Black Blood: Between Two Alphas

Chapter 5

As expected, good food can always make me feel good.

I leaned back on the seat after polishing off three plates of different sushi. The corners of my lips gently rose. Eating at Irashai was a good decision. It was the perfect way to end the day in bliss.

In the midst of thinking of good thoughts, I caught a glimpse of Zero. He was languidly staring at me while playing with his chopsticks. That was when I realized he was actually using one. I was too busy eating to notice.

Interested in using chopsticks, I moved closer to see how he was holding the two sticks in between his long fingers. He looked so much at ease that he amazed me. I couldn’t help but look up to him.

I only knew one person who could use chopsticks — my best friend and cousin, Marga. I didn’t expect Zero to be good at it, because Noah also didn’t know how to use it.

I tried learning before with Marga’s help, but I just couldn’t get the hang of it. I believed I was pretty good at using my hands until I encountered chopsticks. It almost seemed to me like you had to be born with that talent.

Well, at least, that’s for me.

Maybe I’m just not really a fast learner, and I don’t have enough patience to sit around and learn. I’d rather eat my sushi or ramen the easiest way possible.

“You know how to use them?” I asked and pointed my lips at his chopsticks.

I knew it was stupid to ask Zero, but I just wanted to be sure. I didn’t see him using it because I wasn’t paying attention.

“Chopsticks?” he probed.

I nodded and pulled myself back.

“It’s easy,” he said and smirked.

The smug look on his face made me frown. I hated the way he was smiling with so much pride.

“Show me then,” I challenged him and crossed my arms.

Zero shot his brow up before he simply picked up sushi using the chopsticks. I carefully studied how he positioned his hand or fingers while he continued to impress me. He slightly dipped it in the sauce without losing composure. And after showing me how it was done, he casually reached out his hand to put the sushi close to my mouth.

I quickly jerked my head back. My eyelids fluttered, and my lips parted in surprise. He did it so naturally without any hesitation, while I was completely baffled.

Is he planning to feed me?

Zero might have seemed to notice the shock and confusion in my face. Eyes of a mixture of blue and green widened while looking at me. While trying to hide his embarrassment, he shoved the sushi inside his mouth as fast as he could.

There was a nervous twinge in my heart when the atmosphere turned awkward between us. A part of me was glad to see how Zero became so comfortable with me, but unwanted thoughts were trying to force an entrance into my mind.

Trying to push them away, I put a wry smile on my face and picked up my own chopsticks that I had just abandoned on the side. “Can you teach me?” I asked Zero to divert his attention and forget about what had just happened.

Still looking a bit perturbed, Zero turned to me. I felt like that was the longest time he allowed himself to show emotion before me, besides looking stoic and acting abrasive. I had to get hold of myself and stopped pointing that out.

I wasn’t stupid or insensitive to know it wasn’t the right time to tease him. I also didn’t want to dig those layers of emotions in his eyes, afraid of what I would find out.

“Please,” I added. “Noah doesn’t know how to use chopsticks, and he’s very gentle with me. I feel like I need someone like you to teach me.”

Zero cut his eyes in half as his gaze turned intense, losing the awkward gentleness he showed. So, when the foreign emotions left him, I found myself feeling relieved.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked, sounding offended.

I sheepishly smiled at him and used the sticks to make a peace sign. “Just kidding.”

Zero shook his head and sighed.

I thought he would give me a cold shoulder. However, I was perplexed when Zero picked up his chopsticks again. He stood up and transferred to sit on the chair beside me, making it easier for him to demonstrate. That way, our hands would mirror each other, and I just needed to follow him closely.

“Put one between your thumb and forefinger,” he said, and began teaching me without any course introduction.

While verbally giving me instructions, Zero also demonstrated each step. He was very patient with me even when I was barely doing the right thing. He didn’t even bother starting from the top every time I would mess up.

“Don’t put too much force. It’ll be harder for you to control the top if you do,” he reminded me.

I pouted my lips and kept my eyes fixed on the chopsticks. I did what he said and loosened my grip, but one of the chopsticks only fell on my plate. I sighed in disappointment. I was doing my best, but nothing seemed to be going in my way.

“I don’t think I have the talent to use these,” I reasoned out when I knew we were just wasting time. I didn’t want to surrender and admit defeat, but sometimes, I just really needed to accept the fact that I couldn’t do anything. “Should I just stick to the spoon and fork?”

