A few hours later...
10:30 PM...
At Nar's apartment...
"Well, they surely have chicken katsu. Thought I expected the tempura to be better," Lita states as she sits on the bed.
"Yeah well, chicken katsu is one of their best sellers, along with oyakodon, and chicken teriyaki," Nar says as he walks out of the bathroom while putting his white tank top on. He just finished his quick warm shower, in which he definitely needed not only to feel fresh after a long day, but also to literally clear his head after seeing Linh and Daniel at Tokyo Gazebo. Despite his love for drama, seeing them together while he is with Lita was definitely the last thing he would wanted to happen. 
"You look exhausted," Lita states.
Nar paused for a second. He hate to admit that he realized his face had looked a bit too overwhelmed when he saw Linh and Daniel. He was hoping that Lita wouldn't realize it, but then again, they've been dating for a while so it's quite obvious that she knew when he's not feeling so well just by the look from his eyes.
"Works just been kind of hectic," Nar says, trying to make it sound like it's not a big deal, when he's actually just trying to brush off the topic so Lita wouldn't feel suspicious.
"You gotta remember to take a break for second," Lita says. "You looked like you were afraid of something. I almost thought you saw a ghost."
"Ahh, nah. I guess I was just frustrated with work earlier," Nar states in a nervous tone.
"Well, you better get some rest," Lita says.
"Yeah," Nar says as he slowly gets on the bed, with Lita now already lying down next to him. Though his eyes are sleepy enough get him to sleep, somehow his mind couldn't stop running around at the thought of his encounter with Linh. Despite feeling literally annoyed at Daniel's present, somehow he kept questioning why would the sight of the nerdy girl talking to a guy who is so full of himself literally bother him?
Damn it. Linh, why am I even thinking about you? Nar thought.
Sunday...
2:15 PM...
At the gym...
Linh's POV...
As I step into the gym, I could already see the crowded sight of familiar faces working out like there's no tomorrow. I usually liked Sundays workout session, but well, today is quite different. Somehow my heart just feels like I want to escape from someone.
I tugged the strap of my gym bag higher on my shoulder and exhaled deeply. My eyes swept over the space instinctively, and of course, like the universe had a wicked sense of humor, there he was. Nar. Standing by the free weights in a grey t-shirt, with his signature black shorts and neon green shoes. His dark hair was damp with sweat, and for some reason, he looked even more tired than usual. I could say, his face looked kinda depressed.
I froze for half a second. Like an accident, our eyes met each other again. Just like that night at Tokyo Gazebo, where we were both struggling with our own emotions. At least, I was hoping he was also feeling the same thing.
I hesitated for a moment. Should I just approach him and ask him about what happened last night? With all these emotions going on in my head, I believe that I just need to clear this whole issue once and for all. At least, that's what I planned. So by that, I gather the courage to actually approach him.
"Hi," I say, in a calm tone, but a restless heart.
"Hey. How are you?" he asks, as if he is trying to sound casual. But deep in his eyes, I could notice that his eyes are speaking differently.
"I'm fine," I answer. "And you?"
"Ah, I'm good," he answers, before forming his casual smile. Yet, there's definitely something tacky about that smile. Almost like he didn't really wanted to smile.
"Well, good to hear. By the way, there's something I would like to ask you," I say, again in a calm tone, but this time my heart feels like it's on the edge of exploding.
"Sure. What is it?" Nar asks.
Silence settled between us for a second. Our eyes continue to stare at each other, as I hope for my excitedly beating heart to calm down just for a second.
"Actually, how do you feel about me?" I ask him. Finally, I let out what's been messing in my head.
Hearing that, Nar chuckles nervously as he scratches the back of his head. I continue to stare at his face as I nervously wait for his answer. I already prepare myself, that whatever his answer is, I would just accept it. At least, he has answer my curiousity.
"Umm...average?" he answers.
Hearing that, I sight. My heart felt a sting, but other than that, I was not satisfy to hear that. Why? Not only because it wasn't something I wanted to hear. In fact, that's not even the main point. But just the fact that I think his behaviour doesn't quite matches his words at least a bit too much.
"Well, I just wanted you to know that, honestly, this friendship has been making feel crazy," I say. "I'm happy that we're friends, but at the same time, sometimes you act differently. Like, in a weird way."
"Well, what can I say?" he asks before letting out a chuckle. "But no worries if you feel that way. You probably already had a good time with that guy last night."
I dropped my jaws. Seriously? Now he's bringing up man-child Daniel to the topic? Man, he doesn't he know that I rejected him for behaving so freakin' irritating.
"Yeah, and you're probably having fun with that girl," I say in a rather mocking yet also annoyed manner.
