#i told myself it'll be shorter this week but uhh...apparently not

[nobully]

🍿    :   watch a rom-com with my muse. lmao

(     *     VALENTINE’S DAY PROMPTS   ! | 🍿    :   watch a rom-com with my muse.

"What do you mean you've never seen a romcom before?"

'I mean, they're not exactly my go-to genre.'

"Well, what about with friends? What did you guys watch together?"

'Uhhh...action films, mostly? Also, basketball games and crime documentaries...'

'Besides, it's just a movie. Who cares what you watch if you're entertained?'

"Ugh, no wonder you're so clueless!" Nicolette grabbed Wang Yi by the arm and started dragging him to the theaters. "Come on, we're going to watch one right now!"

'What, why?!'

"Because your romance-deficient brain's gonna bite you in the ass one day."

'That doesn't even make anatomical sense...'

"Just shut up and pay for the popcorn!"

'Fine, fine...sheesh.'

So they bought the tickets and a giant bucket of popcorn with two drinks. Wang Yi's not sure why the usher winked at him when he collected their stubs, but when he entered their theater and saw the audience inside, he started to have an inkling.

'Valentine's coming up, huh...'

"What, thinking of nice gifts?" Nicolette teased, and okay that was definitely blatant enough that he got the hint and squirreled it away for later.

'No, just thinking how out of place we are in this room full of couples,' Wang Yi muttered under his breath. That "Sizzle, Pop, and Couple's Cups" snack deal should've clued him in, but he was too happy about saving money at the time to pay it closer attention.

In response, Nicolette just hooked her arm around his and pulled him close on purpose. "We are a couple. Of friends. Who the hell cares what they think?"

'Yeah but, look at them all cuddling and stuff...' Wang Yi side-eyed a couple where the boyfriend was feeding his girlfriend popcorn. 'We stick out like a sore thumb.'

"Ohhhh, so you want me to feed you popcorn too?"

'No!'

"All right, calm down. I'll behave. Besides, the point is to watch the movie, not get frisky like a pair of teenagers." Nicolette's grip tightened on Wang Yi as she dragged them to their seats. "Come sit. It's not like you'll die from being seen with me, right?"

There was a high note in her voice that Wang Yi had learned to recognize as a giveaway: if he kept on complaining, she'd probably feel hurt. So he tactfully shut up and settled down on one of the big plush recliners. 'Anyways, just don't hog all the popcorn.'

Nicolette broke into gleeful laughter.

Eventually the lights dimmed and the movie began: some fun-filled romp about a woman chasing after her ex who was now engaged to another girl. Halfway through Wang Yi realized they could've solved everything just by sitting down and talking and quickly lost interest. Instead, his eyes wandered over the other audience members. There was a couple near the front row with their foreheads touching, not interested in the movie at all. Another had the girl leaning her head on her lover's shoulder. And the couple a few seats down from them...

Wang Yi had to squint to see clearly, but it looked like they'd graduated from hand-feeding each other popcorn to passing it back and forth between their mouths with kisses. He was still debating whether to feel embarrassed for their sake when a voice whispered by his ear.

"What are you looking at?"

His head whipped back to catch Nicolette's innocent grin as she sipped from her straw.

"Something more interesting than the movie?"

The couple a few seats down giggled; Wang Yi's 99% sure Nicolette can see them too since everyone's got their seats down for the film. He rolled his eyes at her and mumbled,

'...it's not that.'

'I'm just surprised people actually do that stuff in public.'

As predicted, Nicolette dropped her act once the jig was up, but her words aren't any less stimulating. "I don't know, I think they're pretty tame compared to what you did that night in my apartment."

He could feel his face heating up in the dark. 'Will you let that drop?'

"I mean, it was pretty unforgettable." Strangely enough, she sounded pretty genuine. "Enough that I'm still a mix of fucking mad and awestruck that you actually pulled it off."

'Okay? But I swear it was an accident.'

"There are no accidents in romcoms."

'You think we're living in a romantic comedy right now?'

"I don't know about the romance part, but you're pretty hilarious on a regular day, Yiyi."

'...thanks, I guess?'

They end up being shushed and shut up for the rest of the movie, which played out as expected and ended with a kiss, proposal, and marriage. When the two finally rose to leave, it was to see most of the couples stay behind and continue being lovey-dovey through the credits. Escaping it was almost a relief.

"What did you think of the movie?" Nicolette asked as soon as their footsteps hit the sidewalk outside.

'It was all right, I guess? A little illogical, but I guess that's romance for you.' Wang Yi was ready to end it there, but seeing Nicolette's expectant look, tried for a little more. 'Also...there really wasn't a villain character? Kinda lacking, yeah?'

