

Besides… she likes someone already.

I just hope that the person she likes will heal her and love her more than I love her…

And I will continue to become a part of her life… as a friend.

Her not knowing anything about me… is my greed.

“Eii! Why are you so dramatic, Zee? Can you just please stop watching those Korean dramas already!?” I nagged while hitting her shoulder once.

I looked at the window again.

“Besides… she already likes someone else. I heard her say that to Van” I excused. I fished for my water bottle inside my military bag.

She chuckled once again. “What if that ‘someone else’ is you, Tina?”

I almost spitted all of the water that I was drinking. “Don’t be ridiculous, Zee!”

I maintained my composure. I quickly closed the bottle and put it in my bag. “Besides, why would she like ME!?”

I leaned at my seat. Yeah, why would she? There’s no reason for her to like me.

She doesn’t like me.

Yeah, she doesn’t like you at all.

Not even one bit.

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It was evening. After going home from school, Zee and I immediately grabbed my apron and helped Aunt In. This time of the day is the busiest time of the café because most of the students from different universities eats here before going home.

I was cleaning up a table when I heard some highschool girls giggling. “Oh Zee! You’re so handsome and so manly! I wish I could take you home! I want to marry you when I grow up”

“Then you should grow up quickly cause’ others might snatch me away from you” she winked. The girl looked like she just died inside. HAHA.

I chuckled. Zee is very famous in our café. Some girls would visit the café just to see her. Zee said that more girls are into me but I hardly believe that.

An image of Van suddenly popped into my head. Gosh, I hate him so much! I wonder what Pie saw in him that she’s still letting him linger around her?

When we are about to close the shop in about two hours, I went to the kitchen to wash the dishes. We already run out of clean plates to serve so I have to wash the dirty ones.

I suddenly thought of Yam’s diary. I haven’t read the last two remaining page. I sighed loudly.

I have to know…

I have to know if she’s planning something that would harm Pie.

“Yo, dude. Why are sighing like that? Are you okay?” Zee asked as he sliced the cake into eight equal sizes.

“Yeah! You? Are you finished flirting with those highschool girls?” I . I could feel that he turned around to look at me.

“Eii! That’s just fanservice! In this café, I’m the Choi Siwon haha” she explained, while putting the cakes into the plates I just washed.

“Does Jane know about your fanservice?” I teased further.

She kicked my . “You stink, Tina”

“Tina, you have a guest!” Aunt In shouted from afar.

A guest? Who could it be?

I washed my hands to remove the soap. I was finished cleaning the dishes anyway.

“Coming!” I shouted back.

I wiped my hands to my apron. As I walk, I saw the shadow of my guest. The shadow was slim but maybe because of the lighting. I walked in step by step.

The moment I saw my guest, my heart started to go crazy and my body felt a spark. The first thing I saw was that gorgeous hazelnut eyes of hers. Just seeing that eyes is enough to make my day complete. And that smile. She was smiling warmly at Aunt In. It’s the type of smile that could make you smile too.

Soon, that hazelnut eyes focused on me. My eyes automatically moved away from that gaze but I knew that she caught me staring at her.

“Oh Tina! Look, Pie is here!” Aunt In excitedly said.

I carried my hand midair and softly waved it. “Hi, Pie”

She smiled at me and did the same as I did. “Hi, Tina” I walked towards them.

She tucked her hair on the back of her ears. “Actually, I came here for our report”

Oh yeah…

Of course she wouldn’t come by to see me…

I smiled at her, hiding the disappointment I caused to myself.

Aunt In cleared . “Well, kids. I’ll leave you two for a second. More customers are coming in. Tina, serve some matcha cake for Pie”

Pie smiled at Aunt In as she made an attempt to refuse by saying, “You really don’t need to, Miss In”

Miss In brushed Pie’s hair a little. “You really should eat more, Pie. You look thinner than the last time who visited here”

Pie flashed that warm smile again as she nodded. Soon, Aunt In took her leave so I led Pie to a table near the kitchen. I went to the kitchen and I saw Zee, drinking some soda, taking a short break.

I knew that Zee is gonna ask who my visitor is so before he does, I said “Pie’s here”.

She almost spitted all of the soda in his mouth. “What!?”

I chuckled. “She just came to do the report with me, dumbo” I said, for Zee to not give any meaning to her arrival.

“Y-Yeah, of course” she mumbled. I took two pieces of our signature matcha cake. Soon, she chuckled. “Why? Were you expecting something else?”

I accidentally bit my tongue because of what she said. I focused on the food that I was preparing. After I prepared the food, I looked at Zee and said, “You stink”

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When I went out to the kitchen, I immediately saw her. She was holding some papers, probably our report. I just noticed that Pie is more beautiful when she’s focused.

 I shook my head. You’re a friend, Tina. Friends don’t stare at each other creepily.

I walked towards her and served the foods. I sat across her.

“I have to admit. I didn’t expect you to take this report seriously. You don’t look like the type to take a minor subject seriously” I teased.

