It’s Sunday, two days later, and I’m sitting in a café spinning a pen.
“Ram?” I glance up. Long black hair, pale blouse and skirt, small nose, roundish face, Indian obviously. She’s pretty…I guess.”
“Aparna?”
“Yeah. Nice to meet you.” We shake hands and she sits down at the table. I pass her a menu.
“So…Ram what made you decide to um, do this?”
“Uh, my mom. She’s been asking me to, I mean…”
“Yeah, me too. It’s my Patti for me. They can be such a pain.” She rolls her eyes.
“Actually, my Patti basically raised me.”
“Oh okay.” There’s silence, then the waiter comes over to take our orders. Once he leaves she speaks again.
“So Ram, how old are you?”
“I’m 22. How about you?” She blinks.
“Oh, I’m 24. So you’re just graduating then?”
“Yeah.”
“What is it you do again?”
“Business and computer science, well consulting now.”
“Oh.” She blinks. “I’m a writer.” Like Chen.
“Oh cool, so like novels? My friend is a novelist.”
“Oh, no. I’m more into journalism. I was in the school newspaper in high school and I just fell in love with it.”
“Oh.” So not like Chen.
We chat for a bit more. She talks about her passion for writing but how bad the pay is.
“Honestly business and computer science was a smart choice. I mean, I love my job but sometimes…” she shrugs helplessly.
“Would you change your major if you could?” She vehemently shakes her head.
“No way, never. I love it. How about you?” I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Would I change anything? Why did I even pick business and computer science? Can I say I love it with confidence?
Thankfully, the waiter arrives precisely at that moment. We grab our food and I glance over at her dousing everything in spicy sauce.
“You like spicy food?”
“Oh, I love it.” Not like Chen. I imagine his bright red face as he rushed to the sink and my face involuntarily curves into a smile.
“Is something funny?”
“Oh, no. I was just thinking about a friend, he can’t handle spice at all.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“I know right, I tried to get my friend to try Indian food and she totally couldn’t handle it…”
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“Oh yeah, me too. But my friend’s really good with them. He kidnapped one actually.”
“Kidnapped?” She asks leaning forward.
“Yeah”, I involuntarily smile, “apparently he rescued it from the dentist’s.”
“What?! Hahaha…” She laughs, then says “is this the same friend who’s a novelist and can’t handle spice?”
“Yeah.”
“He sounds like an interesting person.”
“He is.” I feel my lips curve up.
“Wow, you smile just thinking about him. I guess he’s your best friend then”
“Huh?” She points at me.
“I’m a journalist. I notice these things.” She replies confidently.
“Uh, ok. Um, I’m going to use the restroom, I’ll be right back.” I quickly get up and make my escape. You smile just thinking about him. I shake my head to clear it. I use the restroom, then as I’m on my way out I glance up at the people exiting the restaurant…and notice a familiar figure. Is that…
“Chen! Hey Chen!” I call as I walk toward the restaurant doors. The person doesn’t turn his head and heads out of the restaurant. I follow them outside however, by the time I make it out they’ve disappeared. Must have been my imagination. I head back inside.
The rest of the date is uneventful. We finish the meal, go for a walk down the street, then separate after exchanging contact information. As I head back home, I wonder what Chen’s doing. Maybe he’s watering Cao Cao? I bet he’s eating chips. Or maybe he’s too absorbed in his writing to even remember chips.
I park my car and head in. It’s dark and lifeless. I guess Chen’s holed up in his room again. I frown for a second. He hasn’t done that as much ever since the nightmare incident. I guess he’s making up for it now?
I walk over to his door and knock. Immediately, the door slides open. It’s not locked? I push it all the way and step inside. It’s empty. No chips wrappers scattered around on the floor, no papers either. In the first place, Chen didn’t have much but…A sudden thought hits me and I backtrack out of the room to the hallway. Cao Cao is gone. I pause, then immediately dial Chen’s number. After three rings it goes to voicemail. I try a second time, same result.
So I call Josh.
“Hey…Ram, what’s up man…?” It’s somewhat loud in the background. He must be at a party or someplace.
“Hey, do you have Mimi’s number?”
“What?”
“Mimi’s number?” I ask louder.
“Oh, uh yeah. Wait-why?”
“I can’t get in touch with Chen and he’s disappeared.”
“Oh ok, I’ll send it to you.” A few moments later he sends me Mimi’s number and I call her.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mimi this is Ram.”