“Try again,” Zero said in a heartbeat. He didn’t even try to consider what I just said. “I’ll help you this time.”

At first, I had no idea what help he was talking about until he put his hand on top of mine. His rough and calloused hand made me swallow hard as it grazed my delicate skin. Although we barely had sunlight, his skin was slightly tan, while I was almost pale white.

“Paislee, are you still listening?” he asked when he seemed to notice my thoughts drifting away.

As I focused on spotting differences, I wasn’t really paying attention to him anymore. It felt like I had completely given up on learning to use chopsticks.

Maybe he can teach me some other time when I’m more attentive. I’m sure he won’t mind.

“Can we stop for now?” I said and slipped my hand out from his hold, smiling with my cheeks flushed. “I’ll just practice at home.”

Of course, that’s a lie.

Zero narrowed his eyes, still holding the chopsticks.

For a second, I thought he wouldn’t let it pass and continue teaching me until I finally got it, but he eventually did. After getting our take-out, we finally walked out of Irashai and entered his sedan. He placed the paper bag on my lap once I settled on the passenger seat, then stepped on the gas to move forward.

We were supposed to take the highway on the way home, but Zero didn’t leave downtown. He drove to a store where we could probably buy most of the unusual stuff you could find in Fairbanks.

“You need to buy something?” I asked when he pulled up.

“I’ll be back real quick,” he vaguely said without answering my question.

Zero quickly stepped out of the sedan while I was left inside. I pursed my lips and comfortably leaned my back as I waited for him to get back.

As I was in a static position, I felt my phone vibrate twice, which I couldn’t ignore. I had a feeling that Noah was trying to reach out to me after ignoring his calls.

The curiosity finally kicked in, and I couldn’t keep my hands to myself any longer. I put the paper bag aside and pulled my phone out to check the notifications. I wasn’t disappointed when I saw how I was bombarded with missed calls and text messages.

I bit my lower lip and tried to read some of the messages I received.

From: Noah

Where are you? Why aren’t you answering my calls?

--

From: Noah

Babe are you mad?

--

From: Noah

Are you still with Zero?

--

From: Noah

Paislee, please reply. I’m worried.

I felt my heart leap out of my chest before it sank deep. Somehow, I was feeling guilty for ignoring Noah the whole time. I thought for a moment that maybe I had gone over the line. It wasn’t like he really meant to stand me up, so I didn’t know why I was acting immature.

With a heavy feeling in my chest, I was about to type in my reply, but Noah suddenly started calling again. I almost dropped my phone in shock.

I put it on silent when he first called as I didn’t want to be bothered about it. I could only feel the phone vibrating in my hands. However, instead of answering the call, I just stared at the screen blankly until it stopped.

I'll just call him later once I'm back to my usual self.

Exhaling deeply, I ended up putting the phone back inside my bag, and at the same time, Zero had just come back from buying something at the mart. He was holding another small paper bag that he immediately passed to me.

“I’m not a baggage counter, you know,” I said and sarcastically smiled at him, trying to act normal although I had an internal conflict.

“Just hold them. They’re all yours anyway.”

“They’re mine?”

“Uhuh.” He nodded as he skillfully maneuvered the car back on the road. “I bought something to help you learn how to use chopsticks. You can try it on the sushi.”

My eyes slowly dropped on the two paper bags sitting on my lap. As I couldn’t stop being curious, I checked the item he bought and inhaled sharply when I saw training chopsticks in two different colors that I both loved. It was the kind of chopsticks kids usually used to learn.

I should be irritated at the thought of how he was putting me on the same level as a child. However, I didn’t feel that way at all.

I pulled one out and tried sliding my thumb inside the holder. I couldn’t help chuckling to see how the holes fit my fingers perfectly. Despite the turmoil building up inside me, Zero’s concern and sensibility touched my heart and lifted the corners of my lips into a smile.

“Thank you…” I whispered.

“I don’t need words,” he said strictly. “The next time we eat Japanese food, I want to see you using chopsticks. That’s your homework.”

Like I was already numb to his harsh words, I just kept smiling throughout the whole ride. I spent my time feeling the chopsticks and pretending that I was using them.

Zero kept glancing at me from time to time. He would shake his head and smile every time he caught me acting like a child.

It wasn’t long after we finally arrived at the apartment complex. Everything seemed normal until I saw a familiar car waiting at the guardhouse.

My eyes flashed wide open in surprise and I jerked up in my seat as I watched Noah get out of his car and make his way toward us.