"P'View! It seems to be a gathering kind of night, was it?" Mim faces View.
The older girl startled, almost dropping what she had in her hand.
"I... I... what are you doing here?" Already stuttered.
"I'm here to buy groceries. It's not like there's a comedy show here P'." Mim sounds harsh, but honestly, nobody can be this unlucky, running into their ex outside of work after being cooped up together for hours in meetings.
"... that was a dumb question." View lowers her head as blood rushes to her cheeks in embarrassment.

Mim instantly feels bad for raising her voice at View. She's still affected from the conversation with Bonnie, those memories rewinding in her mind, stirring up something she'd rather not deal with.

"I didn't mean that, I'm sorry P'." Mim smiled softly, hoping View would understand.
They stood in silence for a while before View asked.
"Do you need help finding anything? They rearrange a lot of shelves here." View beam brightly, gazing her chocolate brown eyes at Mim.
It's almost like there's a switch to View's mood, and Mim is the only one who has the power over it.

Mim sighs, she loves how caring and attentive View is, that's what makes her so attractive, but right now Mim is desperate to get out of here.
"It's fine P'. I was about to go to check out." Smiling is all she can do, and she was right. View has gotten cuter in a very good way.

How can she get herself into this situation again? She was trying to be a good daughter and bring back the groceries her mom needed. But somehow, things spiraled into a weird cliche romance movie, where exes run into each other unexpectedly while their friends cheer them on from the sidelines.

...
"But there's nothing in your cart?" View tilted her head.

The older girls are a snickering mess behind Mim. They tried their best to stay composed, but the scene unfolding in front of them was too funny. They didn't know watching ViewMim interact would be this entertaining.

"I will just tell the maid to buy what my Mom needs." Mim's not embarrassed at being called out by her ex, but the way View tilts her head makes her insides somersault, which it shouldn't by the way.

Love cleared her throat.
"You two should go together since you're already here Mim."
View's about to tell LoveTu off when Mim speaks up.
"Why not P'View!?"
"Uh... really? It's um... fine if you.."
"Yes! I can't go home empty-handed, my Mom is gonna scold me, and she might as well kick me out of the house."
"I'm pretty sure she's.."
"Let's not waste any more time P'View." Mim hurriedly walks past View.
"Oh, okay, what do you need?"
View immediately follows her before Mim changes her mind.

When they're at a good distance with TuLove, View giggles upon hearing Mim let out a breath in relief.
"You only play along to get away from them, didn't you?"
Mim glances up at her for a split second, a light smile on her lips.
"I was, but I do need actual help P'."
View nod.
"I'm sorry about them."
"It's okay, P'View, they're... intimidating." Mim stopped at one shelf, then began picking out what was written on her mom's list.
"What? Them?" View's eyes curved up, and her gums showed. She had to contain herself from reaching out to Mim, standing a respectful arm's length away.

This's the closest she's ever been to Mim, and for once, it's not about Mimetta, business partnerships, or anything work-related. Her heart keeps skipping beats, overwhelmed by the familiar comfort and pure bliss that comes with simply being around Mim.

"Don't laugh P'~ I didn't know them that well." Mim shyly holds the cans up, covering her face. It might have worked if her noticeably bright red ears didn't give her away.
"And even though I knew P'Love before. They're too good at juggling." She mumbles under her breath, sounding a little sulky.

Why did Mim have to use that voice and her ears? That's it, game over for everyone. View is sent into a daze, butterflies rumbling in her belly as her heart pounds uncontrollably.

A stray strand of hair falls from Mim's messy bun, brushing against the side of her face. View can't control her reaction. On reflex, she reaches out and tucks the hair gently behind Mim's ear. The moment she realized what she had done, her hand pulled back. The gesture had come so naturally.
"I... I... I'm sorry, it was..."

Mim's stare pinned View down, making her shift between her legs.
"What are you saying sorry for P'?" She stops, waiting for View to say anything, but she doesn't.
"We're friends." Her voice is calm, unfazed, before she turns back to look for what she needed.

