She took Morgan’s arm.
“It’s still early, but we’re closing the shop for the day.
Let’s go out, have some fun, and forget all our troubles!”
‘At least, it would be good to forget for a little while.’
With her arm linked so intimately with his, Morgan’s heart began to race.
He was so excited he was nearly at a loss for what to do.
Maya started to think seriously.
“What should people do on a date?
How about we see a movie first, then go out for dinner!”
“A movie?
Yeah, yeah!” Morgan’s eyes lit up.
The two of them went to the movie theater, where there were two films starting soon.
Maya looked at the poster.
“Let’s see this one.
It’s a cartoon.
You’ll definitely like it.”
As far as she was concerned, Morgan was just a six or seven-year-old child, and all little kids liked cartoons.
Morgan, however, tugged at her arm and pointed to the romance movie next to it.
“I want to see that one.”
“Will you even understand it?” Maya mumbled as she went to buy the tickets.
Morgan didn’t know if he would understand it or not.
He just envied the man on the poster embracing the woman.
He had a woman he wanted to embrace, too.
Right now, she was buying their tickets.
Morgan stared, mesmerized, at her back.
“Here,” Maya said when she returned, handing him a tub of popcorn and a Coke.
Morgan’s eyes lit up when he saw the snacks, and he took them gleefully.
Maya said with a laugh, “Kids just love these kinds of sweet treats.”
The movie was about to start, so they went in early.
The theater was nearly empty for a weekday showing, with only four or five people scattered among the seats.
So Maya ignored the seat numbers on their tickets and picked a spot with a good view.
“Let’s sit here.
It’s not like anyone’s around.”
After they sat down, Morgan picked up a piece of popcorn with his long, slender fingers and offered it to Maya’s lips.
Maya opened her mouth to take it.
“Yummy.
It’s sweet.”
Thinking she liked it, Morgan offered her another piece.
This time, Maya playfully nipped his fingers as she took it, smiling.
“Your fingers are sweet, too.”
Morgan felt the soft warmth of her lips, and his body went rigid.
Hidden in the darkness, his face flushed hot.
He ducked his head slightly, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile.
He eagerly grabbed another piece and held it out.
“Here, eat!”
He looked at Maya expectantly.
To his surprise, however, Maya turned her head away.
“I bought them for you.
You eat them.
I don’t want any more.”
Morgan was disappointed.
“You eat it!
Eat it!”
Maya didn’t guess his little scheme, just assuming he was trying to be attentive.
“I don’t really like popcorn.
Two pieces is my limit.
You eat it.”
Dejectedly, Morgan pulled his hand back.
He brought the piece of popcorn to his own mouth, hesitated for a moment, then, just as Maya had done, nipped his own fingers.
‘Why isn’t there that same electric tingle when I do it?’
He was very disappointed.
Like a child who’d done something wrong, he released his fingers and began to silently eat the popcorn.
The movie began, and the very first scene was the male and female leads locked in a passionate kiss.
Maya’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.
She reflexively reached out to cover Morgan’s eyes.
“Not for children!
Not for children!”
Morgan dodged her hand, his eyes glued to the two people lost in their own world on the giant screen.
“We paid money for this,” he said, deadpan.
“We have to watch.”
Maya found his serious expression amusing.
‘Then again,’ she thought, ‘Morgan isn’t really a child.
There’s nothing he can’t watch.’
‘Besides, he used to be a young master who’d been with “countless women.” He’s probably an expert at this sort of thing.
Unlike me…’
Maya’s fingers drifted involuntarily to her lips.
‘Twenty-six, and I still haven’t had my first kiss.
It’s actually kind of embarrassing.’
She wasn’t very interested in the movie, and after a while, she drifted off to sleep, her head slowly coming to rest on Morgan’s shoulder.
Smelling the fragrance of Maya’s shampoo, Morgan’s entire body tensed up.
He didn’t dare move a muscle.
