Asking Amber
When She Was A BoyFinals were finally over, but the euphoria did not last long especially for a number of students of St. Evangeline's Academy. One, because there were still a lot of necessary arrangements to do for their upcoming inter-college night; and two, because some of them still didn't have their dates - the same problem that Taec had been worrying.
It was a quiet and peaceful Thursday morning, with a mixture of the usual awkward silence that was always felt during Taec and Amber's breakfast. Taec kept on looking sideways and cleared his throat many times, while he thought of different possible ways to make his intentions to Amber crystal clear.
"Ehem. Oi lesbie." he started.
"What?"
"If... If I tell you to give me something. You would give that to me right away. You understand?"
"Yeah. Your point?"
"(ehem) If... If I order you to go or attend somewhere, you would do that with no complaints. Am I clear?"
"What?"
"If... If I tell you to give me something. You would give that to me right away. You understand?"
"Yeah. Your point?"
"(ehem) If... If I order you to go or attend somewhere, you would do that with no complaints. Am I clear?"
Amber snorted. "That's what I've been doing for the past month and a half." she said.
Taec cleared his throat again... This was easy. All he needed to do was to command her to come. What a piece of cake. He looked at her, his nose in the air.
"Then -"
I'm your man, I'm your man, Oooohh I'm your man
Baby I'm your man, I'm your man
Please believe me, Please be with me
"Hold on a sec" Amber answered her phone call. "Yeah Chance?.... Still at house, why?...Uhh, ok... Bye" she ended her call and looked at Taec. "Can I go now? Chance said I need to go to work asap." she said.
"But -"
"Bye!"
"But -"
"Bye!"
She stood up and put her plate on the sink, then she hurriedly changed her clothes. "See you tonight!" then she went outside the condo, leaving an irritated Taec alone.
Weekdays were not the typical days for the coffee shop to get busy. Only a few customers were inside and it was quiet when Amber entered.
"Yo Chance? What's the hurry?" she said.
"Uhh... there's no emergency, really." Chance smiled at her sheepishly.
"I knew it." she shrugged but then she smiled as well. "So, how were your finals?" she asked him, while they both walked their way towards the kitchen.
"I did well... I think. How about you?"
"I think I'll survive." Amber answered. "So, boss. I'll just go and clean these all up, 'kay?" she pointed to the large pile of dishes on the sink. Then she saluted at him, signaling that he should go. Chance nodded in understanding. He turned around but looked back at her again.
"Yes?" Amber asked.
"Uhh... there's no emergency, really." Chance smiled at her sheepishly.
"I knew it." she shrugged but then she smiled as well. "So, how were your finals?" she asked him, while they both walked their way towards the kitchen.
"I did well... I think. How about you?"
"I think I'll survive." Amber answered. "So, boss. I'll just go and clean these all up, 'kay?" she pointed to the large pile of dishes on the sink. Then she saluted at him, signaling that he should go. Chance nodded in understanding. He turned around but looked back at her again.
"Yes?" Amber asked.
Chance opened his mouth and closed it. Then he paused. "Nothing." he said. Amber nodded and she proceeded on washing the dishes.
It was almost 4 o'clock. Amber was wiping the glass windows. Chance approached her hesitantly. She did not missed his hesitant move and she turned around to look at him, knitting her eyebrows.
"Seriously Chance, what's wrong with you? If you want to tell me something, go." Amber said.
"Well... Where to start..
"Well... Where to start..
...You know, I still don't have a date for our inter-college night.." he started.
"Yeah...." Amber said slowly.
"Uhh... I'll, I'll just ask if..."
"No." Amber said flatly.
"Yeah...." Amber said slowly.
"Uhh... I'll, I'll just ask if..."
"No." Amber said flatly.
Chance looked at her with a surprised and pained expression. "No?" he said weakly.
"No." Amber repeated flatly. "I'm sorry Chance, you're my friend but Torrey's my friend too... It would not be a good idea if you two started going out and I were stuck between the two of you. So yeah, I won't give you my helping hand to ask Torrey out... even if it is for your inter-college night." she ended.
"No." Amber repeated flatly. "I'm sorry Chance, you're my friend but Torrey's my friend too... It would not be a good idea if you two started going out and I were stuck between the two of you. So yeah, I won't give you my helping hand to ask Torrey out... even if it is for your inter-college night." she ended.
He was lost by what Amber said. "What are you talking about...??" then slowly, realization hit him. "Oh! Oh, I'm not going to ask Torrey out.!" he said defensively.
