Zai kept making eye contact as we sipped the straws of our shared drink.
Sometimes I wish I could make him half as nervous as he makes me.
There was a musical performance by the staff in their kitty maid costumes, and to my surprise, they were singing heavy metal.
There was a light show, and rainbow fog covered the floor. When it was over, everyone in the room cheered, and some people went up to the stage to donate tips for the band.
"Do you want to donate?" Zai asked, leaning towards me.
I nodded, then he handed me some cash from his wallet.
"Then go ahead," he said sweetly.
I got up, feeling his eyes on me as I walked towards the stage.
When I dropped the money in the cup, the band members thanked me, but I think they'd have been more enthusiastic if they knew how much Zai had just left them.
After that, Zai made an order for the pudding I had before to be ready by tomorrow, and we headed home.
As expected, he was all over me as soon as we got home, not even allowing enough time for me to open the door.
I had just pulled the keys out of my purse when he hugged me from behind and pressed his lips against the nape of my neck.
I inhaled sharply and he hiked up my dress on the porch, making me drop the keys as he pinned me against the very door I was trying to open.
"Did you have a good time?" Zai whispered while pulling down my underwear.
"Zai?! We're almost inside..." I mumbled.
He bit my ear, and I squealed, shutting my eyes tight as I heard his pants coming undone.
"That's not the right answer this time... I need a yes or no."
"Yes!" I screamed.
This is something we'd never get to do back at the old place we shared with the others.
I'm so grateful for the isolation of our new home right now.
Zai held one of my legs up, and I pressed my hands against the door to steady myself while doing my best to stay quiet.
We may be alone, but we're still outside.
I'm glad our yard is too big for us to have any nearby neighbors.
I thought I had mentally prepared myself for whatever was coming when we returned home, but I was wrong.
I was already trembling five minutes into it. Zai kept a firm hold of me and continued regardless.
After finishing, he lowered my leg, stepped away, and said,
"We should go inside. Pick up the keys."
I was still flustered, and my legs were shaking as I crouched down to do as told.
Our door requires a passcode and a key to open from the outside.
So he pressed against my back as he entered the code. I swallowed hard, waiting until he was done before I turned the key.
Immediately after the door was open, he gently pulled me inside.
I thought we'd head upstairs, but instead, he undressed completely and pinned me against the door again, this time facing him.
"Sh-should I undress too?" I muttered, staring down.
That was a mistake, because I saw something that made more flustered than looking at his face.
"No... You look really cute in that dress," he answered.
Then he placed his fingers under my chin, tilting my head back up and kissing me before I could think of a reply.
I don't know how much time had passed when we finally separated, but I was sensitive all over and could only lie against him as he carried me to bed.
Once we got there he dared to say,
"Can you keep going?"
"N-no." I admitted weakly. I didn't have the energy to raise my voice at all.
Zai laughed and stroked my head.
"Fine... then I'll wait for you."
I guess this was the right time to say "No" to him.
After catching my breath, I fell asleep.
He helped me change into a nightgown, and without waking up completely, I snuggled up close to him.
When I woke up, Zai was downstairs cooking breakfast.
I know because I could smell it. My muscles were still sore, so I stayed in bed.
Thankfully, Zai came to bed with a tray. On it was a lovely plate of food and a pink rose, one of my favorite flowers.
"Good morning," he said, sitting beside me and pecking my forehead.
"Good morning," I replied nervously... "Have you already eaten?"
"I'll eat when I'm hungry... I've been eating with you a lot lately. So I have an overabundance of energy stored up. I'm going to take a day off," Zai explained.
Oh yeah... he doesn't need food as much as I do. I picked up my fork and took a bite of my omelet, and as soon as the food was inside my mouth, Zai's lips were on my neck.
I jolted, but he paid no heed to that and started rubbing his tongue against me and sucking on my neck.
At that very second, the doorbell rang.
I relaxed and Zai clicked his tongue before going downstairs to answer it.
I scarfed down my food as quickly as possible while I had the chance.
When I got dressed and finally managed to come downstairs, I saw that our guests were Valin and RJ.
"Wow... against the front door?" RJ noted, then he looked at me, cleared his throat, and changed the subject, "We need you to interview a few new people, the sooner the better."
Did he just read my thoughts?! How mortifying!
"Hey, Snowe! I can tell you had a long night," Valin called.
I blushed from embarrassment and Zai flicked him.
Valin shouted, "What?! I'm just being honest!" Then he pouted and mumbled to himself before pulling out his phone.
"Can you guys come back in an hour... no... closer to three hours?" Zai asked while glancing in my direction.
He gazed at me amorously.
I flinched, because I still haven't recovered from yesterday.
His brothers turned toward me, so I finished coming down the stairs to stand at Zai's side. He promptly took my hand then pulled it to his mouth to kiss my fingers.
"No... I'll need five hours," he murmured.
Why does he keep asking for more time?!
"We already scheduled the interviews for three PM," RJ announced, with his eyes locked on me.
I feel like I'm under a ton of pressure right now!
Zai groaned before kissing me passionately, just as he would if we were alone.
Even going so far as to grip my butt with both hands before pulling away and laying his forehead on mine.
"Go upstairs, I'll be done soon," he murmured.
My body felt hot.
Thankfully, RJ was no longer looking at me and Valin was on his phone.
I nodded and left the room as quickly as I could.
