#i can't take more painkillers cause I already took quite a lot (probably a couple too many ngl) in the last month

[seonghwasblr]

I really need my neck/shoulder to stop hurting.. It's been days and it's still not better :/

[barsformars]

Tricky

//

g - fluff, slighttttttt angst, suggestive

p - san x reader

w.c - 1.9k

t.w - san touching reader's naked body

c - san takes care of you when you get injured and are left all alone at home. the catch is? both of you obviously have feelings for each other but.....san

a.n - uusjsjjs this was requested through private message! im sorry it took so long lmao uh, this is just 1.9k of plotless words nothing will be solved by the end of the story so its almost like word vomit???

t.l - @closer-stars @jeongyunhoed @fairyofdusk

//

"It's not funny," you snarled at the pink haired boy who seemed to be overly amused at this situation in which both your arms were put in slings. You had slipped over a puddle of water, and that had sent you flying down the small flight of stairs right outside the taekwondo dojang, resulting in two dislocated shoulders. San pressed his lips firmly into a tight line to stop the corners of them from quirking up. On one hand, he does feel really bad, but if he said you didn't look ridiculously hilarious right now, he'd be lying. "I wonder who was on the verge of tears earlier on."

"That's because you were in so much pain I felt so bad for having asked you over for a sparring session!" San defended himself, a small pout forming as he did so. "At least the body and shin guards saved you from breaking your bones."

Once the elevator reached your floor, San pressed on the button to hold them open while keeping a close eye on you as you slowly exited. You've never noticed how much arm or shoulder action happens when you walk, until now.

It was only when you stepped through your front door and noticed your roommate's house slippers still sitting on the bottom of the shoe rack do you remember that they were out on a business trip. Being alone at home right now wasn't an option for you when you couldn't do anything by yourself, but your roommate wouldn't be back till next week. You didn't want to burden any of your other friends so late in the night, you had no choice but to rely on San.

But things...are always a little trickier with him.

"I can only stay for tonight," San sighed as he placed his phone down on the coffee table. You don't know if it was a sigh of relief or one of frustration; he had pleaded over the phone for ten minutes. "But my manager said that they can send someone over to help you out for the next few days."

"It's alright, I'll ask Jimin for help tomorrow. If they aren't available, I'll let you know, yea?" San nods, though rather reluctantly. He trusts that you'll be able to take care of yourself, except physically for now at least.

San holds you by the waist to support you as you got up from the couch, keeping an arm wrapped around it as he brought you to the bathroom. "Please tell me you have a bathtub."

"I insisted on having one, glad it's finally of actual use."

"Oh yeah."

As you soaked in the warm bath that San had ran for you, you couldn't help but think of everything that has been happening between the two of you. The lingering touches, the jokes with double meanings, the way he gazes at you so softly, and the sudden tension that fills up the atmosphere following all those. San hasn't put a title over what this relationship was, and you've been too afraid to take the lead even though you knew that friends don't act like that towards one another. You didn't want to pressure him, he already has a lot on his plate. But he ought to give you an answer soon if he's about to see you in your most vulnerable state, right?

There comes another knock on the door, the tenth one in the whole duration of your bath. "I was being serious when I said don't try to act tough and do everything alone." The knocking continued on non-stop until you replied.

"You're an impatient one, aren't you?" You joked. "I'm done, I need help getting out."

"Not impatient, just worried." You hear his back leave the door for a moment as he stood up from the floor. And as politely as he could be while intruding into your private space, San pushed open the toilet door gently and stepped in after informing you first. You couldn't stop the giggle from escaping your throat when you took sight of him, his eyes shut close in consideration that you might not want him seeing you naked.

"Oh, you're laughing? At me?" San asked in disbelief as he pulled his arms that were searching for the wall back and rested his hands on his hips, a playful smile growing on his face. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you're cute," you cooed, much to his dismay.

"I'm not cute!" San argued, his eyes now open and glaring at you, still rather adorably. But before you could tease him any further, San practically stomped his way to the bathtub, leaning down to your eye level as his arms gripped onto the sides. "Don't mistake my manners for cuteness, I'm not." He said, almost with a growl, as he reached into the water and wrapped his strong arms around your torso, pulling you up so that you could stand. Taking pride in the way your eyes widened in surprise, San couldn't help but smirk before giving you a quick peck on your forehead. "You're cute."