Her wonderful gorgeous eyes didn’t break her stare at the matcha cake. Soon, she killed the cake as she stabbed it with her fork and took a bite. She looked at me and her lips after.

Damn, why is it so hot in here?

“So that’s why you’re staring at me earlier, huh?” she teased back.

, how did she know?

I could hear my heart beat so fast and my face burning up. I quickly looked down and took a bite of my matcha cake.

“C-Crazy, I w-wasn’t staring at you. I w-was looking for… that clip! Yeah, the clip! W-where is it?” I bluffed. But in truth, I really don’t want to talk about it.

She suddenly seemed uninterested about our conversation. “It’s in the mansion. I forgot to bring it today”

She continued to play her food. She looked like she was thinking about something. Soon her phone vibrated. I glanced at her phone and saw that it was Van who was calling.

Her face started to become uncomfortable. She turned off her phone.

“Are you okay? Why are you frowning like a mackerel?” I asked playfully to not kill the mood.

She gave me a hint of her smile but she didn’t smile fully. Her face still looks uncomfortable. “It’s nothing important” She forced a smile.

I could feel her eyes wandered around our café and then turned back to me, who was enjoying the cake.

“Siishh! Dunces!” she said as she took a small portion of her cake.

“Hhmmm?”

“Look to your left” she commanded. I immediately looked at my left to know what she’s talking about. To my surprise, I saw some girls eyeing badly at Pie. Realizing that I was staring at them, they immediately went back to their own businesses.

I quickly turned around to face Pie. She was also glaring badly at them. Damn, she’s so scary. “Are you really that famous in here? Do they usually glare with girls you bring here?” she mumbled, not looking at me.

When Pie sensed that I was looking at her, “Why are you smiling?”

Am I smilling… again? “H-Huh?”

“Nevermind” she hissed as she looked at me with the remnants of her glare earlier.

“What? H-Hey, I’m not really s-smiling, silly!” I clarified.

She rolled her eyes and said, “Whatever”

“Hey, I really wasn---“

“Report! Let’s just do the report” she said as she slightly dropped my share of report into our table.

I was speechless. I preferred not to speak any further to avoid unleashing the Monster Pie. For an hour, we reviewed and reviewed our report over and over again.

“Tina” she called my attention, breaking the silence between us.

“Hmmm?” I said with my eyes not leaving my laptop.

“Is Yam really your girlfriend?”

I almost choked on what she said. What made her say that!?

“Y-Yeah! Y-Yam is my girlfriend! I l-love her s-so…much!”

She slowly nodded as she swallowed a lump on . “Then why did you kis---“

“HI GUYS!” Pie was cut off by Zee, who suddenly appeared from nowhere bringing us some beer.

Pie and I was speechless. Zee, wrong timing! Pie was about to ask something important!

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zee asked “W-Why are you guys staring at me? Did I interrupt something?”

“Nothing!” Pie immediately said. Seeing Pie panicked like that, I decided to just go with it. “Yeah, Zee. It’s nothing”

Zee shrugged. “Okay if you say so”

“Why are you here?” I asked. This better be good, Zee.

“Since, we’re closing, let’s go have some fun”

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PARAGONS 8:00 PM

I now found myself staring at the dance floor watching all those mad-like people dancing around any corner in the pub. Those people are also students from our University. Well, the bar is near from the school anyway. Why am I here? Here’s what happened: Zee interrupted Pie and I from talking (and from doing our report) to go to the ‘hottest’ party in town. Of course, me being myself, I refused but what made me come here is Pie. She was itching to come and so I did. I was planning to guard her and make sure that no setting her up will happen to her. Yeah, friends protect each other.

I rock as a friend, yeahh!

Zee and Pie are sitting on a booth with some whiskey over our table. Zee and Pie drank like a half of it already. I chuckled. Zee is going to get drunk tonight, huh.

“You guys, I’m just going to bring us some snacks” Zee said while tidying herself up.

I kicked her foot under our table. Zee, why are you leaving me alone with Pie!?

In return, she winked at me. Her eyes were saying, go get her bro. I mentally facepalmed myself.

I shouldn’t worry that much. I am Pie’s friend! Being alone with friends is normal!

Zee stood up and disappeared from our eyes.

I turned around to face Pie, who was texting her driver not to drive her home today.

“So where are you going to stay for the night? Are you going to drive yourself home?” I asked to break the ice.

She was still busy texting. “Nope, I’m going to stay at my dorm”

“You have a dorm?”

“Yeah, I have a room beside Jane’s”

She locked her phone and then she faced me. “How about you? I didn’t expect you’ll actually come here. I have to admit, I am impressed seeing an old man like you going to a place like this”

I faked a laugh to . Suddenly, a random dude sat beside Pie. I could say that his actions startled Pie seeing how surprised her face is. She suddenly gripped my arm to her surprise.

“Yo, girl. You’re so hot. Ten out of ten baby. Do you want to hangout later?” that dude said, trying so hard to act cool. Geez, can’t you see that she’s with someone!?

