Status Quo | ✓

-4-

My apartment was smaller as compared to Leon's, but I was really satisfied with it. The location was amazing and convenient enough for me to get to the academy without much hassle. Moreover, the space was also cosy enough to house Cotton and me. While munching on the stir-fried chicken, I nodded to Leon.

"Was unpacking difficult?" Leon asked.

"Not really," I replied. "I only brought all that was necessary over. I thought I'd bring the rest when I return home during the break."

"Bring my Christmas greetings to Pam and tell her that her jams are delicious as ever," he grinned.

"You won't be returning?"

"No, sweetheart. I had a major project coming up and I would need to stay here through the break with my teammates to work on it," Leon explained, pulling a sad face.

A sudden disappointment surfaced because our families spent every Christmas together. Leon's parents were nice enough to always invite Mom and me over to celebrate it with them and it was a holiday that I always looked forward to. We never missed a year together, but I guess there's always a first.

"Okay," I pulled a smile and dropped my head low to focus on my dinner.

I wondered if Mom was doing well alone. After I moved out, Mom was left all by herself and despite her busy work schedule, she would always make an effort to check on me. Winter break was just a few weeks away and I would be able to see her back at home again. Back to the warmth of everything familiar.

-

After dinner, Leon helped me with cleaning up the counters while I brought out the trash. Then, we sat on the couch while surfing the television together. There wasn't anything interesting to watch so we spent much of our time talking about school. 

It was funny how Leon wasn't a person with much words around others, but he had the tendency to blabber endlessly whenever he was with me. He complained about all the things he was busy with and the endless pile of work that topped above his projects. Overworked and sleep-deprived, college definitely took a toll on people — physically and mentally.

After chatting for a while, I left him on the couch and went into my room to take a quick shower. I pulled out a set of comfortable clothing from my wardrobe, settling on a simple pair of yoga pants and a long-sleeved shirt. When I returned to the living room again, Leon had fallen asleep.

I turned around and went back into my room to grab a blanket, spreading it across him. Scooting close to him, I tucked my knees close to my chest and curled up beside him. Leon was breathing steadily in his sleep, his chest rising and falling with each breath he took. As always, he looked peaceful in his sleep. Even when I poked on his cheek gently, the heavy sleeper beside me remained deeply unaffected. My eyes traced his features and stopped at his lips. Out of the blue, I didn't why a sudden urge came to me.