Well, Mim's attention on View is short-lived. The older girl is disappointed, to say the least. She had hoped, even for the slightest, to see how Mim was feeling beneath her walls, the emotions that always keep her on high alert.

View feels like someone just took a knife and cut her heart all over again, dramatic but painfully true.

They used to be one of those couples who couldn't stay away from each other for more than a minute. What made it worse was that their houses were right next to each other, so unless their parents complained (rarely happened), or they pushed Bonnie to her limit with their clinginess (more common) then they were always together.

There were times when they chose to separate, giving the other space to do their own things and check in with themselves. During those moments, they would refrain from calling or texting and would fully focus on the people they were with or simply resting.

Moments like that can only appear in View's fever dream now.

"I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable." View gaze at her full of longing. She can't help it.
Mim let out a chuckle.
"Don't worry about it P'View, it would take you a lot more than that to make me uncomfortable."
Is there any hidden message in her words, or is View overthinking?

"Next thing on the list is butter." Mim nodded to herself.
"Butter? You could have just texted me, I would have had it delivered to your house." View grimace at the end of her sentence. She sounds a little too eager.
Even so, she'd volunteer in a heartbeat and do anything for Mim, no questions asked.

"Hmm, I guess it's also free as well?"
"Of.."
"P'View! You weren't supposed to say it like it's the obvious, I can't have things for free." Mim exclaims out loud, waving her hand in frustration.
View silenced. She couldn't form up anything to argue.
"I received the box today, after five years... holding the same box in my arms while smelling the warm, sweet taste from it."
"... brought back a lot of memories." Mim closed her eyes.

Her words hit View straight in the heart. Ever since Mim came back, there hasn't been a single moment when View hasn't been tormented by their shared memories. The emotions linger through her sleepless nights and only subsided when she's buried in work.

"Is that bad?" View asked timidly, chewing on her lower lip.
Mim doesn't answer right away. Her eyes linger on View's face, taking in her matured features she had longed to see since they parted.
"... was it to you?"
View blinked at Mim's reversed question.
"I..." She should tell Mim the truth, tell her how much she misses her, how much she craves her warmth, how deeply she regrets everything, how angry she is at herself for letting it all fall apart. She should tell her how badly she wants to hold Mim, to kiss her, to be with her again.

But she can't.

"No." She uttered, fragile as a whisper fading into thin air. View keeps her gaze anywhere but Mim, afraid she will break if their eyes meet.

View's answer catches Mim off guard. She had expected the older girl to say something like 'it's worse for me.' But... what was she really expecting? They're exes, and View is her employee now. She's probably moved on and is just being nice because that's who she is. Mim reminds herself she needs to stop testing the waters for her own good. Her feelings for View are too entangled in old memories. It's confusing and clouding her judgment more than she wants to admit.

"You shouldn't send them anymore. P', if I crave it, I'll go buy it myself." Her voice drops a notch, colder than before.
"Is it because it's from me or because you don't like it anymore?" View doesn't know why she's cornering Mim like this, but the slight shift in Mim's tone sparks something reckless in her. A desperate urge to reach out, to hold on helplessly, even as the distance between them increases.

Mim sighs, shaking her head. What are they doing? This is very draining and not the time nor place to confront each other, going for each other's throats.
"I don't want to have things for free when I can pay for them P'."
"Besides you sent them once a month is a lot." She dodged the question entirely.
"If you worry about our business, don't be Mim."
The CEO's eyebrows touched, View is so stubborn and unreasonable.
"And it's my Mom's command too, by the way." There it is, her final trick to win an argument with Mim.
...
"Fine! Have it your way P'." From now on, Mim would never set foot in this mall for groceries under any circumstances. If her mom needed anything, the maid could handle it.

The laugh slipped out before View could stop it, light but shaky. It was enough to clear the tension between them. She wasn't supposed to be picking fights with Mim, this could easily get her fired.

