Chapter 19 The Rooftop Again
At the table,
Older Brother peeled shrimp,
dropped them in my bowl.
Muttered, “Don’t want anyone stealing my brother with peeled shrimp.”
Jiang Huai smiled,
finished a whole bowl.
Older Brother snatched it,
fake sweet. “Thanks, bro!”
After dinner,
Mom made Jiang Huai stay.
We had empty rooms.
She fixed one up.
Night.
I went to the rooftop for air.
Jiang Huai appeared beside me.
“Why’d you come to my house?” I asked.
He looked at me,
eyes soft. “I missed you.”
“Every day.”
My heart raced.
I avoided his gaze.
“A You, give me an answer, okay?”
He turned serious.
“If you hate me, I’ll stop bothering you.”
I struggled inside.
Never this torn before.
He waited.
Quiet.
I took a breath. “I don’t hate you.”
He pulled me into his arms.
Voice shaking. “I knew it.”
“A You, be with me? I’ll handle your brother. He can beat me again if he wants.”
I looked up. “I don’t think Older Brother’s the problem. Mom… I don’t know how to tell her.”
Right then,
Older Brother and Mom came up to hang laundry.
We froze.
Older Brother panicked first. “They just hugged, nothing else, I swear they’re clean.”
Mom stared, shocked. “A You, explain this.”
Jiang Huai spoke. “Auntie, I’m the one chasing A You.”
“I really like him.”
I added, “Mom… I like him too.”
Jiang Huai looked down at me,
smiled.
Mom sighed.
Glanced at Older Brother. “You don’t like guys, right?”
He shook his head hard. “Definitely not!”
She looked at Jiang Huai,
then me.
“Fine, fine. I’m done meddling.”
“At least one of you stayed normal.”