A week later......
Lucinda was back at work, but her mum suspected her since the last episode. It wasn't unexpected that Lucinda got better fast, she's hada healthy immune system since childhood. On closing from work, she and Yuri were walking down to the bus stop, with Yuri describing how the hot dog cart guy across from their bakery winked at her, acting so girly, and even giving a little squeal when she suddenly bumped into someone. Lucinda wasn't interested in what Yuri was saying, because she was focused on something else on her phone. She was used to Yuri's talk of men, so it wasn't unusual for Yuri to behave so childishly in public...
She hadn't noticed when Yuri stopped walking beside her until she sat on the bus stop bench. Looking up from her phone, she realized Yuri wasn't with her. She looked everywhere until she caught sight of her with another guy steadying her.
Lucinda walked over to them and asked worriedly, "Yuri, are you all right?"
After looking at the guy who helped her, Yuri jokingly said, "I am sorry, but it's nothing serious before you switch to mama bear mode".That's when it dawned on Yuri that she'd seen this same guy somewhere.
"You," they both said in unison. Henmi and Yuri were both surprised to see each other. Hewasn't expecting to bump into her.
"Don't say you, say sorry, maybe I should even sue you to court," Yuri fumed dramatically, her nose flaring up. Lucinda was a bit confused about what was occurring and how Yuri knew this man. This is because if she did, Yuri would've talked about him without asking.
"Do you guys know each other?" Lucinda asked, verifying things. Yuri and Henmi couldn't say they met.
"No," they said in unison again, giving each other eye signals, still trying to sort things out. Kei walked in on them.
"Hey, is something going on?" he asked.
"I bumped into her," Henmi replied. Kei looked in the direction Henmi was looking in and realized he'd bumped into Yuri.
He was taken aback that they'd meet here; he hadn't planned to speak with Lucinda to gather some info. They'd picked up a whiff of the traffickers' spot after the last raid at the host club. Their informant had clued them in, but before they got there, they'd taken off, leaving Henmi and Kei to stroll down to the bus stop nearby. Kei stopped to get a canned coffee from the vending machine before seeing Henmi with two ladies. This was because he couldn't see their faces from his vantage point.
"Hey, stranger, surprised to see you," Lucinda said, her lips twisting from confusion into a lovely smile.
"Me either. I'm sorry for Henmi bumping into Yuri," Kei says again, as he bows in front of Lucinda, forcing Henmi to bow as well.
"Why do I have to bow? I've already said sorry, and she's still not satisfied," Henmi whined to Kei. Lucinda found it cute, especially the warm atmosphere between them. She couldn't stand seeing Kei apologise for something he didn't do.
"Yuri, stop acting up. He's said sorry," Lucinda stated, trying to calm Yuri down.
"Fine," Yuri grumbled, sticking her tongue out at Henmi, "sorry for making it a big deal." They both sat quietly at the bus stop. While Kei and Lucinda conversed, Henmi and Yuri had to pretend to bestrangers, not to converse.....
The bus arrived, and they got in. Yuri had taken her seat when she brought out her phone and saw the weather reports. "Cindy, there's going to be heavy rainfalls, it's expected it's already the moonson season, sleep at my place, you won't be able to make it home on time," Yuri absently said to Lucinda while scrolling through her phone.
"If you say so, I'll call okasaan (mother) and let her know," Lucinda replied, taking her phone and dialing her mother's number. When it starteddrizzling, the sound of raindrops falling lightly on the bus roof could be heard. The phone rang and rang, but her mother's line wasn't reachable.
"It's not getting through and it's already drizzling," Lucinda said to Yuri, with worry lacing her voice. Looking out the window, she could see some shop owners closing up early due to the announcements....
By the time the bus got to Yuri's area, the rain had gotten heavy, and even the bus driver found it difficult to drive. He made an announcement, 'sorry for the inconvenience, but this is our last bus stop due to the weather occurrence. If you don't live here, there's a lodge nearby and you can follow me.'
Hearing about the rain, Yuri offered Kei and his brother a place to stay. "You guys should stay at my place."
Kei didn't want to agree. However, he saw this as an opportunity created by faith, and not by his own efforts this time. He wanted to learn more about Lucinda and her mother. "Sure," he said, getting up. Henmi followed him....
***
"Your place is nice," Henmi said, admiring Yuri's neatness.
In response, she blushed at his compliment, and instantly pulled Lucinda to the kitchen. Kei and Henmi stood at the entrance, aloof from the interaction.
In gushing over Henmi, Yuri squeezed Lucinda's arm tightly. " God is in favor of me today, this should happen more often." She squealed.
"If my arm is still alive and your insane look towards handsome men has been activated, try to tone it down. They can't stand at the entrance all night with you gushing over one of them and not offering them anything," Lucinda reminded Yuri.
"Oh, sorry, so sorry," Yuri apologized, letting go of Lucinda's arm and returning to them.
"Stop standing at the entrance and take a seat. I know it's not much, but I have chairs," Yuri said, dusting the chair.
