chapter 29 - vacation

Amy lay sprawled on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Her exams were finally over thankfully but now? She had nothing to do.

She could go to a party with her friends, but she wasn't really in the mood. Instead, she spent her time switching between watching TV and scrolling through her phone.

The strange thing? Zahn hadn't scolded her once.

Was he letting her off because of the stressful exam period? Or... had he finally become kinder?

That thought was funny. He loved nagging.

Well, she had to do something to kill her boredom.

While scrolling, she stumbled upon a few food recipes. Some looked really easy-so easy that even she could do it.

That was it. She was going to cook for Zahn.

She sat up confidently and declared, "Zahn, I'm gonna make you something nice!"

Zahn barely looked up from his book, giving her a doubtful glance. "Cooking? You? You can't even slice vegetables properly."

Amy pouted. " Hey! I was slicing fruits and vegetables just yesterday!"

" ...in a game you mean?." Zahn raised an eyebrow.

She grinned. " It still counts."

Zahn let out a soft laugh, amused.

Amy loved this. Her favorite part of their relationship was saying the silliest things and watching him laugh, His laugh was rare, and every time she managed to pull it out of him, it felt like a small victory. There was something about the way his usually serious face softened, how his eyes crinkled ever so slightly, it made her heart feel warm, like a gentle flame flickering inside her chest.

She tucked that moment away, like a treasured memory, before nudging his arm playfully.

"I just thought I should try something new," she added. "And cooking seems like a good idea, right?"

" Not for you. Leave it. You can't cook."

" Excuse me! Don't doubt my skills!"

Without another word, she dashed into the kitchen.

Zahn sighed. This girl...

Not even five minutes later-

"Ahhh! My eyes!"

Zahn peeked inside and found Amy clutching her face. "What happened?"

"The onions! They're stinging my eyes so badly!"

He sighed, leaning against the counter. "Just give it a few seconds. It'll pass."

Amy groaned, blinking rapidly.

Zahn looked at the cutting board, unimpressed. "...Your onion slices are uneven."

"Zahn, that's not the main issue right now!" she shot back, rubbing her eyes.

He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Alright, move over. I'll teach you how to cook properly before you burn the kitchen down."

Amy grinned, her irritation instantly forgotten. "Oh? That's better."

At least this way, she'd cause less chaos, he thought.

He stepped beside her, guiding her hands as he walked her through each step, making sure she followed his instructions exactly, though with Amy, nothing ever went exactly as planned.

Amy tried to be diligent... but when Zahn tasted the final result, he frowned. "I told you how to do it properly. Why is there so much salt?"

Amy twirled a strand of her hair. " I felt like it needed more."

"Amy, cooking is about proper measurements."

" Cooking is hard."

" ...It's not, you just-"

Amy stretched her arms and turned away. "Anyway, I'm done. Time to watch some shows."

" Wait-what? You're giving up?"

" Yeah. I didn't get perfect results even after trying, so there's no point in continuing."

Zahn watched in disbelief as she happily walked away.

This girl... is she ever dedicated to anything?!

Everyone craves stress-free days-lazy mornings with nothing to do, just lying around without a care. But when every day is like that, things can get too boring. No adventure, no excitement.

And Amy? Amy's mind always needed something to do.

So, as she scrolled through her phone, an idea popped into her head.

"Zahn! I'm gonna be a vlogger! I'll post our daily life videos!"

...Huh? What?

Before Zahn could react, Amy was already on the move, phone in hand, recording everything like a tiny whirlwind of chaos. She started making short vlogs, uploading them online, and sharing clips on social media. To her delight, they were quite amusing.

She held up her phone, her voice energetic and her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Hello, guys! It's Amy again! Another boring day~ I don't have much to do lately, so I'm just enjoying cozy vacation days with my boyfriend!" She panned the camera dramatically. "So, let's head to the kitchen and see what's cooking for breakfast today!"

Marching into the kitchen, she beamed mischievously and shoved the phone camera in front of Zahn.

"Guys, look! He's cooking diligently, as always. Zahn, what are you making today?"

He barely spared her a glance, still stirring the ingredients. His expression was flat, but he tried-tried-to put on a polite smile.

