Middleman's Love | ENG TRANS |

Chapter 17 - The Answer for Those Who Wait

The next morning I woke up already feeling anxious. After leaving him at home the day before, I forced myself to sleep so that the morning would come quickly. I woke up at almost seven in the morning, got dressed and found something to do. Every five minutes or so I looked patiently at my phone.

Eight o'clock came, nine o'clock, and now ten o'clock, but my phone didn't ring at all.

Eh, hangovers are like that...

When we were at university, Uea was hungover until noon. So there was probably nothing wrong with Mai not calling yet.

I looked away from my phone and focused on cleaning my bathroom. When I looked at the clock again, it was eleven, but he still hadn't contacted me and my phone wasn't on silent.

He's probably still sleeping...

After doing housework all morning, I felt hungry. I sighed and put my phone where it was, then made myself some instant noodles. At that point I had a flashback to the last time Mai had come to my apartment.

I still remembered how good he was at cooking, my cooking, to be precise. If he had been there with me, I wouldn't have had to eat those instant noodles, because he was a much better cook than me. So now all I could cook for myself was instant noodles with boiled egg.

I took my bowl of noodles to the couch, turned on the television, and ate lunch while watching it. My attention wasn't really on what the reporter was reporting, but on the clock on the wall above the television.

It was half past eleven, he would have to wake up soon.

Last time he had a hangover here he woke up at this time, didn't he? Or maybe he turned off his phone and didn't get my message.

I put the bowl down and opened Line. Mai hadn't read my message yet. I took some time to decide whether to call him, but then the chat room showed that my message had just been read by him.

He read it, so he'll call me right away.

I sat and waited a while. No call was made, but I got a message.

Never: Thanks for taking me back to my room. I'm sorry for causing you trouble again.

Then that's it, no more text messages or phone calls. My eyebrows furrowed.

Is that really all he has to say? I asked him to call me, so why didn't he?

There were still some noodles in the bowl, but I wasn't hungry anymore. I stood up and washed the bowl in the kitchen, still frowning to the point my eyebrows might have turned into a bow. Questions lingered in my mind.

Mai is usually obedient. Not that I like telling him what to do, but he always accepts my guidance or follows instructions. But this time he didn't call me when I specifically asked him to. So the only reason left is probably that he... is angry because of me.

I sighed and plopped down on the couch.

I can't really blame him. It's my fault that I didn't express my feelings to him from the beginning. Now that I know he's awake, I should clear this up.

I took the phone and called the boy. My heart pounded in my chest, waiting for him to answer.

"Hi, P'Jade."

I gulped when I heard the familiar voice.

"You're awake now. How do you feel?"

"I am fine."

"Well. You drank a lot, didn't you? When I came back, your head was already down." I said and he was silent for a while.

"Yeah, sorry to bother you again." he said politely as always. I sensed something strange in his voice.