บท 11: [11] Safe in My Arms
I paced around my small apartment, tidying up stray manga volumes and trash as I waited for Marin to arrive. She'd be here any minute, bursting through the door in a whirlwind of bubbly energy. I wasn't sure if my place was ready for Hurricane Marin.
A rapid knock at the door sent my heart racing. Before I could reach it, the knob rattled violently.
"Akiraaa! Let me in, I can't wait to see you!" Marin's muffled voice called out impatiently.
I swung the door open and barely had time to step back before she came barreling in, loaded down with two huge bags.
"Sorry I'm late! I had to grab some essentials if I'm going to be staying over." Marin dropped the overflowing bags on the floor with a thud.
"Staying over?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well yeah, my family is away on business for a few weeks. And your place is closer to school." She flashed me an innocent smile. "I hope that's okay?"
I scanned the bags she'd brought. One was stuffed with snacks and manga volumes. The other contained her school uniform, pajamas, and various girly products. Looked like Marin had invited herself for more than just a night.
"Mi casa es su casa," I joked. "Just don't mess up my feng shui."
"Feng shui? Is that tasty?"
"Nevermind. Make yourself at home."
Marin started unpacking her bags eagerly. She lined up the snacks on my kitchen counter, then arranged her manga collection on the small table.
"I brought the first three volumes of 'Sweet Today' so we can analyze your character!" She held up the books. "Aren't you excited to become Hayato?"
"Thrilled," I said flatly. I sat down beside her and she immediately launched into a detailed summary of the story so far.
I listened intently as Marin described each character, from the stoic, mysterious Hayato to the perky childhood friend who secretly loves him. Her passion for the series was obvious.
"So you're already a pro at playing Hayato's love interest," I noted.
Marin's cheeks flushed pink. "I wish! But I could never match your star power."
I waved off the compliment. "Please. I just got lucky with this role."
"No way! You're perfect for it." Marin squeezed my arm reassuringly. "You're going to be the best Hayato ever, I just know it."
"Well, I'll certainly do my best," I said finally. "With your guidance, of course."
"Yes! We can have manga study sessions every day after school."
Marin went on planning our new routine - walking to and from Youtou High together, eating lunch on the roof, studying in the library after classes. She was getting way ahead of herself.
"You know, you might as well just move in and be my housewife at this point," I joked.
Marin's eyes lit up. "Really? That could be fun! I'd take care of all the chores and cooking."
I pictured the disaster zone that would surely become of my kitchen if Marin was in charge. "On second thought, with your cooking skills I'd probably starve."
She swatted my arm playfully. "Rude! I'm getting better, I swear."
We both laughed. It felt good, being able to joke so freely together. Still, part of me wondered if Marin was actually serious about moving in.
As if reading my mind, she said, "I could help pay for rent with my modeling money, take some pressure off you." She fidgeted with her hair, suddenly shy. "If you want me to stick around, that is."
I studied her hopeful face. Having Marin close by filled my small apartment with light. The future felt less lonely with her in it.
"Well, we'll see how the next few weeks go," I said finally. "But...I wouldn't mind the company."
Marin beamed and threw her arms around me in a quick hug. "Yay! This is going to be so much fun."
I leaned back against the wall, watching Marin energetically rearrange my belongings to make room for her stuff. She was already acting like she lived here.
"So, we should figure out a schedule for chores and cooking and stuff, right?" she said. "Ooh, we can have a chore chart on the fridge!"
I nodded. "Sounds fair. Though I'm not sure how wise it is to let you near a stove unsupervised."
She grabbed a throw pillow and tossed it at me. I caught it easily and set it on the futon.
"Maybe I'll stick to breakfast foods to start," Marin said thoughtfully. "Pancakes, omelets, miso soup. I can handle that."
"As long as there's coffee, I'm good."
"Roger that!" She saluted. "I'll be in charge of morning meals. And you can cover dinners with your microwave skills."
I raised an eyebrow. "Hey now, just because I'm a bachelor doesn't mean I don't know how to use a stove."
"Oh really?" Marin crossed her arms. "Prove it then. Make me dinner tomorrow."
"Challenge accepted."
We moved on to discussing cleaning duties. Marin volunteered to tackle bathroom and kitchen, while I'd handle vacuuming and tidying the main room. The chore chart was already filling up on the fridge.
"So, should we share the futon, or get you your own?" I asked casually.
Marin glanced over at the futon, narrowing her eyes.
"This one seems big enough to share," she said finally.
I hesitated. "Are you sure? I can spring for a second one. Don't want you to be uncomfortable."
Marin waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine! We're pretending to be newlyweds, after all."