"Then what's with the talk?" she asked.
"Then what's with the talk?" she asked.
Chance took a deep breath and looked her straight in the eyes. He's ready for it. He waited for a week to do so. "Amber, I -"
"AJ?" a shy voice interrupted him. Fei entered the scene and she looked suspiciously from Chance to Amber. "Uh, AJ. It's almost 4 o'clock. Aren't you going to school?" she asked.
"Oh crap I forgot! Thanks Fei!" she dropped her cleaning materials and looked back at Chance. "Let's continue this talk sometime, ok? Bye Chance! Bye Fei!" she ran towards the changing room. After changing, she stopped at the door, looking back at the disappointed Chance and a jealous Fei. "See you tomorrow!" she waved at them and went off for school.
"AJ?" a shy voice interrupted him. Fei entered the scene and she looked suspiciously from Chance to Amber. "Uh, AJ. It's almost 4 o'clock. Aren't you going to school?" she asked.
"Oh crap I forgot! Thanks Fei!" she dropped her cleaning materials and looked back at Chance. "Let's continue this talk sometime, ok? Bye Chance! Bye Fei!" she ran towards the changing room. After changing, she stopped at the door, looking back at the disappointed Chance and a jealous Fei. "See you tomorrow!" she waved at them and went off for school.
Meanwhile, at St. Evangeline's University; Taec's class room
"...Dude! You got your date now?" said one of Taec's classmate to his other classmate.
"Yeah, and she's super hot man. You'll see soon...."
"Yeah, and she's super hot man. You'll see soon...."
Minjun walked towards Taec, who was found sulking at the corner of the room.
"Got your date yet?" he asked.
"I told you I'm not going." Taec answered irritably. Minjun chuckled. He can't fool him. He put an arm around Taec's shoulder.
"Knowing you and your personality Taec.. I'll guess that the first person you would "ask" would probably turn you down." he said.
"And what does that suppose to mean?" he said sharply.
"Well..." Minjun settled himself in front of Taec and smirked. "You're always the type who boss people around. You're always impatient. You always want things your own way.But I'll tell you what: when it comes to asking a girl out, bossing her around would never work."
"If what you're saying is for me to give mushy craps then thanks Minjun, but I prefer my way." Taec said flatly.
"Then you'll never get your date." Minjun answered. "Here's a tip: make her feel important. Do things that she'll appreciate. It doesn't have to be sweet, just a simple act that can send her your message will do. Got that?" he patted Taec's shoulder and went to their classmates to chat.
"I told you I'm not going." Taec answered irritably. Minjun chuckled. He can't fool him. He put an arm around Taec's shoulder.
"Knowing you and your personality Taec.. I'll guess that the first person you would "ask" would probably turn you down." he said.
"And what does that suppose to mean?" he said sharply.
"Well..." Minjun settled himself in front of Taec and smirked. "You're always the type who boss people around. You're always impatient. You always want things your own way.But I'll tell you what: when it comes to asking a girl out, bossing her around would never work."
"If what you're saying is for me to give mushy craps then thanks Minjun, but I prefer my way." Taec said flatly.
"Then you'll never get your date." Minjun answered. "Here's a tip: make her feel important. Do things that she'll appreciate. It doesn't have to be sweet, just a simple act that can send her your message will do. Got that?" he patted Taec's shoulder and went to their classmates to chat.
Taec looked at Minjun in confusion. Do things that she'll appreciate? What the hell would that be?!
All day, that was what Taec had been thinking. Things that lesbie will appreciate....
By nighttime, he found himself once again at the kitchen, with a cat-patterned apron around his waist, a frying pan, spatula, cooking oil, seasonings and chicken in front of him.
"She said that I should marinate the chickens first.." Taec muttered to himself. He put the chicken on a bowl and let the seasonings do the work. He hoped that he can still remember what lesbie had thought her, or it would be another disastrous dinner.
"There." he said after he finished marinating. "Then she said that I should heat the frying pan then put the cooking oil..." he recounted the steps Amber had given him that passed week. Finally, after almost an hour, he laid a bowl of burnt white rice and a number of small, slightly burnt chickens on the table.
Taec faced the wall behind him and looked at it furiously. He knitted his eyebrows so that he looked like he's really angry, then he cleared his throat.
"Lesbie! What time is it now? Huh? I told you to go home at 8 o'clock!" he said. Then he changed his tone...
"I order you to attend at our night. No complaints!" he shouted like an idiot at the wall.
