After Kay left, the group settled in the living room to watch a movie, sprawling on the couches and bean bags. Heng insisted on picking the movie, landing on an overly cheesy romantic comedy, much to Nam’s dismay.
As the movie progressed, a romantic song came on, and Heng, ever the dramatic one, leaped to his feet. “Nam, my love,” he said, bowing theatrically and extending his hand, “may I have this dance?”
Nam rolled her eyes but let out a small laugh. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, standing up and taking his hand.
Heng then turned to Irin with a sly grin. “Noey, Irin, your turn. Get up!”
Noey shook her head furiously, shrinking into the couch. “No way. Absolutely not.”
Irin, however, was already up, pulling Noey with her. “Oh, come on! Don’t be such a killjoy.”
“Noey’s killjoy-ing is part of her charm,” Freen teased, wincing slightly as he adjusted his position on the couch.
Rebecca glanced at Freen, then at the impromptu dance floor. Her heart sank just a little as she watched the others twirling and laughing. She wished she and Freen could join them, but his back pain made it impossible.
Freen caught her glance and sighed inwardly. *Damn this stupid back pain. I could’ve danced with her.* He clenched his jaw, mentally cursing his body for betraying him.
Rebecca, on the other hand, was silently praying. *Please let his back heal quickly. I want to dance with him too.*
The evening continued with more teasing, laughter, and jokes flying between friends. Eventually, the group decided to head out for dinner, leaving Rebecca and Freen behind. As they stood at the door to say goodbye, Rebecca turned to Freen.
“How’s your back now? Any better?” she asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.
Freen shrugged lightly. “It’s manageable. Don’t worry about me.”
Rebecca hesitated before giving him a small smile. “Alright. Rest up, okay?”
She walked across the hall to her apartment, glancing back once before closing the door. Freen leaned against his doorframe, watching her leave, a small smile tugging at his lips.
---
It was late into the night when Rebecca’s phone buzzed. She blinked sleepily at the screen. It was a message from Freen.
**Freen:** *Are you awake?*
Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly replied:
**Rebecca:** *Yeah, what’s up?*
A moment later, her phone buzzed again.
**Freen:** *Pain’s gotten worse. Can you come over?*
Rebecca bolted upright, her heart racing. *Worse?* She quickly slipped on her slippers and dashed across the hall, knocking softly on his door before letting herself in.
“Freen?” she called out, her voice filled with concern. The apartment was dark, save for a faint glow from the hallway. “Are you okay?”
There was no response. She took a cautious step forward, her pulse quickening. “Freen, where are you?”
Suddenly, the lights flickered on. Rebecca squinted, her eyes adjusting to the sudden brightness. Freen was standing near the TV, holding the remote in his hand, a sheepish grin on his face.
“Freen!” she exclaimed, half in relief and half in exasperation. “What—”
Before she could finish, romantic music filled the room. Freen set the remote down and walked toward her, his gaze soft and steady. “I’m sorry for scaring you,” he said gently. “I just… I wanted to do something for you.”
Rebecca frowned slightly, still confused. “What are you talking about? What about your back?”
Freen smiled. “It’s fine now. I’m okay.”
She looked at him skeptically. “Are you sure? You were literally complaining about it earlier.”
“I was,” he admitted. “But when I saw how much you wanted to dance earlier and couldn’t because of me… I felt bad. So I figured now’s the time to make it up to you.”
Rebecca blinked, her heart swelling at his words. “You… noticed that?”
“Of course I noticed,” he said softly. He extended his hand toward her, his eyes warm. “May I have this dance?”
Rebecca hesitated, her concern warring with the fluttering in her chest. “Freen, are you sure you’re okay? I don’t want you hurting yourself again.”
“I’m sure,” he said with a reassuring smile. “I promise.”
Her lips curled into a smile as she placed her hand in his. He pulled her close, their bodies moving slowly to the rhythm of the music. The living room felt smaller, cozier, as if the world outside didn’t exist.
Rebecca let out a soft laugh as Freen twirled her lightly, their movements easy and unhurried. “You’re surprisingly good at this,” she teased.
“Surprisingly?” he echoed, pretending to be offended. “I’ll have you know, I’ve got moves.”
“Oh, I’d like to see those,” she shot back, grinning.
They danced, laughing and swaying, the music wrapping around them like a cocoon. Rebecca’s heart felt full, her earlier disappointment completely forgotten.
As the song ended, Freen stepped back slightly, his hand still holding hers. His expression softened, his gaze locking onto hers.
“Rebecca,” he said gently, his voice quiet and steady. “Can I ask you something?”
She tilted her head, her smile fading slightly. “What is it?”
“Can I kiss you?”
Her breath hitched, her cheeks flushing as the question lingered in the air. She hesitated, her heart racing, her mind caught between her feelings and her uncertainty.
Freen noticed the flicker of nervousness in her eyes and immediately softened his approach. “Hey,” he said softly, stepping a little closer but maintaining enough distance to give her space. “Bec, listen to me.”
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and unsure.
“I won’t force you,” he said, his voice firm but warm. “If you say no, I’ll respect that. I would never push you into anything—not even something small. You can always tell me, okay?”
Rebecca’s lips parted as her heart swelled at his words. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m still… trying to be okay with, you know, these things. I just—” She paused, taking a shaky breath. “I’m not sure if I’m ready or not.”
Freen nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. “That’s okay,” he said softly. “You don’t have to be ready for anything right now. I’m not going anywhere.”
He gently pulled her into a hug, his arms wrapping around her in a way that felt safe and comforting. Rebecca melted into him, her head resting against his chest as she closed her eyes, feeling the steady beat of his heart.
