stretch marks - yuta

-8-

"Just leave your shoes by the door," Mira told him as they entered her apartment. He was starving considering he hadn't had breakfast yet. It was eleven o'clock now and her offer was hard to resist.

"I know I said we'd have ramen but what about rice and some side dishes? It'll be good I swear. I may not be Korean but I learned from the best," she said with one of her warm smiles that he started to like so much.

"I don't mind. Do you need any help?" He asked. She looked around the kitchen and then glanced at him for a second.

"Sure. Grab a knife," she told him, he did as he was told. Mira took out some vegetable from the fridge and then pointed at the cutting board.

They silently worked. Neither talked, you could even hear her soft intake of breath a couple of times. Mira was impressed by how well Yuta was capable at cutting. A smile overcame his lips when their shoulder brushed against each other or when she bumped into his chest. Although, as soon as she'd glance at him he'd pretend he hadn't noticed her slight clumsiness.

When they finished, they moved the food to the living room where they placed it on the table and sat comfortably on the couches.

They talked while they ate. He noticed how he was always so comfortable with her. He knew he always thought that. He knew it was probably something cliché and cheesy to say about someone but it was true.

She always had the warmest smiles that were always directed him. She always knew what to say to him. And despite the fact that they hadn't known each other that long, it felt like she kind of knew him. Or at least, a small part of him.

Yuta was sure he didn't have a crush on her, he wasn't the type. He wasn't even sure if she could be considered a friend. He liked her, but he wasn't ready to fully trust her and be completely honest about himself with her. He didn't have many dark secrets, but like most humans he had certain parts of himself that he'd rather share with someone he trusted.

He didn't even notice how they finished eating and were still talking about the dumbest things. He wanted to get closer to her.

She was the warmth that he needed when everything else was cold. His boss, his co-workers, the hard life he chose was sometimes very cold. Especially when he was alone at nights.

"How can you not believe in aliens?" Mira exclaimed after the heated debate. "The universe is too big. The earth isn't even 0.1% of the universe! One galaxy isn't even 1% of the universe!"

"Okay but there's no proof,"

"Oh my God, leave! I don't want to see your short minded face anymore," Yuta poked her side. She jumped from the touch and slapped him on the shoulder.

"Ghosts are real. Aliens are not,"

"How can you believe in ghosts but not aliens?"

"Because ghost exists-"

"Oh my God, shut up!"