Chapter 84

NINI’S RANDOM QUESTIONS (MINI SERIES)

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Three weeks later, the apartment had returned to its usual rhythm.

Sunlight stretched lazily across the floor, dust particles floating like tiny galaxies in the air. Somewhere in the kitchen, a kettle clicked softly as it cooled.

Lisa was sitting on the floor this time, cross-legged, trying to assemble something that looked like it was either a storage rack or a small modern art disaster. A screwdriver was tucked behind her ear, and her expression was deeply serious—like the fate of humanity depended on tiny screws.

Jennie walked in quietly.

Too quietly.

Lisa didn’t look up. “If you’re about to ask me if I need help, the answer is no. If you’re about to judge me, also no.”

Jennie said nothing.

That alone made Lisa pause.

She slowly lowered the screwdriver and glanced up. “Why do I feel like I’m about to get emotionally ambushed again?”

Jennie was standing by the doorway, hands behind her back. Calm face. Soft eyes. Suspiciously calm.

Lisa narrowed her eyes. “Jennie…”

Jennie walked closer.

Lisa instinctively leaned back a little. “Okay, last time you did that you accused me of cheating. I’m not emotionally ready for round two.”

Jennie blinked. “I didn’t accuse you.”

“You asked if I was cheating. There’s a difference but also it felt like emotional warfare.”

Jennie ignored that entirely and sat down right in front of her.

Lisa sighed. “Alright. Hit me.”

Jennie tilted her head slightly, thinking very carefully—as if this question had been in development for days.

Then she asked, completely serious:

“Would you love me if I’m a mosquito?”

Silence.

Lisa slowly put the screwdriver down.

Very slowly.

Like she needed both hands free for whatever emotional disaster this was going to be.

“…A mosquito,” Lisa repeated.

Jennie nodded once. “Yes.”

Lisa stared at her. “Like… the insect.”

“Yes.”

“The one that bites people at 3 a.m. and ruins lives.”

Jennie nodded again, unbothered. “That one.”

Lisa blinked twice.

Then leaned back on her hands, processing.

“Jennie,” she said carefully, “why are you a mosquito?”

Jennie shrugged slightly. “Hypothetically.”

Lisa squinted. “That’s not a normal hypothetical.”

Jennie didn’t respond. Just waited.

Lisa exhaled through her nose, trying very hard not to laugh yet. “Okay. Let me think about this very seriously.”

Jennie nodded like this was a legal discussion.

Lisa tapped her finger against her knee. “So… if you were a mosquito.”

“Yes.”

“And you still had your personality.”

Jennie tilted her head. “Do mosquitoes have personality?”

Lisa pointed at her immediately. “You do. So yes.”

Jennie considered that. “Okay.”

Lisa continued, more dramatically now. “You would fly around dramatically. Probably at night. Probably when I’m trying to sleep.”

Jennie didn’t deny it.

Lisa squinted harder. “You would also ignore every warning sign and still try to bite me specifically.”

Jennie looked away slightly. “…Maybe.”

Lisa nodded slowly. “So basically you would already be you, just with wings and illegal behavior.”

Jennie’s lips twitched.

Lisa noticed that immediately. “Ah. You’re smiling. That means this is a trap question.”

Jennie shook her head lightly. “It’s not a trap.”

Lisa leaned closer. “Jennie… you once asked me if I was cheating because I smiled at capybaras. I don’t trust your innocent questions anymore.”

Jennie sighed softly, then admitted, “I was just thinking.”

Lisa softened a little at that.

She leaned back again, more relaxed now. “Okay. Fine. I would still love you.”

Jennie looked at her immediately. “Even as a mosquito?”

Lisa nodded. “Even as a mosquito.”

Jennie blinked. “Why?”

Lisa tilted her head like it was obvious. “Because you’d still be you.”

Jennie didn’t respond right away.

Lisa continued, a little more gently now. “And honestly? If you were a mosquito, I’d just be slightly annoyed all the time but still let you exist in my life.”

Jennie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Slightly?”

Lisa paused. “Okay. Moderately annoyed.”

Jennie nodded like that was acceptable.

Lisa smirked. “But I’d probably still protect you from bugspray. Which is ironic.”

Jennie leaned in a little. “You’d protect me?”

Lisa shrugged. “Of course. Even mosquito-you. I’d just complain while doing it.”

That earned a soft laugh from Jennie this time—small, but real.

She shifted closer, resting her shoulder lightly against Lisa’s knee.

Lisa glanced down at her, then softened even more. “Can I ask you something now?”

Jennie nodded.

Lisa pointed at her. “Are you feeling emotionally weird again, or are we just doing insect philosophy today?”

Jennie thought for a moment. “Both.”

Lisa sighed dramatically. “I should’ve known.”

Jennie smiled slightly. “You answered fast last time. I was curious if your answer changed.”

Lisa reached out and gently tapped Jennie’s forehead. “My answer doesn’t change that fast. I’m not a software update.”

Jennie blinked.

Lisa added, “You’re stuck with me. Mosquito version, human version, whatever weird thing your brain invents next.”

Jennie’s expression softened.

She leaned a little closer now, voice quieter. “Good.”

Lisa raised an eyebrow. “Good?”

Jennie nodded. “I like that answer.”

Lisa stared at her for a second, then sighed again—but this time fondly.

“Yeah,” she muttered. “Me too.”

And then she picked up the screwdriver again, muttering under her breath:

“Though if you do turn into a mosquito, I’m making you help me assemble furniture as punishment.”

Jennie, very calmly:

“I will bite you.”

Lisa smiled. “Yeah. Sounds about right.”