Days After You's

Chapter 21 - Cold Water

Soaking in warm water after traveling far enough is indeed powerful to relax sore muscles and raise mood. I who was upset due to the indecent view of the occupants of the next room, at least now can wipe the hair while stepping out of the bathroom with a fairly improved mood.

My feet were just about to climb up the bed so I could go to sleep as soon as my eyes found Stella who had taken a shower first sitting in front of the dressing table slapping her cheeks repeatedly.

"...Stella, what are you doing, why are you slapping your face?"

Stopping her hand, Stella turned away. She was wearing a bando to hold her bangs, so I could see her fairly wide forehead looking shiny.

"Oh Luiz's. I'm just following how to use the serum on the internet. Said I had to slap her cheek so that the liquid could absorb well."

I'll never understand all the treatments women do for their faces. Can't they just do the normal thing without slapping their cheeks?

"Luiz, you've never worn skincare like this?"

"I never wear any skincare except face wash."

Both of Stella's eyebrows shot up, "But your skin is very smooth and clean, Luiz."

"It's been that way since birth..."

"Well thrilled. I used to just wash my face and use moisturizer. I just learned to wear skincare after marriage because many gave hampers skincare and my skin became more radiant ever since. If you wear it, maybe you'll be transparent now, Luiz."

It was ridiculous so I chuckled, "Thank God I'm not too keen on that then."

Stella laughs. She continued her hand movements and finished the rest of her routine while I set a bolster pillow in the middle of the mattress to confine both sides. In this way, between me and Stella no one will break through each other's territory during sleep.

When I lay down my body, it felt like I could fall asleep right away. I closed my eyes when I felt another weight pressing against the other side of the bed.

"Luiz, I turned off the lights. Good night" Stella said in a whispering volume. The clicking sound of the sleeping lights being turned off followed shortly afterwards and the room instantly became so silent.

"Night" I muttered as I turned my back to Stella. I was thankful that sleep quickly surrounded me after that.

It was shortly after entering the middle of the night when I felt a movement next to me. Similar to the movement of caterpillars that wriggled endlessly, inevitably I became awake from my sleep as a result. Still drowsy, I opened my eyelids slowly.

There on the other side of the bed, Stella who seemed to be sleeping repeatedly changed her sleeping direction as if she was uncomfortable with something. The sweat and wrinkles that appeared on his forehead made me a bit worried.

Did he have a bad dream?

I raised the bolster that limited us to slowly shifting closer to Stella. It's nothing, but I can't sleep if he keeps moving so. My hand had been raised to wake him up but a thought suddenly stopped me.

What should I do when he wakes up, wouldn't he be quite as upset as I know I woke him up just because of a dream and made him have to try to sleep again? Perhaps the best way is to calm him down without needing to wake him up, so I can also avoid the awkwardness that comes right?

Slowly, I tried to hold Stella's body from turning direction again wearing my arm. I then patted her arm as gently as possible and tried to straighten out the wrinkles on her forehead by rubbing my thumb there.

"Eum..." Stella muttered and my body stiffened. I waited to see if she woke up but she just continued to sleep.

I don't know what or who made his subconscious react that way I don't know, but the way I seem to calm him down. She went back to sleep quietly so I raised the blanket to cover her body back and shifted back to the side of my bed to continue sleeping.

Tomorrow morning, Stella wakes up earlier than me. He was already sitting on the bed with lion-like hair and a reddened face when I opened my eyes again. Her face was red for reasons I didn't know.

I rubbed my eyes, "Uh, morning."

"Let's.me..." Stella bit her lip while looking at me with furrowed brows, she then got off the bed and bowed, "I don't mean to cross my territory and harass you, Luiz!"

"Huh...?" I glared and sat up, "What do you mean... harassing me?"

Stella's face grew red, "When I woke up, I was already in a position to hug you. Your pajamas also lifted up, so I touched your skin directly..."

Hugged me....Did she roll over to me last night, after I calmed her down? I saw the bolster that last night was already located next to me. Gosh darn. I forgot to put the bolster back in the middle after calming Stella down and instead put it on while sleeping.

I scratched my nape slowly, "Stella, relax, you didn't break me at all. It's nothing."

"really? Even if I touch you without permission?"

"Yes, relax."

Stella let out a sigh of relief, she even rubbed her chest softly and spoke in a half whispered voice, "OK.thank you Luiz."

No, don't thank me like I just got you out of a fatal mistake, it's really nothing.

I shook my head, "If you want to use the bathroom first, go first."

"Oh okay."

Stella immediately went to the bathroom and I threw my body back into the bed. That was really awkward. I guess my decision not to wake him up last night was right.

Uh...how would he react if he knew that if I patted his arm and rubbed his forehead without permission last night, would he yell at me? I'd better shut my mouth about it. Though I intended to ask him about his dream last night, but perhaps it would have been better if I hadn't brought it up.

When Stella came out of the bathroom, the smell of the bath soap she always used instantly filled my sense of smell. The scent of it—since the last few weeks if I accidentally inhale it—always managed to give me goosebumps. I don't understand why I react that way but that's what always happens.

I frowned and shook my head before I heard Stella calling my name. Her hair was damp and her face was plain without any polish.

"...Huh uh?" Mumbles. The smell was still attacking my nose.

"It's nothing, Luiz," Stella smiled, "Just to say, I've got hot water for you."

"Oh okay..."

Stella's smile dimmed, "Luiz, are you okay? Your face is red."

"...No, I'm fine."

I rushed to the bathroom and closed the door. What's the matter with me exactly? Stella's not even pretty or anything, but why is the smell of her soap or perfume alone provoking a strange reaction from me lately?

Could it be because it was also the same scent that I accidentally breathed when I used to have to kiss her at our wedding? All the memories related to it so come back to fill my mind.

I saw a bathtub full of hot water that Stella was holding but I moved to pull out the lid and turn on the shower. I'm sorry Stella, right now all I need is cold water.