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Vacation

"So, is there any particular reason why you would want to spend our rare one-day vacation with me?" Allen asked casually, trailing behind Desdemona with his hands behind his head. He thought it was strange when she dragged him out of bed this morning and kidnapped him into town. However, according to his understanding of this girl, she would never do anything like this without a reason. Possibly there's something she wanted from him.

"Are you hungry?" She asked suddenly.

He frowned. Before he could answer, a loud grumbling noise came from his stomach and answered the question for him. He blushed.

Desdemona suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him along at great speed.

"Where are we going?" he cluelessly.

She didn't answer, just kept on walking.

Desdemona soon stopped in front of something that looked like tarp drapped over several trees. There were seats and tables beneath it and judging by the counters and "kitchen" (consisting of open-air barbecues, stoves and more counters), he guessed this was some form of restaurant. There were many people here, all gathered around something at the back of the 'Restaurant'.

She led him through the crowd and arrived in front of three large tables piled with plates and fried rice. Two of the tables were occupied by two macho men getting ready for something. Desdemona pushed him into the free table.

There was a small man with thick glasses holding a clipboard and the girl called him over. She gestured to Allen. "This guy can be called Beansprout."

Allen protested, but he was ignored.

While Dem and the small man was sorting out some paperwork, Allen looked around. There were banners everywhere that said 'The 100 Plate Challenge!' and judging by the amount of plates of fried rice on the table before him, he would guess he was entered in some sort of a challenge that requires eating 100 plates of fried rice...

Dem returned with a serious expression. "Eat those within 10 minutes and you don't have to pay." her eyes glowed and said so obviously. 'If you don't make it, I'll feed you to a pack of hungry wolves.'

Allen nodded and swallowed.

The small man stepped to the front. "Welcome to our three new challengers! This time their names all start with B! Beefy, Barby and Beansprout!"

The crowd cheered. "Good luck Beansprout!"

Out of instinct, Allen reacted. "It's ALLEN!" then he heard a snigger from the general direction of Desdemona. He pouted.

"Ready!" Allen turned to the front. He looked at the fried rice and remembered he was really, REALLY hungry.

"Go!"

Without a second thought, Allen began his usual devouring of food. He was hungry, so he must be eating pretty fast. Because the crowd fell silent as they watched him. Beefy and Barby also froze as they watched the Beansprout.

Not even 30 seconds passed and there was already a tall pile of empty plates. The crowd seemed to have found their energy again and cheered really loudly. Beefy and Barby remembered they had to eat too.

Desdemona smiled.

Soon enough, Allen finished his last plate and in a gentlemanly manner, lowered the spoon onto the table.

The small man with his watch pushed up his glasses in disbelief. The crowd fell silent as they waited. Even Beefy and Barby were gawking at Allen.

"This is unbelievable!" he said. "Exactly 5 MINUTES!"

This time, the crowd did the engulfing. Desdemona stood back with a satisfied smile, I knew some day he will be useful...

After a while, Allen still didn't surface. She sighed and pushed through the crowd and fished Allen out. The small man with glasses held onto Allen and got fished out with him.

Seeing the small man, she threw Allen away and smiled cordially at the man. "You can give the prize to me.

The man pushed up his glasses and pulled out a pair of half-fingered leather gloves. "Here you go, the 'Special-Edition-Combat-Gloves-Made-With-Premium-Leather-By-Specially-Skillful-Craftsman' prize!"

Desdemona smiled. Finally, she can finally get her hands on those gloves she's been eyeing for a long time. She reached out a hand to grab them but before she could, another hand snatched it away.

She turned and glared at Allen. He smiled at the shopkeeper (aka. small man with glasses), thanked him for the food and grabbed the girl's hand while pulling her out of the shop before either the crowd eats them alive or they drown in Beefy and Barby's tears. Desdemona frowned. She didn't even notice them crying but now she has, she regretted setting eyes on such shameful behaviour that made her get goosebumps.

After they finally escaped the restaurant and Allen stomped a few blocks away from it, he suddenly stopped and the girl bumped into his shoulder. He turned around to face her with an accusing expression.

They stared at each other for a while before Allen pulled out the gloves and held it in front of her face. "Is this why you brought me here?"

She blinked. "Of course. Are you so dense that you couldn't figure that out?"

He blinked. Shouldn't she be apologizing or denying the fact that she used him?

"So?"

"I won't give them to you."

"Fine." She shrugged.

He glared at her. Why is she so frustrating?

"I'm not going to give them to you!" He half-screamed.

"I know, you told me." She raised her eyebrows. "So can we just get on with going back? And stop waving them in front of my face and trying to slap me."

He fumed. "Don't you want them?"

"I do."

"Then is it alright if I don't give them to you?"

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

"IF YOU JUST APOLOGIZE FOR USING ME THEN I CAN GIVE THEM TO YOU!"

"Why should I apologize? I fed you."

"I HAVE NO USE FOR THESE STUPID GLOVES AND WHAT'S THE POINT OF ME KEEPING THEM AND NOT USING THEM WHEN YOU OBVIOUSLY WANT IT! BUT I CAN'T GIVE THEM TO YOU UNTIL YOU APOLOGIZE IDIOT!"

She smiled and pulled the gloves out of his hands swiftly. When he leaned forwards to take them back, she pecked him lightly on the lips. He froze, the blood that rushed to his face in anger was now joined by more blood, making his face redder than before. His heartbeat that was already fast with frustration now accelerated even more.

"Thank you. Love you." She said quietly before walking away.

Allen held a hand in front of his mouth. Inhaled through his nose and exhaled. Unconsciously, he smiled into his hand.

Idiot...