The Kissing Booth: Adult Edition

Cute Moments Sprinkled In

"Come on, Lee! I don't want to be late!" I hollered to him upstairs. "I'm coming!" Yeah, I knew that, Lee; I just want to make sure you're coming soon. I grabbed my backpack and was going for my spring coat. While I was struggling to get that on with one hand, my doorbell rang, which was weird because no one rang for my door in specific. "Who is it?" I asked the intercom in Korean. "Elle?" A familiar said from the other end. My eyes instantly widened. "Marco?"

Of course I had to go down to see him, leaving Lee to lock up. Marco was waiting out there with a bag of his own. His hands were buried nonchalantly in his pant pockets. He flashed me a brilliant smile when I opened the bottom door onto the street. "Hey, Marco. What are you doing here?" "I was going to campus and wanted to see if you'd like to take the train with me." "But you're staying like... not close to here?" I pressed confusedly. He cracked a little grin. "Guilty. But since I'm here, wanna come with me?" Marco.... My lips parted a sliver. You mean to say that you came all this way just so we could ride the train to university together? Awe, that was so sweet. Naturally I couldn't resist smiling.

"Sure, just wait a moment." "Ok," I'm sure he was curious as to why I wanted to wait, but he didn't press the issue. Instead he scanned over my building, keeping his hands in his pockets. "Nice place." "Thanks." "Which one is yours?" "Uh, the top two on the right side. I have a two-story apartment plus a rooftop patio." "Sounds spacious." "Heh, well it's a little more crowded now. How's where you're staying?" "Eh, ordinary. Just your basic one-bedroom apartment." "That's nice," I encouraged. He shrugged. "Not a bad location. Yours is better, though." "It's an hour away from campus." "Like I said, not too bad," he smirked, and I chuckled.

"Well I'm glad you showed up. It'll be fun to go into school together," I declared. "I'm glad we met up on Saturday," Marco tacked on. "Yeah. Just out of curiosity, why did you call me to meet up for coffee?" "Why?" Marco asked, and I suddenly felt a little stupid. "Yes. I mean, we didn't part on the best of terms back in Los Angeles. Looking back, I was.... downright mean to you. Kissing you and running away like that, I mean." "Eh, it was a nice kiss. But I get where you're coming from. You're right; we didn't end on the best of terms." Marco.... My gaze lowered onto him gently. "So why did you?" "Because you didn't return." "Return where?" "To Los Angeles." Oh.... Oh! Cue the blushing here.

For the first time, Marco seemed to catch himself off guard too. He blinked, flinching ever so slightly as if he realized what he'd just said. "I mean, I heard you got into Berkeley. I just never got a chance to say a proper goodbye; that's all. Eh, I'm sounding so stupid," he scratched the side of his head a bit awkwardly. My grin grew charmed. "No, you don't sound stupid. You could never sound stupid." "Haha, well you just haven't talked to me enough then." I was about to say that he could never sound stupid when Lee came through the door. "Why'd you leave like that, Elle? I'd forgotten where I'd put my house key," Lee's scolding was cut short by the sight of Marco standing there with me. Lee's face lit up in surprise.

"Marco?" "It's Lee, right?" "Yeah, Lee; Lee Flynn. Marco! Hey, man! I heard you were in town!" They slapped hands in that bro-style high five. Marco gave him a friendly smile. "Hey, man. Good to see you again. What are the chances we'd be here at the same time?" "I know, right?! Unless you were hoping I wouldn't be here," Lee smirked and I frowned at him. "Lee....." "I'm joking! Sorta....." Marco laughed. "Nah, man; it's all good. I'm just glad Elle's got a good friend here." "That's true, bro. She's not alone in this massive city." "You guys," I blushed while rolling my eyes. Marco glanced at me, grinned, then turned his attention back to Lee. "What're you doing, Flynn? Coming down to campus with us?" "Is that why you're here? Taking Elle to her lecture?" Lee had that mischievous grin of his. "Yes. And you?" "I'm going to the university. I want to go listen to Elle's lecture this morning." "Then you're welcome to join us," Marco invited him. This made me smile. I could see he and Lee being friends, and since they'll both be here for a while, I hope we can make this work.

