Chapter 1 - The Arrangement

Jun stared at the message one last time before putting his phone aside.

He leaned back and closed his eyes.

He didn't think much of her invitation at first.

She was the kind of girl who didn't seem particularly interested in being noticed. It wasn't because she was trying to disappear.

She wasn't.

Ava mostly listened. She laughed when something was funny and joined conversations when she felt like it. Otherwise, she watched.

But that came later.

Before he ever noticed her, there was Len.

And before the long drive, the festival, and the unfamiliar faces, Ava already knew what she didn't want.

She didn't want promises that became obligations. She didn't want affection that slowly turned into accountability. She wanted the freedom to stay because she wanted to stay.

For a while, Len understood that.

Ava, Len, and Lara had met through the same program. They were all going through the same stage of a new chapter in their lives, meeting people, learning the routines, and gradually becoming familiar with one another.

Ava wasn't always at the office, but whenever she was there, she and Len seemed to find each other.

Their conversations started simply: work, the program, people they had met, and the little things that happened during the day.

But the more they talked, the easier it became. Len was someone Ava looked forward to seeing.

There was something effortless about talking to her. Ava didn't have to force herself to keep the conversation alive. Sometimes they talked for a few minutes, sometimes much longer. Neither seemed to notice how naturally it had become part of their routine.

Len noticed.

And eventually, so did Chris.

It was a Thursday, a holiday. Chris and Len were at Aizle's house when he began noticing something different about her.

Len kept checking her phone.

She would read something, smile slightly, type a reply, then check the screen again.

Chris watched her for a while before finally asking,

"What's with you?"

Len looked up.

"Nothing."

Chris smiled.

"That doesn't look like nothing."

She tried to ignore him. Eventually, Len gave in.

"There's someone."

Chris immediately became interested.

"Who?"

Len hesitated.

"Ava."

Chris grinned.

"So that's who you've been talking to."

Len looked down at her phone.

"Yeah."

Chris moved closer.

"What are you saying to her?"

Len showed him the conversation.

Chris read through the messages, then looked at Len.

"That's it?"

Len frowned.

"What?"

"That's your strategy?"

"What's wrong with it?"

Chris laughed.

"Nothing. If your goal is to make her fall asleep."

Len took the phone back.

"You think you can do better?"

"Obviously."

He started helping her. The messages changed. They became warmer, then sweeter, then slightly flirtier. Nothing too obvious, just enough to change the feeling of the conversation.

Ava noticed. She didn't know what had changed. She only knew that Len's messages suddenly felt different—more playful, more confident—and Ava started responding faster. She also started saying more.

Len noticed that immediately.

She looked at Chris.

"She's replying faster."

"Told you."

Len laughed. Chris didn't think much of it. He was helping Len. That was all.

Then he suggested something else.

"Just invite her out."

Len looked at him. She hesitated.

"You like her, don't you?"

Len nodded.

"Then ask her."

Len tried. But Ava wasn't comfortable with the idea of a night out with just the two of them. She wasn't ready to be alone with Len like that yet.

Instead, Ava remembered something. Lara had invited her to visit her place before. So she suggested it.

"Why don't we just go to Lara's?"

Len agreed. And that was how the first staycation happened.

Lara's place was close to the beach resorts. It was far enough from the usual routines to feel like an escape without being completely unfamiliar.

She already knew there was something happening between Ava and Len. She knew about their arrangement. She knew Ava didn't want to rush into anything.

When they arrived, Lara simply let things happen naturally. At one point, she brought Ava and Len together with her friend Mia at the beach. They spent time there, drank, laughed, talked, and danced.

The afternoon became evening without anyone paying much attention to the time.

There was a guy from Lara's circle there too. At first, he simply joined the conversation. Then he started finding reasons to stay near Ava.

He asked her questions. Teased her. Leaned closer whenever she spoke. Ava didn't seem particularly bothered. She laughed at something he said.

Len watched from nearby.

She took another drink.

The guy said something else, and Ava laughed again.

Len looked away. She told herself it didn't matter. Ava had never promised her anything. Still, when she looked back, the guy was still beside Ava.

Len's expression tightened.

Ava glanced at her.

For a moment, their eyes met.

Ava didn't understand what had changed.

She didn't ask.

Eventually, they returned to Lara's place. Lara knew enough about Ava and Len to understand what might happen if she gave them the space.

She arranged the sleeping spaces accordingly. Ava and Len ended up in the same room.

The room had grown quieter.

Ava looked at Len.

Len was already looking at her.

Neither of them said anything.

For a few seconds, they simply stayed there.

Len's eyes dropped briefly to Ava's lips. She hesitated.

"Can I?"

Ava didn't answer immediately. She only moved a little closer.

Len leaned in and kissed her.

It lasted only a moment.

When Len pulled away, she looked almost startled by what she'd just done.

Ava stared at her. Then she laughed.

Len covered her face.

"Oh my God."

Ava was still laughing.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You're laughing."

"I know."

"That was terrible."

Ava laughed harder.

Len shook her head, embarrassed.

But when the laughter finally faded, neither of them moved away.

The intimacy wasn't planned. Neither of them had decided what the night would become.

It simply happened.

Later, Ava lay beside Len, staring at the ceiling. For a while, neither of them spoke.

"I should tell you something."

Len turned toward her. "What?"

Ava hesitated.

"I don't want a relationship."

Len was quiet for a moment.

"Okay."

"I'm serious."

"I know."

Ava turned toward her. "I like this. I just don't want it to become something I'm expected to explain."

Len watched her.

"I don't want to have to tell you where I am, who I'm with, or why I didn't answer."

"Okay."

Ava looked back at the ceiling.

"I just want us to go with the flow."

Len nodded slowly.

"No pressure?"

"No pressure."

"No strings?"

Ava smiled faintly. "No strings."

Len was quiet again.

"So what are we?"

Ava thought about it.

"I don't know."

Len looked away.

After a moment, she said, "Okay."

And Ava believed her.

Weeks passed. Nothing between them became official. Ava liked it that way. Sometimes Len messaged first. Sometimes Ava disappeared for hours and came back as though nothing had happened. Sometimes they spent an entire day together. Sometimes they barely spoke.

Len noticed the differences. Ava knew she did. But Len rarely pushed. She understood the boundaries Ava had placed around herself.

Or at least, she tried to.

Then the festival came.

Lara's place was three hours away.

That was exactly why Chris didn't want to go. Neither did Wade. The trip was too long. They didn't want to spend hours on the road and risk getting home late.

Lara wasn't having it. She insisted. She complained. She threw a tantrum.

Chris and Wade resisted for as long as they could. Eventually, as evening approached, they gave in.

"Fine," Chris said.

Wade looked at him.

"You're serious?"

Chris sighed.

"We're going."

"Three hours."

"I know."

Wade shook his head.

"You're crazy."

"Apparently."

Before they left the office, Len approached Chris. She wanted to say something, but Chris interrupted before she could.

"So, how was the staycation?"

Len stopped.

"What?"

"You and Ava."

A smile appeared on Len's face.

"Oh."

She told him. They hadn't gone to a hotel. They hadn't gone to a condo. They had gone to Lara's place instead.

"It was fun."

"So you finally got her out."

Len laughed. Then her expression became more serious.

"If Ava comes."

Chris looked at her.

"What?"

"Look after her."

Chris's smile faded slightly.

"There are people there I don't really know."

He understood.

"I'll look after her."

"And if some guy starts flirting with her..."

Chris raised an eyebrow.

"You think someone's going to try?"

"I'm serious."

He stopped smiling.

"Okay."

Chris asked if she was coming. Len shook her head. She already had plans and a flight to her hometown.

He didn't think much about the promise. He was simply doing Len a favor.

The trip began late. Chris sat in the front beside the driver, Allan. Wade, Ronnie, Jethro, and Doms were among the others. The road ahead seemed longer than everyone had expected. Eventually, they stopped for dinner.

That was where Ava joined them.

She had already been introduced to Chris during the stopover. The introduction was brief. Nothing about it seemed important.

During the ride, the conversation turned toward meeting Lara's friends. Someone suggested they use different names when they arrived. It began as a joke, then everyone agreed. One by one, they chose fake names.

Chris said little. Every now and then, his eyes drifted toward the rearview mirror.

His eyes found Ava.

Then looked away.

When they arrived, Lara's place was already alive. It was the night before the main festival, but the party had already begun. Karaoke filled the house. People danced. Music played. Drinks were passed around. Laughter came from every direction.

Lara welcomed them and began introducing her officemates to the friends who were already there.

Names were exchanged, except the names weren't exactly their real names. Ava listened.

Then Chris stepped forward.

"Jun."

Ava looked at him. She already knew that wasn't his real name. But she said nothing. For the rest of the night, he was Jun.

The introductions continued.

Drinks were passed around. People talked about work, different offices, different personalities, funny stories, and embarrassing stories.

Ava mostly listened. She laughed when something was funny and joined conversations when she felt like it. Otherwise, she watched.

Something about the way she carried herself caught Jun's attention.

He had seen her in the car. Now, surrounded by music, laughter, and unfamiliar faces, he found himself looking for her again. He couldn't explain why. He barely knew her.

By the time the party was nearing its end, everyone had become more comfortable. The music was still playing, but people had begun settling into smaller conversations.

Mia had been waiting for a chance to kiss Jethro. She didn't want to simply walk up to him and do it, so she leaned toward Wade and whispered what she wanted.

Wade glanced toward Jethro, then toward Jun. He had noticed the occasional glances Jun had been giving Ava throughout the night.

"Why don't we involve Jun and Ava?" he suggested.

Mia looked at him for a moment and grinned.

"Truth or Dare?"

Wade agreed excitedly.

A few minutes later, she announced the game to the group. Everyone agreed to play.

Jun didn't think much of it. He had no idea he was part of Mia and Wade's plan.

She started the game. She glanced around the room, then pointed at him.

"Jun. Truth or Dare?"

Jun looked at her, completely unaware of what was coming.

He stood up.

"Dare."

"Okay. Here's the rule."

Jun waited.

"Whatever I do to you, you do to Ava."

He glanced toward Ava.

Mia continued.

"And whatever you do to Ava, Jethro does to me."

Jun considered it.

It sounded simple enough.

"Deal."

Jethro laughed from where he was sitting. "What kind of rule is that?" Mia ignored him.

The people around them began laughing too. A few looked between Jun and Ava, already trying to figure out where the strange chain was going.

Jun was still smiling. He understood the rule. He just didn't expect what came next.

Mia moved closer.

Jun smirk, still expecting another joke.

Then she kissed him.

Jun froze.

The room exploded with laughter. Someone shouted and someone else started clapping.

Jun looked at Mia for a second, as though trying to process what had just happened. Then the rule came back to him.

Whatever Mia did to him, he had to do to Ava.

Ava was already watching him.

Suddenly, the dare felt different. He had agreed without knowing what it would be. Now he knew.

A kiss.

With Ava.

He could make it a joke. He could refuse. He could choose something else. Instead, he looked at her.

"Are you okay with this?"

She nodded.

Only then did he move toward her.

It lasted only a moment.

Then he pulled away.

People laughed. Someone said something he didn't catch. Jun barely heard any of it.

He looked at Ava. She was already looking at him.

The first kiss had been part of the game.

They had both known that.

But he kept thinking about it. It had been too quick. Before he could talk himself out of it, he asked,

"Can I kiss you again?"

Ava looked at him.

Jun waited.

She didn't answer immediately. For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then she smiled.

"Okay."

Jun leaned closer.

This time, there was no dare.

When they pulled apart, Jun found himself still looking at her. Then, almost as quickly, Len's earlier request came back to him. Len had asked him to keep other men from making a move on Ava.

