Treat

I turned my body and started to walk away quickly, but she followed me.

“Wait!"

I didn't mind her instead I continued walking away. Inviting me to eat as a thanks were okay, but inviting me to her house was too much.

I felt a hand grab my wrist that made me stop. The girl was gasping after she caught me.

“I'm not giving you my thanks yet." She pulled me back to her house. I wondered why she was rather forceful.

“There are so many places where we can eat, why your house?" I'd tried to resist but she kept pulling me with both arms wrapped on mine. I could feel the softness of her...

“It isn't sincere if it wasn't—” she paused and turned her face away, avoiding meeting my gaze but I saw her ears turned red. “i-if it was-wasn't h-homemade!” she stuttered.

Homemade?! that was too... anyway the only homemade food I want to eat was Ericka's, and not just from some stranger I met.

She kept pulling me until we got back to her house. She tried to pull me in but I pinned my hands on the side of the door.

“First of all, you don't even know me... How can you just invite some stranger into your house, not to mention you are forcing me in,” I resisted. “How about your parents? I am sure they'll kick me out.”

She stopped pulling me and took her arms off me, suddenly she turned quiet and looked down on her feet. Did I say something wrong?

“My parents didn't mind, I'm certain of it..." I felt like her tone turned cold as if she was talking about something she wasn't interested in. “They are always busy with their work and my big sister lives in a different house, that's why I'm always alone. This was the first time I brought other people into my house and have someone to eat with, that is why I became persistent. If I bothered you I'm really sorry, you can go home now if you want.” She bowed in front of me.

I see so that was her story... if you put it that way how can I turn a blind eye and just go home?

I sighed and looked at a distance. ‘That's a foul card, you know.’

“I didn't eat pork skin..." she looked up to me just to meet my gaze as I mumbled. “...I just have to eat with you right? if it's just that... I'll do it. I'm pretty hungry after the tug of war we just played.”

Her eyes widened as she curled her lips and turned around but I saw her ears turn red again.

“There's no time to be embarrassed, let's go and eat," I said as I went inside her house.

I put my shoes at the corner of the entryway and took a glance around her house. Yes, it is quite cramped but it was larger than Arisa's apartment.

“Ple-please, wait for me in this room...”

She opened the door of one of the two rooms. I just followed her instruction and went to it.

Wait! is this...

Right in front of my eyes, the bed, the closet, the rag, the small table, and even the wall were all painted in pink. Don't tell me that this was her room?

I sat down on the floor in front of the small table and quietly wait for her return. I heard some clattering outside but I didn't mind that because, more importantly, I am in the room of a girl. This was the first time I went into a girl's room. I felt quite nervous.

I smell a sweet scent everywhere, especially on the bed. I wanted to hop on it and buried my face in it but that was kinda weird and creepy. Or was thinking of it already made me a creep?

I took my phone out of my pocket as I felt it vibrate. Marco was calling me and I answered it.

“Hello?”

[Where are you?]

“Why? are you my father?”

[It's not like I want to see the girl's face if she's cute or beautiful or—] ‘What are you jealous of?’

“She was both of that,” I said just to tease him.

[Ah! Where are you?! I'm going now, send me the location!]

“Like hell, I'll tell you. I'm sure you're gonna do something weird again.”

The door opened and the girl came in, holding a tray with the food she made. She settled it down on the small table and sat down on the other side across from me.

“So-sorry for the wait, this was the first time that I cooked for another else other than me, so I'm quite nervous. I ho-hope you like it.” Why is she still stuttering when talking to me?

[Michael, you dumbass! girl's ho-ho-homemade food?! tell me where you are right now and let me be the one who eats it.] I felt like my eardrum exploded after Marco yelled from the line.

“No, it's okay... anything aside from pork skin will do.” I didn't mind Marco and talked to the girl

[Don't just shrug me off you dum—] I ended the call.

I felt like I forgot something.

“Ah, I forgot to ask what was your name, I don't know what to address to you... Let's dig in,” I said as I started to eat the food. “It's delicious!" I unconsciously yelled.

“A-ah thank you, sorry for the late introduction, I am Chloe Ramos from third-year class A."

She slightly bowed.

Class A, huh...she must be smart...

“I'm Michael, fourth-year class B, nice to meet you.”

We continued digging in without saying a word. First of all, what was I supposed to talk about with her? I don't know anything about her, am I supposed to talk about being a third-year student? how could I talk about that if I don't remember what happened in my third year of high school days?.

In the end, I haven't said a single word to her.

“Thanks for the food.”

After we finished, Chloe took the dishes and went out of the room. I leaned my back on the side of the bed. I want to take a nap after a delicious meal but of course in my room not here.

But I wondered: do girls scent their room? how did it become so sweet? I flinched at this thought.

Ah... I discovered my new fetish, I'm the worst.

“Mikael?" Chloe called me from the back of the closed door. Why doesn't she open it?

“What was it?" I answered.

“...c-can you closed your eyes for a minute?" she stuttered.

“What?! why do I have to do that?"

“Just close your eyes..."

I closed my eyes as she said.

“I already closed my eyes."

I heard the door creaked along with a few heavy footsteps coming towards me. What the heck did she want now? I felt something heavy placed on my lap and a scent sweeter than the room tickled my nose.

“O-open your eyes.” It felt like her voice was so close to me, not just that I felt her breath lightly graze on my face.

After I opened my eyes I saw her face so close to mine, she didn't wear her eyeglasses hence, I could see her whole face without a hindrance. But not just that, she was sitting on my lap with her arms wrapped around my neck and only have her bra and underwear on.

“Kiss me...” she mumbled.