"Hyung, is this for tomorrow?"

"Yes, put them in the freezer," Henry directed Hyun Wook, as he brought in a box of frozen beef slices from the back door.

He walked towards the freezer when Henry called out to another kitchen staff. "Geunji, hold the door for Hyun Wook."

The staff quickly opened the freezer door, standing against it as he let Hyun Wook go in with the frozen.

As Henry watched them, he turned to the opened kitchen door and saw Yoon Hee was on the laptop, having a video call.

"Yoon Hee ah! You with her?" he asked, eyes back on the two guys at the freezer.

"Yes!" Yoon Hee responded back.

"Tell her about the freezer!"

"What is it about the freezer?" Hyun Ae's question could be heard by Henry, so he walked out from the kitchen towards Yoon Hee, and saw Hyun Ae on the screen.

"The door's kinda broken. It can be closed, but to open it from the inside, you need skills. The handle from the inside, I think they're loose. So if anyone wants to take out or bring in the ingredients, one needs to look out for the door. Since you know... they would close by itself," Henry briefly explained the problem.

"Ah... I see. So the owner was right. How many do you guys need for a new one?"

"No, no. We can still use it. We don't need a replacement for now. We'll just make sure that no one will be alone in the freezer," Yoon Hee stated, chuckling as she noticed her surprised expression.

"Oh. That sounds creepy."

"Nah, we're used to it by now. Plus, we need to save a bit of money. So..." Henry began to ask, crossing his arms as he proceeded. "When will you come home?"

"I... haven't decided yet."

"Well, we hope you'll be okay soon. We miss you, girl. It's almost the third month since you left. The others keep asking us."

"Well, I miss you guys too."

*

"Hyunnie, look who's here!"

"Huh?" Hyun Ae mumbled, looking away from her laptop upon her mother's call.

After she excused herself from Yoon Hee, she walked towards the front of the house where her mother was standing, and then there was someone at the door.

"Oh, Rayyan? What are you doing here?" she asked in confusion, stepping aside as her mother allowed him to enter.

Then they were left alone as her mother excused herself to go back to her room.

"Just... I bought this for you. Your favorite Ramly burger(1)," he said, showing her a plastic bag.

"You know you don't have-"

"No, I don't want to hear it," Rayyan chortled as they reached the dining room.

Both of them sat down as he placed the take-outs on the table, but Hyun Ae immediately stood up back as she remembered something.

"Oh, wait. I'm on a call with my friends." She immediately made a run towards the living room, where her laptop was. "Hello? Yoon Hee?"

"Yes. We're still here," Yoon Hee said, waving her hand at her.

"Uh... um... Can you call Hyun Wook? There's someone here he should meet," Hyun Ae asked, before running back to the dining room and grabbing Rayyan, dragging him back to the living room.

"Hyun Wook! Guess who's here?" Hyun Ae asked when her brother appeared on the screen.

"Rayyan? Hey bro!" Hyun Wook waved as his friend showed up.

"Hyun Wook! It has been a very long time! How are you?" Rayyan asked, waving back to him.

"Well, I'm fine as usual. Much finer when my sister isn't around."

"How could you?!" Hyun Ae gasped, crossing her arms as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm just kidding! Wait," Hyun Wook paused before he came closer to the screen with an intense glare. "What are you doing in our house? Also, at this time which is... almost eleven at night according to my Malaysian timezone watch?"

"Oh, I was just... bringing some food for your sis- I mean, your family," Rayyan muttered. But there was no response from Hyun Wook, only another intense glare from him. "No, I'm serious! We're just friends!"

"Well Rayyan, I know we're good friends. So for your information, Hyunnie noona already got a boyfrie-"

"Hyun Wook!" Hyun Ae suddenly cut in, trying to stop her brother from going further.

She looked over to Rayyan, and he had this awkward smile, so she just pushed him away from the laptop.

"He's just... talking nonsense and all. You know him, don't you?" she whispered, her hand tugging on his shirt. "I... I'll end this call soon. I'll join you shortly after this."

