“Why did you follow me if you’re such a scaredy-cat?” he said, sweeping his hand gently across my back and speaking bluntly. In response, I explained the reasons why I had no choice but to run away.
“It’s because you can’t see the bigger picture. Your vision is flawed. It lacks focus!”
“The bigger picture doesn’t matter.”
“Didn’t you notice how the chicken that was chasing me stood out among the others? Even if it had been just an inch shorter, I wouldn’t have been so on edge.”
“Hand me the basket.”
I slightly distanced myself from his closely pressed body and hung the basket on his arm. Kamian leaned against me again, subtly applying pressure to my back. Even though the chicken had gone far away, there was no need for us to be so close, yet I didn’t want to let go. Ah, it was comfortable.
“I’m out of breath.”
“Relax your body. I’m holding you, so you can let go.”
Upon his words, I fully stretched out my body. Seeing Kamian neatly place my basket beside his own basket, I cleared my throat and spoke with a hint of reproach.
“Even though that ignorant, oversized chicken was attacking me, I managed to collect three eggs. It wasn’t an easy fight.”
“If all you needed to do was collect eggs, why did you bother fighting?”
“That’s what I said. Anyway…”
However, it was embarrassing to realize that there was a vast difference in the number of eggs in my basket and Kamian’s basket. Kamian had filled one basket completely and had already filled half of another basket.
“…You collected a lot of eggs too.”
“If you’re going to keep clinging to me and prevent me from using both hands, wouldn’t it be more helpful for us to go outside?”
Indeed, that guy clearly hadn’t learned about “manners” or “consideration.” He boasted about gathering fewer eggs than me, but it was too blatant of a provocation. My self-esteem was scratched.
“Put me down.”
“Just stay still. I’ll take you to the bench outside the chicken coop.”
“I’m going to collect eggs too.”
“If you don’t cry out of fear.”
“Can I slap you in the face? No, twice.”
“If you promise to sit quietly on the bench, I’ll let you hit me ten times.”
The man’s long legs strode swiftly toward the chicken coop. Leo, who hadn’t collected a single egg yet, felt truly aggrieved that only he was kept from going outside.
“I distinctly said I wouldn’t go out.”
I reached out and grasped Kamian’s shoulder, looking him straight in the eye. Seizing the momentary hesitation as Kamian held onto the doorknob, I forcefully wriggled free from his grip. Without looking back, I dashed towards the basket.
I’ll fill this damn basket myself. I can’t keep being treated like a child under constant supervision forever, can I?
Kamian didn’t want to be remembered as an incapable person who couldn’t even gather a single egg. My self-esteem wouldn’t allow it.
“Liv.”
Something suddenly grabbed my shoulder. Leo, covered from head to toe in dusty soil, was struggling to smile. His neatly combed brown hair was completely dishevelled, tangled and messy, and his clothes were so disarrayed that one couldn’t find a clean spot.
“If the chickens frighten you, come to me instead of Kamian.”
“Why did you follow me if you’re such a scaredy-cat?” he said, sweeping his hand gently across my back and speaking bluntly. In response, I explained the reasons why I had no choice but to run away.
“It’s because you can’t see the bigger picture. Your vision is flawed. It lacks focus!”
“The bigger picture doesn’t matter.”
“Didn’t you notice how the chicken that was chasing me stood out among the others? Even if it had been just an inch shorter, I wouldn’t have been so on edge.”
“Hand me the basket.”
I slightly distanced myself from his closely pressed body and hung the basket on his arm. Kamian leaned against me again, subtly applying pressure to my back. Even though the chicken had gone far away, there was no need for us to be so close, yet I didn’t want to let go. Ah, it was comfortable.
“I’m out of breath.”
“Relax your body. I’m holding you, so you can let go.”
Upon his words, I fully stretched out my body. Seeing Kamian neatly place my basket beside his own basket, I cleared my throat and spoke with a hint of reproach.
“Even though that ignorant, oversized chicken was attacking me, I managed to collect three eggs. It wasn’t an easy fight.”
“If all you needed to do was collect eggs, why did you bother fighting?”
“That’s what I said. Anyway…”
However, it was embarrassing to realize that there was a vast difference in the number of eggs in my basket and Kamian’s basket. Kamian had filled one basket completely and had already filled half of another basket.
“…You collected a lot of eggs too.”
“If you’re going to keep clinging to me and prevent me from using both hands, wouldn’t it be more helpful for us to go outside?”
Indeed, that guy clearly hadn’t learned about “manners” or “consideration.” He boasted about gathering fewer eggs than me, but it was too blatant of a provocation. My self-esteem was scratched.
“Put me down.”
“Just stay still. I’ll take you to the bench outside the chicken coop.”
“I’m going to collect eggs too.”
“If you don’t cry out of fear.”
“Can I slap you in the face? No, twice.”
“If you promise to sit quietly on the bench, I’ll let you hit me ten times.”
The man’s long legs strode swiftly toward the chicken coop. Leo, who hadn’t collected a single egg yet, felt truly aggrieved that only he was kept from going outside.
“I distinctly said I wouldn’t go out.”
I reached out and grasped Kamian’s shoulder, looking him straight in the eye. Seizing the momentary hesitation as Kamian held onto the doorknob, I forcefully wriggled free from his grip. Without looking back, I dashed towards the basket.
I’ll fill this damn basket myself. I can’t keep being treated like a child under constant supervision forever, can I?
Kamian didn’t want to be remembered as an incapable person who couldn’t even gather a single egg. My self-esteem wouldn’t allow it.
“Liv.”
Something suddenly grabbed my shoulder. Leo, covered from head to toe in dusty soil, was struggling to smile. His neatly combed brown hair was completely dishevelled, tangled and messy, and his clothes were so disarrayed that one couldn’t find a clean spot.
“If the chickens frighten you, come to me instead of Kamian.”