"Still, I'm a guy, and--"
"What, afraid you won't be able to resist me?"
Marin didn't seem to realize the effect she had on me when we woke up tangled together. Probably for the best to keep it that way.
"I just want you to have your own space," I said evenly.
Marin's expression softened. She walked over and put a hand on my arm.
"Really, it's okay. I trust you completely." Her pink eyes met mine earnestly.
"Well, if you insist." I stepped back and clapped my hands together. "Anyway, I'm gonna grab a shower before bed. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen."
"Roger!" Marin gave a little salute. "I'll pick out a movie for us to watch after."
I stepped out of the shower, towel around my shoulders as I rubbed the last drops of water from my hair.
I pulled on some basketball shorts and headed back into the main room. Marin was perched cross-legged on the futon, laptop open as she scrolled through titles.
"Find anything good?" I asked.
Marin looked up, eyes widening for a split second as she took in my shirtless torso. A light blush crossed her cheeks before she glanced away.
"Um, yeah! This drama called 'Bittersweet' is supposed to be really good."
I sat down beside her and she angled the screen so we could both see. The laptop was small, forcing us into close proximity. I could smell her fruity shampoo mixing with clean steam from the shower.
We watched the first episode, critiquing the characters and plot points. Marin's commentary was entertaining, full of exaggerated outrage at every cliché. Underneath her dramatics, she made some solid insights on story structure. This girl knew her stuff.
During a sappy romantic scene, Marin sniffled and grabbed a tissue.
"Are you crying already?"
"I can't help it! They're just so meant to be together."
I rolled my eyes. "Please. They've exchanged like three sentences so far."
Marin swatted my chest playfully. "You're so cynical. Just let me enjoy the romance."
I held up my hands in surrender, laughing. "Fine, fine. I'll try to curb my inner critic."
We settled back in to watch. Marin rested her head on my shoulder, nestling in close. I tensed slightly at the contact.
In my old life, physical intimacy had been transactional. A tool for manipulation, never leading anywhere meaningful. And when it did, well that's how I ended up here.
With Marin, everything felt...different. Lighter somehow. Her casual touches sparked a strange yearning in me. For what, I wasn't sure yet.
I let myself relax into her presence beside me. We had plenty of time to figure this out, whatever "this" was turning into.
For now, I'd just enjoy the show.
I leaned back against the wall, clicking through YouTube videos on my laptop as Marin showered. She'd been in there almost an hour - that girl could spend all day primping if you let her.
My eyes felt gritty after three straight episodes of "Bittersweet." But research waited for no rising actor, so I powered through, reviewing fan analyses and character studies on the "Sweet Today" manga.
Most of the videos focused on the heartthrob Hayato, who I'd be portraying. Fangirls seemed to find his cold, blunt manner mysteriously alluring. A few over-analyzers attempted to explain his psychology, tracing his aloofness back to childhood trauma. Not a bad start, but I'd need to dig deeper to really own this role.
A video titled "The Many Sides of Hayato" caught my eye. I clicked play, grabbing a notebook to jot down insights.
The video dissected Hayato's subtle emotional shifts - the way his eyes softened when looking at the heroine, how his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly when her childhood friend got too close. Helpful details I could translate into micro-expressions.
I was scribbling notes furiously when the bathroom door clicked open. I glanced up absently, then did a double take.
Marin stood there toweling her hair, dressed in a pair of my shorts that hung low on her hips and an oversized t-shirt. The thin white cotton clung distractingly to her curves.
Marin plopped down on the futon beside me. "Whatcha researching?"
"Just analyzing Hayato's character."
30 minutes later I rubbed my eyes and stifled a yawn as the droning voice from the YouTube video blurred into incoherent mumbling in my ears. Beside me, Marin was already starting to nod off, her head dipping periodically as she struggled to stay awake.
"This video sucks," I muttered, pausing it and closing the laptop. "The points are decent but this guy is so boring."
Marin yawned loudly, not even trying to cover her mouth. "And the audio quality is awful. I can barely understand him over the static."
"Right? What garbage production value." I set the laptop on the floor and stretched my arms over my head. "I think that's enough research for tonight. My brain is fried."
Marin made a noise of sleepy agreement, eyelids drooping heavily.
I clicked off the lights and we crawled under the covers. Marin immediately curled into my side, nestling her head on my chest and tangling our legs together. I tensed briefly in surprise before relaxing into the warm comfort of her body pressed against mine.
My eyes drifted closed as I listened to the soft sound of Marin's breathing evening out into sleep. The last thing I felt before slipping into unconsciousness was her arm tightening around my waist, holding me close.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง