The next morning didn't feel like a battle.
That was new.
Riyana noticed it the moment she walked into the office—no mental preparation, no silent irritation building up before she even saw him.
Just… normal.
She placed her bag on the desk, switched on her system, and got to work without overthinking it.
A few minutes later—
"Morning."
She looked up.
Bosco.
Standing there, as usual.
But something about this moment felt… different.
Not tense.
Not guarded.
Just a simple greeting hanging in the air.
Riyana paused for half a second.
Then, naturally—
"Morning."
The word came out so easily that it surprised both of them.
Bosco didn't react much, but there was a faint shift in his expression—like he noticed, but chose not to make a big deal out of it.
"Client meeting at eleven," he said. "You'll sit in."
She nodded. "Okay."
No questions. No resistance.
Just acceptance.
The meeting room was quieter than usual.
Riyana sat beside Bosco, a notebook open in front of her, pen ready. Across the table, the clients discussed projections, timelines, expectations.
She listened carefully, occasionally jotting down points.
At one moment, the client asked something specific—something slightly tricky.
Bosco answered smoothly, but halfway through, he glanced at Riyana.
A brief pause.
Then—
"The revised numbers," he said, "Riyana worked on those. She can explain it better."
Riyana blinked.
That… wasn't expected.
All eyes shifted to her.
For a split second, the old version of her might have felt annoyed—why put me on the spot?
But this time, it didn't feel like that.
It felt like… trust.
She straightened slightly and explained the numbers—clear, precise, confident.
No hesitation.
When she finished, the client nodded, satisfied.
"Good work."
Riyana gave a small nod in return.
But her eyes flickered—just for a moment—toward Bosco.
He didn't say anything.
Just continued the meeting like it was nothing.
Still—
That one small moment stayed with her.
By the time the meeting ended, it was already past lunch.
Riyana returned to her desk, exhaling softly as she sat down.
Her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten yet.
Perfect.
She opened her bag, pulling out her lunch box.
Simple. Homemade.
Comforting.
She had just opened it when—
A voice.
"You actually remembered to bring lunch today."
She looked up.
Bosco stood near her desk again, holding a coffee cup.
There was no judgment in his tone.
Just observation.
Riyana raised an eyebrow slightly. "I always bring lunch."
"Not always," he said. "Yesterday you skipped."
She frowned a little. "I was busy."
"Or careless."
She gave him a look.
And for a second—
It almost turned into their old pattern.
But then…
It didn't.
Instead, she just sighed lightly. "Maybe."
A pause.
Then, unexpectedly—
"Did you eat?" she asked.
The question slipped out before she could stop it.
Bosco seemed just as surprised.
He glanced at the coffee in his hand. "This counts."
"That doesn't count," she said immediately.
And there it was.
Not irritation.
Not attitude.
Just… normal disagreement.
Almost casual.
Bosco looked at her for a moment, then slightly tilted his head. "You offering to share?"
Riyana froze.
For half a second, her brain scrambled for a response.
The old Riyana would've said no instantly.
But now?
She hesitated.
Then, without overthinking it, she pushed the lunch box slightly toward the edge of the desk.
"Only if you stop calling coffee a meal."
Bosco let out a quiet breath—almost like a small, surprised laugh.
"Deal."
He pulled the chair across from her and sat down.
No drama.
No awkwardness.
Just two people sharing food.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
It was… easy.
Riyana broke it first.
"You do this often?" she asked. "Skip meals?"
"Sometimes."
"That's not healthy."
"I manage."
She shook her head slightly, tearing a piece of roti. "That's not managing. That's ignoring."
Bosco glanced at her. "You always this strict?"
"Only when someone's being stupid."
The moment the word left her mouth—
She paused.
That sounded… bold.
But Bosco didn't react negatively.
In fact—
There was the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Good to know," he said.
Riyana looked down at her lunch, hiding the small, unintentional smile forming on her lips.
After a few minutes—
"You handled the meeting well," Bosco said.
Her hand stilled for a second.
"Thanks."
A simple word.
But this time, it wasn't forced.
He nodded once. "You explained it better than I would've."
She glanced up at him, slightly surprised. "You didn't have to say that."
"I know."
Another pause.
Then she said quietly, "Still… thanks."
When they finished eating, Bosco stood up, picking up his coffee cup again.
"Back to work," he said.
"Hmm."
He took a step, then stopped.
Looked back at her.
"Riyana."
She looked up.
"Don't skip lunch tomorrow."
There was no authority in his voice.
No command.
Just… a simple statement.
She held his gaze for a second.
Then nodded. "You too."
A small exchange.
But it meant more than it looked.
As he walked away, Riyana leaned back slightly in her chair.
Her mind replayed the moment.
The conversation.
The ease.
The absence of tension.
She exhaled softly.
When did this become… comfortable?
She didn't have an answer.
But for the first time—
She didn't feel the need to question it too much.
A faint smile lingered on her face as she closed her lunch box.
Maybe… they weren't that far from being friends.