Brace up, ladies. We're in the era of Aahil being lovey dovey.

Single people, put your face masks. Love is in the air and it reeks of oppression!

There are few instances where Amina chooses to forget things going on in her life, and things that had happened as well simply because it doesn't matter then. She wouldn't allow them to ruin what she has, she deserves some peace of mind as well.

That moment she found herself in is one of those times. It's a moment where she chose to keep aside the fact that Aahil could be, and is an asshole in more than one occasion.

She didn't think she would ever find herself in such situation, especially not that early. Or more like, not that easily.

However, when she found herself seated on a stool by the kitchen island, watching as he walked around, getting ingredients to prepare something for her, she couldn't help but think it's weird how fast time changes.

What led to that? Well, she had bawled her eyes out and then decided she was hungry. It was such a weird request, but she couldn't help it. She really was hungry, she could barely eat much at the BBQ so her stomach has been rumbling.

She intended to just take tea, because she in the kitchen isn't a good idea. However, there's Aahil. She could only complain to him since it's his home anyway.

And that led to them, in that peculiar moment.

Amina leaned her head on her palms, her arms resting on top of the wide space while she fixed her gaze on him. Then, her voice came. It was light, teasing almost. "You're being oddly nice to me, you know."

Aahil looked up from the cooker he had turned on. "Would you prefer I be rude to you instead?"

Amina pretended to think, folding her lips in the process. She then shook her head, her lips slanted upwards into a small smile. "No, I'd rather have nice Aahil tonight. You can go back to being the rude, inconsiderate, mean Aahil tomorrow." The her voice dropped as she added in a small tone. "I think I like nice Aahil more."

Aahil only got the first part or so he pretended. He maneuvered round the place, picking up essentials. "Well, for your information, nice Aahil is still the same as the rude, mean and inconsiderate Aahil." He pointed out.

She vehemently expressed her disagreement by shaking her head. "No. This nice Aahil has to be an alien. The real one isn't capable of being this nice."

Aahil turned around, his face scrunched up as if asking what the hell did she just say. "What?" He was left chuckling upon seeing the wide grin she spotted. His eyes narrowed slightly, as he tried to fight back his smile. "Are you sure you haven't had a sip of the soju the guys had earlier?"

Amma made one rule clear, no alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes in the house. It was the one rule she upheld regardless of what. But Hunter being well, Hunter just had to sneak in one bottle under her nose.

Aahil scolded him for him, when he discovered it after the guy had downed it down completely. He made a mental note to scold him tomorrow while the guy is nursing his hangover. He's terrible with alcohol. His tolerance is low and he still takes it.

Knowing how loose Hunter's screws are, Aahil wouldn't be surprised if he had offered Amina some or tried to fool her into taking it by naming it something else judging from the way she's acting. He hoped not, because if that had actually happened, Hunter will be getting a piece of his mind.

And that's not something he means lightly.

She pressed her lips together, then shook her head yet again with a slight giggle. "No." She breathed out heavily, her should slumping as her lips curled downwards slightly. "I don't want to keep wallowing in misery tonight. I've had my own share already."

Aahil could see last the façade she was holding up, she is indeed trying to pretend to be well by acting all jovial and whatever. He didn't make a comment about it, she didn't even give him the chance to do so.

Because her voice came yet again, the gloomy aura from a little while ago shrugging off like it was never there to begin with. "So, tell me. Can you even cook? One can be easily deceived by how you're walking around like that as if you know your way around it."

"You know, not everyone is a terrible cook like you."

She gasped. "I am not a terrible cook!"

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"Are to."

"Okay well, maybe I am, but you can't be any better." She relented, sounding so certain of herself. He can't better than her, right? Men aren't good cooks. Only in movies and books are they.

The slow curl of his lips in an ever so certain way showed she was wrong. "If it wasn't so late, I would've proved you wrong."

She scoffed. "And that ladies and gentlemen, is Aahil Tafida's way of admitting defeat. A momentous moment indeed." She stated, pretending to be a spectator or something.

She would've bruised his ego if he wasn't so sure of himself. "Next time, when it's not half last one in the morning, I'll prove you wrong. Promise."

She offered him a smile that showed se didn't believe him in the slightest. "I'll take you up on that." She wouldn't believe that until her taste buds proves her wrong.

Till then, she who can't cook something as simple as noodles, wins this round.

Amina, 1. Aahil, 0.

He simply shook his head, then chose to ask something instead. "Ramyeon meokgo gallae; Do you want to have ramyeon?" He inquired, in a casual manner simply because of the topic of discussion. "There's nothing else to prepare in a short time and it's kind of the best thing to eat at night when hunger strikes." He added casually.

