"Frank, honey," Margaret called over her shoulder.

She thumbed through a few more pages of the magazine before returning to the one she had started on.

"What is it?" Frank asked as he appeared in the doorway. "I was just about to start dinner."

"I've chosen one," she said, and showed him the magazine. "He's perfect."

Frank took the magazine from his wife and studied the image.

"Appearance-wise, definitely, but does he have brains?"

"Read the article," she replied. "A journalist has found out he's doing a Master's degree alongside his work."

"And his health? Any genetic issues?"

"I wouldn't think so, but we should check."

"It's a good thing I've almost finished the basement, hmm?" Frank mumbled, handing the magazine back. "We'll have to start looking on fansites, hmm?"

"My friend Janine told me that he and his brother have a suite at the hotel she works at," Margaret said.

"His brother? He's the one with a twin?"

"Yes, but his brother is a queer. So it'll never work."

"A shame," Frank said. "Right, well I am going to start on dinner."

"Thank you, honey."


"Mai, he is so cute, you have no idea," Yasuhara gushed, leaning back into the sofa and sighing dramatically. "Like, I had some paperwork for him to sign, confidentiality stuff, and he sat there reading it through. It was so cute."

Mai frowned and deposited two cups of tea on the coffee table in her lounge. Luna jumped up onto the sofa and sidled into Yasuhara's lap.

"How is reading paperwork cute?" Mai asked. "Sounds sensible to me."

"Very sensible, always read the paperwork," Yasuhara agreed. "But he had this serious concentrating face with a bit of a pout and seriously."

He sighed again. Mai laughed.

"You're ridiculous."

"Why are the cute ones only after me for my services as a lawyer?" Yasuhara asked.

"Have you actually asked him out?"

"No, I can't while he's still a customer."

"Then you don't know that what you said is true," Mai pointed out.

"But it'd be weird, wouldn't it? Like, I now know a lot of stuff about this guy, we wouldn't be on an equal footing."

Mai frowned.

"I guess so," she said. "But at least you can skip that awkward bit, right?"

Before Yasuhara could respond, Mai's phone buzzed. Yasuhara snatched it from the table and read the preview.

"Who is Oliver Gold-Dust and why does he want to know if you like Belgian chocolate?"

"Give that back," Mai muttered, reaching for it.

Yasuhara held it out of her reach.

"Nuh-uh! Not until you tell me who he is!"

Mai rolled her eyes.

"Fine! He's a guy who came to my coffee shop and his name is Oliver and we've been texting a bit, that's all."

"And his surname is Gold-Dust?" Yasuhara asked, eyebrow raised.

"No, I don't know his surname and my phone wanted one and we have this joke where he asked for gold dust in his tea and I had nothing better to put, okay?"

"Why would he want gold dust in his tea?"

"Why do people want gold in their alcohol? I have no idea, but people still buy Goldschläger, don't they?" Mai pointed out.

"So he doesn't actually want it?"

"No, I don't think so. It's not like I could serve it even if I wanted," Mai said. "But he turned up at the end of one of my shifts and we went to McDonald's and discussed economics so…"

"He's a businessman?"

"Travelling salesman, so I'm guessing he's in Belgium. So if you give me my phone back, I might share some of the chocolate with you."

Yasuhara handed the phone over. Mai unlocked it and replied to the text.

"Is this the guy who tipped you a fifty?" Yasuhara asked.

"He might be."

"So he's rich too… Better invite me to the wedding."

"Oh shut up," Mai poked him in the side. "We're just friends. He made that clear."

"You sound disappointed."

Mai shrugged.

"He's tall and he's cute and he's intelligent. And I think he's a bit lonely. Curse of travelling all the time I guess, he only talks to his brother and work colleagues."

"Trust you to go for the brooding loner type," Yasuhara teased.

"He's not a— Okay, maybe he is a little bit," Mai relented. "But nothing is going to happen. So it's no big deal."