Once he got you out of the bathtub, San tried his best to not look at your body as he dried you up with a towel while you stood there blankly, still at a complete loss for words. "You're so rude," you told San after finally able to process whatever just happened a minute ago. The boy merely raised his eyebrows, his lips pursed. "Taking advantage of my injuries to show off your strength when you know how I feel about it."

"Well, you're not stupid, you know how I feel about you. It's only normal I act cool a little," San replied nonchalantly but you could tell that he was too afraid to look you in the eye. "Come on, let's go get you dressed."

"Also, just thought that you should know...." San paused for a moment to make sure that you dried your feet properly on the mat before continuing. "I almost patted your bare ass earlier on." You can't even blame him. With how touchy he and his members are, you aren't even surprised that touching people's butt has become their second nature. But even then, he really didn't have to tell you.

"TMI dude."

San had been watching YouTube tutorials on how to put on shirts with a dislocated shoulder while waiting for you to wash up earlier on. You wouldn't have known either if he wasn't showing off all the knowledge that he had learnt less than half an hour ago by trying to convince you quite passionately, and with demonstrations, about why a dress shirt would be much easier to put on than a t-shirt, especially in your case.

"I will. I will wear dress shirts until my shoulders recover," you sighed heavily in defeat. "But just for tonight, can you help me with a t-shirt? I want to sleep comfortably even if it's just for tonight."

This time it was San's turn to sigh as he reached out to pinch your cheek. "I already told you that it will hurt."

"Make it not hurt then." You shook your head so that he would let go.

"Just sleep naked then," San mumbled under his breath but loud enough for you to hear, causing you to scowl at the boy. He catches your expression and sticks his tongue out at you. "Am I wrong?"

"T-shirt," you stated firmly, refusing to comply even when you knew San only had the best intentions for you in mind. You already don't think you could sleep with two injured shoulders, much less with your crush staying the night with you, and definitely even much lesser with an uncomfortable sleeping outfit. "Or I'll bite you." Those words becoming a reality became much more probable when his dimples makes an appearance once again, resembling the dent on a mochi when you press into it with a finger.

"I don't think that's a wise idea right now, maybe next time-" he gave you a gentle boop on the top of your nose with his finger-"now, your majesty, may I help you put on your gold thread shirt made from silk of the finest quality on so that both me and you can be spared from getting ourselves into a tricky situation?" If you could throw a punch at San right now, you would, but all you could do right now was to sit on the bed quietly and accept the teasing. And also whatever San was about to do to help you put on the shirt.

You wonder if it's too late to change your choice of clothing after San kneels down behind you on the bed, his chest and toned abdomen almost plastered onto your back as he reached over your shoulders to grab your forearms. "I need you to put your arms a little closer together, we'll have to try to get both through the sleeves together," he explained clearly and waited for your nod before he moved your arms as cautiously as he could, his eyes studying every twitch of your facial expression to check for discomfort or pain. "Tell me if it hurts okay? Don't act tough, I keep telling you that but please, please don't act tough."

All you could manage was a soft "mhm", your throat feeling too tight for proper words to come out of your mouth. You wonder if San, like how you could feel the warmth of his hands and body, could feel the heat radiating off your cheeks too. "I'm going to pull both sleeves up now, it may hurt a little," San warned, one hand coming up to pat your head affectionately before he gripped onto the sleeves again. Even with how gentle he was being, a wince still manages to escape from you, putting a pause on San's actions as he tilt his head to look at you. "I'm sorry, it will be over soon." You nodded, fully trusting him.

Though there were still a couple more times your shoulders hurt before the sleeves were fully through, the little apology he makes every time that happens comforts you, and also, makes your heart beats embarrassingly fast. Getting your head through the hole was a much easier feat and it didn't take long before your shirt was on.

San got off your bed to fetch his backpack and for a moment you thought that he was going to pull out the painkillers that you were prescribed with but instead, he took out two boxes of shoulder brace. "When did you even get that?" You asked, amused and touched at the same time. The shoulder slings the hospital had put you in was terribly uncomfortable and while the brace may not be way better, it was still better than the sling.

"When you were getting your x-ray done," San replied with a proud smile.

"Aw, I would give you a pat on your head if I could."

Upon hearing that, San practically shoved his pink hair into your face as he bent down. "You can kiss me on my head."

"I will bite you."

