“So you didn’t see the notice in the elevator?” She ask as she take another bite of the pancake. ‘Delicious..’ She lightly wriggles her shoulder savouring the delightful taste. Mark ended up cooking breakfast for her that morning in her unit. She let him shower in her house. Mark bit back a satisfied grin looking at her reaction towards his cooking.

 

“I didn’t.. This never happened before..” He sighs. Apparently, the apartment are cleaning the main pipes and the management had left a notice for residents to stock water. Fei nods as she keep eating. She close her eyes trying to guess the ingredients but she is failing, her tongue are not that skilful. “Mark, can I have your recipe for this? This is good..” She shows a thumb up to him, still munching.

 

Mark eyes her disgustingly. “Lady, don’t talk with your mouth full.. It’s gross..” Fei blinks and drink a gulp of tea. “Sorry, it’s too delicious..” She giggles. Mark shake his head. He look around for a clock but didn’t find any. His hand wander to his pocket then he remember he borrowed her charger before he showered in her room and that was about half an hour ago. 

 

“Can I go and take my phone from your room?” He ask for permission.

 

Fei nods while munching the last piece of her pancake. “Go ahead I’ll wash all of this..” Mark stand up and lightly jogs to her room. Reaching her room, he crouch at her bedside to unplug his phone and that’s when his eyes saw the big box under her bed. Feeling reluctant to bend down and look but curiosity get all over him.

 

He leaned down the floor. His brows furrows. ‘A gift box?’ A square paper is pasted on the box but since it’s dark down there, he use his phone as a torch and try to make out what is written on it.

 

‘What language is this?’ He wonders. The only thing he could understand is ‘Happy 24th Birthday’ since it is written in English but the rest is in a language he couldn’t understand. He decided to snap a picture and quickly get up on his feet and leave her room.

 

Fei is drying her hand on her pants and Mark quickly sit on her couch before she turns to look at him. Her sight on him now, she eye him in his knee length pants and plain white long-sleeve shirt on her light steps towards the couch. ‘This is my first time seeing him so casual’.

 

“What time are you leaving for work?” Fei ask. Mark look up from his phone to her. “Around 8.40..why?” 

 

She shake her head before landing on the couch beside him. Mark shift slowly to the end of the couch. “What time is it now?” 

 

“8.15 “  

 

He shortly replies. He sit awkwardly not daring to move his arm around. ‘What is this woman thinking?’ He mentally shake his head. Her couch is fairly long so she is lying down on her sides, folding her legs that is on Mark's side so it won’t invade Mark’s space.

  Another tiring morning for her. She had went to one of the annual car race last night and only manage to sleep for few hours because she had to stock water, she only saw the notice on her way back last night. Luckily, she lean her head on the notice board and saw it or else she would've been in trouble like Mark.    Silence fill the room and Mark look at the girl beside him, watching TV intently. ‘Why am I not leaving yet?’ He wonder. He don’t get it. Since she is comfortably lying down with him around in her house, he also feels like being comfortable around her. Seeing her in a oversized tank-top and black leggings and still manage to look attractive gives a very refreshing feeling. 

'What the hell am I thinking?' He ward off his mental before it goes any further. 

 

“Is this your way of telling me I should get off the couch??” He smirks. Fei rolls her eyes. “And I was wondering where did jerk Mark went, not glad he’s back.” Mark laughs heartily at her remark. It's a new feeling for him, girls biting back at everything he says. Fei blinks and stare at him. It’s her first time seeing him not holding back his smile or laughter around her. Realizing she had stare for too long, she quickly look away.

 

Mark shake his head stopping himself from laughing. "Lim Fei is that how you treat your boss?” He squints his eyes playfully at her.

 

“Hello boss you just showered in my house and I let you, remember?”

 

“Are you going to ask me to pay back this favour?” He tap his phone on her thigh. Lightly hitting her

 

Fei pretended to think. Putting her index finger on her chin. “Actually, yes. The pancake recipe please?” She hold out her palm.