Chapter 2 Uno

• Damn it!
• I had been staring at the balance sheet until my eyes crossed, but I still couldn't find the mistake. Luckily, my hair didn't fall out easily. If it had, I would probably have been bald by then because I hadn't stopped pulling my hair out. Dammit! Finding the mistake in the sea of numbers was the one thing that always ruined my mood. And on top of that, one of the clients had asked me to check their assets because they were retiring. I could officially say goodbye to the weekend.
• I needed to get out of there. Screw the deadline!
• If there were people who thought working alone from home was flexible, it meant they had never experienced having to handle and manage everything on their own. I didn't have office mates to talk to, no office environment to distract me, no gossip to fill my day, and every time a problem ensued, I had to solve it myself. Usually, I was pretty patient, but this time my patience had run out. Because if I insisted on staring at the laptop and kept working, I would seriously have no hair left.
• I immediately left my desk and grabbed my jacket, leaving the faint sound of the waves behind. I didn't care that it was two in the afternoon, and the sun outside felt like having a tantrum. I couldn't stay inside the apartment. I needed fresh air. And only one place could take my mind off my work. As much as I enjoyed working with numbers, I refused to let them rule my life. I worked alone and never wanted to work in a company because of the working hours and seniority that stressed me out. Being a private accountant meant I didn't have all the perks of working in a company, but at least I still had a bit of freedom.
• "These damn stairs!"
• The one thing that always annoyed me every time I left the apartment was the stairs. This apartment might have been superb, strategically located, and the balcony might have been the perfect spot to watch the sun go down, but the stairs always made me curse even though I had lived there for two years. Sometimes I imagined this building having an elevator so my legs wouldn't ache whenever I climbed to the third-floor apartment. I was just lazy when it came to exercise, and going up and down the stairs made me gasp for breath.
• After considering which way to go, I decided to take the Oberoi route. It shouldn't have been congested at that hour. I hated going that way unless I was forced to. Besides being narrow, it was a two-way street. You wouldn't have been able to move if a construction truck passed by. When I first moved there—even though it wasn't my first time in Bali—I didn't understand why people in Bali made such narrow roads with so many bends. But after a few months, I started getting used to it and took alternative routes whenever possible.
• And I was right. Oberoi was smooth sailing, and within twenty minutes, I parked my motorbike in front of a bookstore that only sold English language books. This place had always been my go-to place when numbers became my foe. Although it was more practical to shop online and read with my e-reader, nothing beat the atmosphere of being among physical books. It was just magical. I could spend hours in a bookstore without getting bored. Even though my plan was always to buy one or two books, whenever I read an intriguing blurb, I couldn't resist taking it to the cashier. I didn't know how many books I had in my apartment that were still sealed because of my impulsive nature every time I went to a bookstore.
• I had been browsing Goodreads a few days ago, and now, a few book titles came to mind. Because my work was already serious enough, I always turned to fiction as an escape. I hated romance novels, though. So cringy! The bookstore wasn't as crowded as usual, so I could freely choose books before stopping by the restaurant across the street. It had become a habit whenever I went to this bookstore in Seminyak. I always followed it with a visit to the restaurant. If I was in the mood, I read a bit of the newly purchased book, but if not, I just sat quietly and watched people pass by.
• Because I was too focused on reading the blurbs, I didn't notice someone squatting next to me when I walked to the side. As a result, that person stumbled, and I almost fell if it hadn't been for the shelf in front of me to hold on to. Fortunately, no books fell in a messy heap that would have added to my embarrassment. The incident happened so quickly that by the time I balanced myself, I reached out to help the person stand up.
• "Oops, my bad. Didn't even notice anyone around," I apologized, a hint of sheepishness evident in my voice.
• To my surprise, the guy responded with a charming smile—damn, he had dimples!—and reached out to shake my hand. I couldn't help but notice how his touch felt, soft and warm. "No worries. Are you alright?" he asked, genuine concern lacing his words.
• I nodded, my eyes momentarily drawn to the book he held in his hand. It happened to be one of the books I had been meaning to purchase. Quickly tearing my gaze away from the tempting pages, I refocused on the person standing before me, who was engrossed in rearranging a few fallen books on the bottom shelf.
• "Looks like you were so engrossed in your search that you didn't notice someone sneaking up on you. Which book were you looking for?" I inquired, curious to know more about his literary preferences.
• Without hesitation, I pointed directly at the book in his grasp and confidently replied, "Actually, I'm looking for the one you're holding right there."
• "This one?"
• I nodded. "I read the reviews a few days ago, and it seemed interesting."
• "My friend said the same thing," the guy replied, showing off his dimples again.
• Damn him! I couldn't stop staring at his face. Crap! SOS!
• The guy raised an eyebrow, curious about my quest for other books. "Any other titles you're searching for?"
• I shrugged nonchalantly, my expression conveying a lack of enthusiasm. "Nah, not really. I had my eye on 'The Gift of Rain' by Tan Twan Eng, but it looks like they're fresh out of it."
• He seemed intrigued and suggested, "Why don't you ask if they can order it for you?"
• I chuckled lightly, shaking my head. "Nah, not that desperate for it, to be honest."
• The situation grew increasingly awkward, which was precisely the type of scenario I detested the most. Rather than prolonging my confusion, I decided it was time to make a swift exit.
• "Anyway, sorry once again, alright?" I apologized, hoping to diffuse the tension. As the guy nodded understandingly, I wasted no time in making my escape. However, before I could put too much distance between us, I heard him call out to me, stopping me in my tracks.
• "I have a copy of 'The Gift of Rain' at home. I don't mind lending it to you if you want to read it."
• I paused for a moment. What the hell did he just say?
• "No need," I declined as politely as possible.
• Unexpectedly, the guy approached me, and when we were close, he reached out his hand—and gave me those dimples again! Bless his parents! "I'm Zack."
• I looked at his outstretched hand to divert my attention from his dimples. I could have just left immediately and ignored this Zack guy who was trying to label me as someone without manners. But I didn't have time to get to know someone new when my mind was already full like this.
• "Glenn." Finally, I shook Zack's hand for the sake of etiquette. The skin of his palm was so soft that it immediately made me think that Zack was a genuine metrosexual guy.
• "Want to discuss 'A Little Life' over coffee?"
• Due to feeling guilty for bumping into Zack, I finally agreed to his invitation. Something I had never done. Never in a million years! But having coffee with Zack would give me a better view of his dimples. "Bali Deli?"
• Zack couldn't hold back his laughter—probably because he knew the restaurant I mentioned was across the street—but then he nodded. "Excellent."