Hours after meeting Ameline in the morning, Ji-hu had actually driven to her house, after picking up a bouquet of flowers, and stood outside her door in a suit. Smart idea. He shuffled nervously, then knocked.
Meanwhile, Ameline was inside, dancing on top of her kitchen table, singing 'Here's To Never Growing Up' by Avril LaVigne as loud as possible- it practically described her in a way. She never cared about how loud she was, or how much she couldn't hear. Her cat jumped on the table, causing her to scream and unplug her headphones. Because of Arthur, the cat, Ameline noticed that /someone/ was on her porch.
"Oh, someone's at the door..."
Ji-hu stood there, waiting, staring at his watch and adjusting his tie. Smart move wearing a suit, Ji-hu. It was amazing he didn't hear Ameline's singing, but it was probably a good thing. Suddenly, the door flung open.
"/CAN'T YOU SEE I'M A BUSY WOM/-" Ameline, please. She only wished she was busy. It took her only but a moment to recognize who was at her door, cutting herself off. "Oh, hey King of the Lab." She grinned.
Ji-hu backed up a little, grinning and scratching the back of his head. "Hey, future Queen of the Lab."
A butterfly lightly fluttered its' wings in Ameline's stomach. "Well, thanks for dropping by. I suppose I can fit you in my schedule." She spun herself out of the way of the door. "You may pass!"
"Of course you can schedule me in, I am pretty handsome, who could resist?" He wiggled his eyebrows and entered, clearing his throat and placing the flowers on a table. "Uh, nice place you got here."
"Uh huh, because signs of attraction have /so/ much to do with it." She rolled her eyes, keeping back a laugh and closing the door. "And thanks! It actually used to be my grandparent's vacation home, but they moved to Florida for retirement and let me move into the place, so now I own it and cleared all the old people stuff out." She laughed.
"Of course it does- you're obviously attracted to my Korean Thunder. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Ji-hu grinned. "You actually house, dude, I live in an apartment. /Full of old women/. All they do is pinch my cheeks when I pass by!"
"You can't prove that." Ameline stuck her tongue out, but she wasn't necessarily proving her case. "Geah- my grandma used to do that. My grandparents still partially pay for the place. I'm just an author, I can't really afford it entirely quite yet." She rubbed the back of her head. "Can't get an apartment though, it'd be too small to handle me." She walked to her kitchen table, Ji-hu following behind.
"Obviously you're showing signs of attraction right now. Don't lie to me, I know you want a piece of the Korean." He winked. "And hey, apartments can be big, if you know what I mean." He once again wiggled his eyebrows- a trademark in a way. However, he himself didn't even know what he meant.
Ameline rolled her eyes. She couldn't hide the butterflies for long. "Whatever you say, 'Korean Thunder'." She sat on the table, resting her chin on her hands.
Ji-hu grinned, then paused. "Wait, hold up." He ran back to the table nearest to the door, grabbed the flowers, and ran back up to her, holding the bouquet out to her. "Here, for you."
Ameline grinned widely, taking them. "Oh, th-thank you!" She smelled them, sighing lightly. "I'll totally put these in my room later. Augh, that was so nice of you!"
Ji-hu grinned. "Hey, no problem. Pretty flowers for pretty girls." He laughed a bit, scratching the back of his head.
Ameline blushed a little, feeling another butterfly flying around in her stomach. "You're too sweet." She smiled a little softer, glancing to the side.
"Well, I'm glad you like them." Ji-hu said as he sat down on the chair in front of Ameline. "Or, y'know, I'd have to take the awkward walk of shame home." He smiled. 'What a cutie', he couldn't help but think.
"Nah, you wouldn't have to do that. It's not like I would kick you out or anything-" She was interrupted by her cat jumping up on the table, putting loudly. "Arthur, shut up." She frowned.
