Mr Mermaid | LK Adaptation

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

They didn't even finish watching Totoro. Because Bam just loved Totoro too much. As soon as Totoro appeared, Bam would be right up to the TV cabinet, tongue hanging out and tail wagging furiously. It even tried licking the screen several times. Jaehyun was afraid Bam would be electrocuted, so he turned off the television.

"What should we play?" Jaehyun was troubled. After thinking for a moment, his eyes lit up. "How about we play Landlord (link)?" I haven't played in a long time." Honestly, as a professional athlete, he didn't have many opportunities to play games.

Lisa was on leave today. Since she was free anyhow, she readily agreed.

Jungkook had no objections either.

The three of them got into position. Lisa dominated the long sofa, Jaehyun sat on the single armchair to one side of her, while Jungkook shifted a chair to the other end of the coffee table to sit across from Lisa.

Lisa deftly shuffled the cards, her movements rapid-fire quick. Jaehyun stared on in amazement. The sofa was a little far from the coffee table, so at her height, Lisa could only bend over at the waist to reach it. Her T-shirt was loose, and its cloth draped down under the pull of gravity. The collar no longer laid flat against her collarbone, but swooped down to reveal a crescent moon gap. Jungkook was seated across from her. This angle was just right for him to see that little flash of cleavage peeking out from under the collar.

"Cough." He felt a little flushed, his heart beating a little faster. He shifted his gaze away and saw that Jaehyun was still completely mesmerised by Lisa's shuffling skills. Jungkook let out a soft sigh of relief and said, "Let's sit and play on the carpet."

Jaehyun asked, "Why?"

Jungkook lied with a straight face. "Bam wants to watch."

He then brought out another rug, rectangular, grey, and covered in fine soft furry material. It felt especially comfortable rubbing up against human skin. He placed the rug between the coffee table and the television. Lisa sat on top of it, her thighs close together with her legs folded neatly to the same side. Jungkook's line of sight was low, and he immediately saw the graceful line of her legs and her delicate ankles, as well as her graceful feet submerged in the soft fur of the rug.

He forced himself to look away, but after a while, he could not help but look again.

He was done for, really. Why was it that no matter where he looked, he felt as if he was being seduced by her?

In contrast to his distracted state of mind, Lisa and Jaehyun were much more focused. However, Jungkook's distraction did not mean that he was disadvantaged. Out of the three rounds, he won all three times. Twice as a commoner, once as the landlord.

He pasted the third piece of paper onto Jaehyun's face, and then took up a piece to stick on Lisa's face as well.

Lisa saw him coming closer and felt suddenly shy. She couldn't help but duck her head and shuffle backwards, but he suddenly pressed down on her shoulder and said, "Don't move." His voice was soft and very gentle, like a silent trickle of spring water through mountain rocks.

Lisa was dazed. His hand was clamped firmly on her shoulder, his palm burning hot, transmitting heat even through her clothes. She stared with wide eyes as he came ever closer. His eyes were at half-mast, his gaze gentle but serious — it was like he only had her in his eyes. He raised his hand and pressed the paper strip to her face. And then, in order to make it stick, he held onto half her face, his index finger resting against the spot where the paper had been dipped in water. He pressed on it gently for a moment, and when he let go, the pad of his thumb inadvertently brushed over her lips. The touch was very light and very faint, but it seemed to leave an indelible trace.

Jungkook returned to his seat and began shuffling the cards, his expression calm and natural.

Lisa had begun screaming internally: This fellow was already creating such a high level of fuss just by sticking on a piece of paper ... if he truly decided to become a playboy, would anyone be able to beat him?! Why did I have to have a crush on such a devil?! Do I have any chance of making him mine in this lifetime?!

"Lisa, it's your turn to draw. We'll win this round," Jaehyun shook her from her musings.

"Yes." Forget it, she had better focus on the game and not think too much...

For the fourth round, Jungkook turned out to be the landlord again. Jaehyun very fortunately managed to whip out two straights in a row, leaving Jungkook helpless. However, in order to arrange these two straights, Jaehyun left his hand in shambles. After the straights, all he could do was throw out single cards one at a time; it was very pitiful.

Consequently, the game ended up being a battle between Jungkook and Lisa after that. In the end, Lisa was left with 3 twos, a four, and a queen. At that point, a pair of kings had already been played, so she felt that her chances of winning were pretty good. Jungkook still held 6 cards. He grinned at Lisa. "What do you have left?"

Lisa made a face at him. "Who would ask so directly like this?"

"Is it 3 twos, a four, and a something else... a queen?"

"..." Her eyes were wide in shock.

Jaehyun looked at Jungkook and then turned to look at Lisa. He asked, "Is it?"

Lisa was expressionless. Can you not ask such an embarrassing question?! She puffed up her cheeks. "Cut the nonsense. Play your card."

Jungkook put out a pair of threes, then raised a brow at her. "Will you play?"

Lisa sulkily played a pair of twos. Using a pair of twos to smack down a pair of threes was so overkill... and her remaining cards were pretty much useless! But if she left it alone and skipped her turn, Jungkook would be left with only 3 cards...

Right now, Lisa still had a two, a four, and a queen. She knew that Jungkook still had a joker in hand, so if any of his other cards were larger than a queen, she would lose. Even as she held onto that last shred of hope, Jungkook showed his hand. "You have lost."

He still had a joker, a six, and a king.

Jaehyun asked Jungkook, "How did you know what cards Lisa had?"

"I counted."

Jaehyun was sceptical. "How did you manage to count that? I wouldn't know how to."

Jungkook replied, "When I was younger, I had already won first prize in the Math Olympiad. My math is pretty good."

Lisa was left speechless at his hidden scholarly attributes. Can't you just focus on developing your brawn and ignore your brain like the stereotypical athlete? Why do you have to compete for the limelight with us nerds as well? So shameless!

After that, they played another few rounds. Jaehyun gradually became a disaster area of paper strips — his forehead, cheeks, nose, chin were all plastered with paper; luckily his eyes were left open for him to see. Even though he had ended up in such a terrible state, Jaehyun was still having a lot of fun and still ecstatic to play. Even when Jungkook wanted to stop playing, he would not allow it.

Someone suddenly knocked on the door. Jaehyun was closest to the door, so he stood up to go open it. Lisa quietly shuffled the cards, and then she suddenly heard a terrifying scream from outside.

The two of them in the living room quickly ran out. Lisa saw a young man in the uniform of a delivery company outside. Right then, he was leaning against a wall with a hand to his chest, his face pale as a sheet. There were several parcels scattered around the floor.

Still unsettled, he said waveringly as he looked at Jaehyun, "S-sorry, I thought it was a monster."

Lisa looked at Jaehyun. He was built and tall, and with a face covered in white paper strips, he did indeed look like a monster. She couldn't help but burst out laughing. She caught sight of Jungkook hiding a smile behind his hand as well, his eyes bright with amusement. As if sensing her attention, his gaze shifted to meet hers.

Her heart pounded, and she turned around to retreat to the living room.