"Erm...you done?"
Yumeko suddenly froze and stopped playing with my button that was almost falling off from my shirt.
She slowly got up and rushed back to her room after saying good morning in Japanese.
Trust me, you have no idea how I woke up this morning.
Since the meeting, a new project from a Korean company has been launched, John told me to join as well as there might be something new for me to learn — and I did.
Just because I joined the online meeting, it's extremely exhausting when focusing on the translator's lagging voice from the headphone, which wastes more than half of my energy until 4am — yeah, that was the time I went to bed. 🥲
But then in the morning, I heard the sound of plastic clinking and I felt someone was tapping me.
I slightly opened my eyes, what appeared in my sight almost convinced me I was still asleep and having a nightmare...but somehow it was real.
Yumeko was lying on my arm and scratching on the button.
….what's she doing??? 💀💀💀
AI: I wish I knew. 💀
You see? Last time she was offline — sleeping next to my bed.
This tim? Extremely horrible — she's online while playing on my clothes' button like nothing happened. 💀
After I prepared some fried dumplings and egg pancakes for breakfast, she came out of the room slowly as she smelled the fragrance of the green onion fried under decent 60°C in the morning.
AI: You….need some music?
Not gonna help this time. 🥲
For some reason, I thought the only haunting was the deleted message at the last chat with Clara, but this one makes me feel like dreamwalking.
Do I need therapy?
AI: Soon.
Yumeko sat down before the table and started to enjoy the meal but she kept glazing over at me which I tried my best not to make any eye contact — I bet we both knew that was awkward….
THEN WHY STARTED IT!!! 😭😭😭
Yumeko: 先は...誤解しないでください.(Just now...was not what you think it is.)
Me: わかりました (I understood.)
Yumeko: お...お疲れだから...(I…I was exhauted, so…..)
Worst excuse ever, your bedroom is not far away from here you know??? 😭😭😭
AI: Take it or talk about it, pick one. 😏
Me: ん.(Okay.)
After that, she insisted on washing the dishes.
And for me, I have time to take a look at the client's requirements on the new website.
Yumeko: ね,リン,ちょっといい?(Hey, Rin, can we have a word please?)
Yumeko suddenly appeared at the door and she knocked.
Me: 何?(Yes?)
She pushed the door open and came in, she noticed that I was busy with the documents.
Yumeko: ごめん,今日は忙しかったですか?(Sorry, are you busy today?)
Me: 大丈夫です,何ですか?(It's fine, what is it?)
She took a few seconds blushing and she looked away — again, I don't know why.
Yumeko: 今夜,夜市ある?(There's a night market tonight right?)
In case you have no idea, the night market is one of the cultures in my hometown where the entire street will be closed down and filled up with stalls selling different things.
We have food, clothes and other things, it's basically a commercial strategy to earn as much as they could as the item sold is never cheap and economic.
But speaking of the night market, Yumeko has never been there before.
Me: 行きたい?いいよ.(Wanna go? Sure. )
Yumeko: まじ?(Really?)
I nodded my head and she quickly looked away when having eye contact with me....yeah, I looked away as well. 🥲
Yumeko: じゃ,また後で.(Well, see you later then.)
After getting my answer, she left my studio with a smile.
AI: Another date.
Hold up! Wait a minute!
This is different.
AI: I know what you're thinking, taking her to the night market so that you don't have to cook.
I'm a genius, I know. 😏
AI: Yeah, but I hope she's aware.
…..
…..
Same here.
At night, we came to the night market which was moderately crowded compared to the past.
Yumeko: すごいね...(Looks awesome...)
I get it, because there are so many stalls opening today due to the good weather forecasted.
Me: 何か食べたい?(What'd you like to eat?)
Yumeko: 何それ?美味しそう!(What's that? Looks delicious!)
Well it is.
She pointed at the stall that sells the aglio olio, which is one of the famous foods in my neighborhood and it was different as it allows the customization of sauces and cheese.
The fumes evaporated from the wok also symbolized my childhood memory as each fragrance I smelled was nostalgic to me.
Me: 揚げパスタソースです,試してみませんか?(It's fried pasta, wanna try?)
Yumeko: いいの?(May I?)
Me: もっちろん (Of course)
Yumeko: た....高いんじゃないのか?(But…it looks expensive, right?)
Trust me, it only gets expensive due to the tariff and taxes.
Me: 君,食べたい?(You wanna try it right?)
She nodded.
Me: それでいいよ.(Yeah, that's right.)
Then I bought her a bowl of it and she said she loved it after the first bite.
Then I bought her a watermelon juice, oyster omelet, tofu pudding with ginger syrup and some foods she said she wants to try.
