"What are you cooking for tonight, Zoey?" Nickel asked as he was lying on the couch with Happy on top of his. Happy was snuggling his face from excitement in seeing him again in their abode.
"Caldereta. Stay there and don't enter my kitchen until I said so."
"Yes!" "Bark!"
The dinner was served after an hour and the three of them indulged with the native flavor of caldereta and dog food. Over the dinner, Zoey asked Nickel if he has an appointment or plans next Monday. Zoey wanted to invite him for a dinner date on her birthday. It would be her first date after nine years. She wanted to have a simple rooftop date with him to make more special for that night.
"Monday? Next week? I haven't seen my schedule for next week, so I cannot say if I'm busy or not. Why?" He tried to look unaware of the event that day to make Zoey think that whatever plans does she have won't match with his surprise thing for her birthday.
"Nothing. I just asked. Anyway, in case you are busy that day, I guess I will just meet Shane and the rest. I haven't informed them about us. They might kill me if they will hear it from another mouth."
"Okay, honey. I will make you posted about my schedule."
The two finished their dinner and Nickel initiate that he will do the dishes about Zoey already cooked their dinner it would be a shame if he will eat and run after that, right?
Zoey was sitting on her kitchen counter looking at him and his broad back shoulder, thinking that this kind of night was already pleasant for her to consider as date nights. "Honey, you know what. I like this." She was paused from what she was about to say when Nickel answered him without any context, "I like and I love you too."
Whenever Nickel uttered out of the context statements to her dialogues Zoey just laughed at him because this guy really has the humor of a comedian.
"I know you like me but what I meant was I like this kind of dinner dates. Me, cooking for dinner, and you, doing the dishes. At least I can say that for once I created a wonderful decision in life."
Nickel got intrigued by what she said and turned to look at her. "And what is implying about that wonderful decision, is it for dating me?" Nickel knitted his eyes waiting that Zoey would say something sweet and romantic.
"Of course not. That decision was for us establishing the chores in this and your house. I would allow you to live like a king while I served you from day and night, Mister." Zoey walked to him and give him a peck on his cheek after teasing him about what kind of decision she has made.
To be honest, for Zoey it was a mixture of both. If she knew that liking and loving someone like Nickel would be as nice and wonderful as this, she would start dating him during their university days.
After he was done with his task, Nickel said his goodnight to his girlfriend and went back to his own unit.
The next day arrived like there yesterday. They went to the office together, eat their lunches together, go to their respective meetings, signed and read reports and other needed document. And by the time Nickel finished everything on his plate, Zoey was still inside the conference room with all her staffs.
He decided to walk to her area and saw that there is one mini USB attached to her computer. It is so tiny that no one could see it without focusing his or her sight directly on the port plug.
Nickel wasn't a stranger regarding cyberstalking or cyber copying. Although he wasn't as an expert to be considered he still knew a few things regarding the cyber world.
"Why does Zoey's computer have this thing?" He detached the USB out of Zoey's computer and phoned one of the IT to ask if they knew this device or not. "Sir, according to our inventory Officer Zoey didn't request for a USB or any device similar to a flash drive function. Also, we are not using ZOOMER USB here in ASC."
Nickel inquired the IT if Zoey asked for a device like this with a ZOOMER brand. "Why would Zoey use this unauthorized USB in her computer?" other than that he just asked the IT personnel to give him the most outdated laptop for him to check what was inside this device.
After a couple of minutes an IT personnel knocked on his door and presented the laptop he was asked for. "Sir, do need some help?"
"No, thanks. I'll just call when I encountered a problem. Thank you."
And with that, the IT personnel excused himself and went back to his station.