[seoulsborne123]

Fluffshot: Caretakers

Summary: Naru and Lin find themselves playing nurse for their favorite brunette. Warning: package contains queasy Naru, jealous Naru, smug Naru. ---- She slumped over the table, lightly banging her forehead against the cool wooden surface, and gave a forlorn sigh. It was just her luck that the only responsible adults (read: drivers) involved in her life just happened to all be suddenly called out of town when she needed them the most. And she had already locked in the appointment, too, after agonizing about the decision whether to go through with it or not. She'd been losing some sleep over it, mulling over the pros and cons of undergoing such a procedure, and just when she'd finally gathered her courage and got past the first step, Fate suddenly jumped from the sidelines and spat in her face, 'Just kidding!' She cradled her head and groaned in frustration. "Mai. How many times have I asked you not to slack off during work hours?" She shot back up and squeaked, "Yes, Boss! Won't happen again!" Mai held her erect position for a few seconds, just waiting for her narcissistic boss to eventually lose interest in her antics, but instead she felt his questioning gaze lingering upon her. As usual, the boy was refusing to speak any words that would usually be required to start the conversation he obviously wanted to pursue. It frustrated her how he simply waited for an explanation, expecting her to satisfy his curiosity without him having to put much effort on his part. She knew how this was going to pan out: he would stare her into submission, force her to tell him her problems, he would listen and make some insulting comments, and once satisfied about knowing what the problem was about, simply stalk back into his lair. Mai really didn't want to oblige him and wished to make some pointed remarks, to call him out on his bullshit attitude, but the overwhelming sense of defeat was making her wits dull. "Ugh. I have an appointment tomorrow morning with the oral surgeon to have four wisdom teeth removed, but they require someone to stay there and wait for me. I initially planned on asking Yasu, but they said it had to be someone who can drive me to and back." She looked at him to gauge his reaction but so far, he hadn't moved a muscle. "So naturally Bou-san would have been my first choice, but he suddenly got called out to do an exorcism out of town. Ayako is completely booked up with patients tomorrow, and John won't be back until two days from now." The unspoken question hung in the air but Mai didn't want to voice it out in fear of flat out refusal. However, Naru was staunchly refusing to read the atmosphere and Mai had to internally roll her eyes. "Well, so I was wondering if I could ask you for a huge, huge favor?" "I don't drive." Mai closed her eyes. "Y-yes, I know that. But Lin-san does, and I was wondering if you guys would be okay with giving me a lift tomorrow and helping me get back to my apartment?" Naru raised his brow. "Why don't you ask Lin yourself?" She cowered a bit in her seat and mumbled, "I… I'm too afraid to ask him directly. And I was thinking I'd feel better if you were there too, because Lin-san would be very intimidating and I don't want to bug him when I get drugged up. I don't know what sorts of things I would say. I might end up annoying him." When she looked up, she grimaced. Naru's face was very blank, but she could tell from the aura seeping out of him that he was quite miffed. Before she could guess as to the reasons of his glare, Naru suddenly responded (and Mai could have sworn it was with a tone that was almost petulant), "And you think I'm less intimidating? And that it's okay to annoy me?" "E-erm… I'm saying that I… that I feel more at ease with you around," she reluctantly answered with embarrassment. She looked away and took a deep breath, then turned back to him and haughtily pressed, "So? Will you, or not? I have to make a decision now if I should call them to reschedule." Naru's next words surprised her. Of course he had to preface it with a reluctant sigh, but still it was a sign of an indirect acceptance. "What time is the appointment for?" "T-Ten in the morning! The procedure itself wouldn't take long. I was told it'd most likely take thirty minutes." "Fine. We'll pick you up then." He turned to leave, but stopped when Mai called to him one last time. "O-oh, Naru?" "What is it?" She gave out an uncomfortable chuckle and answered sheepishly, "I'll probably be needing to take Monday and Tuesday off." -00000- Naru simply observed in the sideline as Lin struggled to help the uncooperative semi-conscious girl get situated inside the van. Once the ordeal was over, Lin gave Naru a passing glare, one which the boy simply shrugged off, and settled himself in the driver's seat. Naru took the seat beside Mai and realizing that Lin chose to not finish the job of putting on her seat belt, breathed out in mild annoyance and reached over the girl to click her in. Finally they got moving. Naru was content to sit in