"So…" Geesa began, her voice trailing off.
Two empty beer mugs sat between them, a third one half-finished in her hand. On the table—what remained of a chicken steak and a half-eaten pizza.
"You need more… to open up?" she asked, her words slightly slurred, softened by the haze of drink and warmth.
"Aria?" she called again—gently.
"Geesa…" Aria mumbled, her forehead pressed firmly against the table. She groaned, her voice muffled against the wood.
"You've got a husband, right?"
Geesa blinked—caught off guard. She hesitated, unsure where this was heading.
"Y… Yes?" she answered cautiously.
It was the first thing Aria had said all night since arriving at the restaurant—and this was it?
"Teach me…" Aria groaned again, cheek still mashed against the table. Her voice was rough, almost demanding.
"Teach me how to seduce a man."
Geesa froze. Her breath caught—completely blindsided.
"Aria…?" she said softly, leaning in, trying to read her face.
"Are you… alright?"
Aria lifted her head sharply—eyes wild, hair a mess—and slammed her hand against the table with a loud thud.
"Teach me how to seduce him!" she yelled.
The restaurant fell into stunned silence. Heads turned. A few forks froze mid-air.
Geesa's eyes widened. She quickly twisted in her seat, waving at the startled crowd with an apologetic smile.
"Our bad!" she called out, awkwardly. "She's—she's just joking!"
"What… are you saying?" Geesa whispered, leaning in.
Aria didn't look up. Her head bowed, cheek pressed to the dark wood of the table.
"I…" she sniffled, voice trembling. "Teach me how to seduce him…"
Her fingers curled tighter against the table's edge.
"I'm losing him… slipping through my grasp…" she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes, her frame shrinking inward with each word.
"Geesa…" she breathed—barely audible—pulling back her tears, trying to stay composed, but failing.
Geesa stared at her, stunned for a moment. Then her features softened. She offered a small, awkward smile as she reached out—gently rubbing Aria's back.
"Don't… don't cry," she murmured, soothing her hand in slow circles.
"I don't know who this lucky guy is… the one my amazing Aria is trying to seduce—" she chuckled weakly, "—and somehow hasn't already fallen for you…"
"But hey—keep trying. If he's not in your grasp now… he will be, one day."
She reached over, picking up a small glass—one of the remaining drinks—and nudged it gently toward Aria's lips.
"Here. Just a sip, yeah?"
But Aria scoffed, hand rising sharply. The glass slipped from Geesa's hand—knocking aside, clattering across the table, spilling slightly.
Geesa froze, just watching—unsure, uncertain what to do next.
"He's not," Aria whispered, curling into herself.
"If this is how it's going to go… then he's never going to come to me."
Her voice cracked, fragile.
She slowly lifted her head, tears clinging to her lashes as her hand reached forward—grabbing Geesa's arm.
"Teach me, Geesa," she said—voice steadier now, but her eyes…
Her eyes were locked on Geesa's.Desperate. Determined. Pleading.
"Teach me how to do it."
Their gaze held—too long, too deep.
Geesa stared back, caught in the intensity of Aria's look.
Something unspoken passed between them.
Then suddenly—Geesa inhaled sharply, pulling back as if surfacing from underwater.
She yanked her arm free, panting slightly as she rubbed at her wrist.
"A… Alright. Alright."
Her voice was flustered, her tone caught between nerves and surrender.
She glanced down—yellow stains marked her sleeve where Aria's fingers had clung.
"I will," she said, brushing them off. "But stop grabbing me."
Aria quickly drew her hands back, blinking innocently—wide-eyed.
"Alright," she said, almost childlike.
Then, more firmly:
"Now, teach me."
Aria's voice hung in the air, firm and unwavering.
Geesa stared at her, unsure—uncertain how to even begin unfolding something like this.
"It's… hard," she murmured, her voice low. "Too hard to talk about, especially when you're bringing up my marriage—just for the experience."
Aria shook her head, cutting her off gently but firmly.
"I'll owe you one," she said, her tone soft now.
"A big one."
Her eyes locked onto Geesa's, resolute.
"Anything you say."
Geesa looked at her—really looked. Her expression tightened, awkward.
"After all these years working together… this is the first time you're saying you owe me once."
She hesitated, her voice trailing off.
"And that too... this way—It doesn't exactly feel… ideal."
Aria scoffed faintly, brushing the sentiment aside.
"Enough with that," she said.
"Just tell me. The details. How to do it."
Geesa stared at her a moment longer—then finally exhaled. A deep, heavy sigh. She leaned back into her chair, sitting straight, as if bracing herself.
Her eyes closed slowly, steadying herself.
"…Haah.""Alright," she said at last, reopening her eyes and meeting Aria's gaze.
"Alright…" Geesa hissed under her breath, rubbing her temple before continuing.
"I don't even know why I'm doing this… but…"
She sighed—deep, heavy.
"Alright," she repeated, the word landing with finality.
She leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with Aria.
"First question—how many years?"
Aria blinked. "Huh?"
"How many years have you two been together?" Geesa clarified, watching her closely.
Aria fell into thought, then replied softly—almost dazed.
"Since I can remember."
Geesa's brow arched. "So… a childhood friend?"
Aria opened her mouth—
"No— Y… Yes," she hesitated before correcting herself—quickly, flinching at her own slip.
"Y… Yes?" Geesa echoed, unsure.
"A childhood friend. Yes."
Aria smiled, nodding, a little too eagerly.
Geesa narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…Alright. If that's how you say it."
She leaned back, gaze falling into thought, distant for a beat. Then she returned—her tone gentler, but probing.
"How close are you two?"
The answer came fast. Almost too fast.
"I sleep with him," Aria said—too readily.
Geesa blinked. Her brows shot up, eyes wide with confusion.
"You sleep with him?" she repeated, her voice rising slightly in disbelief.
Aria's face froze.
Then, in a flurry of panic, she backtracked.
"Oh! Oh—s-sorry! Did I say I sleep with him?" she laughed nervously, waving her hands. "I didn't mean that."
Geesa stared at her flatly.
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure you did say that."
She rolled her eyes, folding her arms.
"Unless I've suddenly gone audibly impaired."
Aria flushed, fumbling her words.
"My bad—I meant…" she paused, grasping for a save.
"I meant… if I wanted to, I could sleep with him. That's what I meant."
Geesa hummed, clearly unconvinced but choosing—for now—not to press.
"So… you could, if you wanted to."
Aria nodded, smiling a little too brightly.
"Yes."