It was Tuesday, and Niu Nai wanted to go back to the pastry shop to buy those special Bolo Bao. She hadn't thought in advance that if she wanted them to be fresh when she gifted them to Vic, she'd have to make plans with her. Another date? Too soon? I just saw her two days ago, she thought.

She decided to go with the flow since Vic was pretty chill anyway. First things first: purchase chocolatey sweets!

Niu Nai had been a bit overzealous when she beheld those beautiful, coveted cocoa Nai Wong buns. The store had two dozen in stock. She bought one dozen, hoping An Na hadn't invented this whole thing. Yes, these Bolo Bao did exist in the end, but if these weren't Vic's favorite, that would be a shame.

She didn't wait until she got home to phone Vic. She would've liked to magically show up on her doorstep, but she didn't have her address. Though she could have begged it off of An Na, she also had no idea if Vic was even home.

"Hello?" Vic's husky voice answered the call. Niu Nai instantly smiled. This sound was both soothing and sultry.

"Hi, it's Niu Nai..." she trailed off.

"Well, hi Gorgeous! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Vic flirted.

"Uh...are you busy right now?" Niu Nai asked. She could tell that Vic was smirking just by her tone,

"If you're asking if you're bothering me, not at all."

"Nah, I mean for the next little while...if...you're free...would you like to come over? I mean...if you want to or whatever," Niu Nai fumbled with her wording, which Vic found incredibly adorable.

"Yes or whatever," Vic teased.

(...silence...)

"Niu Naiiiii...." Vic called, wondering where her dreamy giant was off to this time.

"Oh, sorry. Yep um...was that a 'yes'?" Niu Nai attempted to clarify for her own foggy brain.

"Depends what time," Vic stated.

"Oh um...like now-ish? I'm about to get on a bus but I should be home in less than twenty minutes."

"Oh that won't work," Vic said.

"Okay, how about in an hour or so?" Niu Nai asked.

"Mmm.....no that's no good either," Vic negated.

"Uhh...eight o'clock?" Niu Nai tried again.

"Sorry, that's not good either," Vic sighed. Niu Nai was starting to feel deflated. Didn't she just say yes?

(...silence...)

Vic was stifling laughter. This confused Niu Nai, but she didn't know what to say now.

"Niu Nai! I'm kidding! I'm pulling your leg! I can be there in twenty minutes," Vic laughed into the receiver. Niu Nai let out a long relieved breath.

"Made you sweat a little, didn't I?" Vic continued to toy with her.

"Grrrr....get your over to the house. You have An Na's address right? As you know, I kinda live down the hall," Niu Nai laughed at her own smart- remark.

"I'll race you," Vic challenged.

Niu Nai managed to arrive before Vic, but was annoyed that An Na was lounging in the living room in her boxers and tank top.

"What's the matter? Like Vic cares if I'm in my underwear!" An Na shot her roommate an ugly look that said she wasn't planning to leave the area any time soon.

"An Na! Please, help me out here, I know she's just your buddy...but she's kind of my date, and she'll be here any minute," Niu Nai pleaded for some leeway.

An Na grumbled and stood up, "In a few minutes, Qiao's just going to plow through here even if I leave, you know. She was about to join me to play video games."

"Can't you talk to her? Take the console into one of your rooms for all I care - I want to sit here with Vic. Pleeease, boss, please?" Niu Nai made such a pathetic puppy-dog face, An Na couldn't refuse, at best so her friend would stop making that horrid grimace.

"Why don't you and Vic go to your room? You'd have total privacy," An Na suggested.

"Nooooowah I can't, it's only the fourth time I'm hanging out with her, so that would be too awkward. Living room is less...cramped," Niu Nai glanced at her watch, worried Vic might ring the doorbell at any moment, "Besides, we might need kitchen utensils."

"Okay, okay I don't want to hear about your stuff...you kids have fun. Uncle Dai has now officially retreated to Chiao's room with the video games," An Na baited her friend, as she unhooked the wires from the game console.

Niu Nai was relieved. As An Na passed her, console scooped under one arm, she gave her an intense stare, "You kids play nice! And remember, she's my friend - don't do anything stupid." With that she was down the hall.

Niu Nai thought, She's your friend? And what am I - chopped liver?