silence, but unfortunately for him, Mai, who had just undergone surgery and was incredibly doped up on painkillers and anesthesia, was in a strange mood. Several times she tried to reach into her mouth with her fingers, and every time Naru had to pull her hand away. She would listen, but then she'd forget what she'd just done and she'd try to reach in again. Finally Naru had had enough. "Mai. What in the world are you trying to do?" he asked irritably as he, once again, pulled her hand away. Thinking it'd be best to keep the hand occupied, he grasped her hand tightly in his and pinned it down to his side. "My mouth feels funny," she slurred. Naru wanted to spit out, 'you look funny', what with her puffed up cheeks, half-bloodied gauze peeking out of her mouth, and heavily-lidded eyes, but instead he swallowed his retort and waited for her to elaborate. "I can't… I can't." Naru wasn't sure what Mai was trying to tell him, but when he watched her closely, he saw her tongue swishing around inside her mouth, trying to feel out the gauze. He cringed at the possibility of her pulling out the gauze by accident and exposing her wound, which would no doubt cause her extreme pain once the painkiller runs out. "Stop that," he snapped tersely. "Don't move around your tongue so much." "B-but I can't! Naru… I don't have a tongue!" she lamented. "My tongue… the doctor took it." She leaned her head on his shoulder, unable to hold it up any longer from exhaustion, but still she kept talking. "Why? Why'd they steal it? It's expensive. I can't afford another one…" She started sobbing softly. Beside him, Lin broke out in a silent chuckle. However, not one to be amused by illogicality, Naru pointed out, "Mai, you have your tongue. How else are you speaking?" "No, Naru," she stressed, as if she was trying to talk to an imbecile, "My tongue's been stolen! I don't have one! See?" she stuck her tongue out. Naru groaned. "Your tongue is unsightly at the moment, Mai. It's bloody. Stop talking too much, you're aggravating your wound." "What about my tongue?" Naru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Your tongue is insured. We'll get you a new one tomorrow," he finally relented. Thankfully, this placated the brunette and she sighed contently and nodded, finally closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep. A few minutes passed in silence until Lin broke it by saying in a hushed tone, "I will drop you both off first and I'll drive back to pick up her prescription." "It's a waste of time. Can't you just swing by now and pick it up?" "She looks exhausted, Noll. It'd be best if we can get her home as soon as possible. I'd still have to wait for the pharmacy to fill out the prescription." When Mai nuzzled deeper into his chest, Naru looked away toward the window and muttered, "Fine." -000- The minute he saw her stir in the bed, he closed his book shut. Mai had been sleeping deeply since the car ride back home and Lin had to carry her up the stairs into her apartment, bridal style. After Lin assured him that he'd be back as quickly as possible, Naru locked the door behind him and found himself a comfortable position by the foot of her bed where he can keep an eye on her. She opened her eyes and blinked several times, staring at the ceiling in confusion. "Mai, you're finally awake." His voice jolted her. She snapped her eyes down and stared at him dumbly and mumbled, "Oh, that's right. That went by a lot faster than I'd imagined. I could have sworn I was just sitting in the dentist chair a few minutes ago." She sighed and gave him a warm, thankful smile. "H-how long have you been here? And how long will you be staying with me?" "Good, it seems you're coherent now." Then to answer her questions, he said, "It's been half an hour since we've brought you home. Lin went to the pharmacy to get your prescription. We will be staying until Yasuhara-san comes to relieve us in three hours." Mai blushed. "I see. Please don't feel like you have to wait until he gets here. I can stay for a couple hours by myself, so once Lin-san gets here… well I'm sure you're both very busy." Naru gave a small shrug. "We've cleared our schedule. Besides, there will be a small matter of logistics. You aren't to get off your bed and start walking on your own, so unless we left the door unlocked on our way out, Yasuhara-san won't be able to come in for his next shift." He gave a momentary pause before adding, "And I would not advise leaving the front door unlocked even for a few hours while you are completely unable to defend yourself." Mai suddenly felt a slight pang of pain in her jaw and she gently massaged it. Distracted by the dull ache, she replied nonchalantly, "That's not a problem. Yasu actually has a copy of my key, so you can lock the door." "You've given Yasuhara-san a copy of the key to your apartment?" She nodded carelessly. "He swings by often, anyway." He was unsure why he disliked the sound of that. "Bou-san, too," she continued. "Sometimes he comes by and cooks for me. Oh, John, too. " Naru