“That’s why I’m telling you to learn to do your chores and while you’re at it, learn to organize your things you know where you put your things!”

France coughs and all he could really do is nod with all his manager’s angry reminders. It his fault that his manager is mad again—especially when he promised that he’ll stay alive when he is out of country. He did promise that and, ironically, without even a week that he left for a trip—he’s now sick.

About doing his chores, he was really planning doing and learning to do that properly while he is living on his own but it seemed that the chores doesn’t want him at all. He’s so bad at doing it that when he decided to clean his apartment on his own, the other way around happened and he just made things messier. He can get so easily distracted that he barely noticed that he was just trashing his apartment even more with that things he refuses to throw away. It would have been okay but he forgets to even put them somewhere organized!

That’s exactly why he lost his charger and eyeglasses. His things are in a real mess.

The worst decision he ever did with his life is put his cleaning lady on call instead of giving her a date when to clean. He’s already planning to give her a call after this but he dwells on it. He doesn’t want her to catch his virus because she has little kids. He doesn’t want them to get sick, too.

“Why don’t you call an ambulance? There’s no stock in your apartment right now so you better stay in the hospital instead—”

“I-I’m with my neighbor.” He barely said.

“What? Come again?”

At first, he thought about not telling his manager about Lev but there was no point in hiding it. Plus, Lev was really the one who’s taking care of him—shameless that he is but he prefers Lev than the hospital.

Now he regrets having this call as a video call because he clearly saw how his manager’s expression turn into a confused look to a knowing look to a now teasing look.

“Ah, there it is—the real reason why you’re alive and refusing to go to the hospital.”

He rolls his eyes. He knew it was a bad idea mentioning his meet-up with Lev that happened not long ago. He knew he’d be teased like this!

“Well, I’m now assured that you’re not going to die while I’m gone. Do thank you him and this time apologize properly for being a bad neighbor that you are. I need to go. Don’t die!”

With that, the video call ended.

He sighs and returns to lying down. He already ate and drank his medicine and the only thing he can do right now is really not die—he meant sleep.

He wanted to wait for Lev but he really did fell asleep.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“I’m not going to the office for the meantime, Devika.”

Lev is busy choosing all his groceries and now he’s stuck on the vegetable isle. He forgot to ask if France has any allergies and now, he’s deciding what do get that is very uncommon to have allergies with.

Devika seemed to be surprised with what he told her but refuses to ask about it. That made him smile. Sometimes he really just wants to tease Devika so she would lose her control and really ask him about anything. The ever-capable woman just told him that she would immediately inform him if something happens.

He continued on shopping and when he was paying everything—

“Lev?”

He turns to the person who spoke and he was surprised to see the least person he expected to see. It is his ex-girlfriend.

“It is you!” She walks towards him and smiles. “How are you?” Her eyes went to his groceries. “Restocking? That’s quite a lot for a single person. Do you have someone with you again now?”

Why can’t he just say that he’s restocking for his neighbor? He simply shrugged instead.

She looks like she has a lot to say but doesn’t know where to start. Good thing that the cashier lady asks for his payment, so he didn’t have to awkwardly look at her. In all honesty, he doesn’t really know what to tell her or even how to look at her. For things she did, all he can do is be at least civil.

“S-She’s a l-lucky girl.”

He smiles and gesture his grocery bags. “I’m leaving now.”

He doesn’t know what else she could tell him. They are long gone and as far as he cares, she’s happy for whatever she chose. She is happy and that’s his consolation. It would all be useless if she isn’t happy after all that has happened to them.

He didn’t mean to be awkward or rude. He just doesn’t really know what to say nor what to do. Come to think of it, he never really thought of seeing her so casually like this. It’s not that he’s saying that he thought that there is no possibility of them meeting but he really prefers if there’s none.

He drove safely back to the apartment.

With or without allergies, he still needs to know what France wants to eat. He doesn’t want to waste any food so why not prepare something they would both eat.

Looking around this apartment space, it isn’t so bad except that it really is messy. Not a disgusting kind of messy with trash, but simply messy kind of messy. It looks like someone was trying to organize things but doesn’t really know the word “organize”.

He places all his groceries in the kitchen and went ahead to France’s room. He already expected him to be sleeping and he wasn’t wrong.

France is peacefully sleeping all cocooned on his thick blankets. Good thing that he can already see beads of sweat on his forehead. The medicines must be working.

Who would’ve really thought that this person who’s sleeping like an angel is the same person he called bastard?

“Are you planning to kiss me? If you are, do it already.”

Lev almost fell from the bed—he didn’t know that his face was only a few inches away from France’s!