[3] Proximity

Giya had been chatting with Sho for a couple of days now.

Between pictures of his dog and a couple of stray cats that Giya visited regularly, were conversations that left her looking forward to the next with a joy atypical for her. He would always bring up a conversation at her pace, asking her to reply whenever, thanking her for her time when she needed to go. She found herself thanking him in return before doing whatever had to be done.

The day was New Year's Eve. The night approached the turn of the year, and under that sky, a boy and a girl were talking across screens.

One was comfortable at home, while the other was glad to be returning home.

[ Life Check: Lee Sho Han, are you alive? ]

Giya put her phone down to continue a last bit of work, but she scarcely got a click in before it chimed in notification of a few messages.

[ nl ]

[ nl ]

[ no ]

[ It is 22:58 and you are drunk. Please get home safe. ]

[ ikay ]

[ okau ]

('okay')

Giya's lips turned upwards at the typos. Was drinking with others really that fun, if it meant that compromised state?

[ hwy giya ]

[ hey ]

[ Yes? ]

[ thansks i lv u ]

('thanks I love you')

Giya smiled at that. Drunk people could be so emotional.

[ You're welcome. Early Happy New Year ]

Unlike the previous years when she finally had her own apartment, she decided to stay up until midnight to continue working.

Yes, just for work.

It was 2am when her phone chirped again. She hadn't even realised the time had passed so fast, engrossed in her laptop screen.

[ got home at midnight nwoke up from a short nap ]

[ God, did I send that? ]

[ How embarrassing ]

Giya chuckled.

[ Think little of it. It's not that bad ]

[ Aren't you usually asleep by now? ]

He was right.

[ That is usually the case. But I usually don't have to worry about a drunk friend going home. ]

[ Not many friends? ]

[ Yes, and they are also responsible ones ]

Giya watched the app say that Sho was typing, but with no message for quite the while. She placed the phone down to continue working, but it appeared that she was not allowed to do that, the chime returning.

[ So you never had someone to share the New Year with? ]

Suspicion stirred within her, but she refused to entertain it. Thinking too much was exhausting.

[ Other than family, yes ]

[ so that makes me your first, haha ]

[ I guess it does. ]

He started typing and stopping, the device communicating his actions. Giya shut down her laptop, it was too late to get any more work done anyway, and plodded over to her bed to chat with Sho before bed. That plan went out the door when she saw the new message.

[ I, um... want to have more firsts with you ]

[ u see i realy like you, and I want to make you smile al the time and i cant believe im confessing tocyou by text but itstruw and im ebrasing myself ]

Sho's online indicator disappeared. Giya pondered his words. People could make thoughtless, exaggerated statements while intoxicated, but there was usually some sort of truth to it. Maybe he really did have feelings for her? Butterflies fluttered in her chest, albeit quickly stifled by her immediate analysis.

'He made me feel desired, is what this feeling tells me.'

This was her first time trying her romantic thoughts in real life. Perhaps this was the time to validate all her calculations. Sho was fun to interact with, and made her feel loved. She didn't have a difficult time reciprocating.

It couldn't hurt to try.

[ I like you too, Sho ]

The online indicator instantly returned. How cute.

[ You're home now, right? ]

[ yeah ]

[ youre not pranking me right? ]

[ I'm not pranking you. You're very endearing. ]

[ If you'd like to make me happy, I'd love to return the sentiment ]

[ stop using big words im drunkn tired ]

[ Just sleep now, Sho. You can read them again in the morning ]

[ no dun wanns sleep might be a dream ]

[ a pretty girl just acceoted my confession not sleeping yet ]

Giya chuckled, but could not deny the weight of fatigue on her eyes.

[ Well then, I'll go to sleep and remind you later today, okay? Have a good morning. ]

She discarded her phone somewhere beside her on the bed and turned over to sleep.

Her heart kept beating loudly.

'This must be what they call adrenaline,' she thought.

So exciting, the prospects of romance.

She coaxed herself to sleep with the softness of her pillows, hugging one of them tight.

Maybe she'd hug a person in the future.