Saving the Villain

"But instead of water, it's money. Please, master. Make that wish come true."

"Sure." Asher laughed, dragging himself up clumsily. Fortunately, he was able to hold on to the pillar. The two of them returned to his room. His wallet was just sitting right on the nightstand. It was thick, just as expected.

Cosette stood excitedly on his side while he grinned at her, holding the wallet in his hands.

"Are you ready?" he asked, and she nodded profusely.

Her excitement, however, was soon replaced with puzzlement when Asher cocked his head to the side.

"What?" she asked, concerned.

Asher looked back at her with a deep frown. "I only have a thousand." He took out the bills to show her.

"Huh?"

Seeing that she looked at him with doubt, Asher showed his wallet to her. Aside from the multiple cards that made it appear thick, there was no other cash aside from those in his hand.

"You're poor!" Cosette exclaimed in disappointment, looking at him from head to toe. "Did you go bankrupt? How can you fulfill my wish?! Scam! Negative review! Cancel, X!"

In a normal current state of mind, both of them could've understood that having such low cash in Asher's wallet was not a surprise. Asher would just need to use his card if he needed to buy something, and bringing a small amount of cash was just for an emergency.

But both of them weren't sober and the wine's effect was stronger than what they originally thought. Hence, Cosette threw a huge fit while Asher tugged his wallet as if it would magically produce cash on its own.

"I'm poor," he mumbled with a frown, tossing the wallet to the side. "But didn't you say you're rich? Can't you just do that?"

Cosette's rambling halted and looked at him. "Right… how come I didn't think of that?"

"Are you stupid?" he asked curiously. "I think you are."

"Gosh… am I that stupid?"

"Cosette Blac, being stupid is dangerous," he remarked solemnly. "You should enroll in more classes. Don't worry. This secret is safe with me."

Seeing that Asher planted his palm across his chest while making that promise made her heave a sigh of relief.

"Thanks," she said, while he nodded reassuringly. "It'll be embarrassing if others think I am slow-witted."

"You don't have to say sorry. It cannot be helped." Asher sounded magnanimous, but what was even more ridiculous was that the two of them were utterly serious with this sequence of conversation.

Asher turned his attention to the bed and grinned. Without a second hesitation, he jumped on it and hugged the bed.

"Ah… so soft…" he admired, lying on his tummy. His arms were spread, occupying the entire bed all on his own. "This is my home now. So nice."

Seeing him relax on the bed while still standing on the end of the bed, Cosette frowned. At this point, she had forgotten to return to her room and had actually believed this was her room and the bed he was romancing was hers!

"That's my bed…" her voice shook as tears immediately pooled in her eyes. "... why are you stealing my bed?!"

Asher stiffened, looking back, only to see her crying. He slowly pushed himself to sit up, panicking as tears rolled down her cheek.

"Wait… why are you crying?"

"That's my bed and you're stealing it from me!" she harrumphed, wiping her tears with her arms. "Where am I going to sleep now?"

"But you said this is my home now." He frowned.

"What about me?"

"Uhm…" Asher scratched his head, closing his eyes as his vision was slowly shaking. He felt dizzier by the minute but forced himself to look at her because she was in great distress.

"This side is yours." He tapped the right of the bed, scooting over to the other side. "This is mine."

When there was enough space for her, the frown on her face instantly disappeared, replaced by an excited grin. Cosette didn't hesitate to jump on the bed and took the right side of the bed, lying on her tummy, melting on the softness of the mattress.

"Hah… this feels nice," she mumbled, her cheeks squishing against the bed.

"Are you faking your tears?" Asher asked, frowning deeply, witnessing her sudden change in demeanor.

"What? I was very sad, but now I'm happy because I get to have my bed," Cosette murmured, pouting.

Asher and Cosette looked at each other before he sighed. He adjusted his seat and collapsed on his back, making the two of them bounce slightly.

"I feel like I'm drowning," he remarked, staring at the ceiling, shifting from this child-like personality to a depressed one. "My heart… feels so heavy I want to scream."

Cosette used her arms as her pillow, eyes on him. "Then scream."

"Hah!" Asher just let out a sharp breath.

"That's it?" she asked, and he nodded.

"That's it." Asher kept his eyes on the ceiling as the heaviness in his heart slowly returned, making him feel he was sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss. He had nearly forgotten his woes, but just like usual, once he was on the bed, his emotions would hit a different kind of low.

This had been his constant dilemma every time the night fell deeper, and the silence grew clearer. The reason he wanted to drink until he drop, was so he wouldn't have to feel such emotions every single time. This proved that even though he was drunk, it wasn't enough. He was still conscious.

"This feeling… sobers me even before I can sleep. I want to sleep; I need it. But I realized sleep requires sleep," he expressed under his breath. "I don't know my problem, and I didn't want to drag you into it. I'm sorry."

Asher turned to his right where she was lying, only to see her already sleeping soundly. His eyes softened, staring at her.

"I'm envious," he said. "To people like you who get to sleep immediately the moment they made contact with the bed."

"Mhm…" Cosette moaned the next minute, snapping her eyes open so suddenly. "What? Did I nod off?"

She moved her eyes and was met with a pair of soft eyes looking back at her. She blinked and blinked, but Asher's enchanting smile remained.

"You should sleep," he said, peeling his eyes away from her. He remained silent, staring at the ceiling once again, and waited until he could hear her deep breaths.

After some time, his voice pierced the still air once again.

"Cosette Blac, why… shouldn't I like you?" he asked, turning his head to her once again. "And what makes you think I don't? Or would never? Or that this growing interest, as what you said, should never develop into something else?"

There were many questions he wanted to ask her more that only now he recalled, missing the opportunity with their games earlier. But now, he could only ask but wouldn't get a proper answer because she was asleep.

He kept his eyes on her, staring at her silently.

"You… really know how to play with my head," he muttered, narrowing his eyes slightly. "How can you always make me feel you don't want nothing to do with me, but trust me to this extent?"

This wasn't the only time Cosette allowed herself defenseless in his presence. There was also that time she napped in his presence after they had lunch with Maynard and Conrad, and now this.

"You're lucky," he said, looking away from her. "I still have my morals to uphold, and I don't want to trap you in a tricky arrangement by forcing myself into you in such a vulnerable state."

Asher slowly closed his eyes, following her breathing to replenish his energy to carry her back to her room.