◇ ◇ ◇
Meanwhile, Zai got out his laptop and started up the program they use for virtual interviews.
Zai is the best suited for social interactions and character judgment, so this job usually falls on him.
The first interview lasted fifteen minutes, and when it was over, Zai said,
"I don't like him," RJ nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, and his work is mediocre at best," Valin added,
"When's the next one?" Zai asked RJ, who said,
"In ten minutes."
Which made Zai groan.
"This is so annoying!" Zai grumbled.
"It's only an hour of work," Valin remarked, and Zai flicked him and said,
"Who asked you?!"
Valin pouted and rubbed the spot where he got hit.
"We let you go on vacation and handled a lot on our own while you were gone. Plus, you've got to spend a lot of time with Snowe; you must want a break by now," RJ noted.
"Not at all..." Zai replied.
Valin gasped in shock, saying,
"You have to want space sometimes... I mean, doesn't she do anything to annoy you?"
"Well..." Zai began, "Sometimes she mentions other guys, and that can be pretty annoying."
"See!" Valin shouted knowingly.
"Like if she asks me how you two are doing, I use my d*ck to stop her from thinking of anyone but me. The annoyance goes away after that," Zai muttered it matter-of-factly.
His brothers got quiet.
Neither of them dared to comment, then a few moments later there was a notification of the arrival of the next interviewee in the chatroom.
Both brothers quickly composed themselves and put on professional smiles.
After that interview ended, RJ said,
"She sounds easier to get along with."
Zai leaned back in his desk chair.
"I'm not sure about hiring a woman, though," he admitted.
"Why not?" RJ asked,
""Because... you're likely to sleep with her, and Valin will probably offend her. That's an HR headache waiting to happen," Zai explained.
RJ stayed quiet, but then Valin jumped in, saying,
"I can get along with people so much better now!" while shaking Zai by the shoulders, "I'll never succeed if you have so little faith in me!"
"Well... even if you're not tired of being around her, you should come to hang out with me someday. It's boring with just Valin around," RJ muttered calmly.
Valin paused in shaking Zai and his eyes teared up.
Zai stared at him uncomfortably and flinched when Valin shouted,
"Ouch!? Nice to know you don't enjoy my company!"
Zai cut his eyes towards RJ and sat quietly for a few moments before responding,
"I'll decide after the last interview."
"Sounds good," RJ replied.
"Are you just going to ignore me?" Valin yelled.
Without giving him a response, RJ initiated the next virtual meeting.
Even after the last applicant, it was decided unanimously that the second was the best fit for the team.
"I'm glad that's over. She has her own team of five who will be joining her. I think we'll be finished with the demo in only two more months, now," Valin admitted with a smile.
"I'm glad too... I need to speak to RJ alone. I'll see you later, Valin."
Valin looked between both his brothers before packing up his documents and computer.
"Gotcha, I'm gone," he said before leaving.
"So... best friend. What did you say to Snowe after the movie?" Zai continued.
RJ looked away and thought about his words carefully before replying,
"I implied that, if she wanted me, I'd make a move on her."
The room got quiet again.
"Do you really think that was okay?" Zai questioned, and RJ scratched his head before saying,
"I wasn't thinking... I was having so much fun... I shouldn't have said it. It won't happen again."
Zai scoffed.
"You're right, it won't," he retorted.
"Wait, don't be mad at me! I can't lie, that means if there's a 1% chance I'd make a move, I'd have to say yes! The temptation is still there, but you bonded with her so I... I would hold back even if she wanted me..." RJ coughed, and his breathing got ragged. "There's an 85% chance I'll hold back!" he corrected. His symptoms slowly started to subside, so it was clear he was now being truthful.
"That's why I did the binding ritual with her, because I knew you'd back off if my life was in danger. And... because you know how much time we spent together to perform the ritual. That alone would make it clear how committed she is to me," Zai muttered.
RJ was dumbstruck,
"... I thought it was because you were in love with her... do you know how risky that pact is?! If either of you has an affair... you'd both die..."
Zai shushed him and then looked at the stairs to make sure they were still alone.
"Of course I did it because I love her, but I also needed extra insurance to keep the rest of you away. I know how you are... the second her thoughts turned to you, you'd have to make a move on her. It's the only situation in which I can't trust you," he confessed.
RJ smiled defiantly.
"Ah... I guess I still can't resist those dark impulses. I am trying, though."
Zai sighed.
"I'm not okay with you two being alone together anymore if you're fine with that... I'll make more time for you, outside of work. All of us should hang out more, too," Zai suggested calmly.
RJ pondered this compromise momentarily and said,
"Fine... It's not like she ever thinks about anything except you anyway. There was one week I couldn't read her mind at all. I thought you taught her how to mask her thoughts, but I've had no trouble at all lately."
"... Oh... That's strange," Zai replied, acting as though he was just as lost as his brother.
Even though he clearly knew that her mind was protected by the White Rabbit's energy during that week.
"I understand... if she chose you instead of me, I'd also try to win her over, but, that being said, if you disrespect me again... I won't be so easygoing," Zai declared, his voice cold as ice.
"If you want to fight, I'd prefer to get it out of the way... now," RJ replied, meeting Zai's gaze directly.
At that moment, Snowe came downstairs, interrupting their conversation. She smiled brightly at them as she said,
"I'm not trying to interrupt... I was just thirsty."
Zai left his brother's side and embraced her, and then he held her hand to walk with her into the kitchen.