“Here’s your change.” The cashier slid the money and receipt across the counter, showing his fake smile to Irene who gritted her teeth together just to keep herself from smacking the water bottle to his face. It wasn’t hard to know the young man has been giving her dirty eyes ever since she stepped into the convenience store.

Irene ignored him as she walked out, uncapping the bottle roughly and chugged the water to a half. Her mind finally at ease as the water washed the sand pieces inside .

She continued her walk back home from the worst date she ever had in her life.

Her (ex)boyfriend had invited her out that night, asking her to dress nicely only to show up in his home clothing. Irene remembered the way people keep sparing glances their way, snickering at their contrast; Irene dressed in a knee-length dress and high stilettos, and he in worn-out hoodie jacket and faded jeans.

As if humiliating her in public wasn’t enough, he brought her to a cheap diner that serves rice with few grains of sand. (thus why she’s been chewing sands in ever since)

So after dropping her off at her bus stop, Irene didn’t waste a second to break off with him. At least she had one good thing to end her miserable night.

The elevator rang on her floor and Irene couldn’t help a big sigh escaping her lips as she dragged her feet to her apartment unit. She found her key with ease and tapped the card on the door, the green light lit up the same time a familiar laugh reached her ears.

She pushed the door open and blinked at the sight of burgundy hair spilling out from the couch and Running Man playing on the television. Irene glanced at the clock on the wall and frowned to realize it was quite late in the night.

Closing the door behind her softly, Irene climbed off her stilettos then approached the figure.

“Hey,” Irene was the first to greet as she unceremoniously dumped herself into the couch, taking the breath out of her roommate as she landed on Sakura’s stomach, ignoring her surprised gasps, “why are you still up?”

Sakura took a deep breath, putting the ice cream tube on the armrest then looked down into Irene’s brown orbs, “Maybe because I want to welcome you back from your date?” A big smirk then plastered on the younger's face and she continued, “So how was the hell?”

Irene groaned and rolled over so she laid on her back, head still resting on Sakura’s lap, “Hell feels like hell. I broke up with him.”

“Wow. Congratulations.” Sakura said flatly.

Irene couldn't hold rolling her eyes.

Her eyes then traveled from Sakura’s slender neck up to her jaw. She enjoyed the view as Sakura shifted her attention back to the television while her free hand stayed against Irene’s hair, raking her scalp so softly.

The comfortable silence almost lulled Irene to dreamland.

She wondered how wonderful it would be to sleep and wake up seeing Sakura’s perfect features every day.

“You’re so hot.”

Irene’s eyes darted back to Sakura in alarm. Panic painted her face at the thought of her mind spilling out. It took a few seconds to realize that it wasn’t her voice, that Sakura was the one speaking.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re so hot,” Sakura repeated, her eyes never left the screen, “my lap is sweating.”

Heat crept up Irene’s skin embarrassingly when she realized she got the wrong ‘hot’, but yeah she’s been feeling hot despite her thin dress.

"Of course. It's summer."

Her thoughts were interrupted when Sakura put the ice cream tube against her forehead, “Your favorite.”

Irene held the tube and moved it down on her chest. She scooped a bit and was about to put the spoon into when Sakura’s hand suddenly blocked her lips. 

She let out a whiny protest.

“Sit properly.”

Irene shot her glare but eventually gave up since Sakura was ignoring her. She put the spoon back into the tube and sat up from Sakura’s comfortable lap.

“Fine, but lend me your shoulder.”

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the older. They played staring contest for a long fifteen seconds or so until the familiar teasing grin appeared on Sakura's lips.

“Always yours, princess.”

Irene punched her forearm, feeling satisfied when Sakura winced in pain. She rubbed the sore spot a few times then leaned her head against the younger’s shoulder, pressing her body so close to Sakura's.

She watched the rest of Running Man show with her favorite ice cream, Sakura’s chortle laugh, and her mind wondering why despite all the sweetness, Sakura isn’t her girlfriend.

Yet.

Too short? Yes, I know.

More? I don't know. Let's see how this going but I'm not promising anything.