AOM’S POV:

"Didn't you ever drink milk when you're still a kid?  How can someone become short like this?"  Tina is teasing me again.  I pout my lips.  What’s wrong with this person?  Is she really need totease me about my heights? She gives me her deathly smile, but then I hit her upper arm.  "Ouchh!"  She scream a little bit, then rub her arm.  I put both of my hands on my waist.  "Don't you dare to talk about my height again or I'll hit you with frying pan!  Cant's you see those mini creatures are cute?? Tinkerbelle, Thumbeline, the other fairies or elfs..  So am I.."  I said, smugging.

She laugh listen to what I’ve said just now.  She pats my head, then she takes the serving plates that I need.  "Thanks.."  I said, she just smile.  "We're partners right?  That's why you have to help me if I need something.."  I said while pouting after receiving the plates.  But suddenly she move closer to me, bend down a little bit so that our face are just a few inch.  I open wide my eyes, shocked with what she did just now.  She give me her deathly smile,  "I know that.  So don't you dare to ask anything to anyone but me, okay?"  Then she pats my head again then she goes back to her station leaving me which is still in shocked mode.

**********

Its 5.58 pm already.  My shift hour is almost over.  I think I better prepare now.  I have to go to buy some groceries.  But where’s Tina?  Why I didn’t see her around?  I decide to go to Locker room.  But when I’m about to open the door someone open it from the inside and bump on me.

“Ouuchh!”  I scream and I can feel my body almost fell but a firm hand hold me.  I was about to yell at that person, when I raise my face I saw the face that I always looking for since noon.  “Tina?”

She’s grinning, “I’m sorry Aom.  I didn’t see you there.”

“Well, how can you see me if you move in a speed of light?  Besides, where have you been?”  I said to her.

“Well, I have to take care something earlier, and I’m about to look for you just now.”  She said still in the same position which is,,,,, hugging me!  She loosen up her hug when someone approaching us.  “I’m sorry for cutting your lovey dovey moment guys..”  He said teasing us.

I move a step from Tina, she scratch her hair with embarace face.

“And what is it about?”  I ask Tina after that guy enter the locker room.

“I wanna take you to a place.  Will you come with me?”  She asked.

“Uhmm.. I’m sorry but I have to go buy groceries, I need to cook for tonight.  I run out of stocks..”  I said while grinning.  I can see Tina’s expression turns a bit.  But then she change her expression again.

“I’ll treat you tonight.  And I promised I’ll accompany you buying whatever you want tomorrow.  How’s that?”

“Uhmmm... But I don’t..............”

“I insist..  Please Aom?”

“Ugghh... Okay, I’ll come with you..”

“Great!”  She said in excitement.  “Now please change your clothes.  I pack your things already.”  Said Tina while open the locker room door for me.

“Wait, You packed my things already?”  I ask her in disbelieve.

“Well, yeaaaahhh...  It’s not like I never open your locker and see what’s exactly you put on your bag whenever you will go, right?”  She said.

“So you were sure already that I will come with you eh?”  I said while entered the locker room, walked to my locker.  I look at her and she just shrugged, “Sorta..”  And she’s grinning.  I roll my eyes, and start open the locker door.  She’s right, she packed my things and amazingly, she doesn’t miss anything!  I change my clothes and not long after that, I’m ready.

“Done.”  I said to her.  I know she’s been watching me from the beginning so I know she knew already what exactly I’ve done, but still I wanna tell her.  Weird...

“Gorgeous.”  She said.  Well, that just a word from her, but I don’t even know why, I think my cheek is turning a lil bit hot.  She smiles and then she grab my hand, drag me out from the locker room.

We meet Pita, she saw us holding hand.  “Have a date eh?”  She ask and then she winks to Tina and Tina winks back at her.  What’s wrong with these people?  Why everyone act weird today?

“See ya, Pita..”  Tina said and Pita just waving her hand to us.

We went out and walk to the parking lot.  Tina still holding my hand.  I can’t lie that I like her holding my hand like this.  This is something unusual.  I can feel my cheek getting hot again.  I wonder, am I blushing now?

“Tina...”

“Hmm..”  She looks my face.

“Why you holding my hand like this?”  I finally ask her.  Tina smiles so lovely.

“Because I want to..”  She said while tightened her grip on my hand.

We arrived at her parking spot where the sport car waiting for us.  She opens the door for me and then she throw her body to the driver seat.  She start the enggine, and start to drive slowly to the main road.  We’re talking and chatting along the road.  Did I tell you guys she is a good driver?  I love to see the way she drive.  And I don’t know why she always can make me comfortable even when she’s driving like this.  I just feel safe when she’s around.We’re heading to the downtown.  I rarely been here so I really enjoy the view here.  We stop at a beautiful building that surrounded with garden.  A lot of trees and flowers there making the surounding area look so green and fresh.  Its so beautiful here.  My jaw drop because I can’t believe I can see this beautiful place in the middle of the downtown which is full of skycrapper buildings.

