Chapter 12 Bedtime Story

Kia

I'm now laying in my bed. Trying to make myself fall to sleep. But I can't stop thinking about the fact that there should be many women who have a crush on a man with an excellent appearance like Ares. I don't want to owe him, let alone to be obsessed with… besides… to fulfill the duty of a wife. We were not born yesterday, we clearly know the real duty of a wife.

Gosh! I can't sleep!

Suddenly I heard someone opening the door. He seems back from work. I got up and went into the living room. Seeing him sitting on the couch. It seems like he is really tired.

"Good…Good evening," I said, greeting him.

"It's getting late… Why are you still awake?"

"I can't sleep…" I suddenly noticed that there were pillows and blankets beside him, "Did you sleep on the sofa these last two days? Why don't you sleep in the guest room?"

He scratched his head and smiled politely, "The room hasn't been occupied for a long time, and I don't have time to clean it up."

"The sofa is too small for you, it must be very uncomfortable to sleep on it. Besides, you have to go to work tomorrow. Go sleep in the master bedroom, I sleep on the sofa. I am short. It won't be that uncomfortable for me."

I pulled him to stand up and go into the master bedroom but then he only pinched my cheeks and patted my head, "You're so cute. You have to go to school tomorrow, too. Besides, it's kinda cold out here. You might catch a cold. I don't want that to happen. I am a man, it's fine for me. I'm gonna take a bath. Go to your room. Goodnight," he murmured before kissing my forehead.

Why is he so considerate? Whereas I…

I grabbed his hand to make him stop and pulled him closer to me, "hold on!"

"Hmm?" He innocently asked.

"Uhm— A-Ares, let's… let's sleep in the master bedroom!"

His eyebrows widen in surprise, "Are you sure about that? You don't have to force yourself."

I took a deep breath and composed myself before talking, "Don't worry, I am sure. It must be very uncomfortable after sleeping here all night long. You still have work tomorrow. Let's sleep in the master bedroom."

He didn't answer. He just stood there. I can't see any reaction from his face. Am I being impulsive again?

"I'll go take a bath first," he mumbled, leaving me here in the living room.

-

I decided to sleep with Ares in the master bedroom but— I can't sleep at all! Geez! I don't know what to do!

"If I'm a woman, I would feel uncomfortable to have a man sleep by my side… will you still be able to go to school tomorrow if you keep sleeping like that? You little fool. You are too stiff to move."

Wrinkles of surprise appeared on my forehead, "I thought you were asleep…"

"Well, I can't sleep with the light on… How about I turn off the light? It's easy to fall asleep in dark conditions…" He said while covering his eyes with his hands.

I suddenly heard a click and the light suddenly turned off, "I can't sleep…"

"How about I tell you a story since you can not sleep? Just relax yourself and listen to the story. It started when I was very young…"

-

Ares

"It started when I was very young… My dad has been very strict with me since I was young. Compared to other kids who were the same age as me, I have no childhood. All I had to do was focus on my studies. I took every class everyday so that I will improve in everything because that is what my father wanted. He wants me to be perfect like him. I was stressed out. No one was willing to approach me. No one wanted to be friends with me. They called me a nerd since I really am. No one talks to me and I become loner by that time. I don't want to communicate with other people either… From kindergarten, primary school, to high school… I seem to be an outcast and a machine that can never make mistakes, running strictly following the trajectory set by my parents…"

***Flashback***

"It's all for your good, son! You will not be eliminated unless you study hard! You wanted some friends? What kind of friends do you want? There are lots of friends who come to you after you succeed! When you already have everything!"

"You can't even answer such an easy question. Do you have a brain?! How can you go to a famous school in the future?! The child next door got full marks this time! How come you just got 99? You can't live on the interest. Why don't you focus more on your studies rather than playing on the computer when you are available?!"

-

"HAHAHAHAHA Geek! Nerd!"

"Why are you making that face all day long?! You are so annoying!"

"I didn't put the thumbtacks in your shoes on purpose. It's not a big deal. Besides, I already said sorry!"

***End of flashback***

"I even thought about taking my life. Until— there's this one girl. Stand up for me and fight my bullies. She looks so cute being angry at those who bullied me. She was like a beam of sunshine in the dark; warm and brilliant, lighting up my life. It was her smile that pulled me out of the darkness. Before her, I never believed that there would be love at first sight in the world. It turns out that life is not boring, many wonderful things are waiting for me to discover, such as her…"

"And then? What happened?" She innocently asked. She looks interested in the story.

I close my eyes before answering her question, "that's it… My dad died and I was forced to go to the US to study. I didn't hear anything from her after that."

"Really? Did you think about looking for her after you came back?"

I shake my head in disbelief, "No, I didn't. Maybe, she already has her own life. Why bother her? Anyway, it's getting late. Let's sleep. Goodnight…"

"What if she is also waiting for you? You are not curious?..."

"You're the one who's curious. Are you jealous?" I said, teasing her.

Her face suddenly turned red, "No, I'm not! I just think that you might see each other again. You… you don't have to worry about me," she said and immediately turned around to face the other side, "Goodnight! I'm going to sleep!"

What a silly girl!