"Thank you," both men said as they took their seats, and Yuri quickly brought them slippers. It wasn't a big deal to get their size. This is because she enjoys wearing larger clothes or slippers, which makes her buy men's sizes whenever she spends time shopping.
Lucinda heads over to Yuri's closet and pulls out the bigger sized pj's. She gives a pair each to Henmi and Kei....
***
Yuri and Lucinda had made dinner from what Yuri had in the fridge. While they were having dinner at the kitchen table, Kei scrolled through his phone to see if he could get any network, but there was none.
He asked, "Henmi, do you have any cell network?".
"No, none".
Kei looked at Lucinda, "same with Yuri and I".
"I know it's moonson season, but I didn't expect it to be this serious," Kei exclaimed, getting frustratedfrom the lack of network because he had some files and messages he needed to go through and approve.
"Same here," Lucinda replied, quietly watching Yuri and Henmi exchange silent eye signals. She smirked and chuckled under her breath. Despite the fact that Henmi isn't one to notice when someone likes him, she decided to help Yuri start her love journey...Kei and Lucinda discussed childhood memories and how work has been, but she left out the part about fainting last week.
Yuri heard Henmi quietly say, "Thank you for not blowing my cover.".
"I didn't do it for you, I did it for me. Lucinda will definitely kill me if she finds out I trailed after her that night." Yuri replied, taking the plate from Henmi, wiping it dry and returning it to the dish rack.
They'd finished doing the dishes when Yuri brought out some rice wine and snacks from her stash, among the snacks was sea weed crackers. Unfortunately for Yuri, it was also Henmi's favourite, they both reached out for the biscuit at the same time, each holding onto it, not wanting to let go, they threw glares at each other to see who would blink first.
While opening cheese puffs, Lucinda burst out laughing. Yuri blinked. "Clown," Lucinda said.
"Ha, you blinked." Henmi grinned like a four-year-old who just got the first place trophy.
Yuri looked at Lucinda, glaring silently."You're the clown," she pouted, folding her arms, feeling like a sore loser. Taking another pack of cheese puffs, she stuck her tongue out at Lucinda..... The room was so quiet, one could only hear the crunching sound of cheese puffs and crackers. Yuri couldn't stand the silence anymore.
Sighing, she took the wine bottle and poured some wine for herself; she looked at Lucinda, who was reading a book on her phone; she moved closer to her and sat beside her and sighed louder this time till she got everyone's attention.
Lucinda looked up from her phone, a bit irritated."We heard you the first time. What do you want?" she asked, knowing Yuri wanted something.
Yuri's face immediately lit up, knowing she had an audience now. "Let's play truth or dare," she piped up, giving Lucinda that puppy dog look she could never resist. Lucinda never liked games like this and whenever this was involved, she always excused herself from the group.
'But just this once won't hurt, will it?' She asked herself, not resisting Yuri's look, she gave in. "OK,OK, just stop giving me that look and get an empty bottle," Kei and Henmi sat on the floor in a circle formation. This had also interested Kei, he'd wanted to see if Lucinda would cave in and play. At least this made his investigation much easier than it would have been if he had something to say.
Yuri hurriedly walked to the kitchen cabinet and brought out an empty fanta bottle she stored up for moments like this. She also brought a second bottle of wine with her. This time it was red wine, a sweet red, her favourite, which she only opened for occasions she deemed verysignificant.... Smiling cheekily at Lucinda, she carried four glasses along. "I know you want to ask about it, well this is a very specialone. You've never played truth or dare since we were kids and this is your first time. My baby is growing," exclaimed Yuri, wiping an invisible tear, patting her chest.....
Kei takes the empty bottle from Yuri, while Lucinda takes the glasses and opens the red wine and pours the first round for everyone. "So the rules are this, any defaultersmust drink a glass of red wine," Kei stated, everybody agreed, he spun the bottle, and the head landed on Lucinda and the bottom on Henmi. Deep down Lucinda felt happy, she wanted to know what was going on between Henmi and Yuri, because they're such bad actors.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"When did you and Yuri actually meet?" Yuri and Henmi were shocked. They didn't expect Lucinda to ask this question straight up.
"Um, we met, we met in the front of a um, coffee shop, I bumped into her and she mistakenly spilt her coffee on me," Henmi said, struggling with the right words to say toLucinda. By this time the rain had increased, the sounds could be heard from inside.Lucinda looked at Henmi wanting to believe this, the Yuri she knew would've complainedabout how she spilt coffee on a handsome man, she couldn't force anything more out of him, so she took it that way.
Invisible sweat swelled on her forehead, silently praying that Henmi would not mess this up. When Henmi responded appropriately, Yuri sighed quietly. Lucinda took the bottle and spun it again, landing on Henmi and Yuri.
"Truth or Dare?"
"Truth."
"Why do you like men? Is it an obsession, or are you a manizer?" Henmi asked, trying to figure out why Yuri was always talking about men.
Yuri couldn't believe what he'd just asked her, she'd gotten red, "I'll drink to that thank you," this wasn't something she could tell people, only Lucinda knew what her problem was, because of this Yuri didn't only drink from her glass, she also took a second glass.....