It must have been contagious cause Mim smiled too, the knots in her shoulders loosening without her realizing it.
"I should go visit Mama sometime." Unlike View, who had dropped the old way of calling Mim's parents. The CEO saw no reason to change. They'd always treated her like their daughter, after all.
...
"She would love that." View smile wide, her eyes shine with adoration.

"Let's go get that butter."
Just as View was about to turn around, a group of kids ran by, bumping into her legs and throwing her off balance.
"Careful P'View!"
Mim moved on instinct, her hands finding View's waist to steady her.
"Thank..." The words died in her throat as she glanced down, suddenly aware of how close they were. Her breath catches, speechless at their position.

"Are you okay P'?" Mim asked worriedly. When she looked up, her gaze collided with View's. Both of them were frozen, pressed against each other, neither spoke nor moved.

View didn't dare to breathe. It had been so long since she'd been this close to anyone, especially Mim. Her sharp eyebrows, big bambi eyes dilated, high straight nose, and soft kissable pink lips. She's perfect like an angel. View swallowed hard and caught Mim's eyes intensely following it.

Mim licked her lips slowly as if preparing for a kiss, plump, moist, and inviting. View felt herself lean in, and Mim mirrored her movement.

"Kiss, kiss, kiss..."
The CEO hears a faint sound, urging her to give in, let it happen, and deal with the consequences later.

"Kiss, kiss, kiss..."
It comes again, persistent and compelling to Mim. She feels like she's on cloud nine, the gentle press of her hand on View's waist and the heat of View's body melting into hers, sending a deep, electrifying thrill through every inch of her.

The older girl's eyes were already closed, her body burning with heat, her hands warm on Mim's small back. Her nose filled with Mim's intoxicated scent, sweet, alluring, playful... dangerous but utterly irresistible. View would risk everything in this moment just to claim those lips, to claim Mim. This had to be paradise.

Their lips tremble, sharing the same breath as their hearts beat in sync.

"Kiss, kiss, kiss..."
"Kiss, kiss, kiss..."
"Kiss, kiss, kiss..."

Suddenly, a voice strong enough to pull Mim out of the spell that had been cast over her and View, echoed inside her head.

Placing a hand on View's chest, Mim pushed her back.

Shocked by the sudden rejection, View's expression quickly shifted to horror as if she'd seen a ghost. She stood paralyzed, staring down at Mim.

"Hey! Stop chanting. Where are your parents?" Mim scolded the kids. They almost made her commit the first crime of her life.

The kids stuck their tongues out at her before running off.

Just then, someone walked down the aisle where they were standing. She took a glance at them and chuckled.
"Jeez, get a room, you two. There are kids here."
Of course, she'd say that, judging by the position they were still in, it didn't look innocent. View and Mim separated in a flash.

"Oh, no, we're.."
"P'View."
"We're not doing anything inappropriate here."
"P'View!"
Why did View even feel the need to explain to a stranger? She gulped, noticing how embarrassed and a little angry Mim looked.

Mim started grabbing random items off the shelves, tossing them carelessly into the cart. Whether her mom wanted them or not, she's buying baked beans today.

View should go dig a hole for herself. She's probably banned forever from this mall now. There were cameras in every corner, knowing that made View's dread grow even more. Great, she's going to get famous... for all the wrong reasons.

How much does it cost to move to a different city? View should start looking into that.

A few aisles away, Love and Tu high-five each other while spying on ViewMim. They were on strike, a little private moment for those two to be together, and boom! Everything naturally fell into place.

They were convinced that if that girl hadn't shown up, those two would've kissed for sure. But honestly, it might be for the best. All that desire and longing would stretch out longer until they finally gave in and got back together, such a flawless plan.

They're literally genius, they had it in the bag.

"Hey, you find everything you need, Mim?" Tu asked, trying to keep a straight face as Mim walked ahead with View trailing behind, pushing Mim's cart.
"Yes P'."
"I should go home now." Mim added. Her brain had shut down, and there is no way she could survive another ambush from the older girls.
"Hmm, that's good, us too." Tu said, clearly amused.

