The 80/20 Rule // knj [COMPLETED]

22 • Quiet As It's Kept

🎭 Namjoon 🎭

Eying Theda down, I know she is reminiscing about the same part of our past as I am. It was one of our sweetest memories; we were totally transparent with each other on that lazy Sunday morning.

"Out of curiosity, what is your favorite memory of us together?" I ask as I slip my hands into my pockets and adjust my stance to face my ex-wife.

She is quick to remember some event she doesn't share immediately off-hand. Theda smiles briefly, her sight drops to her shoes, and she shuffles nervously at whatever has crossed her mind.

I smile at her bashfulness. "Must be something good to garner a blush like that."

She doesnt raise her head to speak. "Black people don't blush, Namjoon."

"Of course they do. They are human and are capable of blushing just like anyone else."

I take a step closer to her and lift her chin so that our eyes meet. Brushing away her pretty straying curl again, I confess "The beautiful depth of your skintone doesn't hide the slight pinkening crawling over your cheekbones right now."

Theda slowly folds her lower lip into her teeth as she scans my face. As apparent by her changing expression, her once sweet memory has now turned into something not so innocent.

Ahh.. we had a lot of those.

"Care to share?" I nearly lose my breath the longer I stare into those brown eyes that stole my heart so long ago.

"Pharyngitis."

My brows draw together. "What?"

She chuckles. "Not long after we first moved in together, I had pharyngitis. Remember when my throat was sore and I couldn't talk or eat?"

I chuckle with a nod. "Yeah. I remember. You made every motion short of sending smoke signals to hold a conversation."

Theda's smile is soul catching. "You knew how much I loved chocolate chip cookies and I'd just bought some but couldn't eat them. You soaked a cookie in a bowl of milk so that I could."

"I remember that. You were highly appreciative that night."

She startles me by taking my hand. "And you didn't allow it. You made sure I took my medicine and held me as we slept."

"It was difficult. You kept grinding on me in your sleep," I grin.

"That wasn't the only time you ever took care of me when I didn't feel well. Every cold I had, you took care of me without hesitation. I think I overlooked the importance of having someone to care about me like that."

"It's what you do when you lo- care about someone. You look out for them."

Closing my hand in both of hers, Theda strokes my palm with her thumbs. "Don't devalue it like that. That was love."

I concede. "Yes, Theda, that was love."

"What's your favorite memory, Joon?"

"Meeting your mother."

She looks unbelievably up at me. "What? Why? Mama hated you!"

"I know, but you defended me. No matter what she said, you stuck up for me. I felt bulletproof."

I close my hands over hers. "Even the, uhm, comment about the size of my manhood didn't hurt me."

Her eyes shoot open in surprise. "You heard that conversation? Oh my god!"

"Yeah, I did," I don't hold back my grin. "Thank you for the ego boost, but most importantly thank you for never wavering against such a force that is your mother."