"...Pancakes, Amy."

"Ooooh! Pancakes! My favorite!" She grinned at the camera. " See, guys? My boyfriend loves me so much-he always makes my favorite dishes!"

She conveniently left out the part where he forced her to eat vegetables most of the time.

"So, Zahn, tell everyone what ingredients you're using."

He inhaled deeply. Exasperated. Seriously, Amy?

"...Pancake mix, milk, honey instead of sugar, bananas, dry fruits-"

" Let me show everyone how perfectly you make these pancakes!"

The camera shifted, zooming into the sizzling pancakes.

Zahn rolled his eyes. This is so embarrassing.

Not only embarrassing, but also annoying.

Amy had made a habit of shoving the camera in his face all day, every day. Zahn couldn't even enjoy a moment of peace without her narrating his every move like she was hosting a reality show-even if all he was doing was casually drinking tea.

Surprisingly, her enthusiasm lasted over a week.

And now, here she was, with yet another ridiculous idea.

"Zahnnnn! Let's do a food challenge today! Whoever eats the most snacks in ten minutes wins!"

She practically bounced in front of him with excitement.

Zahn sat on the couch, arms crossed, already frowning. "I'm not doing that with you."

"Please? Pretty please?"

" ...Am I just your content for social media now?"

" Yeah, kinda."

Zahn let out a long, suffering sigh.

But Amy wasn't done. She clasped her hands together, her voice dreamy. "Think about it, Zahn! One day, our channel will blow up. We'll be so popular that people will recognize us instantly when we go outside! We'll have tons of followers! Do you know how many people make a living off this?!"

Zahn deadpanned. " Your interests keep changing, Amy."

"They do, but I always work hard for them! Okay? I even studied hard for exams-you didn't even get me a gift for that!"

His eyes flickered with amusement.

And then, out of nowhere, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

Amy froze.

His breath was warm against her ear as he murmured, "Didn't I already give you a gift, Amy? Or did you forget? Maybe... you need a reminder?"

Heat flooded her face in an instant.

As realization hit, memories of that day came rushing back. Her legs suddenly felt weak.

She muttered under her breath, voice barely above a whisper. "That was your... gift."

Zahn smirked. "But you enjoyed-"

" Oh, shut up, Zahn!"

Her cheeks burned as she quickly turned away, refusing to meet his gaze.

And finally-finally-for a brief moment, she left him alone.

At least for now.

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Zahn couldn't ignore the fact that his chaotic gremlin had been restless lately. And as a good boyfriend-or rather, as her self-appointed caretaker-it was his duty to keep her entertained.

So, out of nowhere, he made an offer.

"Amy, want to go to the beach?"

Amy, who had been sprawled across the couch like a bored cat, immediately perked up. Her eyes widened, surprise flashing across her face before excitement took over.

"Really? Let's go!"

Not even five minutes later, they were out the door.

As they strolled toward their destination, Amy's gaze landed on a row of rental bicycles lined up for students and passersby. Her eyes lit up with mischief.

"Wait here! I'm getting one!" she declared suddenly.

Zahn blinked. "Huh? Why?"

But she was already gone, dashing toward the rental stand. Within minutes, she returned, wheeling out a bicycle with a triumphant grin. Patting the small space behind the seat, she beamed at him.

"Hop on, Zahn! I'll drive."

Zahn stared at her, unimpressed. "What? No way."

He didn't even need to explain himself-his expression said it all. He knew Amy. He knew how she was. There was absolutely no reason for him to trust her driving skills.

But did he have a choice?

No.

Amy, being Amy, didn't wait for his approval. She grabbed his wrist, pulled him onto the bicycle, and within seconds, they were off-Zahn holding onto her waist for dear life.

Regret hit him instantly.

"Amy, slow down!" he snapped, his entire body tensing as she zoomed down the street with reckless enthusiasm.

"Oh, relax! I'd never let anything happen to you!" Amy laughed, completely unbothered, pedaling even faster. The wind whipped past them, sending her long orange hair flying back into his face.

Zahn coughed, spitting out a strand of her hair. "You're gonna crash into someone-!"

"Nah, I got this!" she declared, swerving wildly just to prove her point.

