Chapter 6: Broken Date

Sofi has been staring at the colorful cotton candy for a few minutes now.

"Are you feeling guilty too?" Billie asked.

"I feel bad for her. I didn't know she liked you that much," Sofi said.

The two sit on the bench near the Ferris Wheel. The amusement park is full of young people like them who probably have not yet entirely moved on from being kids.

"We could've enjoyed the rides with her. I feel her loneliness," she said.

"I know. And considering the mission that we've done for others, I feel I abandoned her," he said.

Sofi pats Billie's back.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. It's not your fault if you don't feel the same way for her," she said.

"There's too much going on inside my head this past week," he said.

"I haven't been a bother to you lately so besides the situation with Saatchi, what else has been bothering you?" Sofi asked.

Billie becomes quiet.

"C'mon, tell me," she said.

Billie sighed. "Cindy hasn't returned my calls or messages this entire week," he said.

"For sure she is busy and tired. Her job requires physical care for others and that can be exhausting," she said.

"I know. I try to be more open minded but I can't help but worry. There's a common pattern among couples in a long distance relationship," he said.

Sofi looks at him.

"You're just being paranoid. You're different from other couples," she said.

"You believe so?" he asked.

"No doubt," she said.

Billie took Sofi's hand.

"That's why I really need you around. I was really glad when you called this afternoon," he said.

Sofi smiled but not the usual happy long one.

"How's work? Why did you want to leave early today?" Billie asked.

"I'm busier now. Honeymoon period is over," she said.

"And then?" he asked.

It's Sofi's turn to sigh. "The tasks are fine. I'm just a little uncomfortable lately. Those girls in my team seem to be avoiding me," she said.

"And why would they do that? When did they start avoiding you?" he asked.

"It began after the teambuilding," she said.

"That's ironic," he said.

"I know but I have a hint. I think they don't like me talking to Jiro," she said.

Billie looks at her.

"That guy again?" he asked.

"What did he ever do to you?" she asked.

"I'm sorry but I just don't feel good about that guy," he said.

"Here you go again," she said.

"Okay, I'll stop. But again, be careful," he said.

Sofi doesn't want to continue as well. She feels it's better that she and Billie are okay. It's not for them to argue over matters like this.

"Good thing you don't have to work on weekend this time," he said to clear the air.

"I've been in the office long hours these days, I need to break that streak before I get suffocated in office life," she said.

Truth is, Sofi is trying to lie low being seen with Jiro. She likes him but it puzzles her that her teammates don't like him.

"Hey, care to share?" Billie asked.

"Nothing. I'm hungry. Let's eat," she said.

The weekend went by so fast. The next thing they know, they're on the road again going back to their offices and they're running late.

"We should have left yesterday," Billie said.

"Don't be so upset. We are not the only ones stuck in it," Sofi said.

"It's okay with you because your time-in is flexible," he said.

Sofi arrived before 10AM. She feels awkward to be late especially when she's aware that her teammates are looking at her.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Mitch. The traffic was really bad. We took a different route but still couldn't move faster," she explained even if she is not considered late for the day.

A few minutes later, Jinho arrived as well. Everyone looks at each other.

Lunch time comes. No one bothers to ask Sofi if she will join them but she tries to dispel the negativity by thinking that they knew she arrived before 10AM so that means she'll be taking lunch later.

Jiro discreetly invited her to lunch at 2PM but she declined saying she's having a working lunch.

By 5PM, everyone except Sofi and Jiro prepares to leave the office but they are still discreetly looking at them. Sofi wants to ask Nadia what it is about but she feels she's still new to the team to even start something that may lead to an argument.

Billie came home early that day. He wasn't feeling well the whole time he was in the office. Worrying over Cindy being unreachable is still the biggest source of his inability to focus at work.

Unable to reach her for the nth time, he decided to call her parents to ask.

As soon as the clock hit 8PM, Sofi stood up and left the office. She felt bad for Jiro that she too ignored him the entire shift but she really couldn't help but be bothered being alienated by her peers.

"Sofi," called Jiro as the elevator door closes.

The door opened and he entered. They are the only passengers right now but Sofi still worries that there may be other passengers from other floors.

"Were you avoiding me?" Jiro asked.

Sofi couldn't answer immediately.

"I had to finish a lot of deliverables today. It's too bad that I was also late this morning," she answered.

"Can we still talk?" Jiro asked.

"What for?" she asked.

The elevator reached the ground. Only a few people are there.

"I thought it was just alright if we went out and talked but did something happen that changed your mind?" he asked.

Sofi rushes to exit the building but Jiro follows.

"Why are you following me?" she asked without looking behind.

"I just want to talk to you. You're the only one I can talk to," he said.

