HERSHE - TIAOM

Tears

7:00 pm

The party is being held in a hotel grand ball. Everyone was asked to wear either cocktail dress & suits — if they prefer it — or smart casual attire.

Zee, who looks exquisitely handsome in her suit, drove Pie and Jane there. Pie wore a simple black off shoulder dress while Jane wore something extravagant, a full-skirted red cocktail gown curving the shape of her body.

Puey bought his boyfriend along while May and Dang, who were almost done with their internship, came in together too.

She knows that she should be enjoying now but Pie feels like something is still missing. She hasn't seen Kim yet. She keeps on glancing at the graphics team's table to check if the only missing member has finally arrived. Not too long her hopes started building up when she saw Kim and Yam came in together. Although limping a bit, Kim is able to walk now without a crutch.

Yam is wearing an elegant green dress while Kim wears simple smart casual attire: black slacks, v-neck shirt inside, and a gray wool coat. They went first to greet Pie's team, where a little punching and nudging battle happened between Kim and Zee, then they went straight to sit at graphics team table.

Pie watched Kim and Yam as they walk away from them, determined to do one thing tonight.

---

9:00 pm

Pie had already abandoned the plan of talking to Kim. Her mood has been ruined since the party had started. It's not because she doesn't have a partner but because a certain couple keeps on irritating her. For the nth time that night she had tried to fight the temptation of looking at them just to realize in the end that she still keeps glancing back.

Pie is trying to stay calm by pretending to be happy, talking with Puey and the others. The feeling that she thought would go away lingered instead, and it went worse as the night passes by. It's like a poison that slowly builds up in her chest, gradually getting heavier, making her feel like she just wants to explode.

"Hey, you sure you're alright?" Jane asked her for the third time already.

"Yeah. I'm just not feeling quite well, maybe getting a fever or something," Pie answered lazily.

Jane brought her hand to Pie's forehead to check her temperature. "Do you want to go home now? I could ask Zee to drive you..."

"No, I'm fine, Jane. Let's just enjoy this night."

Out of the blue, a loud laughter from the graphics team caught some attention. Of course, Pie couldn't control herself again from looking. She saw Yam laughing with the entire team, one hand on Kim's thigh.

Pie quickly averted her gaze and sighed.

"Are they together yet?" asked Jane, looking at the same table.

"I don't know," said Pie, uninterested. She sliced the chocolate cake on her plate and took a bite. "Maybe Zee knows something?"

"Uh, no," said Zee, making an 'x' sign with her arms. "Kim isn't the type of friend who shares things like this."

"But I thought you were the best buddies?" asked Jane.

"Yes, we are, but Kim doesn't love confiding about girls unless she's having a problem. Unless there's no issue yet, I don't think she will share details about her thing with that Yam."

Pie bit the inside of her cheek, thinking if Zee already knows what happened between her and Kim.

"I could ask her straight if you two are really curious," said Zee.