He looked at her as she walked into the office and started preparing a document.
'Oh, and there's a meeting with the lawyers at lunchtime, sir. I'll get everything ready for it.'
'That sounds good, Nisa.' He sat down in his office chair and sighed. 'Oh no, I've been so busy I haven't done a thing about my girlfriend's birthday.'
'Do you want me to help you, Mr Sac?' said Nisa. 'I can book a table at a restaurant and find a present for her.'
'That would be a load off my mind, Nisa. Thank you.'

At the end of the day, Mr Sac came back to see Nisa at the office, and she said, 'Sir, here is a present for your girlfriend, plus some flowers for her. I booked the restaurant table as well. I hope you have a lovely evening.'
'Thank you, Nisa. Listen, it's dark now. Let me take you home.'
'Thank you so much, but I'll be fine by myself.'
'Sure? If you need a ride, I really don't mind.'
'Go. I'll be fine.'

At around 7 o'clock Nisa was standing by the factory gate.
'Nisa, you're late again,' said a voice behind her.
'Brother Virack!' she exclaimed, turning. 'I'm waiting for a taxi.'
'Are you late because of your boss, by any chance? Anyway, no need to wait for a taxi now. Where are you going to, Miss?'
Nisa laughed and climbed onto the back of his bike. 'I want to go home, Sir. How much will that cost me?'
Nisa and Virack nattered all the way home. 'Ever since you became Mr Sac's secretary,' said Virack, 'you have seemed so distant.'
'I haven't forgotten the past, Brother Virack,' said Nisa. 'I am a worker at heart and always will be.'
'I know, but you and me are different now. You're so clever. You're like the moon, and I'm just a rabbit down on the earth. How can we possibly meet?'
Nisa got off the bike and laughed. 'But we meet every day, Virack, except the days when we don't meet. Anyway, I'm nothing like the moon, and you're certainly no rabbit. We're more valuable than that. We can't forget each other, not as long as we live in the same province. Okay, brother?'
As Nisa ran into her house, Virack chuckled and turned for home. What could he be thinking about?

When Nisa arrived at her desk the next morning, she heard her boss calling her. Wow, she said to herself. He's early today. Maybe he had a nice dream last night!
She went into Mr Sac's office.
'Nisa! It's been six months since you started working as my secretary. You're such a help. I don't think my judgement ever fails me!'
Nisa smiled to herself. Typical of my boss she thought - he's complementing himself, not me!'
'Don’t just smile, if you want to laugh, Nisa. I want to give you a present. What would you like?'
'Can I speak the truth?' she replied.
Her boss grinned (something Nisa had never seen him do before). 'Go ahead, Miss,' he said. 'You're more than a secretary to me. You're like a big sister caring for her younger brother.'
'If it's because of the help I gave you last night,' said Nisa quietly, 'I don't want your present. But if it's because of my work, I'm okay with it. So I'll tell you what I need, rather than what I want. Put in a water fountain for the workers so that they don't have to pay for water at work.'
He shook his head. 'I thought you'd ask me that,' he said, 'so I already decided to do it.'
Pleased, Nisa turned to leave the office.
'One more question, Nisa,' said Mr Sac. 'When will you start thinking of yourself and not just other people?'
Nisa turned back and replied without any embarrassment. 'If that day comes, you'll be worse off than anyone!'
Mr Sac opened his eyes in astonishment and went back to his reading.
Oops, thought Nisa as she walked away. Me and my big mouth!

Day by day their friendship deepened, until it started to become obvious to the other factory workers. One lunchtime Nisa was outside the factory gates, buying food with the other workers, when she heard some men talking nearby.
'I let my hands do the talking last night,' said one. 'That Virack won't forget me in a hurry!'
'That's true,' laughed another. 'I was scared for a minute there that you were going to kill him.'
'No need to kill, my friend. It was enough just to teach him a lesson.'
'I still don't understand,' said the first. 'What's so wonderful about that girl?'
'Her name's Nisa,' said the second. 'Virack brought her to work in this factory, but now it seems that his filly has run away from the hay in search of greener grass!'
They all laughed at the joke, and Nisa realized that something had happened to Virack.

Straight after work, Nisa ran to Virack's room and told him what she had heard. 'What's going on?' she said.
'I love you,' said Virack. 'I didn't want to let anyone disrespect you.'
'That doesn't mean you have to fight for me,' said Nisa, sitting down beside him.
'You don't understand!' shouted Virack. 'You didn't hear the things they were saying. They said you became a secretary, not because you work at a desk but because you work in bed. I heard that and I just wanted to teach them a lesson.'
'It looks like they taught you a lesson instead,' said Nisa with a tear in her eye. 'I know you love me. You and your family have been good to me every since I was small. I love you and respect you as my big brother. I know you want to protect my reputation, but I beg of you, don't do this again. We can't close these people's mouths or stop their thoughts, but the important thing for me is that you know my heart is pure.'
'I know,' said Virack, hugging her, but in his heart he felt sad that he could never be more to her than a brother.

