MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 389: Unanswered Questions

"What are you two doing in front of my room?" Seraphina asked, her voice tinged with amusement as she surveyed the scene before her.

"Ah, Sister Seraphina, Xin was just–" Xiaxia began but Xin quickly covered her mouth and pulled her away.

"Nothing important. We’ll talk tomorrow," Xin interjected hastily, eager to avoid any further embarrassment or confrontation while Seraphina was in her night gown.

"Is that so? Good night then," Seraphina said with a smile, her fingers twinkling in farewell.

With a forced smile of his own, Xin guided Xiaxia back to her own room, silently grateful that Xiaxia didn’t put up anymore resistance that spared him from facing Seraphina under such awkward circumstances.

Not when she was already in her nightgown. Xin thought. Anything he would say could wait tomorrow.

As Xin closed the door behind him, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of relief mixed with apprehension at the thought of what tomorrow’s conversation with Seraphina might entail.

Xin felt a strange sense of nervousness gnawing at him, his heart racing uncontrollably in his chest. He couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that seemed to grip him, no matter how hard he tried.

Just then, his phone rang, and he saw Tyler’s name flashing on the screen. With a hesitant hand, Xin answered the call.

"Hey Xin? The reunion is about to happen this weekend, man. The others are pestering me to bring you no matter what. They wanted to see you and catch up with you. I’ve given them my word that I would convince you, so you must come, alright? Don’t make me look bad, okay?" Tyler’s voice came through the line, filled with laughter and joviality.

Despite his preoccupation with his upcoming talk with Seraphina, Xin found himself agreeing to Tyler’s request almost automatically. "Yeah, sure. I’ll be there."

"Great! You already gave your word, so no take-backs, okay. See you this weekend, and don’t worry. You don’t have to bring anything but a change of clothes. Ahahaha!" Tyler chuckled before abruptly ending the call, leaving Xin staring at his phone in a daze.

A minute passed before realization struck Xin like a bolt of lightning.

What had he just done?

Panic surged through him as he quickly scrolled through his phone, only to find that Tyler had already messaged the group, confirming Xin’s attendance at the reunion.

Everyone was ecstatic and eager to meet him again, but Xin felt conflicted. He knew that not attending would disappoint those who genuinely wanted to see him and catch up.

He would feel guilty about it.

It was a done deal now.

With a heavy sigh, Xin realized that there was no turning back.

The reunion was fast approaching, and it was an overnight event. He had inadvertently committed himself to attending, whether he liked it or not.

Closing his phone and tossing it onto the bed, Xin walked over to a corner of his room. There, hanging on the wall, was Seraphina’s portrait that he had initially intended to auction off.

The portrait captured Seraphina’s beauty and essence so perfectly that it almost seemed alive, drawing anyone who gazed upon it into its mesmerizing depths.

This painting would surely make Seraphina’s fans and those seeking to curry favor with her pay a hefty sum for it.

It was a relief that he didn’t auction it.

The thought of someone else owning the painting made him uncomfortable as he stared at it hanging on his bedroom wall.

That’s why Xin decided against auctioning it when he finished the final touches.

The painting was too precious to end up in the hands of a stranger, whether man or woman.

But as Xin reached out to touch the portrait, a strange sensation washed over him. It was as if some unseen force was compelling him to make contact with it.

Startled, Xin quickly withdrew his hand, realizing the weirdness of his actions.

This painting was more than just a work of art; it held a power that he couldn’t quite comprehend.

Perhaps he should cover it up, Xin mused, considering the possibility of concealing the portrait to avoid any further temptation.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Xin decided to take a calming bath before retiring for the night. As he drifted off to sleep, images of Seraphina danced through his mind once again, leaving him restless and unsettled.

=======

The next morning, Xin found himself reluctant to leave the warmth of his bed.

It was the start of the long winter holiday, and surely no one would fault him for indulging in a few extra hours of sleep or even spending the entire day nestled under the covers.

However, his stomach had other ideas, rumbling in protest and demanding sustenance.

Dragging his tired body out of bed, Xin sluggishly made his way to the kitchen after the obligatory teeth brushing and face washing.

The apartment seemed unusually quiet, and as Xin shuffled into the kitchen, he found Seraphina already there, seated at the table enjoying her breakfast.

"Good morning," she greeted cheerfully.

"Mmm, morning," Xin mumbled in response, still feeling half-asleep. "Did you see Xiaxia?"

"She went out with her friends," Seraphina replied, taking a sip of her coffee.

"This early?" Xin questioned, surprised.

Seraphina chuckled softly. "It’s already past eleven in the morning."

Blinking in disbelief, Xin glanced over at the clock and realized he had overslept quite significantly. "I guess . . . I overslept."

No wonder his stomach was protesting so loudly; it was far later than he had anticipated waking up.

It was a rare occurrence for him to oversleep, but the late nights before must have finally caught up with him now that there was no more pressure from school.

"Come have brunch with me," Seraphina suggested, noticing Xin’s bewildered expression. "I’ve slept in late too."

Xin settled into the seat across from her and began to eat.

"By the way.

Seraphina and Xin paused when they said the same words at the same time.

"You first," Xin quickly offered.

"Then . . . why didn’t you auction my portrait?" Seraphina asked, getting straight to the point.