"Yeah, but it's pride, y'know? It kinda feels like a shot down if you didn't like the flowers." He pat his hand on the table, trying to get Arthur's attention. "It's name is Arthur?"
Hearing, or even having the thought of Ji-hu's pride being hurt, made Ameline's heart sink a little. Ouch. "Oh..." She said quietly.
Arthur, being the stuck up cat he is, jumped off the table and sat down on the floor, licking his paw, and flicking his tail at Ameline. Ji-hu picked him up off the ground and let him lay on his lab, gently petting him. Ji-hu was more of a cat person to begin with.
Ameline cleared her throat. "But yeah, I named him after this guy I used to know 'cause he nags me all the time and doesn't leave me alone. Both of them. I visited /Arthur/ Arthur yesterday and he got mad because I danced on his table. So I jumped out his second story window and accidentally ruined his flower bed." She stood up and spun around on the table, grinning with a somewhat determined look. "See, I'm not fat, I won't break it!" She rested her fists on her hips, a pose with obvious pride and confidence.
Ji-hu lightly scratched behind the cat's ears. "Well, I wouldn't mind if you got on my table and danced on top of it." He grinned like a five-year-old. "And you're not at all fat, I don't see why anyone would call you that."
"Bahh, of course you wouldn't." Ameline swiftly turned around, flashing her back to him, her face lightly dusted pink. "You'd enjoy the view too much." She cleared her throat. "And I dunno, maybe Arthur does it to bother me, and I guess other people just assume... But thanks." She shrugged, glancing at the floor.
"I already am enjoying the view, as it is." He kept grinning, petting the cat. "Mmm, I don't see it."
Ameline blushed wildly, putting a hand on her stomach, and another on her heart. As her stomach fluttered like crazy, her heartbeat quickened. She took a deep breath, waiting for her face to lose its' heat. She then turned back around and sat down cross-legged. "Th-thanks, I guess." She scratched the back of her head. Even though her cheeks didn't feel as warm, there was still an obvious shade of red. "Well, I don't get many visitors to begin with, so I guess people just don't pay much attention in public." Ameline rested her elbows on her knees, trying to make it look like that's all she was doing- resting her head, not hiding her face.
Ji-hu rested an elbow on the table. 'Seduction; 'tis the Korean way', he thought. "Hey, no problem." He winked, taking note when Ameline quickly covered the sides of her face, her shoulders slightly falling. Inside, he grinned crazily, like a small child. "Why not? I'm a little surprised. You're funny, pretty, and obviously a party person. I's think people would just flock to you." She almost wanted to tear out her stomach, the butterflies had gotten worse and worse to the point she had to try her hardest to hold a small noise in the back of her throat. She grabbed her stomach. Good lord, she wished he would stop. At the same time, she really didn't, but she didn't understand why this was happening; her heart pounding, her stomach having the most wild fluttering to the point butterflies could not describe it. "Aah, shut up you." She gave a small smile. "I just don't have too many friends, and I don't count Arthur- as in the person." Arthur, the cat, meowed loudly. She pointed at him. "You don't count either!"
Ji-hu lightly flipped his hair, because it was 'getting in the way'. He leaned his head on his hand with an oh-so-fainty-sly smile. "But you are all those things, you know. Even if you only have a few amount of friends."
Ameline's insides melted. The butterflies were gone, she could hardly feel he heart beating or breathe. 'He's so doing that on purpose'. The corner of her mouth twitched as she cleared her throat. Summoning up her courage, she grinned and rolled her eyes. "You're so full of baloney." He isn't winning the game, nope.
Ji-hu raised his arms, never without a smile. "I'm not, I promise you!"
Ameline's smile faded a little. "Ugh, you're... You're too nice. Just- Thank you. And, thanks for coming over. I mean, I didn't think you'd /actually/ do it." She frowned a moment, which quickly disappeared as well. "Not that you're intruding at all! You're /always/ welcome."
