'Still as awkward as ever. I didn't even know whether to offer a handshake or a fist bump or... But wait... How did he greet me? I could have sworn there was a contact of some sort. 

Darn, it! I'm being awkward again... Where the heck is Mun, and how long does it take to order a milkshake?'

"You've lost weight."

Ari looked up in an instant. 'Did he just say something?' "Pardon me?"

"I don't mean to pry, but your new place of work must be putting a strain on you."

"Oh no. I'm still on break from my job hunting...but I guess it's about time I found something to do."

"Your absence was heavily felt when you left. It took a while to adjust to the changes and..." Rey stopped when he noticed Ari's expression continuously growing flustered. Reaching out to pat her gently on the shoulder, he asked Ari if she felt okay. "Earlier on, you appeared spaced out. It seems I had a valid reason to have asked about your drastic weight loss."

"I'm not sick, just a little insomniac." Ari let out a nervous laugh and then brushed Rey's hand away, which left her with a residual warmth. Rey's sudden interest in her well-being confused her as much as it made her nervous. 'Isn't he grossed out? He is always on guard, so why does he seem relaxed around me all of a sudden...touching me casually like that?"

"Maybe that was why Manager Mun wanted to see you first before meeting me."

"Mun was promoted?"

"Yes. It didn't take a week before other departments began falling apart, so someone had to be chosen to fill your space. Manager Mun wasn't the first choice; however, later on, since he'd closely worked with you, it became a matter of applying your techniques." 

"That's a relief to hear," Ari replied passively. "I knew he could do it."

"Yes. He assigned independent individual tasks to eliminate dormant and delayed projects and dismiss unnecessary tasks. Everyone was up in arms, of course, but there was still a little resistance here and there. Either way, he has executed his duties perfectly and is slowly growing to fit your shoe manager, Ari."

"I'm no longer your manager."

"You remain my mentor."

"You wish." 

Rey chuckled, an act that surprised Ari even more than she already was. "That week we took on sir Ned's project, I hadn't realized how much I had learned from your leadership and guidance until I had to put the skills to the task. Afterwards, it dawned on me how much of an impact you had in my career as..."

'How did we get to discussing work? I haven't stared at a computer for months, and all he wants to yap on about is work and more office matters. 

Mentor my ass! That's all he sees of me? Well, I should be happy about it, yet I feel choked and want to scream. Maybe this is why I always end up saying something silly to him. 

Still, he remains surprisingly comfortable around me, unlike before or is he playing oblivious to my feelings towards him? Does he need me to spell it out for him? 

Darn it, Ari! Say something! Don't just sit by flustered like a fool!'

"Ari, you're sweating bullets again." Mun's sudden appearance came as a relief to Ari.

"You took so long." 'On purpose, I'm sure.'

"Yeah, I was clearing our bill. I was supposed to treat Rey to a meal after he'd successfully brought back an old client. Remember Mr. Liwaswalva?"

"Him?" Ari's expression suddenly changed, her anxiety vanishing in an instant. 

"Yes. He swore never to do business with us again because of that screw-up with team B four years ago. Even now, I still can't believe he signed a five-year contract with us."

"Amazing!" Turning to look back at Rey, Ari inquired on how he had managed to do even something he'd failed at for almost four years, and Rey went on to explain some of the details. At that time, Mun watched in merriment at how the two had been engaged in their discussion. They hadn't noticed the waiter setting their table until their meal had turned cold.

"We can request them to reheat it," Rey suggested, which Mun rejected. 

"It won't taste the same. Besides, I have somewhere to rush to; therefore, I can't keep you two company any longer."

"Where are you going?" Ari asked, realizing once more that she would be left alone with Rey, something she dreaded so much.

"I have a date, so I'll leave you two to yours."

Ari was about to scorn Mun's remark, but an unexpected chuckle from Rey surprised her. "Pass my regards to her. Tell her the movie recommendation was a downer."

"Tell her yourself." Mun joked back, to which the two exchanged an inside joke and guffawed. Ari couldn't help but feel the tension lifting off her once more. The atmosphere felt no longer suffocating, her panic gradually disappearing along with it.

"Ari, remember what we discussed earlier. You have to do what you have to do."

"Just a minute, Mun..." Ari could feel her anxiety shooting up again. She knew precisely what Mun was playing at and didn't like it. "Stay a little longer, will you please?"

"Rey," Mun ignored his friend and patted Rey's shoulder. "Be nice to Ari. She's pretty ignorant to the things of the world."

"I like you...! ...Rey...I-I mean yes...I like you, Rey..." Ari blurted aloud, unable to endure the state of being left alone once more. She hadn't realized she'd shut her eyes tightly whilst confessing, and just as she opened them up, she caught the sight of Mun slapping his hand on his forehead from second-hand embarrassment.

Forcing courage out of herself, she watched Rey's surprisingly expressionless face. From memory, Ari expected an open, blunt, adverse reaction out of him, but here he was, sitting by as if waiting for Ari to continue ruining the mood. 

"I've liked you for a long time...more than I care to remember. That's all I know, and it's always been like that." Ari added, her eyes fixated on Rey's as a voice repeatedly told her to imagine Rey as a potential business client she was trying to win over. At least, that is the lie she convinced herself to avoid stuttering.

"When I met you again, it reminded me of how I felt in the past as if these feelings never left me. I obsessed over you in college, stalked you, dreamt about you, and wished you'd talk to me after our first meeting, but you seemed to be running away from something, and then you disappeared abruptly until that day at the public food court. I'm a coward for not saying how I felt earlier, and that was because I didn't want to inconvenience you in any way, but I'm done stalling, Rey. I'm sorry for putting this on you, but this is how I felt and still do. Nonetheless, despite all I've said, I don't expect anything, so do not feel burdened by my confession."

"Finally, you say it. Feeling lighter now that it's out of your chest?"

"No, Mun." Ari instantly replied and stood up from her seat. The restaurant may not have been complete, but she certainly had drawn an audience towards their table. "I'll leave first."

"Running away again, are we?" Mun grabbed Ari's hand to stop her. "The least you could do is listen to what he has to say; otherwise, you'll speculate all sorts of negative responses."

"Mun, he is as uncomfortable as I am..."

"I used to be, but not anymore," Rey said. "What I'm more surprised to find out is the identity of my stalker. I transferred colleges because of your manager, Ari."

"From everything Ari said, you only heard stalker?"

"I'm aware of how she feels. She told me that the first day we met... Well, it wasn't the first day it seems so technically, you've held on to your feelings for many years."

"Rey, don't be mean," Mun spoke teasingly. "Ari is shaking here for doing something she's never thought she'd have to, so don't put her in the spotlight like that..."

"I'll do it."

"D-Do what?" Mun's jaw almost dropped.

"I want to go to a hookups bar."

"Why? ...What are you talking about?" Mun asked, mirroring Ari's confusion as well.

"You asked me about that stubborn client, Mr Liwaswalva and how I got him to work with us again. His condition was I visit a hookups bar five times for the five-year contract with him, and I can't go alone."

"You said something insulting to him, didn't you?" Mun asked.

"Technically, yes. He wasn't working with us anymore because you rejected him manager Ari, so he held a grudge the last four years."

"What?" Ari finally spoke. "All these years?"

"Yes. I don't wish to get into the details of our discussion, but I agreed to do something I didn't intend to. Naturally, I made it clear to him my thoughts on remaining uncontaminated. Your confession couldn't have come at a better time, Manager Ari, for I had requested Manager Mun to meet me for this very reason. However, considering your past involvement with Mr Liwaswalva, you'd be the perfect fit.

Therefore, will you please accompany me, Manager Ari?"