Aaron’s POV

It’s been a month since I met Ying Jie. The past 2 weeks has been great for me. During the first weekend, Ying Jie has invited me to the apartment and cooked some food for me. Okay, not only invited me. She also invited Ya Tou, but Ya Tou only went to the apartment on Saturday. During Sunday, she’s with her boyfriend, so she’s not there with us. It has become a daily routine for me. I’ll always have lunch on weekends and dinner on weekdays with her at her apartment. I can’t have dinner with her during weekends since we always have our family dinner on Saturday and Sunday. She would always cook, and I would try help out. I realise that it is difficult to cook, even a simple dish. I’ve tried frying an egg, but it turns out not as I expected. She forbids me to step into the kitchen, unless I wanted to have a drink.

During the weekdays, I would drive her to work. Even though the apartment is about a bus stop away from the company, I don’t want her to need to wait for the bus every morning. During the first 2 days, she didn’t like my offer, but slowly, it’s become a habit, and she gladly accepts it. People in the company also know that we are friends, so they are not surprised when they always see me and her together.

I realised that she has open up to me, or at least I think she has. She’s become happier, more cheerful, not like when I first met her, though until now I didn’t ask her why she’s sad that time.

“Hey, stop smiling to yourself.” Calvin says. I didn’t realise that I’m smiling.

Today’s Tuesday, so I’m at Calvin’s bar with my 2 best buddies, Calvin and Chun. Jiro is not here as he’s currently not in town.

“It must be the Ying Jie girl. You’ve changed since you met her. You even eat the food Jiro brought from the night market last week.” Chun says. Did I really change?

“You like her.” He continues.

“Of course I like her. She’s my friend.” I answer.

“I’m not saying about that kind of like. I mean you like her, as a girl.” I frown at his statement. What does he mean?

“He means that you like her, or probably love her.” Calvin says. Huh? I love her?

Yes, I love her. The feelings that I always have when I’m always with her has always been love. I love spending time with her. I’m happy when I’m with her. I want to make her happy too. I love seeing her smile. I love everything about her.

“You must have just realised it.” Chun says. Seriously, this 2 people knows things just by looking at the expression. They can go and work for the police!

“Yes.”

“That’s great! It’s time for you to move on anyway.” Calvin says. He’s right. I need to move on, since now I know that I love Ying Jie. I smile at them and pat them hard on the back. “Ouch! What’s that for?” The 2 of them asks at the same time.

“A ‘Thank you’ pat for making me realise I love her.”

***

Ying Jie’s POV

"Hi Ms Wu, I'm Zhuang Hao Quan, the architect who is working with you from today." How does he know that I'm the one working with him? Oh right, my pass. He holds out his hand. I gladly shake it.

"Mr Zhuang, just call me Ying Jie."

"Same goes to you, just call me Ao Quan."

He brought me to a meeting room, and we're discussing about the project. I do not know how long we've been discussing, but while we're discussing and making some changes, my phone rings. I excuse myself and pick up the phone. It's Ya Tou.

"Ying Jie! We are heading to the newly open pancake shop just a few streets away. You coming?" Ya Tou asks with excitement. So now's lunch time? I take my phone from my ear and look at the time. It's 1:04PM. I guess I can't have lunch with them, since I haven't finish discussing with Mr Zhua- I mean Ao Quan.

"New pancake shop? I think I can't. I haven't finished my work yet. You guys go ahead."

"Aw... Okay."

I hang up the phone and goes back to discuss the work with Ao Quan. When we discuss finish, it's already 2PM. I guess I'm going to miss my lunch today again. I'm taking the documents and about to head out, but Ao Quan calls me.

"Want to have lunch with me?" He asks.

"It's 2PM, end of my lunch time. I think I need to head back to Interior Design Department."

"You're working with me from today, remember? We don't have fix lunch time now. Come." He holds on to my wrist and drags me out. I feel uncomfortable around his hold. He turns and saw my expression. "Sorry." He apologises and lets go of my wrist.

He brings me to the new pancake shop that Ya Tou told me earlier. I accepted to have lunch with him, since I'm hungry, and he's right that I'm working with him from today onwards, so there's no reason to reject lunch.

"I overheard your phone conversation. Hope you don't mind that I bring you here." He says, looking uneasy.

"Oh no, I don't mind." I assure him.

While we're waiting for our food, he starts a conversation. "It's good to know that you've taken Interior Designer as your job. You have great ideas and design." I look at him weirdly.

"Don't you remember me? I'm the one with you in the elevator when you came to the company for an interview." He says. Oh! So that is why I find him familiar when I first saw him just now. He's the friendly staff that wishes me good luck for my interview. I smile at him.

"You must have just remembered." He says, smiling back. I nod. Then, the waiter comes with our food.

"Let's eat."