"Hey, don't worry about it." Ji-hu continued to pet Arthur's head. "I keep my promises, and hey, I'm actually really glad I came over. Hanging out with you, is fun." Charisma Status; Activated.
'Son of a fish', Ameline whined internally. 'Play it cool'. "Well, you're not too bad yourself, King of the Lab." She grinned, rolling her eyes.
Ji-hu screeched internally; Ameline was actually calling him 'King of the Lab'. "Well, thank you, Queen of the Lab." He grinned.
For some reason, something pushed Ameline, something overcame her and brought her to act on something that somehow, hadn't even crossed her mind. It was too busy buzzing over everything Ji-hu had said. And perhaps she did it because of all the butterflies, racing heart, and clouded thoughts being built up, and was no longer able to contain it.
Seeing as she was already sitting on the table, she leaned towards him a little and gently grabbed the sides of his head, lightly kissing his forehead. "You're welcome." She instantly sat back up straight.
At this, Ji-hu was definitely screaming inside, externally hyperventilating. He was so awe-struck, he could literally say nothing. "I- Okay."
Ameline couldn't say anything either. Like, what did she just do? Even she didn't know. So many words clogged the back of her throat, and at the same time, she couldn't speak a single one of them. She rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "Whoops." She said under her breath, her face a shade of scarlet.
Ji-hu sat there, still not able to say or do anything. What just happened, how would he respond to that? He just stayed in his seat, just staring at her- they were /both/ staring at each other. He had no idea what to do, and was trying to comprehend what he /should/ do, still screaming inside. Even he was blushing, a sight to rarely see. Meanwhile, Arthur stretched on Ji-hu's lap.
Ameline thought as hard as she possibly could. 'Think, Ammy, think! There's gotta be- but how do you just-'. Her thought process was interrupted by Arthur jumping off Ji-hu's lap and landing his paws loudly on the floor, prancing away. 'God dammit, Arthur-!'
Ji-hu watched as the cat ran off. 'Coward, I needed you!' He mentally shook his fist. He cleared his throat. "So, uh..." His attempt at speaking was only to find he still couldn't. Ameline didn't know what to say either, but this awkwardness and on-and-off silence was killing her.
Arthur flicked his tail at Ji-hu as if to say, 'Screw you, you're on your own'.
Finally, Ameline got the courage to say something- granted, anxiously. "I- I'm so sorry! You can leave if you want!" She groaned and laid back, then quite literally rolled off the table, landing on the carpet- lucky to avoid hitting any chairs.
Ji-hu was in a slight panic as well. "No, it's not that! It's just- god, I don't know how to say it." He cleared his throat. "Ehem, uh... Crap." He still couldn't, so he just sat in the chair, like a butt.
"This is why I don't have friends, I always end up ruining things or making things weird." Came her muffled reply, her face in the carpet as she groaned.
Ji-hu quickly got down and kneeled beside her. "No, I'm just-! You're a pretty girl, and you're cute, and you're funny, and you're friendly, and a bunch of other things! And I'm just an idiot!" He said, a tad loudly- as he was in a slight panic. 'Oops... Did I really just say all of that out loud?'
Ameline has silent a moment, blinking a few times, and she felt as if she had a heart attack. She sat up. "Yeah, well-! You're a handsome guy who's funny, friendly, charming, and dorky in a cute kind of way! And I'm really just a chick!" Ameline, this isn't an argument.
"Nonono, you listen here you cutie patootie! You're a beautiful, wonderful, perfect, you don't know you're beautiful girl!" Ji-hu, you didn't.
"Excuse you, I am not a cutie patootie! You make too much of me, okay, I'm just a clueless author who has too much energy for my own good and am extremely attracted to dorks, so hush you're perfect!" As Ameline was getting all these thoughts off of her chest, her heart beat faster again, but her butterflies vanished.
