"I don't know since when we started to feel close," Ellie thought as she stood behind the counter. "At first, I just wanted to be friends so I could live there more comfortably. But now… my heart keeps beating too fast whenever I'm with her."
She let out a small sigh.
"Maybe it's just because I'm still not used to her being around," she mumbled in her head, trying to brush off the feeling.
Just then, someone spoke to her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"The food is really nice. Are you the daughter of Mr. Chen and Mrs. Tjhan?"
"Huh?" Ellie blinked, a little surprised. She had spaced out completely and forgot that she was supposed to be serving a customer. The one who spoke was a regular—a kind-looking old lady who often came to her father's restaurant.
"Haha, what were you thinking about, young lady? You must be tired. You've been running this whole place by yourself today," the woman said kindly.
"Yeah, I guess I am," Ellie replied with a small laugh. "I'm planning to put up a recruitment sign soon. I really need some help."
Today was her first day officially taking over the restaurant. Everything had been prepared in advance—the furniture was new, the space had been redone. It looked brighter now, more modern, more like her.
"That's a good idea," the old lady nodded. She glanced around and smiled. "The place looks great. Your parents must be really proud of you."
Ellie gave a small smile. "Thank you. Please come again."
"I will," the old lady replied, then slowly left the restaurant.
As the door closed behind the last customer, Ellie stood still for a moment, letting out a quiet sigh.
"I must be losing my mind… I should be focusing today," she mumbled to herself before going back to work.
She had a plan—maybe a small promotion to attract more customers. So far, only the regulars had come in, which was comforting, but Ellie knew she couldn't rely on that forever. If she wanted this place to grow, she needed to hire someone soon. Running everything alone wasn't going to work for long.
Time slipped by without her noticing. The sky outside had already shifted, turning dim and soft. Evening was almost here, and closing time wasn't far off.
Maybe that's why she forgot
She was too busy—mentally and physically exhausted from managing everything by herself. She didn't even remember the invitation she gave Bella earlier, as she wiped down a table.
Buzz.
Her phone lit up with a new message.
"You forgot to tell me where is the location."
Ellie froze
"Shit," she muttered, staring at the screen. "I forgot to tell her where the place is…"
This morning, she left the house in a hurry. She didn't get a chance to talk to Bella at all. It was her first official day running the restaurant, and she was so focused on making everything perfect, she forgot the small things.
But she didn't expect Bella would still message her.
She didn't think Bella would remember.
She didn't even know Bella had saved her number—she only scribbled it on a sticky note back when Bella was sick.
Ellie stared at the message for a little while longer, a smile tugging at her lips.
"I guess I'm working overtime tonight," she murmured with a soft chuckle.
Just a few moments later—
Cling.
The chime above the door rang.
Ellie turned toward the sound, half-expecting a customer who forgot the time. But then she saw her.
It was Bella.
She stepped inside, wearing a simple black dress that somehow made her look effortlessly elegant. The way the soft light from the restaurant hit her face—it made her glow.
"Am I in the right place? Why is it so empty?" Bella asked, glancing around the quiet restaurant.
Ellie poked her head out from the kitchen. "Yeah, you're in the right place."
Her eyes landed on Bella again, and for a second, her breath caught. Her chest tightened.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
She could hear it—her heart again, pounding in her ears.
"What the hell is going on with me lately…" Ellie thought.
Bella walked in a bit further, still looking around. "Why is no one here?"
Ellie wiped her hands on a towel, then stepped out fully. "Because we're closed."
Bella blinked. "Wait… am I too late?"
"No," Ellie said, shaking her head with a soft grin. "You're right on time. I just closed the place… so we could eat together."
Bella glanced at the clock. It was around 8 PM.
"You already closed?" she asked, a bit surprised.
"Yeah, it's late. And honestly, I'm too tired to serve anyone else tonight… except—" Ellie gave her a teasing smirk.
Bella rolled her eyes, already sensing where this was going.
"Whatever," she said, pretending to agree with whatever Ellie was about to say—even though she hadn't heard it yet.
Ellie laughed. "Hahaha, alright. Just make yourself comfortable. The food'll be ready in a few minutes."
She disappeared into the kitchen.
Not long after, Ellie came back with dinner—steak with a side of vegetables. She placed the plate in front of Bella and sat down across from her. Just the two of them in the quiet restaurant. No noise. No distractions.
"You can start. Tell me what you think," Ellie said.
Bella looked at the food, a bit surprised—it actually looked really good. She took a bite, trying to hide her reaction.
"Not too bad," she mumbled with a small nod, clearly enjoying it but trying not to show it.
Ellie smiled. "Thanks."
"Actually… this morning, I was kind of in a rush and forgot to tell you the location of my restaurant. But… thank you for keeping your promise anyway," Ellie said, her voice a bit softer.
"It's not a big deal," Bella replied.
"But it means a lot to me. I didn't expect you to actually message me," Ellie admitted.
"You gave me your number, remember?" Bella said.
"Yeah, I just didn't expect you to save it," Ellie chuckled. "So… thank you."
All these little things—how Ellie noticed and appreciated the smallest gestures—made Bella see something new in her. Ellie was open about her feelings, never afraid to speak her mind. That kind of honesty… impressed her.
"You're really good at expressing your feelings," Bella said, almost like she was thinking out loud.
Ellie raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… you're honest. You don't hesitate to say what you feel. Most people might be scared or embarrassed, afraid others will think they're weak for being vulnerable. But you're not like that."
"I just can't hold my feelings inside," Ellie replied casually. "It's better to let them out, as long as it's good and doesn't hurt anyone."
"You're right… I wish I could be as brave as you" Bella said, her eyes soft and a little sad.
Bella—who had spent almost her whole life hiding her true self—felt a small sting of insecurity watching how easily Ellie could be open and honest.
"Why don't you try?" Ellie said gently. "I mean… it's okay to express what you feel, as long as it's good and doesn't hurt anyone."
Bella lowered her gaze, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her glass without thinking.
What Ellie said made sense. It sounded so simple when it came from her.
She wished it could be that easy for her too.
But it wasn't.
For as long as she could remember, Bella had been careful—careful to hide, careful to stay quiet, careful not to show too much of who she really was.
It wasn't just a habit; it was survival.
Yet now, sitting across from Ellie, Bella felt something unfamiliar stirring inside her.
Maybe… a part of her wanted to change.
Maybe she wanted to be like Ellie—honest, unafraid, unashamed to show the world who she was.
But the idea terrified her.
Because once you showed your true self, there was no taking it back.
Still, no matter how much fear gripped her, she couldn't deny it:
Ellie's way of living—so open, so sincere—was starting to crack something inside Bella.
And a small, stubborn part of her wondered if maybe… just maybe… she could learn to be brave too.
Bella was silent for a moment before finally speaking:
"I'm not sure I can," Bella said softly.
"Of course you can," Ellie said with a gentle smile. "I think I have something that might help you be brave enough to say the things you've been holding back."
"How?" Bella asked, curious.
Ellie stood up and walked to the fridge. After a moment of searching, she pulled out a couple of beers and returned to Bella, handing one to her.
"I think this might help," Ellie said with a teasing grin.