Scarlett Restaurant

The moment they arrived at the restaurant, Pie noticed how the staff welcomed Kim with big smiles. Most of them addressed the latter by her first name which made Pie think that Kim is a valued customer in that place.

Most of the staff, especially ladies, were obviously captivated by their arrival. Some are looking at Shone, some are thrilled over Kim. Pie feels proud to walk beside Kim at that moment with their hands intertwined. She can't help but smile to herself each time she sees some glare of disappointments from the female staff.

Sorry ladies, she's mine tonight.

Pie doesn't care if some of those staffs are already killing her in their minds because there is a bigger fish that she needs to deal with. She's not sure if Nam is deliberately doing it but she feels like Nam is competing with her in some ways, especially if it concerns Kim.

They sat on the couch facing each other by pair. While waiting for their food to be served, the manager and the chef approached Kim. Pie noticed how glad the chef is to see Kim there. From what she heard, Kim hasn't shown in that restaurant for one month now. They even excused themselves to talk to Kim alone.

"I'll be right back." Kim squeezed Pie's hand as she was about to get up.

"Sure, enjoy yourself," said Pie. She felt like a baby when Kim patted her head before leaving.

Shone stood up from his chair too. "Okay, excuse me for a while ladies, I need to make a call."

Both the ladies nodded. And just like that, Pie and Nam were left alone at the table. They were silent, obviously feeling awkward at each other. Both are throwing quick glances at each other from time to time. Pie knew that Nam was feeling what she's feeling. Pretending to be Kim's girlfriend is not hard but being alone with Nam is really uncomfortable.

"It seems that the staff here surely loves Kim a lot, huh," said Pie, trying to start a little talk.

It made Nam smile. "If I'm not mistaken, Kim always goes here at least twice or thrice a week. She's in love with the food here. She always talks to those two each time we go here before."

Pie took it down in her mental notepad. She noticed how Nam keeps on pointing out the things Kim had done with her before.

"What do they usually talk about?"

"It's mostly about food and recipes, which I don't understand," said Nam, rolling her eyes. "They always try to get Kim's point of view on the food. Sometimes it's the other way around, Kim is asking them about the food."

Pie got curious in the newfound information. "Why are they doing that?"

Nam's eyebrows rose. "Hmm? Didn't you know that Kim is a good cook?"

"Really?" Pie suddenly remember the breakfast she had with Kim in the office pantry.

I told her that I always imagined myself being with someone who loves to cook. Oh my gosh!

"Yes, she loves cooking a lot. I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet," said Nam, chuckling a little. "If it wasn't for her love of photography I think she'd get culinary in college instead. Don't tell me she hasn't cooked food for you yet?"

Pie shook her head. "Well, she mentioned that she loves cooking but she only enjoys it if there is someone to share the food with. I've only gone to her apartment once and haven't tasted her cooking yet."

"For real? How long have you been together again?" asked Nam, looking more surprised.

That was an abrupt question. Pie wasn't prepared for an answer. "J-just recently…”

Act natural, Pie.

"Recently? As in just this recently?"

"Y-yeah..." Pie hoped that Nam won't ask Kim the same questions because they might give contradicting answers.

"You mean you're not official yet when I came to her apartment last December?" asked Nam.

"Not yet," said Pie, shrugging. "I was just so drunk the night before after a little party. I passed out on our way home and she didn't know where my address is."

"So, Kim wasn't lying when she told me you're not her girlfriend," Nam murmured to herself. "Where did you guys met again, in the office?"

"Yes. We're on the same floor, just different departments," said Pie, relating things as close as she can to reality.

"So, how was it? I assume there are other girls that are annoyingly trying to get close to her, right? Do you guys fight over that?"

Pie smiled at the thought of the fangirls in the office. "There are some girls that are crazy about her. So far, none of them has gotten on my nerves yet."

"I admire your patience and understanding there," said Nam, smiling slightly. “One of the things I am so fond of Kim is her admirable kindness. She easily gets along well with strangers, with everyone. The funny thing about it is, ironically, that's what I hate about her too."

Pie chuckled, realizing that she felt the same way somehow. "She can't just help being nice."

"Yeah, right? I don't understand how Kim grew up like that."

For the first time, since they met, Nam and Pie have finally agreed on one thing.

"By the way, if you don’t mind, I’d like to know how you two end up together. Did Kim court you or something?" asked Nam.

Pie's profession is really helpful during moments like this. Writing contents repeatedly for her clients had given her the ability to easily come up with an impromptu story.

