Please Let Me Live a Lazy Life!

Extra 2: Graduation

Edward pursed his mouth as he gradually became aware of his surroundings, stuck in between the unconscious impulse of either moving towards or away from the heat source clinging onto him. At first, he thought that Thomas had somehow ended up in the guest bedroom again, but his little brother would only cling onto him during the hotter seasons of the year, and while the little one's body temperature was warmer than his, the youngest was much cooler than whatever -or whoever- was attached to his side.

Eventually, he opened his eyes, blinking in a dazed manner when he saw a river of red locks pressed against tanned skin. The familiar earthy scent from the body in front of him was soured by the smell of alcohol, causing his nose to crinkle, and Edward gave himself a moment to gather himself before remembering last night's events. He then took a deep breath and sighed, maybe a bit too comfortable laying near his best friend.

He barely even drank half a glass of wine during Felix Bergmann's impromptu celebration for their upcoming graduation from the academy, so he shouldn't be so slow to rise in an unfamiliar place. As expected of the son of one of the wealthiest noble families in the country, the hotel room is luxurious and full of extravagance. Being one of the most expensive hotels in the city, Hotel de Luxe mostly catered to the whims of the rich and powerful. Their rooms were rather limited for a hotel, but their event halls were always full and busy.

Since Felix was the one footing the bill, not only did he rent one of these dazzling event halls for the whole night, but he also reserved several rooms for those who wanted to... 'rendezvous,' as Edward remembered were his exact words.

Edward pretended he didn't understand the underlying meaning, just as he also pretended that he didn't see Felix, the heir to his family's fortune, enter one of these rooms with Duke Aurelius Bergmann's, his father's, mistress.

Only the Goddess knew why Felix brought her during their so-called graduation party. Frankly, Edward had the hindsight not to ask. He also didn't want to know why one of the noble ladies, a Viscount's daughter whom he wasn't familiar with, entered that same room and never came out. He was going to pretend he was blind and deaf to it. It was better for his integrity.

He also hoped that Katherine would never find out what he had witnessed. She would be so giddy with the information that her eyes would curve up in a way that was known to give nightmares and frights.

Edward wasn't sure what had happened between Katherine and Felix, but his usually mild-tempered sister had loathed him to the point that her face would always make an unsightly expression whenever they happened to be in the same room. On the other hand, Felix would ignore her obvious animosity and use their unintended, chance-upon meeting to flirt with 'Lady Katty'. While he would be lavishing the 'Noblest Lady of all Ladies' with compliments and romantic gestures, his sister would accost him with remarks full of thorns and sandpaper. The conversation would be full of smiles but each with different meanings.

It was hard to consider whether the Bergmann Heir was just ignorant or brave. In the end, Edward just hoped his sister could restrain her anger enough to not murder his classmate in the shadows.

Regardless, if Xander and Felix hadn't dragged him to join along with their classmates to this 'much needed' party, Edward would have been happy spending the night in his study back in Rosetta Manor.

Ah, speaking of his best friend...

After basking in the other's warmth longer than what was appropriate, Edward rose into a sitting position, momentarily ignoring the arm lain across his waist underneath the blankets, and when he tried to move the appendage away from his body, it only curled tighter near his lower back.

With an exasperated expression, he looked down at his best friend, whose handsome face was partly buried in the soft pillows with his long bright-red hair spread across his bare shoulders and onto the sheets like threads of silk. For some reason, Xander was without a shirt, and Edward would have thought the other had taken off his pants as well if he didn't see the waistline of his trousers beneath the comforters that only covered his lower half.