Love Stories Over A Cup Of Coffee

A: Stop Teasing

It's almost five in the afternoon, I'm almost done with this week. I'm gonna pack my things now so I can go home early and relax . That's what I was thinking a while ago. But it seems like I will stay for a while. Hera and her friends approached me. This isna very familiar scene. The one you see often in chick flicks or teen drama where some jealous girls try to corner and hurt the girl they're jealous of.

"It seems like you are close to Secretary Na more than we thought." One of Hera's friends said. Gosh, this is so high school! They're now bothering me just because Secretary Na talked to me?

"Well, not really." I began. I'm trying my best to find the right words. "I think it's because of the research project I'm doing. You know, he's in charge of the funding for that project so he's really strict about what I put in the manuscript." Now they're giving me puzzled look. Oh dear, don't tell me they do not know about it? "Well, I'm part of the research center we have here, I write some articles and conduct funder studies. One of those funded studies, it was Secretary Na who was able to get the fund. So technically he's just making sure that I do my job well so I get to talk to him a lot. And God knows how much I hate talking to him about the project because he has lots of demands and I've had enough writing revisions!" The last part is really a rant. Everyone was looking at me after the rant. I apologised.

"So, you mean, you're not close?" Now Hera is asking me. Like why? Is she threatened that aside from her there is someone that can talk to Secretary Na?

"Not really." I said for the sake of world peace. I saw her face brightened. I wanna roll my eyes but then it might hurt her and her friends might hurt me.

"Oh, we thought you're very close to him. The way you talked to him that night, the way he tool care of you." She paused, then smiled. "That's how P'Na is, he's kind and a gentleman, I hope you do not mistaken it for something." She said in a way that she wanted to sound as if she's concerned but she doesn't, really, if I'm gonna be honest, she sounded as if she said that to slap me with the fact that she's the only one close to Secretary Na.

I do not know what's the point of her doing this but I couldn't care less. I mean, is she even really that close to him? Or did she create that illustration and got so into it that now she is convincing others to believe it as well.

I laughed. It was an awkward laugh. "No. Of course. I do-"

I wasn't able to finish my sentence because the door of the faculty room suddenly opened. Everyone in the room looked towards the direction of the door to see who it is, and low and behold, there's Secretary Na. I saw Hera's face brightened, again.

"Apple, let's go home." He said immediately, not giving anyone chance to talk.

Now everyone's attention is on me. I gave everyone an awkward look. I looked at Secretary Na to pleade for help but he is not really that helping, I guess.

"Come on, I'll walk you home." He said with a smile. Damn it! Everyone in this room will kill me anytime soon.

I laughed awkwardly and immediately took my bag. I hurridly walked out of the room and grabbed Secretary Na's arm.

"What was that? And why are you walking me home?" I asked him when we're already out of the campus.

"Well, I'm planning to spend the night at your coffeeshop. And, well, your friends invited me over." He explained.

"My friends? Mew? It's a Thursday. It's not even the first week of the month." I paused. Then I looked at him. "Why?"

He giggled. "I do not know. Let's find out later. By the way, it seems like you were having serious conversations back there, did I interrupted you?" He asked.