Heartbeat by Iem_Aivlis

Someone deliberately closed the door of his house loudly. The person did it on purpose so that the neighbor who lives next to his house will be surprised. That person doesn't hate his neighbor who is a woman, but that person just doesn't like guests who come to his neighbor's house. Earlier, a man caught the person standing in front of his neighbor's house. And now he saw the man stroking the woman's head. Even though he didn't know about their relationship, the person didn't like such a romantic scene.

Emily 's POV

I accidentally held Christ's fingers which were still attached to the glass. Deg! I felt my heartbeat beating irregularly. I felt like my finger that touched it felt like it was being electrocuted. Is Christ still holding the device that is still electrified? This man still doesn't want to let go of his glass. Christ stared into my two eyes.

I can't explain the meaning of the look on his face. Her face looked like she was thinking about something, confused, wanting to do something, all at the same time.

"Sorry." Christ quickly removed his hand from the glass.

I felt a sense of loss as he pulled his hand away. Christ walked away with his back to me. Then he started to crouch down, as if he was looking for something in the pile of things he was carrying. "Then, I'll go to the kitchen first." I said while waiting for his answer.

"Hmm." Christ only cleared his throat to answer the words.

He didn't look at me at all. Christ was still busy with his activities. What did I expect? Of course he wouldn't look at me. I should have been self-aware. It's getting dark, I better make dinner. Bie must be hungry. During the day, Aunt Jane will bring lunch for Bie. Because I haven't allowed Bie to turn on the gas stove. I walked towards the kitchen. I took a frying pan and poured oil on it. Then I turned on the fire from this gas stove. While waiting for the oil to heat up, I started cleaning the shrimp that were going to be fried. I poured the seasoned flour into a bowl. Then, I coated the shrimps that I had peeled earlier in the bowl containing this flour. It seems the oil is hot. I put the prawns that I coated earlier one by one into the pan that holds the hot oil. While waiting for the shrimp to cook, I started to mix some vegetable ingredients to make into a dinner menu.

"Bie, let's eat. Invite Uncle Christ too." I said to Bie when he came to get a drink in this kitchen.

Bie drank the mineral water that was already filled in her glass. After the water in the glass was finished, Bie started to speak. I moved the cooked vegetables onto a plate.

"Yes, mom. Wow, it smells so good, Mom." Bie inhaled the aroma of my cooking that spread throughout this room.

"Are you hungry, baby?" I asked as I put the vegetables I had just moved onto the dining table.

My daughter smiled and nodded her head. She approached the dining table, then Bie took a fried shrimp that I had arranged on a ceramic plate. Don't forget, she also dipped the chili sauce in the middle of the shrimp arrangement on the plate. She only bit half of a fried shrimp. The rest was still between her thumb and index finger. While chewing my daughter started walking towards the living room. I heard Bie asking Christ out for a meal.

"Are you done cooking? Why so fast?" Christ asked after entering this room with my daughter.

I don't know what to answer to Christ's question. So I just responded with a faint smile. Bie started to help me by taking three empty glasses. She filled each glass with mineral water through a dispenser. One by one the glasses that were already full were placed on the table.

"Apart from being fast at cooking, all of Mom's cooking is also delicious, you know, uncle." My daughter gave Christ a thumbs up.

Christ just smiled and then immediately approached the dining table. I turned towards where my rice cooker was. I saw the light on the rice cooker had changed color. Finally, the rice was cooked. I grabbed the rice cooker spoon, then I opened the lid of the rice cooker. White smoke billowed out of it. I carefully scooped out the cooked rice using a rice cooker spoon. I closed the rice cooker for a moment. Today I'm in the mood to eat vegetables with rice. This kind of food menu is my daughter's favorite. Apart from that, this menu is also healthy and filling food. But I don't know if Christ will like it or not.

"Of course, mom can do it. Because mom used to work in several restaurants for quite a long time, darling.." I said, starting to take three empty plates, then I filled these plates with the rice that had just been cooked.

"What are you cooking?" I heard Christ start to pull out a chair to sit down.

"You can see for yourself," I said sharply to him.

Why did I say that? I guess I was still upset because he only answered my words with the word 'hem'. Gosh, what's wrong with me, why am I so sensitive? I started to put the plates filled with rice on the table. Then I put the spoons on each plate. On top of the fried shrimp and squid I put the forks.

"Why did you cook so many vegetable dishes?" Christ asked after stuffing broccoli into his mouth.

"I don't know which one you like. Like this, you can choose shrimp if you don't like squid." I said while pointing to the plate of fried squid.

"Like Bie who really likes shrimp, uncle. While mom really likes this squid, but Bie doesn't." Bie pointed at the fried squid using his fork.

"Why don't you just ask me directly? Then you won't have to bother cooking this much." This time Christ ate the fried squid that I mentioned earlier, he also smeared the squid with chili sauce.

He was right. Why didn't I think of that earlier? Ah, at least I can save my vegetable stock. But, after I noticed, it seemed like Christ liked them all. Of the various vegetables that I cooked, there was none that he didn't eat. It turns out he loves vegetables. No wonder he's handsome. Eh, what is my brain thinking? I patted my head with my left hand to clear my mind again.

"Why did you hit your head? I love all your cooking." Christ lifted my hand that was still above my head.

Deg! Once again he made my heart beat fast. How come? Apart from holding my hand, he also rubbed my head which I had patted earlier. Christ happened to be sitting right next to me. He was still staring at my face. I could feel my face heating up.

"Why is your face red?" Christ laughed out loud.

"Eh." I covered my cheeks with my palms.

I became flustered. Then I looked away. Bie watched our interaction from her seat. I was really embarrassed in front of Bie. How could Christ say that my face was red? If Bie asks later, what should I answer? Then I turned to my left side.

"Looks like after this, you should wash your hair." Christ said laughing while showing the oily fingers he had placed on my head.

Damn! Turns out he was playing a prank on me. I stroked my hair vigorously where he touched earlier. I heard his laughter still booming on this dining table. Not long after that, Bie laughed with him. Christ is so annoying. Watch out, I will definitely get back at you!

*Continued*