“Oh, Ram.” I blink. Is it just me or is her voice kind of cold?
“Um, do you know where Chen is?”
“And in what capacity are you asking?”
“Wha-“
“Chen saw you today, on your date.”
“…Um, okay. But what does that-“
“Ram, you do know how he feels about you right?” I pause, mouth opening and closing several times. Finally, I say.
“But we’re roommates. Surely that isn’t a reason to just leave?”
“Ram, think about it. How would you feel if the person you were “talking” to suddenly went on a date with someone else.” I blink.
“We were “talking”?” Mimi sighs loudly and I shut up. It’s silent.
“Okay I’m hanging up-“
“Wait! Do you know where he is?” There’s a moment of silence.
“I do. But I won’t tell you.”
“Mimi-“
“Think about it Ram, who is Chen to you? When you come up with an answer, call me again.”
Click. She hangs up.
Who is Chen to me?
I kept calling him my roommate, my friend. But…I glance at the room door, slightly open now that there’s no one holed inside. Then my gaze travels to the empty spot where Cao Cao used to reside.
“Oh, I rescued it.”
“Yeah, from the dentist’s.”
“Not stolen! Rescued. Look at these drooping leaves! Look at how the color is off!”
I shake my head to clear it. Am I hallucinating now? I need a beer or something.
I walk tot he fridge and open it. Strawberries, watermelon, all of Chen’s favorites–
“Well they’re delicious! How can you not love them?”
“But I always buy them, forget they’re there, then they grow fungus.”
I slam the fridge shut and stride to my room. Why don’t I get some work done? My gaze lands on the blue Bic next to my laptop.
“Your”, huff, “pen”.
“Can I-can I have your number?”
“I’m Chen.”
I grab my phone and make a call.
“Hey, Mimi?”
“Have you thought it over? So fast?”
“Yeah, can I talk to Chen?”
“Let me ask him for you.” Is he at her house? It’s silent for several moments, then she returns.
“Chen says fine. Come pick him up at…” She reads out her address and I hastily type it into my phone.
“And Ram?”
“Hmm?”
“If you’re going to do it, at least do it right. Bring flowers, okay?” What? Click. She hangs up.
Ten minutes later I’m pulling in to a random grocery store. They should have flowers here right? Wait, why am I getting flowers in the first place? …Because she said to. But why though? I’m just getting my roommate back, it’s not like I’m-
“Can I help you?” I glance up at the petite brunette in a salesperson’s uniform.
“Uh…I’m looking for flowers.”
“Oh! Right this way.” She leads me to the side.
“Would you like roses or-“
“No!” She looks back at me curiously. “I mean,” I notice a large petaled flower that looks fairly harmless. At least it doesn’t mean love right?
“I’ll take this one!” I quickly pay for it, get back in my car, and drive to the meeting location. It’s at another apartment building. Is this Mimi’s house? I find the correct door and knock, holding the flowers in one hand. The door opens. It’s Chen.
“Ram.” His face is cold, without the usual smile. Then he notices the flowers. “Those are…?”
“Here.” I push them towards him.
“…chrysanthemums?” He says hesitantly, a peculiar expression on his face.
“Uh yeah.” Is that what those are?
“So…can we talk>” He looks up.
“…alright.”
He follows me to the car and I drive while sneaking glances at him.
“So…why did you give me chrysanthemums?” He finally says, probably tired of my silent glances.
“I, uh to make up.”
“So you gave me chrysanthemums?” His voice is even stranger. Why does he keep asking? What do I say? I picked it because I didn’t want to give you roses that are obviously romantic?
I pull into a parking lot and get out of the car, absentmindedly glancing up: Panera Bread. Somehow I drove all the way to the Panera Bread where we first met. I feel him stiffen behind me and I know he realizes it too. We head inside and find a table.
“Hi is”, I feel my lips curl up
I found a typo here.
Chen is acting pretty unreasonable here though.. Why would you just pack up and leave because the guy you kinda like is talking to a person? How does he even know if its a date? Not impressed..
And LMAO. Giving funeral flowers to make up.
Thanks for the chapter!!
I fixed it, thanks!
Idk maybe Chen feels like he doesnt want to be a burden to Ram and if Ram is seeing someone else wouldn’t it be weird if Chen, a guy that has a crush on Ram be near him.
But yano Chen… communication… talking… thats important… otherwise theres going to be all these weird unspoken vibes around you two…