frowned and before he could stop himself he muttered sullenly, "What, are you handing out your keys like candy?" Mai turned to him and looked at him quizzically. "No… Well I lost my own key once and I had to borrow the one I gave to Bou-san. John tagged along with me to the store to get a copy and since there was a deal going on, I ended up getting two copies and just gave the other to John. No harm done in that." Suddenly, Mai winced and gave a small whimper. "Mai?" "I-it's starting to really hurt…" Naru stood up from his seat and walked over to her. "The anesthesia is wearing off. Lin will be here soon with your painkillers. Do you think you can cope until then?" Mai knitted her brows in pain, but nodded weakly. -000- Sometime later, Mai started crying out in pain. Tears flowed freely as she whined pitifully, "It huuuurts so bad!" Naru was at a loss as to what to do. When Mai opened her mouth, he could see it was bleeding badly. He stood up in alarm and quickly guided her to the bathroom. He opened up the tap water, filled a nearby available cup halfway, and handed it to her. "Here, rinse your mouth out, but don't create any suction that might dislodge the clot," he tried to say calmly, but the brunette was on the point of hysterics and was inconsolable. "Calm down, Mai," he coaxed gently, awkwardly rubbing her back in circles in a futile attempt to ease her pain. She leaned over the sink and spat her bloodied saliva out, gently rinsing her mouth with the water, but the red tinge would not abate. Neither would the throbbing pain in her jaw. Naru took out his phone and quickly dialed Lin's number. "Lin," he said curtly, "Where are you? Mai's anesthesia has run out and she's in a lot of pain. She's bleeding quite profusely." "I'm almost there. Does she need her bandage changed?" The boy paused. He took a gulp and made a face, but decided to follow through anyway. Taking Mai by the shoulders, he asked her to open her mouth so he could take a look. What he saw made his knees weak and a huge lump in his throat started forming. He felt sick. Glad to have an excuse to turn away, he replied to Lin, "Yes, she needs it changed. It's soaked thoroughly." Behind him, Mai howled in pain. "You'll have to help her change it out, Noll." "What? How do you mean help?" his insides went cold. "Pull out the bandages and get her sorted with new, clean ones. The doctor packed some extra gauze in the bag." Naru cringed again. If there was one thing he was weak against, it was mouth wounds. Gene had undergone a similar surgery once and watching Luella changing out his bloodied bandages and seeing a bright, red, gaping wound inside his brother's mouth was enough to traumatize him for a lifetime. He croaked out, "Lin." Unspoken was the emphatic plead of 'please do not tell me to do that. You know I can't.' On the other line, Lin sighed. "I am about two minutes away. Just help her calm down." "Alright." Naru clicked the line off. "Mai, Lin is almost here with the painkillers. Does rinsing it out with cool water help alleviate the pain somewhat?" Mai nodded through tears. "I'll grab some ice for your cheeks. It might help soothe the pain," He told her gently, patting her back softly before walking briskly out of the bathroom and making his way toward the kitchen. He grabbed a handful of ice and stuffed it inside a Ziplock container, adding a bit of cool water, and made his way back. Then, suddenly realizing he had locked the front door, Naru was about to take a quick detour toward the living room when the sound of the lock turning hit his ears. Lin's figure came into view, carrying several bags in his hands. Naru frowned. Did she also give Lin a copy of her keys? When? And why would Lin need a copy of it? Ignoring the annoyance bubbling out of his chest, he stepped out of the way as Lin strode past him confidently, deciding it was best to let the onmyouji assess Mai's situation. He watched as Lin cupped Mai's cheeks very gently. "Taniyama-san," he said, his voice soft and placating, "I'll have to change out your gauze to get you cleaned up." When Mai nodded and opened her mouth, Naru took that as his cue to slip back into the kitchen to get her a glass of water for her medication. By the time he got back, she had calmed down considerably and Lin was already washing out his hands. He stepped inside the cramped bathroom with them and handed her the cup along with the pills, which she took gratefully from his outstretched palms and quickly quaffed down. "How long before this kicks in?" she asked between sniffles. "Within fifteen minutes you'll be feeling drowsy and pain-free again," Naru answered. -000- The two gentlemen found themselves in her small kitchen. In one pot, Lin was busy preparing chicken noodle soup (following his mother's recipe, except he decided to chop up the noodles into very small pieces) so that Mai would have something to sustain her during the next couple of days. In the other pot, he was making a simple black beans and rice dish for their dinner. "Yasuhara-san is very late," Naru