Boxes

“I can’t accept this.”

“Why not?”

“It’s way too expensive.”

Stupid… that was definitely stupid. For Yuri, there was no set of words that held less meaning. It just slipped out, a dumb mistake on your part. No matter how many times you’ve had this redundant back and forth in the past, you’re always left in the same place – this simply wasn’t a dispute Yuri would even consider losing, and eventually you would have to accept it.

“Just say thank you,” Yuri replied, not even sparing you a glance as she continued browsing. “Do you think I should try gold?”

“I think I like your platinum one more,” you answered, taking a quick glance at the necklace she was modeling before turning back to the pendant in your hands. “But it still looks nice.”

Yuri placed the necklace back and turned to you, sighing before flashing you a smile. “No, you’re right, it doesn’t suit me,” she commented, glancing around the store. “Come on, let’s try somewhere else.”

“I didn’t say it doesn’t suit you, it’s still nice,” you clarified as you placed the pendant back in the display case. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“You don’t have to lie, I’m a big girl. I can handle the truth,” she replied coldly, holding her hand out for you to take. “Now come on, let’s go. And pick that cute box back up before you offend me again.”

“Yuri, don’t be like that,” you groaned, picking the pendant’s case back up and taking her hand. “I said it’s nice.”

“Yeah and what you meant was it’s ugly on me.”

“I did not mean it’s ugly on you!” you protested before pausing in your tracks, holding up the little box. “Hey, forgetting something?”

“They know you’re with me, it’ll just get added to my account. They won’t hassle me for such a small purchase,” Yuri replied casually, turning to face you. “Put it back on, I like how it looks on you.”

“How the hell do you have such privilege at a Cartier store?”

“I come here all the time,” Yuri shrugged, holding her hand out for you to take again. “You’re asking too many questions.”

That’s a first, you thought to yourself as you put the pendant on and took her hand once more. “You’re just full of surprises,” you chuckled. “Thank you again.”

“Don’t mention it. You hungry?”

“I could eat. You?”

“A little bit,” Yuri replied, letting go of your hand and leaning right up against your body instead, interlocking arms with you. “And we both know that just means I’m going to eat some of whatever you get.”

“Then tell me, what am I in the mood for today?”

She thought for a moment, scanning the food court around her before fixating on a stall. “Corndog.”

“Just a corndog?” you asked, knowing Yuri would always want more, even if just a bite. “How about some chicken? It's been a while.”

“I can get you some, sure,” Yuri replied, pulling you towards the food court. “You go get the corndogs, I’ll go get the chicken,” she instructed, handing you her credit card.

“It’s just a couple of corndogs, I can get it,” you waved her off.

“Don’t be difficult, take the card,” Yuri glared at you. She had this uncanny way of making you listen when she spoke, those slightly pursed lips – shining with just a bit of gloss – seemingly intensifying whatever words she decided to use in a way that just made it so difficult to argue. 

With a smile and a roll of your eyes, you walked off, leaving Yuri behind as you went to pick up her corndogs. You decided on one with fried potatoes on the outside, picking more so based on what you thought Yuri would like rather than your own preferences. After paying with her card and picking up the food, you looked around for her, finding her waiting at another stall.

“I thought you were getting chicken.”

“I figured you’d also want some noodles,” she replied, her gaze locked firmly on the man scooping them into the box. It was like she was in a trance, an adorable and cute one. She held up a receipt, still not even looking your way. “It should be done by now.”

And with the little slip of paper, you maneuvered through the crowd and picked up the yangnyeom from the next stall over – your favorite flavor – before bringing it back to the table that Yuri had settled on.

“It looks amazing,” you commented on the spread of food as you took your seat. “And this little box they put the chicken in, it’s so cute!”

“Unlike me in a gold necklace.”

“Yuri,” you sighed, holding her corndog up for her to take. “Are you really still on that?”

Yuri leaned forward and took a bite, keeping firm eye contact with you the entire time, taking her time to chew slowly. She knew what she was doing. That testy expression, ready to lash out at you at the first provocation, combined with the adorable fullness of her cheeks was sending you for a loop. On one hand you didn’t want to make her upset, but on the other hand she was so adorable right now that all you could think about was teasing her some more.

“How’s the corndog?”

“Maybe you try it yourself and find out,” she replied, picking up her chopsticks and starting on the chicken. “Then if you hate it, you can tell me it’s still nice or whatever you said.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” you chuckled, shaking your head.

“I don’t think so.”

“You absolutely are,” you crossed your arms. “You’re sulking for no reason.”

“First you call me ugly, now you say I’m being perverse.”

“Yuri,” you rolled your eyes. “You’re not ugly, but you are being perverse.”

“No I’m not, this is just my style,” she stuck her nose up in an attempt to seem sassy, but the food filling her cheeks made her look more adorable than anything else. “Why aren’t you eating? It’s going to get cold.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Yuri’s gaze left the chicken and landed on you, her eyes burning red in frustration. “What do you mean you’re not hungry, I got all this for you,” she snapped, putting down her chopsticks. “You said you’d eat.”

“I changed my mind.”

“Are you in the mood for something else? We can get whatever you want,” Yuri suggested, her features hinting real concern, the coldness evaporating before your eyes. “We can even go somewhere else–”

“I’m okay Yuri,” you replied, trying your best to hold back your smile. “I’ll just watch you eat.”

“No,” she whined, jumping to her feet and stomping around the table, sitting next to you. “Eat something, here,” she held up a piece of chicken for you, holding her hand under it.

“No thanks.”

Yuri’s expression shifted slightly from worry to determination. “Just take at least one bite,” she insisted, moving her chopsticks closer to your mouth, eyes wide and pleading. “Please?”

The corners of your mouth betrayed you, twitching upwards slightly. “Fine, just one,” you conceded, accepting the bite.