Taec looked at Amber's cold back. They didn't exchange any words at all for this day. She continued cooking their breakfast while he played computer games. He cleared his throat loudly.

"I want tidbits." he said.

Amber ignored him.

"And don't forget it this time!".

Again, she didn't respond. He was starting to get annoyed by her actions, but he tried to keep it cool.

"Then we can start finalizing the project."

There was a sound of cooking oil on the frying pan. He was still ignored.

"YAH! TALK TO ME!" he ordered angrily.

Amber looked at her with dead eyes. "Yeah, sure. Just wait for a while." she said restlessly.

He pursed his lips, trying hard not to shout again. He couldn't help but feel guilty about what he'd done yesterday, but he can't bring himself to say sorry too.

"I'll be in my room." he pushed the keyboard away from him and went inside his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Moments later, there was a soft knock at the door and she opened it.

Amber saw a beautiful woman in thick make up, red top that exposed her shoulders, and denim shorts. She smiled at her.

"May I help you?" Amber asked.

The woman looked at her from head to toe. "Who are you?" she asked rather coldly.
"I'm AJ. Taec's assistant and... maid." she answered.
"Oh, a lesbian eh?" she commented, looking at how Amber clothed herself. Then without even asking for permission, she welcomed herself inside.
"H-hey! Taec doesn't let girls inside his room..."
"Oh, I'm sure he doesn't mind." She turned to look at her. "After all, I was the reason why he didn't want to."

Amber knitted her eyebrows in confusion. Now that she stared carefully at the woman, she was somehow familiar to her... although she didn't remember when or where she saw her...

Taec went outside his bedroom again.
"Is breakfast ready now?!" he asked impatiently. Then he saw Jessica.
"J-jess!"

Jessica moved towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Missed me my Taecat?" she cooed.

Amber felt something from her left chest, but she can't pinpoint what it was. Surprisingly, Taec gave her a smile - something Amber had seen only once in her life.

"You don't have to answer, I already know it." she said sweetly. "Have you eaten breakfast already? What do you want?"
"Ado-... Um, you know what I want." he replied.

Jessica smiled while she wrapped the cat-patterned apron around her waist.
"But I was cooking." Amber protested but Taec looked at her warningly. It seemed that there was some sort of connection between them when their eyes met. Amber looked away immediately.

"Then I'll go get ready for work."

***

Amber sighed deeply while she stared absentmidedly into space.

"What's with your deep thought AJ?" Fei joined her at the veranda. 
"Nothing..." she denied.

Fei studied her face first before she changed the subject.
"You know, I think I'm going to give up Sir Chance..." she said.

Amber looked at her.
"Why?" she demanded.
"Because..." Fei looked at her, smiling meaningfully. "because I think he already likes someone else."

She knitted her eyebrows in confusion.
"Huh? I don't think so Fei. You shouldn't give up. You haven't even tried yet." she said.

Fei chuckled amusedly. *Heavens! Can't she be more dense?* Just then, Chance joined them too.
"Hey, Amber." he said.
"I'll leave you two here. Excuse me Sir Chansung." Fei said, and she left the two of them. Chance took Fei's seat.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked.
"Nothing.." she repeated.
"Come on now Amber... I thought we're friends? You can always tell me." he offered.

Amber stared at him with sad eyes.
"Chance, who's Jessica?"

Chance looked shocked.
"Why? And how did you know about her?"
"She was at Taec's earlier.."

*So Jessica's back*. He looked at her.

"She's our childhood friend." he answered.
"That's all?"

He looked hesitant, but he continued. "And he was Taec's first girl friend - ex girlfriend to be exact - and his first love as well." Amber nodded, feeling down-hearted. She wanted to knock herself out because of these stupid feelings she felt right now!

"Why are you at EK last night by the way?"

Amber froze. She almost forgot what happened yesterday because of Jessica's arrival.

"I.. Um.. It was my birthday yesterday." she answered tonelessly.

Chance choked. He looked at her increduously.

"What?!" he said, raising his voice slightly.
"Calm down Chance! It's not a big deal, really.." she said.

*It is to me!*.

"Come with me." he took Amber's hand and led her out of the coffee shop. The employees looked at them.

*See, I was right*. Fei said, smiling.

***

They were inside Chance's car right now. Amber kept on protesting that they should go back to the shop. Finally, Chance raised his hand and smiled at her.

"Stop blabbing Amber. You owe me." he said.
"Why?"
"Because you didn't tell me that yesterday was your birthday."
"I told you, it's not a big deal -"
"Hep. Hep! No more talking." Chance said.

Soon, they stopped in front of food stalls.
"Street foods?" Amber said blankly.
"Mmm-hmm. I missed isaw and betamax." Chance said happily. He led her towards the first stand. "10 pieces of isaw and betamax each please." he said.

The lady obliged and grilled their orders. After a few minutes, they sat on a park bench and ate their first stick. Then, Chance stood up.
"I haven't given you your entertainment yet." he said.
"What entertainment?" she asked.
"Here, hold this for me." he gave her his isaw stick and cleared his throat loudly.

"Electric..." Chance sang, while he walked in a circle motion. "Electric shock. E-E-E electric, E-E-E electric shock!"
"What are you doing?!" Amber asked, baffled.
"..jeon jeon jeollyudeugi momeul tago heulleo danyeo.." Chance started dancing in a girlish way, popping his bootty and shaking it.
"Wha- what.. Oh this is horrible." Amber groaned.