"I order you to attend at our night. No complaints!" he shouted like an idiot at the wall.
"When it comes to asking a girl out, bossing her around would never work". Minjun's words rang inside his head. *But lesbie is not a girl*. he argued back. Still, he changed his expression and looked at the wall with a much more gentle look.
"Would you be my date?? BLEEEHHHH!" he stuck his tongue out and felt a shiver ran down through his spine. He never thought that asking someone would be this hard!
He looked at the time: 7:30 p.m. He picked his phone and dialed Amber's number. After a few rings, she answered it, and by the tone of her voice, she was pissed.
"Why do you always call during the middle of my class?!" she hissed.
"Tone your voice down, you wanna die?!" he shouted back. "Get your here at exactly 8:00 p.m. You understand that?!"
"Wha-!" Amber started but he hung up.
"Wha-!" Amber started but he hung up.
***
Amber stared at her phone where Taec called her minutes ago.
"He really doesn't have call manners!" she said irritably. She was about to put her phone back to her pocket when it rang again.
Calling... Chansung
"'Sup Chance?" she greeted in a more friendly way that Taec's.
"Hey Amber, what time is your dismissal?" Chance asked.
"Uh, 8pm. Why?"
"Hey Amber, what time is your dismissal?" Chance asked.
"Uh, 8pm. Why?"
"Then, can you meet me at your old apartment's rooftop at 8:00 p.m?"
"My old apartment? Why?" Amber asked blankly.
"You'll find out soon. 8:00 p.m okay? Bye." then he ended his call.
"My old apartment? Why?" Amber asked blankly.
"You'll find out soon. 8:00 p.m okay? Bye." then he ended his call.
*What is going on??!* she asked herself.
"8:00 p.m at my old apartment's rooftop; 8:00 p.m at Taec's condominium... Where should I go first?" she muttered to herself while she walked her way back to her classroom, wondering the same question again and again.
***
Amber pushed the door cautiously. She has absolutely no idea what was in his mind right now. She scratched her head.
"Er... did you wait too long?" she asked.
Slowly, the man turned around to look at her... His eyes full of love. He smiled at her kindly.
"You're just in time." Chance said. He was wearing denim pants and a white, V-neck sleeve that gave emphasis to his muscular body. He walked towards Amber and offered his hand, just like what a gentleman does.
"You're abusing our friendship Chance. I told you I don't hold hands with boys." she said to him. Chance chuckled.
"Even just for this night?" he tilted his head and gave her a dazzling smile. "You'll turn down you friend?" he pouted.
"Stop that!" Amber said, pointing at Chance's pout.
"Is it working now?" he continued on pouting.
"Stop that!" Amber said, pointing at Chance's pout.
"Is it working now?" he continued on pouting.
Amber shrugged. Nonetheless, he accepted his hand. There's no meaning in it anyway. Chance is her friend after all.
He led Amber to a beautifully decorated candlelit dinner table. He offered a chair for her first before he took his seat. Amber looked around. Now that she paid attention on her surrounding, the rooftop was oddly designed just like for a typical lover's date. She looked at Chance awkwardly.
"Um.. what's with the balloons and flower petals, and candlelit dinner, and background music?" she asked.
"You said earlier that we will continue our talk sometime." he answered.
"Yes, I did say that... But it does not explain these" she motioned the decorations.
"It does. Amber... would you interested if..."
"If...?" Amber waited.
"You said earlier that we will continue our talk sometime." he answered.
"Yes, I did say that... But it does not explain these" she motioned the decorations.
"It does. Amber... would you interested if..."
"If...?" Amber waited.
He paused. This is it. The moment he was most anxious to ask. He took a deep breath.
"If I ask you to be my date for our night?"
"If I ask you to be my date for our night?"
"....."
"Amber?"
"I... Chance." Amber said weakly. She looked at Chance with an odd expression. She was surprised, touched, awkward, happy, nervous.... Different feelings she can't contain at once.
"You can answer later." Chance said kindly. "And I'll understand too if you refuse."
"But.. why me?" Amber asked, searching his eyes.
"Because....... we're friends." he answered. *Because I like you Amber*.
"Oh. Well, you could've asked your other friends..."
"Who? Junho? Wooyoung? Nichkhun? Minjun? Taec? Haha. Amber... you're my only girl friend..."
"Amber?"
"I... Chance." Amber said weakly. She looked at Chance with an odd expression. She was surprised, touched, awkward, happy, nervous.... Different feelings she can't contain at once.
"You can answer later." Chance said kindly. "And I'll understand too if you refuse."
