"Tolmer, time to wake up, you're gonna be late for work," a gentle voice call out. Although I felt well rested (which, mind you, I haven't felt like that in a long time), I needed more. Yes, I was getting greedy at that point, I know.
Yet, the calling continued, followed by a series of persistent shaking. I shut my eyes even tighter than ever, refusing to wake up from my dreamland (the good kind).
Huu~
A short gust of hot breath was blown directly into my ear, resulting me jumping up, completely wide awake. My hand covering my ear, face flushed.
I couldn't see very clearly without my glasses, but I could tell the blurry figure standing in front of me was none other than Luzien.
"Ah, you're up," he exclaimed. Proceeding to mumble under his breath at how he thought that worked unexpectedly well.
My lips quivered, I couldn't even make a sound of defense. I stared his way before abruptly looking away in embarrassment. Memories of yesterday's events sent me spiralling into shame. I refused to believe that I was the one who made the first move to kiss him, and I absolutely refused to acknowledge the fact that I cried in front of him like a brat.
His confusion wafted in the air, as he stepped closer towards me, "Hey, what's wrong?"
His soft voice sent my heart beating a kilometre a second, my mouth wouldn't seem function whenever he was within my 2 metre radius.
"You alright?" his voice sounding perturbed, he placed the back of his hand onto my forehead. The distance we just had was closed up, he was standing in front of me, our bodies were so near, I could see his facial feature in detail even without my glasses.
"Weird, no fever, where else do you feel sick?" his hand still on my forehead. I slapped away his hand, murmuring under my breath that I was fine.
He sighed, "C'mon, Tolmer, if you are sick, just say so."
"Just leave me, we'll be late for work," murmuring, I looked away. "I can't change with you around, can I?"
"R-right," he scratched the back of his beet red ear. "I'm just going to leave you here then."
He closed the door slowly without making a sound. I planted my face into the bed once he disappeared from the room. I groaned into the mattress, in hopes of shaking of the unwanted feeling of abashment.
I sighed, I knew I had no escape of the draining world.
●◦●◦●◦
The silence between the two of us made me ridiculously uneasy, I felt as if I had to say something to fill the gap.
'Just make some small talk with him,' my brain suggested. Of course, I followed it's suggestion. (Why do I do this to myself?)
"I have a question," I said as he entered the car with me. I have always wondered about him.
"Hm? Sure, go on," Luzien didn't look at me once as he started the car.
"How are you able to leave the HQ and just go around so freely?"
"So you don't think I'm much of a CEO?"
Ah, I phrased it wrongly, didn't I?
I shook my head, "Well, n-no? It's just that-"
"It's just that I just don't seem to care nor do I look busy, right?"
"No, I just- I thought-"
I messed up. All I wanted was for the atmosphere to not be so uptight, why is this so hard?
"Don't worry, I get why you think that way. I have someone back at the HQ to take care stuff for me. I like to look at things myself, it's easier for me to make changes if needed and I can avoid listening to the unwanted rumours about someone and just look at their work. In case you were wondering, yes, I still have to think about the structure of the company, the money, the management and stuff like that," he informed as he came to a stop at the traffic light.
"Oh, sorry, I was just curious," I looked away from him, feeling a little irritated at myself for asking so much.
He shrugged, eyes still on the road. "Don't worry about it. I just like all my best employees to work as close to me as possible. It's how I learn things."
"Do you also-" My phone rang.
What a good timing. (Note the sarcasm.)