[Skyline Plaza: Zoren]
"Tada~!" Penny spread her arms excitedly while Zoren, seated on the couch, gazed at the coffee table. "Welco to your new set of dicines!"
Zoren’s eyes scanned the table full of bottles. "That looks like ten tis more than what I’m currently taking," he pointed out, looking up at Penny’s beaming face. "But sure."
Though the thought of overdosing crossed his mind, Zoren didn’t care. Even if it were literal poison, he would take it if she gave it to him.
"These aren’t just dicines, alright?" Penny placed a hand on her hip. "They’re vitamins."
"Vitamins?"
"Yes." She nodded. "Your problem isn’t your body—well, that cos second."
"Okay."
Penny squinted at Zoren, wondering why he wasn’t asking more questions, like any normal person would when suddenly handed loads of pills.
"Which one should I take first?" he asked, curious.
"Renren, aren’t you going to ask what each bottle is for?"
"I’ve been taking dicine all my life," he explained flatly. "I just take it and see what works."
Penny opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again.
"If I take the dicines given to by people I barely trust, I will definitely take anything you give ," he added with a reassuring smile. "So, which one should I take tonight?"
"Well..." she massaged her nape and cleared her throat before squatting down to organize the bottles. "This batch is for the morning, these are for lunch, and these are for the evening."
"That’s a lot."
Penny pressed her lips together and snapped her gaze to him. "I know it’s a lot, but they’ll help your body."
"Mhm." He nodded, not complaining. "Do you think they’ll help get better?"
"Renren, your mind is a dangerous thing. Even though your problems are psychological, the damage to your body is real." A deep sigh escaped her. "These will help your body recover."
"I thought they were for my mind."
Her face lit up, and she hopped over to his side. "I’m the dicine for your mind," she teased, fluttering her eyelashes coquettishly.
Zoren slowly turned his head toward her. "Then why are you so far away?"
Instead of sitting right next to him, Penny had landed on the opposite end of the couch. Though he could reach her if he tried, he found her antics amusing.
"Hehe." Penny chuckled, thinking back on how they had ended up here.
As promised, Penny had co over after work, even bumping into Benjamin, who gave her a suspicious look. If Zoren hadn’t kicked him out, Benjamin might have stayed, but that wasn’t important.
The mont Zoren closed the door behind Benjamin, he hadn’t wasted any ti embracing and kissing her. Thankfully, he stopped when she reminded him they needed to talk about sothing else. That was why she was keeping her distance from him now.
"Are you afraid of ?" he asked, raising a brow.
"Of course not! Why would I be afraid of you?" she replied quickly. "I’m just thinking about my family."
"What about them?"
"I need to go ho." Penny chuckled. "I seem to be lacking self-control and discipline, so let’s not... touch tonight, okay?"
Zoren blinked slowly. "Fine."
"Hehe." Penny hugged a cushion, smiling. "Are you upset?"
"No."
Her brows rose playfully, and she giggled. "You look upset."
His body ached especially around the groin area, but he didn’t want to admit it.
"I share the sa dilemma," he said, turning back to her. "It seems I’m starting to lack self-control and discipline."
"We should control ourselves," she added, almost as if lecturing both of them. "Even though we’re old enough to do whatever we want, it’s best if we let this pass first. Then we can... take action."
"I don’t think this will pass."
She chuckled and tossed the cushion at him. "It will," she said, standing up. "Anyway, I’ll prepare your dicines. I’ll leave after you’ve taken them, alright?"
Zoren didn’t respond, watching her sit on the floor to open the bottles and place them on a plate. A subtle smile crept onto his face as he observed her. Even without holding hands, kissing, or hugging, just having her around filled him with satisfaction.
Still, the thought of her leaving soon left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Could she just stay and live with him?
She had only been here for half an hour. It wasn’t enough. He wanted her to stay tonight. He needed her—not physically intimate way, but her presence alone was enough.
"Here, all done!" Penny said, carrying the plate over and sitting beside him. She handed him a glass of water. "Take them one by one."
Zoren gazed at her for a mont before picking up the first pill. He swallowed it slowly, like a snail. When he picked up the next, he was even slower. By the third pill, he was in full slow-motion.
Penny’s brows shot up as she watched him, feeling a sense of impatience. "Renren, why are you taking your dicines so slowly? Didn’t you say you’ve been taking dicines your whole life? This shouldn’t be a problem."
"If I finish, you’ll leave," he replied after swallowing the pill, his gaze still on her.
Penny pressed her lips together, saying nothing. She simply watched as he continued, taking his ti. What should have taken five minutes ended up taking a full half hour.
’Wow...’ she thought, ntally applauding him. ’Is he... is he chewing them?!’
Taking this many pills was bad enough, but to chew them? Zoren was fearless!
He glanced at her, chewing a pill as if it were candy. "I’m done."
"Good job," she smiled and nodded, though he still looked gloomy. Seeing his eyes shift to the side, Penny bit her lip before leaning in closer.
Deep lines appeared between his brows as he stiffened, feeling her soft lips press against his cheek. When he turned to face her, he saw her beaming and grinning.
"That’s the reward for being a good boy," she said, squinting playfully. "Don’t be sad, Renren. Tomorrow’s the weekend. Wake up early, okay? I promised Grandma I’d go on a morning jog with her. You should co too—you need the exercise!"
The heaviness in his heart didn’t completely disappear, but it lightened.
"You’re coming here tomorrow?" he asked, and she laughed.
"I’ll be here even before you wake up." She winked, even though he might not see it. "So, sleep well tonight, okay?"
Zoren slowly slipped his fingers between hers on the couch, making her glance down. "Okay," he said, causing her to look back up at him. "I’ll sleep well tonight."
Does he have a reward for that as well?
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