"Is the pasta good?" asked Kim, twirling her fork into the mound of spaghetti.

"Mmm-mmm." Pie could only nod her head while chewing her food.

After the fireworks display, Kim suggested the nearby Italian restaurant for dinner. Pie agreed to it immediately because she's not in the mood to go home yet. They waited almost 30 minutes for the food to be served. Pie usually gets mad at things like this but today it didn't bother her. Talking to Kim made her forget her hunger for a while.

Kim's phone suddenly rang. She took it out of her pocket and glanced at the caller ID before she smiled.

"Excuse me. I need to take this." Kim stood up to answer the phone.

Pie's eyes followed as Kim made her way outside the veranda. There, Kim stood with one hand in her pocket while talking to whoever on the other line is, occasionally laughing and giggling. Kim found a hanging paper-cupid on the tree beside her and began playing by twirling it with her two fingers.

That's when Pie noticed the heart and cupid designs hanging all over the place. She looked around the restaurant and read the tag on one of the posters:

"Four days to go before Valentine's Day, who's your date?"

Then it hit her: four days remaining. She usually doesn't mind going out alone or staying indoors but this is the first time she felt kind of excited about it. Her eyes jumped back to the person on the veranda who's still busy talking on her phone.

Hmm, should I give her a present? But what would I give her? Wouldn't it be awkward to give her something on Valentine's Day?

Her excitement was drained when she saw Kim laughed heartily. Disappointed, Pie pursed her lips.

Who could she be talking to? Please, somebody tell me it's not Yam again.

Yam's role in Kim's life is starting to bug her. Her curiosity about the real deal between the two is rising. The first and last time they met, Kim introduced Yam as a friend. But who knows what could have happened after that. The only thing Pie knows is it's not impossible for Yam to be a fangirl too.

After few more minutes, Kim went in and sat back in her chair. "Phew! Sorry about that. It was my aunt. She said she misses me."

"Aren't you visiting her?" asked Pie. The sour face from the misconception earlier turned into a sweet smile.

"I'm busy, she's busy," said Kim, going back to her pasta. "And I don't like her giving me free food every time I visit her restaurant."

"Restaurant?"

Kim hummed to agree. "Remember I mentioned before that I love going to Issaya Siamese restaurant? My Aunt In owns that place."

Pie dropped her hand on the table. "Wow, really?"

"Yeah. The food there is quite expensive, but they are exquisitely great," said Kim, stuffing a forkful of spaghetti into . "I don't want my aunt going bankrupt just because my food is always on her whenever I go there."

"Well, you must be her favorite niece..."

That made Kim smile. "Of course. I'm her only niece, Pie. She's my dad's only sister and she doesn't have kids."

"Oh, what a small family tree you have there."

Pie couldn't be happier. They've known each other for half a year now but this is the first time she heard other things about Kim aside from Nam issues before.

"Hmmm, I guess Valentine's is already in the air, huh?" said Kim, getting distracted by the posters in the area.

"Yeah, for sure couples will line up at Bang Rak district again," said Pie.

Kim chuckled, knowing that there's always an issue in that place during that time of the year. "But you know what, I kinda liked how Koreans and Japanese celebrate Valentine's Day."

"How?"

"Well, here, Valentine's Day is mostly for women," said Kim, making small circles with her fork. "Their boyfriends or husbands buy flowers or chocolates for them. In Japan and Korea, it's all about men. Women are the ones buying chocolates and giving it to their male friends and loved ones. The tradition is kinda cute."

Pie didn't say anything but her mind is already processing that as a clue.

Kim's expression changed when an idea hit her. "Hey, what do you say about me bringing you to Aunt In's?"

Having no thoughts of playing hard to get, Pie agreed right away, "I'd love to. Why don't we do it next week?" She secretly hoped that Kim would take it as a hint for the Valentine's Day.

"Umm." Kim scratched the tip of her eyebrow. "Unfortunately, I won't be here next week..."

Pie's face fell. "Y-you won't?"

Kim smiled apologetically. "Yeah, well, it's my dad's birthday on the fourteenth so he'll be my date on Valentine's Day."

Pie felt a bit embarrassed thinking that Kim knew what she was pertaining to. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and changed the topic. "So, where are you going this time?"

"Indonesia," said Kim. "I've filed vacation leave from 12th to 14th. I'll be flying tomorrow afternoon. Aunt In called so I could pick up her gift for dad."

Pie focused her eyes on the spaghetti to hide her disappointment.

That's from Monday to Wednesday. I won't see her for three days straight. Uh, no, it's gonna be four days because it's only Sunday tomorrow.

Sigh.... Can I survive that…?

---

9:11 pm

"So... we're here..." said Kim, pulling the handbrake. They are already in front of Pie’s gate.

Pie was so happy the entire day that the time flew fast for her. "Thanks. I had fun. Real fun."

"You had fun making fun of me."

Pie let out a sweet chuckle. "I didn't know you had a comedian side."

"Yeah, right."

Pie giggled. "You should be proud. It's not every day I enjoy a date like this."

"Well, I'm honored, your highness," said Kim, bowing slightly.

"Thanks to my friends in the horror house, they made my day complete."

"Ugh. Until when are you gonna make fun of me?"

"Oh, c'mon, let me be, I won't see you for four days, you know."

A smile slipped across Kim's mouth. "Awe. Does that mean you're going to miss me?"

"You wish."

"Oh, c'mon, I'm sure you will, right... right...?"

Pie felt Kim poking her arm. "What makes you think so?" she asked Kim.

Kim scratched her head for an answer. "Uh... I don't know. Because it would be unfair to me? I'm surely gonna miss you, you know..."

"Aish, why do you love messing your hair like that?" Pie reached her hand up to fuss with Kim's disarrayed hair. "And yes, of course, I'd miss you, dumbo."

"Awe. I'm so touched..."

"Crazy." Pie shook her head. She raised her hand, thinking of playfully slapping Kim.

It was a bad move. Kim grabbed Pie's hand out of reflex. Pie knows that she should pull back now but she can't anymore. Kim is already caressing her hand comfortably, giving her a calm and steady gaze, putting Pie into a trance.

Kim, still holding Pie's hand, brushed a strand of hair away from Pie's forehead. Pie felt how Kim's hand trembled, but she loved the feeling of those fingertips making the barest contact on her skin.

The next thing Pie noticed is Kim leaning closer, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. Pie suddenly felt a quivering ecstasy of joy when those soft lips were pressed onto her skin, totally sending her heart into frenzy. Kim pulled back shortly but her lips stayed close. Pie can feel the irregular breathing on her forehead.

"Thank you," whispered Kim, almost inaudible.

Pie closed her eyes. She felt how Kim’s lips slightly touched her skin in every movement, giving a tickling sensation. She smiled when she felt Kim was smiling too against her forehead.

It was oh so magical that she'd like to stay like that for a little while. However, they had to pull away from each other when a headlight from a passing vehicle flashed on them for a second.

"I, uh, I better go now," said Pie, hooking her bag on her shoulder. "I'll see you next week."

Kim just gave her a smile and nod.

Pie went out of the car and managed to sneak a peek before closing the door. "Take care, okay?"

"I will. Goodnight, Pie."

"Goodnight, Kim."

---

Pie wasn't aware how she managed to walk up to her room. Her knees were weakened with what happened inside the car that she collapsed onto her bed immediately. She was glad that her mom isn't home yet because it had saved her from the possible interrogation on how was the hangout with her 'friends'.

And now she's back to staring endlessly at the ceiling. She's no doubt happy, but at the same time, she feels scared of the changes she's feeling lately.

Sigh, am I losing it?

As far as the dating game is concerned, Pie had always had her guard up; full gear defense. Yes, she goes out with boys but she's too cautious around them. Although the case is a bit different, because it's a girl this time, but Pie never felt things from previous dates before the way Kim had made her feel, or even made her do without inhibitions. She started mentally counting all the notable firsts she experienced that day:

First time I totally enjoyed a date.

First time I had chosen to ignore the fireworks display.

First time I made the first move to hold my date's hand.

First time I had eaten at that Italian restaurant.

First time I've thought of going out with someone on Valentine's Day.

She stopped for a moment before admitting one last thing on her mind. She touched her forehead, trying to recall how it felt earlier. Her heart flutters on the memory of it.

First time I let my date kiss me...

"..." she said in an exhale with her eyes darting quickly around the room.

This time she knows it. Whatever defense she had tried to establish all throughout these years; that blockage has already been blown away.

I guess I've already lost it.

The battle for maintaining her sanity is over. Her guard is already torn down. She just smiled at her realization because she never thought it was possible to get such happiness from one person only.

She knows it's useless to pretend to be strong anymore, because whatever mask she puts on to pretend how tough she is it will just boil down to one thing:

Kim had definitely conquered her.