Me and His Kiss

The Playground

The silence of the midnight so loud that I can hear everybody's fists squeezing, the sound of the pants rubbing their shoes, the glares that scream out at me. And also the sound of someone's prayer. Emris who is sitting across from me, giving a hard stare. Raden is sitting next to me trying to calm his friend by switching his eyes back and forth. Mr. Laith, who is standing still, puts his head over the game machines and mumbles to himself.

Why is everybody acting like this?

'Because of you! You told me to behave, but you didn't!'

I'm worried about Aven, Xin… and seeing him like that makes me angry.

'I know… *Sigh…I get it but these two don't. Look, you made this pudding psycho's goner.'

"I'm…"

I try to break the silence.

"..."

"Do you want some drinks? I go get ones for—"

"Roelle…"

Emris.

"Yes!"

I flinches.

"Why didn't you push me away? I told you not to leave my side…Why?"

Emris talks to me in a low tone, making me scared a bit, so I slide my butt nearer to Raden and shift my eyes to him a little so he can help me. Emris stares at Raden, but he doesn't move away.

Thank you, Raden.

"I wanted to see him… I wanted to know that Aven is really… alive."

I explain with my head down.

"...Hmmm."

After Mr. Laith talks to himself or finishes his prayer, he walks to us and grabs Emris' shoulder.

"...What did you tell me before, Riz?...she's mine?... I do the talk?... And you let her gooo…"

Mr. Laith also speaks in a low tone. I look at Raden to do something, but he doesn't even move.

"Because you did the shitty talk."

Emris.

Mr. Laith stares at him and grabs Emris's shoulder harder, but Emris doesn't even flinch.

"Because you were about to lose your shit, she had to step forward."

Emris.

"..."

"Mr. Laith if you want to get angry, angry at me…It's me… please."

I interrupt.

"Huh…"

Mr. Laith loses his grip, comes to me, and sits on the living table, blocking Emris' view.

He raises his hands and grabs my waist to move away from Raden to sit directly across from him. My knees are together in between his legs.

I look at his face. He doesn't give me an upsetting look.

"Roelle, I'm not angry at you…I'm afraid…I'm scared…that you will be taken away."

Mr. Laith tells me with the shaky eyes. 

"..."

"Thank you…"

"Huh…"

He's surprised.

"Thank you, Mr. Laith, Raden, and…Emris."

I look at Mr. Laith, Reden, and tilt my head a little to tell Emris.

"You guys do your parts…It's time for me to play my part now…"

"..."

Mr. Laith still looks concerned.

"Mr. Laith, you don't trust me?"

I ask with a smile.

"..."

He looks straight into my eyes. He lets go of my waist, moves to hold my face, and rubs my cheeks.

"I trust you since the first time I met you, Roelle."

"Hehe. I will win…to save Aven… and you…to be with you."

I smile at him.

"Hahh—"

Mr. Laith's shocked with his red face. He holds me in his chest and hugs me so tight.

"I mean the team…I want to be with the team…"

I correct the words and face up to look at him again, but his face expresses so heartily. 

Raden sends his sight to Emris. 

The next morning, I was called to go downstairs at 6 a.m. I tried so hard to fall asleep last night, but I was stressed out the whole night. Xin came to cuddle me and calm me down so that I could sleep. At least I could rest for the whole two hours before I got the call.

Sigh.

I shut my room door and zip up my coat.

Then, I see Emris by accident, and it seems he just gets back. After midnight-talk, he went out by himself. He walks past me and heads to his room. I turn my body, following his direction, but he ignores my existence.

Is he still mad at me?

I watch him twist the doorknob and about to push his door. I turn around and walk ahead.

"Is he that important to you?"

I pause. Then, I turn around again and see Emris shutting his door. He releases his hand and turns his face to me.

"Aven?"

"..."

"Yes."

"..."

He says nothing, only looks at me.

"He's like my brother…he's my family…"

I explain to him even though he doesn't ask.

Emris is wearing his favorite hoodie. He looks down at his feet, and then, seconds later, he walks to me, closer and closer, and stops his feet away from me, less than one foot. I look up at him while he's looking down at me.

"I didn't mean him."

"...who then?"

I ask.

"*Sigh…"

He sighs and bends his body. Then, he puts his head on my left shoulder and rests his forehead on it.

Is he alright? 

He takes out his hands from the hoodie's pouch and touches both my hands.

"Why did you have to smile and ease him?...even though you want to cry."

"!"

My eyes are wide open. 

Ha…

And start to close.

"Because crying doesn't help anything."

"..."

He moves his hands slightly to my arms and my shoulders. His right-hand puts on my head and pulls me into his chest while his left-hand wraps around my body.

"I think it helps."

He tells me softly.

