HERSHE - TIAOM

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December 31st – Bangkok

After visiting her late dad's grave, Pie and her mom went directly to her cousin's place. That's their usual routine during that time of the year. They used to live in that village until her dad died. They had to transfer house because her mom was having a hard time coping up, remembering every single memory of her dad in their previous abode.

"Pie, come down now, lunch is ready."

"In a while, mom."

Pie is currently lying on her cousin's bed, staring at the ceiling. It's weird. She never hated holidays before. But now it feels like a great sacrifice to do nothing and wait for two more days before she'd be busy again.

Sigh. I'm so bored.

"Pie?"

Pie turned her attention to the voice and saw her cousin standing beside the door. "Hey, Meena."

"What's up?" Meena climbed on the bed and lay prone beside her.

"Nothing. I'm just... bored."

"Why? We do this every year, why are you so bored today?"

Pie played her fingers on her tummy while thinking of what to say. "I don't know. I just wish that there's no holiday."

Meena laughed. "Hey, doppelganger, tell me where my real cousin is."

Pie's eyes almost disappeared when she laughed. "No, seriously, I wish I had work today."

"Seriously? Do you hear what you're saying?" Meena's eyebrows crossed. She can't believe the things her cousin is saying now.

"I just feel bored, that's all."

"Mmm, is there something different in your office this year that wasn't there last year?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you get a new crush or something?"

Pie felt a sudden shiver in her spine. She had to laugh to let the shiver out. She can't understand why the first person that came to her mind with what Meena asked is Kim.

"No, it's not crush, Meena."

That's so impossible.

"Not crush, but there is someone, right?" asked Meena skeptically.

"It's not like what you're thinking..."

Yeah, it's not like that.

Meena playfully hit Pie's left arm. "Hey, are you keeping secrets from me? Are you in love, Pie?"

The question made Pie cringe even more. "I'm not, you, silly."

"Fine, fine. But I don't believe you."

Pie stared at Meena and rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Well... speaking of crush," said Meena, moving her face closer, "I heard someone just got back here."

Pie's mind was still lingering on the word crush and why Kim was on her mind when she heard that. She didn't understand what Meena said.

"Mmm?"

"Do you remember your all-time-biggest-crush when you used to live here?" asked Meena.

Pie was taken aback for a moment. She had to recollect thoughts first from her forgotten childhood memories. "What do you mean?"

"Gosh, Pie, don't tell me you've forgotten Mike?"

"Mike?" Then suddenly, fragments from her childhood memories flashed in her mind instantly.