Magical Tea

Happy Birthday

In a blink of an eye, the older Min Ki disappeared from Maya's eyes. He was gone just like a dream, Maya thought. She turned towards the house and walked up a bit unsteadily the cemented pathway to the front door.

Maya saw Min Ki slumped on the door jamb and clutching his chest. The light from the torch he was holding wavered. Maya felt her drunkenness gone in seconds in concern for the boy. She caught Min Ki just as he was falling.

"Hey, what happened," Maya asked worriedly as she helped the boy up and closed the door while holding on to him. She walked him across the living room to his room. Fortunately, the door to his room was already open. They both tumbled into the room and fell on the bed ungracefully. Maya was still a bit drunk after all.

Maya gathered her wits and sat up to check on the boy who looked pale and still squeezing his chest. "I think I need to call your mom," Maya said starting to get up. Min Ki held unto her hand.

"Just stay with me. I will be fine in a little while. It is just the side effect of being near my other self," Min Ki whispered.

"Huh? That severe? Then why did you take the risk of going to his time earlier and give him the invitation?" Maya prodded, getting up to go to his bathroom and dampened a face towel. She hastily washed her face as well to shake off the remnant of her drunkenness. When she came back, she saw Min Ki trying to crawl up to the center of his bed. She ran up to him and helped plump up the pillows so he could lean on them.

Maya wiped the sweat off Min Ki's face and neck with the damp cloth and kept it on his forehead. Min Ki's eyes were closed but the color on his face gradually came back. "I think you need to change your shirt. It's soak with your sweat," she said, standing up again and rummaged for a new shirt in his closet.

When Maya came out from the wardrobe, Min Ki had already pulled off the sweaty shirt off himself. His chest glistened from all the sweat which seemed to pour from all his pores. Maya picked up the damp face towel again and wiped his torso. "Are you sure you are just going to be fine," Maya asked worriedly rubbing his sweat-soaked hair with the shirt he shed and finally pulled the new shirt over his head and helped him smoothen it over his torso.

Min Ki felt sluggish but he was happy to see the worry in her eyes and feel the warmth of her touch. By now his older version would have overcome the effects as he was back in his own time and much too far from his other self. His younger body and weaker constitution would feel the effects more.

"I am feeling much better. It's just that being near my other self more than once tonight must have taken its toll on me," Min Ki said to pacify Maya.

Maya placed her palm on his forehead and neck to check his temperature. Min Ki caught her hand and let it linger on his clammy cheek. Maya pinched his cheek. "Ouch! What's that for?" Min Ki complained.

"You had me worried there! Never do that again, please," Maya pleaded at the boy.

"I did it for you. You looked happy earlier when you were with him. I hadn't thought I would ever get jealous with my own self but I did. It aggravated my condition, I think," Min Ki pouted.

"Oh, come on!" Maya tried to avoid the boy's eyes and was about to stand up again and leave the room but the boy would not have it. He held on to her hand and pulled her closer. The unexpectedness of his action caught Maya unprepared and she tumbled over his lap.

Maya felt like the world slightly tilted. "Hey, careful! I am still a bit tipsy," Maya protested.

Min Ki smelt her head down to her neck. Maya clamped her mouth shut to stop herself from moaning. Oh, goodness! I am still hypersensitive right now, boy! Cannot make the same mistake in just one night, Maya's brain was finally thinking objectively inspite of still being bogged with wine.

"There's a different scent on you," Min Ki began.

Maya pushed away from Min Ki. "Of course, I would smell. I drank mixed liquor tonight. I better go now to Mina's room and take a quick shower," she cut the boy off.

Min Ki slightly squinted his eyes, then said, "you need not disturb Umma. You can take a shower in my bathroom."

"My change of clothing is in there," Maya reminded the boy.

"You can change into a pair of my pajamas," the boy didn't want to retreat.

"Goodness! How big those could be? I'd be swallowed by it," Maya debated.

"You can just wear the upper part and looked sexy in it," the boy smiled wickedly.

"Are we really tackling this subject right now? Why am I even arguing about this with you? You better get a rest now. You still don't look that great to me right now," Maya told the boy.

"No, just stay here tonight. I still feel weak," the boy begged, playing the feeling sick card.

"And, pray tell me, how am I going to explain that to your mother if she sees me inside your room tomorrow, wearing your pyjama shirt?" Maya quirked an eyebrow at the boy.

"We tell her the truth! I am feeling sick," the boy replied sincerely.

Maya rolled her eyes and chose a pyjama shirt from his closet before taking a quick cold shower in his bathroom. Feeling more refreshed and sober, she walked in on Min Ki who was taking out two more fresh pillows from the wardrobe and settled it beside his own.

"I am not sleeping beside you. I am quite sober now. You get rest and I will sleep on the couch," Maya firmly said taking the pillows off his bed.

Min Ki held on the pillows. "Just lean on them here first and watch me sleep. You can transfer on the couch when I have fallen asleep," Min Ki begged. "It's my birthday, after all." That cinched the deal.

Maya climbed on the bed. Min Ki immediately laid down his head on her bosom and hugged her waist. "Hey!" Maya protested but the puppy-eyed look he gave her made her succumbed and she began to smoothen her hand over his hair like she usually did to her children to make them sleep quickly. Min Ki closed his eyes.

"Min Ki, Happy Birthday," Maya whispered planting a chaste kiss on the boy's forehead.