T's & C's (don't) Apply

45. Blushing Should (Not) Be Allowed

Kai said I was more odd than normal, yet he was the weird one. He either spoke in riddles, or I was too stupid to understand what he meant fully.

I stared at him like a dumbfounded idiot. He looked back at me seriously until his lips tilted upwards and he laughed. His laughter brought back my senses, and I felt utterly embarrassed.

"Are you?" I cleared my throat. "Are you mocking me?"

Kai stopped laughing and shook his head. "Of course not. I mean it. You look very pretty tonight."

Oh...

"Laughter after a compliment doesn't sound very sincere."

"Your reaction to my compliment is funny," Kai said honestly. "That's all."

"Pardon?" I frowned.

Kai poked my cheek playfully. "Until recently, you've barely smiled, let alone showed any kind of emotions, so I assumed you weren't human. Now you're blushing."

I reached for my cheeks and hoped my cold hands cooled them down. "I'm not blushing."

"Said the red-cheeked girl," Kai teased.

"I put on way too much blush, that's it."

"I've had my eye on you all day, and your cheeks weren't half as red as they are now," Kai said. "Unless your blush grows redder the longer you wear it."

"Maybe it does."

I walked ahead and cursed myself mentally for looking like an idiot in front of Kai. Was I that awful at accepting compliments that I had to bloody blush in front of him?

"Coco," Kai called and gripped my arm.

I looked at him as unbothered as I could've when he stood in front of me. His eyes had a shimmer to them while he did his best not to laugh.

"You don't need to run away or hide," Kai said softly. "Or do you not think you look pretty?"

My brows slowly knitted together. "Is that a rhetorical question?"

Kai shook his head and sighed. "So much self-doubt."

"I don't doubt myself."

"Then why are you so bad at accepting compliments?"

"Please," I scoffed. "You complimented me once and caught me off guard. I don't think that's enough to make such a conclusion."

"Ah," Kai grinned. "So, you want me to shower you with more compliments?"

I looked sharply into his eyes and shook my head. "I'm good."

"Are you sure?"

I removed his hand. "Ugh, stop annoying me."

Kai laughed from behind as I walked off again.

"Tell me how many you want, and I'll start straight away," Kai called from behind.

I looked at him over my shoulder, and he was still smiling like a fool. "Don't make me toss you in the ocean."

"Go for it," Kai hit back. "But if I go down, you're going with me. No matter how pretty you are in that dress."

Again, he got me blushing, but I quickly looked in front. I mentally cursed myself and slapped my cheeks as I quickened my steps so he wouldn't catch up.

To my dismay, his long legs caught up while I scolded myself like a crazy person. Kai walked backward and faced me as I walked. He seemed to enjoy watching me embarrass myself.