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2394 Words
“I’m done. I’ll go back to the office now.”
Ryuu said then stood up, ignoring her best friend Neil kept calling her name and begging her to stop. She started walking back to their company after finishing her lunch in an instant at the nearest eatery at her workplace. She went there with her best friend but Neil is so slow in finishing his food so she left him behind, she can't afford to waste more time. Ryuu is walking a little bit faster than usual. She still has a report that she needs to write. She needs to get it done before the clock hits 5:00 to give it to their team leader for review.
Today is Wednesday. Syr’s been living with her for 5 days. For the whole 5 days, she never had alone time. Syr will always popped out beside her, ask her questions or just annoy her. It was pretty annoying on her part but there’s also a part of her that’s glad that except for the Television, there’s another thing- a person who’s killing the silence. But Ryuu will really appreciate it and be glad if Syr will at least give her some alone time for at least a few minutes.
Yesterday morning, Ryuu was shocked to see Syr already awake, even earlier than her. She’s sitting on a kitchen stool patiently, and when she saw Ryuu, her smile widened. Ryuu thought that it was nothing but when she’s finally closer to Syr, she gets off of the stool, still smiling, and approached Ryuu.
“Can you teach me how to cook?”
Ryuu didn’t get to respond quickly. Her mind is slow to process words and signals that it's receiving since she’s still feeling sleepy. She blinked a few times, trying to process everything. Syr however didn’t do anything aside from staring at Ryuu with a sweet smile plastered on her face.
When Ryuu finally came back on her senses, she pursed her lips and wrinkled her brows, looking down at the small Syr.
“W-What did you said again?”
“I want to learn how to cook. Please teach me.”
Syr said, still not changing expression. Ryuu’s eyes widen in disbelief. She stepped back and raised her hands in defense while shaking her head.
“W-What are you saying? I’m not a chef like Laura. I only know how to cook a few dishes. I can’t teach you anything.”
“It’s okay. Just tell me the basics.”
Ryuu continued shaking her head but lowered her hand already and just put one of them inside her shorts’ pocket.
“What do you mean the basics?”
“I don’t know. Just- just teach me everything you know.”
Ryuu rolled her hands and walked past her to open the fridge. Syr followed her and stood beside the fridge, still not giving up.
“Come on Ryuu. Please. I really want to help you.”
"You're already cleaning the whole house and washing dishes, aren't they enough already? I don't want to make it looked like I'm enslaving you."
Ryuu said not sparing Syr a glance and just busied herself in searching for something she can cook for their breakfast.
"You're not. I just- I just really want to learn how to cook."
Ryuu heaved a long sigh then closed the fridge. She faced Syr with an annoyed expression and put both of her hands on her waist.
“Fine. Do whatever you want.”
And that’s the start of Syr bothering her even more. Syr will wake up early in the morning and watch her cook breakfast and dinner. It wasn’t that much. Ryuu’s knowledge about cooking is just enough to make her live healthier and not just depend on fast food restaurants or instant foods. Her knowledge about food is limited only to a couple of dishes. Her cooking doesn’t taste that delicious either badly. Again just enough for her appetite. But despite explaining everything to Syr, why she will end up learning nothing from her, Syr still insisted that she will learn something from her. In pity, Ryuu lent her wife’s cooking books which made Syr really happy.
Ryuu was about to step inside the company where she is working when someone grabbed her forearm which made her stopped from walking. Ryuu looked back and saw it was her best friend Neil who she left alone in the eatery.
Neil has one of his hands on his knees, looking down and breathing heavily.
Ryuu didn’t say anything and just stared at her best friend, waiting for him to say what he needs from her.
Neil finally straightened his body and get his hand off Ryuu’s arm and placed both of his hands on his waist, still catching up his breath.
“Why... Why did you... left me alone? I .. told you to wait for me.”
Neil said between intakes of breaths.
“I’m in a hurry. I still have a report to finish. If you will say something save it for later.”
Ryuu said and was about to turn her back on her best friend to tap her ID so she can finally enter when Neil again grabbed her on her forearm.
“Why are you always in a hurry during lunchtime? You’re even skipping our break and when the clock hits 5 o’clock, you’re always the first one to leave. You looked like you’re so eager to go home.”
Ryuu scratched her face, looking nervous and uncomfortable with the questions. How and where will she even start explaining things to her best friend? Her situation is just so difficult now. Syr entering her life just made her life difficult. Ryuu actually didn’t mean to hide those things from her best friend. She’s just- She just doesn’t have that much time to start explaining everything.
“I-It’s not like that. I’m just- I’m just-”
Neil waited for her best friend to finish what she wants to say but Ryuu never finished the statement, she doesn’t know what will she ever reason out.
“Is your wife perhaps finally forgave you and now went back to your apartment already?"
Ryuu shook her head and said, “No. It wasn’t like that. It’s just that-”
Ryuu tried to think for the best alibi. Knowing this best friend of hers, Neil will no way let her go without her spilling everything.
Ryuu sighed internally and decided to just answer her best friend’s question but with a lie.
“I’m currently living with someone. She's ah- my cousin and she’s a pretty handful and a little bit trouble maker so I’m always going home early because I’m worried that she will cause some trouble again.”
Neil stared at her in confusion. He had his brows furrowed and looking at Ryuu like she’s a mathematical problem that he’s been trying to solve for hours.
“You never told me you have a cousin. I thought both of your parents don't have any siblings..”
Ryuu suddenly looked more nervous. She remembered that she really mentioned that to Neil when they are still students, she just didn’t expect that Neil still remember it.
