i like you but i cant say it

CHAPTER 4: the villain who needed saving (page 17)

Caleb's eyes opened wide, the room was still dimly lit, and his vibrating phone was hitting against the white bedside table inches away from his head. His eyes glanced around the unfamiliar room, before the memory of what happened returned to him.

Caleb's eyes relaxed as he let out a sigh. He reached over but quivered back from the stinging sensation in his arms, followed by the pain that ached all around his body.

He fought back against the pain, and turned off the alarm at last. The place was quiet, perhaps no one has woken up yet? He checked the broken screen on his phone for the time, and saw it was no more than 5 am.

Caleb remembered the plan.

"Alright, you've got more than enough time to get home before your dad wakes up." He thought, "You can make it." Caleb desperately tried to convince himself, but the feeling of the soft bed as well as the aches that ran all over his body made him dread the idea of getting up even more.

The pillow still smelled of fresh rosses, and Caleb couldn't stop himself from wondering if thats what Kenji's hair smelled like. His face burned red while his blonde bbed-head stood up messily.

Once Caleb left the room and rushed downstairs, ignoring the pain as he was more focused on getting rid of the warm hue that lingered on his face, he was met with a dark living room.

Kenji was still asleep over at the sofa. Caleb didn't know how many hours the boy had slept but he had to leave sooner or later.

Caleb walked over to the sofa to see if Kenji really was sleeping, he had internally hoped that he wasn't so he wouldn't have to wake Kenji up but it was likely that wasn't it.

The black haired boy layed on his side peacefully with a thin blanket draped over his body, his ruffled hair almost looked soft to touch as Caleb as he gulped nervously.

He reached a hand over and tapped on his shoulder.

Caleb watched as Kenji groaned and turned away, his eyebrows furrowed and eyes still shut tightly, and still, asleep.

Caleb's face flustered red with frustration, wondering what to do next.

"Hey. Wake up!" He said again, pushing and nudging the boy on the shoulder, and this time, he finally cracked open his eyes.

Kenji's slightly confused and puffy eyes blinked a few times, before the pupils turned and faced Caleb's dark figure looming over him.

"AAH!" He yelped, his body jerking up in surprise, "Wha- What are you doing here??"

"I stayed over, dumbass, and now I need you to open the door." Caleb replied angrily, hiding the blush that was creeping up his cheeks as he turned the other way.

Kenji calmed down as he started to remember as well, "Ah." he said, getting up and going for the keys.

Caleb felt something working at his chest, a nervous sweat almost fell from his forehead.

"Hey uh, ...thanks." He muttered abruptly.

Kenji was caught by surprise as his hand froze by the unlocked door.

"..." Kenji opened his mouth but couldn't work out what to say, before Caleb quickly dashed out with his head hung low in embarrassment.