***

Aaron's POV

It's 5:55PM. I'm heading to Interior Design department to find Ying Jie. I always wait for her to end work at her department, then we will go to the parking lot together. When I'm walking towards Ying Jie's desk, someone stops me.

"Mr Yan, Ying Jie is not here. She's at the Architecture department." The female employee named Apple, which I can see from her pass, says. Why is she at the Architecture department?

"Thank you for the information." I say to her and walk back to the elevator. Then I head up to twenty-third floor.

I am about to ask someone about Ying Jie when I saw her with a guy at a desk. They sit closely together and discussing some work. I frown. Why do they seem so close? Who is he?

"Mr Yan." Someone greeted. I nod at the person, and then look back at them. They are looking at me. I walk towards them and they stands up.

"Mr Yan." The guy greeted. I ignore him.

"Aaron, why are you here?" She asks. Did she forget? I'm waiting for her to end work of course!

"I'm waiting for you to end work." I say, calmly.

"It's 6 already?!" She asks, looking at the guy beside her.

"Yes." I hiss, even though she's not asking me.

"Um... I'll get my things then." She says carefully. I must have scared her. After she gets her things, she bids goodbye to the guy. Okay, so the guy's name is Ao Quan. He bids goodbye to the both of us, but I ignore him.

"Is there something wrong?" She asks. We are now at a food-court. We eat out today, as there aren’t enough ingredients to cook for dinner.

"No."

"Then... Why did you becoming so cold? You seem angry." She mumbles, but I manage to hear it. Am I angry? Yes, I feel angry, but why? I thought for a moment. No way! I'm not jealous over the guy, right? Alright I admit! I'm jealous!

"No, I'm not angry. It's just..." How can I tell her that I'm jealous of the guy. I didn't even tell her that I love her! And this is not the right time to tell her! I look at her, and she's waiting for me to continue. Then, the foods just arrive.

"I'm hungry, that's why I'm moody." I lie. Then I take my chopsticks and start eating.

"Oh. Then eat up." She says and smiles. Then she takes some vegetables and put it on my bowl. I smile back at her and continue eating.

***

Ying Jie's POV

It's been a month since I have taken up the project. The hotel has just been built, so now we are working on the interior, which will be similar to what I've designed.

Because of this S Hotel project, I have been spending more time on work, and lesser time with Aaron and Ya Tou, though I always see her every weekday at work. I have not seen Aaron for a week now. I told him not to drive me to work and not to wait for me to end work last week since we're rushing the project. He knows I'm rushing, so he didn't bothers me. I started to miss him.

During the past months, Aaron has been treating me very well. Because he always treats me well, I started to like him, and this like has slowly becomes to love. I decided to keep my love for him deep inside my heart, and never intent to let him know. I have only about 9 months left, and I want to live it without hurting anybody.

I'm at my desk working on my work, and then I receive an email sent by the event department.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Subject: Invitation to Yan D&C 60^th Annual Dinner & Dance
From: Yan D&C Event Department
To: All Staff

Dear Staff,
You are invited to Yan Design and Constructions 60^th Annual Dinner and Dance.

Venue: Yan Mansion
Date: 15^th September 2012
Time: 6:30PM
Theme: Masquerade Formal

The night will consist of:
- Dinner
- Show
- Dancing
- Lucky Draws
- Fireworks

Cocktails will be served before the dinner.

You are allowed to bring up to 3 friends with you.
Invitation email must be shown to be allowed in.
Wrong theme and children will not be allowed in.

We hope to see you there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Are you going?” I jump. I didn’t know there’s someone behind me. I turn around, and it was Ao Quan.

“Sorry to scare you.” He says.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why?” He frowns.

“Um… My friends are in town tomorrow until the end of the week. I need to accompany them.” I say. What I say is true, as Xiao Xun and Xiao Yu are coming to see me tomorrow. But I said that I’m not sure is because I do not have any formal wear and a masquerade mask. Although I can buy it, but I don’t think I have the time since we’re rushing the project.

“It says that you can bring your friends.”

“My friends might not want to go.”

“Then convince them.” He says. Then he moves closer to me, and whispers in my ear, “I want to see you there.” I shiver when I feel his breathing just by my ear. He smiles and walks away.

He’s been getting creepy lately. He keeps on wanting me to work overtime at his desk with him and getting too close to me. Or Maybe I’m thinking too much. I’m lucky that no one is here right now to see what just happened, as they are now having their lunch. I have an early lunch with Mr Creepy, so I’m back early. I don’t want to go through the torture of all the colleagues questioning again. They had asked me lots of questions regarding me and Aaron, and I tried very hard to convince them that we are friends. That gets through their heads after a few days.

While I am preparing the necessary documents for Mr Creepy, my phone rings. I look at the caller ID, and it’s from Xiao Xun. I answer the call. “Hello Xiao Xun.”

“Ying Jie! We’re here at Taipei!”

***

A/N: There might be some mistakes, as I didn't read it through.