Chapter 53

Waking up early in the morning, Edward felt the tiredness slowly fade away. As he yawned and prepared to get up, the soft light of dawn coming through the slightly open curtains made him aware of an uncomfortable feeling.

The room was gradually getting brighter and warmer as the morning sun started to filter in, bringing a sense of calm.

Then, all of a sudden, he felt limbs pressing against him.

Edward was stunned for a moment, his mind struggling to comprehend the sudden closeness and the unexpected touch.

He blinked his eyes, a jumble of confusion and surprise sweeping through his mind, making it increasingly difficult to process and make sense of the situation.

Then, in an instant, it all made sense—the confusion lifted, and the pieces fell into place, like a light switch flipping on in his mind.

The rush of memories from the previous night overwhelmed him, leaving him stunned, trying to make sense of the unfolding events.

"... that's what happen?"

At that moment, he just wished Patricia would leave his apartment. It was clear from her subtle actions—like the way she moved closer or the lingering glances she exchanged. The attempts at closeness painted a vivid picture. Anyone could see she was into him, and he found himself increasingly uncomfortable with the situation, uncertain how to handle it.

As for the reasons behind her interest?

Edward wasn't entirely sure, If he were to be honest, he didn't believe Patricia had romantic feelings for him.

At most, its more like an admiration.

Maybe it was how he presented himself: confident, financially secure, and handling situations gracefully that drew her interest.

The ongoing teasing by their classmates, insinuating a budding romance, might have subconsciously influenced her, leading to a misconception of romantic feelings.

Edward understood this point well.

That's why, when he noticed her intentionally showing signs of interest, he kept ignoring them, not wanting her to jump to conclusions or assume something.

That's also why he intentionally pretended to be interested in Honey's story and accepted her offer to hang out, making it clear in front of her.

He wished to shatter her illusion.

He wanted her to recognize that she wasn't truly into him.

Then, after that, they could return to being regular friends. She would continue being his everyday assistant, an ordinary helper, their relationship unchanged despite the fleeting illusion of romance.

That has always been planned..

But last night, as he gazed into her eyes, he felt an undeniable enchantment.

In that moment, he found himself momentarily entranced, causing him to falter and forget his original plan.

"Damn," Edward groaned helplessly, careful not to disturb her.

He carefully untangled the limbs that were around him and slowly slid out of the bed, not wanting to disturb her peaceful sleep.

Glancing at the clock on the wall not far away, it was 5:05 AM, just as he had expected.

It had become his standard body clock, a routine he'd ingrained over the past week.

After months of following this routine, his brain had become skilled at establishing a wake-sleep cycle.

The consistent and disciplined approach to his sleep schedule had honed his internal clock, ensuring a smooth transition between slumber and wakefulness.

No matter when he went to bed, whether at 6 PM or midnight, he would consistently wake up around 5 in the morning.

After changing into comfortable clothes, he headed to the kitchen, made a simple breakfast for two.

After enjoying breakfast, he left the apartment and headed to the nearby park.

Starting his usual morning routine, he began his run along the familiar trail.

The rhythmic thud of his footsteps fell into a natural cadence, blending with the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant hum of the waking city, creating a harmonious scene.

As the minutes ticked away, the sky underwent a subtle transformation. It shifted from its nocturnal shroud to a gradual brightening, signaling the arrival of a new day.

The first gentle light of dawn began to appear on the horizon, gradually gaining strength and painting the sky with pastel hues.

Then, the sun emerged, peeking over the eastern edge of the world.

Its golden rays stretched across the land, chasing away the remnants of darkness and bathing everything in a warm, inviting light.

At around 6:30, Edward returned home. As he stepped inside, he noticed Patricia had already been up.

In the kitchen, Patricia stood barefoot, wearing an oversized T-shirt, her hair tousled and her face free of glasses.

Her movements were a bit awkward, her steps hesitant, as she went about the morning ritual of preparing a cup of coffee.

She was struggling to move, and as he entered the kitchen, she froze in an awkward position while reaching for the sugar on the countertop.

"I, I can't reach it," she said, her voice hesitant. After a brief pause, she mustered the courage to ask him for help.

"O-okay," Edward replied, holding back a chuckle at her momentary struggle. He reached over and got the sugar for her, then proceeded to brew himself a cup of coffee.

Afterward, they settled at the dining table, the gentle clinking of the spoon blending with the aroma of coffee, creating a subtle ambiance that carried a touch of lingering unease.

Patricia nervously played with her spoon, stealing occasional glances towards Edward.

The silence grew, thick with unspoken words, until Patricia finally gathered the courage to break it.

"Uhm, about the bedsheet," Patricia began, her voice uncertain and her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"You don't have to worry about that; I can just let the nearby laundry shop take care of it," Edward reassured her, offering a comforting assurance to ease her concern.

"N-no, w-what would they think if they saw it?" She stammered, her blush deepening as she twisted the hem of her shirt.

"Oh, that? Don't worry about it, those folks at the laundry shop deal with all sorts of stains daily," Edward reassured, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"R-really?" Patricia asked, a glimmer of relief in her eyes.

"Of course. They've probably seen worse," he added with a reassuring smile.

"B-but what if they think that you murdered someone?"

"..."

That's indeed a problem.

Edward could feel a headache forming, but in the end, he chose to reassure her that it would be fine. She finally accepted his explanation, allowing him a sigh of relief.

Taking a sip of his coffee, feeling its warmth comfort him as the kitchen returned to a serene silence.

"By the way, I can't attend school today," Patricia suddenly said.

"Why?"

"My legs felt weak, and I couldn't walk steadily."

"Oh," Edward nodded, concern etched across his face, yet underneath, a sense of pride welled up.

"What about your schoolwork?"

"There's only an assignment for the Marketing subject. As long as you pass mine to Miss C, it'll be fine."

"Sure." Edward readily agreed.

At 7:10 in the morning, he turned on the TV, letting the news provide a backdrop of the world's events for a brief while.

The morning chatter of the television anchored him in reality, providing a familiar contrast to the earlier unusual events.

After watching for a while, he got up and headed to the bathroom, the promise of a refreshing shower enhancing the sense of normalcy.

The routine was a comforting start to his day. Around 8:03, he emerged, dressed and ready to face the day, saying his goodbyes to Patricia.

"You can stay here as much as you want. Just remember to lock it when you want to return to your unit."

"Yes."

"Good, I've given you a duplicate key already, so don't lose it, okay?"

"I know."

Edward glanced around the room, ensuring everything was in order before leaving.

"..."

Taking a last glance at the girl who was deeply engrossed in watching TV, Edward shook his head. He left his unit, the door clicking shut behind him, and made his way towards the university.

Entering the classroom, he went to his usual seat by the window, took out his phone and began browsing to pass the time.

When suddenly, a female classmate approached him, her concern visible in the furrow of her brows.

"Morales, do you know where Pat is? It's the first time she's come to school late."

Lifting his eyes from his phone, he found B, a chubby classmate and a close friend of Patricia, stood before him.

"I... she's not feeling well today, so she says she was going to take a break, oh, by the way can you show her excuse letter to the professors when they asked later?" Edward explained and then remember something and took out an excuse paper Patricia wrote earlier.

"Sure.. by the way, when did she gave it to you? Are you living in the same village?"

"I, well, you could say that."

"Oh.. I see.."

"???"