Sofi continues to walk.

"Let's talk in the corner," she said.

"Are we trying to hide? Are you embarrassed being seen with me?" he asked.

Sofi couldn't give an answer. She knows she likes him not as just as a colleague and with the mission she carries, she isn't supposed to let him be alone.

"I just don't know how to handle this thing in the office. It's a completely new arena to me," she tried to explain.

"I understand you very well and I wish I can distance myself from you but I just can't. I need someone," he said.

Sofi knows they can't stay talking in that corner for another minute.

"Let's go to my place," she said.

She can't believe she invited a man she only knows for a couple of months to her house. Only Billie comes to her place and they've been friends and ally for so long. Speaking of him, he's calling her but knowing he's disapproval of Jiro, talking to him right now is not a good idea as it may only force her to lie.

Billie feels disappointed and left out. He couldn't get hold of Cindy and Sofi. He sits on the couch not knowing what to do next.

Suddenly, he hears Sofi's door being opened. He quickly got out of the house only to find the two.

Sofi is in shock. She thought Billie was calling her from the office. She feels she's just caught red-handed.

Billie smiled before he returned inside.

"Is he your friend?" Jino asked.

Sofi nodded. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked.

"I'd love to but that means you're allowing me to stay longer," he said.

That's the second time that she's caught off-guard.

"No, thank you. I just want to make sure that we are okay and it's a bonus that you let me walk you to your house and even welcomed me here," he said.

"The girls in the office, why are they not talking to you and now to me as well?" she said.

"I can explain next time. Today's not a good time. Just please be here for me, Sofi," he asked.

Sofi's heart melts hearing him beg. He's obviously in need of someone and she's not one of those girls in the office who avoid him.

"I'll see you tomorrow in the office. Go home now," she said with a smile.

Billie watches as Jiro leaves Sofi's place.

"I see it's getting deeper," he said to Sofi as soon as Jiro reached the gate.

Sofi startled a bit but immediately turned sympathetic when she saw Billie.

"What happened? You look distressed. Do you want to talk?" she asked.

"It's okay. Go inside and rest," he said.

"What's up? Tell me," she insisted.

"Nothing," he said.

Sofi doesn't want to start any argument.

"Just make sure to have your guards up all the time," he said once again.

Sofi just nodded. She opens her door.

"I've so much in my head right now, please don't add up to my concerns," he said.

Those words came as surprise. Why did he have to say those to her?

Sofi turned around but Billie already locked his door. They never had this kind of situation before.

Inside his place, Billie sulks. He feels alone and has no one to turn to. Even Sofi who swears to never leave anyone alone just left him when he needs her.

Sofi feels a little guilty. She knows Billie had something to tell him but perhaps he thought Jiro got in the way. She tries to lessen the guilt by thinking he also set her aside a few times before whenever he was with Cindy and she's not Cindy's substitute.

Morning comes. Sofi left her place early to be in her usual shift. She had a hint that Billie hasn't left his unit so she knocked on his door until she heard some movement inside the house.

Billie opened his door and found no one on his doorstep. He knows it's Sofi.

In the office, Sofi tries to bring back the old vibes she used to carry around. She greets everyone joyfully even without expecting them to respond the way they used to.

She starts reading her emails and cannot believe she's so much already in her inbox when it was already late when she left last night. Out of the many emails, there's one that stands out. It's an invite from Human Resources Department.

A few minutes later, she received a message from Ms. Mitch via office communicator. She wants to talk to her immediately.

Sofi feels a different kind of tension while walking to the conference room. She knows everyone's eyes are looking at her.

Ms. Mitch looks serious. She asked her to sit down.

"I'm not going round the bush. This is about Jiro," she said to start the conversation.

Sofi cannot recall clearly how she got to her parent's house. She woke up in her room hearing the sound of pebbles being thrown at her window. She got up to see who's outside and saw Billie.

He got his phone from his pocket and called her.

"Let's go home," he said suggesting that they go back to their rented places.

"Are you sure you are okay now?" Sofi's mother asked.

"Yes, I was just really unwell earlier and Dad was the one I was able to reach," Sofi said.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Cara. I was unreachable the whole day. I promise to look after her," Billie said.

"Do you really have to leave now? Why can't you just stay here tonight?" her father asked.

"It's nothing, Dad. I am better now," she said assuring her parents.

The two leave while their parents look out.

"Do you want to eat first?" Billie asked. He too sounds unwell.

"I'm not hungry. Are you okay?" Sofi asked.

Billie didn't answer. "You can sleep. I'll wake you up when we get there," he said.

Sofi feels so down to start caring for others including Billie. She closed her eyes.

"Stay away from Jiro," Ms. Mitch said.

Sofi woke up.