A warmth as sweet as honey spread through his chest.
He wished the movie would never end.
He had no idea what happened for the rest of the movie; his gaze never left Maya’s face.
They were together every day, yet he could never get enough of looking at her.
When the credits finished rolling and the lights came up, he had no choice but to wake Maya.
“Maya, time to go home.”
Maya groggily opened her eyes.
“Huh?
It’s over?
What a waste of thirty bucks.”
She wasn’t fully awake yet, and the theater had a lot of stairs, so she grabbed onto Morgan’s arm, letting him lead her out in a daze.
“Maya, you’re tired.
Let’s go home.” Morgan thought she looked cute in her drowsy state, but more than that, his heart ached for her.
Lately, Maya had been keeping the shop open late to earn more money, which was far more tiring than his work washing cars.
The sky had already gone dark.
They strolled home, but when they reached their pitch-black stairwell, Maya started up the stairs while Morgan remained frozen at the bottom.
“What are you waiting for?” Maya called down from the stairs.
Morgan kept frowning, his eyes fixed on the darkness to the side.
He felt like there was a figure there, standing perfectly still.
“Morgan!
Get up here and open the door!
You’ve got the keys, stop messing around,” Maya called to him again.
Only then did Morgan tear his gaze away.
He took the stairs three at a time.
“Coming!”
The sound of the old iron door shutting echoed through the stairwell.
The figure hidden in the darkness broke into a sinister smile before turning and walking away.
As the saying goes, the first time’s a trial, the second time’s a habit.
Having already shared a bed with Morgan last night, Maya wasn’t shy about it today and lay right down beside him.
Of course, the cleaver was still right there by her pillow.
Having already slept for over an hour at the theater, Maya couldn’t fall asleep now even with her eyes closed.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
She picked it up and saw a WhatsApp message from her best friend, Hilary York.
First came a sad, frustrated sticker, followed by a line of text: *Negative again.
Hmph!*
Hilary York had been married for two years, but her husband had a low sperm count, so they hadn’t been able to conceive.
Maya typed back a comforting reply: *Why don’t you get a second opinion at a major hospital?
You two are so young, and you love kids so much.
It’s bound to happen sooner or later.*
Hilary complained: *Sigh, having trouble conceiving is one thing, but the real issue is that his family all think it’s my fault.
They say the nastiest things.
If I didn’t respect them for raising him, I’d really let them have it!*
Maya: *If you ask me, you should just tell them the truth.
I bet they’d be kissing your feet, terrified you’d dump their son.*
Hilary: *But we’re truly in love!
I can’t stand the thought of people pointing fingers at him.
The good thing is, he always listens to me.*
Hilary and Maya had completely different views on love.
Hilary was a true romantic, ruled by her heart.
They’d been college sweethearts, and after all these years, the two were still inseparable.
Maya didn’t really believe in love, but she envied the couple Hilary and her husband made.
Hilary: *Maya, how are things with your little fool?
Are you really planning on taking care of him for the rest of your life?
You were the school goddess back in high school!
I just feel like you deserve better.*
Maya turned her head toward Morgan and found him staring intently at her phone screen.
She rolled over to face him, blocking his view.
“You can’t even understand it, and you’re still trying to peek,” she threatened playfully.
“I’ll smack you if you do it again!”
As she spoke, she typed her reply to Hilary: *It’s not about deserving better.
Does a goddess have to end up with a god?
Besides, my little fool isn’t so bad.
He’s handsome, has a great body, and he’s so gentle with me.*
With that, she snapped a picture of Morgan and sent it to her, wanting to show off how good-looking he was.
Hilary sent a voice message in reply.
Maya tapped it open without thinking, and Hilary’s explosive voice suddenly boomed through the small room, abnormally loud.
“HOLY SHIT!
YOU SAID IT WAS A FAKE MARRIAGE!
YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY FUCKING?!”