"You never know, friends to lovers is a wonderful story trope," Yasuhara said. "Think of the pining. It'll be wonderful and I'll get a nice front row seat. It'll be like living fanfiction!"

"Eugh, I would never write something so cliche!"

"I've read your early stuff, it was way worse than—"

"Don't remind me! But friends to lovers is so overdone!" Mai complained.

"You say that as if you don't read a tonne of fanfiction with that exact plot line," Yasuhara accused.

Mai flushed red.

"That is besides the point, okay?"

Yasuhara laughed.

"Anyway," Mai went on. "I finished another chapter of my actual story, if you want to read it."

"Of course I want to read it!"

"Good, because I emailed you a link to the Google Doc," Mai said with a smile. "I'm not quite happy with the opening of the chapter, but I'm hoping a second pair of eyes will help on that. Or maybe I stared at it for too long, I don't know."

"Well I'll read it this evening," Yasuhara promised.


"Earl grey please."

"Mai's just on her break," Sarah replied. "She went outside for some fresh air, if you're looking for her."

"Thanks."

Oliver paid, tipped and collected his drink.

"She's not here?" Lin asked.

"She's on a break," Oliver replied. "Her co-worker suggested she might be outside."

"Come on then."

They found Mai outside, blowing her nose.

"You're sick," Oliver accused by way of a greeting.

"Well done for noticing," Mai replied. "Why are you here?"

"I just arrived back from Belgium. I have chocolate for you and your friend."

He held up a little bag.

"Oh, I forgot about that. Did your business go well?" Mai asked, taking the bag. "Thanks for the chocolate."

"You look like you're about to fall asleep."

"I'm fine."

"You should go home."

"I'm fine," Mai insisted. "I can't leave Sarah without any help."

"How long will it take for someone else to turn up?"

"I'm going back to work," Mai pressed. "I'm fine, Oliver."

"Lin," Oliver turned to his assistant. "Does she look fine to you?"

"No, she does not."

"And would you want to purchase drinks from her?"

"No."

"So she would be damaging her company's reputation if she stayed?"

Mai scowled.

"I'll see if anyone from the other terminals can come over," she interrupted. "But if they can't, I'm staying."

"Okay then," Oliver relented. "I'll wait for you."

"What?"

"I don't believe you're actually going to do it," he said. "So I'm going to wait. Also, I don't think you're fit to drive."

"Well how else will I get home?"

"We'll take you."

"But then my car will be here," Mai argued.

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll drive you home, Lin can pick me up later."

"And when was the last time you drove?" Mai asked. "No offence, but you have a driver. You really think I'm going to let someone who barely drives drive me home?"

"I drove two weeks ago," Oliver replied. "Didn't I, Lin?"

"In Italy, yes."

"On the other side of the road."

"Mai, if I can be trusted not to break a brand new Lamborghini, I think I can drive your deathtrap."

Mai scowled.

"My car is not a death trap! It passed it's MOT!"

Oliver chose not to argue with this.

"Go and make the phone call."

Mai stalked off, pouting. When she was out of earshot, Oliver turned to Lin.

"Thank you for not pointing out that I only drove the Lambo a few metres," he said.

Lin smirked.

"I'm surprised they let you do that," he replied. "But I agree that she should not be driving herself home. I can follow you there if you want."

"No," Oliver said. "I…"

"You want to care for your sick friend?"

"Something like that. I have the weekend off, right?"

"Nothing in your calendar until Monday," Lin confirmed. "What do you want me to tell Gene?"

"Anything that'll shut him up," Oliver grumbled.

"Well depending on my wording, he might become more or less insistent about certain matters," Lin pointed out with a wry smile.

Oliver groaned.

"He's going to guess where I'm going either way," he said finally. "Just tell him the truth and let him react however he wants."

Lin smiled knowingly and Mai returned with her jacket over her arm.

