Jaeboem scrolled down the weekly fashion page checking pictures. All the fashion sites were going crazy with Natalie’s burgundy dress and her mother’s pearl colored evening dress. Her pet was next to her with his hand wrapped around her waist. If the blue dress reminded him of her in past, the burgundy dress reminded him the distance between them. When she was single he never thought of her as out of his reach but suddenly she appears as a star miles away from him. ‘was it because of him?’ he wondered. Jaeboem felt like he was robbed in daylight. For past eight years he was comfortable with Natalie giving him disgusted looks or showing that she hates him with her everything. He felt she belonged with him, like the hate bounded them together. When he felt the change of her attitude towards him, he felt like he was losing her for real. She doesn’t look at him with disgust in her eyes nor she avoids him anymore. She had started acknowledging him as a colleague and the hate had started to diminish slowly. He didn’t want that, he didn’t want to become another colleague in her life. He was once the safe haven for her. 

Jaeboem waited outside Black Rose office till Natalie finishes her shift. Passersby shot nasty looks at him. He knew he didn’t fit in the neighborhood with his eyebrow piercing and  leather jacket with ripped denim. But Natalie loved his crazy fashions. However she had a hard time balancing work and studies but she didn’t complain. So he did what he can do to cheer her up in every evening. He watched people walking out from the building and his eyes wandered looking for her. Her face lit up as soon as she spotted him. She ran to him and jumped on his arms like a koala. 

“I need comfort food. It was like hell today" she whined without letting him go. 

“Anything you want, but first you should copy your notes" he said eyeing to his bag. 

He made a habit to collect lecture notes she misses because of work and bring those at the end of the day. 

“You are the best baby" she kissed him ignoring the looks from the people on the street. He got into his motorbike as she got into the back. He drove off with having her hug him tightly from behind.

“Boss, I’m leaving. You should call it a day too” Felix's voice disturbed Jaeboem’s thoughts. 

He nodded “Goodnight Felix.”

The phone kept ringing but Natalie ignored it without checking the called ID. 

“Nat, Mark is on line 3 for you" Zara poked her head through the door and said. 

“Howdy, why are you calling me when you are on your honeymoon?” Natalie . 

“Cz you didn’t call me" he sounded sulking. 

“aww… poor Markachu” she responded sarcastically. 

“So how’s it going?” she added. 

“for starters boring" he sounded dull. 

“Seriously dude, I don’t like her but she isn’t bad to have meaningless " Natalie said with a laugh. 

“what if I don’t want meaningless ?” his voice came as a murmur. 

Natalie went silent as she had no idea how she should respond to him. She knew he never was a person who went sleeping around just because his looks. He never had a lack of girls throwing themselves to him but he never slept with anyone. 

“What are you saying Markie?”

“Nah, just forget it” his high pitched voice came through the phone. 

“No come on, talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong please?” she begged him. He was her solace when was weak and she wanted to be there for him.

“Even I don’t know Nat, I’m also lost” he said after a while. 

They both stayed silent until Mark broke it, “Well I came back yesterday. Do you wanna go for a drink?” he asked cheerfully but she knew the it was just a front.

“Sure, where do you wanna go?”

“Can you take me twelve years back in time Nat?” 

“Mark” Natalie didn’t know what to say.

 “hey I’m kidding. Let’s go to Tap bar. Haven’t been there in ages” he laughed. 

“Sure. Let’s go there" Natalie agreed.
 “Nat, would you mind if I ask Jb too?” Mark asked slowly. 

Natalie was taken back by the question but, “It’s alright Markie” she managed to say. 

“Awesome! Love you babe" he shouted. 

“love you too. See u soon" she hung up the phone. 

It was the truth. She would be lying if she said the past doesn’t hurt anymore but recently she realized she doesn’t hate him anymore. She wasn’t ready to forgive or forget what happened but she didn’t have the urge to compete with him. She knew she can stand him for couple of hours for the sake of her Mark.

The name “Tap Bar" lit up in blue light sharp at six in the evening opening for the night. Mark walked in as the first customer for night and sat in the left corner table waiting for Jb and Natalie. That corner is like their own space and only three of them occupied it. Natalie walked in with Jb on her trail and she broken into a wide smile as soon as she saw Mark. 

“Sorry we are late?” she said while sitting down. 

“No, just got here" he said. 

“Did you get a new piercing?” Mark asked from Jb eyeing his latest pierce in right ear.
“Yeah” Jb smirked. 

“One day he will get struck by lightning, I’m telling you" Natalie punched Jb's arm. 

“You should try with the tongue” Mark added ignoring Natalie.

 “Gosh you two are the same" she punched Mark. 

Mark’s hyena laugh roared despite the music in the bar. “Shall we order?” Jb asked looking at the waiter. 

“tequila sunrise for me" Natalie shot her hand up. 

“One tequila sunrise and two beers" Mark recited their order. 

“Drink something cool. Boring beer always" Natalie complained.

 “Yeah, then who is gonna carry you home after ur colorful drinks?” Mark pinched her nose. 

“My man will" she kept her head on Jb's shoulder and stuck her tongue out. 

“Seriously where did that cry baby go?” Mark stared at her face with a glee. 

“Shut up Mark. I’m not a cry baby" she jumped to cover his mouth.

 She didn’t want to reveal everything about her screwed up family to Jb. It wasn’t because she didn’t trust him, but she was scared he might find her troublesome. 

“So you used to be a whiney?” he ruffled her hair. 

“No, he is lying” she frowned at Mark. 

“Oh now I’m lying" Mark laughed at her, “You are hopeless” he . 

“Don’t listen to him" she covered Jb's ears and turned his face toward him. His eyes curved like crescents and Natalie loved his smiling eyes. She placed a quick kiss on his lips. 

“Gosh, my eyes. People this is a family place. No PDA” Mark shouted while covering his eyes. Jb and Natalie both giggled at his over dramatic reaction. As the empty glasses started rack on table the giggling, teasing and cheering started to grow from the corner. 

“It’s open mic in the house” 

The place erupted in cheers as the Dj made the announcement. One pushed a girl in their table towards the stage. Natalie recognized her as a student from college who pursues music as the major. The bar filled with her honey voice with Jason Marz's I’m yours. 

Well you done done me and you bet I felt it

I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted

I fell right through the cracks

And now I'm trying to get back”

“But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours”

Jb mouthed the words while holding Natalie’s hands and her drunk self giggled in glee.