I Am Not Sharing A Room With You.

"Min-Jung, I do not want us to go into another round of argument. You heard what she just said, didn't you? It'd be weird if we slept in separate rooms," Tan said, trying to reason with her.

"Who would tell her we slept separately? How would she know when she'll be busy sleeping?" Nana asked, trying desperately not to raise her voice.

"Why do you have to be so damn stubborn about everything?"

"You're the one making unreasonable demands. I can't share a room with you. Period!" Nana barked back.

"What are you scared of? That I'd ravish you?" He asked daringly.

"I don't care about what you think. I don't owe you any explanation. I am not sharing a room with you." She said, raising her chin defiantly.

He felt like strangling her; why did she have to be so unreasonable?

"Ok, I'll sleep on the couch while you sleep on the bed. I promise not to touch you unless you ask me to, of course," He said with a teasing smile, trying to lighten the mood.

"Why would I ask you to touch me? And how do I know I can trust you?" She asked, eyeing him wearily.

"You should trust me because you have no idea how much I'm holding back myself from taking you into my arms right now. Your stubborn attitude makes me want to tame you."

"Tame me? You sure do know how to sound like a caveman," She said, swallowing as her mind flashed back to the kiss of the previous night, her face flooded with colour.

He laughed out loud as he watched her. This one was a tough nut to crack.

"I could sleep in my room and sneak into your room through the connecting door before dawn. That way, your mother will never know we slept separately," She suggested making him roll his eyes.

"Don't be so sure about that. I can assure you that my mother will check on either of us before dawn. We can place a bet on it if you want us to," He responded.

"Alright. I'll sleep in your room, but you must promise not to touch me. You have to keep your distance," She said reluctantly.

"You have nothing to worry about, my darling; if and when I do touch you, you just might be the one to make a move. I'll wait patiently," He said with a wink giving her goosebumps.

Saying nothing, she left him there; went inside her room to prepare for bed. She tapped lightly on the connecting door between their rooms for him to open the door. 

It took all he had in him not to touch her. She glanced at him as he spread the blanket on the couch. She could tell he wouldn't get any comfortable sleep on the couch. He was too big to lie on the couch.

"You can take the bed; I'll sleep on the couch," She had to whisper because his mother was sleeping in the opposite room.

"Nah, I can't do that. I want you to sleep comfortably. Don't worry; I'll be fine," he said, lying down.

He reached out to turn off the light, but she stopped him. "Please don't. I can't sleep with the light off," she said in a small voice which made his lips twitch.

He had to hold back his smile so as not to offend her. He couldn't believe Little Miss Brave was nyctophobic.

"Any specific reason for that? or should I just mind my business?" He asked as he went back to lie on the couch.

She knew she couldn't keep telling him to mind his business. She already knew a lot about him, and it only made sense she shared some things about herself in return. Besides, if she was going to force him into sleeping with the lights on, then he had every right to know why she feared darkness.

"I almost got raped while walking down a dark alley one night. Although a stranger rescued me before they could succeed, I've been scared of the dark since then."

She said, embarrassed that he might laugh at her for having such fears over something as minor as that.

"I'm sorry about that. How old were you then?" He asked, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

"I was 16 years old," She said, looking away from him.

"That must have been tough. Did you ever meet a psychologist after that for counselling?"

"No, I didn't. I'm feeling sleepy now. Goodnight, Tan," She said, allowing sleep to take over her.

**********

Tan gently tapped Nana's shoulders, "Wake up," He whispered.

"You promised to keep your hands to yourself," she said, eyeing him accusingly.

He placed his fingers on his lips to indicate she should keep quiet. "Listen," he whispered back.

She heard the sound of someone walking around the passageway; she looked at the bedside clock; it was just 2 am. Soon they both listened to the turn of her room's doorknob. His mother was checking to be sure they were sleeping in the same room.

"How good are your acting skills in this aspect?" He asked her.

"What do you mean?" She asked, giving him a confused look.

"I need you to make sounds like you're being ravished. If she hears that, then all her suspicions will be cleared," He said, moving closer.

She blushed at the sound of that, she didn't know much about being ravished, but she could try.

*********

Mrs Kim checked all the empty rooms quietly to be very sure Min-Jung wasn't sleeping in any of them.

She was satisfied when she found all the rooms to be empty. As she made her way back to her room, she heard sounds coming from Tan's bedroom. She drew closer to the door.

"Yesssss, Ohh, I love that," Nana said from the other side of the door.

Mrs Kim gave a satisfied smile. He had been telling the truth. He really has a girlfriend now, she said, smiling as she made her way back to her room. She could leave them in peace now. She had just one thing left to do; She needed information on Min-Jung to be sure she was the perfect girl for Tan. She didn't need any girl messing with her son's emotions a second time.