"Since you don't have a shred of meta DNA, it's not supposed to have anything to do with you but I keep having a hunch that you're involved." Wow. "And... My hunch is never wrong."
How right you are. It did have something to do with me but I sincerely have no idea, honey.
"Well then, you'll have a long way finding that evidence to point out it's me. Do you need some help?" I asked, my lips curling up shamelessly.
He didn't answer. His silence was heavier than his grip had been. He couldn't let go of that feeling. The hunch he had about me.
His suspicion had always helped him in the past, so of course, he'd trust it a hundred percent. But now... He couldn't find anything.
Still, he hovered around me because of how abnormal my actions were in their own right. I wasn't like everyone else. I was strange and did strange things that no one else would.
That was enough for him to have his eyes out for me.
But isn't he just the cutest? He looks even more adorable when he's suspicious.
I leaned closer in an attempt to tease him, brushing my lips near his ear even though I knew my actions might irritate him.
"Well, if you're so curious, why don't you stay with me tonight? Watch me, like I suggested. Maybe you'll catch me in some kind of mind-blowing act." I said.
His breath hitched, just for a moment, and I knew I'd struck a chord. But then he shoved me back, his ice-cold aura flaring.
Gosh, how many times had he shoved me in the last few minutes? I think my back will break at this rate.
"This isn't a game a civilian can play," he said sharply, hitting the rod where it hurts. Was this his comeback line? Well, he just declared the battle, not me.
"Then, will it be better if this civilian plays a game of tag with an Esper such as yourself?" I asked, leaning closer with an endearing tone.
I sounded flirtatious, but hopefully, he wouldn't slam my back into the car once more. At that rate, my spine was going to twist.
But it didn't look like he was going to shove me back. It looked like he was waiting, watching to see what I'd do next.
Hah, don't tempt me, mister Esper. I could do much more than meets the eye, but it's not the time yet.
I hooked my arms around his neck, testing how much he was going to endure this and then he reached his limit.
He grabbed my hand, his cold meeting my heat and making a chemistry he couldn't explain.
And that was when I realized why he didn't push me away this time.
Skin to skin contact with someone struggling with cold energy was dangerous for normal people, including guides, so he wanted to see how long I could do with my arms on his neck.
It didn't look like it had any effect on me. And instead of actually feeling displeased by this contact, he felt my warmth seeping into his cold flesh.
The warmth that he felt the previous day... It was definitely not his imagination.
This warmth was soothing.
And it suddenly had a part to play in his acceptance.
"I don't like the game of tag." He said. "I'll have to keep chasing."
"So, you don't like chasing games. Then what about--"
"Stop." He said and turned his face away, his thoughts spewing out of that cold expression of his. 'What am I doing?'
I could almost hear them in my head.
He was confused.
"Sung-min," I called and he furrowed his eyebrows, still displeased that I was being so casual. "Why don't you come over to my place? I want you to look around yourself, watch me, and make sure I'm not cooking up yet another scheme. And while you're at it," I leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "Let's have dinner together. Just you and me."
"Are you this shameless to everyone you meet?" He asked but I cackled.
"Of course not," I said. "I told you before, didn't I? I practically idolize you. You're such a handsome and powerful Esper and you have just the element that makes my heart tingle. Your ice."
"Can you hear yourself right now?" He asked.
"I wonder," I said, and then started freeing my arms from around his neck, but he subconsciously tightened his grip, not wanting me to let go, and I stared, surprised and then amused. "What do we have here?"
Sung-min probably didn't know what he was doing either. He didn't think before he acted, something he had never done.
But it looked like with me, he was always acting bizarre.
"Am I under some kind of spell?" He mumbled, letting go of my arm, and turned away. The confusion was reaching its max and I thought for a bit before coming up with an idea.
"You're probably acting unlike yourself when you're around me, right?" I asked, grinning shamelessly. "Wanna know why?"
He looked at me, thinking I was going to say something reasonable but then I said,
"People usually call that love." I giggled. "You never know but maybe, just maybe you fell in love with me at first sight and you're yet to realize it."
Sung-min stared at me, surprised but that surprise didn't last long as he frowned and said,
"You're joking." He turned towards his car. "I'm tired of hearing your nonsense."
"Hey, wait a minute. It wasn't nonsense up till this point, you know." I said, but he ignored me, getting in his car, and I used that opportunity to hop into the passenger's seat.
Luckily, it came unlocked when he unlocked the car and opened his door.
"What are you doing? Get out."
"No!" I calmly said, putting on my seat belt while he watched me in disbelief. "Oh, right, let me put my address here." I reached for the GPS screen but he grabbed my hand, squeezing tightly.
"What do you think you're doing?" He asked.
"Putting in my address, of course. How else are you going to drive to my house and watch me before having dinner with me?" I shamelessly asked with pouting lips and then smacked his hand away from mine. "In case you don't know, your grip hurts so be gentle."
I put in my address, my actions much to his disbelief but I wasn't going to let that icy glare intimidate me.
I was so unbothered, sitting obediently like a kitten, waiting for him to start the engine.
And he... Was at a loss for words.
"Oh, right. We need to stop by the grocery store so I can pick up something for dinner as well, so..." I smiled. "Let's go shopping.'