12 PART 12 ~ LATE

Briel enters her bedroom. She placed the painting she took from her parents' residence on Erland's desk.

Briel looked at the wall, where the painting she had made this afternoon was still not finished.

'I'll finish it quickly, I can't wait to see the result,' murmured Briel with a smile, imagining the face of her favorite singer would be real in front of her when she opened her eyes in the morning. Ah, what a pleasure, thought Briel. Although now she no longer lives in her childhood bedroom, but at least with the same painting in Erland's bedroom, Briel won't feel awkward.

Briel might seem relaxed entering the Erland residence. However, to be honest, she still felt awkward being in such a strange place she had never slept in. It was tonight that Briel would sleep in Erland's bedroom for the first time. Luckily, Erland immediately left her for a business trip. She doesn't know what would have happened if Erland was in that house. Just imagining it made Briel feel uneasy.

Briel held her stomach, hunger started to attack her. She hasn't had dinner yet. Briel decided to go to the dining room. She would eat dinner first so she could rest in peace.

"Hello," said Briel when she reached the kitchen and saw that Lely was there.

"Hello, Miss. Would you like to eat now?" asked Lely.

"Yes, please prepare it," said Briel.

"Okay, Miss," said Lely.

Briel went to the dining table. She sat there, waiting for Lely who was getting food for her.

After preparing food on the dining table, Lely left Briel alone.

Briel looked around. The house might not be as big as her parents' house, not even the dining room as big as the dining room at her parents' house, but the house was cold. Not as warm as her parents' house. Shouldn't the house be nice? However, it feels boring according to Briel.

'I forgot, the one living here seems to be a cold person too. That face, my goodness. Always flat,' murmured Briel.

Briel hadn't known Erland that long but felt that she already knew what Erland was just by looking at Erland's expression.

After dinner, Briel returned to the bedroom. She cleaned her face first. When she was done, Briel took her mobile phone, turned it off, then put it in the nightstand drawer.

As she began to lay down, Briel smelled the sweet aroma of the pillow. Wait a minute!

Briel was surprised, it felt like she recognized the fragrance. It smelled the same as the scent she inhaled when she was close to Erland. Yes, that is indeed Erland's scent. Briel has a strong memory, her sense of smell is normal, because of that Briel immediately recognized the scent.

'Haish... Do I have to get used to his scent too?' Briel thought.

Briel leaned back again. She felt she was missing something.

'I miss my teddy bear. Why didn't I think of bringing it? ' mumbled Briel.

'Uh, my dear,' mumbled Briel remembering her teddy bear.

Briel became restless. Even though she is now more than 20 years old, she is still used to sleeping while hugging a large teddy bear that has been her favorite since she was a child.

*** The next morning.

Briel woke up from her sleep when she heard a noise. Then, Briel saw who had disturbed her sleep.

"Sorry, Miss. I disturbed your sleep," said Lley.

Briel sat up, she saw breakfast in the nightstand drawer beside her.

"Why bring breakfast to the bedroom? I can have breakfast downstairs," said Briel.

"I think Miss is tired. So, you haven't woken up yet. I'm afraid that Miss is hungry when she wakes up. That's why I brought breakfast to your bedroom," said Lely.

"So, what time is it?" asked Briel.

"Nine o'clock, Miss," said Lely.

"What? Gosh! Why didn't you wake me up?" Briel was taken aback, she rushed out of bed and ran to the bathroom.

'What is this? Why did I sleep that long? There's no way the monster's bed was so comfortable that I woke up late,' murmured Briel.

'Ah no. I don't think so. This must be because I couldn't sleep last night, so I slept late,' murmured Briel again.

Briel woke up late. She had to go to her painting class today to meet her painting teacher and is about to turn in her painting assignment which she took last night at her parents' house. The teacher's class started at eight in the morning, but Briel was an hour late. She was late and the class was about to end.

Briel didn't shower, she just brushed her teeth and rushed to get ready. She panicked too much because she was late for her painting class. She did not eat breakfast first and chose to go straight to her painting school. She did not forget to bring the painting she had finished working on, which was none other than the task of her painting from the teacher, and took her mobile phone, which seemed to have become the most important part of her life. For her, it's better to forget to bring her wallet than her mobile phone.

*** Arriving at painting school. Briel ran to her class carrying her painting. When she arrived at her class, the painting class was over. There is no more painting teacher in her class.

"Briel! Why did you just come? Where have you been?" asked Jenny, she starting to get up from her chair. Yes, just like Briel, Jenny attended the same painting school as Briel. The two girls were inseparable since they were in kindergarten. Their friendship has been well established since they were small until now.

"I woke up late," said Briel.

Briel caught her breath. It was tiring to run in a hurry.

"Gosh, did you stay up late? No wonder when I called you couldn't, your phone was off," Jenny said.

Jenny had guessed from the start. Briel's habit is when she sleeps, she doesn't activate her cell phone. It was because Briel didn't want his sleep disturbed.

"Is Mr. Gerald still in his room?" asked Briel.

Gerald Kusuma, a 30-year-old single man, is Briel's painting teacher. It was he who during Briel's entry into painting school taught Briel many things. Even so, it didn't mean that Briel could easily approach him. Gerald is a man who doesn't talk much. He will speak only when necessary and never engage in interactions if nothing is important.

"I don't know, just try to go there. Want me to accompany you?" Jenny asked.

"No need, I'll go first!" shouted Briel as she ran towards Gerald's room.

Arriving at Gerald's room, Briel saw the door to the room open. Gerald was seen sitting in his chair. Briel knocked on the door and Gerald turned to Briel.

"Excuse me, sir," said Briel.

"Yes?" Gerald frowned at Briel.

"Sorry, I'm late. I want to hand over my painting assignment," said Briel as she handed the painting in her hand to Gerald.

Gerald looked at Briel, he didn't see Briel's painting at all.

"This is not class time, I don't accept assignments outside class hours," said Gerald.

"That, I'm sorry. I woke up late, that's why I was late for class," said Briel.

"I still don't accept assignments during hours other than class," said Gerald.

"So how is it, sir?" asked Briel, confused.

"How is it? Today is the last day of the assignment, Gabriela Anastasia! Since you're late in submitting it, you won't get any marks for this assignment!" said Gerald.

"Ha? Why is it like that? I did it with passion, full of love, full of faith. So don't say that," said Briel sadly.

Gerald covered his face for a moment. He looked back at Briel.

"Please come out if there is nothing important anymore!" said Gerald.

"Okay, I'll go first. Please rate my painting, sir," said Briel and rushed to the door.

"Hey, why did you leave your painting?" shouted Gerald, but Briel quickly disappeared from his sight.

"That child is rude!" growled Gerald.