Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 19 - Saturday Dragonfruit Shake

Chapter 19 – Saturday Dragonfruit Shake

I slept like a log last night, sinking so deep into the mattress that it felt like I hadn't moved at all. By the time I finally stirred, the clock read eleven in the morning—just an hour before lunch. 

Sunlight streamed through the open windows, mercilessly bathing my face in warmth. The golden rays crawled across my left cheek, leaving a heated tingle where they lingered. I'd completely forgotten to pull the curtains before bed, and now it felt like half of my face had been slow-roasted. Amazingly, even that wasn't enough to wake me up.

Groggy, I dragged myself upright, the blanket slipping lazily off my body, and glanced at my phone on the desk. The screen lit up, revealing five unread messages—all from Myrrh. Each one sent at steady intervals, spaced between twenty and forty minutes.

Myrrh's First Message: Good morning! How are you?

Myrrh's Second Message: Rise and shine, hooligan!

Myrrh's Third Message: Hey, why won't you reply? I just want to check on you!

Myrrh's Fourth Message: Zaft, please reply. I'm getting worried.

Myrrh's Fifth Message: Are you still alive? It's almost lunchtime. I will call you in ten minutes.

I rubbed my eyes and checked the timestamp on the last one. Just seven minutes ago. I knew Myrrh was probably on edge, thinking about what happened last night, but right now, I felt fine—completely normal, even. I flexed my fingers, watching them curl and uncurl smoothly, no lingering numbness or fog clouding my senses.

With a sigh, I typed out a reply, feeling slightly guilty for making her wait.

Me: I live, bitch.

Me: Don't be a worrywart. I'm completely fine now.

Barely a second passed before my phone buzzed with an almost immediate response.

Myrrh: Good. As much as I want you out of my life, I don't want you dead. Be a good boy and rest up for the day.

Me: K.

I glanced at the calendar app on my phone and realized with a lazy smile—it was Saturday. No classes today, except for the unlucky few who had special internships or make-up lessons. For me, it was a rare day of freedom.

Suddenly, three quick knocks sounded at my door. I shot up from bed, still sluggish, and opened it to find Neil standing there. His deep-set eye bags and messy brown hair made it obvious he hadn't gotten much sleep.

"Oh, Zaft. Morning—wait, is it still morning?" Neil asked, rubbing his eyes before flashing a tired grin. "Anyway, your partner was pretty worried about you. She texted me to check on you. How're you feeling?"

"I'm good," I said, forcing a casual tone. "I already texted Myrrh back. No need to worry, Neil." I gave him a reassuring smile, but he wasn't convinced.

Neil squinted, narrowing his eyes as if he could see through my façade. "You know, we were all pretty worried about you. When I went to get the campus medic, you'd disappeared."

"I figured the best cure for whatever was going on was sleep," I said, waving a hand dismissively. "So I came back here, crashed, and got a full eight hours. Sorry for making you guys worry."

Neil studied me for a moment longer before finally smiling. "Well, as long as you're okay now."

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, a loud, guttural noise echoed through the dormitory hallway—a low rumble that sounded like a distant roar. I froze, wide-eyed, before realizing it wasn't some Cosmic Beast causing the commotion. No, it was just my stomach, grumbling angrily from the lack of breakfast. I pressed a hand to my belly, feeling the acid gnaw at my insides, begging for food.