Gentle Forest

Chapter 31

Occasionally, playful glances met mine, and a sudden heat surged through my throat. Despite casually keeping my mouth shut, the peculiar intensity in my gaze lingered, revealing an unspoken allure.

Aiden, who I thought was nice, is actually very naughty. Though I couldn't peer into his thoughts, it seemed his mind was filled with lascivious ideas.

"Want to get some air for a moment?"

Aiden suggested as the washing machine finished its cycle. He took my hand, guiding me to the laundry room, where he draped a damp sheet over his shoulder before stepping outside. As he nonchalantly hung the sheet at an unusual height, a creak echoed from the drying rack with each tap of his hand, and this time, he refrained from revealing his face while tidying the edges.

"Thanks for washing it."

A simple mention of the sheet made the air inexplicably heavy.

"Thanks for laundering the sheet"

Aiden said "Yes" in a voice that seemed both audible and elusive, casually tapping the spread sheet for no apparent reason. It was a relief that our gazes didn't meet, as my face blazed like a sweet potato, and fanning myself became a necessity.

With the sun still shining brightly, there was ample time for the laundry to dry. After a moment of hesitation, Aiden approached and sat beside me once the sheet lay perfectly flat. It felt like a new beginning, as if the world had turned upside down in a morning. Perhaps it was stepping into the process of truly becoming an adult. Despite the embarrassment, a sense of daring courage emerged.

Before Aiden, I cautiously lifted my gaze.

"So, what about you..."

He leaned in, locking eyes. Despite the slightly unnerving sensation of his gentle grasp around my waist, I didn't avert my eyes or close my lips.

"Are you only into me now?"

I knew there was someone he liked before coming here. It wasn't that Aiden didn't give me assurance; he just seemed averse to letting things slide casually.

I occasionally raised an inquisitive look at Aiden with the same assertiveness I had sometimes shown my dad. He seemed awkward, opening his lips to smile while lightly tapping my skinny waist.

"My first love was when I was ten."

A pang of emotion surged within me.

"I think I could forget because of you."

Honestly, Aiden's words didn't feel particularly sweet. Ten years old? Is that an age for love? Unable to comprehend, I involuntarily narrowed the gap between us.

"What does a ten-year-old know?"

"I know everything."

Aiden teased me with my cheeky attitude. Faced with his persistent gaze, I bit my lower lip and whispered.

"That can't be love."

I wanted to belittle it. He chuckled as if it didn't matter. My insides bubbled like a pot on the stove. Despite not wanting to appear inexperienced before him, I struggled to maintain a calm expression.

"You must have dated in the U.S."

After careful consideration, Aiden disclosed

"A few times."

"Really? I've never dated."

It wasn't like I could win by saying things like that. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I let my nose graze his, separating his hand from my waist but keeping it around my neck.