The bicycle jerked sharply to the side, nearly slamming into the curb. Zahn's stomach dropped. Instinctively, he yanked her back.

"AMY!"

"Oops." She giggled, correcting their balance at the last second like it was nothing.

Zahn exhaled shakily. His hands-initially resting lightly on her waist-were now locked in place, gripping her so tightly it was as if his life depended on it.

"You're a horrible driver," he muttered darkly.

Amy burst into laughter. "Haha, are you sure?"

Zahn grumbled something under his breath, too focused on making it out alive to argue.

And yet, despite the sheer terror, there was something oddly... thrilling about it. The rush of the wind, Amy's unrestrained laughter, the warmth of holding onto her-it was reckless, it was chaotic, it was completely her.

And somehow, he didn't hate it.

The beach stretched before them, breathtaking in its simplicity. It had been a long time since Amy had last come here, and she instantly felt lighter, as if the weight of the city had slipped off her shoulders. The ocean stretched endlessly, shimmering under the soft sunlight. The waves lapped gently at the shore, and the crisp scent of saltwater filled the air.

The best part? The place was empty.

A cool breeze brushed against her skin, and she took a deep breath, savoring the fresh ocean air.

"So peaceful, isn't it?" she murmured, standing beside Zahn.

"Mhm." Zahn had to admit-it was a good idea to come here after all. Away from the towering buildings, the congested roads, the noise and pollution... Here, everything felt still. Serene.

But that peace lasted all of five seconds.

With the energy of a power ball, Amy suddenly took off toward the beach.

Zahn blinked, caught off guard. "Hey-where are you running to?!"

"Come on! Let's play in the water!" she called back, her laughter ringing in the air.

He rolled his eyes. "That's so childish."

Amy skidded to a stop, spun around, and grabbed his hand. "Then be childish with me!" She grinned, her fingers tightening around his. "We should always have fun, Zahn."

And before he could protest, she was already dragging him toward the waves.

"Amy-wait up...!"

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Zahn, of course, had no choice but to play along.

Cold water splashed against his face before he even had time to react.

"You-!" He wiped his face, only to see Amy grinning mischievously, hands poised for another attack.

Without thinking, he retaliated, sending a splash of water right back at her.

Amy gasped dramatically before bursting into laughter, absolutely delighted. She loved these moments-the rare times when Zahn let go of his usual grumpy front. He always pretended to find things childish, always acted like he wasn't interested. But in the end, he always gave in.

And when he did, it was her favorite thing to witness.

His soft, low laughter mingled with hers, and for a second, she was mesmerized.

But their fun had to end eventually.

"Enough, Amy." Zahn finally called, catching his breath. "We shouldn't stay in the water too long. We will catch a cold."

"You're right," she admitted, though reluctantly.

They stepped out of the waves, their clothes now damp and clinging to their skin. Finding a spot on the soft sand, they sat down, letting the gentle warmth of the sun dry them off.

Amy lay back, gazing up at the sky. Zahn sat beside her, silent.

The moment felt... perfect.

No noise. No distractions. Just the two of them, soaking in the peace of the ocean. The waves rolled gently in the distance, the cool breeze brushing over them, the world slowing down around them.

She didn't want this to end.

So she simply lay there, unmoving, hoping time would slow down just for a little while longer.

She turned her head slightly and found Zahn already looking at her.

Her breath caught for a second. His dark eyes held a softness that made her heart stutter.

For once, she didn't crack a joke. Didn't tease him.

Instead, she just looked back at him.

Zahn shifted slightly, resting on his elbow, then, slowly without hesitation he leaned in...

His lips met hers, a soft, fleeting press, as light as the ocean breeze. Not desperate. Not hurried. Just quiet. Certain.

Amy's eyes fluttered closed, her fingers curling into the sand. When he pulled away, she blinked up at him, a little dazed.

Zahn huffed a small breath almost a chuckle and laid back down beside her, as if nothing had happened.

Amy turned back to the sky, lips tingling, heart pounding, yet somehow... completely at peace.

She smiled.

Yeah. This was nice.

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Made a chibi art XD

[ Amy's vlogging ]