CHAPTER 38: THE FAMILY GATHERING

“You are in love with her already, aren’t you?”

“Itai!!” The word came out sharp from his mouth when the razor blade cut his cheek. Yamapi pulled away the razor and eyed the damage that he did on his smooth cheek. Blood started to seep from the wound and trickled down on his skin.

Damn, Nanako!

Yamapi cursed the woman’s for making him thinking about her words even until now. Opening the medicine box, he took out the medicine tube and applied some ointment on his cheek.

Don’t lie, Pi. I can see it. Even the way you teases her already shows that you are in love with her.

                Yamapi’s hands stopped and his mouth grunted irritatingly. Closing the box, he looked back on his reflection through the mirror. The sleepiness could be seen from his black circle around his eyes. It was all because of the woman’s words. Sighing softly, Yamapi walked out of the toilet and strolled to his wardrobe. His mind was thinking on the event yesterday when he snatched a pair of trousers and white t-shirt from the big wardrobe.

What Nanako said has been nonsense.

Extremely nonsense.

Where does she get the idea that he’s been in love with the witch?

Tch….

Those acts in the boutique are just to tease the woman…

Not more than that!

Such a stupid assumption.

Not when they are going to get di….

                The words inside his head stopped immediately when he smelt something. Zipping up his trousers quickly, Yamapi wore the t-shirt as his feet dragged him toward the door of his bedroom. Opening it slightly, he looked outside as his nose sniffed for a few times, making sure of it. Once he confirmed it, his eyes widened in surprise as he mumbled softly.

“Curry…..”The name of the food flew out from his mouth.

                Instantly, Yamapi slammed the door closed before sprinted down the stairs, following the smell of the curry. Someone is cooking curry….He thought inside his head while moving faster. Finally, he reached the place that emitted the wonderful smell.

                Standing at the entrance of the kitchen, Yamapi was astounded with the view he saw in it. Plates of food were arranged nicely on the table and to see that kind of view was something new for him. What amazed him more was his wife. Maki, who stood in front of the stove, was wearing the goregous pink dress that he chose for her yesterday. Even, she tied her hair in simple ponytail making she looked stunning with it. Too absorb with the cooking made the woman did not realized his presence in the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” The question rang inside the quiet kitchen, startling the woman in pink dress. Instantly Maki turned her head and found out her husband was ogling at her with curiosity plastered on his handsome face. Somehow, the man’s sudden appearance made her heart nearly leapt out from its place. After calming down her rapid heartbeat, she replied to the man.

“Cooking curry.” With that answer, Yamapi moved fast toward her and peeked into the pot checking on it. It was true. The curry was boiling inside the pot, and the smell of it made Yamapi nearly drooled. Swallowing up his saliva, he veered his eyes toward Maki.

“You can cook?”The mocking question came out from Yamapi’s mouth, making the witch shot a murderous look to him in return. Noticing it made the corner of his mouth flickered up amusingly.

“Ohh…. you can cook…I thought you are just joking about buying all those food last night.”Yamapi leaned a little bit as he folded his arms, continued teasing on her.

                 Maki ignored the man’s taunts and kept stirring the thick gravy inside the pot. Deep inside her heart, she knew that if she retorted, their quarrel would continue forever. Even it will drag to something else. Remembering it lead Maki to choose silence rather than quarrelling with the man. However, Yamapi’s other questions made the silence became impossible for it.

“Are you sure the curry can be eaten, Marina? The colour of it looks scary enough to be eaten by a human.”Maki glared with Yamapi’s words and erupted instantly.

“No. It cannot be eaten! It is poisonous!! So, you better don’t eat them.” Maki answered his question sarcastically while shooting a fierce look on him.

                Oddly, Yamapi replied it with deep chuckle as glint of amusement sparkled inside his dark orbs. And seeing those made her stomach immediately filled with butterflies. Instantly, Maki shifted her gaze back to the curry and calmed her stupid heart for being misunderstanding with the feelings. Why her heart feels different recently? She questioned herself as her gaze kept fixing on the curry. Sadly, the question remained unanswered and that made her felt more annoy with it.

“How long it is going to be cooked? I’m starving already.”Yamapi pouted while leaning against the kitchen counter and eyed the curry. Seriously, he was drooling seeing that thick and meaty gravy curry. Even, his stomach started to grumble.

“This is not for you.”Yamapi widened his eyes in surprise when he heard Maki’s statement.

“What!?”Her face was expressionless despite of Yamapi’s shock on knowing her answer.

“Yes, this is not for you. I made it for someone else.” Maki replied it nonchalantly. Yamapi gritted his teeth, knowing she was testing his patience.

