LOVER MONSTER!
87. A present.

Just a lightweight interlude chapter, a relaxed chapter first before the character on the blow.wkwkwkwkwk.gak, more precisely, this fills the approach period Demian and Jessica first anyway. Getting to know each other more deeply and understand each other after the previous misunderstanding mulu.

Sooo, although this approach phase is rather light and not grim, this is still an important part of the story.

Enjoy and happy reading 😚

...****************...

Jessica's interest in unboxing her gifts receded to her big toe when Demian left. Jessica's mind became fixated on Demian, instead of on the stack of presents that were in front of her right now.

Jessica was worried about Demian, actually. Recalling Demian's story last night, Jessica became quite concerned about the man.

Jessica could not imagine that if she was in Demian's position, she might end up becoming a demon. Jessica might end up slaughtering her own family or worse, getting slaughtered in the process. Jessica was amazed and saluted to Demian who chose to leave her family.

At least, Jessica thought, the man didn't contract his family's insanity.

"Now...., should I do this?" Jessica murmured while pulling one gift that was in the top pile. A name that is quite familiar is etched on the business card attached to the gift.

"Happy birthday, Jessy. May you always be given good things. Do not forget to rest and always prioritize your health. Love, Ethan."

Jessica smiled as she read the message there. To be honest, Jessica felt that the greeting letters she received were more valuable than the stuff wrapped in the beautiful gift paper.

After reading Ethan's greeting card, Jessica also ripped the gift paper that covers the gift of her baristas friend. Inside, neatly folded, a coffee-colored knit sweater.

"Aawww, this is so cute..." Jessica was so impressed by the gift Ethan gave her. Maybe because soon into the fall, Ethan gives a sweater that suits Jessica's own outfit. Jessica is so happy.

After opening Ethan's gift, Jessica then opened other gifts that some have greeting cards, some more just a gift and the name of the giver written on the package.

Some of the gifts contain scarves, vintage photo frames, gloves, snack boxes, vitamins, aesthetic table lamps and some more are unique items that are not defined as useful. Well, maybe some of it is a room display? Who knows.

"Welcome old, I hope you find your soul mate soon. Xo, Miura's."

"This chocolate box I bought in Belgium, a very special place. My parents and I went on vacation there last week. I bought this for me, but since you've never tasted chocolate from Belgium, I gave it to you. Happy birthday to you. Your lawyer friend, Samuel."

"Rest more. Dani."

"I hope it suits your taste. Your dear friend, Ellie."

One by one, Jessica read the contents of the greeting cards listed along with the gifts she had received. Some of the ones Jessica read were gifts from her close friends, and well, there were Miura and Samuel as well.

Jessica was about to drip her eyes when she read Samuel's message. Jessica did not know if the man had given her this box of chocolate or not. He's a showman!

"Now..." Jessica glanced at some of the gifts that had not yet opened. One of them, a gift in a giant goodie bag, Jessica believes is a gift from Janette. Jessica became curious, so she reached for the goodie bag and took out the contents.

At that moment, in the goodie bag that Janette gave me, a large gift box, large enough and heavy, was taken out by Jessica with difficulty. After opening the ribbon, Jessica lifted the lid from the gift box.

Inside, a pair of pink shoes are arranged in a beautiful pink with satin scarves wrapped around the rope. Jessica's jaw dropped open, gaped as she read the brand name attached to the bag. Seriously, Jessica believes the bag is more expensive than Elixir's weekly turnover.

"Is he serious?" Jessica put the bag away nervously. "Waaah, I'm almost hanging..."

Instead of being amazed and carefree, Jessica receives a gift from Janette with horror. Jessica didn't know what to do with the bag. I mean Jessica, to wear an expensive bag, she also has to have clothes that support that bag, right?

Jessica who more often shop for clothes in online shops that sell goods with local brands not famous, used goods, will not be confident wearing a genuine branded bag.

"She should have given me chocolate instead" Jessica said, monologuing with Janette's gift of caution on the table.

Turning away from Janette's gift, Jessica reached for a goodie bag containing a black gift box with a golden ribbon. Jessica stared at the gift long enough because she had forgotten who the sender was. Because there was no greeting card outside the box, Jessica opened the contents first. Inside, a bottle of wine, chocolate setoples and two glasses of wine were framed beautifully and sumptuously.

A greeting card is in the corner of the box.

"I hope you like my gift, Jessica. By, E.B." Jessica read the message and her forehead immediately linked to one.

"Erthian Bellamy?" jessica asked herself. True as well, Jessica remembered the man handed her this gift.

"Aaaah, that's amazing, yeah. I can't believe he gave me a gift too. Who invited him?"

As Jessica wondered, the door to her room then opened from the outside. Someone, more precisely Demian, walked into the room while throwing a glance at Jessica who was sitting cross-legged on the sofa. The wrapping paper was piled up near his feet, torn and messy.

"You're back" Jessica said, surprised that Demian and Erthian's meeting ended quickly. Jessica thinks Demian won't be back until later tonight, or worse, tomorrow.

"It's so fast."

"I don't know two hours is fast but.., I don't want to linger talking to him."

"Eh, it's been two hours?" Jessica was too cool to open her gift until she did not realize that it was half ten in the morning. "So.., hey, the tumbens you're getting in normally. You usually go in through the balcony."

"Why do I have to enter through the balcony if I have obtained permission to enter through the front door of your room, normally?"

"Let's see, I'm used to seeing you as a criminal." Jessica's smile blooms.

Demian sauntered over to Jessica while picking up some of the scattered wrapping paper on the floor. Demian was about to throw the contents into the trash can near the kitchen, but, when he opened the trash can using his feet, he opened it, a pair of Demian's dark irises widened when he found several empty beer bottles piling up there.

