Behind Those Eyes | Aonung (Enemies to Lovers)

9. competition

Inside her family's Marui, Katiya continued grinding medicinal leaves for Aonung's wound.

In the center of the room, Aonung sat in front of her, his eyes following everything she did.

Katiya had dragged him back to her family's Marui to properly treat the cut on his toe.

Sighing, she shook her head, still surprised at her sudden burst of laughter at Aonung's plight.

It probably looked like she was crazy at that moment, but if she were honest, she didn't care about his opinion of her.

However, right now, Katiya could feel the flames of Aonung's eyes burning into her skin. To her great annoyance, it was unbearable.

"Whatever you have to say, just say it," Katiya muttered as she forcibly grabbed his foot and dipped it in the bowl of water before her.

But Aonung remained silent, his lips pursed in annoyance at her aggression. Her hands were in the water as she washed the dried blood from his toe.

"Not my fault you pushed me out of the way when you could've just moved your foot," Katiya continued. "And besides, this wouldn't have happened in the first place anyway if you hadn't forced the plate out of my—"

"Shut up, you talk too much," Aonung snapped at her, wincing from the stinging pain.

After a brief pause, Katiya aggressively slapped the crushed leaves around the wound on his toe, her blood boiling in anger.

"Ow! Fuck, that hurt!" Aonung hissed as he instinctively retracted his foot from Katiya's hands only to have her yank it back toward her again. "This is the thanks I get for saving your ass?"

"I never asked you to save me in the first place," Katiya snapped at him, wrapping a white bandage securely over his toe.

Aonung clicked his tongue in irritation as he glared at her.

"What the hell happened?"

By the entrance of the Marui, Neteyam's voice caught their attention as they turned to find everyone else standing behind him, their faces etched with concern.

As Tsireya's eyes fell on Aonung's toe, she gasped.

"Brother! What happened to you?" She asked, rushing to his side.

"He cut his toe with the knife I used to gut my fish," Katiya said, moving the bowl out of the way.

"Shit," Loak frowned. "Did you attack him with the knife, Kati?!"

"No," Katiya replied, rolling her eyes at him.

"What happened to being civil?" Neteyam questioned, his eyes flitting from Katiya to Aonung.

Aonung rolled his eyes.

"Don't look at me. I tried to be civil, but pretty face over there doesn't know when to listen."

In response to the nickname Aonung had given her, Katiya narrowed her eyes at him.

"I can say the same thing about you. I told you I was busy," she retorted.

"Yeah, next time, don't send me to get her," Aonung muttered.

"Yes, please," Katiya agreed. "Anyone but you would do."

"You know what?" Aonung replied, his lips pressed together. "I'd rather it be anyone else but you too."

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page!"

"Well, good! I'm glad you're glad!"

"I'm glad I'm glad too!"

"Ugh," Kiri groaned, now having a splitting headache after listening to her sister and Aonung bicker.