PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

XLIV. Ravioli and Heart Palpitations

Chapter Forty Four: Ravioli and Heart Palpitations

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If there was one thing Eva hated more than being stuck on killer dino island, almost drowning, or Kenji's smug little face on their near-daily trips to the penthouse, it's using the latrines. Because the latrines were a deep hole into the ground surrounded on all four sides by plastic (non see through) sheets that were nailed into the ground but barely holding on. There was toilet paper, but that's where the homely indoor plumbing stopped, and the constant squatting and burning of thighs started. Yeah, the latrines weren't very enjoyable at all. Indoor plumbing was probably the thing Eva missed the most about life back home the most.

So when something jumped out in front of her as she came out of the latrines, Eva struck. She guessed dinosaur. She guessed wrong.

Kenji crashed into the ground, holding his nose, which was bleeding profusely.

"What the fuck?"

"I could say the same to you!" Kenji shouted as he sat up, glaring at her.

"Why would you scare me?!"

"Why would you punch me?!"

"Because you scared me!" Regardless, Eva offered her hand, which Kenji still took with his non bloody hand. "Please tell me you're okay."

"No thanks to you."

"I love you, but that was definitely your fault."

Kenji's ears grew pink as Eva blushed, realizing what she said.

"I also love Brooklynn. It's the pink hair. Yaz is so pretty. Women crush Wednesday everyday." Kenji and Eva awkwardly stared at each other, before Eva cleared her throat and took his non bloody hand, dragging him back to camp. "I'm sorry, by the way."

Kenji mumbled a thanks, before walking up the slide, using his free hand to keep from falling off either side. Eva climbed the ladder and met him at the top, immediately leaving to dig through their lack of medical supplies for something to wipe up the blood with. She soaked it under the shower head, then headed back to Kenji. She pulled him onto the bench seat, then tilted his chin up to her level.

"You're an idiot," she said as she began to clean his lip.

"Only for you."

Eva huffed in laughter, continuing to wipe at his lip, her free hand never leaving his chin.

"Note to self," he continued, "never scare Eva. She punches hard. It hurts."

"You know I'd never hurt you intentionally, Kenj," she told him. Then, she froze. "Is this the first time in how many years knowing each other you tried to scare me?"

"Huh," he paused, then gasped. "Ooh, maybe, the first time I scared you, you punched me and it gave me a concussion and I forgot about it."

Eva chuckled, and returned to cleaning his face. "Yeah, okay." If she focused on cleaning his face, she wouldn't have to look at his cute little puppy dog eyes, and she wouldn't become distracted with them. Because if she was distracted with them, Kenji would definitely know something is up, and there's no way she could tell Kenji she had started to develop feelings for him... again.

"Um, what happened to you?" Sammy said from behind Eva, confusion evident in her face.

"It's my fault," Kenji said, his eyes flirting behind Eva, before staring back up at her.