Episode 7: One lonely night...

He looked so shocked, I couldn’t suppress my laughter, and I ended up sinking down the couch:

“Oh my goodness! You were really wearing a pink apron now! HAHA!” I kept rolling left and right. “The cool Prince Jin… Ahaha! I should’ve took a picture of you! Yes, your fans must know!”

“S-Stop laughing damn it! You’ll regret it!” his voice never sounded this threatened.

“Then…” I got up and picked the fluffy cushion “Is this yours too?”

“NO!”

“Your face says otherwise!” I started to jump around.

“Stop I said!”

He snatched the cushion harshly then aimed his index finger at me:

“It’s not what you think!”

Oh please, it’s written all over your face! You really really like girlish things now… even though I never saw what he hid in his drawer, now I’m more curious to know!

What if I find princess dolls? Or even worse, dresses?

“Hahaha!” I bent slightly down as I held into my sides that hurt me from laughing, “You really are something else!”

However, my hysteria ended as soon as… I got suddenly lifted up on his shoulder.

“H-H-Hey!!” I shouted.

“You went too far”

“Put me down! What are you doing?” I kept moving my hands and feet in all directions. “You’re the one who’s going too far now!” I was embarrassed rather than just furious.

“I asked you gently but you didn’t listen”

“Stop messing around! Put me down!” I bumped with my fists on his back. “It’s no fun anymore!”

“Are you scared of heights?”

“Who isn’t?!” especially if the person who’s lifting you is like 6 feet tall!

“Let’s see if you’ll keep mocking me after this”

He started to walk with me on his shoulder.

“W-where are you taking me?!”

He ignored my question and I saw that we were heading to the terrace,

“Hey! Heey!!!” I struggled even harder.

Is he going to throw me from over the fences?!

I shut my eyes close, but I could tell that we were already outside because the cold night breeze tickled my skin and it felt real cold.

“What will you do now?” he asked ironically.

“I won’t open my eyes no matter what!” I stiffened my body.

“Then apologize!” he demanded with a grave tone. “For calling me a girl!”

Huh?

“But, when the hell did I…?” I was about to burst out in rage over his stubbornness but then, I remembered what I said earlier.

Oh no… how can I be so careless?!

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

“You’re still laughing huh” he sounded upset. “Fine”

He turned around, and I forgot about the whole threating thing that I glanced downwards, realizing how actually high was the 10^th floor from the ground, that was totally invisible, even the fountain at the entrance was like a tiny circle.

“This isn’t funny!” and clung tighter into his shirt, “I don’t have to apologize for something you misunderstood!”

“What was there to misunderstand?”

“I wasn’t calling you a girl! I was just talking to myself!” I defended.

“But you clearly said Jin!”

“That’s my name! Mikasa Jin! If we only had a proper greeting this wouldn’t have happened!” I got so angry “And besides… you shouldn’t be ashamed of who you truly are!”

 I stopped struggling.

“Even if you had weird interests and tastes, you mustn’t be ashamed to show it to the world…” I lowered my head “Don’t allow them to judge you” My voice quivered, because I felt like I was taking to my own self.

I remembered how my classmates reacted to my presence this morning.

There was a short moment of silence until he said:

“Then… you really didn’t…” his voice trailed.

“You’re always misunderstanding my intentions.” I stated, then he lowered me back to the ground slowly. I couldn’t stand alone, and I ended up holding into him to steady my standing posture.

He said nothing, so I hurried back inside without bothering to look at him. I headed to the bedroom. I hid myself under the blanket, started to shake slightly from the cold, still under the effect of shock.

I heard footsteps drawing closer.

“Go away!” I cried.

The room fell in quietness for a few minutes. I popped my head out from beneath the cover, to see his face glancing down at me. I let out a small shriek.

Is he a ghost or what? How could he be this quiet? I didn’t even sense his presence.

“Umm…” he paused for a second “what do you like to eat?”

Is it really the time to ask about my favorite food?

“Why do you care? Go away and let me have some sleep!” I responded severely.

I heard his footing against the wooden floor so I guessed he already left, and that’s better.

______________________________

I needed to call my dad, right now, and tell him that I can’t stay here any longer!

I dialed his number,

He must know how much I’m suffering here!

Few minutes passed and he didn’t pick up no matter how many times I called. I was almost throwing the phone from frustration, but then I calmed myself a bit and sent him a message, telling him about Jin and how impossible it was for us to get along.

