A rose to grind

-13-

A hot breath fanned against my ear, slowly pulling me away from my deep slumber. Then, a voice echoed. "Wake up, sleeping beauty."

Contrary to the command, I remained to squeeze my eyes shut. Tight. A chuckle followed after their words, and a warm hand pressed against my forehead. I could feel their breath above my face.

"I'll kiss you if you don't open your eyes, Yugo," they said, resolute in their tone. Only then, I gave out a weak groan, and opened my eyes. It was the blinding and ethereal beauty of the ever-so-flashy Etienne Karrina, my brother in the name of law, and someone I would strangle if I ever got the chance.

Another four years passed by in the blink of an eye, in the flash of a lightning. And here I was, living in a fictional world for 17 years, if my memory could recall, and my memory had never failed me before. But it was safe to say, my ambitions remained the safe. And a few years of being buddy buddy with fictional characters would never change my mindset.

I scoffed, straightening my aching back and leaned against the headboard. "Young master Etienne...I have warned you of entering the maids' headquarters at any time you like."

"But you're different," Etienne's eyes twinkled, and he looked down at the palm that had previously touched my forehead and leaned into it, disgusting me even further. "You even refused my kind invitation to sleep in my room. And you're not a maid. You're mine-"

"Your butler," I intercepted, twisting my lips in a way that wasn't both a smile or a frown. "And brother — don't you ever forget."

"Oh, dear, I don't want to maintain this ambiguous relationship with you!" Etienne leaned in closer. My vision was filled with his compassionate looking face. "You know about my feelings. For how long are you going to drag things on? If I hold it in for too long...one day, I might act upon my desires."

Since youth, Etienne had shown signs of growing into a promising ikemen, and out of his baby features. His soft features turned sharper, more manly and angelic. A sharp chin, a tall nose with thick eyebrows on a smooth, porcelain face. It was no wonder Etienne was the renowned president of the student council, and I was nothing more than an extra following the prince around.

I realized I had been staring at him for too long, and turned my focus onto the doorway, so as to avoid his fervid eye contact. "If you do act upon your desires, young master, I will castrate you myself."

Giving an irreverent and cynical smile, I whipped to the opposite direction of the bed, and rose to my feet. My chest was bare for everyone in the early morning to see. I stepped lightly towards the wardrobe and opened it with a creak, making a sound of dissatisfaction. The wardrobe was obviously wearing down. There would be a day where it would hold no importance to me anymore.

All the outfits hanging on a thin pole sideways, were dull and not eye-catching at all. It mostly consisted of the colors of black, and white, and looked as though I were preparing for a year-long funeral. The only thing that stood out amongst this boringness, was my school uniform. The same kind that Etienne was cladded in — a soft beige-colored jacket, with white stripes at its very end, a white button-up shirt coupled with an imposing deep, dark color of red, and navy blue trousers that stopped right above the ankles.