My Last And My Only

Chapter 133: First Impression

The drive back to the city felt different.

Nothing had changed outside the windows. The same roads, the same afternoon traffic, the same impatient motorcycles weaving through lanes... but something between them had quietly settled.

The silence wasn't awkward anymore.

It was comfortable.

Aiah rested her head against the window, watching buildings slowly replace the trees.

"I don't think I'm as nervous anymore."

Khae smiled.

"Really?"

"I mean..." Aiah laughed. "I'm still nervous."

"There she is."

"But it's not the kind that makes me want to run away."

"I'll take that as progress."

"It is."

Khae tapped the steering wheel lightly to the rhythm of the song playing through the speakers.

"I'm proud of you."

Aiah turned toward her.

"I haven't even done anything yet."

"You showed up."

"That's all?"

"For a lot of people, that's the hardest part."

Aiah let those words sink in.

Maybe Khae was right.

Maybe courage didn't always look dramatic.

Sometimes it was simply getting dressed, carrying your résumé, and choosing to walk through the door.

A few minutes later, Khae pulled into the parking lot of a small café.

Aiah looked at her in confusion.

"...We're stopping?"

"We are."

"My interview—"

"Is in forty-five minutes."

Khae switched off the engine.

"You haven't eaten since breakfast."

"I'm not hungry."

"That's exactly why we're stopping."

Aiah sighed dramatically.

"I knew arguing with you was pointless."

"It usually is."

"You enjoy winning."

"I enjoy taking care of people."

There was such an easy honesty in the sentence that Aiah didn't know how to respond.

Instead, she simply smiled and climbed out of the car.

The café was quiet, with only a handful of customers scattered around.

They chose a table beside the window.

Khae ordered black coffee.

Aiah settled on hot chocolate.

"Hot chocolate?" Khae asked.

"It makes me feel better."

"I respect that."