Neil is Ryuu’s best friend since they were in college. How did they become friends? Since when they are only in 10th grade, Neil has a crush on Ryuu so he confessed to Ryuu but he was bluntly rejected by Ryuu saying that she was a lesbian and only has eyes on girls. Neil thought that Ryuu just said that because she wants Neil to leave her alone so he didn’t believe that. He was only convinced when he saw Ryuu kissing a girl during college. He was so devastated but because they already grew close that time, he just decided to let go of his feelings for Ryuu and just became best friends for real.
“I did? B-But I actually have one on my mother's side. They were just living abroad so it just looked like I don’t have any.”
“Is that so? Then how old is your cousin already?”
Ryuu motioned for the two of them to get inside already and just continued talking while making their way to their office.
“Her age is ah- not that far from us.”
Ryuu said and averted her eyes from Neil. She pushed the arrow button, requesting an elevator.
How can Ryuu even say that the person who she said was her cousin is actually 3 years older than her? The way she said that she’s always rushing home because she’s worried about her cousin sounds like Syr is just 10 years old. It’s not like Neil would ever meet Syr, right? Or if he did, Syr doesn’t look like 28 but looked like in her early 20s.
An elevator finally arrive so the two immediately get in and pushed the floor number of their office. Inside the elevator is just the two of them which Ryuu is really glad about.
“Really? Then is she pretty?”
Neil asked the moment that the door closed. Ryuu looked back at him and arched one of her brows in confusion but answered the question.
“Well. She doesn’t look that bad.”
“What the hell is that answer? Do you have any pictures of her?”
Ryuu was about to answer “No” when she remembered that yesterday Syr snatched her phone and took a selfie at her phone just to annoy her. Ryuu remembered that she haven’t deleted that picture yet, thanks to her best friend Neil, she was reminded about that. Ryuu searched for her phone in her pockets and once she finally found it, she immediately unlocked it and clicked the gallery. Syr's picture is the most recent picture because she's not that fond of taking pictures.
“Here she is.”
Ryuu said and mover her phone closer to her best friend Neil.
Ryuu saw how her best friend’s expression changed from neutral to a shocked expression. Ryuu didn’t say anything about Neil’s reaction. She just arched one of her brows and tilted her head.
After a few seconds, she put her phone away from her best friend’s face, locked it, and put it back in her pocket.
The elevator finally arrived at their floor so Ryuu walked outside the elevator being followed by the still shocked Neil.
“What the hell Ryuu?!”
Neil finally blurted out, making Ryuu confused at the sudden statement.
“What?”
Ryuu asked as soon she had taken a seat of her swivel chair.
“Why you never mentioned anything about her? And what do you mean she doesn’t look that bad? She’s freaking gorgeous. I thought my ex Carla is the most beautiful girl in this world but I’m wrong, that cousin of yours is the most beautiful in the whole universe.”
“What the hell are you saying?”
Ryuu will admit Syr really is beautiful but she believes that Neil is exaggerating everything with the statement that Syr is the most beautiful girl in the universe. Ryuu believes that there’s no one who can outshine her wife. Her wife is the most beautiful in the whole universe and not any other girl.
“Oh come on Ryuu. I knew that you’re loyal and you love your wife a lot but we know that I’m right.”
“Whatever Neil. Just start working already.”
From the corner of Ryuu’s eyes, she can see that Neil is still saying something but she no longer listen to it and plugged her earphones on her ear. I wasted too much time already talking to Neil. I need to get back to work now and make sure that I’ll get to finish my report before 5 o’clock strikes.
--
Ryuu yawned and stretched her arms then massaged her shoulders. Her shoulders are aching so bad, she guessed she will sleep with a bunch of pain patches again, tonight.
Ryuu sighed and gathered her things, just carelessly shoving them all into her bag. She managed to finish her report and pass it to her team leader 5 minutes before the clock hits 5:00. And now she’s preparing to do the thing that she loves the most, leaving word and heading home.
Ryuu, while had one of her hands busy massaging her one shoulder, her other hand reached out for the arrow down button onto the elevator. Ryuu didn’t need to wait for too long, one already arrive after a few seconds of standing before it. She was about to step her feet inside the elevator, joined the other two employees when a hand stop her from taking another step.
It was Neil, and again he’s catching up his breath.
“What’s wrong Neil?”
Ryuu asked, pursing her lips in confusion.
“Let me... Let me come... with you.”
Neil said between his breaths. Ryuu’s brows furrowed in confusion as she stared at her best friend. She didn’t fully understand what he meant.
“I want to meet your cousin.”
Neil said again, determined, after straightening himself.
Ryuu was about snarl at Neil when one of the girls, riding the elevator, suddenly speak.
“Excuse me? Are you two going in?”
Neil is the one who answered “Yes” then pulled Ryuu inside. The elevator is already moving downwards when she was back to herself. She wanted to yell at Neil, ask him if he’s even serious but she doesn’t want to embarrass herself so she decided that she will just wait when they finally get out of the elevator, get out of the building.
Neil is still pulling her when they finally get themselves out of the company. Ryuu pulled her arm back, made Neil stopped from walking, and looked back at her in confusion.
“Are you kidding me, Neil? Why would you want to meet my cousin?”
Neil’s eyes suddenly became warmer. It's even twinkling and Ryuu almost had goosebumps at that sight. Ryuu is not yet sure what exactly is it but she can somehow tell that it wasn’t good news.
“I think I fell in love at first sight with your cousin. You’ll help me with her, right?”
- Writer