For a few weeks, Nisa visited Virack and tended his wounds. One evening he was sitting outside his front door waiting for her like a child waiting for its mother to come home from market. There was no sign of her. Where could she be?
Virack looked towards the river, where couples were sitting on the bank. There she was!

Nisa was sitting on a bench next to her boss, gazing at the river with a sad face.
'Mr Sac,' she said. 'Are you all right? I don't know why you have brought me here.'
'It's my girlfriend,' he said. 'It seems she has changed her mind about me. Yesterday she loved me, today she doesn’t, and I'm so confused. Are all girls like this, Nisa?'
'Don't ask me,' she said, standing up. 'I don't even know the meaning of the word love.'
Mr Sac smiled. 'You're clever at work, but stupid about love, huh?'
'You can say that to me because I'm young. But one thing I know. Sometimes you need to be patient about the things you want. Go slowly, or else you might live to regret it.'
He touched her head and laughed. 'That sounds like good advice and I won't forget it. Don't worry, Nisa, I'll get through this. What's tied can always be untied!'

Mr Sac split up with his girlfriend and Nisa ended up being the one with whom he shared his emotions. Sometimes he laughed at her funny ways, but Nisa never forgot who she was, even out of work.
One Sunday morning Nisa was coming out of the market when she heard Virack calling her from the other side of the street. 'Get on my bike,' he cried.
Just as she was about to reply, Mr Sac rolled up in his car with the window down. 'I have been looking for you, Nisa. Where are you going? Let me give you a lift and then we can go out together.'
Nisa couldn't think how to reply so she blurted out, 'I'm going to visit my province. Sorry I can't go with you, Mr Sac.'
'You go on your way!' she shouted to Virack. 'I need to buy some things for my aunt in the province before I visit her!'

Nisa got a taxi from the market to Kompong Speu province. I had no intention of coming this way, she laughed to herself, but those guys are so hard to say no to!
When she reached the outskirts of her aunty's village she got out of the taxi and looked for a moto to take her to her aunt's house. As she was negotiating a price with the rider, her boss's car drove up again.
'What are you doing here?' exclaimed Nisa. 'Did you follow me?'
Mr Sac got out of the car. 'Of course not,' he said. 'I was on my way to Kiriromu park and just happened to see you standing here.'
'I told you I was coming here,' said Nisa. 'I'm not a liar. If I say I'll do something, I do it.'
'I don't believe you wanted to come here at all,' said her boss. 'I think you just can't bear to be near me. Am I right?'
Nisa averted her eyes shyly. 'It's not like that,' she said. 'I am just finding it hard to decide.'
'I'm joking!' Mr Sac laughed loudly. 'I'm not angry or disappointed, but you owe me now.'
'What!'
'Yes. You have to come with me. You can't leave me all alone now.'
Nisa took pity on her boss's glum face. 'All right,' she said, 'if the countryside is not too boring for you.' They got into the car.
'I think I can imagine what your house looks like,' said Sac as they drove along.
'I don't have a house,' said Nisa sadly. 'My parents died when I was young. Virack's mother took me in and loved me into her family and loved me as a daughter. That's why Virack and I are like brother and sister.'
'I'm sorry, Nisa. I didn't mean to remind you of painful things. Yesterday has gone, and we can't change it, but we can make a new start today.'

When they reached the house, Virack's mother and some other neighbours were there. 'Oh, Nisa's boyfriend is so rich and handsome,' they were murmuring.
Nisa and Sac looked at each other. They tried to explain, but no one believed them. After lunch they went for a walk. 'I'm sorry about my neighbours, Mr Sac,' said Nisa.
'You didn't like what they said?' he replied. 'I did!'
'Hey, don't joke around! It's not possible.'
'Who says?' Sac touched her hand. 'When I asked you to come with me today, I wanted to tell you something. There is something growing in the land of my heart, and it's the shoot of love.'
Nisa was shocked. 'You could be a famous actor with your talents,' she said. 'This drama would be great if only you changed the actress.'
'Don't change the subject,' he insisted, taking her face in his hands. 'Look into my eyes, Nisa. I'm not joking any more. This isn't because I've lost my girlfriend, but because of your kindnesses to me. I can't stop thinking about you.'
Nisa paled. 'But I'm not sure whether I have you in my heart.'
'Then why have you always been so nice to me? Why care about me so much? Why so sad when I was going out with another girl? I've read it all, Nisa!'
He lifted up a diary with Nisa's name on it.
'What are you doing with that?' cried Nisa.
'You left it in my care, that day by the river.'
'No I didn't!' protested Nisa. 'It's not nice to read other people's diaries without their permission.'
Sac laughed. 'When dealing with a girl lawyer like you I need good evidence to win my case!'
Nisa pulled away and began to run. 'What are you going to do,' she cried, 'when you get your victory?'
Sac gave chase. 'The victor wins the prize and the loser gets the forfeit!' He took a breath. 'So, Miss Nisa, will you marry me?'
'I'm not sure. I need to think. I have always felt that love with a rich man can never be true love.'
'At least be my girlfriend, then.'
'Yes, sir,' said Nisa, smiling.
They ran together in the field and floating on the summer air was a single wish: that the tree of love would blossom soon.