I was about to bring some sense into this guy but Pie suddenly tightened her grip like she was telling me that she got this.

“Well, I can’t hangout with you later. But maybe we can hangout next time. Do you want to have my number?” she said as she flashed one of those eyesmile of hers.

I could feel the guy died inside seeing Pie’s charms. The guy slowly gave her his phone.

Is she really going to give him her number that easily?

Pie typed some digits to his phone. After she gave it to him, she said “Call me”

The guy stood up and said, “Yeah, definitely!”

After the guy went away, I suddenly turned to Pie. “Hey! Did you actually give him your number!?”

She burst out her laughter upon hearing what I’ve said. Did I say something funny?

“’Course not! I gave him Puey’s number! Puey’s gonna love him” she said. I can’t help but to laugh as an image of Puey clinging to that guy popped into my mind.

After laughing for a while, we realized that we were still holding hands. We quickly pulled our hands away from each other.

TUGSH! TUGSH! TUGSH!

Heart, please don’t beat so fast. Please don’t beat for Pie.

After a few minutes, we shared a complete silence. She was drinking and drinking and I was on my phone, doing nothing. I still feel chaotic inside because of my heart.

Where the hell is Zee? Why is she taking so long!?

Once again, her phone rang. I took a peek at the caller and I saw that it was Van again. Like what she did earlier, she turned off her phone. She sighed very loudly and poured herself another drink.

“I-I thought you guys are friends” I suddenly said. Why did I just say that?

“Hmm?” I could say that she was taken aback with my question seeing that her face became uncomfortable. But she’s starting to become weird. Her breath smells like alcohol and her head was swaying slowly.

“You and Van… you were declining his calls since earlier” I cleared up. Out of all the things that I could have said to her, why this?

She took a while to answer. “W-Well… Van and I… I-I really don’t know if w-we can be friends”

She was making some invisible patterns on the table. “Why is that?” I said.

“I d-don’t know” she sighed as she took another shot. How can this girl still drink?

I was suddenly reminded of the clip. “He even gave you a clip in a baby blue box and you loved it”

Suddenly, her face started to become uncomfortable. She stared at me. “How did you know that the box was baby blue?”

My jaw dropped. How can I be so careless? What am I supposed to do?

“Pie?” a familiar voice from behind said. We turned our gaze into the creator of the voice and it was Van!

“Oh, hey Van!” Pie said as she smiled carelessly. “You guys, let’s go to the dance floor! Let’s party!” she excitedly said. Is she… drunk?

Pie stood up and is about to walk to the dance floor when suddenly Van gripped her wrist.

“Why are you declining my calls, huh?” Van said as he glared badly at Pie. The latter was not in her normal state. “Sissh! A-Are you my b-boyfriend!?” she hissed.

“How can you ignore me like that!?” Van shouted at her.

“What are you doing?” I glared at him seeing that his grip was tight and might hurt her.

He turned to me and eyed me really bad. “You, this is none of your business! Get out of this! Pie is mine” His breath also smells like alcohol.

I slapped his arms away from Pie and quickly pulled Pie behind me.

“Go home, Van. You’re drunk”

He walked towards me and quickly, he landed a punch to my face.

The people in the club stayed away from us. I could say that his actions caused a commotion.

“I don’t want a fight, Van. Please sober up. I could call you a cab if you want” I offered hoping he’ll go away.

“I don’t need your , bro. I wanna talk to Pie, not you. That girl has some explaining to do so unless you want to get hit again, stay away from this” he said.

“No. Pie will stay right here” I stated, refusing to give Pie to him.

“So you’re really asking for this, huh?” he threatened me.

When he was about to punch, I quickly countered and gave him a punch in his face as a counter attack.

“Why are you defending that wicked girl?” he remarked as he wiped away some of the blood coming from his mouth.

I glanced at Pie, who was still not in her normal state. She was gripping my shirt softly.

I looked at Van again. “Wicked? Is it really Pie who’s wicked, or is it you?”

Van chuckled at what he heard. “Wicked? Me? I didn’t do anything bad to her or to anyone” he scoffed.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “Really? What about the clip, then?”

He was surprised at what I’ve said. “Oh, and what about Yam, whom you thrown away that easily?” I continued.

“I-I didn’t…” His face started to sadden the moment he heard Yam’s name. I grabbed him by his collar.

“Snap out of it, bro! Stop playing with people. Stop your lying. Just snap out of it!”

I let him go and I grabbed Pie’s hand. “Let’s go, Pie”

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Hello there, readers 😊 I hope you are well. So, again, thanks for reading. Sorry for taking so long to update. This is because I was busy with my studies. This semester, I decided to take a game development course in my university. My university is one of the top 4 universities here in the Philippines and everyday, I’m struggling to meet their standards. Someday, I hope to build an awesome novel-ish game. I MIGHT base my characters from TiAom HAHA So yeah, updating my story is really hard and I have to find a game studio or company for my OJT this summer. So, you guys, if you know a company who accepts OJT and is related to game development, I really really really appreciate if you talk to me. So yeah, thanks again 😊