“I am going to ask Papa.” I tried to shift my body but was unable to do so. “Tie.” 

After numerous attempts to elicit a response from her, it became evident that she was lost in her own thoughts. For a moment, her distant gaze and lack of reaction made me question if she had heard me at all. I proceeded to slapping her leg again, hoping to bring her back to the present.  

Tie's eyes flickered. "What?" Her tone was surprisingly coarse. I paid it no mind. 

“Get off of me.” I implored.

With a playful twinkle in her eye, she arched a single eyebrow. "Why should I?”

"You definitely carry some weight,” I responded. 

"Although it may be true, it's important to be considerate and not directly mention someone's weight."

“What's the harm? After all, a dog will always be a dog and a cat will always be a cat."

“So, if I happen to be heavy, then I am just heavy," Tie stated calmly.

“Exactly!” I agreed. 

She chuckled and said, "I appreciate your straightforwardness and innocent nature, but some may perceive it as offensive, you know." 

I was taken aback when Tie drew near, causing me to feel bewildered. "What exactly are you trying to do?" I asked in a perplexed tone.

"Kichi, could you open your mouth?" she asked.  

"What? No!" I said, forcefully pushing and slapping her, but Tie's expression remained unflinchingly close.

Tie and I shared a common interest - our attraction towards girls. However, while this was something that we both had in common, I never imagined her feelings towards me to extend beyond mere friendship. She would often greet me with a kiss on the lips, but I never thought much of it, assuming it was a cultural custom or something. However, at this moment, as her tongue explored my mouth, I couldn't help but question her intention. And yet, despite my inner turmoil, I found myself unable to push her away. Why? 

"I can't believe you did that," I said. “Why?”

"It was just a friendly kiss, nothing more," Tie replied, trying to play it cool.

I rolled my eyes. "You used your tongue," I said, still feeling the lingering sensation on my lips.

Tie shrugged. "Well, it's just a natural instinct. Can't blame me for that."

“You are so annoying. That was too intimate for a friendly kiss. And you know it. Can you please avoid repeating this?" 

"Yeah," Tie said, accompanied by a stretch. Her gaze briefly darted down towards me before she continued, "You make a valid point. We are still good friends, okay.“

To be completely candid, I had anticipated a certain level of insistence from her, but to my relief, there was none.

"I must say, I have witness such a gentle expression from you before." Tie acknowledged. 

"It’s because I am glad. I used to worry that if I asked you to not kiss me, our friendship would come to an end. You are my very first friend, and I am still learning how friendships function."

"Goodness!" Tie exclaimed, placing her hands on my cheeks with her mouth dangerously close to mine. "You are so innocent, Kichi, that's why you are so cute."

"Shut up! I am not—“ My bedroom door flew open, causing me to jump. I blinked in surprise.

“Kichi.”

"Ray? It wasn't just a dream."

“Dreams?" She scoffed. "How long will it take for you to finally grasp the difference between fantasy and reality?" 

 Her words stung, and I could hear the harshness in her voice. It made me flinch, as if physically recoiling from the harsh reality of her statement.

"Your father anted me to check if you were up.”

The word "Oh!" escaped my lips, the only response I could manage. The encounter with Tie may have left her with the wrong impression. 

Tie released her grip on me and greeted Ray. "Well, hello there, supermodel." 

Ray's expression was filled with fierce irritation while Tie's face displayed a self-satisfied smirk.

Ray's departure was accompanied by a hiss under her breath, as she left without sparing a glance in my direction. The door slammed shut, leaving me with a sudden exhale of breath. In that moment, I was rendered immobile, unable to tear my gaze away from where Ray had stood only moments ago.