CHAPTER 23: UNEXPECTED INTIMACY

CHAPTER 23: UNEXPECTED INTIMACY
REINA’S POV

It’s been two days with Gavin, and honestly… I enjoyed it.

He’s the kind of person who feels warm to be around. Light to talk to. Someone who makes you feel like you don’t have to hide any part of yourself—not even the flaws you’re most scared to show. In some strange way, he feels so much like me. Almost like he’s the boy version of who I am.

Gavin let me run barefoot and touch the grass. He let me sit under the night sky without rushing me. He never raised his voice, never made me feel small.

We didn’t share anything intimate, not the way people expect when a boy and a girl spend time together. But we still managed to be close, to be comfortable in a way that didn’t feel forced.

And maybe… maybe that’s why I almost forgot about Jake for a while.

We sat on the couch, shoulder to shoulder, the room dark except for the light from the TV. The movie playing was clearly made for kids, yet Gavin was still laughing like it was the funniest thing ever.

“My tummy hurts,” he said between chuckles, clutching his stomach.

Jake would never laugh at something like this. He always wanted me to watch mysteries, documentaries about business, or films that weren’t even close to fun. Such a killjoy.

“What do we eat for dinner tonight?” I asked, turning my head toward Gavin.

He looked at me, his brows furrowed as if the question required deep thought.

“Hmmm.” He groaned dramatically. “It wouldn’t be good if it’s meat every day.”

“Then?” I asked, waiting for his answer.

He tilted his head and asked, “Do you eat vegetables?”

“That will do,” I said with a small smile.

“Okay then, just stay here. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.” He reached out and gently patted my head before standing up.

But as he tried to stand up, his legs suddenly froze.

“Ow!” he complained, losing his balance and falling right onto me.

He didn’t even notice what happened, too distracted by the pain. What he also didn’t notice was how I completely froze the moment his hand landed on my thigh.

“Ah—” I gasped when he squeezed it by accident.

Still, he didn’t notice.

Damn.

My throat went dry, and all I could do was swallow hard while my heartbeat was racing.

After a few moments, he finally said, “It’s okay now,” like nothing even happened.

But then his eyes narrowed at me, confusion showing in his face.

“Why are you sweating?” he asked, tilting his head like he was trying to read me.

I couldn’t answer. Instead, my eyes dropped to his hand still resting on my thigh.

The moment he followed my gaze, his face changed. He jerked his hand back right away, as if burned, then scratched the back of his head in pure embarrassment.

“I—umh—I’m sorry. I—” he stuttered, words tumbling out.

“It’s okay,” I said quickly, forcing a small smile.

He looked at me in disbelief that I wasn’t mad. His lips curved into a faint smile before he bit them nervously.

“I-Uh… I’ll cook now,” he said, still stuttering.

“Y-Yeah. You should go,” I answered, smiling back.

When he left, I pressed my hand against my chest. My heart was beating so fast I could almost hear it. Slowly, my hand slid down to the place where he had touched me. I squeezed it too, trying to feel what he did… but it wasn’t the same.

I shook my head quickly, scolding myself for even thinking that way. To distract myself, I grabbed the remote and started changing the movie. One channel after another, anything to brush away the thoughts racing in my head.

That’s when I heard his voice behind me.
“What do you—”

He stopped mid-sentence when I turned my head.

And suddenly, our faces were just an inch apart. I froze, caught my breath, and swallowed hard.

For a moment, the air between us felt heavy, like something could happen if he didn’t stop.

But luckily, he had enough self-control to pull back right away.

“I—umh—I just wanted to ask if you prefer food with spice or not,” he said, his voice was a little unsteady as he swallowed hard too.

This was definitely getting more awkward between us.

“No spice,” I answered quickly.

He just nodded, then turned away.

After he turned his back, I finally breathed freely.

“Fuck,” I whispered to myself while holding my chest.

My heart was pounding so fast, like it was running in a marathon, and my face was burning hot.

But… he looked so good up close. And… he smelled good too.

I couldn’t help but smile at that thought. I even bit my lip while grinning like a fool.

I kept changing the movie, not because I was embarrassed anymore, but because I couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of what if I kissed him.

A silly idea kept playing in my mind—wondering where we would be right now and what we would be doing if I actually did.

A few moments later, the smell of food filled the air.

“It’s ready,” he said.

The kitchen towel was still hanging on his shoulder, and he was sweating a little. His smile when he called me felt genuine.

When I stepped into the kitchen, I was greeted by the sight of the table already set, the food perfectly arranged. It looked like he really put effort into it.

I smiled right away.
“Looks like we have a date here, huh,” I joked.

But I didn’t expect him to take it seriously.

“Date?” he asked, sounding surprised.

“Hey, I’m just playing around. Let’s just eat.” I chuckled, lightly hitting him on the arm.

This time, he didn’t dodge it. He just forced a smile and pulled out a chair for me.

He even made sure my food was ready before he served his own.
“Let’s eat?” he said, sitting down across from me.

He smiled again before taking his first bite.

Why did he look so cheerful? So bright? He was like my happy pill. I almost wanted him to sign up for that role permanently.

“Eat everything your stomach can take so you’ll have the strength to face them tomorrow,” he said in a soft, gentle tone.

I just nodded like a happy kid agreeing to go with her dad on a carousel ride.

After we finished eating, he walked me to my room. He even patted my head before stepping back. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling at the gesture.

“You… look good when you smile, by the way,” he said with his lower-toned voice.

For a moment, I froze. My lips parted, but no words came out. My heart skipped, then raced all over again.

I just watched him gone.