"No. We never went into that formal courting process,” said Pie casually. “Kim and I started out as good friends. And as time goes by, it grew deeper until everything was out of our control. It didn’t take long before we finally admitted to each other that what we're feeling is mutual. We decided to make it official when she called me on New Year's Eve."

Nam's mouth formed an O shape. Her brows creased slightly. Pie knew that everything she said had struck Nam. She intentionally did that, relating their fake love story to what happened with Nam and Kim because she wanted to find out what reaction she will get.

"How long have you known each other?" asked Nam.

"Five months."

Nam shifted her position on the chair, bringing against her closed fists. "Has Kim told you about me?"

Pie knew that a counter-attack was about to happen. "Yeah, she did. We talked about you that day you came to her apartment."

"What are the things she told you?"

"Well, about your special friendship with her," said Pie, not wanting to lie. She wants Nam to know that she's completely aware of their past.

"Oh. Doesn't it bother you to know that and be with me now?"

"No, not really," said Pie, smiling. "Kim is very open on her thoughts about you."

"Do you have issues about how Kim handles this?"

"I don't have problems with that because I know that Kim is over you, Nam."

A smile slipped from Nam's face. "Oh, really..."

Pie got confused with Nam's reaction. Does she have alas card that she hasn't shown yet?

Nam quickly ran her fingers through her hair. "That made me think, Pie..."

"About?" Pie's elbows were resting on the table. She closed her fists, anticipating for a hard blow.

"Don't get me wrong here, okay? I'm just wondering."

"Go ahead."

Nam made eye contact with a fork and played on it. "Well, it has been only more than a year since Kim and I last saw each other. I'm pretty sure that you knew how long we stayed together in the past. Has she told you that?"

Pie nodded. "Mmm-mmm."

"I'm thinking of the possibilities that could've happened if I'd come back a bit earlier..."

"W-what do you mean?"

Nam arranged back the fork to its original setup before looking at Pie. "Since you mentioned that you just got recently together, just like a week ago, the question that's been bothering my mind is, do you think you'd be together if I had shown to Kim's apartment a month earlier?"

Pie slowly moved her body away from the table to lean against the backrest. She didn't take her eyes away from Nam. The question was hard to answer: first, because KimPie isn't real; second, because she knows that it might have been really a different story if Nam had come back to Kim's life earlier.

Nam had surely paralyzed her with that question. Pie saw her opponent's lips lined a smile of victory.

"Hey, what are you two chatting about?" said Kim, approaching them in her best mood which eradicated the war ambience in the area.

Pie knew that she doesn't need to respond to Nam's question anymore. They knew themselves that whatever they've talked should stay just between the two of them. However, Pie isn't sure why she feels uneasy with what Nam said. It bothered her. She cuddled Kim's arm the moment the latter sat beside her.

Kim noticed that something is strange in Pie's mood. "Is my baby okay?"

Instead of answering, Pie nodded and embraced Kim's hand with hers. Strangely, the warmth of that hand calmed her down. Her ears cannot refuse to adore the sound of Kim's voice calling her baby, and this time with a hint of possession with the word 'my'.

"Are you sure?" Kim asked her again with more sweetness in her voice. She even squeezed Pie's hand.

That's enough to fix Pie's mood. She nodded again and smiled sweetly, hooking her chin on Kim's shoulder.

Shone came back and shortly. Over dinner, they had a little discussion about some random stuff like modeling, photography, Singapore, and some throwback memories from Nam and Kim's college life.

"By the way guys, it's Nam's birthday next week. Do you want to go with us?" Shone is obviously enjoying Kim and Pie's company a lot that he's inviting them wherever they'd go.

"Where are you going?" asked Kim.

"In Pattaya. We're going to take an off in Centara Grand Mirage resort."

"Do you guys want to come with us? It'll be next weekend," said Nam.

"Um, no. Sorry," said Kim, turning to Pie for a second and turning back to Shone and Nam again, "Pie and I have plans too."

"Aw, that's too bad," said Shone, disappointed.

"Can't you just move the plan to some other time so you can go with us?" asked Nam. "C'mon, Kim, I haven't seen you for a year and you're gonna ignore me just like that?"

Pie raised an eyebrow.

Kim doesn't want to drag Pie anymore into any of this. Whatever is between her and Nam, she knows they have to settle it for themselves. Moreover, she also feels that the acting they're doing is too much favor for Pie. She doesn't want to look like she's just using that reason to take advantage of the situation.