mumbled to himself as he flipped a page on his book. With a slightly louder volume meant to catch Lin's ears, he asked out, "What time did he say he was going to be here?" "Originally, three p.m, but he got held up with his activities. He thinks he may get here around seven." Naru leaned back and closed his book, pressing his thumbs against his eyelids. It had been a long day. "Mai is due to drink her next dosage. Shall we wake her?" "Yes, she'll need to eat first." He ladled on a small serving into a bowl and headed off to her room alongside his young charge. Naru sat himself at the edge of her bed and shook her gently. "Mai. You'll have to eat so you can take your next dose. Mai." Eventually, the girl stirred under him, sleep and fogginess still evident in her eyes. The painkiller was still coursing through her system, dampening her mental state. "I'm hungry," she said weakly. Lin settled himself down on the other side of the bed, letting the smell of the soup waft toward her to gain her attention. "Ooh, it smells good. What's that?" "Chicken noodle soup. It will be easy for you to gulp down." The girl nodded and opened her mouth, temporarily taking Lin by surprise. He did not think she would ask him to feed her, but feeling sorry for her current state, he simply pulled the corners of his mouth taut, scooped up a serving, and blew on it to make sure it was not hot. Then his next action surprised him, but before he could think he took a little sip from the spoon to test its temperature and brought it to her lips once he deemed it acceptable. Beside him, he could practically feel Noll raise his brow in astonishment. "I had no idea you were on such friendly terms," Naru said stiffly. "And to think she was afraid of asking you to take her, when she'd already given you a key to her apartment and you're eating off of the same spoon." Lin was sure he could hear a bit of testiness in his voice, but his demeanor was emotionally blank. Noll was always good at masking his emotions. "Jealousy does not become you, Noll." This took the teenager aback, but he quickly recovered. "It's nice to know you'd finally developed a sense of humor." "I'm putting an effort into it. Though it's not as dry as yours." Naru rolled his eyes. Finally, feeling a bit sorry for the poor boy, Lin explained, "Taniyama-san does not know I posses a copy of her key. Takigawa-san handed me a copy in the case Mai got into trouble and made me swear upon my honor I would never use it otherwise." Naru didn't know why, but this statement somewhat placated him. "Presumptuous of the monk to do so." "But understandable." "Lin-san." Lin felt a small tug on his shirt and he looked down to see Mai's innocent, expectant look, softly demanding, "More." Lin gulped. Somewhere deep within him, he felt a tug of tender emotion that was quickly followed by guilt. He automatically gave Noll a sidelong glance. "Upon your honor," Noll sarcastically drawled out, obviously understanding something deeper in that small exchange. Noll's observation skills were always topnotch. Rather than try to clarify anything, Lin sighed and fed her another serving. There was a painful silence as she slowly took her dinner, Lin continually checking to make sure the soup was of the right temperature before giving it to her. After a while, she slightly pushed him away and scooted back to rest against her headboard, feeling quite content with the amount of food she'd taken. To his mortification, however, Taniyama suddenly smiled sweetly and slurred, "Lin-san, you're very handsome." She reached out and grazed her hands softly along his face. If he could, Lin would have blushed. Instead, he pulled back and said evenly, "Thank you, Taniyama-san." Mai nodded and her smile grew bigger. She suddenly shivered and pulled up the blanket and commented, "It's very cold in here." Naru was startled by this and breathed out to calm himself down, despite his mounting annoyance that was only getting further exacerbated when Lin turned to his direction with a knowing smirk. "There's just a draft coming from that direction, Taniyama-san," Lin had carelessly pointed, presumably toward the window, but it happened to be on the same side Noll was on. With an aggravated sigh, Noll stood up and offered Mai his hands, saying, "It's time to change your bandage again so you can drink your medication and go back to sleep. Come." Lin stood up as well. "I'll be cleaning up the kitchen then. I'll leave you to it, Noll." When Mai took Naru's outstretched hands, she blushed and her face radiated a brilliant smile. In a semi-hushed whisper, she said conspiratorially, "Between you and me, I think you're more handsome than Lin-san." Of course, in the stillness of the room, her attempts at secrecy failed and Lin raised his brow. Beside her, his young charge smirked in self-satisfaction and turned to him triumphantly, answering the inebriated girl back with a mock whisper, "I think so, too." Lin rolled his eyes and exited the room, shaking his head in silent amusement as a smile crept up his face.