Amina though had other things in mind. She'd watched way too many kdrama and has heard that one statement one too many times. One meaning instantly comes to her mind, and she would blame it all on the dramas.

Her lips slanted upwards into teasing smile, "Do you even know what that means?" She intertwined her fingers and rested her head on them, her gaze fixated on him.

She wasn't bothered in the slightest, because she doubts he means it in some other way. It has to be a simple statement, judging from how casually he'd said it.

However, she still feels like pulling his legs. It's a rare chance to get to do so.

Aahil whom had reached out to one of the cupboards to bring out the noodles looked around over his shoulders, his eyes narrowed at her. "Pabo; fool. What are you thinking of? Normal girls will be worried about having noodles at night would make them bloated in the morning." So, it seems he does know.

She pressed her lips together, then shrugged. "Nothing." She waved it off, before she could say something and end up making a fool of herself.

Luckily, he didn't push the matter further, much to her relief. He only commented, "You watch too many dramas."

She ticked her tongue, her head tilting to the side slightly. "So, you do know having Ramen at night would make one bloated in the morning and you're still offering to me. What? Are you trying to make me fat and ugly or what? On a mission to make me uglier?"

"I never said that." He declined casually. "And besides, it doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter because I'm already ugly or fat?" She lightly joked, though a deep part of her was battling with such insecurities. How could she not when she's surrounded by high end models at Hallyu? And then there's her...dark skinned, short, and slightly chubby.

She's ugly compared to them. She just hasn't admitted it to herself yet but it's bee lingering around in her mind.

He stopped what he was doing, then turned around. Resting his hands on the counter behind him, he supported his weight while facing her, his eyes meeting hers. "It doesn't matter as long as you're comfortable however you are. Slim or fat, doesn't matter what other's opinions are. If you're comfortable with yourself that way, that's the end of it. You weren't made a please any human in this world, and in case you don't know this yet, but you can't please people no matter what. Just not possible. So, why bother?"

She found herself blinking, suddenly at lost for words. How could something that sounded so casual to him be just what she needed to hear that night?

She searched his expression to see whether she'd see a sign, anything that would show he's simply pulling her legs and that Aahil Tafida isn't actually saying something sensible without making it sound rude.

There was none. Just genuine honesty.

She gulped, folded her lips in, and allowed the words to sink in. It may seem like an easy task, but really, accepting reality isn't.

Luckily, he put an end to the silence he was the cause of.

Turning around, he found himself asking again. "So, will you eat it or not? It's either that or sandwich and tea."

She wasn't stupid, she could tell he wanted to transition and change the topic. She went ahead with the flow. "I'd go for the Ramen." She wasn't in the mood for sandwich or any of the sort. She'd rather opt for the noodles.

Not the best time for it, but she wouldn't deny that noodles is best in the middle of the night. Side effects and all. She'd risk it. He was right, it doesn't matter what others say as long as one is comfortable in his skin, and she is.

She loves herself just the way she is. She shouldn't let the insecurities get to her.

He nodded, then turned around to get to work. "Ramen it is." He moved around the place, knowing it like the back of his hand. Amina tuned out of the whole process the minute pulled out two packs of Ramen, for that's where her interest in cooking ends.

She looked around the place, looking for anything that might interest her in the moment but nothing came to mind. The silence was dragging on between them, and weirdly enough, she doesn't like it in the slightest.

It wasn't awkward, it just didn't sit right with either of them even if the other wouldn't admit it.

Folding her lower lip between her lips, she leaned on the kitchen island with her hands intertwined. "Thank you for the...the jacket," she cleared her throat, "and the beanie. It's really helpful." She wasn't thinking straight when she decided to waltz out dressed in little clothing than she normally would.

In her defense, she really didn't think anyone would be awake then. They'd all retired a little over an hour ago. And with how quiet the house became, she instinctively assumed they had al dozed off.

She couldn't bring herself to, not when she has too many thoughts running through her mind. So, she decided to get some fresh air outside, only to end up lighting up a random sparkler she found leftover from the tons Benazir bought for the BBQ.

Aahil's mind went back to the one beanie that held one too many memories of him, one he had no plan of giving it out to anyone under any circumstances just for him to hand it over to her without a second thought.

Her voice then came yet again, "-uhm here, you can have it back." She made a move to get off the stool and shrug off the jacket.