"I'm sorry guys, can't cancel it."

"I guess we could come with them, Kim," said Pie out of the blue.

Kim immediately turned to Pie. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I haven't been there once. Besides, it's your old friend's birthday, right? You wouldn't want to miss celebrating it with her." Pie turned to Nam, flashing a sly smile, signaling that the game is on.

Nam answered with a lopsided smile.

Kim got confused. "But Pie —"

"Oh, c'mon, Kim. Pie wants to go too, don't be a killjoy," said Nam.

"Yeah, let's go with them. It'll be just over the weekend," Pie agreed.

Kim couldn't believe what she's hearing, couldn’t believe what happening with the two girls. It’s like they’ve already talked about it.

"Pie, this is not what we planned for," said Kim, looking straight into Pie's eyes, telepathically telling her that it is already outside what they've discussed earlier. Going with Nam and Shone will mean more acting for them.

"I know it's different from what we've planned but I want to go with them, Kim." Pie pouted like a kid before touching Kim's chin. "Please, please, can we?"

Kim knew she cannot say no anymore. She turned her gaze to Shone and Nam and saw their triumphant grins.

---

They parted ways with Shone and Nam after dinner. Kim is currently driving Pie home, feeling worried because Pie has been silent for a while now. She's trying to recall her acting earlier, asking herself if she overdid something that maybe made Pie feel uncomfortable.

"Are you sure you really want to go with them to Centara?" asked Kim.

"Yeah, I told you, I haven't been there yet," said Pie, eyes at the window.

"Maybe we could just go there some other time with the other people in the office?"

Pie finally turned to her. "Why you are so afraid to be with Nam?"

Kim felt that there is something wrong, she can't just determine what it is. She kept her eyes on the road and said, "It's not that I'm afraid, I'm just worried about you..."

"Worried about me?" Pie snorted. "Are you really worried about me or are you more worried about yourself?"

Kim didn't respond. She doesn't know what Pie is pointing out.

What's wrong with her? She was in good mood earlier, right?

Pie let out a loud sigh. "If it really hurts you to see them together then I guess we can cancel the trip with them."

Kim glanced at Pie. "It's not about Nam. You're thinking the other way around."

"Then, who is this all about, me?"

"Yes, it's all about you," said Kim, still shifting her eyes back and forth the road and Pie.

"Okay." Pie reclined on the backrest and looked out the window. She doesn't sound convinced.

"I'm worried about you," said Kim, sighing. "Nam is a nosy person. I'm sure she'll ask you questions about me, about us. In addition to that, we still need to pretend that we're together if we go out with them. I don't want to drag you anymore with these things."

"Do you have issues with pretending? We seem to have handled it well earlier, right?"

Yeah, it was good because I wasn't acting there, Kim thought. "I just don't see the point why we still have to go with them."

"You'd want to go with them, Kim, believe me. Your Nammy, she's jealous of me."

"Huh? Where did you get that?"

"I'm not definite about it, but yeah, the way she asked questions earlier, I'm pretty sure that our little acting affected her."

Kim was lost for words. Although there's a part in her that still longs for Nam, she's sure that what she's feeling for Pie is way greater than what she feels for her old friend. But seeing Pie act like what she does now somehow hurts her.

"Could you do me a favor, Kim?" Pie spoke up. "Can we just go with them next week and settle your unfinished business with her? I really think that you and Nam need to talk and finalize everything."

Out of nowhere, Kim's phone on the dashboard rang. Pie discreetly peeked on the screen and saw numbers instead of a name.

Kim answered the phone and put it in loudspeaker since she left her headsets at home. "Hello?"

"Hi, Kimmy. Where are you?"

"Oh, hey, Nam, what's up?" She threw a quick glance at Pie who's still looking out the window. "I haven't seen you in like thirty minutes, right?"

Nam laughed. "Good thing you haven't changed your number yet."

"I'm surprised you still remember mine."

"Of course, Kim, of course. By the way, I'm hearing some feedbacks, am I on loud speaker?"

"Yup."

"Is Pie still there?"

"Y-yes..."

"Oh, hi there, Pie!"

"Hello, Nam!" Pie's voice was back to being cheerful again.

"So, why are you calling?" asked Kim.

Weird, is she changing moods like that all the time, or is it part of her acting?

"Well, Shone and I decided to visit Zee's bar tonight. Do you guys want to come over?"

Pie signaled her hand no. She needs to go home now since it's getting late.

"Um, Pie can't go there anymore, Nammy. Her mom is waiting for her," said Kim.