"I will help load this into the car for you, Mim." View said before Mim could object.

The driver rushed out to help her, silently hoping View wouldn't steal his job like she used to.

"Uh... Mim."
"Yes?" Mim turned around to her driver.
"There's no more space in the car." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like he had failed her.
"What? How? Did Mom decide to buy out the whole mall or something?" Mim pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I'm sorry, Mim." The man said, looking genuinely ashamed.
"No, no, it's not a big deal. You should drive the groceries home to my mom."
"What about you?"
"I will figure something out." There are plenty of ways for Mim to get home.
"Okay then, I will get going."

LoveTu sent the driver an 'okay' hand gesture, View caught them in the act, and the two quickly averted their eyes, pretending to look elsewhere.

"How are you planning to get home?" View asked.
"I will call a taxi." Mim shrugged.
"I can drive you home."
View offered softly.

"We highly support this idea." Love and Tu chime in.

View shot them a glare, but Mim laughed.
"Thank you P'View, you're my hero." Mim teases, not expecting View to blush so hard she starts coughing.
"Yeah, yeah, of course. Let's go to my car." View said, trying to regain her composure.

As they parked outside the Rattanawadee mansion. Love thinks it was time to activate the next step in their plan: yearning.

"Mim, the annual fundraising event is in a few weeks. You will be there, right?" Love asks casually.
Mim paused, her hand hovering over the car door.
"I'm glad you brought it up, P'Love. I almost forgot. And yes, I'm required to be there. It's not optional P'." Mim lightly chuckled.

From the driver's seat, View stares at Mim through the rearview mirror. The younger girl looked effortlessly beautiful in her casual clothes and loose hairstyle. Her softness and grace are at their peak. View recalls how close they were earlier, the way Mim's eyes had dilated with lust. View quietly suck in a breath as pride bloomed in her chest.
The attraction is still there and still insanely strong.

"Have you found yourself a date?"
"Date?" View baffled, the word unconsciously slips out. She was immediately met with a side eye from Love and a pointed look from Tu. They're setting her up.
"Um... I will probably ask Bonnie to be my date P'." Mim answers within seconds.

Love nodded then added smoothly.
"Then you wouldn't mind if I brought View as my date, right? My wife is busy that day."

View's mouth dropped open, ready to object. If she couldn't be Mim's date, why should she be dragged along as Love's date? She could just stay home and enjoy a peaceful night. This is ridiculous.

Mim stared Love dead in the eye like she was asking the wrong person, and the question didn't concern her at all.
"No? And why would I mind...P'Love?"

'ouch' View thought, feeling the sting of rejection hit her directly in the chest.

"Oh! Good!?. See you there Mim." Love got taken aback but then smiled her motherly smile.
"You too P'."
Before stepping out of the car, Mim turned back to look at View.
"Thank you for driving me home again, P'View."
"It's nothing. Have a good night Mim."
View replied, her eyes meeting Mim's through the rearview mirror. Mim could still feel the heat and intensity radiating from those eyes, making her heart skip despite the distance between them.

"Have a great night. Bye guys."
"Bye Mim."
TuLove waves at Mim until she gets inside the house.

_____

"Don't you guys think you're being a little too much?"
View brought up the question as they drove back to her house.
"Maybe, but it's efficient when it comes to Mim."
...
View sighs.
"I think you guys should stay out of this one. I mean, I'm really grateful you guys want to help, but this is between me and Mim."
"I don't want it to feel like I'm calculating to get her back, I just want to show her that I've changed, that if she gives me another chance... she won't regret it."

The atmosphere in the car grew heavier, View's quiet sadness filling the space.

"We understand View." Love said gently, giving her shoulder a reassuring rub.
"Yeah, and we will always respect your decision." Tu winked playfully. She manages to coax a small laugh out of View.
"Thank you, both of you. And Prim..."
"We will let her know."
View nodded, feeling lighter.

She didn't know how she would've handled everything if she hadn't met the three of them.