He got a disgruntled noise in response. "Not every romcom needs an actual villain."

'But there's no real conflict without one.' Those petty arguments and staged misunderstandings that took its place didn't really draw him in.

"Yes there is. The romance, Wang Yi? The fricking feelings of pining plaguing both sides? I mean I know some guys don't go for that kind of stuff, but you can still feel it, right?"

'Uhh...I don't, actually.' Like literally, what was emotion.

Nicolette stopped walking to place her hands on her hips. "If you hated the movie that much, you can just say it outright."

Oh um, she misunderstood. 'I don't hate it,' Wang Yi corrected hastily, 'I just...don't feel anything about it.'

Nicolette blinked before she leaned in, incredulous. "No? Nothing?"

'I mean, I can get an idea from most of the scenes, but I have to think about it first.'

"What about the scene where the couple met as childhood friends and he gave her a flower ring as a promise token?"

'I was debating whether she made a replacement or stored it in a freezer to keep it fresh 25 years later.'

"Or the one where the guy finally confesses his love, only for the girl to leave him because he was still wearing his engagement ring?"

'He probably could have called her to reschedule and try again.'

"How about in the end, when they got together despite everything and floated away in their log cabin with hot air balloons?"

'That part reminded me of a Pizar movie, actually. I wonder if they bought the copyrights to Above? Also, no way the plumbing would have worked in that house.'

"You're missing the point!"

'I thought movies were up to personal interpretation...'

"Did you even interpret anything? You're just picking out problems and thinking of weird solutions to them!"

'You're the one who asked...'

"Oh, so it's my fault now, is it?!"

'Uh, do you want me to buy you ice cream or something...you're looking kinda heated.'

"Kind of? Wang Yi, you're so dense!" Nicolette fumed. Or at least, she looked like she was fuming, with her red face, angular brows, and intense stare. He wanted to check just how taut her expression was, but she turned away before he could look closer. "What kind of idiot eats ice cream in winter?!"

'So I guess that's a no?'

"Gods, stop asking if you already know the answer!"

'I mean, it's not like I can read your mind.'

"Are you seriously pissing me off on purpose right now?!"

Wang Yi scrunched his eyebrows and stopped in place as Nicolette stalked off. He didn't get why, but everything he said seemed to be pushing her buttons today. But they weren't any different from his usual lines?

'Wait,' he scrambled and chased after her. 'Are you like, PMSing or someth—'

"What?!" Nicolette turned, absolutely livid; Wang Yi didn't stop in time and slammed face-first into her elbow as she swung her arm backwards.

—

Hours later saw Wang Yi sprawled over the couch in his condo, cradling an ice pack to his fresh black eye as Nicolette poured them drinks (water, not wine).

"Hey, can you see?" she asked after setting their cups on the table.

'Kinda hard to tell when my eyelid's swollen shut.'

'I can try to pry it open.'

"Don't touch it!" she hissed and rushed over, only to see that he had one arm draped over the sofa and the other firmly gripping his ice, not his face. "Dammit, Yiyi!"

Wang Yi was surprised too. He blinked at her with his one good eye before trying a smile. 'Sorry, I didn't actually mean that.'

"You don't mean half the things that come out of your mouth," she huffed at him and sat back down.

'Right,' he admitted. When there was no comment after that, Wang Yi tried, 'Um...so what are we going to tell Zhilan?'

"That you ran into my elbow, what else?"

'I mean, this time the truth's gonna sound like a lie and he might think we fought for real. Which—to be fair—we kinda did?'

"Arguing isn't fighting, it's literally how we talk," Nicolette countered.

'Yeah, but to the rest of world we're—'

"Why do you care so much about public opinion?" she snapped. "What about what I think? Or—or Zhilan, or any of your other friends?"

'Weren't we just talking about Zhilan?'

"I mean in general," Nicolette sighed. "I swear, Wang Yi. It's like sometimes you only hear half of what I say, while other times you read me like a book and forget everything by the end of the day."

'It comes off that way, huh?' Wang Yi genuinely wondered. 'Maybe I'm just grasping at things I know.'

"Oh sure, like how you always catch me lying because you're a hopeless liar yourself?"

'Basically?'

Nicolette was genuinely getting sick of this. "What else are you incapable of? Besides telling the truth, apparently."

'Well,' And Wang Yi swallowed, strangely grateful that he's stuck staring at the ceiling instead of her face. 'I don't think I actually feel—'

*+:｡.｡𝄞 어��� 작별이 이보다 완벽할까 Love me only till this spring... ~♪ ｡.｡:+*

Both of them turned to look at the table where Nicolette's phone was going off. Then she yelped and picked it up.