"But.. why me?" Amber asked, searching his eyes.
"Because....... we're friends." he answered. *Because I like you Amber*.
"Oh. Well, you could've asked your other friends..."
"Who? Junho? Wooyoung? Nichkhun? Minjun? Taec? Haha. Amber... you're my only girl friend..."
Amber blushed. "W-well..." she looked uncertainly at him. After a moment of pondering, she said: "Can I wear tuxedo then?" she asked sheepishly.
Chance's face lit up. "You're accepting it? You'll be my date??" he asked happily.
"Hey! It's not a date... It's... um. Let's just say I'll accompany you with your night." she said, and she smiled at him. "But I won't wear dress." she said, frowning suddenly.
"But we will look like idiots if we both go wearing tuxedos." Chance laughed. "I insist that you wear a dress."
"We'll see."
"Hey! It's not a date... It's... um. Let's just say I'll accompany you with your night." she said, and she smiled at him. "But I won't wear dress." she said, frowning suddenly.
"But we will look like idiots if we both go wearing tuxedos." Chance laughed. "I insist that you wear a dress."
"We'll see."
They smiled at each other and ate their scrumptious dinner. After that, Chance stood up and offered his hand again.
"Would like to dance with me?" he asked Amber.
"Eh?!"
"Would like to dance with me?" he asked Amber.
"Eh?!"
"Come on... Just see this as our practice for the night."
"But--"
"Please?" Chance flashed his dazzling smile again.
"UGH. Chansung you are too much!" Amber frowned at him but still, she accepted his hand.
"But--"
"Please?" Chance flashed his dazzling smile again.
"UGH. Chansung you are too much!" Amber frowned at him but still, she accepted his hand.
Chance slid his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Amber smelled his masculine perfume. They swayed left and right, not really dancing, but the beat from the background music kept them on moving. Finally, the night went deeper and Amber suddenly remembered something.
"OH NO! TAEC!" she shouted.
"Huh?"
Amber looked nervously at Chance, her eyes panicking. "He's going to kill me." she moaned.
"Huh?"
Amber looked nervously at Chance, her eyes panicking. "He's going to kill me." she moaned.
Chance understood. "I'll ride you home." he said.
So they went downstairs and he opened his car door for Amber. They had another silent ride on their way home and before Amber went outside his car, Chance stopped her.
"Here." he gave her the invitation for their night. "You're going to need that." he said.
"Thanks. " Amber said. She opened the car door for herself but stopped. "I appreciate that you thought of me Chance. It was really a surprise, but I'm happy." she smiled at him and waved him good bye.
"Thanks. " Amber said. She opened the car door for herself but stopped. "I appreciate that you thought of me Chance. It was really a surprise, but I'm happy." she smiled at him and waved him good bye.
Amber watched Chance's car turned around the corner before she nervously dragged herself upstairs. When she reached the 13th floor, she took a very deep breath first before she opened the door.
"I TOLD YOU TO GET YOUR HERE AT 8:00 P.M., NOT 10:00 P.M!!!!" Taec's angry voice rang inside the whole room the moment she entered inside. "YOU LET ME WAIT FOR TWO HOURS, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO DIE!?"
"I'm sorry..." Amber was really ashamed, so she just looked at her feet.
Taec was really furious. He looked at his already-cold fried chicken and rice. *Such a waste of time*. he thought. Then his eyes wandered on Amber's right hand.
"What's that?!" he said sharply.
"What's that?!" he said sharply.
Amber looked at the direction of his eyes. "O-oh... it's an invitation... from Chance..." she answered quietly.
*So that's why you're late!* Taec thought furiously. He turned his back from her and slammed the door shut, without uttering a single word.
*So that's why you're late!* Taec thought furiously. He turned his back from her and slammed the door shut, without uttering a single word.
Amber sighed guiltily. She really did not mean to forget about him. She walked towards her room but stopped at the sight of the burnt chickens and rice at the table.
"He cooked?" she asked herself in disbelief. She went over the table and took a look at it. "And it's even untouched. He did not eat...?" she looked towards Taec's room, feeling guiltier than ever. He had waited for her before eating.
She went inside her room. Then she looked at her reflection on the mirror wall. She was wearing jeans, polo and sneakers. She looked like a boy.
"I wonder what will I look like on the night?" she asked herself. She remembered Chance's offer and felt happy, nervous, and grateful. But then she also remembered Taec, and her heart dropped even lower.
"This is getting me crazy." she groaned.
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