Vic arrived a little bit late, because she'd made a pit-stop. Niu Nai opened the door to a fuzzy beige stuffed bear, doing a jig in mid-air. Beyond it was Vic, all smiles,

"I guess you won the race, but this little guy followed me and I had to drag him along. He said he wanted a good home, so I'm sure you'll take care of him."

"Awww-ha ha," Niu Nai hugged the teddy bear to her shoulder with one arm and hugged Vic with the other.

"This is funny because I have something for you too! Come in, come in," Niu Nai gestured towards the living room behind her. While Vic seated herself, Niu Nai boiled some water for tea. When it was ready, she brought out two steaming cups and an unmarked white cardboard box. She sat on the sofa next to Vic, who was holding the beige bear.

Niu Nai flipped open the box of pastry and explained, "So, um...I may be totally off, but I "heard" you..." she paused to indicate that Vic should serve herself, "...like these."

Vic was tearing a Bolo bun open, curiously observing the filling. Her eyes grew into saucers as she recognized the color and texture of the gooey ooze.

"Oh, you didn't!" she exclaimed, and popped a morsel into her eager mouth, "Oh my God, you did!"

Niu Nai was nearly knocked over by the force of Vic's grateful hug, but she couldn't help but smile. Vic gave her cheek a sugary kiss and asked, "How did you know and where in the world did you find these?"

"Ah! Magic intuition! But I did have to search high and low to locate them," Niu Nai noted.

"Aww, you're so awesome! Though one or two would have been enough," Vic jerked her chin toward the box.

"Well, after the bun-hunt I went on, better to buy more than less! Enjoy!" Niu Nai smiled.

"Oh I'm enjoying it alright! But you might have to go bike-riding with me to work off all the calories. Seriously, you expect me to pack away a dozen of these before they go stale?" Vic laughed.

"I can help you with at least one," Niu Nai grabbed a pastry from the box and gingerly bit into it. Hmm, foreign but not terrible! she thought. "Hey, that's pretty good," she attested.

"I guess you've never tried these, then?" Vic asked, chipmunk-cheeks filled with Bolo Bao dough.

"I have now!" Niu Nai's crooked smirk danced upon her handsome face as she chewed.

When Vic had polished off her bun, she hummed "Mmmm....chocolate Naaaiii Wonnng."

She dusted her hands over the pastry box and asked, "So is this why you suddenly invited me over?"

Smile intact, Niu Nai responded monosyllabically, "Yep!"

"Well, thank you very much. You totally one-upped my widdle bear," she made the stuffed toy dance on her jean-clad knee. Niu Nai giggled and patted the bear on its head. Somewhat impulsively, Vic continued, "Would you say this maybe takes us to another level?"

Niu Nai looked up from the teddy bear, and into Vic's dark round eyes, "What do you mean?"

Vic's hand jutted out and Niu Nai's hair. Stalling to take in the curve of her eyebrows, the tilt of her cheekbones, the corners of her upturned mouth, she noticed how exquisite this face was. Her expression became a bit more sober when she asked, "Would you...be my girlfriend? Like, officially?"

Niu Nai's bashful eyes stared at the bear. She wanted to jump around the room screaming Yes! Yes! YES! but instead kept her usual air of aloofness.

"Yep," she uttered.

"Yep? Seriously, that's all you have to say?" Vic laughed.

"Okay, how about yep I'd like to be your...girlfriend...ha, that sounds so weird," Niu Nai shook her head.

Vic slowly wrapped her arms around the larger girl's shoulders and gave her a tight squeeze. When she drew back, she purposely dragged her lips along Niu Nai's jaw, ending in a nice, sweet (but slightly greasy) kiss. Without warning, Vic leaped back and announced, "Oh wow, I have a girlfriend who bought me chocolate Nai Wong Bolo Bao!"

As she lunged for bun number two, they both laughed heartily. Vic chomped down and the filling out of the dough. Sighing, she repeated, "Chocolate Naaaiii Wonnng! Wahhhh this is so yummmmmy!" She bounced on the couch cushions and cracked a grin so wide, it threatened to split her face apart.

Holding the little beige bear, Niu Nai smiled. She felt good. Her girl was radiant with her sugar-high.