Closer than Friends

"So? Did you owe money to some big-time loan shark?" Manjun was giving her a weird gaze, so weird it made her cough a few times.

"Are you done with the last codes that I sent? Please give it to me as soon as you can. I need it by the end of this week."

"Huh? But you said, I have ten working days to work on it? The deadline should be next week, right?"

"No. I just… change my mind. After all, I have big loans that I need to pay. Please send it to me before six in the evening. Friday." She waved at him before she lowered her gaze and checked her phone. As expected, she already had two missed calls. She then opened two messages.

[I am waiting downstairs. I'm hungry.]

[It's already six. Why are you working so hard?]

"…" She was tempted to reply but ended up putting her phone down. She needed to relax, she needed to lower her blood pressure and survive. After calming down, she stood and gathered her things. Then she told Je'er that she will finish working at home.

With that, she immediately went outside.

Just as Manjun mentioned, Chris was indeed outside. He was wearing a casual black jacket on top of his white shirt. He paired it with a Khaki Chino and some white sneakers. She frowned. Why would Manjun think that he was a loan shark?

She wasn't aware that loan sharks can become so handsome?

Or was she just a little judgmental?

"Why are you here?"

"To pick you up, of course," he winked at her.

"Who told you that you can pick me up?"

"You didn't tell me that I can't pick you up, so I assumed that I can just drop by."

"Mr. Quinn… why are you doing this? Do I owe you anything?"

He chuckled. "I saved you. Of course, you owe me dinner. But you are so ungrateful and you refused to answer my calls."

"That's because you were stalking me. First and foremost, how did you get my phone number?" Why would she spend some time with a stalker?

"Ah, I know what you're thinking. I didn't ask my people to find it. Actually, It was really easy. You left your phone number in the hospital last time. I just copied it."

"…" Speechless. She was totally and irrevocably speechless. "I'm going home." This place is not very far from her apartment. In fact, it would only take her about ten minutes to walk.

"Then, were having dinner?"

"Mr. Quinn…" she stopped walking. "How did you know where I worked?"

"I saw it on your LinkedIn."

"…" She forgot she actually put the name of their company on her LinkedIn profile. If one would click the website of the company, it would easily show their address.

"I'm not stalking you. I swear."

"Yeah… whatever." She started walking and ignored him. "Rich people always think they can do whatever they want," she mumbled.

"Why are you being so mean to me? I am just being nice, you know."

"I am mean to people, I don't like."

However, instead of getting angry, the statement made him laugh. Why was he laughing? Does that statement make him happy?

"Stop following me!"

"But I'm hungry!"

Once again, she halted her steps and glared at him. "Mr. Quinn… I already told you. I didn't want you to save me that night. I can take care of my own self. There is no need for you to intervene. Meaning, I don't you owe anything!"

"Then… "

"Before you say another word, let me tell you this! I am not some naive Cinderella. I am not sure why you are acting like this, but you actually looked like a desperate stalker! I am not interested in any friendship with you, so please… stop wasting each other's time and let's move on with our lives."

"So… you don't want to be friends with me?" he asked, curiosity swirling in his eyes.

"No."

"Then what about… becoming my girlfriend!?"

"…" Her blood pressure is rising again. If she keeps on seeing this man, she would surely die a horrible death. "I already like someone else."

"Oh? Someone as handsome as me?"

She smiled while gritting his teeth. "The man that I like is not only tall and handsome. He is kind, gentle. Most importantly, we already live together. The only reason why we're not together is that I am not courageous enough to climb into his bed!" And he wasn't around all the time! "But I like him so much, I dreamed of him every night! The next time I see him, I will ask him to marry me."

"Cough… cough…" Chris covered his mouth. "You — You just said you will ask him to marry you? But you haven't confessed your feelings. How could you marry him? What if he doesn't like you?"

"Then I will make him like me!" she declared boldly. She wasn't actually lying. She had liked Cross since he saved her that night. However, she doesn't have the guts to confess and ruin their friendship. Moreover, Cross always treated her like a sister.

She was too scared to confess! What if he rejects her? What if he tells her that he likes someone else? That would not only break their friendship, it would also break her heart. To save herself from the broken heart, she decided to wait.

"Then if you like him so much, why did you sleep with me?"

His words interrupted her stupor. She glared at him before stomping her feet and walking away from him. Of course, he followed her.

"Was it because I am more handsome than him?"

"Mr. Quinn… I was drunk that night. And I thought you look like him." She said in a low voice.

"Really?" he laughed.

"Really."

"This person must be really good, huh? I never thought that one day someone would reject me." He leaned closer. "Say, was it because you weren't satisfied on that night?"

"Can you please… act like a CEO and stop talking about something so embarrassing like that?" This man… why does he tease her like they were close!? "Moreover, we aren't very close."

"But we already saw each other's naked body. We should be considered closer than friends, right?" His laughter almost made her want to vomit blood.

She fought the urge to punch him.