"Since when" 

"Halfway through. It was a hunch really."

We stayed there in silence. I heard her moving, trying to get into a comfortable posi-tion.

"So... You heard everything then?"

She didn't reply, just sitting there in silence. I guess it was quite a lot to take in. Not ex-actly the way to find out about these things I suppose.

"I just..."

Her voice trailed off, unsure of what to say. Her head must be racing, unable to form the words. Hell, I doubt she could think properly. 

"You don't feel the same way, do you?"

There it was. The simple answer. The hard truth. The fact that, whatever Nako was feeling, it wasn't mutual. It never was, by the sound of it... or lack of.

"I had a feeling she felt that way but I didn't think much of it. I mean, she's still young so maybe she didn't think it through. But, to hear her so resolute about it... I just..."

"You underestimated her feelings."

Again, she was left speechless. It was harsh, but I wasn't wrong. She didn't think much of it, because she never considered it. Nako was never more than a friend. No... 

"She was never more than a distant memory, was she?" 

I finally looked up at the rear-view mirror, to take a look at her. She was leaning back, her head bent backward over the headrest. She had her eyes closed, scrunching them up. She was biting her lips, as though fighting an internal turmoil within her. 

"It's not your fault you know."

"But..."

"It's her feelings. It's her emotions. You have no say over it. What she feels for you and what you feel for her are two different things. Don't mistake your sympathy for guilt."

She looked down at her feet, unsure what to say or feel. It was perplexing, what she was feeling. I mean I would be too, if I was in her shoes. Someone from my past suddenly comes to me, intending to declare their love to me. Of course I'd be feeling a certain way. 

"Just it up. It is how it is. You lived your life here, and moved on. You couldn't have known what she was feeling. Even she said so herself. She only recognised her feelings when she found out you were leaving. Neither of you are to blame."

She let out a long sigh, as though slowly coming to terms with the situation.

"Love is a isn't it..."

"And yet both of you are deep in it."

She looked up at me, not piecing together what I meant. So I turned around to face her, finally talking to her properly.

"You were gonna tell her about your engagement tonight, weren't you."

"How did you-" 

I put my hand up, pointing to my own ring finger.

"You had one of those on your finger when you got on. You took them off."

She just stares at me. She's probably freaked out. I mean, I'm freaked out. Why the hell am I being so involved?

"For an Uber driver, you're way too observant."

"Sorry. It's an occupational disease. My day job kind of forces me to be observant."

"Right..."

I turned back to the steering wheel, feeling a little too exposed about myself.

"Yeah well anyway... you're right. I was supposed to tell her about my engagement. But I couldn't. The entire time during dinner, it looked like she had something to say. I don't know why, or how, but I just felt like she was going to confess. So I drank. A lot. I ran away."

"That's probably your only fault tonight."

I could see Nako running back from the convenience store, and Eunbi noticed her too. We both went back to how we were, in our previous positions and state. But just before she came in, I gave my final words.

"Don't deny her that right. Let her confess. Reject her, or whatever, but let her experience it. She needs to, if you ever want her to move on." 

"Hey, sorry it took so long. There's surprisingly such a long line this late into the night." 

"That's fine. Your stops just around the corner anyway. I'm guessing this is your only stop?"

I turned to look at Nako. She was sitting at the back, adjusting Eunbi who was back to acting like a sack of potatoes. I've got to say, her drunk act is 10/10. 

"Yeah! I'm going to send her up, and then hopefully, maybe, I'll do it."

She turned to face me, giving one more smile. One I think, would be the last one for tonight.

-------------------------------------------------------

I leaned back against my chair, reclining it backwards into the back seat. I looked up at the car ceiling, waiting. I was parked just a couple of blocks away, just waiting. I already knew. So I waited. Waited for that one call. 

And it came.

"Hey chae? Its Nako... I know this is stupid but... you mind picking me up?"

"Yeah, I'll just turn the car around."

The things I do as an Uber driver. 

--------------------------------------------------------

I stared ahead at the road, not willing to look behind me. I don't think she wanted me to. Her silence was expected, but it was still unsettling. That's what scared me. She wasn't sighing, crying, or anything. She was just... quiet. Probably still trying to process everything I guess. It was quite a lot to take in. Being rejected, knowing the person you love was engaged, after flying over the ocean to meet them. It wasn't a situation I'd like to find myself in either. I turned off the GPS on the dashboard, intending to take the long route back to her place. I remembered where it was anyway.

"Apparently... she's engaged."

Nako finally said something, ready to let it out. I took a glance back, to look at what she was doing. She was looking out at the streets as it passed by slowly, her finger trailing the raindrops as it slid down the window. I stayed quiet, not sure how to answer her. Maybe I couldn't, maybe I just didn't want to. It wasn't exactly something I could explain or dwell on either.

"... You knew huh..."

She caught on fast, realising my silence as more than just an acknowledgement. Guess if you spend time with someone long enough, you start picking things up. I stayed silent, again not sure what to say. I can't say I was sorry, even if I did feel a little guilty. Whatever they did or chose to do outside of this cab, was of their own choice. I wasn't in a position to say anything.

We stayed quiet, finally reaching an intersection close to the drop off point. I finally looked back, taking a good look of the situation at the back. Nako was just staring out the window, her eyes glazed over. She was trying to keep herself composed, as though trying to put up a front. Once again, I didn't know why, but I felt the need to do something, anything. This girl was hurting. Maybe it's because I had a part in her pain, maybe it's because I've been in her shoes. Whatever it was, I wanted to do something. I wanted her to be true to herself. I turned the car around the moment the light turned green. The sudden change in direction definitely snapped Nako back.

"Wai- Where are we going?"

"Somewhere... Somewhere to just let everything out."

"I'm fin-"

"Zip it and just go with the flow."