Chapter 25: Chapter 25

Yes.

Last night he said it out loud and clearly, asking Edward to let him stay over at his apartment. He needed a distraction, at least for his feelings for Hazel to completely disappear. Forgetting for a moment, his reason for coming to Cirillo City. And he thought Edward could help him distract his mind. And the next day he would return to his activities as usual with the burden of the problem half lifted. Even though Edward agreed to let him stay the night, he did not attempt to do anything to him, because as soon as they arrived at Edward's apartment, the man kept quiet. Talked briefly to him, then opened the spare mattress that was kept in the closet and let him sleep on Edward's bed while the man slept on the mattress. Then sleep after saying goodnight, even though it was still early to sleep.

Not even mentioned about their kiss.

‘Already awake?’

Edward gave a big yawn with his bed head, approaching Raymond who had been awake since fifteen minutes ago and preparing breakfast, with his half-closed eyes walking towards the dining table which was only enough to accommodate two people. The dining table alone was actually very unsuitable with this apartment size as if the interior designer of this apartment was putting a table that did not match the size of this apartment for the finishing touch to give the impression of having a dining room. If the designer chose a smaller and minimalist table, this apartment would be more spacious. Not only the dining table, but almost all of the furniture in this place were actually more suitable for a spacious family apartment, not for a cramped apartment that is only enough for a maximum of two people. He understood now, his strange feeling when he first came to Edward's apartment.

‘Yes. I've made breakfast for us,’ Raymond put the last plate of his cooking on the table. In this way, the breakfast menu was complete. ‘But I only found a few ingredients in the refrigerator, so this is all I can cook.’

Edward was no longer sleepy now. His eyes looked at the results of his cooking, amazed. ‘It's okay. I rarely shop for groceries. This is more than enough. Can I eat now?’

‘Yes.’

Edward looked pleased. That man's hand immediately grabbed the empty plate that Raymond had prepared, then took one by one the food he had cooked earlier and ate all of them without hesitation. He approached him, wanting to know what Edward's reaction would be. Hazel would have eaten it slowly, very gracefully, given her calm personality.

‘Delicious. Very delicious!’

Without realizing it, he smiled. Then when he realized, he immediately closed his lips so that the man would not find out. ‘Good. Then I also eat.’

He took his plate, filled it with the food he made, and joined in with the meal, occasionally glanced at Edward who seemed not to realize it.

‘Lucky for you, Hazel,’ Edward swallowed his food, then looked at his plate, smiling. ‘You can eat this delicious food every day...’

Was this a good time to ask the reason why Edward kissed him? He swallowed hard.

‘Manager—’

‘Hm? Ah, about that?’ Edward stroked the back of his neck, looking embarrassed. ‘Sorry, I kissed you out of sudden. You don't like it, right? Let's just assume it never happened.’

‘That's not what I meant—’

Edward ignored him. The man finished his food, then walked to the kitchen. ‘We better get ready now or we’ll be late.’

He sighed, giving up to push Edward and continue eating the breakfast. It seemed like Edward did not want to talk about that for now. Maybe he should be waiting.

***

Raymond had just finished delivering orders and getting ready to take a break before he changed clothes and went straight to the Umberbridge mansion. He heard Hazel’s voice from behind. He turned around to find the woman somehow looked relieved when he saw her.

‘Hey,’ he said, awkwardly. He did not know what kind of response he should make. To make it even worse, he did not tell Hazel last night he stayed over at Edward's place.

‘Hey,’ Hazel replied, just as awkward as him. The woman looked restless. Her eyes moved to another direction, trying to avoid him. ‘Are you alright?’

He nodded.

‘Good. I think something happened to you again. You didn’t come home or text me,’ Hazel looked down as if she were considering whether to speak her mind or not. Honestly, he was not actually ready to talk to Hazel. He did not know what to do now.

‘Is there anything you want to talk about?’

The question just left his lips which he regretted immediately afterwards. Why did he even ask questions that he was not even ready to hear himself? But seeing Hazel's reaction earlier, it seemed like it was the right question. There was something Hazel seemed to want to talk to him.

‘About the day before yesterday…’ Hazel looked at him, doubtful.

‘Yes?’

‘Since we are not a lover anymore, can we still—'

‘Yes, Hazel. We can be friends again if that's what you want. No problem,’ Raymond interrupted Hazel's words. Yes, he knew this would happen soon. And this was precisely what he wanted to avoid. He was still not ready to say goodbye to Hazel. He still wanted to be with Hazel. Still wanted to stroke her hair. Still wanted to hear Hazel nagging him when he was sick because he was caught smoking and not taking his medicine. He missed everything.

‘Thanks, Raymond,’ Hazel looked relieved to hear his answer. ‘Are you going home?’

‘Not. After this, I have to go to my other job, visit Amanda. To make sure she's fine.’

‘Oh, okay. If you need help, just say so. Let me help. I-I mean, about Amanda’s matters. Or about the investigation—’

‘You don’t need to do that. I can do it alone.’

There was a slight disappointment on Hazel's face when he quickly rejected Hazel's offer. Not that he did not want to, but he was not ready with that, because that meant getting Hazel into his messy situation. It was enough that his managers got involved because of his carelessness. And Thyme. He did not want to involve Hazel either. He wanted this woman who was still standing in front of him to be safe and enjoy her life as ordinary people.

‘I-I'll be back first. I still have work to do.’ Hazel turned her back. The woman's voice was trembling as she said this, and he could tell that she was trying hard to stop herself from crying. His hand was about to pull her into his arms, hugging her tightly so that she would not cry. He wanted to, but could he do that, while he was no longer her boyfriend?

If it was from a friend, it should not be a problem, right?

‘I feel you still think of me as a stranger. Not as a girlfriend’

Hazel's words came back to his mind. His hands moved automatically, holding Hazel's wrists from leaving. ‘Wait.’

‘Yes?’ said Hazel, without facing him.

‘Ah, that…’ suddenly he was at a loss for words. Since his body was moving on its own before he could think, he tried hard to find the right words to say to Hazel so that she would still be with him. Finally, he gave up after his brain could not find the right words, taking his hands off Hazel who was now walking away from him without even looking. He growled, annoyed at himself.

***