"Excuse me, but I'm pretty sure I'm at the house of a girl that's insecure, don't know what for, You're turning heads when you walk through the door! Don't need make-up to cover up, being the way that you are is enouuugh! Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you! Baby you light up my world like nobody else-!" Just as Ameline was singing at the top of her lungs earlier, it was Ji-hu's turn to do the same. Except in a more high-pitched and cracked voice.
Ameline literally didn't even know /what/ to do or say. He didn't just. She died inside, then blurted; "I just like you, okay!"
Ji-hu mentally screamed. "Well, I like you too, okay-?!"
"Well, good! Then that makes kissing you a lot less awkward!" She yelled nervously.
"Uh, yeah, I guess it does! Though technically it was just a kiss on the forehead- But whatever, am I right?!" The two of them were interrupted by the cat trotting in and hissing loudly, as to say; 'Quit screaming, I am trying to /n a p/!' Ji-hu immediately turned around and pointed at him. "Don't you dare sass me!"
Ameline slumped a little. "JesusChristArthurokAY!" She shot the cat a look that also read 'Go take a nap you lazy shit'.
"Hold up." Ji-hu rolled up his sleeves and got down on his hands and knees to get on Arthur's level, aggressively whispering. "You listen here, you little shit, I'm trying to have an honest to god moment right now-"
Arthur bat Ji-hu's nose, just bat it, his claws barely out. He then turned around to wave his behind in Ji-hu's face, flicking his tail, then pranced off to go curl up somewhere.
Ji-hu stayed frozen as he was for a moment, smiling widely, silent for a moment of two. "Do you wanna die, cat." He whispered quietly. Arthur simply began licking himself, signaling 'Carry on'.
Meanwhile, Ameline sits there and watches, somewhat amused by this interaction.
Ji-hu waved his fist at Arthur, getting pretty close to punching it. "I let you lay on my lap, you little shit!" He then turned to Ameline. "Oh, hey-"
Ameline gently grabbed his shoulders. "So, you like me, and I like you-"
Ji-hu paused, suddenly being confronted, not entirely sure what to do. He just sat there a moment, still on his knees. "Uh- yeah."
Ameline inched a little closer. "So, does that officially make me 'Queen of the Lab'?" She whispered, smiling a little.
"Well, will you be my Queen of the Lab?" Ji-hu shrugged, a little hopeful.
Ameline smiled wide. "Yeah, of course!" She wrapped her arms around him to hug him.
Ji-hu hugged her back, grinning. "Thank god."
Ameline let out a nervous 'Heh'. "Well, you're a really awesome guy and all, with you and your Korean Thunder."
Ji-hu loosened his arms and slipped out of the hug a little. "Well, I thought you didn't like me- /Even though I have the Korean Thunder/! You're pretty awesome yourself, y'know."
'Charismatic Butt', Ameline thought. In a good way, of course. She rolled her eyes and grinned. "Mhm, /irresistible/ Korean Thunder." Being the playful person she is, and with the hold on Ji-hu's shoulders, she lightly pushed him down, pinning him to the floor. "I try." She grinned, sticking her tongue out.
Ji-hu, realizing he /was/ being pinned to the floor, blushed like crazy. "What." All he can say. Good job, Ji-hu.
Ameline laughed. "You're so easy to just- anything."
"Well, you're pinning me to the ground, which I don't know how to deal with- /what/ am I supposed to do?!" His nervousness crystal clear.
Ameline rolled her eyes. "I'm just playing, silly! You don't need to do anything." She sat back up, staring at the ceiling in thought.
Ji-hu shot up, dusting himself off, taking a deep breath. Once he glanced at Ameline, he blinked. "Everything okay?"
Ameline's attention snapped back into reality. "Oh, yeah, of course!" She stood up. "Hey, um, Ji-hu?"
"Yeah?"
"I was wondering..." She fiddled with her thumbs. "If maybe you'd like to just... Stay for dinner?" She looked up hopefully.
Ji-hu grinned. "Yeah. I'd love to."