“I want it!!”Maki ignored him when she turned off the gas and started to walk from him. However, the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him, repeating the words.

“What are…”

“I want the curry!” Yamapi cut her words instantly. Maki stared at the man as she inhaled her breath deeply.

“It is not for you.”

“I don’t care! I still want it!”Yamapi retorted. 

“Keep throwing tantrum. I’m not changing my mind.”Maki spat at him calmly while staring at the man. There was determination inside those round brown orbs. And stubbornness too….

“You sure love opposing me, Marina. Why is that?”The question was shot back at her.

“Because you are so irritating.” The answer was sharp and straight.

“Well, you start it first!”Shooting a glare look, he shot back the words.

“I’m not.”Maki denied it fast. Upon hearing it, Yamapi rolled his eyes and scoffed mockingly.

“Yes, you are! You start first. That’s why I did like that.” Maki peeled Yamapi’s grasp from her wrist that had been steeled around it for a long time. Being touch by the man made her extremely comfortable with it.

“Say whatever you want. Right now I am so busy to attend your childish act.” Maki told the man when she succeeded saving her hand from the man. However, the hunky man in front of her grabbed her hand once again and pulled her into his embrace. Maki yelped in response to the man’s sudden action.

“What are you doing, Tomo?!! Stop doing this stupid act!” Yamapi replied with a chuckle when he caught the woman’s hands who tried to smack him on his chest. Locking with his, he replied.

“I don’t care. I want the curry, Marina. So, I’m not going to let you off until you give it to me.”

“Tch!! Such a stupid action. Fine! Do whatever you want; I’m still not giving it to you.”Maki spat at him angrily.

“Really?You are not giving it to me? Even when I do this to you?” Yamapi asked the woman before he leaned forward and pecked on the woman’s lips. That made Maki froze and before she could think of, Yamapi pulled back and smiled widely than ever.

“Do you want to give the curry to me, Marina?”Yamapi questioned her once again as a naughty grin dangled at the corner of his lips.

                 However, the woman who was inside his embrace stared at him in horror with her lips slightly parted. Somehow, seeing those lips made him wanted to taste more. Slowly, he bent toward her once again. Noticing this, Maki jerked and pushed the man who plastered on her body. Still, it was a failure for her.

“Fine! Fine! You win it!! So, stop it!! Stop!! Just take it!!” Yamapi halted his action and pulled a little bit.

“Really?”Maki nodded fast with nervous glazed inside her dark brown orbs as she swallowed hard.

“Even I want the entire pot myself?” Yamapi pinned the question to her. Maki nodded fast agreeing to it. For her, the most important thing is to save herself from the man.

                 Seeing the reaction, the smile on Yamapi’s face grew wider.Well, he sure knows how to handle her after all. Glancing to the delicious and thick curry, Yamapi thought for a while and something bugged inside his mind. Somehow, he did not feel like to have it anymore, not when he now wanted som….

“I agree to it. So, let me go, Tomo. You can have the curry….”Maki’s soft voice broke his train of thought and that grabbed his attention back to the woman.

                Her hands were still on his chest. Same goes to his hands, wrapping on her slim waist. His eyes lingered on the woman’s face and somehow it stopped at one part. His heart started to beat strangely seeing those, warming up through his body.

“I don’t want curry anymore, Marina.”The statement flew out his mouth just like that.

“What!!?” Yamapi smiled as he looked at the woman’s surprise face. Her round brown eyes became even bigger seeing it.

“Don’t joke around Tomo! It is not funny!” Maki barked at the man.

“ I don’t joke and I mean it. I don’t want curry anymore, Marina.”The woman glared at him irritatingly as she gritted her teeth. Her eyes twitched a little bit, showing how annoy she was at the man’s sudden changes.

“Fine. What do you want?”

                Her words that came out were sharp and monotone. Deep inside his heart, Yamapi knew the woman was trying to suppress the anger within her. That amused him even more. Staring at her lovely face, his eyes lingered on it for a long time. Since yesterday, he could not help teasing her. It became some part of him after he knew that the woman was easily being ticked off. The usual compose and calm witch easily being teased and only he could that. The thought made superiority came over him and somehow, he felt proud of it.

“Faster, Tomo!! Tell me what you want. You don’t want curry anymore right? So, tell me!!” Maki shot the words irritatingly. At that moment, she could not hold longer being in the man’s embrace. Not when she felt extremely uncomfortable with it. Yamapi smiled widely seeing the woman’s annoy face.

“Do you want me to cook omurice for you