"Brunch time, wake up, Maya. You've been sleeping since for the whole day," Nira said, giving her friend a gentle shake. Maya groaned a little before fully sitting up and rubbing her eyes.
"Oh, your face is red," Nira remarked, scanning her friend's sleepy face with a hint of concern.
"Oh, it's always like this after I wake up," Maya replied, her voice still groggy.
"How cute!" Nira teased, squeezing Maya's cheeks.
"Tch. Move, I'll wash my face," Maya said, swatting Nira's hands away playfully.
"Be quick. Everyone's already at the dining place. I'll go ahead," Nira said, heading towards the door. "Oh, wait, did you bring anything black and white? I mean, clothes?" she asked before closing the door.
"Yeah, why?" Maya asked, puzzled.
"Just wear that, everyone seems to be wearing those colors," Nira explained.
"But you're wearing red," Maya pointed out, folding her blanket.
"I didn't bring anything black or white. Please, just wear it. I'm going now," Nira insisted.
"Tch, she's such a kid," Maya muttered under her breath.
A few minutes later, Maya stepped out of her room, now dressed in black and white. She found Ken Ian locking his door across the hall. She waved him as he smiled.
"That must be fate," Ken joked. Maya just smiled back, noticing for the first time that he was wearing an eyepatch. She raised her eyebrows in curiosity.
"Something happened to your left eye?" she asked.
"Ah, nothing special. It gets red and itchy sometimes, so my doctor told me to wear this when that happens," Ken explained as they started walking side by side.
"Is it bad?" Maya asked again, her concern genuine.
"Wanna see?" Ken leaned down a bit.
"No, it's okay," Maya replied, though her curiosity was piqued.
"Wait, it's alright. Here," Ken said, removing the eyepatch.
Maya gasped in disbelief. His left eye was dark black red, with the upper and lower sections equally inflamed. "It burns, doesn't it?" she said, her voice soft with sympathy.
"It actually does. Never mind. By the way, is your leg okay now?" Ken asked, changing the subject.
"How did you know?" Maya furrowed her eyebrows in surprise.
"I was there too. Spencer is absolutely terrible, isn't she?" Ken said, a hint of anger in his voice.
"What do you mean?" Maya asked, sensing there was more to the story.
"She was the—" Ken began, but was cut off by Levi calling out from a distance.
"Ian, you're here too. I was looking for you two," Levi interrupted, making Ken stop. Ken bit his lower lip, realizing he wouldn't get to tell Maya the whole story. But he wanted her to be aware.
"Never mind, maybe later. By the way, be careful about your department head assistant," Ken whispered as they walked towards Levi. "Yes, Mr. Thompson. Coming. Let's go, Larson."
"Eh?" Maya muttered, confused by Ken's warning.
Meanwhile, in the dining hall, Steven was already seated, his eyes scanning the room for Maya. Tiffany was still tagging along with him, but he barely noticed her presence. His mind was preoccupied with what Maya had told him the night before coming here at their apartment. He couldn't get her words out of his head. Finally, he spotted her entering the dining hall with Levi and Ken. His face darkened with jealousy as he saw them together.
Maya noticed Steven at first glance and felt a mix of amusement and apprehension at his jealous expression. It was a bit funny to her, but it also made her heart race. She excused herself from Levi and Ken, then walked towards her department's table, hoping Steven would offer her the empty chair beside him. Tiffany was sitting on the other side.
But as she approached, Steven called out to Nira, who was standing behind him, talking to a colleague. "Ms. Evans, you may sit here. The food will arrive soon," he said, his eyes locking with Maya's for a brief moment before he looked away.
"Sure, sir," Nira replied happily, taking the seat next to Steven.
Maya's heart sank. She wasn't confused but hurt and jealous. She pulled out a chair and sat between two others, trying to mask her disappointment. She didn't even glance at Steven again during brunch. Steven, however, kept sneaking glances at her, checking if she was looking at him.
