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I stopped on my tracks as soon as I saw his shoes outside the door. How did I know it was his? Well, he’s the only one I know who wears his shoes like slippers. If you know what I mean.
“Stop judging my shoes.”
I instinctively looked up and saw that silly smirk I hated so much, plastered on his goofy face as he towered over me. He’s wearing a pair of round, wire-rimmed eyeglasses on his annoyingly straight nose. I wonder what’s wrong with his eyesight now. It’s not surprising tho, knowing how much time he spends in front of his computer. It suited him nicely.. gorgeously, I must admit.
“Why are you here?”
“I’m always here. You aren’t,” he held the door open, said waiting for me to come in.
Sungjin’s head suddenly peaked from behind him, “What brings you here?”
I rolled my eyes and snapped at my brother, “As far as I remember, this is still my home too?”
Sungjin chuckled, “You never come home though. Anyway, mom’s waiting for the prodigal daughter.” He turned to head to the kitchen, leaving me with his best friend again.
Jae raised an eyebrow at me, still waiting for me to come inside. “Madame?”
“Your specs suck,” I muttered as I stepped inside. He just grinned as he winked at me, pushing his eyeglasses higher on the bridge of his perfectly sculpted nose.
“You got prettier,” he murmured next to my ear as he walked past me. “But still my same little Andy,” he whispered a tad lower but I still heard it—either he wasn’t far enough, or he was fully intending for me to hear it. My bet’s on the latter, I think he gets high on teasing me. And I hate how it always works. I felt my cheeks heat up in an involuntary blush, mentally chanting for him to not look back.
“Andrea!” My mom exclaimed as soon as she saw me. I kissed her cheek before seating beside her on the dining table, my brother and Jae in front of us as usual.
“You cooked my favorite,” I smiled at my mom upon seeing pochero at the center of the table.
“Of course, you seldom come home,” my mom sulked as she put some meat and veggies on my plate as I scooped some warm rice.
“You spoil her too much, mom.” Sungjin said.
“So she’d come home often,” Jae added.
“That only worked for you,” my mom laughed as he put the same food on Jae’s plate.
“Sometimes, I wonder who’s your son,” Sungjin held up his plate and gestured it towards mom, but I playfully swatted it away. He glared at me as I scrunched my nose and stuck my tongue out, accidentally catching Jae’s eyes. He was laughing while looking at me. I felt my cheeks burn yet again as I fake coughed and focused on my food.
“Stop acting like kids, for god’s sake!” Mom scolded, but her tiger eyes softened when he turned to Jae. “Eat up, Jaehyungie.”
He nodded cutely, his cheeks fluffed as he munched on his food like it was the best meal he’s ever had. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling until I remembered he’s supposed to be my arch-nemesis. I’m not supposed to find him cute .
Dinner went on as usual, but I found myself stealing glances, noticing tiny changes on him. Like how his hair got a bit longer and messier, or how his eyebrows seem to have gone thicker, or how his stubble very faintly shows, or how his shoulders seem to have gone broader. It’s been months since I last saw him.
We would always end up in petty fights whenever we see each other from when we were kids until now when we’re supposed to be adults. Until that last time I came home with a broken heart and he was the only one who was there to offer me a shoulder to cry on. Or rather, a shirt to sob on. We annoy each other to death but at that moment, it felt like he was on my side. That he would protect me from anything that hurts. I considered that a truce.
But somehow I felt something has shifted between us. In fact, he actually said so. He said he liked me. Like really liked me. And I don’t know how to deal with it so I just ran away and told him I’ll come back when I’m ready. I’m just not sure if he remembers. Maybe he’s moved on.
My train of thoughts got interrupted when I realized he was already staring at me too, eyebrows raised, an amused smile playing on his lips. I kicked his feet under the table to stop him from grinning but he just laughed it off, my mom and my brother exchanging obvious knowing glances like I couldn’t see them.
“How can I help, Andy?” I almost shrieked as he sneaked up behind me when I was washing the dishes. My brother and mother were already on the living room as I volunteered to clean up. Apparently, Jae stayed to help me. Just like the old times.
“Stop calling me Andy.” I snapped without looking at him. He’s the only one who still calls me by that name cos he knows how much I hated it.