He was quick to stop her, though he tried to tone it down that he did so desperately. "No, keep it. I don't care about it anyway." Lies. The jacket, sure. He doesn't care much-_even though it's part of that season's latest designer edition that he got as a gift from the brand as one of the few recognized figures-but yeah, it doesn't matter. The beanie doesn't as well. "Was going to get rid of it anyway."

She paused, giving him a side eye as she checked out the jacket. This being her field of expertise, she recognized the brand instantly. Paul Kim is a designer whom she'd worked on a few of his paperwork back in Hallyu, one of the internationally recognized designers the brand wants to work with. She's seen his work, she had even planned on buying that precise jacket but it was limited edition and extremely hard to get.

And yet, here is this guy claiming he was going to get rid of it anyway.

Remind her who Aahil Tafida is again? He can't be as great as others claim he is right? Because the guy she's been seeing all around is just...Aahil. Weird, rude, arrogant but occasionally considerate Aahil. Nothing much, nothing less.

"Still." She gritted out, because it pained her that someone can act so nonchalantly towards something a lot will kill for. Well, not literally but you get what she means. She shrugged it off. "I can't keep this. It's yours."

"You've worn it, it's yours now." That was his nice way of saying he's leaving something of his to her. "The beanie too, keep it. I'll take that as fee for not making fun of you tonight."

"I don't remember us agreeing on me paying you for doing something humanitarian. That's one of the basic concept of being human."

"I don't remember us agreeing on anything either, but look where we are." He stated as a matter of fact, still not turning around to look at her. "And if you're going to take it off, at least go up and wear something to cover up. Stop waltzing around the house like that."

She parted her lips to say something, but decided against it. It doesn't matter, even if she asks why it bothers him so much how she decides to dress, she knows it doesn't matter. He wouldn't budge. If anything, she'll get a stupid response.

So, she simply shook her head and trudged back upstairs, with the jacket in hand. On reaching her room, she placed the jacket aside on her bed and maneuvered to the suitcase case, picking out a random color striped cardigan coat and shrugging it on. It didn't have any buttons, but it covered her anyways so she'll go along with it.

She made no move to get rid of the beanie and simply trudged back down. On reaching there, she wasn't surprised to see him already setting two bowls aside for the both of them, along with chopsticks. While he did the major part, she decided to pick out water bottles for them from the fridge, it was the least she could do. She thought of bringing the cans of sodas but decided against it, as it was late already.

She sets the water bottles aside, and settled on the stool while he did the same. An action of his caught her attention, making her narrow her eyes at him. "What are you doing?" She eyed weirdly.

"Taking proof of me being a better cook than you." He replied, snapping a picture of the two bowls of ramen, each with steep chopsticks set aside and a bottle of water. Lifting the camera or his IPhone 14 pro max up, he snapped a picture of her as well before she could realize it. "and picture of you as well. So you can't deny it later on."

"Seriously? Dude!" She turned around, covering her face with her hand open seeing he was still pretty much taking pictures.

He stopped, upon getting exactly what he wanted. Amina wasn't sure if she was hallucinating, but she could swear she saw him grinning as he looked at the pictures on his phone before setting it aside after typing a few things.

"Dig in."

She glared at him, but picked up the chopsticks anyway. "Kamsahmnida. Thank you." She pushed aside the annoyance and focused on ravaging the food.

Now, he isn't a bad cook. She'd give him that. He's a tad bit better than her, but she wouldn't believe it until she eats something other than Ramen cooked by him.

They enjoyed their dinner in silence. However, what they didn't realize was, that simple meal that should've been insignificant was the start of something in their lives. Something neither of them was prepared for.

But, when something is fated, there's absolutely nothing that can stop it. Or them.

****

Assalamu alaikum! Hello everyone.

I hope you're in good health. I am freaking out because I have tests tomorrow and I'm unprepared! Renal physiology seems easy, but it's bulky as well😭

Thankfully, there are familiar terms like dialysis and stuff else, ina ruwa tsundum. Abeg Include me in your prayers make I pass that test. E no easy.

I brought three books back on this app. Ace of Spades, Stars Align and an old book of mine, A Book About Us. I'm not sure when I'll take them down again or if I will, but there's that.

We're in Aahil’s love era yall😭 bro is making us all fall in love like this ❤️❤️ how do we love Aahil like this? How much?

Rate the book so far, drop your honest thoughts on it.

Also, are you reading Dusk Till Dawn by my girl, Aishatu? No? Why not?!?!? Read am abeg, you'll swoon over Bilal and Bitty's relationship. She'll soon be done.

Toh, I'm done.

Take care, and stay safe.

Love, Jannah Mia ❤️