Levi saw the whole thing unfold. So he came towards their table and sat there, across Steven. He bit his lower lip, feeling sympathy for Maya. He had noticed the subtle tension between Maya and Steven and couldn't help but feel that there was more to their story.
As brunch continued, the atmosphere grew tense. Conversations buzzed around the dining hall, but Maya and Steven remained silent, their thoughts consumed by the awkward interaction. Levi tried to lighten the mood, cracking jokes and engaging the others in lively discussions, but Maya's mind kept drifting back to Steven.
After a while, Ken came over to hand a paper to Maya. He read the environment. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, seeing her stiffen expression.
Maya nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, but her voice betrayed her.
Ken didn't push further, respecting her need for space. He knew something was bothering her, and he wished he could do more to help. Across the table, Steven watched the interaction with a clenched jaw. He felt a surge of protectiveness and jealousy. Seeing Maya with Ken and Levi made him realize how much he cared about her. He wanted to be the one to make her smile, to comfort her when she was down. But Tiffany's presence complicated things. She had been sticking to him like glue, oblivious to his inner turmoil. Steven knew that he needed to talk to Maya, to clear the air between them. But the moment never came. Tiffany, always perceptive to Steven's moods, suggested they take a walk outside to get some fresh air. Steven hesitated but agreed, knowing he needed some space to think.
Maya watched as Steven and Tiffany left the dining hall. Her heart ached with a confusing mix of jealousy and sadness. She wanted to believe that Steven's actions were just a result of the situation, but her feelings for him were growing stronger, and it hurt to see him with someone else.
Levi noticed the look on Maya's face and decided to step in. "Hey, how about we go for a walk too? Clear our heads a bit?" he suggested, his tone light and friendly.
Maya nodded, grateful for the distraction. "Yeah, that sounds good," she agreed.
As they walked out of the dining hall, Ken joined them, eager to keep the mood light. "So, what's the plan for today?" he asked, trying to divert Maya's thoughts from the tense brunch.
"Maybe we could explore the grounds a bit," Maya suggested. "I heard there's a nice garden nearby."
"Perfect. Let's go," Levi said, leading the way.
The trio walked together, their conversation light and easy. Levi and Ken did their best to keep Maya engaged, sharing stories and jokes to lift her spirits. Slowly, Maya began to relax, the fresh air and friendly banter helping to clear her mind. Meanwhile, Steven and Tiffany were walking through the same garden, though at a slower pace.
"Steven, is everything alright?" Tiffany asked gently, her concern evident.
Steven sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, just got a lot on my mind," he replied, his tone distant. Tiffany nodded, sensing there was more he wasn't saying. "If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here," she offered, trying to be supportive.
"It's alright. I think you will just complicate it."
Steven walked away from Tiffany. He knew he needed to find a way to talk to Maya, to clear the air and maybe, just maybe, see if there was a chance for them. Back in the garden, Maya, Levi, and Ken found a bench and sat down, enjoying the peaceful surroundings. Levi, always the observant one, noticed the slight tension still lingering in Maya's eyes. As they sat there, the three of them chatted about light topics, trying to keep the mood cheerful. They didn't notice Steven approaching until he was right next to them.
Steven's eyes were drawn to Maya, and jealousy flared up again. He couldn't stand seeing her so close to Ken and Levi. He walked past them, his jaw clenched. Ken noticed him and called out, "Hey Steven, why don't you join us?"
Steven shook his head, his expression tense. "I'd only interrupt. I'll leave you guys to it," he said, his tone colder than he intended. He walked past them, feeling the tension in the air grow thicker.
Maya's heart sank at the coldness in his voice. She opened her mouth to say something, but Steven had already turned and walked away. The tension in the air grew thicker. Levi exchanged a worried glance with Ken, both of them sensing the unspoken conflict between Steven and Maya.
"That was awkward," Levi said quietly, trying to break the silence.
Maya nodded, her mind racing with thoughts. "Yeah, it was," she admitted, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness.