CLOSE TO YOU

Su Bin crosses his arms over his chest. "And then what?"

"A position in the office, I think?" Guan said confidently.

Su Bin smirks, "Ha! You may not know this, but I hold an important position in the company." He leans closer, "Before you impulsively decide to take over the company, you better know the people who are working for you."

"Your nose is flaring, it's ugly," Su Bin teased and pinches his nose.

Guan swats his hand and glares at Su Bin while covering his nose. "Do you wanna die?"

Su Bin was not fazed by how black Guan's face had become and just laughed at his reaction. It still irritates him when does up until now.

"You should be more convincing," he winked at Guan and left him fuming.

----

Liu Yang peers at Amy silently browsing through the menu. Ever since they arrived at the restaurant, Amy had been silent, which is typically unusual. Her eyes are slightly puffed but it suits her. She sounds like a sadist, isn't she?

After ordering, Amy fills their cups with tea sitting in the middle. Liu Yang refrains herself from covering her nose – overwhelming her senses. The tea's strong aroma wafts through the entire room.

"Thank you," she said as Amy puts the cup in front of her. She wraps her hands around it, feeling the warmth but never brought it to her mouth.

Liu Yang sits up, fiddling the cup, watching as the tea leaves dance through the liquid. They in an enclosed room but she feels calm and relaxed. She should probably bring the others here, she thought.

"Sister Yang," Amy softly calls her name.

Liu Yang peers up at the beautiful woman in front of her. At twenty years old, Amy already looks mature for her age.

Amy continues, "I'm really sorry that you have witness what happened earlier."

"It's totally fine." Liu Yang replies.

"But still…"

"Why? Are you afraid that I might leak something about your family?"

"Of course not," Amy laughs. "I just didn't expect that they would argue like that even after a long time."

Long time?

Liu Yang nods and decided not to ask any further. It is not her business after all.

"That's it?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

Liu Yang stares at Amy's brown eyes.

"Should I inquire any further?"

Amy cocks her head to side.

"You know, why they would exchange cold shoulders when they are literally brothers, something like that?"

Stumped by her question, Liu Yang could only giggle. "Your family matter is none of my business."

"Wahh~!" Amy clasps her hands together. "Today, I discovered something about you, Sister Yang!"

"Stop it!" Liu Yang says in disgust, almost her mouth with her hand once again.

But that did not stop Amy. Instead, she reaches out for Liu Yang's hands and clasp them all together with hers.

"I just discovered that you are not a nosy person; although you are kind of a snob. But that is a good thing," she gleefully shakes their hands together.

Liu Yang tried retracting her hand but Amy is surprisingly strong.

There she goes everyone; the real Amy is back.

"It's not that I'm not nosy, I just don't care at all." Liu Yang successfully escapes from Amy's clutch and places back on the cup.

"Oh! And another thing I have discovered about you," Amy winks at her, "you don't like Oolong tea, right? I saw you scrunching your nose earlier. You should've told me what you like."

"I don't drink tea in general." Liu Yang smiled and reclined her back on the chair.

"Wahh~! I tried so hard to get close to you all those months that we worked together. I never thought that it would be because of Sis-in-law; I should thank her for this. I'm really glad!"

Liu Yang shakes her head in amusement at how Amy's mood shifts easily. She was just low-spirited earlier and now…

Finally, their food arrived. For a moment there will be peace and quiet.

But not for long…

"You should try this; this is my favorite in this restaurant. They make the best sweet and sour pork." Amy starts putting bits of meat on Liu Yang's bowl.

"Okay, that's enough," Liu Yang stops her in time, taking her hand away from her bowl. "I can eat it just fine, thank you."

"Ah," Amy slowly withdraws, puts the chopsticks aside, and hides her hands under the table. "Sorry, I got too excited."

This cute little brat, really.

Amy's head hangs low, shoulders dropped while being pouty. Liu Yang chuckles. She can't help it; Amy looks so cute!

"You have nothing to be sorry about." She laughs once again. It made Amy's lips pout even more.

"Hey! It's totally fine. Stop sulking. And what do you mean by I'm hard to get close to? Am I?" Liu Yang asks before taking a bite. She suddenly remembers what she had said a while ago.

"Ugh! You totally are!" Amy rolls her eyes upward to prove her point.

It did not offend Liu Yang at all, in fact, she finds it entertaining.

Amy continues, "It always feels like your face always tells me to 'back off' whenever I try to make a move at improving my relationship with you. Oh, and another thing, whenever you smile, it's business-like. I have never seen you smile genuinely to me or to your colleagues."

"Our meetings are always held at the Publishing, and whenever we met, you always have that poker face stuck on your face. It doesn't even suit you."

Liu Yang stops eating mid-way and reaches out for the glass of water nearby, having a hard time to swallow all of that. It is her first time to hear an honest assessment from a client. Although she is not angry to hear it, she is not happy either. She knows she has this aloof behavior towards people she is not close with, but hearing it directly from Amy is just…overwhelming.

"Sister Yang."

"Huh?"

"Just now, did I just make you uncomfortable?"

Liu Yang wipes her mouth awkwardly. "No, of course not. It's just that, I don't know how to react."

She could not believe how keen Amy's eyes are. All those months, she had been focused on finishing their work on time. She did not even notice she was trying to get close to her or she just totally ignored all the signals.

"I'm sorry you have to suffer that."

"Eyy!" Amy waves her hand, "Don't say sorry. I already get past the walls you have built against me," she says, her eyes shining.

"Hmm…then, from on, let's take this relationship further – not just between an editor and author."

Liu Yang laughs at her words, "Okay."

"That's a promise?"

"Promise."

Amy squeals while cupping her cheeks together. She earned another sister in her life.

----

Liu Yang slumps her body on the couch. Amy dragged her around everywhere around the city the whole afternoon. Putting her arm over her forehead, a hint of smile is visible on her lips, remembering Amy's words at the restaurant.

To be honest, she wanted to be close to Amy, too. The first time they met, she could see how light and bubbly her personality is. She just did not know how to express her own feelings into words. Sometimes, she even wonders how she even got close to her friends.

"Arggghh!"

Liu Yang sits up and fists her hair. She had been an awful editor and person to Amy all this time. Her awful personality and social skills always got her nowhere. She even forgot to ask her why she wanted to be close to her.

"Like, come on, she just told me I always give her a cold shoulder. So, why?"

In the middle of debating herself with her hands hung in the air, Liu Yang felt something vibrating inside her purse. She now remembers she put her phone on vibrate and had not opened it the whole afternoon.

"Hello?"

"Oi! Glad you are still alive. Where have you been? I heard you called the day off from your secretary. I even went to your office. What happened?"

'Guess the office is not yet informed about what happened with Chief, yet.'

"Nothing," she gives a noncommittal answer.

"Really? You expect me to believe that?"

Liu Yang grimaces at the screen even though Wan Li won't see it. She really doesn't like how his instincts are heightened sometimes.

"You know what? I'm tired. Let's talk tomorrow, okay? Bye!"

Liu Yang could hear Wan Li daring her not to hang up but she still did. She's too tired to talk right now.

Better go shower and sleep.

She will deal with him tomorrow.