Sparks and Smiles

Coming Home

He dropped off his briefcase and slipped out of his formal shoes into the fluffy slippers Shan Cai got him for a housewarming gift and let out a sigh.

Finally.

He was home.

He was exhausted. 

His day had been filled with countless lectures and frustrating freshman finance classes he had to teach as part of his Master's Degree (it was ridiculous, some of them couldn't even add properly!). He missed his lunch date with Shancai because of emergency back to back phone meetings with the other board members of the Dao Ming Group (he was slowly stepping into taking over for his mother- on the condition that she no longer sabotage his girlfriend's life- and that meant more responsibility on top of his graduate study requirements). 

He never knew that juggling all of these balls would be so exhausting and all he wanted in that moment was his girlfriend. 

So he slowly shuffled down the hallway of their apartment to search for said girlfriend.

Yes, their apartment. 

He finally was able to convince his stubborn (yet beautiful) weed of a girlfriend to move in with him on the eve of him graduating Ming De University's undergraduate program. He never wanted to go a day without seeing her face the first thing in the morning as he wakes up again. Living together also meant that she couldn't run away so easily every time they argued (they were slowly learning to talk things out). Honestly, he simply enjoyed having her by him as often as possible.

 They found an apartment together that was close enough to school that Shancai could walk (though she didn't, they both enjoyed driving together to school every day). He also drove down to the fishing village that Shancai's parents lived in to get their approval. Her mother's gleeful shriek still rung in his ear occasionally.

Her being with him made any place a home. He hadn't had a home in such a long time he forgot how much he liked it. 

He finally found her in the kitchen, with her back to him, muttering to herself while she stirred a bowl of something that smelt delicious. He felt the tension in his back relax as he observed his girlfriend in her natural element.

She was always experimenting with food and he found himself the unofficial taste tester. He didn't mind this at all because apart from a few minor hiccups, her food always tasted delicious.

He walked up behind her and dropped his head into the crook of her neck, breathing in the warmth and her comforting scent that he now always associates with home.

She barely flinched and instead leaned into him saying, "When did you come home?"

He kissed her neck before peering over her shoulder at the food she prepared, "Just now."

She grabbed a bit of the food she was making with her fingertips and turned around, "Do you want to try this" offering it to him.

He opened his mouth and she fed it to him.

It was delicious.

After swallowing, he grinned at her and said "Tasty!"

She smiled and turned back to the food, 

"Good. Can you set the table then? Dinner is almost ready!"

He spun her around and lifted her up, carrying her to the island behind him and sitting her on it, so they were more or less eye level. 

"I missed you." He murmured, looking her in the eye.

"I missed you too pineapple head." She whispered back with a smile. 

"Never leave" he whispered.

She looked at him concerned,

"Did something happen today?"

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers, "Just please don't leave. At least not without taking me with you. You are the only comfort in my hectic life."

She smiled and kissed his forehead, "I promise"

With that simple gesture and those meaningful words, he felt his heart stop, 

He nuzzled his nose against hers as he said, "The food looks amazing but all I want right now is to nap besides you."

She looked up at him with a smile, "Oh? But it comes at a price. What price are you willing to pay?"

He looked at her and said, "Your favorite egg custard tarts from that shop down the street."

She raised her eyebrow and said "My price demands more than just one egg tart"

He lifted her into his arms and kissed her before saying, "All the egg tarts then! I will hire her and she will make you egg tarts every day for the rest of your life."

She burst into adorable giggles as he carried her up the stairs to their room.

He would tell her all about the world's most airheaded freshman that he taught in his Finance courses and all of the shenanigans that happened during those back to back meetings the next day over heated leftover dinner and spicy pineapple noodles. 

But for now, he was perfectly content to fall asleep entangled with the person he loves most in the world. 

Because no matter what kind of day he had, 

he loved coming home

 to her.