Tina park her car and turn off the enggine.  “Where are we?  What is this place?”  I ask curiously.  She didn’t answer me, she get out from the car while I’m still take off the seat belt.  She then open the car door for me and take my bag when I’m out of the car.  She close the car door, then she grab my hand again.  “Welcome to my parent’s restaurant..”  She said.  Oh My God, is this her family restaurant she told me before?  Unbelievable.  This place is really beautiful.  I’m still wow-ing the scenery I look when suddenly the door opens and a little girl came out and running to our direction.  “Uncle Tina!”  She said.  ‘Uncle?’ I thought to myself.  That little girl is running excitedly and jump on Tina when she’s near us.  Tina hold her and she looks so happy when seeing the little girl.  “Wow!  My beautiful princess is seems gaining weight now..”  Tina’s said.  The little girl is only grinning.  “Uncle, we haven’t kissed yet for such a looooooong time!”  The little girl said.

“So you miss this uncle?”

“Of course..”  She said while nodding excitedly.

“How much?”

“This much!”  She said while open wide her arms.  She looks so cute.  I bet she’s only 4 years of age or something.  Tina is laughing seeing that little girl actions.  Then she give a peck on her both cheeks and her lips too.  What a sweet ‘uncle’ she is.  The little girl then rain her with kisses too on all over her face.  Tina laughing when she did that.  They both look so cute together.  I love to see it.

“I love you, Princess Reen..”

“I love you too uncle..”

So this little girl name is Reen?  What a cute name.  I saw Reen looking at me, and then she ask Tina.

“Uncle who is this aunty?  Do you bring back an aunty home to play with me?”

Tina seems just back on earth.  She turns her head and threw an apologetic smile on me so I smile back on her.  “Yes..  This aunty is beautiful right?  Do you like her?”  She asking to the little girl.  But what shocking me and Tina, the little girl shakes her head.  I feel a little bit sad then I heard Tina asking her.  “Ehh?  Why??”

“I don’t like this aunty.  I LOVE this aunty..”  She said with cheerful voice.  I shock, but I relieve also.

“Thank you..”  I said while rubbing her pinkish cheek.

“You’re welcome.  So aunty has a name right?”  She asking me with the unusual language I ever heard.  She’s a smart little girl I can say.  “Yes,  you can call her aunty Aom.”  Tina answer her for me.  So I nod my head and give her my best smile.

“Reen..”  A voice come from the front door.  There’s a beautiful slender young woman standing there.  The little girl throw her sight on her, I guess she’s her mother, and I was right.

“Mama!  Uncle bring a beautiful aunty home..”  She scream.  Her mother smiles.  “Finally you came, Tina.. Welcome home.”  She said to Tina and then smiles to me.

We walk to her direction.  The little girl ‘Reen’ already run to her mother.  “P’Air...  This is Aom..”  She said while hug her.  P’Air smiles and then hug me too.  “Nice to meet you Aom.  And Tina, you have a good taste on choosing a girlfriend.  She’s pretty..”  P’Air said.  I can feel that my cheek is turning red.  Did P’Air just said ‘G-g-girlfriend?’

TINA’S POV:

Aom’s facial expression is really cute when seeing the place where I took her.  “Welcome to my parent’s restaurant.”  I said to her which is making her jaw drop some more.  We’re welcomed by my beutiful niece Reen.  She hugs me and kisses me right away when I hold her in my arms.  I introduce her to Aom and I guess Reen likes Aom too.  She even said that she ‘LOVE’ her with exciting voice.  My only sister P’Air also there welcoming us.  She praised Aom’s beauty and I guess it makes her shy.

I love to see her red cheek like that.  She’s so cute.

“C’mon in..”  P’ Air said to us.  So we enter the restaurant.  Yeah, this restaurant is like our second home.  We spend more time here daily, that’s why the concept of the restaurant is cozy and homy.  Anyway, we came here as a guess now.  So we take a seat at the back, where the open garden concept lays.  “Are you guys hungry?  Should I take the menu for you?”  P’Air said while poured some water for us.  “Sure, we’re hungry already.”  Tina said.  P’Air smile and leave us to take the menu.

“This restaurant is really beautiful, Tina.”  Aom said.  “Why don’t you help your sister here?”

“Well, if I do, I won’t meet you and Reen will never say she loves you right?”

“Silly..  But why Reen calls you uncle?”  She ask me with curious look.  Tina laughing.

“That one I don’t know too..  I told her that I’m a girl but you know what she said?”  I pause for a while and asking her.  She’s just shaking her head.

