MUNCH! MUNCH! MUNCH!

Brento Jesse gobbled up the pizza, even though it was not his cheat day. His own mind, as he went on chewing, mocked him for using his friends' loss as an excuse to satisfy his food cravings.

"Huh?"

Nil blurted as he stared on the phone screen. While grabbing another two slices, BJ unmounted the bar stool and peeked on Nil's phone, curious.

"I'm sorry, Nil, I'll never be able to cook for you again." His voice quivered.

As soon as BJ finished reading, Nil laughed. "What?! HAHAHAHA. He's not coming home cus he doesn't want to cook. HAHAHAHA."

Bewildered, Brento took another careful look at Une's chat. – I'm sorry, Nil, I'll never be able to cook for you again. "Hmm… What do you mean? He hasn't come home yet?"

Une nodded, "Yeah. I called him last night. Said I was hungry."

"What? You mean, he didn't come to the hospital? Aunt Eris told me he couldn't contact both of you last night." He went on, perplexed with Une's message.

Nil remained silent.

S t o p i t. G r a n d p a j u s t k i c k e d t h e b u c k e t. C o m e h o m e a l r e a d y.

He typed, remembering the fact that the most important person in their lives just died. They never met their mother and were only told that she died during labor. As for their father, they never heard about him. Their grandpa would ask, "You don't love me? I can be your papa." From then on, they never brought up the topic, thinking that some things are better off left as it was.

"Don't worry about him. He'll come running to see grandpa as soon as he reads my chat." Nil dismissed and began munching on his pizza pie.

Staring into space as his tongue savored its cheese flavor, Brento asked why Une had gone out yesterday evening. "I don't know. He goes out often late at night." Nil stated while shaking his leg.

"Hmm… He probably hit it off with a chick," BJ nodded his head, trying to convince himself with his theory.

"I wanted to cancel the show,... " Nil ran his fingers through his dark hair and took another piece of pizza. This time, he filled it with hot sauce on top.

His curly friend, on the other hand, sat back on the bar stool, spinning himself around repeatedly. "Don't. That's your debut concert, man!" He exclaimed.

"Haha, grandpa said he would attend and date some girls in the audience." Nil grinned. "Ahh- whatever. Dead is dead." He added, vigorously biting the next slices of pizza he took.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Stuffed with a bunch of bread and cheese in their stomachs, the two of them went on the couch. Brento spread his legs wide with his buttocks sinking on the soft stuffing. As for Une, his legs rested on top of his friends' thighs like they were his personal footstool. Now, he was, again, back to sleeping.

"It sure is different when one isn't here," BJ mumbled as he caressed his firm abdomen. "Did you call him? He should've called already after you messaged him back."

With his lazy and raspy voice, Nil moaned. "Huh? I called him, but he wasn't picking up."

Upon hearing this, BJ groped for his phone in his pockets and dialed Une's number. First attempt. The call failed. Second attempt. It was the same. Finally, with his third attempt, he gave up, for the recipient never answered.

"What's up with him? Didn't he tell you when he's coming back?" Brento furrowed his brows as he complained,"I can't contact him."

"He said he'll be home in a few minutes, but it's already morning. He's still probably naked on a bed with his chick." Nil giggled.

BJ, now a little annoyed, replied in a monotonous tone. "You knew him. He never interacted much with a woman.”

"I know. I know," Nil cut in with a muffled voice.

“It’s odd that he’s late,” Jesse continued. “He told me we’re leaving for the venue at 10:00 sharp. And he’s always earlier than a bird, man! It’s 10:35!”

Nil only listened to his friend’s voice. Deep inside, he felt confused, but all he wanted to do was stay in bed, neglecting all his responsibilities. Things were just overwhelming. He never anticipated that his grandpa would die while he’s tired, asleep.

When his phone lit up, a notification showed a message from their manager. - Please, be here at 11:00 am. Congrats again on selling-out!

“If he didn’t sleep here last night, where did he stay? In your grandpa’s house?” BJ continued to query him, but Nil uttered no word. He neither batted an eye to him.

“Heyy.”

Still, his lips remained clamped shut.

“Hey Nil, we should look for Une. I’m starting to think his message is weird if not a joke,” Brento stood, trying to reach Nil’s dead comprehension.

Finally, he looked at him, “It’s a joke. What did you think it was?” Nil answered with an undertone of annoyance.

“Oh, sissy! It doesn’t sound like a joke to me, now that he doesn’t answer anyone’s calls.” Jesse returned, visibly pissed off.

"You're overreacting," Nil dismissed.

"How am I overreacting?" Jesse reiterated. "Your aunt called me late at night because he couldn't contact Une or Mis-ter-Nil-Je-so-ja." His words tinged with sarcasm.

The silence stretched before them as Nil made no further comments. He only sat idle on the sofa, while Brento paced back and forth, typing on his phone. It was already 10:50 am, and birds randomly knocked on the glass windows as if bidding them to come out.

"No replies," Jesse shrugged, raising his arms in disappointment. "I wish I was overreacting."

He strode towards the exit and slammed the door behind.

"Move your ass," Brento called on the intercom.

Nil laughed, thinking his friend had gone mad.