Unfortunately, being a Monday morning, the train was rather crowded. There was usually only one seat left, and the boys always let me have it. But by the third stop, it was becoming too busy; we were losing sight of each other. That's when Lee got the brilliant idea to get off and grab the next train in fifteen minutes. I'd be cutting the clock really close, but we couldn't keep on like this, so I agreed; so did Marco. I got off at some place I wasn't familiar with, and the signs weren't much help either. We were going to wait until we got to campus to get breakfast but seeing as we had a tiny bit of time now, we decided to take advantage of it. The three of us found and clambered into a local pastry bakery. The boys were examining the goodies while I went to the bathroom quickly. I had emerged drying my still-damp hands on jeans when I found them conversing amongst themselves. It soon became apparent that they thought I was out of earshot.

"Mmmmmm, I can't decide," Lee hummed to himself while pondering over the pastries. Marco summoned a baker over. "Can I have one of each, please?" He asked her. "One of each, bro?!" Lee blinked in bewilderment. Marco merely smiled at him. "I don't know which one she likes." "Elle?! Dude, she'd eat any of these." "Good. We'll let her pick first and have the rest." "Oh, ok; that works," realizing that he'd get a tart out of the deal, Lee conceded. Marco kept watching him, I noticed.

"So, you're staying with Elle, then?" "Yeah. She's got the extra bedroom, so why not? But I'm getting pretty sick of ramen, I'll tell you what." "You're staying in the guest bedroom?" Marco questioned. Lee seemed surprised by this query. "Yeah? Where else would I sleep? The couch? Nah, the extra room works just fine." "Are you that close to her?" Marco asked. Again, Lee seemed taken aback. "With Elle? She's like my twin sister; I've known her all my life. But bro, she's a lot of work." I frowned. Lee..... Marco's head simply nodded and Lee looked as if he got an idea. That clever smirk made an appearance across his lips.

"Actually, I wish someone would just go out with her- whoever it is." Lee! My eyes grew in utter horror. But Marco's..... "Oh?" There was a hint of something in his voice. Lee nodded. "I'm going back to Berkeley soon, so I can't keep watching out for her. Sure would be nice if someone could keep an eye on her for me..." Oh my god, Lee; could be more obvious? But Marco's lips opened, and not in a bad way. "Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that, Flynn. Elle's the type of girl who'd make any guy happy to watch out for her." Marco! My hand rose up to my chest. Only then did I make my presence known.

We talked all the way back to the train station. I thanked Marco for the pastries over and over again. He waved his hand in the air and said it was nothing. At least the three of us had breakfast and lunch now. "Let me make you dinner to repay you, Marco," I felt it right to offer. "Don't do it, man. She'll make you ramen- I guarantee it," Lee butt in. "Lee!" Marco laughed at us before shaking his head. "I like ramen," he replied, making me smile. Awe, that was cute. Lee must have thought so too, judging by the way he grinned at Marco.

"What's your lecture on today, Elle," Marco then asked me. "Ah, it's about Korean folklore. It's a first-year mythology course. As part of my studies, I'm focusing on Eastern philosophical literature and how it's evolved differently in comparison to Western philosophical literature. Literature from both sides draw heavily from local mythology, so I'm studying that as well. Today is on the Korean version of the grim reaper. It's totally different than our Western version of the grim reaper..."

I only stopped when I noticed how dull I was sound. I shyly peaked over to Marco, embarrassed I just went off on a tangent like that. "I'm sorry if I'm boring you....." But Marco simply smiled- effortlessly so. "Nah, I find whatever you say interesting." My lips parted a sliver as I continued to look at him. Marco.... Before I knew it, I was blushing. Lee didn't help matters either. "Awe, that is so sweet. Isn't that sweet, Elle?" My best friend cooed, making me roll my eyes. Well, cute moment over. But it was cute, though...

however short it was.