And here he was, having just asked for another kiss himself. He almost laughed at the irony. But he pushed the thought aside. It wasn't supposed to mean anything.

The reaction around them was immediate. Mia's eyes widened as she looked from Jun to Ava. The others laughed and exchanged looks.

Mia laughed too, but she couldn't quite hide her confusion.

This wasn't how she had imagined the game going.

She had started it because she wanted to kiss Jethro. Now Jun had kissed Ava again, and somehow the attention of the whole group had shifted toward the two of them.

Jun, meanwhile, seemed completely unaware of how much everyone was reacting. Before anything else could happen, the group began preparing to leave. The party was ending. Everyone was heading back to Lara's house to rest.

Back at Lara's place, everyone settled into separate rooms. The boys stayed together. The girls went to another room. The house slowly became quiet.

Ava eventually got up to use the bathroom.

Jun noticed. He didn't know why; he lay down, sat up, lay down again, and eventually stood. He waited in the hallway.

She came out of the bathroom and stopped when she saw him. Jun was standing in the hallway. Neither spoke. The house had gone quiet. The others were already settling into their rooms. Jun thought about Len's request again.

Look after her.

He almost smiled at the thought. This wasn't what Len had meant.

"Can I kiss you again?"

She looked at him, then glanced toward the rooms behind him.

She could have walked away. She didn't.

Instead, she looked back at him and nodded.

Jun stepped closer.

This time, there was no dare, no audience, no excuse for it.

He kissed her.

The kiss was deeper and longer. Neither rushed to end it. When they finally pulled apart, neither said anything.

Ava glanced toward the rooms again. Jun stepped aside as she walked past him. He watched her disappear before returning to the boys' room.

Jun lay back, but sleep didn't come immediately.

After a while, he reached for his phone and called Lara.

"Lara."

"Hmm?"

"Can you send me Ava's number?"

Lara sent it to him a few seconds later. Jun saved the number and opened a new message. He typed something simple, then sent it.

A few minutes passed, but there was no reply. He checked his phone again before eventually placing it beside him and closing his eyes.

He fell asleep waiting for a reply.

The following day was the main festival. The place was busier, with more people arriving as the celebration continued. Ava spent time with Lara and her friends while Jun and the others stayed nearby.

At some point, one of Lara's friends came over and sat beside Ava. At first, it seemed harmless. Then the flirting began. He leaned closer, teased her, and kept the conversation going.

Jun noticed. For a moment, Len's request came back to him: *Look after her.*

He almost laughed.

After what had happened the night before, he wasn't exactly in a position to police anyone else. He had already crossed the line himself. So, he stayed where he was and watched.

Mia noticed too. She began teasing and interrupting the conversation whenever the flirting became too obvious. Ava laughed, apparently amused by all of it.

Jun said nothing.

By afternoon, Chris and the others decided it was time to leave. They didn't want to get caught on the road after dark. The trip back would take three hours.

They began saying their goodbyes. People hugged. They laughed. Then Allan made a mistake.

While introducing himself again to one of Lara's friends, he accidentally gave his real name.

Everyone stopped. Then someone realized what had happened.

"Wait."

Allan froze. "What?"

"You guys used fake names?"

Everyone laughed. The truth came out. One by one, the fake names were revealed. Lara's friends were shocked.

Allan laughed. "I forgot."

Wade shook his head. "Nice one."

Everyone laughed again. Then Wade looked at Chris.

"You sit in the back."

Chris frowned. "Why?"

"Just sit in the back."

Chris didn't question it. He moved.

Ava was already there.

He sat beside her.

The ride back was quieter.

The road stretched ahead, and the conversations in the front became background noise. Ava and Chris talked occasionally, small things, nothing important.

Then Chris remembered something.

"There was something I wanted to ask you."

Ava looked at him. "What?"

"I tried to message your number last night."

"My number?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"After the hallway."

Ava frowned. "I didn't get anything." Chris looked surprised. "You didn't?"

She shook her head. "No."

"I messaged you."

Ava took out her phone. "Show me."