*brrrt, brrrt*
I growl while trying to open my eyes, raising my hand over to my face to cover the brightness coming from the lightly open curtain while the other one is reaching for my phone vibrating wildly on the bedside table.
I struggle to slide the button to accept the call.
What time is it?
Who's this person who calls early in the morning and completely doesn't know about personal time boundaries?
I gather my strength to fully open my eyes and smash my thumb on the screen.
Huh?
It's Gwen, and only it's 12:30 p.m.
I widen my eyes to double-check the time and it's not changing. It's still the same. I'm not hallucinating. I'm not dreaming.
"Hi, Ash!" Gwen says on the other line.
I stand up from bed so fast that even a thunderbolt would be fazed, and march with an adrenaline rush toward the living area where I left Sebastian last night.
"Yes, Gwen?" I energetically answer even though I feel like dying at the moment, seeing Sebastian sleeping soundly on my small couch AS IF HE DOESN'T HAVE SCHEDULES TODAY!
"Would you know where Sebastian is? Calvin said he drove you home at around 3 am. I couldn't reach him since this morning and I'm hella worried, plus he has to prep for the show!"
Sebastian will be performing in Music 101 and it will be broadcasted at 6 pm today.
"Uhm..." I clear my throat. "I talked to him earlier... uhh, he must have overslept."
"That's odd, I kept on calling him since 9 am but he never answers."
*kroo kroo*
How am I supposed to react to that?
I can't think straight!
"Anyway, aren't you coming to the office today?"
I wished she sensed that I don't care about Sebastian's whereabouts at all that's why she changed the topic.
"Yup. I'll work from home." I am supposed to be working productively in my office but here I am, in another mayhem with the most expected person to be with whenever I am in one.
"Thanks, Ash! Make sure to watch Sebastian's performance tonight!" She teasingly says, immediately hanging up the call before I even had a chance to snap onto her.
"YAH!" I blurt.
I shake Sebastian's shoulder to wake him up. "YAAAAAAH!"
His body's perfectly wrapped around like a Burrito in my spare comforter that I have no idea when he got. This jerk sure felt at home last night.
"Hmmm," He tries to open his eyes with a confused expression, his hair's a mess but his undeniable and inborn charisma managed to make him even hotter.
"SEBASTIAN!" I swear, I'm about to lose my patience.
"Ash... Why..." His voice matches terrifically with his angelic morning face, the complete opposite of his disposition.
"IT'S NOON ALREADY! YOU HAVE A SHOW TO ATTEND TO!" This time, I scream my lungs out irritatedly.
He sits up, scratching an eye. "What's with the overreaction?"
"Gwen called and she's been looking for you! You need to go!"
He peers at his ultra-expensive Patek Philippe wristwatch that CEO Park gifted him on his 3rd contract signing with Kingdom Entertainment.
It's only right to spoil Sebastian with lavish things because he brings the most profit in his company.
"How come it's noon? It feels like I only slept for an hour."
"FOR AN HOUR?" I couldn't believe him.
If it wasn't for Gwen's call, he'd still be sleeping comfortably while I'm hibernating soundly unknowingly having a sleepover party.
"WHEN DID YOU EVEN GET MY COMFORTER?" I ask when I realize how he's still covering his body with it, completely looking like a kid.
"Calvin said he'll call when he's downstairs already but he never came to bring me back home."
He must have purposefully done that to somehow become a cupid, another role he's very much willing to take in the multiverse aside from being a Master Chef.
I grab his wrist, pulling him to stand up and get ready. "SEBASTIAAAAAN!"
I'm afraid Gwen might ring me again and I don't know what to say to her to lure and buy time anymore.
Sebastian somehow manages to heave my body instead, reason for me to suddenly sit on his lap.
A cliché scenario that people commonly read in chick flicks and rom-com movies. "What the?" I shriek, eyes wide open.
"You're so loud." He whispery complains with a furrowed forehead.
I divert my eyes away from his gaze, heart thrumming out of control. It's weird because a part of me wants to stay still but most of it wants to punch his good-looking face for playing with me.
"LEAVE!" I shout as I promptly stand up, marching with irritation toward my bedroom, and slamming the door shut.
