STRAWBERRIES & CIGARETTES

CHAPTER 17

Harae is sure something was off when she woke up that morning with a neat blanket draping on her body, clothed with an oversized shirt that stopped mid-thighs.

The room still has that whiff of sex and alcohol around, but her nose catches more of a man's scent.

As she sat up, she realized that it had never been a dream. The aftercare.

Her eyes darted at the male sitting on a couch, brows slightly furrowed as he madly typed on his phone.

It's early morning, and he's already annoyed.

Harae lightly chuckles, though audible for him, as he looks in her direction.

"Oh"

"Oh?", a ghost of a smile engraves on her face. "What has your phone done to you?"

"Nothing. Just pure shit", Chenle stood up and walked towards her.

Harae watched his every move until he sat on the edge of the bed, eyes on her.

She looked at him with confusion.

He shifted his gaze anywhere.

"Do you have something to say?"

"No", he replies. "Don't you have classes?"

"Later in the afternoon. You?"

"Absent"

Her brows knit. "Why?"

"You're still sleeping."

"So? You could just go. I know my way out here."

"Yeah, you do."

"Then?", she insists, looking at him. "You can go?"

"Really?", he said, looking back. "I can just go."

"Well, what do you want to do? Or have you really waited for me to wake up for sex?"

"Forget it", Chenle said, standing up and turning his back. "I'll go home first."

"Home?"

"My apartment", he said, stopping to pick up his things and looking at her. "You want to come with me?"

"On your apartment?"

"Dorm. I'll drive you there."

"Why?"

"I can't?"

"You never did", she shrugged.

He just continued fixing his things, then sighed once he'd finished.

He then turned to the door, but before he could hold the knob, Harae talked.

"Hey, Zhong"

He looked back.

She smiled. "You can drive me to the dorms. You look like crying when I reject your offer."