The old woman made me do a lot of stupid servants stuff. There were a lot of times that I cried out of frustration and self pity. How in the world did they end up in this situation? Ugh! But I have no choice since I learned my lesson pretty well with the old woman. Once she said something, she means it.

 

Grandpa was different, though. He always jokes around, teasing his own wife. Sometimes I wonder how two different people fell in love with each other. Much more, maintained their relationship for such a long time. Grandpa was very kind and understanding to me, always defending me up.

 

As for the pest, I can’t get over the fact that he can DO almost everything expertly. I hate to admit it, but I kept on discovering new things about him. Like how good he is in cooking meals, so much better than his mother, actually. Gah! What am I thinking? I’m pretty sure there’s something he can’t do. Huh!

 

I drank the glass of water in one go then sighed contently when I started hearing sizzling sounds from the dirty kitchen. I walked towards it. I saw the pest’s facing me as he was cooking something. I swallowed hard as I saw that he was just in his jeans, totally shirtless. I leaned against the wall, slowly feeling myself sliding down to the floor when he suddenly turned around. He raised his brows at me.

 

“What are you doing?” he asked.

 

“Ha?” I blankly asked back.

 

He chuckled. “Why are you sliding down the floor?”

 

“Ha?” I blankly asked again as I felt my bottom hit the floor.

 

“You’re hopeless,” he shook his head as he turned back to what he’s doing. I bit my lower lip as I saw his back again.

 

A growing need slowly boiled up in my veins. My mind was confused as I weakly fought the thought of him being y. No one and I mean NO ONE has the right to have a y back like this. And his tattoos were not helping at all. I felt myself standing up, totally dazed. The need was now so intense that I found myself wanting to hug him. It’s not just a simple need, mind you. The need to hug him or to be close with him was like needing air to breathe, needing food to live, needing clothes and shelter for security, needing water to quench my thirst.

 

I started walking towards him, feeling like I’m floating or something. My arms rose as I planned to wrap my arms around him. As my arms tightened around him, waves of sensations came crashing over me.

 

Do you know what it feels like to drink a glass of frozen-cold water after not drinking for the whole day? Or the feeling of taking a shower after being under the sun for three hours straight? Or the tingling sensation when you’re peeing?

 

That’s exactly how I feel right now. The feeling doesn’t even come close to the satisfaction of eating one pint of ice cream in one sitting.

 

“Kitten, what are you doing?” he asked.

 

“Hmm,” I sighed. His hands went up to my arms and removed them from his waist. He turned around to face me and it proved to be such a not good idea. My eyes widen as I was now face to face with his bare chest. My body started swaying towards him.

 

“What’s ha-?” he started but then, I just buried my face in his chest and hugged him again. “Are you possessed or something?” he asked again. I didn’t answer. “Sandara Park, what the hell is going on?”

 

“Just one minute,” I mumbled, still feeling totally dazed. I felt his chest vibrated as he chuckled lightly. Then, I felt his arms around me too, making me smile even wider.

 

“You’re not really doing a good job to my self control,” he said.

 

“What’s going on here?” a stern voice suddenly entered my ears, bringing me back to my sane mind. I quickly pulled away from the pest, eyes wide with horror. I felt myself starting to boil up. I know I’m going to burst any moment now.

 

“Ya! What do you think are you doing?” I burst out.

 

“What did I do?” the pest asked back.

 

“Why are you hugging me?! And you don’t even have the decency to wear a shirt!”

 

“Huh! You’re the one who hugged me first!”

 

“I did not!” I denied.

 

“Yes, you did!”

 

I frowned. Then, when I remembered what happened a while ago, I felt myself reddened from embarrassment. No! I did not just hug him! There’s no way I’d do that!

 

But gah! I did! I just did!

 

“Kwon Jiyong, don’t let me ask you twice.”

 

I turned around and saw the pest’s grandmother.

 

“We were. . . we were just. . . uh. . . .” I stammered.

 

“Don’t be such a spoilsport, dear. Let the two lovebirds do their thang,” Grandpa entered, looking extremely satisfied.

 

“We’re not lovebirds!” the pest and me chorused.

 

“You!” the old woman suddenly turned to me, pointing her walking stick up at me. “Are you done with your chores?”

 

“Not yet,” I mumbled, earning me a whack in the head by that stupidly annoying stick.

 

“Dear, don’t be so harsh,” Grandpa said.

 

“A woman should know how to run a house!”

 

Grandpa clicked his tongue. “Sorry about my wife, Sandara. She’s pretty old-fashioned.”

 

“And you’re not?” the old woman spat. “This girl wasn’t disciplined and taught well. She totally lacked the right guidance of a mother. It’s no surprise, of course since she was brought up by caregivers.”

 

I turned to the pest, glaring. How dare he share my life story to his grandparents?

 

“You brat! What are you still doing here? Go finish your chores!”

 

“Yes, Your Highness!” I curtsied and quickly ran away as I saw the look in the old woman’s face.

 

~o~

 

“Wild cat! Come here!”

 

“What now?” I snapped.

 

“Want to fly a kite?” he asked. But he didn’t wait for an answer as he quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me with him.

 

“I really don’t know-”

 

“I’ll show you how,” he cut off. I looked at him with slanted eyes. What is he up to now?

 

I watched and listened as he showed me how to do it. After that, he gave me the small piece of wood where the string where rolled.

 

“Okay, step back and release the string slowly,” he said. I followed. “Step back again.”

 

He repeatedly told me step back, which of course I obediently followed without question. I mean, I really don’t know how to fly a kite, haven’t actually. A small smile was starting to take form at the edges of my lips as I watched the kite swaying with the wind when I suddenly felt the ground off my feet. I stumbled backwards, squealed out of surprise.

 

I felt something wet and sticky. I looked down and found myself in a pool of mud. YUCK!!!!!!!!! Then, I heard the pest laughing. I knew it! I just knew it! Gah! I should have known that he got something hidden up in his sleeve. He’s been too kind lately, I should have seen this. He couldn’t last a week without doing anything like this to me.

 

He started walking towards me, face full with humor. He held his hand out to me, still laughing. I squinted my eyes as I reached for his hand and pulled him down with me hard. He stumbled forward, pushing me down to the mud even further, with him on top of me. He quickly wiped his muddy hand on my face. My eyes widen as he burst out laughing again.

 

Oh, so he wants play dirty, huh? Then, so be it! I flipped, changing our position. He was lying flat on his back down on the mud now. I buried his stupid head in it. Then, I also did what he did to my face. Soon after, we were caught in a fierce mud wrestling.

 

“What are you two doing?” I shocked voice appeared out of nowhere. We both stopped and looked up. I saw the old woman staring at us coldly. The pest quickly stood up, I did the same.

 

“Grandma,” the pest said, bowing.

 

“I’ll ask again. What are you doing? Both of you!”

 

“Flying a kite,” we chorused. I glanced at the pest the same time he glanced at me. I know we were both wearing the same surprised expressions.

 

“Flying a kite? In a pool of mud?”

 

“Yes,” we chorused again, making me glance back to the pest. What the hell is happening? But as soon as we made eye contact, we started laughing; earning us the legendary walking stick right up in the head.

 

“If you two so enjoy being in a pool of mud, so be it,” the old woman said. “The both of you will stay here for the whole day, got that? Whoever disobeys me, will get what he or she deserves!”

 

“This was your fault!” I hissed as the old woman went away. The pest just looked at me with a dark gleam in his eyes.

 

“So, who’s the winner?” he asked.

 

“The battle’s not yet over,” I said.

 

And then, we resumed our mud wrestling.