Demian's memory instantly returns to the coin Jessica gave him. The coin is still a mystery in Demian's head to this day.

'Jessica...., she didn't go back on her old habits, did she?' Demian wondered as she peered at Jessica who was now opening another gift.

Demian was worried about Jessica. Demian realizes he has hurt the girl with his actions, and unfortunately, Demian does not know how to make amends.

"Demian," call Jessica.

"Yes?"

"You may not know, but I have a gift from Erthian."

"Huh?" Hearing Jessica's remark, Demian immediately darted onto the sofa. He stared at the piles of Jessica gifts that had been opened and neatly placed on the table. "What did he give you?"

If it was Erthian, Demian could not believe that his brother would give Jessica anything normal.

"He gave me wine" Jessica said. "That's, that's in the black box."

"I know what you're thinking, but I don't think he meant anything." Jessica interrupted the questioning that stuck in Demian's head right then and there. "It's a pretty normal gift, actually."

The problem was, Erthian was not normal. Demian could not help but be wary of his demon brother.

"I'll throw it away" Demian said later. "You mustn't touch anything Erthian gives. Trust me before you regret anything."

"Well..." Jessica looked at Demian and sniffed her shoulders in response. "Do as you please, he's your brother."

Jessica was also not very concerned about Erthian's wine giving. If there's anything Jessica likes about her gifts then...,

"Waaaah.." jessica grinned. "When did he send it? When?"

"When what?" ask Demian, astonished.

"This.., look!" Jessica showed me a pink perfume box that was now in her grasp. "This is a gift from Oscar Brown. Cool, right? Oh, my God, when I don't remember inviting her. I mean.., I don't have her contacts or anything. Huhuhu, I'm so moved."

"It's amazing, yeah. How can you be enthusiastic about the gift of another man?"

Jessica raised her eyebrows next to. "What's the problem? Oscar is like a superhero to me. He's my friend now, too. Of course I'm glad I got a gift from him."

"You talk like you've ever met."

"We met a lot" Jessica said. His response made Demian's eyes almost jump out of his socket.

"WHAT?" Since when?

"You may not know, but Oscar is a regular on Elixir." Jessica gave an explanation while putting the Oscar prize on the table, adjacent to Janette's prize.

"I'm so glad I got to know him. He is a very wise man. His face is handsome too."

"Let's just say you want to compliment her handsome face" Demian said, a little sour. How could Jessica praise a handsome Oscar? The snake man was so ugly in Demian's eyes, his personality was competing badly with Erthian!

"He's good-looking, indeed" Jessica replied, deliberately heating up Demian. He picked up another gift and gasped as he read his card. "Aaaww, this is Jake."

"Haaah, what did he give you?" Demian go ahead first.

Just look out for Jake's better gift than his, Demian will throw the guy's gift out the balcony.

"Patience.." said Jessica. He becomes a bit sewed when Demian sits next to him and takes hold of Jake's gift. "Why are you so curious?"

After jockeying for Jake's gift with Demian, Jessica finally manages to unlock Jake's gift. The gift that the man gave immediately made Jessica stunned, Demian next to Jessica was also stunned.

"Is he crazy?" Demian muttered, voicing a question. "Is he crazy?" repeated again.

"Shut up for a minute" Jessica said, although she agreed with Demian. Is Jake crazy?

Why would Jake give her a necklace with a diamond pendulum? She's not the woman from the Titanic movie, for God's sake!

"Haaa, I now understand why Angela left him. He must be a guy who likes to show off treasures."

"Why are you so cynical? At least Jake gave me a present, you didn't give me anything at all, oh, you messed up my party last night." Jessica protested Demian's words with a displeased expression.

"I'm giving you something!"

"What?"

Demian-moved off the couch-and pulled her card from the pile. The only gift that is dented and musty. The package is not so neat either.

"It's..." Demian raises her card in front of Jessica and when she sees her card condition returning, Demian becomes insecure. "Don't look from the packaging." Demian said immediately.

"This.., your card?" Jessica was a little amazed.

"Do you think I'll come to your show without any presents."

"Well, you're not like the man who would give anyone a gift."

"No, no" responded Demian. He put his ass back on the couch, close to Jessica. A pair of Demian's dark irises shone towards Jessica who was now flipping through her card box curiously. "I'm just giving you a gift."

"Should I praise you romantically?" Jessica asked as she returned Demian's gaze, a witty smile imprinted on her face.

"There's no need to say what you've been thinking."

"Eeeeww, I hope this isn't something perverted."

Demian. "You really underestimated me, huh? Did I have that serum in your brain?"

"Not just in my brain," Jessica said, tearing up Demian's gift. "You are also perverted in reality."

After tearing up Demian's gift paper, Jessica found a green jewelry box behind the wrapping. "Are you giving me jewelry, Demy...."

Jessica looked at Demian with a whimper playing on her mobile face, mocking the now-flavored Demian.

"Just open it" he said.

According to Demian's words, Jessica opened the gift and found a circular bracelet inside. Elegantly designed bracelets with emerald gems become the decoration.

"That's.., I saw it a few weeks ago and thought it was right for you." Demian said clumsy. He felt somewhat embarrassed when his gift was exposed before Jessica's eyes. Demian doesn't know what Jessica thinks of her gift, Demian just wishes Jessica hadn't laughed at her.

"It's not as fancy as Jake's giving but...,"

"I love it." cut Jessica off, Demian spontaneously turned to her. "I like him a lot. Thank you." Thank you."

...****************...

Ps. Gift Demian.