-1First and foremost, I'd like to apologize for the delay in updates.

Next, I've received quite a number of reviews despite being on hiatus mode. I've taken into consideration all those much appreciated reviews (the thumbs-up and the put-downs). It's all for a good cause right?

So, guys here's Chapter 3. Knock yourself silly. Cheers!

Chapter 3

"Sumie!" sang Nyoko as she stepped into her friend's cosy café. She closed her umbrella and gave it a little shake. With Aki just behind her, she cheerily lead the way and plonked herself down on the sofa.

"I love light drizzles," Nyoko said dreamily, playing with a strand of her hair. "But I love hot chocolate more," she quickly added and sat up immediately when Sumie placed a cup each in front of them.

"If I tell you that your random statements of I-love-this and I-love-that are killing me, would you stop?" asked Aki with a straight face. In response, Nyoko just took a sip of her hot drink and the look on her face conveyed a feeling of intense delight.

"Am I missing out on something here?" quizzed Sumie as she joined the table.

"Your friend here," Aki stated as a matter of fact and cocking her head towards Nyoko at the same time "is getting a little carried away with her romantic attraction."

"He's the object of my affection," added Nyoko.

"And you're making yourself look like an object of anybody's ridicule," Aki said with a smirk, knowing that her witty comeback had knocked Nyoko down with a feather.

Sumie couldn't help but laugh at her friends' pointless argument. It must've somehow snapped them back to reality because they went all quiet and had a sheepish look on their face. "Tsk, tsk" sighed Sumie, shaking her head.

"Did you guys go back late last night?" asked Sumie. "You know, lack of sleep can somewhat cause people…."

"Blah blah blah… yes, we did go back late last night." replied Aki. "You should've stayed a little longer. There were so many cute guys at the pub. I swear I was spoilt for choice."

"You know I don't just chat randomly with any Tom, Dick or Harry," replied Sumie a little quietly.

"Well, guess what Sumie; Tom's dead, Dick's married and Harry's gay. So, let's just get on with it," retorted Aki, a little exasperatedly. "Don't tell me you're going to wait forever."

A unbearable silence suddenly filled the atmosphere, reminding Sumie the most heart-breaking incident of her life. Past memories and broken promises flooded her mind. She shut her eyes, hoping it would flush them away.

"That's right, Sumie," added Nyoko. "It's been 3 years since you last heard from him. If he's true to his words, he'd have been back by now."

"Who says I'm still waiting for him?" said Sumie blatantly.

"Gee, let's see. The most obvious would definitely be the fact that you still frequent the park where you guys said your goodbyes before he left for the States."

Sumie tried to act calm but mentally, she was frantically concocting a possible excuse for her actions. "There's nothing wrong with reminiscing past memories, right?"

Aki took her time to deliberate Sumie's reason. "Then how come you haven't been taking the initiative to see anyone?"

"Who says I haven't?" replied Sumie a little too quickly and mentally winced. Shit. Oh, shit.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" a completely shocked Nyoko voiced out. "When was this?"

"Well, last night in fact," Sumie said with a smile so fake that she might just be sued. "With the driver of the white FC," Oh please, someone, slap me with a spoon.

"Get out of here," Nyoko whispered in shock. For a few minutes, neither of the trio moved. Aki and Nyoko obviously trying to digest the bombshell that Sumie dropped on them.

"Wha- How-?" Aki stuttered.

"He offered to give me a ride back as it was quite difficult to get a cab in that area," Sumie explained. Wow, her good conscience is finally back.

Her best friends didn't say anything but the look on their faces obviously conveyed that they were unsatisfied with her answer. "Are you guys gonna meet up again or not?" Aki finally broke the silence.

"Well…" Sumie drawled slightly. "I told him we'd meet again if there's another race,"

"You've gotta be kidding. You'll be the death of me very, very soon," Nyoko said, rolling her eyes and slumped back into her seat only to immediately seat back up again in excitement and excused herself to the ladies. Sumie thought it was a bit odd, but then again looking at her current lovesick mode….

"Look me in the eye and tell me you'd meet him again if there's another race," Aki said pleadingly.

"Look, whatever that's happened in the past, I'm trying my very best to get over it. Cut me some slack here okay. Besides, he does seem interesting and.. Quite cute to boot," Sumie continued, adding the last part a little softly.

Nyoko came back, skipping to the table. "You'd better thank me for this." Nyoko said and placed Sumie's phone on the table. "I just messaged your white comet using your phone. He'll be here at 9 when your shop closes." Nyoko said triumphantly.

Aki opened her eyes real wide and hugged Nyoko, praising her for being so brilliant to come up with the idea.

Sumie, on the other hand, knows she can't get out of this bottomless pit.