(Present time)
"Enough, silly," I laugh, snatching the hairbrush from Angel's hand. "You've been doing this for ten minutes now. Your hair can't get better than this. You've already reached perfection."
He squints at me and pouts, but his eyes are sparkling happily. We are leaning on the oak vanity counter, in front of the enormous mirror, wearing only white, soft towels, wrapped around our waists. Angel smeared at least five skin care products on his face. I could recognize the cleanser, the toner and the moisturizer. The rest are still a complete mystery to me.
"Not that I don't like watching you, but this is absolutely pointless," I add wickedly. "I will feed you, drag you back to the bedroom and fuck the life out of you. I doubt this flawless hairstyle will survive."
His eyes widen. His face immediately flushes crimson red, filling me with satisfaction. I am tempted to provoke him further, but choose not to make him even more nervous. I know he is already quite uneasy about eating.
"I still think this is not a good idea," Angel mutters, after staring at my face for few seconds and lowers his gaze, fiddling with a tube of toothpaste.
"Which one?" I tease him. "You mean fucking?"
"No," he rolls his eyes and blushes harder. I love it. His cheeks look like ripe peaches. "You know that I am talking about the food."
"You are saying this only because you've never seen me cook," I state and grab his hand, pulling him towards the small kitchen, hidden behind the bar.
"Wait," he protests. "Aren't we going to put some clothes on?"
"Of course not," I answer and settle him on a high bar stool. "Just be careful not to lose the towel cause I don't want to get burned while staring at your cock."
"You're quite straightforward," he gasps, carefully adjusting the side hems. "Are you always like that?"
"Most of the time," I shrug my shoulders. "I don't like things to be kept unspoken. Tsuneni seijitsude iru koto ga daijina ndarou ne. (I think, one should be always sincere)."
Angel smiles brightly and points to the cooking apron I have just put in place of my towel, "You look good in that."
"Thank you! Just doing my best to please you, Angel san," I wink. I am joking, but it is actually the pure truth. The initial thrill to make him submit and spend the night with me has gradually and imperceptibly turned into a constant desire to see him calm and satisfied. I feel protective of him and it is bothering me. I don't want to soften, but the smile on his face is so disarming.
"What are you going to cook?" His voice startles me out of my thoughts. I shake my head. I am definitely lowering my guard because of this man. I should never ever see him again after we part ways. It would be disastrous for both of us.
"Depends of what you like." I take out a pan and lean on the counter. "Are you vegan or vegetarian?"
"No," he answers, "but I eat only chicken breasts and fish."
"That's perfect. What about rise and vegies?" I already have something in mind.
"Rice is fine," Angel nods. "No onions, garlic, red peppers and cabbage. I am allergic to dairy products and am really grossed out by eggs and any kind of nuts. I... mmm... I can't look at dough. It just freaks me out. Also... ugh... everything has to be clean... I mean really, really clean."
"Got it." I start taking the products out of the fridge and line them next to the small sink. "You can watch me rinsing everything and tell me if you think something needs more washing. Is that alright?"
"Yes," he agrees. "I am sorry. Thank you for your patience. Can I help?"
"No," I refuse firmly. "You will just sit there and spread hotness."
The delightful blush instantly appears on his face again. I smirk. He looks so innocent until you show him a dick and not so much, once he gets hold of it. Totally my type.
I rub and cleanse carefully every ingredient three times, before he finally seems content with the result.
"I am making Chicken Teriyaki," I explain while slicing the chicken breasts into bites. "It'll take no more than twenty minutes, just steaming some rice and simmering the chicken with green peppers, carrots and some teriyaki sauce. That's all. How does it sound?"
"Great," Angel awards me with a staggering smile. "You look professional. Do you cook often?"
"Mhm," I nod. "I live alone since I turned eighteen. I do it every day."
"Ryo," he suddenly mumbles, staring at me. "I don't want to be nosy, but I am so damn curious. You may not answer, if you don't want to. This thing you said you were looking for... It's a person, isn't it? I... mmm... I can actually help you. I have connections. I worked for the police on a few occasions. They will do me favor, if I ask. If it is so important and you've been searching for such a long time... I mean, you don't have to see me again. I can find information and use my personal assistant to..."
"It's not that I do not want to see you again," I quickly interrupt him. The subtle sadness in his voice makes my heart shrink. I am taken aback by this new feeling. "Believe me, you don't need to be involved in my drama. Yes, it's a person, but things are too complicated."
"I understand," he nervously scratches his nape. "I apologize for poking my nose into something that is none of my business."
"It's totally fine. Don't worry," I pat his knee. "My life is hard to figure out even for me."
"I can relate to that," he chuckles. His hand rests on mine for a second. "Ryo, you are a good person. I know nothing about you, but no one have ever made me feel safe..."
The familiar strike of pain flushes though me again, making me cringe. This can't be a coincidence. Suddenly a crazy though forms in my head. What if...
"Can I ask you a question too?" I blurt, almost breathlessly. "Have you ever been abroad?"
"Nooo," he laughs out. "Are you crazy? Didn't I tell you that I barely leave my house? My parents had to hire home tutors because I couldn't even go to school. Travelling was out of the question. Sarah, my therapist, needed years to make me go out for the first time. I still don't like it, though."
"Oh, I see." I sound exactly as disappointed as I am. It was a long shot, but it was worth trying. I shake off the gloominess and line the bowls, napkins and cutlery on the counter. "Food is ready. Let's eat."
"It looks amazing," Angel praises me and carefully takes a bite. He keeps chewing for ages, hesitant what to do next.
"Come on," I urge him and press my lips to his. My gesture takes him by surprise and he swallows. "See, wasn't that bad."
"It's actually delicious," he smiles.
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A/N
Hello everyone at the end of chapter 18.
Thank you for reading and supporting! ❤❤❤
What do you think Ryo hoped to hear when he asked Angel about travelling abroad?
Were you disappointed when Angel's answer wasn't what Ryo expected?
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Love: Anny
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