𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘴.

"Lie down."

"I don't want to."

"Lie down." You took the banana you were cutting up with intentions of making it into a smoothie, and pointed it at her.

"I don't want to." She repeated, crossing her arms, putting her chin up, challenging you.

"Kim Taeyeon." You called her name, confronting her in the same way.

"Will you throw me that banana?" She questioned, raising her eyebrows "It's the only one left." She reminded.

"Whatever it takes?" She took two steps back, stretching her arms out to hold onto the edges of the archway that led into your kitchen "Well, catch me if you can." She sentenced, using the support on the timbers to generate momentum and turn on her heels, then dashed off.

"I'll do whatever it takes." You affirmed "On the couch." You ordered.

You threw the banana you were holding in your hands in the direction of her small figure that was now running away from you, as if you thought the impact would be hard enough to knock her down.

However, the banana missed.

You paused for a moment to look at the fruit scattered on the ground, thinking that now you would not be able to finish your smoothie, and you would also have to clean up.

After the realization that your olympic toss hadn't helped at all, you ran out the way your girlfriend had fled earlier. You stopped in the hallway to analyze which door she might have entered through.

The bathroom? Why would she go into the bathroom?

The dressing room? Could she have been hiding among the clothes?

The bedroom? Definitely in there.

You carefully open the door and step into the room you share with Taeyeon. Making as little noise as possible while walking, you scanned the place in search of her.

"Taengoo?" You uttered finally as you weren't able to find the girl anywhere.

Silence.

You ran your eyes around the room, scanning it again. Your gaze finally falling on a certain place: the bed. More precisely, under it. You wouldn't want to think she was there, because of how obvious it would have been to hide there, but it was the only place unchecked.

"Love?" you called out to her again.

This time being reciprocated by a bark coming from Zero, who was, effectively, under the bed.

"Zero-yah!" You heard your partner whine, only to have the little puppy subsequently come out of hiding and start jumping at you, asking you to pick him up.

From under the mattress peeked Taeyeon's head, who was watching you, frustrated, with a pout on her lips.

"Get out of there and lie down." You resumed the topic that had caused this whole situation.

"Taeyeon! You have a fever!" You reproached her with an incredulous tone.

"I have to go to work." She explained, expressionless, obvious.

You weren't able to assimilate your girlfriend's behavior. For almost two years now, she hadn't stopped working, as if she didn't already have enough money. You admired her, of course you did. One of the big reasons why you were so in love with her was that vehement passion for what she does. But everything has a limit, and she was exceeding hers.

You could understand if Taeyeon was turning down a whim of yours for her to stay at home with you, but this time, she was sick and still wanted to get into that studio where she spends hours and days.

You had to intervene, of course you had to intervene, for her sake.

"What are you thinking about?" Her voice interrupted your train of thought and you turned your gaze to her head, which, as she hadn't fully come out of hiding yet, was still peeking out from under the place where you both slept.

"Bullshit," she denied as she pulled her body out from under there "you weren't thinking about that, but okay."

"That you're not up yet."

She left the room and started walking around the house. At first you didn't understand what she was doing, but then you could see that Taeyeon was gathering her things

to leave.

"Yah!" You exclaimed as you saw her head for the front door.

After hearing your shout and realizing you had already read the situation, she tried to run as fast as she could towards her freedom, but your legs are longer, so you were in time to catch her by the waist and gently push her back.

"You're worse than a toddler." You scolded her by pointing your finger at her.

"I don't care."

"Love, I'm just fine." She assured, whining.

You walked until you were close to her, then bent down. She looked at you, not getting what you were doing. You put your arm behind her knees, causing her to lose her balance, to which she squealed in surprise, and using that opportunity, you lifted her up and rested her on your shoulder.

It's not that you were a person with a lot of strength. It's just that Taeyeon is practically a plant.

"Hey! This can't be legal. You're holding me against my will!" She kicked, hit your back, and even bit your shoulder, trying to get you to put her down.

Finally, you gently set her down on the bed you share, giving her a kiss on the forehead, opening the sheets so you could cover her with them.

"Yes, I will," you took off your slippers and climbed onto the bed, gluing your body to hers and wrapping her in your arms "you can never resist me."

"You won't buy me with love, you bastard." She said, putting on a voice that sounded like gollum in the Spain dub and turning to the side to turn her back to you.

She turned abruptly to look at you with a judgemental grimace, unable to believe your outburst of self-esteem.

"I'm sorry." You murmured, looking at her sweetly, as if in your eyes you carried tenderness itself.

"You're not lying, but you could be more modest." She advised with a raised eyebrow, and the corners of her lips turned down.

Taeyeon gently held your face in her hands, brushing your cheeks with her fingertips, giving your jaw a support with her palms. She leaned in close enough for your nostrils to nuzzle and then moved her head subtly up and down to extend the gesture. You were in such a trance before her adoration that until she moved her lips, you didn't notice that she was kissing you. You raised your hand, resting it on her chest, and pushed her away.

"You have a fever, don't kiss me!" You shrieked.

"Are you kidding me!?" She replied, frustrated "You won't let me go to work, I'm sick, you chased me and held me against my will, and now I can't even kiss you?" She collapsed between the pillows, covering her face with her hands, dejected.

"Kim Taeyeon, we need to talk."

"If you break up with me, you're ugly." She sat up quickly, pointing accusingly at you.

"Seriousness."

"Okay, seriousness." She furrowed her eyebrows.

"You're working too much."

"How can I ever be working too much? If it's work, it can never be too much." She interrupted you.

"Taeyeon, you're overworking yourself." You repeated, dropping the playful tone and sounding worried.

"My love, you lost weight, you hardly sleep and you even eat little." You took her hands "You haven't taken a break in years." Your eyes met, in her face you noticed that she knew what you were saying was true.

"It's not like that..."

"Yes, honey, I know." She said, looking down to her hands.

"You're sick right now. Is it really so terrible for you to stay at home for a few days and do nothing?"

She averted her gaze to the side, trying to suppress a smile.

The reality was that it generated butterflies in her belly that you took care of and worried about her.

But you don't know that.

"It wouldn't be so bad." She whispered, succumbing to your words.

"Wouldn't it?" You smiled broadly.

"It wouldn't." She agreed "But I have one condition," you put on your serious face again "you have to kiss me."

"Taeng..."

"Of course I'll kiss you, just stay there." You fell backward onto the mattress, taking her with you, only to position yourself on top of her and press a kiss to her plumpy lips.

"Okay, then I have to go to practice." She tried to stand up, only to be stopped by your embrace.

Taeyeon lifted her arms and wrapped them around your neck, pulling you into her, deepening the kiss. But you suddenly got up and just walked away.

"There's a banana scattered on the floor of our living room." You replied disinterestedly.

"Where are you going!?" Taeyeon shouted upset.