As she said that, Rayyan nodded and left the living room.

Letting out a sigh, Hyun Wook ran back into the living room and faced her laptop again, where there was still her brother with Yoon Hee, looking surprised.

"Hyun Wook-"

"What? You're telling me that you like Rayyan now?" Hyun Wook scoffed, looking furious now. "Noona, you know who you confessed to last time, right? Do you know how much that THAT guy cries non-stop after you leave-"

"No. Don't talk about him, please," she firmly said, her fist tightened as she bit her lips, looking away from the laptop towards the dining room. "You see... I haven't had my dinner so I should go-"

"You're having dinner with my friend?" Hyun Wook asked, totally lost it now as he continued. "I want you to come back soon because there's a heart here that wished to be comforted by you. No one else, but you. Park Hyun Ae."

"Oh! Did you just-"

The call ended abruptly. Hyun Ae was truly shocked by Hyun Wook's sudden anger, but she was overly shocked when her brother even mentioned her full name.

She sighed, closing her laptop before making her way to the dining room, and taking a seat beside Rayyan who had been waiting for her.

"Are you... okay?" he began to ask, taking out a can of Sprite from inside the plastic he brought.

"Urgh... I'm fine," she sighed again, opening the can and taking a gulp.

"How's your shop?"

"Well... one problem came up."

"Right after today's party."

"Also, why are you coming? I thought you would go straight home after the party," Hyun Ae asked curiously as she took another gulp.

"Well, I saw how you didn't really eat that much earlier, so I figured that maybe you would want your favorite street burger as a late-night snack. That's why I asked for your parents' permission to come here tonight," he explained, taking out one of the wrapped burgers and placing it on top of the table.

"I don't understand why on earth mom and dad let someone come here at late-night to meet their daughter," Hyun Ae snickered, picking up the burger, and it was still warm. "I mean, logically. If I am to get used to Malaysian style, it's like... a weird thing for a guy to ask permission from the girl's parents to meet the girl late at night-"

"Hyun Ae, I like you."

She turned to him, the burger rolled off from her hand after hearing his sudden confession.

Both of them went quiet. Hyun Ae became still as she stared at Rayyan, who had his eyes stuck on his fingers, looking gloomy.

"I know we're different in cultures, religions, and all but... I like you. But never mind that now I know I can't," he smiled weakly, finally meeting her eyes. "I heard Hyun Wook."

'There's a heart here that wished to be comforted by you.'

Hyun Ae was a bit taken aback. She didn't know how to react. She would be lying if she said that not a bit of interest had arisen inside her while getting to know this guy in front of her.

But she was the only one who knew what her heart wanted more. She only wanted someone else's heart.

"Rayyan-"

"So stupid of me for having this feeling for you," he chuckled weakly. "It's your last day, I might as well tell you now. It's a good thing that I finally said it. I've been wanting to say it to you, but I couldn't."

"Rayyan, I..." Hyun Ae was totally lost. She sighed, trying to get a hold of herself before she began.

"To be honest, I'm happy to know that there is actually someone out there who likes me. But, I already...." She paused, taking a glance at him. He gave her a nod, totally understanding her.

"You're a good guy. There are many girls out there who are better than me, who deserve you more than me," she softly said. "And also, it's only my last day at dad's restaurant. Not in Malaysia. If there's anything that I can do for you, at least... Because I still want to have you as a friend."

They both stared at each other in silence. And then he chuckled, picking up one burger and began to unwrap it. "Tomorrow is my day off. Will you... go out with me?" he asked her, handing out the burger to her.

With a fond smile, Hyun Ae took it. "Yes, Rayyan. I will."

***************************************************

NOTE

(1)'Ramly burger' = one of the many sinful but blissful street food sold in the neighborhoods in Malaysia. I know all my Malaysian readers are craving this burger now. I had to mention it here, it's the BEST BURGER in the world TmT  

*for my readers from other countries, you guys can look it up on Google. If there's a chance, you guys will get to taste one TmT it's delicious, I swear*

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