If We Were a Season

Episode 2 - Part 2

EPISODE 2 : BUDDING

     

Struck at the nostalgic greeting, Erin was lost for words.

"I got you what you like," Lucy grabbed her attention back.

"Wait, what?"

"I said I got you what you like--what you like."

Erin's spooked eyes spiraled back at Jacob.

"So I got you this!" Lucy picked up the dish seated on the table, and Erin realized she had the wrong idea. It was but Maple's best-selling pork barbecue seasoned, tenderized, and grilled to perfection.

"Oh, that!"

"Jeez! What were you thinking? Anyway, I invited Jacob and his friend to join us. I saw them in the line so I saved them and got them in." Lucy cupped her hand around her mouth to whisper. "I'm too kind, am I not?"

"Yes, you are kind. Thanks for saving us out there," Kurt butted into the conversation even before Erin could answer.

"You heard the guy." Erin went along with it and slipped into the only unoccupied chair which was opposite Jacob.

"Aw. You're welcome, uh... what's your name again?"

"Kurt. My name's Kurt Lee. You're my hero, you know. Please don't stop spreading your kindness." Though klutzy, Kurt sincerely spoke, considering the terror he felt when the muscled waiter approached them and took them away.

"This is really good," Erin said, tasting the dish.

"Yeah, those precious pieces of meat look so tasty that I kind of started digging in without you. Sorry," referring to her already half empty bowl.

"Me too," Kurt seconded before he stole the spotlight, his wavy brown hair and broad smile included. "Hi, I'm Kurt Lee, Jacob's friend from college, housemate, officemate, and training buddy."

Jacob glowered over the excessive intro.

"It's fine, really. I took my time in the lady's room anyway. I'm Erin Yoon. Nice to meet you."

She went along with the conversation before she turned at Jacob who was just beginning to dig his food.

"So, is this how you treat your old friend now?"

The guy froze at the remark. "What?"

"Because it's me who invited you for lunch, it was easier for you to decline. But when it's the prettier schoolmate who asked, you were quick to oblige. Wow, and here I thought you're a grown man."

Jacob scoffed back. "Right, I'm that simpleminded I turned you down because your lips weren't as red as right now, and not because I was working."

Erin covered her lips. "You really have no shame, you know. I was only trying to include you in the conversation. Your silence is deceiving."

"Just be honest and tell me that you've missed me," he teased, clearing the air, leaving Erin astonished at the same time.

"Hold on. I sense some unaddressed tension between you two," Kurt intruded, picking up a few hints from the conversation. "Are you two ex-lovers?"

The couple in question crossed glances before they cracked up, dead amused at the idea. The adverseness of their reaction baffled Kurt.

"Did I say something weird?"

Lucy moaned, unable to help the situation. "It would've been a lot easier if they were actual ex-lovers. But sorry to burst your bubble, they're not. Erin and Jacob grew up together. Their families have been neighbors since they were born so their closeness was unavoidable. But I get how people can mistake them as a couple."

"But we were some kind of couple," Jacob retorted, much to their surprise. Erin nearly spewed what she was swallowing.

"We were, minus the things that normal couples would do, of course," the guy clarified and ate afterward like he said nothing.

"I still don't get it. How can you be a couple without acting like a couple?"

"Ah, I've traveled that same road before. It never got me anywhere." Lucy twirled the straw of her iced tea. "My advice, stop beating your brains out figuring out these two and just let fate work its magic."

She said but it was meant to provoke the so-called couple.

Erin, however, didn't take the bait. Amid the chitchat her phone vibrated, grabbing her attention elsewhere. She pulled it out of her purse, a shiny pink-bodied phone that was clearly ringing, but she only stared at it the whole time. Although Jacob looked busy with food, the guy was watching Erin; he could see that doubt was written all over her face.

"Aren't you going to take that?"

Startled from Jacob's prying, she put her phone away. "It's not really that important. What were we talking about again?"

"Look at these two. I'm trying to discuss something important here, yet not one of you two cared to listen. Good thing Kurt's here."

Kurt smiled coyly.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. Please carry on."

"Ah, never mind. I've lost my timing anyway. Let's just do this some other time."

Finishing the bowl clean, Jacob whipped out his hand and extended it toward Erin. "Give me your phone."

Erin marveled and back. "What for?"

"Just hand it over. I'll save my number."

"Fine, here you go." She relented and gave the phone but with a comeback. "Careful, okay, don't break it."

Jacob grinned. "I won't." But he was obviously taking his time to annoy her.

"Ah, this guy, really."

"Oh, I love this idea!" Hence, Lucy did the same with Kurt, reaching out her phone. "Kurt, you give me your number too."

"We're exchanging numbers? Oh, okay," the guy said breathlessly, thrilled, entering his contact details.

"What about your number?"

"You'll get it tonight when I call you," Lucy winked, pocketing her phone, rendering Kurt red and speechless.

"Kurt, give me your number too," Erin said to which the guy was prompt to reply.

"Of course, I'd love to!"

Kurt's excitement doubled on the spot while he began to type on Erin's phone. This had never happened before wherein two women subsequently asked for his number in just one day. Jacob shook his head, groaning at the affirmation. His buddy was truly simpleminded when it comes to women.

Meanwhile, Erin beckoned at the server to bill out. She was pulling out some cash from her wallet when Jacob whipped out a credit card and beckoned at her, stunning her impressively. "Don't, it's my treat."

"Really?" Lucy uttered. "That's so sweet of you!"

"Leave out the compliments. You can pay me back by treating us nicely later at work," he barked jokingly.

"That's my man," Kurt boasted. "You know I'm always grateful to you, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, just remember. It'll be your treat next time."

Noticing Erin was still hung up, he grabbed her wallet and money and slipped the money back inside for her. "What? Don't look so surprised. You're not off the hook too. Add this to the hundred other things you still owe me."

Erin lost the marvel right away. "Gosh, everything about you is just deceiving."

It didn't take long before they left Maple House Grill. As the group parted ways, the girls shared an intimate hug before Lucy approached Kurt and pulled the guy's hands into a warm handshake. Erin's eyes fell on Jacob. She hesitated so she just beamed tenderly, then amusingly, but only to herself, imagining the instance from when they were still teenagers when she could have smacked him instead of just smiling at arm's length.

"See you around then?" she finally said.

Jacob returned the faint smile as if reading her thoughts. "Yeah, see you around."