"Sam is coming to help Sarah, Sarah kicked me out," she muttered. "Sarah is going for the assistant manager position so if she does well today, it'll look good for her. She's going to sort out a cover for me for the next few days."

"Works all around," Lin said. "I'll be off, let me know when you want picking up."

Lin walked away. Oliver rounded on Mai and held out his hand. She frowned.

"Keys."

Scowling, Mai pulled the keys from her pocket and dumped them in his hand.

"Lead the way," he said.

Mai complied.

As they reached her car, she groaned.

"You're going to adjust my seat, aren't you?"

Oliver opened the car door and appraised the space in front of him.

"On the basis that I will not fit if I do not, yes, I am going to adjust your seat."

"Eugh. This day just gets worse and worse."

"Just get in," Oliver muttered.

He adjusted the seat and Mai climbed in. As he started the engine and put his seatbelt on, Mai rooted around for a tissue box on the back seat. She found it under a spare jacket and grabbed a tissue.

"I hate being ill."

"I don't know many people that like it," Oliver said. He reversed out of the spot and left the car park before realising he was not entirely sure where he was going. "You're going to have to direct me."

Mai groaned again and began giving directions.

Some time later, Oliver parked up outside Mai's block of flats. She mumbled a word of thanks and led him inside.

"You can wait in here until your friend comes to collect you."

"Go and put your pyjamas on," Oliver muttered. "I'll make us drinks."

Mai decided not to argue and disappeared off down the corridor.

Oliver located the kitchen and flicked on the kettle. He could not keep the frown off his face as he glanced about Mai's humble abode.

As he poured two mugs of tea, something weaved around his legs, he looked down to see a fluffy grey cat.

"Hello?"

The cat meowed in reply. Oliver forgot the drinks for a moment and crouched down to greet the animal properly.

"Oh Luna, you slut, leave him alone."

Oliver looked up, surprised.

"I love her really," Mai mumbled. "But she always goes straight for any man that enters my apartment…"

"And you have a lot of men entering your apartment?" Oliver asked, standing up.

"Well… Not really. Not since the bathroom was redone. The landlord and his son fix everything themselves, she loved that. They gave her so much attention…"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's not but she'll end up spoilt."

"Do you want milk or sugar?"

Mai was already retrieving her milk from the fridge.

"I'll do it," she mumbled. "You don't have to stay, I'll be okay."

"Do you have any medicine? Your fridge was empty," Oliver stated, looking unimpressed. "We passed a supermarket on the way here. Let me go and get you food."

"Oliver, really, I'm fine. I just need rest."

"You need food." Oliver reached along the counter and picked up Mai's keys. "You can't stop me. You may as well give me a shopping list."

Mai scowled.

"Why are you doing this? I barely know you."

"Because we're friends and this is what friends do."

Mai opened her mouth to argue, but she knew that any one of her other friends would do the exact same thing.

"Fine," she muttered.

She grabbed a pad and a pen and started scribbling a list. Oliver waited and drank his tea while he did so.

"There."

"Good. Now go and get into bed and watch Netflix or something."

"I don't have Netflix."

"Amazon Prime? Hulu? Whatever that other one is? NowTV?"

"No."

Oliver sighed.

"Do you have a laptop?"

"Yes."

"Give it to me."

Mai sighed and retrieved her laptop. She unlocked it and passed it to Oliver. He passed it back a minute later.

"There, that's my Netflix account. Use it."

"Thanks…"

"Now go and get into bed." Oliver turned to the cat. "Luna, I need you to keep an eye on her for me. I have a feeling she won't rest unless we make her."

Luna meowed.

"Good. I'll be back soon."

Mai saw Oliver out and then did as she was told. She finished her tea, plugged her laptop in and climbed into bed. She browsed Netflix and settled on The Good Place, a show she had heard much about but had never seen.


Author's note: So I really need to get writing the rest of this, like I have maybe one more chapter ready... It's all planned! But I haven't written it... Ah well, please review :)