Crimson Instinct

*Xin Lei*

I came in prepared to face the fact that I messed up. I should have backed out, but I didn't.

Did I make everything awkward between us? How will we work together now? I didn't want us to act like strangers.

But then what Bai Li said completely blew my mind away.

"I think I like you."

What?

I thought I misheard it. Maybe this was my mind subconsciously trying to dream that the situation was in my favor.

I was still processing it when Bai Li called out.

"Xin Lei."

His voice shook me off my trance. I quickly typed. "Yes."

"I know you heard what I said."

I bit my lip. I typed. "Yes."

He nodded and then said nothing. He didn't ask me anything else. I knew he was giving me time to process it.

It was clear.

That one sentence explained what happened between us and why it happened.

To be honest, I was only praying really hard all the way that he shouldn't apologize. Because that moment gave me hope that even if a little, he felt something for me too.

And he didn't.

Instead, Bai Li said that he thinks that he likes me, which meant that he was also figuring things out. And that wasn't bad.

I was also figuring out my feelings, as well.

It wasn't necessary to know everything about each other right at the beginning. We could see where this would take us.

But somewhere, my instinct told me that our relationship would turn out to be just fine.

When I finally realized that what Bai Li said meant that his and my feelings were on the same page, my lips automatically lifted into a big, wide grin.

This was the first time after everything hell broke loose that I had genuinely smiled from my heart. I finally got an answer to the restlessness and tension between us that I felt for him.

A giddy feeling took over me. It felt as if a swarm of butterflies was tickling all over my stomach. I glanced at the mirror, and it showed how silly my face looked with that stupid grin.

I let out a deep breath. I slowly walked towards him and sat beside him on the couch. I carefully observed Bai Li's every reaction.

His right brow twitched just a little. He was tapping his fingers on his right knee. But he was acting like he was really patient.

Bai Li looked so cute!

I felt like he was a teenager who just confessed to his crush and was nervously waiting for an answer.

A thirty-two-year-old tall, tough, and strong man who served in the army and who mercilessly beat the shit out of goons could actually be so adorable!

Damn, I wanted to pinch his cheeks!

My heart was drumming as I typed. "Bai Li."

"Yes."

"..."

The response was almost immediate, just a fraction of a second later.

I typed again.

"I think I like you too."

Then I watched him again. I saw his eyes slightly widen in surprise. He seemed to be in a daze just how I was a moment ago. And then he nodded.

"Good. I mean great. No, I mean...it's really good that you also…"

I burst out into laughter. Now it was his turn to wonder whether his mind was playing any tricks on him. His expression gave that away.

He glanced at my direction. My heart was going *badump badump* as I looked straight into his eyes.

"Say that again," he softly said.

I smiled and typed. "I think I like you too."

Bai Li asked, "Okay, so it is confirmed that you will not slap me? Right, got it."

"..."

Was he thinking that the whole time? Was that his concern?

I shook my head.

So did that mean we were boyfriend-girlfriend now?

I seriously gave it a thought and concluded that we could wait till we officially came to that stage. Because like I said before, we were figuring things out.

Right now, it would just seem a decision made on the spur of the moment.

Bai Li said, "I will officially ask you out when I will be crystal clear about my feelings for you."

Was he an esper?

How did he know that I was thinking that exact thing?

My impression of him just rose to another level.

I grinned and typed. "I think we will be fine because you just read my mind."

Bai Li smiled.

"I think if this works out, then we would be a hell of a couple, don't you think?"

Couple...

That word was already giving me goosebumps. I looked forward to that day. I hoped that it would come soon.

Oh, my God! This was the first time I was feeling this way, and I loved every second of it!

I typed, a little breathless. "No doubt about it."

"Arf Arf!"

I widened my eyes. Cocoa was so quiet all this time that I didn't even notice he was there. He was silently sitting at the back.

As if Cocoa understood the good news, he put his hind legs on my lap and leaned in to lick my cheeks.

I hugged him tight in my arms. I was on cloud nine.

Bai Li smirked, "Aren't you smart?"

"Arf!"

He raised his hand and felt his way towards my head. He softly patted it.

"It's going to be a long day tomorrow. You need a good sleep."

I pursed my lips.

I held his hand. I typed. "I won't let you sleep on the couch tonight. I know it's difficult for you."

"No its-"

I pressed his hand.

"No buts," I typed again.

This was a bold step, but I didn't mind it. I couldn't see Bai Li sleeping and suffering in that crazy posture.

I cleared my throat and typed again. "Cocoa can sleep in between us."

He mumbled something, but I couldn't quite get it.

"Well, if you don't mind," he said.

Cocoa jumped in the middle, and Bai Li and I climbed on either side of the bed.

My heart was still racing like crazy. Even though we were in the corner, I felt a whole lot closer to him now.

"Feel free to kick me if I snore," Bai Li said.

I chuckled and typed. "I won't mind that chance."

"You should have said, 'I won't do that.'"

I typed. "Why not? Actually, I'm itching to take my revenge for when you almost strangled me the first time we met."

He coughed hard. "Good night."

I giggled and closed my eyes.

And that night, I had the most wonderful dream.