Chapter 20: Making Up
We sat side by side at the table, the quiet settling over us like a soft blanket, broken only by the clink of chopsticks against bowls. I dug into the food—warm rice, crunchy stir-fried veggies, and that rich soup Aeri always nailed. I swear, I could eat her cooking every day and never get tired of it.
The flavors hit just right, comforting and I couldn't help but glance at her, a little smile tugging at my lips.
"Umm... it's tasty, Aeri," I said, keeping it casual, my voice light with genuine happiness as I scooped up another bite.
She was mid-sip of her soup, and all I got back was a quiet "thank you..."—barely a mumble, her lips pursed in a pout as she focused on her bowl.
She was still mad, no question, the air between us thick with it despite the cozy setup.
I let out a soft *sighhh*, leaning back in my chair, and flashed her a smile, trying to warm the ice. "Oh, come on, Aeri," I said, stretching the words out, my hands waving in big, exaggerated gestures to sell it. "I'm seriously sorry—and I swear I'll make sure this doesn't happen again." My tone was playful, but underneath, my stomach was tight, tense from knowing I'd screwed up bad.
She didn't even look up, just took another slow sip of soup, her eyes closing like she was shutting me out. "Yeah, okay, sure," she said, her voice flat, dripping with sarcasm. "Same words, same expressions... same mistake." The spoon clinked against her bowl as she set it down, and she finally flicked her gaze to me, one eyebrow arched like she'd heard this song before.
I leaned closer, resting my elbow on the table, desperate to fix it. "Okay, how about this?" I said, my voice perking up. "From now on, I'll message you the second I put my phone on silent—right before I have to focus on work. No more silence, promise." I held up my hands like I was swearing an oath, waiting for her to bite.
She opened her mouth, probably to shoot me down, but then a sharp, teasing sound that cut through the quiet.