Aki believed him right away. Deep down, he knew that the way they acted did not fit a couple's action. Liam and Mia bantered like Aki and Rina, with Mia teasing her cousin relentlessly. Yet Aki, in his stubborn way, made himself believe that the two were together despite the proofs in front of him. Now, he felt silly clinging to that idea.
But more than the revelation about their relationship, the other thing about Mia shook Aki the most. "She's our boss!?"
"You didn't know?" Liam arched his eyebrows at Aki.
Aki shook his head. The realization came in a series of flashbacks. That was why she could take a break anytime like when she first approached Aki; she dropped everything and entertained him. Aki thought he did not need to go through the evaluation process, but Mia had already interviewed him. If they were cousins, she could have easily verified his information from Liam. That was why, despite being close to the other staff, they all regarded her with the respect that was usually reserved for the big bosses.
'"Don't be nervous, you'll be fine. I won't work you to the bones."' So that was why she said that.
That was why, that was why.
Liam sighed. "Mia isn't really vocal about her position and she is very hands-on in the cafe so everyone treated her like the rest of the staff." Then he added, "Do you remember the one who gave me our house?"
Somehow, something itched in Aki's heart when he heard of 'our' in Liam's sentence. Then it hit him. Another Mia revelation. "Don't tell me --"
Liam rewarded him with a smile. "She wanted to have everything in her own power so she bought her own house and gave her parents' gift to me. And after she saved a little more, she started her cafe."
Aki digested all that new information. Everything was starting to fall to their places now. Things were getting clearer. "That's why you're really close."
"We are both an only child. Our parents are always busy so we hung out in each other's house often. So since we were kids, she acted like my big sister. And we have the same tastes. We usually like the same things. I always admire how she lives her life, laid-back but not carefree and very independent."
"That's nice, having someone like that."
"But don't think she spoils me. She may be my favorite cousin but she's very strict," Liam said.
Aki giggled at the thought of Mia disciplining Liam.
"Ah! You're laughing at me." Liam put on an offended face.
"I'm not!" The squeak that escaped from his lips betrayed Aki. He let out the laugh he had been holding. Liam followed suit.
When his laughter subsided, Liam said, "I'm grateful for Mia though. Not just for the house but for a lot of things."
Liam's happiness at his trip down memory lane that Aki found himself enjoying listening to the tales of Liam's childhood with Mia bossing him around.