Over the summer, Freen and I spent our days reading books and diving into business law discussions. Her quick grasp of concepts made me even prouder. She was definitely a top-notch student.
As the first semester of our third year kicked off, Irin returned, and my time with her decreased slightly due to spending time with Nat and Freen as well.
"So, what's the deal between you and Freen?" Irin asked, her expression slightly annoyed. "You're hanging out with her more than me."
We were in the cafeteria, having lunch. Freen had mentioned that she'd be with her parents this week, so I was having lunch with Irin.
"We're like sisters," I replied.
Irin choked on her food, and I quickly handed her some water. "Sisters?" she scoffed. "I was expecting 'just friends'! That's how it always starts in movies. They claim to be friends, and then they become a couple."
"You've been watching too many dramas, Irin," I chuckled, shaking my head.
"I'm jealous of Freen. You're always with her now. We don't talk like we used to," Irin pouted. She pointed to my phone. "Look, she's calling you!"
Freen's video call was coming in. I chuckled at Irin's playfully exaggerated reaction before answering. Freen was lying on her bed.
"How was your day?" I asked, taking a bite to let her know I was in the cafeteria.
"Good," she said, looking tired. "Are you just eating now? It's past lunchtime. Long professor hours?" she teased.
I nodded, smiling. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Irin rolling her eyes, but I brushed it off. She probably wasn't jealous—she might even be secretly hoping for a connection between Freen and me.
"Did you eat already?" I inquired.
"Yeah. We went to a restaurant earlier. Dad had a business meeting, so we had to cut it short." Freen faked a smile, playing with the filters.
I continued eating as she played around, but she suddenly stopped and focused on me eating.
"I miss you, Becca," she said with a smile.
My cheeks flushed, and I pretended to nudge the phone away as if adjusting it.
Come on, Freen, I'm in the cafeteria. I can't blush like crazy. Ugh.
"Okay, sis," Irin chuckled, mimicking me.
"Sorry, Irin is a bit clumsy," I retorted, rolling my eyes, earning a glare from Irin.
"You're with her, huh?" Freen asked. "Ask her what she wants. I'm flying to Singapore tomorrow. I'll grab you both some souvenirs."
"She's good. No need to get her anything," I replied, nudging Irin out of the frame.
"And you?" Freen inquired.
"Oh, me?" I countered. "Nothing much. I just want you back here."
Freen chuckled, giving a thumbs-up. "You're totally flirting with me."
"I'm just speaking my mind," I responded with a laugh.
"Alright, I'll let you finish your meal. I'll call you later, okay?" she said.
"Sure thing," I agreed.
"Love you!" She ended the call, leaving me sighing.
My face still felt warm, and Irin couldn't stop laughing.
"Wow, what happened to tough Becky?" Irin teased, laughing. "I thought it was 'BeckFreen,' but now I think it's actually 'FreenBecky.'"
"BeckFreen?" I raised an eyebrow.
"BeckFreen—short for Becky and Freen. Duh," Irin rolled her eyes. "Anyway, it's FreenBecky now. I never thought Freen could get you blushing like that. She just said 'I miss you, Becca,' and you turned into a tomato."
I playfully covered her mouth to quiet her. "Okay, I get it. Enough."
Irin chuckled and focused on her food. Just as she was about to speak again, I playfully shoved a whole burger into her mouth, making her grimace.
"Finish your food," I urged, and she nodded, still giggling.
Irin and I finished eating, and Nat joined us at the table. We were ready to leave, but courtesy kept us seated for a moment.
"Hey, mind if I join? All the other tables are taken," Nat asked.
"Well, actually, there's that one table over there," Irin pointed to the only unoccupied table. I nudged her. "Oh, come on! I'm just being honest."
"It's fine. You can sit here. We're done anyway," I said politely.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Nat asked.
I glanced at Irin, who raised her eyebrows, waiting for my response.
"Sure," I agreed. "Just hope it's quick. Irin and I have class."
"You're abandoning me!" Irin pretended to cry as she walked away from us.
Nat and I both chuckled.
"So, what's on your mind?" I asked.
"I actually wanted to invite you. I'm heading to Chankimha Mall later to pick up a gift for my friend. I'd love to get your input," Nat explained, rubbing his neck. "If you're free after class."
Chankimha Mall. If I tell Freen I'm going, would she show up too?
"Sure, I'll text you after class. Does that work?" I asked.
Nat nodded, and I excused myself. I quickly messaged Freen that I'd be going to the mall in the evening, and she mentioned that she'd be there too. It was clear that she missed me a lot.
a/n: Is this story worth waiting for? I hope you're enjoying babies.