"...I have to see Coach."

"Just a minute."

Emris tells me and holds me firmly and closely, against his body, feeling his warmth. His fire burns up my body and sends a signal to my heart. Suddenly, water runs out of my eyes. How come? How can he do it? Why am I so vulnerable every time I'm with him? His arms make me feel so safe. His energy is like a ton of fireflies flying around my body and embracing every single part of me.

I raise my hands, touch his big ribs, and try to hold his entire body, but I can't reach my other hand. I want to hold on to him. I want to hold all of him. If I can have him… all to myself.

I let go of my hands and push him a bit. Then, he wipes my tears, and I can see his face clearly with his silver eyes. His thumb touches my wet eyelashes gently, moves to my cheek, and slides to my lips. 

Ha… 

My heart is pounding under my emotion.

He moves his face closer, moves his hand to the back of my neck, and holds on to it while his thumb is still rubbing on my jawline. 

"..."

He puts his upper lip over my upper lip a little, puts his bottom lip under it, and presses on it gently, slowly enough to make me feel his. He opens his mouth, holds my neck closer, and kisses my entire lips. He slightly takes his tongue out and puts it inside my mouth. My lips move willingly, following his lead. I grab his hoodie tight on his chest. He starts to kiss me deeper and more intensely.

"Ha…"

I softly gasp. I open my eyes a little to see him, and he slowly opens his gaze and looks at me with full, silver, calm eyes that are melting with heat. 

"!"

He holds my face to kiss it again with his tongue, 

He's making me crazy…

"Ha…"

I push him away.

"!!"

I head down and try to call myself back. Then, I release my grip on his hoodie. I slowly face up to see him.

His expression… his cheeks are blushing, and his eyes are even more silvery with snow dust in them.

My face is hotter before the training even starts. 

"Roelle."

He calls me.

I…

"ha…"

Then, I quickly run downstairs, away from him.

!!!

He kisses me. Emris kisses me.

I get down to the first floor and see an empty arcade room. I peek around the room and see two team members napping on the couch. Then, I try to calm down my foot lightly, as my heart is inside my body. 

"Roelle?"

One of the team members.

"Yes..."

"They're waiting for you downstairs."

Another team member.

"Okay. Thank you."

I tell him and walk downstairs.

I hear the voices behind the wall, but they are not familiar. Then, I step down my last foot.

"Here she is."

The voice greets me before I show myself.

I walk inside the resting area. I see Mr. Laith, Coach, and someone I have never met.

"Good morning."

I greet the old man.

"Finally meet you, young lady. I have heard about you quite a lot."

"Yes..."

I shift my eyes to Coach and Mr. Laith.

"Not from them, hehe."

He explains my thoughts.

"Let's go."

He tells me and walks past me.

"Ha...?"

I need clarification, and my sight is swift to Mr. Laith and Coach.

"He will train you before the match tonight."

Coach.

"What?..."

"You have 13 hours."

The old man.

"..."

I turn to look at him.

"Mr. Renshinkai, Can I have a talk with her?"

Coach.

"Hmm. I'll be waiting downstairs...how many under floors do you have...well it's better than up."

The old man talks to us and himself, then leaves the room.

"Coach?"

"I saw you fight with Xiao Ming. You used all your energy to fight him. Do you know the impact of his body and shadow, including his style?"

"..."

"You don't know, so that was why you tried very hard to beat him...and this time, it is his brother who is stronger and tougher...and more precise in his own fight. You need to win...Roelle...To win, you can not only use your style anymore...we have to beat him in his own game."

"Okay...but I need to be clearer."

I am still confused.

"You need to learn his element."

Coach.

Mr. Laith walks in and puts his hand on my head.

"And better."

Mr. Laith.

"In 13 hours!?"

I yell at them.

"You got less than that now, young lady."

The old man shouts from downstairs.

I stand in front of the old man with a steady face and a calm smile. His expression and energy make me nostalgic even though I don't have a pleasant memory. But his smile is so familiar.

"..."

Mr. Renshinkai stands still. 

"I see your style, young lady...you're soft in your aggressiveness."

"..."

"You try to win against the opponent by being more aggressive than them, but you know yourself well that you will never be tough like them."

"..."

"But...your moves are different, and even though they're not as tough, they can kill...same as a lesson I want to teach you...the softness of execution.

"Is that a thing, or did you just make that up?"

"I made that up."

"Huh."

"But yes...the softness and delicateness can kill, or at least it will exhaust them... and you can kill later. That's more your style."

He tells me with a smile.

"..."

"But Coach said I need to learn his element."

"Yes, but he didn't tell you to learn to be him."

'I like this old human.'

"Now you have less than 10 hours. Stop talking, let's start." 

What…He's the one talking…