Fate's Little Bell

Chapter 30

 April 24th came around much too quickly and even if it was Jane May's birthday, everything still sucked. Why? you may ask. Because Dispatch, being the idiotic gossip magazine it was, decided to go and make a big deal out of me dating a minor. It's like they didn't have anything else interesting to talk about, so they just had to go slandering me.

And as the female in question had pointed out, it was even stupider because as of today, she wasn't even a minor anymore! And even if she was, we weren't doing anything illegal by either of our countries' standards, so there really wasn't any point to write a story about it.

"Good morning," Jane May greeted me excitedly. "Or, good evening for you, I guess."

I smiled slightly. "Morning. So, how's the birthday girl doing?"

She laughed softly. "Hmmm. I'd say the birthday girl is doing pretty good. Of course, she's only been awake for, like, five seconds, but they've been a decent five seconds, I guess. Can I open your present now?"

"You mean you didn't peek?" I asked, feigning surprise.

"Of course not. Though I might've shook the box a little.... It's not something breakable right?"

I shut my eyes and shook my head at her childishness. "No, thankfully it's not."

"Okay, well, I'm opening it."

"Okay." I laughed, hearing her frustrated grumbles and grunts as she struggled to open the box.

"Jeez, Jeongguk, just how many gosh darned rolls of tape did this take? You're sure there's an actual present in here and it's not just a ton of tape and a box?"

My face got uncomfortably hot. "I—I was just... being—making sure... being careful...." I slapped my forehead. English, why are you failing me?

"Oh my! Oh, Jeongguk! Awwww, gosh, you're so sweet!"

I grinned. "You finally got through the tape, huh?"

She giggled and I wished for the fiftieth time in the last month that I could teleport.

"Yes, I finally defeated the treacherous tape! And, Jeongguk," she added in a whisper, "thank you."

"You're very welcome," I told her, smiling with satisfaction.

"Yeah, thanks for the hoodie. Ohmygosh it's so soft! And it smells just like you." She sighed happily. "No, wow, it really smells like you. Did you go and rub this all over yourself or something?"

I burst into laughter, shaking slightly. "Wow, Princess... you have a way with words. And no, I just wore it a lot."

"Oh, DUH. I'm an idiot."

I smiled. "Something... like that."

"And thanks for the bracelet. It's really pretty. Though... I'm a little scared to wear it.... It looks expensive."

I pressed my lips together, trying not to laugh. If anything was expensive, it was the sweatshirt. "Don't worry. It wasn't... too expensive," I said eventually. "And it'd be a waste if you didn't wear it."

"Okay. You're right. Ugh, well, okay, just lemme put this on...." She trailed off and I could hear her mumbled complaints as she struggled to put it on with just one hand.

"Need some help?" I asked, laughing.

"Yes. Bracelet's really aren't designed for long distance relationships. You should've gotten me a necklace, or something I could actually get on with out help."