After a moment, Freen leaned back slightly, his hands still resting on her shoulders. He gave her a small, reassuring smile. “How about this?” he asked, holding up his hand between them. “Can I kiss you here? A hand kiss, you know.” His voice was light, almost teasing, but his expression remained kind and patient.
Rebecca blinked, a small smile tugging at her lips. She nodded, her cheeks still warm. “Yeah… okay.”
Freen took her hand gently, his touch soft and careful, as if he were holding something fragile. He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to her knuckles.
Rebecca’s heart fluttered at the gesture, a mix of emotions swirling in her chest. She looked up at him, her smile growing. “Thank you, Freen.”
“For what?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.
“For being you,” she said simply.
Freen chuckled softly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “You make it easy.”
They stood there for a moment, the world outside fading into the background. It wasn’t flashy or grand, but in that small, quiet moment, they both felt something real, something that didn’t need to be rushed.
“I should probably get back,” Rebecca said softly, though her feet didn’t seem eager to move.
Freen nodded but didn’t let go of her hand just yet. “Alright. But only if you promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?”
He grinned. “Promise you’ll try to get some sleep. You’ve got to stop overthinking.”
Rebecca laughed, shaking her head. “I’ll try. No promises, though.”
“Fair enough,” he said, finally letting her go.
As she crossed the hall back to her apartment, Rebecca glanced back once, catching him watching her with that same warm smile.
-------
Monday morning started like any other, with Freen waiting in the hallway, leaning casually against the wall by Rebecca’s door. When she finally emerged, she greeted him with a soft smile, her bag slung over her shoulder.
“Morning,” he said, straightening up.
“Morning,” she replied, her tone light but a little distracted.
They headed to his car, slipping into their usual rhythm. But while Freen hummed quietly to a song on the radio, Rebecca’s mind was miles away, replaying their conversation from the previous night.
She couldn’t stop thinking about how Freen had respected her decision, how patient and understanding he’d been. But no matter how much she wanted to let herself trust him, the ghosts of her past crept in, making her hesitate.
Freen noticed her silence, his gaze flickering toward her as they waited at a red light. “You okay?” he asked.
Rebecca blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied quickly, looking out the window to avoid his gaze.
“You sure?” His voice was gentle but insistent, and she knew he could see through her.
“I’m fine, Freen,” she said again, this time a little firmer. He didn’t press further, though she could feel his concern lingering in the air.
At work, Rebecca found herself spacing out more than usual, her mind still caught in the tangle of her thoughts. Freen, ever observant, noticed her distracted state throughout the day. Finally, during his lunch break, he made a decision.
Without her knowledge, he stepped away and called Nam and Irin, pulling them into a quick conference call.
“Freen, what’s going on? Why are you calling both of us?” Nam asked, sounding curious.
“Yeah, shouldn’t you be working?” Irin chimed in.
“I am working,” Freen said, rolling his eyes. “But it’s about Rebecca. She’s… off today. Distracted, quiet. I think something’s bothering her, and she won’t talk to me about it.”
Nam and Irin were silent for a moment before Nam spoke up. “You’re worried about her.”
“Of course I am,” Freen admitted. “I thought maybe you two could spend some time with her. You know, help her relax a bit.”
“And why can’t you do that yourself?” Irin teased.
“Irin,” Freen groaned. “I just think she might feel more comfortable opening up to you two. Please?”
Nam chuckled softly. “Fine. We’ll help. But you owe us.”
“Deal,” Freen said quickly, relieved.
By the time the workday ended, Freen and Rebecca headed home together. As they drove, Rebecca noticed Freen pulling into a food stall.
“What are you doing?” she asked, watching as he stepped out to order a variety of dishes.
“Getting food,” he said simply, offering no further explanation.
“For this many people?” she asked, puzzled.
Freen just shrugged and smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see.”
When they reached their hallway, Rebecca spotted Nam and Irin waiting by her door, waving excitedly.
“What’s going on?” Rebecca asked, looking between Freen and her friends.
“Girls’ stayover night!” Nam announced cheerfully.
“Surprise!” Irin added.
Rebecca turned to Freen, her expression softening. “You planned this?”
“Kind of,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “I figured you could use some time with them. You deserve to unwind a little.”
Rebecca’s heart swelled, and she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “Thank you, Freen.”
“Anytime,” he said, giving her a small smile before heading to his apartment.
Inside Rebecca’s apartment, the evening was filled with laughter and chatter as the three women caught up. Between bites of food, Nam and Irin nudged Rebecca to share what was on her mind.
“Okay, spill,” Nam said, crossing her arms.
“Yeah,” Irin added, leaning closer. “Something’s up, and we’re not letting you off the hook until you tell us.”
Rebecca hesitated, her fingers fiddling with her cup. Finally, she took a deep breath. “It’s about Freen,” she admitted.
Nam and Irin exchanged a knowing look but stayed quiet, letting her continue.
Rebecca told them about the previous night—the way Freen had asked for her permission to kiss her, how he’d assured her he wouldn’t force anything, and how he’d respected her decision when she wasn’t ready.
“And then,” she said, her voice softening, “he kissed my hand instead. He was so sweet about it.”
Nam sighed dreamily. “Freen is such a rare breed.”
“Right? I mean, come on!” Irin added, shaking her head. “How do you even hesitate with someone like that?”
Rebecca laughed softly, her cheeks flushing. “It’s not about him. It’s just… me. I’ve been through a lot, and I’m scared of getting hurt again.”
Nam placed a hand on her shoulder, her expression kind. “It’s okay to take your time, Rebecca. But don’t let your past hold you back from something good. Freen’s not the kind of guy who’ll hurt you.”
Rebecca nodded, her heart feeling a little lighter as the evening went on.
In her heart, she knew they were right. Freen was patient, kind, and everything she didn’t think she deserved, it was time to start believing she did.