Chapter 12

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In the clamor of our hearth's masquerade,

His clumsy dance ignites a smoky parade.

Through charred serenades and kitchen's jest,

Love's grand ballet persists, in laughter dressed.

The apartment was filled with the comforting hum of Matteo's music and the clatter of kitchen utensils. I leaned back on the couch, flipping through a book while Matteo busied himself with dinner. Our recent days together had been a whirlwind of activity, with me handling the final details for my move to Japan and Matteo juggling work. Despite the looming separation, he managed to turn even the mundane moments into something entertaining, albeit a little overdramatic.

Tonight was no exception. Matteo was in the middle of a culinary adventure, and it was clear he had zero experience in the kitchen. As I looked up, I saw him struggling with a pan, smoke beginning to curl from its edges.

"Be, what are you doing?" I called out, trying to hide my laughter. The sight of him trying to salvage what looked like a burnt mess was too much.

"I'm cooking!" Matteo replied, sounding way too proud of himself considering the state of the pan.

I snorted, shaking my head. "You're burning the pasta! At this rate, the fire department will be our dinner guests."

He looked at me with an exaggerated expression of frustration. "I'm trying! It's harder than it looks babe"

"Maybe if you actually listened to my instructions instead of daydreaming about how terrible life without me will be, you'd get it right!" I teased, pushing myself off the couch and heading towards the kitchen.

Matteo's face was a mixture of amusement and defeat. "You know, I don't think I can survive without you. Your cooking lessons might be the only thing keeping me from being eaten alive by salmonella."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Oh, I'm sure you'd find a way. Besides, if you mess up, you'll just have to order takeout. You're becoming an expert at it, aren't you?"

As I helped him salvage what was left of our dinner, I felt a familiar sense of warmth despite the chaos. Matteo was the kind of person who could turn even the simplest tasks into a grand performance. His playful banter and dramatic flair had become a constant source of amusement, and his attempt at cooking was just another example of his endearing yet exasperating behavior.

Despite my tiredness and the fact that I loathed cooking, I couldn't help but enjoy the moment. Matteo was always so earnest in his efforts, whether he was attempting to cook or indulging in his elaborate "what if" scenarios about our future. It was a side of him that I had come to cherish, even if it sometimes drove me up the wall.

Our nights usually consisted of me teaching Matteo how to cook, while he would try to charm me with his over-the-top dramatics about how he'd never survive without me. Tonight was no different, except for the added spectacle of nearly burning down the kitchen. I tried to keep the mood light, but it was clear that Matteo's playful antics were also a way of coping with the impending separation.

"Okay, okay," I finally said, waving the smoke away. "Maybe we should just order pizza tonight. I'd prefer not to add a kitchen fire to our list of problems."

Matteo grinned sheepishly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Deal. But you're not getting out of cooking lessons that easily. I need to make sure I'm not totally helpless when you're in Japan."

"And I need to make sure you don't burn down my future kitchen," I teased back, shaking my head.

As we settled down with our pizza, the laughter and easy conversation felt like a balm to my frayed nerves. Matteo's dramatics about how he would miss me were a reminder of how deeply he cared, even if it meant he turned every little situation into a grand affair. The playful bickering and his endearing clumsiness in the kitchen made me realize how much I would miss these moments when I was in Japan.

"Oh Babe, I have something for you!" he said while reaching out for the paperbag under the living room table. "what is it?" I asked as I opened the bag and saw two fendi notebook. "I saw your journal yesterday, it's almost full" he said. "But why two?" I asked confusely. "The other one's mine, maybe I'm gonna start journaling as well." he chuckled.

Matteo has this thing in him where he remembers even the smallest thing on a person. One time, I was bored so I stitched pillowcases for the pillows on the couch, the very next day he brought me a sewing machine. Also there's this time that I tried baking cookies, he then bought me all sorts of baking pans and equipment as if I'm gonna start a bake shop. A lot of those things happen

"You are buying me things again, you know I'm just gonna get tired of it after a few weeks, look at the sewing machine and the pans, I barely touched it again." I said to him in guilt. "It's okay, I liked seeing you enjoy things and try new things for once in a while, it makes me have something to look forward to everyime I went home, even if it's new pillowcase, new cupcake, new painting. I love seeing you happy." he looked at me smiling. "This is how we compromise in this relationship".

I watched him as he leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face as he devoured his slice of pizza. Despite the chaos and the uncertainty of our future, I felt a profound sense of contentment. Matteo's over-the-top antics and dramatic worries were part of what made him so special to me. As I looked at him, I knew that while our time together was limited, the memories we were creating would last a lifetime.

I turned to him, a mischievous grin playing on my lips. "You know, Matteo, maybe we should start sleeping in separate rooms. It might help you get used to the idea of me being away."

His eyes widened in mock horror as he clutched the edge of the sofa. "What? Separate rooms? Are you trying to torture me?"

I laughed, finding his reaction adorable. "It's just a suggestion. I thought it might help ease the transition."

He shook his head, the determination in his eyes almost comical. "Absolutely not. I'm not letting you out of my sight, especially not when we're going through this."

I arched an eyebrow, feeling a pang of affection mixed with amusement. "Oh really? And why not?"

Matteo's gaze softened as he scooted closer, wrapping his right arm around my left arm in a tight embrace. "Because I need to get used to you being around, not the other way around. If I let go now, I'll just be more miserable."

I tried to pull away playfully, but his hold was firm, and I couldn't help but laugh at his stubbornness. "Seriously, Matteo? It's just one night. Think of it as practice."

His expression turned earnest, his eyes locking onto mine with a mix of vulnerability and resolve. "I don't want to practice being without you. I want to cherish every moment we have together."

His words, though dramatic, struck a chord in me. I could see the sincerity behind his playful facade, and it made me hesitate. Despite my initial intent to tease, I found myself drawn to his earnest plea. I sighed, feeling my resolve waver.

"You know, you're really making this hard," I admitted, my voice softening.

Matteo's grip tightened slightly, his face lighting up with a hopeful smile. "Good. I'm glad. I don't want to make it easy for you to leave."

It wasn't always easy, and there were moments of doubt and frustration, but these little moments of joy and shared laughter were what made everything worthwhile. No matter where life took us, I knew that with Matteo by my side, every moment would be filled with love and laughter, even if it meant enduring a few more burnt dinners along the way.

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