Nar chuckles nervously. For a moment he turn his head awkwardly as he pretends to watch a bunch of middle-age men squating, though I know well that he didn't find that sight to be interesting at all. 
"Who is she? Your girlfriend?" I ask.
"Yeah, I could say," he answers, his face still looks awkward. "And well, so how was the date with Daniel?"
I sight, "It was just an ordinary dinner. Honestly he wasn't even a cool person to begin with."
"Oh really? But well, you went out with him," Nar states.
"Only as friends but turned out his personality wasn't even friend material," I state. "Look, Nar. I'm literally on the edge of exhausted with this situation. Like, I don't even understand myself at the moment. Some days it feels like we're friends, but I don't think friends make things hard."
"Well, we're on chill points," Nar states. "Yet I just thought you're with other guys or stuff, not that it bothers me."
"You see what I mean? Ugh, that's exactly what I meant," I state.
"Well, you literally have the freedom though," Nar states, this time he forms a cheesy smile.
I roll my eyes upon hearing him. Again he's being the childish guy who can't even talk like an adult.
The silence between us felt louder now, in a moment where both of us have no words but just staring into each other's eyes. My pulse was picking up speed, but this time it wasn’t from nerves. It was from the storm of emotions I’d kept bottled up since that dinner. Everything I felt, confusion, jealousy, longing, it's all getting mixed up in my heart again.
As we continue to stare at his face, my vision slowly starts studying every part of his face. From his lovely brown eyes, alluring jawline, to his sweet yet sensual lips. Deep down, my mind starts to travel about how it would feel to have those lips on mine. Wait...did I just thought about kissing him?
But again, wait...that just might be the solution to my problem. At least, that's maybe the only way for me to forget about this mess easier.
"Umm...Linh, you ok?" Nar asks.
"I'm fine. It's just, can we go upstairs?" I ask. "To the stairwell. Like, there's something I would like to ask you, but, it's kinda crowded here."
Nar looked surprised but nodded anyway.
"Sure," Nar says.
We walked side by side through the gym, past the rack of dumbells and exiting through the enterance hallway that led to the stairwell. It was quieter here, the sounds muffled behind concrete walls. The stairs were dimly lit, with sunlight slipping through a small square window at the top. Thank God they literally build a second floor for other facilities here.
I stopped halfway up and stood to stare at him. We are now standing face to face with each other. He didn’t say anything, but just stood there while staring at me with a puzzled look. I felt the burn of tears again about to come out of my eyes, but I forced myself to hold them in.
"Look, I know we never defined anything other than friends," I say. "But honestly, at some points something just broke inside me. It's like a realization. I hate to say this but, I think I'm falling for you."
Hearing that, Nar forms a shy yet awkward smile. Again, when his lips forms a smile, it's like his eyes are also smiling. Looking at this is like a reminder of one of the reasons why I guess I fell for him.
"Well, I appreciate your feelings, Linh," Nar says. "And well, we don't know anything about the future. So umm...I guess, we are what we are for now?"
"But we aren’t just that," I say, this time in a more quiet tone. "It's like, we're different."
"Yeah, I agree," Nar answers.
My heart was pounding in my chest now, too fast, too loud. Our eyes continue to stare into one another, as if the both of us are trying to read each other's hearts.
"Honestly, it’s so frustrating because I don’t even know if you’ll ever feel the same as me. I understand, this is wrong. I just wish I could stop my own feelings," I say in a frustrated tone.
His jaw tensed. "Linh…"
"That's why I wanted to ask you," I say. "Can you please kiss me for one time?"
Nar's eyes widened, jaws almost drop. Almost like he looked speechless.
"What?" Nar asks.
"Kiss me," I say, with my heart feeling a lot heavier now. "At least maybe by that it would be easier for me to forget this feeling. Maybe then I’ll finally be able to let go."
"Wouldn't that only make it harder for you?" Nar asks.
"It would only be harder if I never express how I truly felt," I say. "Just consider this as you helping me. Please."
He stared at me, again with a puzzled look. He reached up to touch my cheek gently, like I was something fragile. I couldn't hold back the burning tears in my eyes anymore, so I just let them run down my cheeks. Slowly, he begins to lean in, and finally, his lips met mine softly at first. Calm, tentative, like he was afraid to cross a line. But when I didn’t pull away, the kiss deepened. His hands held my face, and I could feel everything in that kiss. Everything we never said, everything we’d been holding back.
The kiss lasted for a few seconds, but to me, those few seconds felt like forever, in which I hope it would never end. When we finally pulled apart, I was breathless. And without a word, I gave him a quick hug.
"Thank you, Nar," I say in his embrace before pulling away.
And in that quiet stairwell, I finally let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t one-sided after all. Maybe he did felt something. At least, that how I felt during the kiss.
To be continued…