“Why not? It still suits you.” He laughed as he put on an apron and stood beside me, pushing his hoodie’s sleeves up to his elbows. He turned the faucet to him, washing the dishes I’ve already soaped up.
“We’re too old for pet names, Jae. And your teasings no longer get to me. I’m not a kid anymore.”
“I know that full well. But I don’t know, I still seem to irk you so much,” he said.
I paused and looked at him guiltily, this time it was him who avoided me. “I— You don’t, Jae.” I stopped there, not really knowing how to explain my side. “You can’t blame me! That’s how we’ve always been.” I added, suddenly feeling defensive.
“Hmm..” he hummed as if pondering, “I guess that’s my fault.”
“It is.” I put the sponge back to the soap dispenser and took off my apron, hanging it back to the wall.
“But that was the only way I knew how to get your attention..” he admitted more to himself.
I leaned on the kitchen counter as I waited for him to finish the dishes, and to say more. There was so much more lying beneath the surface and I somehow felt brave enough to confront him today, defenses crumbling down.
He finished up the last plate and put it neatly on the rack before turning to me. For a while, no one said a word as if we were both weighing the situation, waiting for who would give in first. Too bad I’m not one to lose.
Jae sighed and shook his head, smiling in defeat. “You’re still so short. How come you never grew up?” He asked as he stepped towards me, stopping just a few inches in front of me. He towered over me, the top of my head barely reaching his chin.
“Whatever.“
He put his hands on the counter, on either side of me, interrupting me. I should have felt trapped, but I actually felt warm— safe, even. Like how he made me feel the last time. I refused to look up so I ended up facing his hooded chest, staring at that mole on his neck for lack of better things to focus on.
“But it bothers me,” he said before he crouched lower to catch my eyes. This time, I let him. “See? My neck would always hurt if I do this.”
He tried to spread his legs wider to lower his height, “My legs would hurt if I do this.”
I chuckled, he sounded like a sulky kid trying to make me see his reasons.
“Or maybe..” He stood straight and held my chin, forcing me to look up at him, “This way?”
I blinked and felt heat rise up my cheeks again as I pulled away from him. “Your specs suck.” I was such a blabbering mess.
“I know, you said that earlier,” he grinned. “Do you like it? I remember you liking a lot of things that sucked.”
I snatched his eyeglasses in a petty attempt to change the mood. “Can you still see me?” I teased.
“No, but maybe if I get this close,” he suddenly leaned his face even closer to me. “I see you better now.”
I panicked. I pushed his face away and put his eyeglasses back as he laughed. “That’s what you get for playing too much games. You suck. I hate you.”
“You know, for someone who hates me, you seem to know so much about me.” He ruffled my hair and turned serious, “You took so long to come home. But I trusted your pace and waited like a good boy.”
“I got scared..” I admitted after a while.
He looked at me quizzically, “Of me?!”
“Of everything, Jae. You’ve always been.. you.”
“But I’m not scary,” he pouted.
I chuckled, “Nah, you’re too tall.”
He looked offended but he humored me, “Or you’re too short.”
“Debatable.”
“I don’t know, I think we’re tall enough for each other. Let me check,” He tried to stifle a smile as he pulled me closer by the waist, before wrapping his arms around my shoulders in bear hug and resting his chin on top of my head, “See? You don’t have to be scared. It’s me.”
I sighed against his chest and basked in his embrace.
“I missed you,” he murmured.
“Ugh, finally, Jae can stop coming to dinner in hopes of seeing you.” Sungjin suddenly entered the kitchen, followed by our mother.
I tried to pull away but Jae refused to let me go. Instead, he gave my brother a thumbs up as he laughed.
“You can come here anytime you want, Jaehyungie. Don’t mind Sungjin,” my mom said. “And you should drag her ass here whenever you can.”
“Mom!”
He saluted my mother playfully, as he hugged me tighter in front of my family. “Told yah. They’ve long accepted me here, you’re the only one we’re waiting for.”
“Conspiracies..” I glared at my mother before Sungjin pulled her away from us.
“Let’s go, mom. No more eavesdropping. You won.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as we watched them walk away. Just then, I felt Jae kiss the side of my head.
“Welcome home,” he whispered against my ear, “My little Andy.”