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I was standing in the kitchen cooking breakfast while Lisa was getting dressed in my room. I was wearing a pair of grey sweatpants but was topless. I didn't see Lisa coming until she stood beside me and wrapped her arms around my waist, making me glance over to her.
"That smells nice," she said as she pressed her cheek against my arm.
"Well, you're here," I chuckled. "And just in time. Breakfast is almost ready."
"What are we having?" she asked.
"Something simple. Pancakes, eggs, and some coffee. I thought you might need some energy after our passionate encounter not too long ago," I added with a smirk, hinting at our earlier activity.
"Very funny," she rolled her eyes.
I chuckled. "Come on, can't take a good sense of humor in the morning?"
I finished cooking the last of the pancakes and slid them onto a plate next to the cooked eggs. I turned off the stove and turned to face Lisa, resting my hands on her hips. My eyes flicked down to her outfit, and I couldn't help but smirk when I noticed her wearing one of my t-shirts. Something about seeing her wearing my t-shirt made me feel possessive. It was a simple action, but it spoke volumes about the kind of intimacy we shared.
"I see that you've already raided my wardrobe, huh?" I mused.
"Well, it was either this or my stage outfit from last night. It wouldn't seem proper walking around your place naked," she said.
I chuckled at her remark. "You do look nice and comfy."
"Oh? Does that mean I can steal more of your clothes then?" she grinned mischievously.
I raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. "Woman, if you start stealing all my clothes, I might end up being the one walking around naked. Not you."
Lisa burst out laughing, and I couldn't help but chuckle, enjoying her carefree spirit. Her playful peck on my lips made my smile grow wider. "You're really something, you know that?"
She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I know, oppa."
I raised an eyebrow at the term. I never really cared for Korean honorifics and terms of endearment since I rarely use them myself, being half Chinese and half Thai. It sounded strange yet charming coming from her. "Oppa, huh?"
"Yeah. You're older than me, right?" Lisa tilted her head to the side.
"You're calling me old now? Ouch." I replied sarcastically, feigning offense. "I'll have you know that I'm a mature and distinguished 30-year-old."
"Oh! So you're older than me by five years."
I chuckled, not exactly surprised by the revelation. "Well, I guess that makes you a young and feisty little thing, huh? No wonder I had to go easy on you in the shower."
"Hey," she smacked my shoulder.
"Hey, no abusing the older guy," I joked with a chuckle. "I'm delicate, you know?"
She rolled her eyes as I led her to the kitchen island with a hand on her small back. "You're lucky you're cute, you know that?"
"Yeah, whatever."
I chuckled again, amused by her adorable pout. I quickly plated our breakfast, adding a generous helping of pancakes and eggs onto each plate.
I carried the plates over to the kitchen island and set them down before sitting across from her. “There you go, a nice and healthy breakfast for a hardworking girl.”
“You’re full of jokes today, aren’t you.”
“I guess being around a cute girl with a feisty attitude brings out the comedian in me.”
Lisa rolled her eyes and took a bite of her breakfast. I watched her as she closed her eyes, savoring the pancakes. It was cute – the way she seemed to fully immerse herself in the experience of enjoying food.
Seems like I outdid myself, I thought as I took a bite of my own food.
As we ate, I noticed her hair. It was growing out a little and was nearly past her shoulders. Part of her hair fell over her face and I found it endearing.
“Your hair is growing out,” I noted, my eyes casually raking over her features.
“Oh,” she touched her hair. “I guess I should trim it.”
“You should grow it out more. It suits you.”
“Really?”
I nodded in affirmation, my gaze flicking up to meet her eyes. “Yeah, I think it’s cute. Adds to your charm,” I said, waving my fork.
“Oh, what kind of charm?” Lisa arched an eyebrow, amused.
“The kind that makes me want to pull your hair while I—”
Lisa reached over and shoved my shoulder. I chuckled pretending to wince in pain. “Hey! No swatting the older guy remember? I’m delicate.” I joked.
“Delicate my ass,” she huffed.
I chuckled, enjoying her feisty attitude. “You really have a mouth on you, don’t you? I suppose I’ll have to find a way to shut you up and make you behave next time.” I said, taking a sip of my coffee.
“How do you plan on doing that, oppa?” Lisa asked, putting a seductive emphasis on the word “Oppa.”
I choked on my coffee, coughing and sputtering for a moment as my cheeks grew warm. “You really need to stop calling me that, unless you’re trying to make me blush like a flustered teenager.”
“What? You’re older than me. So that makes you my oppa.”
“I know that. It’s just weird to hear that coming from you, especially in that tone you used just now.”
“Oh. Would you really melt if I said you were aegyo?”
“God no, please don’t. Your aegyo voice will make me feel like I’m dating a high school student.”
“But oppaaaa!”
I felt my face grow warm and struggled to keep a straight face when she switched her tone to a high-pitched and whiny one. “You’re really going to do this, aren’t you?”
“I just want oppa to be happy,” she squished her cheeks with her fists and pouted.
“Alright, alright, you win,” I cried, throwing my hands up in mock defeat and trying to stifle a laugh. I couldn’t help it; her voice and gestures were too much for me.
Lisa giggled, her playful demeanor breaking into a bright smile. “Okay, oppa,” she said in her usual tone. “I’ll stop... for now.”
I shook my head, unable to hide my grin. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
Lisa cackled. A sudden, rapid series of knocks at my door startled me, and my attention momentarily diverted away from Lisa as I glanced at the door and then back at her.
"I wasn't expecting anyone," I said, furrowing my eyebrows. "Hold on."
Curious, I got up from my seat and walked to the door. I opened his door and saw Christian and Chaerin there. I raised an eyebrow, surprised to them at my door. Chaerin with her usual calm composure and Christian grinning like an idiot. "What are you two doing here?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"Hey, guys. How are you? We're fine, thanks for asking." Christian said sarcastically. “At least show some enthusiasm when you see us, mate.”
I rolled my eyes at Christian's sarcastic response. "No need to be so sassy this early in the morning," I remarked. "You could have called."
"We did. But you weren't answering." Chaerin told him
I looked sheepish, realising that my phone had been conveniently left on silent. I scratched the back of my neck. "Well, sorry about that. I was... occupied."
Christian and Chaerin both shared a confused look before turning to me. "Occupied? With what?" Chaerin arched an eyebrow.
"OH MY GOODNESS IS THAT A HICKEY?!" Christian exclaimed with a gasp.
My eyes widened as Christian pointed out the hickey on my neck, my hand instinctively going to cover it up. "Uh, that-" I stammered, my cheeks reddening slightly.
"Move over." Christian moved me to the side as he and Chaerin entered my apartment
I let out a resigned sigh as my friends pushed past me and entered my apartment uninvited. I knew they were going to be nosy and ask questions, and there was no stopping them.
Christian let out a gasp the moment he saw Lisa seated at the kitchen island. He turned to me and pointed at her with a grin so wide I was surprised his face didn’t split in half. "This her?"
I knew that the cat was out of the bag now. I gave an apologetic look to Lisa before nodding slightly at Christian. "Yeah, that's her," I said, a hint of hesitance in my voice.
"Hi." She said with an awkward wave
Christian and Chaerin turned their attention to Lisa, scrutinising her from head to toe. I shifted uncomfortably. I was already dreading the barrage of questions and comments that would surely follow.
"Please tell me she's not another one of your hookups." Chaerin sighed pinching the bridge of her nose.
"No, Chaerinnie. This one is special." Christian grinned before turning to her. "I've heard so much about you from my boy."
I shot a glare at Christian, silently cursing him for his big mouth. The last thing I needed was for him to embarrass me in front of Lisa.
Lisa’s eyebrows flew up. "Oh really?" She responded as she gave me an amused glance. I could feel my cheeks flushing again, knowing that I was about to be the target of some good-natured teasing.
Christian nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah. He's been quite smitten over you," he said, a smirk on his face.
"Awww, oppaaaaa." She said with an aegyo voice again.
My eyes widened in horror as she used that aegyo voice again, Christian was already looking at me with a gleeful expression. I facepalmed, knowing that I was about to become the butt of their jokes. "Lisa, please, not in front of my friends," I groaned.
"Why nooooooooot." She whined with a pout.
I put my face in my hands, unable to hide my embarrassment. "You're killing me here," I said, my voice muffled.
Christian was trying and failing to hold back their laughter. Chaerin looked genuinely amused by what was happening. "This is priceless, man," Christian said, nudging me.
I let out a resigned sigh and looked up, trying to regain some of his composure. "Why are you guys here," he asked.
“What? Can’t your caring friends pop by and check if you’re still alive and breathing? I’m hurt, Oliver.” Christian said clutching his chest, emphasising how “hurt” he was which made me roll my eyes. "We were just in the area and wanted to drop by and see you. But it seems like we interrupted something." He smirked, unable to resist making a jab at me.
"I will end you," I said through my gritted teeth.
Christian held up his hands in mock surrender, his smirk widening. "Hey, no need to get violent. We're all friends here."
Ollie rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. He was never going to hear the end of this from his friends.
"Plus it’s been a while since we all hung out as mates, you know. With me running my record company, Chaerinnie doing her thing, you doing you’re bartending gigs. We hardly see each other.”
“You were here just last week,” I reminded him as I felt my eye twitch, recalling the day he barged into my apartment uninvited and disturbed my peaceful Saturday.
“And so much time has passed since then.” He let out a dramatic sigh. I rolled my eyes, annoyed by his antics.
“You’re acting as if it’s been a lifetime since you’ve seen me,” I said, turning my eyes to Chaerin, hoping she’d intervene and back me up.
“Keep me out of it. I’m just a bystander,” she raised her hands.
Some help you are, Chaerin, I thought giving her a reproachful look before turning my attention back to Christian. “What do you want, seriously?” I asked, my patience already wearing thin.
“We’re going out to dinner.” Christian declared.
My eyes widened with surprise, “Wait, what do you mean ‘we?’ I don’t recall agreeing to anything!” The sudden invitation caught me off guard. I turned to Lisa, unsure of how she was feeling about the impromptu plans.
“You’re making it sound like I’m asking you to go commit a murder,” Christian rolled his eyes.
“Well, you can’t just come here and decide we’re all going to this dinner of yours,” I protested, trying to reason with him.
“It will be fine. Plus you can bring Lisa. The more the merrier.”
“Really?” Lisa’s eyes widened.
“See? Even she’s cool with it,” he gestured at Lisa with a satisfied smirk on his face.
I let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed my forehead. The last thing I needed was to force her into doing something she didn’t want to do just because of Christian impulsivity. “I dunno about this Christian…”
“Come on, Ollie. Please.”
I glanced at Lisa already feeling torn. On one hand, he didn't want to deal with his friends' teasing and antics. But on the other hand, Lisa looked so excited, and he found it difficult to say no to her pleading eyes.
"Lili..." he said, his resistance wavering.
“Pretty please, oppa. Please, please, please, please,” She said adding some more aegyo in her voice as she clasped her hands together and gave me her puppy eyes.
That was it. That did me in. The combination of the aegyo voice and the puppy eyes were like kryptonite to me. I let out a defeated sigh, knowing there was no way I could deny her now. "Fine," he said reluctantly. "We'll go."
“Yay.” She threw my hands up gleefully.
I let out an exasperated sigh and shook my heart. That girl was truly going to be the death of me.
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