Chapter 42: No Sleep?

’Fuck... I’m inside a girl’s house for the first time in my life!’

Kyle scanned the living room with his eyes like an excited child who had just entered somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be, though he tried his best not to let any of it show on his face. It was his first time being inside a girl’s home, and what made it even more awkward was that he was alone with her at two in the morning after everything they had just gone through.

’It looks... comfy.’

Lira’s apartment was smaller than Kyle’s, but somehow it felt far more like a proper home. Kyle’s place had always been little more than a nuclear shelter—just the bare minimum of furniture, appliances, and necessities arranged wherever they happened to fit. Most of the rooms had empty spaces that made the whole place feel cold and almost brutalist. Completely plain, stark, and stripped of decoration.

Lira’s apartment was the complete opposite.

It wasn’t particularly large, nor was it filled with expensive furniture, but everything seemed to have its own place. A comfortable sofa occupied most of the living room, with a small table in front of it and a soft rug underneath. A few decorative pieces sat on the shelves, while small plants added a bit of greenery to the otherwise warm interior. There were framed pictures and little personal items scattered around—not enough to make the place feel cluttered, but enough to make it obvious that someone actually lived here.

The lighting was soft and warm, making the apartment feel even more welcoming at this hour. A faint, sweet smell from the room freshener lingered in the air, mixing with the subtle scent of whatever perfume Lira had been wearing earlier.

Kyle looked around quietly.

’How the does she make such a small place look this good?’

Even the curtains, cushions, and little decorations seemed to match naturally. Nothing looked excessively luxurious, yet the entire apartment had a cozy and lived-in atmosphere that Kyle’s own place was severely lacking.

’Maybe I should take some inspiration from this.’

He mentally started taking notes.

’Some plants... better lighting... maybe a rug. Hell, I should probably buy some actual decorations instead of making my house look like a nuclear bunker.’

Kyle looked around once more, genuinely impressed.

For someone who lived alone, Lira clearly put effort into maintaining her home.

"Well, I’m sorry it’s a small apartment..."

Lira’s voice suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts.

"You can sleep in my room if you want."

Kyle immediately turned toward her.

"No—no, it’s alright. I’ll sleep on the couch. There’s not much time left before daylight anyway."

He quickly rejected her offer.

He had thought about it for approximately half a second.

And that half-second had already been enough to make his brain malfunction.

Of course, sleeping in the same room as Lira sounded appealing in a way he absolutely did not want to think about right now. But she had already been through enough tonight. Giving her some privacy seemed like the better thing to do.

Besides, there was no way *he* would sleep properly either.

*I’d probably spend the entire night staring at the ceiling and thinking about the fact that I’m sleeping in a girl’s room.*

"Are you sure?" Lira asked. "It might be uncomfortable sleeping on the couch. It’s pretty small, so you probably won’t even be able to stretch your legs properly."

She paused before adding with a teasing smile, "And I wouldn’t mind you sleeping with me in the same room."

Kyle’s brain immediately short-circuited.

"C-C’mon... I-I said I’ll be fine, so don’t worry."

His voice betrayed him completely.

Lira’s teasing smile returned, although it seemed slightly forced compared to how she normally teased him.

"If you say soooo..."

She gave a small sulk before walking toward her bedroom.

Kyle watched her leave.

Just before entering, Lira turned around.

"By the way, I really liked the way you referred to me as your woman in front of those scum."

She gave him a teasing wink.

Then she entered her room and closed the door. Kyle stood there completely speechless. His face slowly became warm.

’Fuck... How is she back to being normal this quickly?’

Even after everything that had happened tonight, she could still casually throw a line like that at him and walk away as though nothing had happened.

Kyle honestly wanted that kind of composure. Instead, he was standing in the middle of her living room looking like an idiot.

He glanced at the clock.

"Well..."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"It’s 2:00 a.m. Let’s just go to sleep."

...

It was already 2:30 a.m., yet Kyle was still wide awake.

The apartment was completely dark, all the lights had been turned off, and the couch beneath him was comfortable enough. His body was exhausted after everything that had happened, so he should have fallen asleep the moment he lay down but that wasn’t the case at all.

’What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I fall asleep?’

Kyle shifted around on the couch and closed his eyes again, trying his best to force himself to sleep. After a few minutes, he gave up and opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling.

’Lira must be asleep already...’

She had been through just as much as he had tonight. The chase alone had drained her, and the injuries to her legs probably weren’t helping either.

’Must’ve been pretty tough on her body.’

He sighed quietly.

*Click.*

The knob of Lira’s bedroom door slowly turned.

The door opened carefully, and Lira stepped out, apparently trying not to make any noise. She had assumed Kyle was already asleep and didn’t want to wake him.

"Lira?"

She froze.

Kyle’s voice came from the darkness.

*Click.*

She switched on the light and looked toward him.

"You haven’t fallen asleep?"

Kyle sat up slightly.

"Yeah... I couldn’t for some reason. What about you?"

Lira shook her head.

"It’s the same for me."

Now that the light was on, Kyle finally got a proper look at her.

She had changed into a loose oversized T-shirt and comfortable pajama pants. Her long dark-brown hair was slightly messy from lying in bed, with a few caramel-highlighted strands falling naturally around her face. Without her outfit from their date, she looked much more casual and relaxed.

Kyle quickly looked away.

’Why am I suddenly feeling awkward?’

Lira noticed his reaction but didn’t comment.

Instead, she walked toward the couch and gave him a small smile.

"Wanna talk until the sleep hits?"

Kyle looked at her again.

*****

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