Let's Not Fall In Love

Chapter 19

The muffled sounds of the television could be heard through the door. The sounds mean one thing she’s finally home. Jiyong smiled. He took off his shoes and slipped on his slippers.

As he entered the living room, the room was dark. The TV was the only light source and it eerily highlighted the green muck on the slob sprawled on the sofa. A chill crept up his spine. He had an inkling what the dim lighting meant. He refused to acknowledge the possibility. He reached out to turn the light on.

“Yah! Turn it off! I’m in the zone here. You’re ruining the moment!” A mildly irritated voice reprimanded him coming from the direction of the sofa.

He obediently switched the light off. “Aah. That’s better. I made pizza. Go clean up then eat before I finish everything.”

“Made pizza my butt. More like reheated MY pizza.” Jiyong scoffed at the general direction of her voice.

“In my book, reheating is tantamount to making it,” She countered unashamedly.

Jiyong couldn’t stop grinning as he loosened up his tie on his way to his room. She’s really back and its as if the past weeks didn’t happen. They were back to their old camaraderie. But then he did not want them to be like before. He frowned at the realization.

He did not want to go back to how things were. The past two months were painful but he knew that they needed those so that they could move forward. But just when he thought they could have taken a jump forward, Dara goes stepping back to square one.

After a quick shower he changed into a pair of ratty sweats and moved to join her. He scooped Dara’s prone body up surprising the girl into dropping the TV remote. “Yah!” She moved to hit him to let her go but her facial mask was starting to slip because of the jostling movement. Her hand flew to her face to keep the dratted thing in place.

Jiyong chuckled as he resettled their bodies into the sofa. Dara’s body stiffened at the familiar but at the same time unfamiliar feel of her body nestling on his. It’s been weeks. Before it just felt natural to cuddle with him. They’ve been doing it since they were kids. But with everything that happened in the previous weeks she didn’t know how or if she could carry on being in such close proximity with him.

Greeting him casually a few minutes ago took all of her latent acting skills. She was nervous as hell but she thought that acting as if nothing happened would be easier for her. Best to sweep everything under a rug and keep things going as before rather than hashing everything out. She’d rather undergo an open heart surgery than wear her figurative heart on her sleeve. She didn’t think she could survive that much drama in one lifetime again.

Jiyong shook her shoulders a little roughly. “Settle down, tokki. I can’t see past your rabbit ears. Show’s starting.” She took her cue from Jiyong. His tone was light. His body was relaxed. It was as if nothing happened as well. So Dara forced her body to relax and rested her body on his.

“What the hell are you watching?” Jiyong exclaimed as he realized she was watching a playlist on YouTube about creepy and mysterious happenings caught on camera around the world. Unbeknownst to the world is a fact known to only the two of them that Dara has more balls compared to Jiyong when it comes to scary supernatural documentaries. It is weird but he doesn’t get scared with horror films or slasher movies but supernatural documentaries gives him nightmares.

“Tonight is my turn to decide. The last movie night we had you made me watch a fucking mixed martial arts fighting marathon!” Dara glared at him.

“So? It was fun not scary.” Jiyong countered.

“So punching and kicking is fun for you? You want me to make fun of you instead?” Dara threatened.

Jiyong snorted. “As if. You’re going to hurt me with what? Your fists?” He grabbed her fist and jokingly slow punched himself in the face with it. He chuckled at her expression. Her eyes were narrowed with a murderous glint at him. She wouldn’t even kill a cockroach and she’s threatening him with bodily harm. His Tokki Monster is the cutest monster in the world. He flicked a finger on her forehead but she dodged it.
“No. With this.” Without warning Dara buried her elbow into Jiyong’s unsuspecting belly and used it to lever herself into a comfortable position. “Ow! Ow! Ow!” Jiyong yelped.

“Oh don’t be such a baby.” Dara mocked at him. Then jabbed her elbow again. This time on Jiyong’s thigh. Jiyong hissed in pain. Dara turned innocently back at him. “Are you in pain, Jiyongie? I thought this was your idea of fun?” She smirked at his pained expression.

“Your elbows should come with a warning label!” He rubbed his sore stomach. “They’re lethal. Who needs combat training when you’ve got daggers for elbows.”

She made another move to dig her other elbow into Jiyong’s other thigh. Seeing her intent Jiyong swiftly gathered her into a tight hug and settled her back firmly against him. She struggled against his hold but Jiyong shushed her, “Settle down, my little Tokki Monster. The next vid is starting.”

True enough he was right. It was an episode of Buzzfeed Unsolved that she had missed. She stopped squirming, forgot about the hot hunk hugging her and concentrated on the big screen.

Jiyong on the other hand sighed in relief as she relaxed against him but he kept his arms around her because of two things. Number one reason was because he simply missed her.  Number two reason was because he was fucking scared. Which among the two was the primary reason was really contestable.

He’d probably hug anyone who is with him now. He’d even brave possible death and hug Tabi if he was the one with him now. Tabi hates being touched unnecessarily except by Bom and by his mom and vows bodily harm on anyone who touches him without his permission.

He felt a sharp pinch on his thigh. “Too tight. Can’t breathe.” He wasn’t aware that he had squeezed Dara a little too tight when a high pitched tuneless whistle could be heard in response to Bergara’s ‘It’s nice here’ comment.

“Sorry,” He croaked in apology and loosened his hold. But only a little. Nothing could make him let go of Dara at this point. He’d rather fight ten zombies alone than face one ghost.

“Can’t we stop this and like watch The Walking Dead? Those could be scary, too.” Jiyong tried to bargain with Dara.

“Nope.” Dara shook her head. “Not scary enough.”

Jiyong sighed in surrender. At least he could hold her in his arms now. Thank God for small mercies. Then he jerked unconsciously when a voice sounded suspiciously like, ‘I am not’ after the host asked if he was Jesus or something while they were inside the chapel. After a short while just when he thought he could relax he flinched again when he heard a creepy, breathy voice from the communicator say, ‘There’s more of us.’

That’s it. He’d had enough. If this continues any longer he had half a mind to return her to Joross’s apartment. He closed his eyes and buried himself on her shoulder. After a short while Dara felt his stiff body slump slowly against her back. Poor Jiyongie had scared himself to sleep. Dara snickered at him. So much for machismo. Go girl power!

She moved to slowly extricate herself from his grip but his arms reflexively tightened around her. “Gajima,” he mumbled in his sleep so Dara decided to rest against him for awhile. A few minutes later, her soft snores began to harmonize with his soft but sonorous snorts.