105 Scars Are A Sign

to hurt you, you were brave enough to survive it. That you're still here."

Miya hadn't expected those words.

Her throat clenched at Jim's simple reply, and without warning, her eyes brimmed with tears. She wasn't going to cry again before him though, so she pulled him closer and shoved herself in his embrace again.

Despite himself, Jim chuckled lightly.

Then resuming to caress her hair, he laughed out loud, feeling weird and helpless, and strangely satisfied.

"You're such a brat," he said and hugged her close.

Miya smiled too.

Her next question was soft, but it did hold the curiosity of a child.

"Do you have one too, Jim?" she asked, "A scar?"

Jim smirked playfully.

"Had we proceeded further, Miya," he said in a devilish voice, "You would have seen it. It's on my inner thigh."

Miya blushed at his response, but never let him go.

They kept each other close, and minutes passed before Jim decided to let her go. She was shabbily dressed, and the air conditioning was too high. Her skin had begun to turn colder. Worried, Jim pulled back and carefully buttoned back the shirt.

Miya looked at him, slightly embarrassed, but also amused.

"You're so cute," she declared out of the blue, and Jim blushed involuntarily. She had said that to him after a long time.

He did feel like he was being petted though, so he retorted half heartedly, "And you're bloody stupid. What were you thinking, dressing in such a half as*ed manner? And you appeared before the Chairman!"

Miya opened her mouth in mortification.

"I was thinking!" she revolted.

Jim now rolled back the sleeves of her arms that were too long for her small hands. His voice was sarcastic when he said, "But of course you were."

Miya sulked at that, and he hid a grin. Then chuckling at her unhappy face, he whispered, "But you were right, of course. We do need to know each other."

Her eyes brightened up immediately at that.

"Yes!" Miya said enthusiastically, "We should!"

"And we'll say whatever we are comfortable in telling each other. No forcing. And no lies."

For the first time in quite a while, a bright smile spread on her lips.

She promised, "No lies!"

"Tonight then? Shall we have a long, deep chat?"

Miya nodded rigorously at that. too

"Tonight!" she said.

Jim laughed.

With that, he gave her half a hug again, and then sulked himself. His bottom still needed relief, but apparently, that wasn't possible anymore. He looked at Miya indignantly, and said, "I'm still stressed though. Do you take responsibility?"

Miya followed his gaze to his bottom and immediately flushed.

Jim couldn't hold his grin too.

Jim grinned at her teasingly.

"You're my wife," he said pleasantly, "I won't trouble you a lot. Let me rest myself here though. I've never rested in a girl's lap before."

The request was so random, and so strange, that Miya couldn't help but laugh out loud. Then nodding slightly, she dipped her head and kissed his forehead.

As seconds drifted, she began to caress his hair.

Right then, somehow, the moment seemed perfect.