I throw myself onto my bed, face buried in my pillow.
After driving me to Las Casa—an apartment that's 10-minute away from his place, I asked Sebastian to stay in my place while waiting for Calvin because there's no way I'll let him wait in the lobby. I cannot afford to read another article dissecting our relationship. I even made sure he's wearing a face mask, cap, and sunglasses when he enters the building from the leveled-parking.
I don't want to see a headline that says, Sebastian Young Spotted With Rumored Childhood Sweetheart Once Again.
Geez.
When we arrive in my unit, I went straight to my bedroom as I was too sleepy to accompany him. I didn't even have a chance to tidy myself up, I'm still wearing my clothes from yesterday. Besides, it's not like it's his first time here.
I lift my head, realizing something I should have thought about earlier.
How can he go back to Le Bale if he doesn't have a car to access his penthouse parking, allowing him to avoid public attention.
Unless he calls Gwen to fetch him.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
She'll know I was lying.
I immediately grab my car key from the bedside table and briskly go back to where Sebastian is, throwing it to him which he successfully catches. "Use my car,"
He's now sitting on the couch with his legs crossed; throw pillows are neatly lined up on the backrest again and the comforter is flawlessly folded on the side.
"Make sure you're not recognizable the moment you step out. You're dead to me if it happens." I menace before turning my back, ignoring what he has to say.
He better get going or I'll lose my sanity because of him.
〰️
"Damn! Even after 3 years of no live performances, he still got it," Tasha remarks with her eyes fixed on the TV screen.
"The whole nation must be tuning in on Music 101 right now to watch this specific segment," Calvin pronounces before taking a mouthful bite of Puccia stuffed with meatballs seared in fresh tomato paste and oozing with mozzarella.
When I woke up at around 2 pm, Sebastian has already left.
Finally, peacefulness at its finest.
Instead of working from home like what I've mentioned to Gwen—which by the way is not approved by CEO Park, but I'll deal with it tomorrow—I decided to binge-watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix while having freshly brewed coffee with oat milk paired with a Convenience Store-bought egg sandwich that I have quite a stock on my fridge 'cause it's my favorite easy-eat.
But my supposed quiet afternoon was interrupted by a knock on my door. It was Calvin and Tasha, holding paper bags full of grocery stuff.
Apparently, they decided to take an early out in the office to give way for Sebastian's comeback performance.
Tasha wants us to watch it together while Calvin made sure we were not gonna starve with all the snacks he made while we were waiting for Music 101's time slot.
"By the way," Calvin turns to face me. "Gwen called, asking if I know Sebasti—"
"Yes. We've talked." I cut him off, reason for Tasha to peek in my direction. She must be feeling clueless about what has happened before she gets home.
"So..." He gives me a confused look as if waiting for me to tell him that Sebastian spent the night in my place but I'm not gonna give him the satisfaction.
I grimace. "Focus on your best friend,"
Sebastian is now singing on stage with his lead single, It's You.
He's wearing a oversized statement white button-down and a baggy denim pants paired with a white sneaker that has his brand trademarks hand-painted on them.
If we didn't know each other and I was still in my teenage years, I would probably crush on him too. It's an understatement. 'I'll be a fan too' are the right words.
I could see myself checking out his social media accounts, researching what he does every weekend, what's the name of his favorite Photographer, or even knowing his favorite type of coffee but fortunately, I am not.
Gosh.
Thinking about it makes me cringe already. I would never do those crazy, nonsensical things at this age.
Also, my faith in men has long gone. I'm an independent and affluent woman who can live on her own and I'll make sure to be the favorite rich Aunt of my nieces and godchildren.
Anyway, I should message him about my car. He better have it back in my parking by tomorrow morning or I'll really kill him.
When will he not become such a pain in my ass?
"HOLY SHIT!"
Calvin's bawl almost made me fall off my seat, snapping me back to reality.
What the hell is happening?
"OH MY GOD!" Tasha stands up from her seat, her eyes are wide as saucers.
I look intently at the TV screen.
A woman suddenly appears on stage, wrapping his arms around Sebastian's neck, and pulling him into a hug while he's singing.
Oh, no.