PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

XLIII. If It Works, It's Not Stupid

Chapter Forty Three:  If It Works, It's Not Stupid

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"You're annoying," Eva stated rather abruptly.

Kenji raised his eyebrows lazily. "And you're not?"

Eva huffed, turning away from Kenji and heading deeper into the woods.

"Uh- uh- uh!" he shouted, running after her. He slid in front of her, sliding in the wet mud— it had just rained the night before— and falling to his knees, his hands digging into the wet earth beneath him. "Oh, ew!"

Eva burst into laughter, her hands on her knees as she looked at the once freshly clean boy covered nearly head to toe in mud.

"It's not funny!" he protested.

"Don't kid yourself. If it was me, you would laugh, and we both know it."

Kenji then grumbled, just because you're right doesn't mean you should laugh still, or something along those lines— Eva was laughing too hard to actually hear what he said.

Eva felt a tug on her hoodie and she lost her footing, crashing into the mud right next to him. She squealed and gasped, shoving Kenji's shoulder. "Kenji! You asshole!"

And just like she said, he was laughing.

"Guys!" Yaz whisper-shouted as she ran up. "Can you be any louder? I don't think Rexy heard you!"

Sammy was at her side, nervously looking around the woods, a bucket of berries in her hand. And then, Kenji and Eva looked at each other, and both burst into laughter.

"Blame the asshole," Eva said, bumping her should with Kenji's.

"Blame the idiot who made me slip."

"I did not!" She chuckled, shoving his shoulder rougher this time. "I was just minding my business—"

"Minding your business, is that what you call it?"

"Yeah, minding my—"

"You were going to disappear into the jungle, hey, I saved you!"

"What, you think you're my knight in shining armor?"

"Wow, you guys can argue about anything," Yaz said.

Eva forgot she and Sammy were there.

"I thought y'all made up?" Sammy asked.

"So now it's illegal to argue with my friend?" Eva said, looking up at Sammy.

Kenji aggressively pointed at Eva with either hand, and yelled, "Aha! She said it, she said it! Take that, scary dinosaur island!"

"What is happening?" Eva said, confused.

"You called me your friend!"

"I take—"

"No takesies backsies!" Kenji slung his arm around Eva's shoulders and pulled her into his side. His muddy, dirty side. "We're friends now, and there's nothing that can change that."

Eva mouthed Help! to Sammy, who laughed and pulled Yaz away, after Yaz warned them to be quieter.

"Paws off, Care Bear Central," Eva said as she pushed his arm off of her.