Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 61: I Don’t Want to Get Up..

Chapter 61: I Don’t Want to Get Up..

The afternoon was peaceful, filled with the gray embrace as winter dulled the colors of the world outside. The sun peeked through the thick clouds, casting a dim, golden haze over the apartment. The air was cold, but under the weight of my blanket, life was blissfully warm. A cocoon of comfort. I could sleep for an eternity like this...

But of course, reality had other plans.

"ESTHER! WAKE UP!!!"

Hina’s scream tore through the tranquility like a thunderclap. The whole flat seemed to shake from the sheer force of her voice.

I groaned, burying my face deeper into the pillow, hoping she’d take the hint and leave me alone.

"How much do you want to sleep?!" she huffed, and before I could react, she flopped down onto my bed—right on top of me.

The weight of her small but annoyingly solid frame pressed directly onto my back, making it impossible to ignore her any longer.

"Just a little more..." I mumbled, my voice muffled by the fabric of the blanket.

"You slept the entire evening, entire night & the entire morning. Now it’s the fucking afternoon. Just get up already, you lazy ass!"

I groaned louder. "You’re overly energetic. That’s not my problem... Hmm... Let me sleep now." I pulled the blanket tighter around me, refusing to give in.

Hina wasn’t having it. She started smacking the blanket in rebellion. "My winter break is going on! I wanna go somewhere!"

"Then go," I said lazily. "Call your friends and hang out with them."

She huffed. "I would have! But they’ve all gone out with their parents."

My face buried under my blanket. "Then... you also call your parents and go with them."

Silence.

The room, which had been filled with her endless complaints just a second ago, went eerily still.

Something felt off.

Slowly, I lifted the edge of the blanket, curiosity winning over sleep. My eyes landed on Hina, and for the first time, she wasn’t pouting or yelling. She was just... staring at the sheets, her hands curled slightly over them.

Her face had lost all its color.

My heart clenched. I had said something I shouldn’t have.

"Hina—"

Guilt hit me like a wave. I didn’t know the details—I never asked, never pried—but I knew enough.

"...Sorry," I muttered, shifting under the covers. "I don’t know anything... but still, sorry."

She swallowed hard, her throat visibly bobbing. Then, as if shaking herself out of it, she suddenly glared at me with renewed fury.

"Enough with this! Just get up already!" she yelled and yanked at my hair, pulling me out of my blanket fortress.

"Ow—Hina!" I yelped, swatting at her hand. "Okay, okay! I’m up, damn it!"

*Ting-Tong*

The sudden chime of the doorbell made us both freeze, our childish scuffle coming to an abrupt halt.

We turned our heads towards the door.

"...You expecting someone?" I asked, rubbing my head.

Hina shook her head slowly. "...No."

For a second, neither of us moved. The winter air felt a little colder than before.

"Who can it be?" Hina muttered, her brows furrowing as the doorbell echoed through the quiet apartment.

"Who knows... Go and check," I said, shifting slightly under my blanket, already tempted to fall back into sleep.

Hina straightened her clothes, smoothing out the creases in her oversized sweater. "I’ll be back in a second. You better not sleep again," she warned, pointing a finger at me before turning on her heel and heading for the door.

*Clack.*

The door swung open, and the moment she saw who stood outside, Hina’s breath hitched.

"Hello, Hina. I came to meet you," said a soft, familiar voice—kind and gentle, like the first snowfall of winter.

My ears perked up at the sound. Even though exhaustion begged me to shut my eyes again, I found myself instinctively alert.

"Serina!!!" Hina squealed in delight, her entire face lighting up as her excitement bubbled over. "Come inside, come inside! I was just thinking about you this morning!"

Serina stood at the entrance, dressed in a cozy blue turtleneck sweater, a denim mini skirt, and knee-high boots that looked warm yet stylish. Her long dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, her cheeks slightly pink from the cold outside.

"Oh? Is that so?" she asked, her lips curving into an amused smile as she stepped inside.

I sighed. *That woman...*

Knowing there was no way I’d get any more sleep with the two of them talking, I finally sat up, the blanket slipping down to my waist. My black t-shirt clung to me slightly, the fabric wrinkled from sleep. My forearms, exposed, rested lazily on my knees, and my unkempt hair fell over my eyes, making me look even more wild.

The moment Serina stepped in, she came to an abrupt halt.

Her gaze landed on me, and she blinked twice as if processing the sight.

Then, her eyes flickered to Hina.

Hina, completely oblivious, stood beside me, her sweater slightly up from her earlier struggle to wake me up. The fabric had ridden up slightly, revealing more of her thighs and the off shoulder strap was even more down showing her soft curves ever so slightly.

Serina’s expression shifted. Subtle, but noticeable.

She glanced back at me.

Our eyes met.

I remained still, my face devoid of any reaction, simply watching her in silence.

She looked back at Hina.

The air grew thick with an unspoken tension, one Hina was completely unaware of.

"...What?" Hina finally asked, tilting her head in confusion.

Serina didn’t answer right away. Instead, her lips pressed into a thin line as she took another step inside, closing the door behind her.

Serina’s lips curled into a smirk, her eyes gleaming with playful mischief.

"Ohhh?" she said, tilting her head slightly. "Am I... disturbing some kind of *heated* moment here?"

Hina stiffened.

"Wha—?!?"

Serina didn’t stop there. She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a knowing glint in her eyes.

"Hmmmmm..." she dragged out the sound, her teasing gaze shifting between us.

"It’s nothing like that!" Hina blurted, her face turning a shade of red as she hurriedly straightened her sweater and fixed her tousled hair. "Serina, how can you even imagine something like that?!"

Serina chuckled, clearly enjoying herself.

"Then tell me," she said, tapping her chin in mock curiosity. "Why is Esther here? At *your* place? Inside a blanket? In the middle of the afternoon?"

She took a deliberate pause before delivering the final blow with a smirk.

"You could at least wait for nighttime, baby Hina."

"SERINAAAAAAA!!!" Hina screamed, her embarrassment hitting its peak.

Serina burst into laughter, her melodic voice filling the room, completely satisfied with the chaos she had just created.

Hina, still flustered, whirled toward me and smacked my arm. "It’s all your fault for sleeping this late!"

I raised a brow. "Why are you yelling at me?"

"Just go and get freshened up already!" she huffed.

"Yes, yes, I’m going," I muttered, dragging myself out of bed with a sigh. As I ran a hand through my messy hair, I mumbled to myself, "So tiring..."

Behind me, Serina’s soft giggles echoed, and I knew this wouldn’t be the last time she’d tease us like this.