"Oh, that's too bad. Well, Pie, is it okay if Kim will come with us after she drops you home?"

"Yeah, sure. No problem. Just make sure she's not drinking any alcohol tonight. She's still driving home," said Pie in her authoritative tone.

"Don't worry. I'll be the first person to scold her when she takes in alcohol."

"Thanks, Nam."

Kim smiled to herself, amazed at Pie’s acting skills. "Okay. I'll be there in thirty minutes, Nammy.”

"Sure. Call me when you're here, I'll meet you in the lobby, okay?"

"Got it."

"Thanks, Pie. I'll see you later, Kim." After that, Nam hung up.

Just few minutes after the call they arrived in front of Pie's house.

"Are you sure you're okay to go there alone?" asked Pie while unbuckling the seatbelt.

"Don't worry, Zee is there, we'll have fun," said Kim. "Besides I don't want to bother you anymore for tonight."

"Okay. Just don't drink any drive, okay?"

"Yeah, I promise." Kim raised her right hand.

Pie was about to open the door on her side when she hesitated. "By the way, Kim..." she paused and waited for the latter to look at her, "Nam believes that we're really together so don't do something stupid in there, okay?"

Kim didn't get it. "W-what do you mean?"

"Could you be faithful to me at least if Nam is just watching?"

Kim was speechless. Sometimes she doesn't know if they are just pretending because it feels like it's real.

"I just don't want her to think that you're not serious about me," said Pie, looking away.

"Oh. I got it. Don't worry, Pie — I mean, honey."

Pie chuckled at that. "Hey, you better call me that more often when Nam is around. I'm telling you she's jealous of me."

With pleasure, Pie, with pleasure. Kim just smiled at Pie.

"Okay, so, thanks for the ride." Pie motioned to open the door.

"Umm... Pie…?"

"Yes?"

"I… uh... I haven't thanked you yet for what you did today."

Pie removed her hand from the knob and settled herself back on the chair. "Don't worry about it."

"I don't know why you are doing this, and I don't even want to ask why," said Kim, avoiding Pie's eyes. "I just want to thank you for everything. I appreciate it. I really do. Next week I'll try to settle everything with Nam. But I want you to keep in mind that we're not going there because of them. I want us to go there just to have fun, okay?"

A small smile drew on Pie's lips. “Are you saying that you're taking me out there like a date?"

Kim felt chocked. "Uh… well… call it whatever you like…"

Pie chuckled again. "Okay. I gotta go now. Take care, okay?"

"Yup. Enjoy your weekend."

"You too." Pie opened the door halfway and stopped again. "Oh. I forgot something," she mumbled, closing the door again.

"What's that?"

Without saying anything, Pie turned to Kim and held her face with a hand. The proximity filled Kim's nostrils with Pie's sweet scent as the latter was leaning closer to her. After that, everything just went blank.

... ... ...

... ... ... ...

... ... ... ... ... ...

Pie quickly strode out of the car and walked towards her house without looking back. Kim was left dumbfounded inside her car, petrified.

What the hell happened...?

It took her few more seconds before she decided to move — or to even blink. Kim touched her cheek with a hand. She felt her heart still pounding fiercely in her chest.

Did she just kiss me?

It all happened in just a blink of an eye. The last thing she remembered is the feeling of Pie's soft lips on her cheek. It was just for a few seconds, but the sensation remained there. As far as she is concerned, this is the best thing that has happened that night. She tapped the steering wheel with both her hands and made a fast drum beat.

Yes! Yes! YES!!!

---

Zee's Bar

"I'm glad your girlfriend approved you being here," said Nam. She was already waiting in the lobby area when Kim arrived.

"Yeah, she knows Zee so it's fine."

On the other hand, Kim can't get the smile off her face. She doesn't care if Nam and Shone will be sweeter this time around. She’s on cloud nine and nothing or no one can erase the glee she's feeling.

"Well, you got one clingy girlfriend there, Kimmy."

Remembering what Pie asked her to do, Kim rode along and said, "Yeah, that's what I love about her. She's really sweet."

Nam doesn't seem to know what to say anymore. She tucked her arm in Kim’s. "C'mon, Zee and Shone are waiting for us inside."

"Okay, let's go."

"Wait a sec, is that dirt on your face?"

Kim didn't move as Nam held her face. "A dirt?"

Nam chuckled. "What a sly girlfriend you have there, Kimmy."

"Why?"

"Nothing," said Nam, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the kiss mark on Kim's cheek.