“She said ‘You are so handsome uncle, how can I call you aunty?’ hahaha.”  I laugh, and she also laugh with me.

“She always said that she’s my girlfriend, you know.  I’m a lovable uncle..hahaha”

We laugh together and I really love to see her beautiful smiles and I also love the way she laugh.

“What brings you come home, Tiger?”  I heard a familiar voice.  The voice who always sang me lullaby since I was a kid.  My mom’s voice.  I turn my head and see her bring us a menu.  So I stand up and hug her tight.

“Ma..  I miss you..”

“I tought you forgot this old lady already..”  She said.

“No la..  How can I forget you the most beautiful mother on earth..?”  My mom hug me back.

“Really?  But I can see now you have a beautiful companion here..”

I turn my head to Aom who is standing already.  I smile to her and she smile back shyly.

“Ma, this is Aom.  My.............”

“Girlfriend.  I know it.  Your sister told me already.  That’s why I really wanna see my soon to be daughter in law..”  She release her hug on me, and move to Aom’s direction.  “It’s nice to meet you, young lady.  I hope my Tiger right here always treat you good.”  She then hugs Aom and Aom hugs her back.  It’s good to see mom and a girl that I love hugged each other like that.  Aom throw a confuse smile to me, I just shrughed.  Mom release her hug from Aom.  “She always treats me nicely Ma’am.”  Aom answer her.  “Ma.  Just call me ‘Ma’ just like Tina always do..”  Mom said to her.  Aom smiles, a really sweet smile and I think I can fall deeper to her.

Mom leave us after some time talking knowing each other with Aom and taking our orders.  Now its just both of us.  I can see Aom is enjoying the view and the atmosphere here, she smiles from ear to ear.

“I love it here, Tina.  And your family also nice to me..  Thank you, Tina.  Thanks for bringing me here.”  She said.  Oh God, her smile, her smiling eyes,, it the most honest and sincere eyes I ever see in my life.  Aom, my disability of not to falling in love with you is really big.  I do love you so much and I will tell you soon.  Pretty soon..

**********

We really enjoy the time we share together here in my parent’s restaurant.  Mom, P’Air and my princess Reen also join us chatting.  Even reen show Aom that she really likes to play with her.  She always repeat the same sentence “I Love you, aunty Aom..”  over and over again while kissing Aom’s both cheeks.  I can tell that mom and P’Air also likes her.  Well, who didn’t?  She’s so kind and good in mingling.  She can easily grab my family attention and make them like her in instant.

We already change place to the main building of the restaurant.  Aom still playing with Reen while I’m helping mom and P’Air.  I approach Aom for a while and sit beside her.  She hand me a glass of water, I take it and drink it right away.

“Are you tired?”  I ask her.

“Isn’t it supposed to be my question to you?  You look so busy just now..”

“Hahaha, no I’m used to it..  But you play with Reen all the time, aren’t you tired?”

“No, I’m enjoying playing with her..  She seems likes me, so.......”

“She loves you, Aom..”  I said.

“Yeah, I heard she said that for a lot of times already..”  She smiles.  That smile again.

“And I think I love you too..”  I said, looking straight to her eyes.

“Ehh...?  What do you mean?”  She ask me with confuse look.  I smile.

“Well, let’s just say, my disability of not to falling in love with you is really big..”

“I don’t get your point..”  She still look so confuse.  I sigh.

“Okay, I don’t know how to say it romantically, I don’t know how to make a memorable confession, but I like you, Aom.  I can say that I love you.  I’ve falling in love with you..”

“Tina...  I........”

“It’s okay.  You don’t have to answer that.  I know what your answer is.  I just want you to know, that you are my favorite person now.  I have this feelings for you and I let it grow.  I just want you to know that.”

Finally I said it..  God, my heart is beating so fast now.  I don’t know what will she said after this.  She still remain silent, so I continue tell her.

“I’m sorry if it’s bothering you.  I just don’t want to regret if I didn’t tell you this now..”  I smile to her.  The best smile I ever made.  She looks me right in the eye, its like she’s scanning something there.  I look back at her, she smiles.

“Thank you Tina..  I really appreciate that..”  She said.  We both remain silent after that.  The restaurant almost close now.  The workers already finish everything and my brother in law already came to pick up mom and P’Air.

“We’re going home now, are you coming with us?”  My mom ask.

“No, I’ll send Aom home later after I make sure this restaurant close already.”  I said.

“Okay then, we will go first..  See you later, Aom.”  Mom said.

“Bring Aom to play with Reen again, okay sissy?”  P’Air said.  I just nod.

Silence come to us again after my family left us.  But then Aom’s view pointing to something.

“Do you play music, Tina?  Can you play those instruments?”  Aom said while seeing the ‘mini band’.  In this restaurant, there’s a corner that full with music instruments l