Yeah, and I'm the one carrying things while she's eating. 🥲
Then I noticed some sauce got on her lips, and I had no choice but to take out a piece of paper to wipe it for her as her hands were holding the food.
I have no idea why she was staring at me when I was cleaning up her lips, that was embarrassing.
AI: Oh boy… 😒
What?
AI: Nothing, just keep going, I'm done with it.
....
Okay?
Right after I took some pictures and sent them to my aunt…
Aunt: Oh my goodness, are you guys on honeymoon?
Me: Haha, very funny. 😒
Aunt: She looks happy, I can't believe that you remember.
Me: Of what?
Aunt: Today's her birthday.
....
....💀
Well I didn't know that. 💀
She didn't even try to tell me, right?
AI: Well the only explanation is — she expected you to remember. 😌
After I ended the conversation, I saw Yumeko looking at the butterfly pendant at one of the accessory stores.
The pendant seemed to be manually crafted while the wings were decorated with crystals.
AI: This is a chance, Rin.
Of what?
AI: Are you dumb? Get her a gift, of course! 🙄
...
Huh?
I don't have a gift box and ribbon.
Yumeko: ね,リン,見て見て,これは綺麗?(Hey, Rin, Look at this, it's beautiful isn't it?)
Me: そう...好きですか?(Yeah…..you like it?)
Yumeko: えっと...なんかちょっと好き…(Well…erm….I like it but just a little…..)
Me: じゃ,買ってあげましょう...(Then, let's buy it...)
Just when I was going to pay for it, she immediately pulled my hand back.
Yumeko: ええ!ちょっと待ってください!(Eeh!! Hold on a second!)
She took the pendant and took a look at the price tag, after a few minutes she put it down in disappointment,
Yumeko: もうやめとこう.....(Nevermind then...)
Me: え?何で?好きじゃない?(Eh? Why? Don't you like it?)
Yumeko: 高いな,しょうがないな.じゃ,帰ろう.... (It's too expensive, too bad. Well, let's go home…..)
I was never expecting she'll think about the expenses for me, it was actually fine since it's her birthday.
AI: Well….Japanese used to concern for the others, it's called 遠慮 (EnRyo). Put the convenience and feeling of the others before theirselves, that's their social culture though….
But I don't need that, she could just tell me if she wants...hold on, the day she kissed me...
…...was on her birthday.
I actually thought of getting her a gift on that day but then something hurting happened.
I'm not gonna lie, until now I have no idea what I should do to prepare a decent gift.
I was never invited to a birthday party or even holding one myself — birthday gifts were never part of my life.
Yumeko: リン,どうしたの?早く帰ろう!(Rin, what happened? Let's go home earlier!)
She waved at me from afar while I'm still holding the pendant she likes.
...
...
Me: Okay!
After we got home, she went to take a shower.
Then, we had a time watching TV together.
Me: 夢子,あの... (Yumeko, about that...)
Yumeko: どうしたの?(Anything?)
Me: 実は,好きなものとか,食べたいものとか,買いたいものとか,全部教えてくれてもいいよ.(Actually, if you have anything you like, anything you love to eat, anything you want to buy, please tell me all of it.)
Yumeko: え?リン,何でそれは...(Eh? Rin, what's wrong….)
Me: 遠慮しないでください.(Please don't hesitate.)
Yumeko: でも....お金使わせるの,申し訳ないよ...(But….if I spend you moeny, it's just makes me feel bad…..)
Me: 家族だから.
She was stunned after I said that, but…..
Yumeko: えっと,わ...わかりました,じゃ...おやすみなさい...(Well, I....I get it now, erm….good night…..)
And she rushed back to her room as fast as she could…..
AI: Well erm….you know…..
I said something wrong again, right?
AI: Bingo.
What is it?
AI: You see? She leaves her home and goes somewhere that does not belong to her, and somebody just redefined her identity by calling a Family (家族) ...you get what I mean?
...
...
No.
AI: Seriously? What means you're telling her "You're part of my family, I'll take good care of you, forever", that's a confession of love, buddy. You just did it again. 🤣🤣🤣
Wai—! What???
No no no, that's not what I meant to say! 😭😭😭
AI: Yeah, I hope so. That's what she comprehended from your words, buddy. 😏
Do you think it's not too late if I knock her door to explain?
AI: You better don't, she's probably overheating now. Someone just told her that she could be part of this family, haha ~ 🤣🤣🤣
...so I'm dead? 💀
AI: Not really, the way you told her is already a constant variable, if you changed it now she probably would think she got it wrongly.
She got it totally…partially incorrect, that's the fact!!! 😭😭😭
AI: Leave it, buddy. She needs some time to cool down. 😏
….sure, I guess. 🥲
AI: By the way, is it in the room already?
Yeah, you think she'll like it?
AI: Definitely.