I hugged my knees as I sat on the bed. I missed Yumiko and Yuji so much and it seems like I’ll never make any friends in here.

I kept holding into the phone, waiting for his call until I fell asleep.

_________________________________

“Jin”

Somebody was calling my name, shaking me lightly and gently from the shoulder.

“Hmm?” I opened my eyes slowly, my sight still a bit blurry.

“The dinner is ready”

I got alarmed now that I heard that statement. I flinched.

“Didn’t I tell you to let me sleep?” I complained.

“You can’t sleep with an empty stomach” he replied.

“Huh?” I was now totally awake, thanks to what he said.

“Hurry up, or the food would get cold and lose its taste”

No, wait, did he really cook… for me?

Or after thinking, I can’t put my hopes up now and then get disappointed later. This must be another prank.

I went outside the bedroom to find a table that was set with delicious-looking food, it just seemed out of a cooking-book. My lips parted in astonishment. I looked back to see Jin bring some plates and putting them neatly on it.

“This is unbelievable” I scratched my head, still observing.

No wait, this is… Japanese cuisine!

I felt nostalgic just looking at it. I sat to the table, not helping but smile.

I held my chopsticks in my hands and clapped my palms together:

“Itadakimasu!” I said happily.

Then I started to eat, noticed that Jin didn’t touch his food yet. I halted while I was holding my rice bowl with a hand and the sticks with the other.

“You’re eating like someone who has been starving” he scoffed.

“I didn’t have homemade food for years now. It’s just that I’m so happy that someone cooked for me”

He looked at me startled, seemed like he wanted to say something but just didn’t.

He cooked me a Japanese meal, and it filled my heart with warmth.

“You should eat too, I’ll feel guilty if there was nothing left for you” I joked.

He picked up his chopsticks and imitated the move I did before I started to eat, I laughed.

“You didn’t pronounce it quite right, it’s i-ta-da-ki-ma-tsu” I spelled it for him.

“Ah ok” he corrected his pronunciation.

“That’s it, haha”

We were having a happy meal like any close friends eventually. He seemed so awkward and barely said anything after that, so I figured that he wasn’t used to being with people at table. It made me understand how hard would getting used to having me around be, and so I rose up from my seat after I finished eating and said:

“I’ll press the administration to reconsider their decision about putting us in the same room” I nodded at him. “It must’ve been hard for you to suddenly have a girl live with you”

I had to admit that, because I wanted us to be on good terms even if it meant that we’ll only see each other from afar.

If the supervisor refused to provide me with another room, I’ll just find a hotel near the academy to stay in or a rent a house or an apartment.

He didn’t say anything and just started to gather the empty plates.

“I’m sorry for the things I did to annoy you” I sincerely apologized.

He remained silent. And that made me feel more guilty.

I was helping him clean the table, and the atmosphere became too heavy.

Does he want me out of his way this much?

I looked at him as he started to wash the dished,

Why is he so difficult to read?

“I’ll lend you a hand!” I said cheerfully.

“No need,” he retorted.

I felt that all what happened a few seconds ago and the happiness perished into dust.

I forced a smile on my lips and then went to the room, picked my coat and phone then went outside without saying a word to Jin who was still doing the dishes.

The best thing I could do to thank him for what he has done so far, was to allow him to have a calm night alone with no one to bother him.

______________________

I decided to spend the night in the lounge of the gym because it has very comfortable seats. But when I pressed the elevator’s button, it didn’t work. Enen the lights in the corridor got turned off suddenly, I glanced at my phone’s screen and it showed 10pm.

Yes, it was this late and I didn’t realize. How unwise of me.

My phone’s battery was going to run out soon. I thought that maybe taking the stairs would take me to other floors, however, it was too dark and I couldn’t possibly rely on the phone’s light alone to go downstairs.

I smiled bitterly and then decided to sit down on the stairs and laid my head against the fence. I decided to listen to my favorite music.

“Good night, Jin”

______________________________

(His POV)

It’s been an hour since she left. I was lying on my bed, trying to sleep but I couldn’t.

I couldn’t stop thinking of her.

I glanced at her bed, I imagined how she curled herself under the blanket and popped her face out to scold me.

*“You mustn’t be ashamed of who you truly are!”*

I looked at the small super Mario toy I kept beside my pillow. I patted its head.

“I think it’s better if she leaves, right Mario?”

So I shouldn’t try to be any nicer with her.

Then I closed my eyes, trying to fall asleep for real this time.

*****To be continued...