Chapter 07.06

“I’m a girl, and I read. Yes.” Jenny set her book down and stood up from the couch.

“Babe,” I said matter-of-factly. She smiled awkwardly, but I didn’t correct myself. “There’s a statue of you. You know, at the exhibition where Brian and I went—the one where we saw you interpreting.”

Jenny blushed and looked flustered. She knew exactly what we were talking about. Susy calmly picked up the booklet and started flipping through it, clearly uninterested in the topic.

“I-I haven’t hooked up with him. We’re just friends.” she stammered, glancing at me shyly.

“That never even crossed my mind,” I smiled. I didn’t want to embarrass her, so I didn’t hug her. “But do you know who he is?”

Jenny nodded silently.

“Will you tell us?” Mayoko asked. “I love his work.”

“I promised I wouldn’t,” Jenny replied.

“I’ll tell you,” Paul said as he emerged from the bathroom. Everyone turned their attention to him - except Susy.

“It’s me,” he said plainly. “Medicine is just something I do because of my dad, but I haven’t taken it seriously for half a year now. I’m just scraping by to buy myself time. I make sculptures and exhibit them. I’d like to keep this a secret until I decide to share it with everyone.”

“Understood,” I said, shaking hands with him alongside Brian. Mayoko hugged him.

“I know about your flower,” Paul smiled at Mayoko. “I’m working on it.”

“Thank you.”

Mayoko, Jenny, and Susy retreated into my friend’s room, while the three of us played on Brian’s console.

“What’s your plan?” Brian asked, nodding toward the bedroom.

“A date tomorrow,” I said.

“She’s busy with Adam on Monday,” Paul added. “Let her sleep.” He teased me. “And just so you know, all of my doors are soundproofed.”

“Good to know, but it’s just going to be a date,” I said.

The girls came out of the bedroom, and I immediately set down the console.

“We should get going, Paul,” Susy said. Her brother nodded and put his controller down as well.

“I’m heading out too,” Jenny said, glancing at me shyly.

“Can I walk you home?” I asked, just as awkwardly as I had at the beginning of our relationship. Brian burst out laughing.

“Go ahead,” Mayoko said. “I need to give Susy back her box.”

Jenny nodded, waved to everyone, and headed to the entryway to put on her shoes.

I just waved at the grinning Brian and Paul before following Jenny. Without a word, we left the apartment and waited for the elevator.

“What time would work for you tomorrow?” I asked once we were inside. “I heard the movie you were waiting for finally premiered. Have you seen it yet?”

“Not yet,” she smiled. “I’ve been busy with the shop.”

A few seconds of silence followed. I was already tired of these awkward pauses.

“Do your parents know you’re here?” she suddenly asked.

“I didn’t do anything stupid,” I said. “And yes, they know.”

“Good to know,” she smiled as we stepped out onto the street. It was already getting dark.

“So, a movie tomorrow?” I asked.

“We made a deal weeks ago, but I think you cheated,” she laughed. “So yes. Let’s meet at the theater in the early afternoon. I’ll be at the shop in the morning—we open on Monday.”

“But you won’t even be here Monday,” I said. “I heard you’ll be helping Adam.”

“You’re well-informed,” she smiled, impressed. “I’ll be back by the afternoon, and that’s when we’ll open.”

The two apartment buildings were too close together—we had already arrived. Jenny stepped onto the first stair, stopped, and turned to face me.

“I’ll be waiting for you at the theater at four tomorrow,” I said.

“I’ll be there. Thanks for walking me home,” she said, smiling.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead, unsure how far I could go. “See you,” she said, and without waiting for a reply, slipped through the door.