Karen plopped down in the passenger seat and comfortably leaned back, pulling out snacks like she owned the place. Meanwhile, I sat in the back like an outsider catching a ride.
I recalled a morning not too long ago when I was running late for work and begged Bart to drive me. Since I didn’t have time to eat, I pulled out a piece of bread in the car. He was furious. He said that he hated it when people ate in his car. After that, I was always extremely careful whenever I rode with him. However, it was different with Karen. She dropped cookie crumbs on the seat. It was at this moment that the favoritism became painfully clear. What more could I not understand?
I used to be so wrapped up in Bart that even when I noticed his bias towards Karen, I chose to turn a blind eye. Now, all I wanted was to walk away as soon as I could.
The restaurant’s ambiance was indeed quite pleasant, with soft lighting like a gentle whisper beneath the moon.
Bart seemed to sense that my mood was vastly different from before and for the first time, he chose to sit beside me.
Karen began her tea ceremony performance while saying with a sweet voice, "Bart, you're doing good to Nora. Every time she throws a tantrum, you always pamper her.”
I smiled but didn’t respond. I had to admit, that after surviving that fire, my whole mindset had completely changed.
Bart pushed the menu toward me. "Nora, you can choose whatever you like!"
It had been a long time since I indulged myself, so I ordered a few skewers of grilled yakitori.
When the sizzling skewers, coated with sauce, were served, the aroma of the grilled meat filled the air. As the tantalizing smell danced on my tongue, my exhausted mind began to unwind as well.
“Nora, don’t these skewers look a bit like your burnt skin?”
