Chapter 18

"Anyway," I glanced outside at the dark sky, "It's getting pretty late now."

She shrugged, grabbed one of my arms, and wrapped her arms around it. "You going home now?"

We walked outside the gym doors and felt the wind caress our faces.

"Unless you want to do something else."

She blushed and slapped my arm. "Huh? Wha- ??? Why?"

She frowned at me and I quickly realized what she meant, "Ah… aren't you thinking a little too quickly there? I meant if you actually wanted to go do something else… like dinner or relax." I nudged her.

She blushed realizing that she was the pervert, and not me.

Her mouth shifted into a pout, "That's not my fault."

"...How… How is that my fault then?" I sweatdropped.

"It's your fault you're such a stupid womanizer and you're perverted."

"...Yes. Of course…" I sweatdropped and nodded sagely. "Don't go against a woman if you don't want to die a thousand deaths."

She giggled and head-butted my shoulder. Suddenly she stopped and covered her mouth with a hand.

I looked at her with a question mark on top of my head.

"...I can't believe I just made that sound," her face was full of shame.

I laughed and patted her hand.

"I'll make you make other noises— Nope. That did not come out the way I wanted it to. I meant that— Y'know, I'd make you giggle and laugh so hard you'd be snorting like a pig… not… that."

I was feeling a little self-conscious about the way I spoke now that she had mentioned it.

At my stuttering and awkward movements trying to explain myself, she began laughing her heart out.

One glance at my awkward eyes and her laughter grew ten times the size.

She slapped her thigh, "There's no way you just did that."

"...Shut up," I looked with amusement at her.

"You just… that was like the most loser thing I've ever seen you do," she patted her stomach, trying to calm her laughter.

"I'm…—"

"Hahaha, no way… There's no way you just said that,"

I smiled, "What's wrong with that?"

"PFFFT— That was so uncool," she slapped my shoulder, her laughs not diminishing a single volume bar.

"Okay, okay… it wasn't that funny."

"You're kidding… that was one of the funniest things I've ever seen you do. I would bully you."

I pursed my lip. She smiled and reached her hands up to pull my cheeks around. "Okay, okay, little baby," she cooed. "Don't be angry anymore. It was actually really, really, cute. I think that was way more attractive than you dunking over two guys."

There was a pause as I let her use my cheeks as dough.

I wrapped my hands around her waist and pulled her in close, "I'm so angry right now… you don't know."

For a split second, her eyes paused, and looked taken aback.

She recovered quickly.

"Really?" She smiled, amused, and planted her arms around my neck.

I smiled back, "Yeah, I might do something bad out of anger."

I scratched her back with slight movements.

"Oh? And what will you do?" She looked up at my eyes and bit her lips unconsciously.

"What do you think I'll do?"

I drank in her features. The beautiful soul-green eyes that captivated me every time I saw them, even before feeling any attraction to her; her lips that widened into a smile upon seeing me; her intent gaze that did not ever ignore mine, constantly looking at me as if I was the only thing in the world.

Those pearls had evolved from normal glances, to friendly looks, to deep stares.

I noticed her usually straight and tidy black hair had grown longer and slightly messier, which only enhanced her beautiful features.

"Hmm," she stood on her tiptoes and began leaning in closer.

The world stopped for a moment as I stared at her coming in closer. As slowly as it felt, the moment was quick. Her eyes fluttered shut and her face was in a trajectory towards mine.

Her perfume once again attacked my nostrils and I felt a strange feeling rise from my stomach.

I smiled and turned my head away.

Her lips came into contact with my cheek with her eyes closed and she pulled away quickly.

"..?" she looked wide-eyed, confused at me.

I grinned, "What do you think about my anger?"

"... I hate you."

"Ah… I was so angry, I did something bad out of anger…"

She pouted and harrumphed her face away from me.

I laughed and suffocated her with a hug. My hips pulled her up towards my chest with her legs dangling around. "Let me down!" she squeaked at the sudden movement.

I laughed and tilted my upper body above, even more, to unbalance her. Her legs flailed around and her arms were locked in by mine.

"Stop! Ivan, stop!" I laughed.

Her legs kicked the side of my quads repeatedly.

"Okay, okay," I brought her back down and she quickly got back onto the floor.

"Hmp," she looked at me in resentment.

I laughed and planted my lips onto her cheek, and gave her a big sloppy kiss.

The person in question was not too amused and frowned in disgust.

"What are you? A dog?" she tried wiping the saliva away with the back of her hand.

"We're even now."

"No, that one doesn't count."

I laughed, "You don't like it?"

She frowned, "Give me a normal kiss."

"Ohh, you like kisses?"

I teased.

She was having none of that. "Shut up and give me a normal kiss."

I approached her blushed cheek and gave it a peck.

She nodded with satisfaction.

"Man… Sorry. I really didn't want to interrupt but… y'know… You guys are kinda blocking the way."

I looked back to see a bunch of people with resentment in their red eyes.

They were waiting at the entrance of the gym with itchy hands.

In the back, I heard people muttering, "Man I fucking hate being single."

"Someone end me."

"Haha… this was so cute. Anyone wanna run off a cliff with me?"

"I'll go with you."

"I think I should take my toaster to meet my bathtub."

"Idiot couple…"

"It's so sweet. It's so sweet!! I can't take this anymore, get me a boyfriend."

"I'll date you."

"Okay."

I glanced back at Alice and we shrugged.

…

…

…

ALICE

I quickly opened the door of the car and slid down with exhaustion.

My chauffeur looked at me with a troubled smile, still unused to not being able to open the door for me anymore.

"Thank you for picking me up."

He merely kept his smile, "Of course," and led me towards the house through the beautiful and well-maintained garden. The moonlight neatly lit up spots in the garden and the lights made the house seem a little less lonely than it was in my memories.

The door was opened by another attendant and I was quickly led in and greeted by fuzzy slippers.

I thanked the helpers at my house and waved them good night. They waved back enthusiastically.

The slippers slapped against the floor briskly as I walked slowly towards the stairs.

In the living room, I was greeted by my father drinking from his mug and scrolling through a tablet.

My steps paused, and I looked to see if he would glance up.

Seeing that he still hadn't noticed me, I called him out. "Father."

He merely drank from his mug again.

"...Father," I called out with a slightly louder voice.

He immediately looked up and his eyes recognized me.

"Alice. You are back."

"...Yes. You are also back early."

"Yes… today I decided to finish my work at home."

I nodded, "What are you looking at?"

"Details of a project…" he shrugged and didn't elaborate more.

Perhaps it was the emotions that came from the exciting student-bonding event, or something else, I walked to my father and sat next to him on the sofa for the first time in my many years of living.

His gaze followed me the entire time and looked at me as if deducing what I was doing.

Perhaps he had thought I would cross the living room towards the kitchen, as his eyes immediately widened once I came closer.

I sat down on the couch next to him in a criss-cross and he stared at me weirdly.