"Hellooooo, Lanlan! Mm-hmm, uh-huh...oh of course, you're so sweet~" Nicolette glanced up from her phone and nudged Wang Yi's leg with her foot. "Zhilan wants to know what we want for takeout tonight, pizza or Italian?"

Wang Yi lifted his head to stare at her blearily. 'Pizza is Italian.'

"Shut up, it's a whole new world for him."

'Whatever's fine...you pick.'

"You're so boring?"

'Thanks, I try.' He meant it too, but Nicolette just made a face at him and went back to talking to Zhilan.

"Hello? Yes Lanlan, apparently Yiyi can't tell the difference between either choice so anything goes! Hm, me? Oh no, I think it'd be more fun if you chose..." She chattered on happily while he flopped back against the couch, content to be ignored.

"...by the way, I gave him a black eye with my elbow."

Wang Yi jolted up, nearly concussing his eyeball against his ice pack.

"No, no we didn't fight...this time it was an accident, promise...yes, he's fine, but preparing more ice isn't a bad idea, Lanlan!" Nicolette caught his movement out of the corner of her eye and mouthed a super obvious "I told you so" with her lips.

"Mhm, all right! See you tonight! Byeeeeee~"

Click.

She tossed her phone on the couch this time and plopped down next to him.

"If you have to lie, don't do it to Lanlan of all people."

'A little too late for that, don't you think?'

"Don't do it any more than you have to?" Nicolette poked him in the side. "Besides, I explained everything already. He gets it."

'He gets what we show him, you mean.'

"Wow, is this how honesty looks on you, Wangy? Because you sound fucking depressing."

‘Blame the brain damage.’ Wang Yi shifted his ice pack around to block more of Nicolette from sight. It's melting though...he should get a new one soon.

“Nice try, but I didn’t hit you that hard.” But Nicolette started to drag him off the couch anyways. “Let’s go.”

‘We don't need to meet Zhilan until two hours later…’

“Uh-huh, and the nearest clinic closes in one? We’re going to get your eye checked out. And your brain too, if you want.”

‘Sounds like a pain.’

“That’s par for the course, you pain in the ass. Besides,” Nicolette added, “All lying shit aside, I know you hate making him worry. So you can show up on Game Night with a nice little doctor’s note or stare at Zhilan’s sad puppy eyes all evening, but I won’t let you ruin things for me too.”

She was trying to egg him on, but Wang Yi gave in before he took the bait. He always did, and she always knew he would, so the two of them stumbled out and hailed a taxi with surprising harmony.

'By the way, you're paying, right?'

"Dream on. It's 50-50."

'When it was your elbow that hit my eye?!'

"More like your head that rammed itself into my elbow in the first place?!"

Wang Yi started to sputter and fume. Snickering, Nicolette rummaged through her pockets. "Wait, I want a picture of this."

'Don't you dare—'

"Oh shit."

'What?'

"...I think I left my phone on your couch."

'What?!' Wang Yi looked out the window where they were weaving effortlessly through the city streets, far away from Condo 408.

"Wangy...Yiyi...I'll pay you back later?"

'What the hell, we can just turn back!'

"And pay double the taxi fare? Are you stupid?"

'It's not stupid if it's your Dust too!'

"Excuse me?! When were you such a selfish prick?"

'Me selfish? What about the time you—'

Ringringring!

Wang Yi dug out his own phone before falling silent. 'It's Zhilan.'

Nicolette quietly bit back her latest insult. "So answer it."

Press.

"Hello?" Zhilan's bright voice came over the call. "Hi Wang Yi, I heard about your injury...are you doing all right?"

'Uh yeah, Nicolette's taking me to the clinic right now for a check-up. Don't worry, I'll be fine.'

"Oh, that's good! Actually, I just wanted to call and make sure: did you get two black eyes or one?"

'...just one.'

"All right, then I should have enough ice for you and the drinks! We can take it easy tonight and just talk if it'll make you feel better."

'Nah, it's fine. Besides, I still want to beat Nicolette at Mon*poly. Again.'

"Oh! Then I'll make sure to have that out. See you later?"

'Later. Thanks.'

Click.

As expected, Wang Yi hung up to see Nicolette glaring at him.

'What? Last week I won fair and square.'

"Yeah, after you fucking lost at YUNO the week before?"

'YUNO's luck, but Mon*poly's a skill game.'

"Oh, like it's hard to roll two die to get exactly the numbers you want?"

'You mean you can't?'

"What the hell—"

And on and on they went, bickering back and forth, all the way to the doctor's office.