Everyone at the vicinity watched at Chance, who continued dancing f(x)'s choreography of Electric Shock. Some took their phones out and videoed him while others were just laughing.

"Chance, you can stop now..."

But he didn't. He continued dancing, until he finished the whole song. The moment he stopped, everyone applauded and whooped. He bowed and waved at all of them, then he sat beside her again.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked happily. Amber rolled her eyes but couldn't help herself from laughing.
"Pfft. Yeah.. I think I did."

After Chance's entertainment, they went inside a carinderia (a small stall that sells food in a lower price.) and ordered for porridge and puto. Then they watched a live band perform. Then they ate isaws again. 

When afternoon came, Chance drove Amber home.

"Happy birthday Amber." Chance said before Amber got off.
"Thanks Chance." she said, beaming at him. "I really appreciate it."
"Then..."

Amber waited.

"Then can I give you my birthday gift ?" he asked.
"I thought you didn't know my birthday? Why are you prepared?"
"I'm not... it's just. Oh come here."

He pulled her closer to him and softly kissed her cheek.
"There." he moved away from her and released his grip.

Amber was speechless, hang widely, and her eyes bulged dangerously.

"Idiot!" she shouted, blushing fiercely. She got off from the car and hurriedly went inside Solar Homes. Chance laughed. At least he finally did it.

***

There was a soft knock on the door. Amber didn't even bother to open it. Everyday Jessica will visit them early in the morning and took her place from cooking Taec's breakfast. One week of this continuous routine and Amber was still not used to it.

"My Taecat.." she said softly.

Amber always felt a shiver whenever she heard this endearment. Jessica walked towards the kitchen and wrapped the apron around her, like always, and took the spatula from Amber, like always.

"You can rest now AJ. I'll handle this." she said.

But Amber ignored her. She stayed in front of the frying pan.

"This is my job." she said, and she took the spatula from Jessica.
"No AJ." Jessica answered icily. "This, is my job." she took the spatula from her.
"I am his maid and assistant, therefore, it is my duty to serve you." Amber grabbed the spatula again.
"I am your master's girlfriend therefore your master as well, so I order you to leave me." Jessica hissed dangerously, grabbing the spatula from the umpteenth time.
"What's going on here?" Taec entered the kitchen.

Jessica immediately flashed a big smile on him.
"Nothing Taecat, what do you want for breakfast?"
"He liked adobo." Amber answered.

Jessica plastered a fake smile on her.
"You and you jokes AJ. Ha-ha-ha" she laughed, patting Amber's shoulder. She shuddered at her touch.
"Um... adobo would be fine." Taec answered, looking at Amber.

Jessica's face stiffened, but she retained her sweet voice.
"Of course, whatever that was." she pushed Amber away and started cooking.
"I like it when there's pineapple tidbits." he said. Jessica smiled at him,
"Sure.." she said sweetly.

Taec walked towards Jessica and hugged her from her back. Amber felt the same twinge of emotion in her left chest.

"I.. I need to buy something, oh yeah, I forgot!" then she went outside the condo, without getting money from her purse first.
"Lesbie said you must marinate the chickens first." he said.

Jessica bit her lip, annoyed. She nodded stiffly and continued cooking.
"...Lesbie said it's best to put some black pepper in it..."
"...Lesbie said you shouldn't stir it once you put the vinegar..."
"...Lesbie said - "
"All right, we'll follow AJ's instructions." Jessica said irritably. "Then can we shop after this?" she asked.

Taec nodded.
"Oh good! There's a newly released Jimmy Choo heels. Can you buy that for me?"

Again, he nodded. The doorknob at the front door turned, and it was Jessica who noticed it first. Without thinking, she her lips on Taec's and kissed him passionately. Taec looked surprised, but he returned her enthusiasm as well.

Amber entered again and what she saw didn't improved her mood. In fact, she felt her heart broke.

She turned away instantly, and left them again. When Jessica heard the door closed again, she stopped kissing him.

"Well... that was, surprising." Taec commented. Jessica laughed.
"Buy me a new Hermes bag too, okay?"

***

"We've doubled and tripled checked the floors, the designs, the exterior... I think we're done." Taec clapped his hands and looked at Amber. They were alone on the study table, with large pages of blueprints around them. Their project was finally done.
"When the board approved this, than you will have your rent payment back." he continued.

Amber nodded. She was not in the mood these past two weeks. Taec cleared his throat and stretched his hand hesitantly.
"We finished it. Partner."

Amber smiled slightly, then she grasped his hand briefly.
"Yeah.."

Just then, the door opened and Jessica entered. They released hands immediately and she looked at them suspiciously. Her eyes moved from their hands to the blueprints behind them. She narrowed her eyes.

"Taecat, what should we do next?" she walked towards him and slid an arm around his. "There was this new dress in Forever21 that I really like, can we go there and take a look..?"
"Sure. We'll just clean this up Jess." he removed her hand around his and started rolling the blueprints. Jessica looked at it curiously.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Some project my Dad gave to me." Taec answered. "Lesbie! Take this to my room." he gave Amber some of the blueprints while he carried the others and took out his keys.

When the two of them went inside Taec's bedroom, Jessica took her phone and dialed.

"Hey, it's me. Let's start next week."

Trivia: Taec did have an ex-girlfriend named Jessica when he was still in States. Hehe.