Allea

twenty-four

"Yes!"

"No!"

"You play rough!"

"And you cheat!"

"Oh, now that I won, I cheat, shut-it you whiny-child!"

"I'm not a child! Let's have one more game!"

I folded my hands over my chest and tapped my cheek with a finger pretending that I was considering Kai's suggestion of another game. I struggled to keep my smile inside, seeing his loser self when he turns into a querulous child, demanding to have another game with hopeful and determined eyes, gives me pleasure.

I crushed his hopes with a clear, "No."

"Yes! I want to have another game!" He yelled, grabbed my hand, and started pushing me toward the center of the yard and also grabbing the soccer ball in his other hand. I had an amusing smile as I saw him struggling to move my stiff body when it seemed a little thought, with a humph he went behind me to push us forward putting all his strength.

"Then, you say you're not a child, while you clearly act like one."

At my words, I realized his movements stopped and he took a step back then again came in front of me with sour eyes, and asked, trying to act like a sensible boy showing me one finger with pleading-cute face, "One more game, please."

Mirroring his cute expression with a little pout, I asked with a slight tilt of my head, "Now, why would I want to risk my already-won title?"

His face went blank and he just stared dead at me, knowing quite well that I won't be having another game with him, and he lost today's match, he has to accept this.

"When will you stop being annoying!"

He shouted irritatingly, throwing the ball toward me, he ran toward the mansion. I only laughed at his state and reminded him, "Don't forget our bet!"

Kai's movement halted and turned to look at me, his brows drew together and his expressions turned more ugly like he just now remembered our bet and again asked with and a questionable look, "You...deliberately cheated! You wanted me to lose, didn't you?" 

A sudden grin warmed my face, which I wasn't able to suppress, and nodded shamelessly with a shrug, "A bet is a bet, you gotta win either by hook or crook."

"Allea, you know that you're not being fair!"

I raised a brow and placed my hands on my hips, asking him with a spoiled tone, "So?"

Not knowing how to retort he ran toward me and gave me a light push, I fell on my hips but seeing his face molded into hideous expressions, I couldn't control the amusement on my face. Seeing that nothing of his efforts were fruitful, he yelled, "You didn't win, and I'll surely not wear any such thing! I'll not!" and ran inside the mansion.

"We'll see about that!"

I also followed him inside laughing, Kai and I were having our usual Sunday soccer match, I was quite busy but he still insisted to play, so I agreed. Then to make the game more interesting, we also placed a bet. I still haven't forgotten how Kai had all the servants and Elijah wear shirts and hats with my face plastered over them, so for Elijah's race coming next week, we made a bet regarding it. If Kai won, I'd wear clothes with Elijah's faces printed over them and go to race wearing them, but if I won, Kai has to do that.

How could I let my reputation go to runes wearing such a thing, so I had to win by any means, just distracting Kai here and there -that he hit me too hard or something else- he got distracted and I had the ball, scoring more goals. It was still better for him to wear such clothes, it would be fun, I'll make sure to make it absurd and attention-grabbing. I know Kia's proud attitude, he'd die of embarrassment, and I'd love to watch him like that while enjoying the race.