Behind the Smiles

Chapter 29: Pear

"I meant that I'm the one who is going to hang up on you now. Bye!" Timmy promptly disconnected the call and returned to the living room.

"Were you guys talking about me?" Johnny inquired.

"I'm not going to answer you." Timmy sat down next to Johnny and picked up one of the mugs.

"I guess that's a yes." Johnny smirked.

"Think what you want to." He took a cautious sip from the mug. "The coffee is cold."

"Of course, it is. You've been in your room talking to Sean about me. I have so much good qualities for you guys to talk about. It's not surprising that you took so long."

"To think, I was actually contemplating on accepting you. Never mind."

"Wait. Are you finally admitting that you love me?" Johnny perked up.

"I didn't say that."

"You don't have to say it. You're already kissing me."

"I'm not kissing you." Timmy scrunched up his nose and threw Johnny a disgusted look.

"You're drinking my coffee."

Immediately looking at the mug in his hand, Timmy discovered that there was less than half a cup left. "Oh." He placed the mug down at once and sputtered. "S-Sorry."

"It's okay."

Timmy pushed his mug to Johnny. "You could have my coffee. I didn't drink it yet."

"I don't mind kissing you back." Johnny grabbed the mug Timmy had accidentally drank from and finished what was left of his coffee. "Mm...you made my coffee tastier."

"Stop acting so creepy."

"How do you want me to act?"

"Like a normal person."

"I'm too fabulous to act normal," Johnny claimed. "I guess I'll just be myself."

Timmy sighed in defeat. "Do you want to drink some of my coffee?"

"Drink...?"

"Don't even think about drinking me."

Johnny leaned over close enough for Timmy to feel his breaths tickling his lips. "That's too bad. I bet you tastes delightful."

"Stop!" Timmy shouted when he had no more room to back away from Johnny.

"Stop what?"

"S-Stop coming closing."

"Why are you stuttering?"

"Because..." Timmy muttered in nervousness before pushing Johnny away. "You're too close."

"I'm getting you used to me. We are trying to build chemistry for the drama after all."

He's right. Timmy cleared his throat and straightened up. "I'm hungry."

"For me?" Seeing Timmy narrowing his eyes at him, Johnny grinned. "Hey, one can dream."

"It's too early for dreaming."

"Babe, I dream about you all day. It's never too early for dreaming."

Timmy rubbed the goosebumps off his arm but wasn't able to hide his smile.

"It's nice to see that you agree."

"I'm not agreeing with you."

"I saw you smiling. You always do that when I tease you."

"I don't..."

"You don't do that?" Johnny cut in.

"How...?"

"How did I know you were going to say that?"

Timmy nodded.

"We've been living together for quite some time now. I've had time to pick up on things."

"Well, you're not picking me up."

"I see that you've also learned a lot about me." Johnny got up from his seat.

"Where are you going?"

"Why? Are you going to miss me?"

"We still have to read through the script."

"I'm going to make you a snack."

"It's okay." Timmy also got up. "I'll make it myself."

"Sit." Johnny gently directed the lad to sit back down. "I'll make you something that isn't fattening but will satisfy your hunger."

"Okay." Timmy smiled.

"Smile like that to me again, and I can't guarantee that you'll be able to get away tonight."

Timmy's smile vanished in an instant. "This is my place. Say that again and you're sleeping outside."

"Wow, we sound like a married couple already."

"We're not a couple."

"Not yet...but soon." Johnny hurried into the kitchen to avoid hearing Timmy's further denials. He returned shortly with a plate of sliced apples, some strawberries, and a whole pear with its skin removed.

"Fruits?"

"What? Not enough?" Johnny joked with a chuckle.

"It's not going to fill my stomach."

"This is what happens when you eat so little for dinner."

"We have a photo shoot tomorrow. I don't want to look bloated."

"Dinner consisted of mostly vegetables."

"I ate the vegetables. It was the rice that I limited." Eventually catching eye of the pear, Timmy picked it up. "Why didn't you cut the pear?"

"You're not supposed to cut a pear into pieces. You have to eat it whole."

"Why?"

"Cutting a pear means separation and I don't want us to be apart."

"Aren't you being too superstitious?"

"Better safe than sorry." Johnny forked up a piece of apple and offered it to Timmy.

To avoid being fed, Timmy took the fork from Johnny's grasp and ate the apple. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"No, I'm still full from dinner,"

Timmy shoved another piece of apple into his mouth and chewed happily.

"They are all yours...including me."

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Note: When you say 'cut/share pear' which is 'fen li' in Chinese, it sounds like you're saying separating.  That's why, when you watch Cdramas, you see them mentioning not to share or cut a pear apart.  It's bad luck.