Vertically Challenged (1/1)
To some people looking at the both of you, it may seem like a lovey-dovey scene. A girl who clumsily sprained her ankle on a piggy back ride on a handsome boy.Little did they know what was really happening. “Yah! Choi Zelo. Take it back you weirdo. I’m not a shorty you meanie giant,” you hollered at your best friends poor ears while clinging on his back like a baby koala. “Chunnie, stop it. Stop strangling me you heavy pig,” Zelo was practically peeling off your arms that were clinging on his neck, choking him. “I’m just telling the truth, you’re short for your age not to mention you’re also heavy.” “Shut it. You blonde giant. You suck,” you cried while hitting his back repeatedly. “Gah! I hate you and your abnormal height.” “Kim Chunhee. Stop it or I’ll drop you off this sidewalk and let you walk the way home,” he warned you. “Sprain or no sprain. You really hit hard for a girl.” “Psh. Party pooper. It was your fault anyway. Calling me midget, short, tiny, petite, elfin. Gaaaaah. I hate you!
“What are you? A thesaurus? Giving all the synonyms for short? Just shut up and let me carry you home in peace.” Being best friends since the two of you were in your nappies, you already memorized each other’s temperaments and mood swings. If ever you were having your monthly visitor and PMS-ing like there’s no tomorrow, Zelo would just shove a gallon of cookies and cream icecream under your nose to appease you and shut you up from your whining. But if he was in one of his moods, you better shut up and let him cool off for some time. Ever since you started highschool where Zelo had his miraculous growth spurt, your best friend has been making fun of your pathetic height. Standing 5’2” on your 16th year, Zelo would always emphasize that you barely reach his shoulders. And that’s what the two of you would always argue about, your pathetic height. “It’s not my fault I didn’t have a miraculous growth spurt,” you reasoned out with him. “Blame my height on my genes. You’re just lucky you got the Choi’s tall genetics”
“So you admit you’re a shorty?” Zelo chuckled while hoisting you higher on his back to prevent you from slipping. “And cut down the sugar intake. Will you?”
Upon hearing this new statement, your brows furrowed in annoyance.
“So you’re telling me I’m fat? First shorty, now fat?”
Pinching his cheeks, you were already ready to attack and bite his shoulders when he suddenly dropped his hold on you. Instinctively, you stood up on your feet to prevent your butt from kissing the ground. Pain shot up on your right ankle that you twisted earlier when you applied pressure on it. “Ow. Ow Fudge,” you cried while hobbling precariously on your left foot. “Why did you drop me you nutso?”
“I already told you to behave earlier plus you were planning on biting my shoulders again. What are you? A vampire?” “Vampires suck blood on the neck of their human preys.” You immediately corrected him, while hopping aaround on one foot. “Not to mention I’m pretty tan for a vampire.” “You’ve been reading Twillight again, were you?” his brows quirked up, taunting you. “Nope. That’s stored knowledge. Basic Information you get from reading books. You should try reading sometimes.” “No thanks. I’m satisfied with my skateboard.” You could sense he already cooled off seeing that he already started joking. “Get back on,” he chided, crouching in front of you to hop back on. “Come on, we’ll grab some ice cream on the way home.”
“But you said I should cut down my sweets.”
“I just told you that so you could grow taller. Sweets and coffee can give you a hard time growing taller.” Ice cream or growing taller. Well that’s an easy one, you thought. I would choose ice cream. “Psh. Who cares about my height. Off to the ice cream parlor.” Your eyes lit up with your face breaking into a large grin upon the thought of ice cream.
Zelo could only shake his head and smile at you attitude. “Well, hop on.” “You won’t drop me anymore,” you asked, pleading up to him with puppy eyes. “We’re cool?”
A chuckle bubbled up Zelo’s lips upon seeing your face all scrunched up, trying to plead your way through. “Sure. Of course,” he smiled. “I’ll get you your favorite cookies and cream flavor.” His eyes were crinkling at the corner, amused with your antics. “Your treat?” you asked while climbing on his back. “Uh-huh. But promise that you behave?” “Yes sir!”
You giggled happily, as you snuggled on Zelo’s broad back, resting your cheek on his shoulder. Before you realize, you were nodding off. “Do you really want some ice cream or do you want to sleep?” Zelo was poking your cheeks to have some response from you. “Mmmmhmm.Ice cream.” “But you seem really sleepy. Fine. I’ll wake you up when we reach the ice cream parlor.” What he got as a response was a soft sort of snore coming from you. Weirdo Chunhee, Zelo thought.
You were all comfy on Zelo’s back, as if you really belong there all along. What you failed to see was Zelo’s affectionate gaze upon your sleeping figure, snuggling on his back.
Tha truth was, he was just pissed off with his self earlier that is why he snapped at you. Why can’t he protect you from your clumsy self? Why can’t he just tell you he likes you more than a friend?Your incoherent mumblings brought him back to his senses and somehow painted a smile on his lips. It does not matter if you are short or tall, heavy or not, Zelo thought. It doesn’t matter to me, cause you’ll aways have a special space in my heart reserved only for you. Tilting his face to look at you, he planted a small kiss on top of your head before continuing the walk home.
“Kim Chunhee you’re really nuts you know? And I’m pretty much a weirdo for being nuts with you.”