Work and Uni the following day.

Work goes well that night with no issues. We are only licensed to 10 pm on a Sunday so it’s my earliest finish out of all the days I work. Sunday sessions draw a heavy drinking crowd seeking to end their thirst for the weekend before the working week begins anew on Monday. I give the staff a hand cleaning up but still make it home just after 11.

I know Yui will have work at her school the next day so send her a message hoping it's not going to be too late for me. Little did I know yet that Yui functions near 24 hours a day with the most incredible reserves of energy. She was also attached to her phone at all times for instant communication.

‘Hey beautiful. Hope your pool party went well. Thinking out you and our date this week. Xxx’

Yui’s message bubble pops up as soon as I hit send. I have caught her before she goes to sleep.

‘Thank you handsome! It wasn’t the best. Piya and I had a little fight. Caused a bit of scene. Nothing to worry about though. I’ll tell you about it on our DATE. Can’t wait!!!’

We message a little bit more that night before going to sleep but Yui won’t be drawn on what exactly went on with her and Piya at the pool party. It’s nice having someone to contact throughout the day and I feel my attachment for Yui growing already.

The next day at Uni I feel I should seek out Piya and see if she will give me any details on what went down. Piya and I have known each other’s school schedule for years and I know exactly where to find her over her lunch break. She will be in her favourite café underneath the library watching the ducks in the duck pond.

That’s where I find her breaking off bits of her roll for a paddling of ducks in the water next to her. I smile at Piya but upon seeing me she stiffens in her seat. Her previously relaxed exterior going ramrod straight on her chair.

I try and make conversation with Piya who I have been friends with for four years now but she is nothing but terse when she responds. As I’m doing this, I notice on Piya’s forearms what looks to be scratch marks. On seeing me looking she pulls down her long sleeves covering up the red grooves before I can ask.

Instead, I ask her if she got her clutch back off Yui.

“Thank you for finding my purse,” she says somewhat begrudgingly.

I’ve had enough of her mood by this point and somewhat carelessly ask her what her problem is.

Piya’s eyes and nostril flares as she prepares to let me have it. “You! You’re my problem.”

“What! How?” I answer back, her tone and mood causing me to argue back with her.

“Just keep your lips to yourself. I don’t need you causing problems in my relationship now that you’ve got one of your own to look after,” Piya accuses me before she throws the rest of her roll at the ducks uneaten and storms off out of the café.

Piya had been just like this the first time we had kissed while out drinking together. Leading me on and on for weeks at a time until our kiss happened and then ice-cold straight afterwards. Although she was not anywhere near this angry then. If the last time is any guide to go by, it’s best to let her go and cool off. She had come around last time after a pair of months to cool off and we’d been friends again.

Still, the experience with Piya left me with a sour mood for the rest of my classes at Uni today. The ducks didn’t seem to mind the sudden generous helping of bread they received.