Paper Dove

HYPNOTIZED

I held tightly to a small round aquarium containing 2 ornamental fish belonging to Jeni. We were in the elevator to get to the floor where I lived. Jeni dragged a medium-sized suitcase and held a small flower vase filled with red plastic tulips. I looked at the fish in my hand. 

“ Why should we bring these two skinny fish?”, I asked Jeni when the elevator door opened. 

“ They're my friends, their names are miko and miki. They always listen to my complaints without much protest”, Jeni spoke seriously while continuing to drag her suitcase. 

I shook my head at the strange answer. When I entered my house Jeni asked a question that I didn't even have time to think about. 

“ So where should I sleep? We don't have to sleep together in one bed right?”, asked Jeni plainly. 

“ I'll sleep in my workroom for a while. Tomorrow I will add one more bed”, I replied as I placed the small aquarium on the table next to the flower vase.

“ So we keep the room with a different bed?”, Jeni asked again ready to argue. 

I turned around and approached her, it seemed like I was getting used to her nature. 

“ The choice is only two small thieves, a room with two beds or a room with one bed ! Please set yourself ”, there is no question tone in my voice that there is only a clarifying tone so that he does not argue with me in the middle of this blind morning. 

He knew there was no choice for him so after thinking for a few seconds he immediately replied “ Room two bed”.

“ Good. Let's settle this argument and go to bed. I will finish my little work and sleep on sofa”, I said as I walked towards the study. 

“ Are you sure you'll sleep on the couch?”, asked Jeni again. 

I stopped and turned to walk towards him. Giving us a narrow space, I aligned my face with his. 

“ So, you allow me to join you on the bed?”, I assure you. 

His face was met with red, he didn't expect me to be so close to him. 

“ No, please sleep on sofa”, he said a little broken and then turned his face away.

I smiled “ Brutal once”, I said then pulled my body to stand upright and walked leaving her standing alone in the middle of the room. “ Ck.. she's adorable”, I smile to myself.

***

At 8 o'clock Jeni was still asleep hugging a thick blanket. I looked at him with a small smile, did he trust me so much that he fell into a deep sleep without fear of anything. I moved closer to him to wake him up.

“ Hey, thief.. Jeni.. “, I called slowly. 

There's no movement. I took a breath thinking about the best way to wake her up, I pinched slowly next to her cheek.

“ Wake up slacker, it's noon”, I'm getting pulled on his cheek. 

“ Aww…. Hey... don't pull my cheek”, Jeni wakes up in a rage. 

“ Build. The rule in my house is that everyone who is here should have breakfast”, I said turning around.

“ Juan... It's sunday. I want to sleep longer, just for a little while. I did not have breakfast so I could save on the cost of eating”, he said screwed up. 

“ Alright, I give you one minute to immediately wake up from your sleep it”, I said as I walked towards the living room. I saw him fall back asleep without a burden. Seeing that I immediately shook my head in wonder. A minute passed by and I was standing by the bed.

“ Jeni wakes up, don't pretend to sleep”, I squeeze her cheek. 

He turned to look at me as if he had not heard. “ Alright I count to 3, otherwise wake up I will lift you to the dinner table”, I said. 

“ One...”, I started counting.

“ Okay well.. I wake up... I wake”, he said directly sitting on the bed. 

“ Good, get up now brush your teeth and wash your face. We had breakfast on the balcony” terrace, I walked away leaving him with a smile on my face, so happy to be able to work on it. I could hear him kicking the blanket in annoyance. 

The next few minutes Jeni had joined me on the balcony terrace, she was still wearing her sleeping pajamas and extra sunglasses on her face. 

“ Why are you wearing those glasses? “, I'm curious to hear the answer.

“ I do not intend to wash my face because later my sleep is gone. So I wear this so that the atmosphere still feels dark”, he replied casually making me smile. 

“ I am tired, unable to hold a spoon", he sighed and sipped his juice using a straw without touching his glass at all. 

“ Ck, there's-there's a”, I grumble then take the plate and cut the omelet into pieces. I poked the small part and pointed it at his face. 

“ Open your mouth slacker”, my order. 

He opened his mouth accepting the omelette, then sighed while chewing. I shook my head at his behavior and even more strangely why I served his will. 

“ Beach below it, can we go there? “, ask him on feed to so many.

“ Can. You want to go there?”, ask me back.

“ Yes I want. I have a date list that I've compiled before we get married. Since it's the weekend you have to accompany me” he said again while looking at me from behind his glasses.

“ Hmm.. It's up to you”, I replied resignedly to hear his chatter. 

“ Please save a lotin”, the command saw me about to point the fork in his mouth again.

And of course in my subconscious I obey him. 

***

And this is where I ended up, lying on the beach chair with Jeni the chair next to me. Doni and some of his men sat a little away from us, standing guard but giving us privacy. 

“ Hey thief, what else is on your wish list?”, I asked curiously.

“ Emm... watch horror films both”, he replied again. 

“ Why should horror? Not many other romantic movies?”, I ask again.

“ Because according to the survey, people who are dating will look romantic if you watch horror movies together. The one I watched in the Korean drama male actor usually hugged his scared woman.it was romantic once”, he said excitedly.

“ So, you wish I hugged you when you were scared?”, I just started wanting to prick her again. 

“ No, I'm just practicing with you. I will be hugged by my real girlfriend later if I have separated from you and found a real boyfriend”, he replied without feeling.

I was silent to hear his answer. From behind my glasses I could see two young men running on the beach happily. “ Alright, I will train you so that your lover will not know that you lack experience”, I scoff a little.

“ Yes, thank you for the kindness of coach”, he replied.

Doni came to us and handed me the phone. 

“ Halo”, I replied.

“ Sir, this person has confessed”, said one of Doni's men.

“ Good. Meet me soon. Doni will send his place”, I replied and handed the thin object back to Doni. 

I told her to leave and turned to Jeni. “ Did you go to the flower shop today?”, I asked.

“ Yes, I am renovating my shop. Many unnecessary expenses” Complaints. 

“ I'll take you there. We go with”, I said. 

I got up and looked at him from behind my glasses. “ Come “, I reached out.

“ Should we join hands?”, he asked. 

“ Of course. That's what dating people do. What in Korean dramas do they not join hands?”.

“ Emmm.. joined sih”, then she grabbed my hand a little awkwardly.

I smiled at her plain answer. We joined hands as if we were going out until we arrived at my hotel room. 

***