FRIENDSHIP.

Noah returned to the dining room; Isabel smiled at him, which he did too. Dinner continued, and when it was over, Isabel's parents left them alone in the living room.

"Now that my parents are gone, I want to apologize for my sister; she's a little..."

"Weird, huh?"

Isabel just laughed, embarrassed, at the man in front of her.

"Well, yes, she has a bit of a temper... She says things as they mean them, but deep down, she's a good person with a big heart; she has her reasons for being the way she is."

Noah snorted.

"Yes, but very, very... Deep down. Don't worry about your sister's attitude."

"Yes, I know."

Isabel stood up from the flesh-colored sofa in the luxurious living room; Noah did too.

"I have to go, Isabel. I have a meeting tomorrow, and there are new people joining the company, from secretaries to new partners."

"Yes, I hope you have a nice day; we've been talking."

They both walked toward the large front door of the house. Noah approached Isabel and kissed her on the cheek as a goodbye.

"I'll text you in the afternoon... Uh... Since we've already set a wedding date, you can start the preparations."

"Yes, I know, I'll get on with it, don't worry."

Noah left the house, got into his car, and drove off. As he closed the door, Isabel just sighed, clasped a flower-shaped chain around her neck in her hand, and then went upstairs to rest.

After leaving the house, Hayami got into his black car and drove to a club. Upon entering, he ordered a drink and sat at one of the tables. After a few minutes, a girl approached him.

"Hayami?"

He asked, trying to make her out in the darkness.

"Yes, and you are?"

He asked.

The redheaded girl looked at the face of the girl who looked familiar.

"Don't you remember me? Then you're a bad "best friend."

Said the tall, brunette girl in front of her.

"Carolina?"

"Yes, the same one you wear and wear."

The girl sat down in a chair next to Hayami.

"We were best friends in high school. I can't believe you don't remember me."

"Yes, I remember you, but you're prettier now; I didn't recognize you. It's been 10 years."

"Yeah, a long time, right? The last time I saw you was when we saw your wedding dress... And well, after that, I didn't see you anymore."

Hayami felt a little uncomfortable.

"Uh, yeah, but I don't like to talk about that stuff much; it's all in the past."

"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry..."

She smiled awkwardly. Carolina

"Don't worry, it's not that bad."

Hayami laughed, dismissing Carolina's words.

"So tell me. What have you been doing all this time?"

"Well, studying, and most importantly, having a good time."

Hayami replied, taking a sip of her drink.

"We're in the same boat, but we're still young, barely in our 30s. Let's go dancing; we'll catch up later."

"Let's go."

The two women headed off to dance.

Noah was already lying on his bed; his arms were flexed, and he was leaning on top of it. His head was looking up at the ceiling of his room; he was a little nervous about the next day's meeting, since that's when he would be introducing himself to some partners and new partners. He knew he had to do a good job, and after a while, he fell asleep.

Hayami entered the house like that morning, trying not to make any noise, since all the employees were resting. She staggered to the kitchen, grabbed a glass, and poured herself some orange juice.

"Orange juice, I must be crazy if I've had that much."

She said to herself while laughing; seconds later, she silenced herself with a finger to her lips and walked carefully toward her room. The moving boxes were still there. She took off her slippers, threw them to the side. She walked over to her bed and lay down. She felt something move in the bed and sat down. Hayami jumped, turned on the lamp beside the bed.

"Shit! Isabel, you scared me. What are you doing here? You're going to scare me to death."

"I was waiting for you."

She answered her little sister with a mocking smile on her face.

"What for?"

Hayami rubbed her eyes to try to clear her vision.

"What happened tonight?"

"Oh, well, I had fun and met up with my best friend from pre..."

"No, no, I mean dinner."

"Oh!" That's it, then. Did it bother you that I said those things to your boyfriend?

"No. I know what you're like, but there was something strange going on between you and me; I saw how you saw him."

"Me? No, nothing like that. Why would I look at him?"

"Yami," I know you well, and I know him too."

"Well... It's just... We already knew each other."

"What? Yes, he's only been here a few years, and you've also been in another country for several years."

"Uh, well, you see, it's a funny story... I met him the day I came."

"Don't tell me he was the one you paid for the night with!"

"Don't look at me, I was just fine dancing with him... Besides, I'm single; he's the one who's engaged, I didn't know he was your boyfriend."

Hayami said, a little worried about her sister's reaction. Isabel started to laugh, covering her mouth so as not to wake anyone.

"I can't believe it, how awkward that must have been for you. Besides, he's not my boyfriend, he's my fiancé."

Isabel said, still laughing, and Hayami was confused by her sister's reaction.

"Isabel. 'Muñe,' why are you marrying him? I have some context, but not everything. There's something you're still hiding from me."

Isabel got out of bed and kissed her on the cheek.

"I have my reasons, just as he has his; please, try to get along."

"Muñe..."

"Yami" loved you, but there are things I'd rather not talk about for now. Go to sleep now; tomorrow you have to go to your new job, which you say you have."

"It's okay."

Hayami didn't want to question her sister further; she also felt good that she knew what happened with her fiancé. She didn't like hiding anything from her sister; She felt bad about what had happened between that man and her. If she had known better, she wouldn't have done it; it was a nasty twist of fate and life.

Isabel left the room. Hayami fell back onto the bed. Her head was spinning, but it wasn't from the alcohol; it was from their "reasons" for an arranged marriage. Clearly, her sister was no longer that little girl who cried in her lap when some elementary school boy teased her.

She sighed to go to sleep, and it passed very quickly due to the level of alcohol she had.