Chapter 4: Saturday Morning Torture
1163 Words
Chapter 4: Saturday Morning Torture
The morning sun poured through the thin curtains, casting soft golden light across the room. Mia lay curled up in bed, tangled in her blanket, her body perfectly molded into the mattress. It was Saturday—her only day to sleep in.
Then—
Whoosh!
The curtain was yanked open.
Sunlight stabbed through her eyelids, dragging her out of her peaceful slumber. She groaned, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face into the pillow.
"PAPA, it’s Saturday! Let me sleep!" she whined, voice muffled.
A low chuckle—one that did not belong to her father—rumbled from the other side of the room.
"Papa?" A familiar voice drawled, laced with amusement. "Damn, Peppa. The sun’s already up. We agreed to jog at five."
Mia’s eyes snapped open.
That wasn’t Papa.
She whipped around, heart racing, only to see Haze Lagman standing near her window, arms crossed, looking way too entertained for this early in the morning.
She blinked. Then blinked again.
"What the h€ll—" She shot up, gripping the blanket to her chest. "Who let you into my room?!"
Haze smirked, clearly enjoying this. "Uncle Mikko. He said I could wake you up since you conveniently forgot about our jogging deal."
Mia was about to fire back when she noticed something—
His eyes weren’t on her face.
Her brows furrowed, following his gaze downward.
Oh.
Her thin tank top.
The neckline had slid slightly, revealing more than she was comfortable with.
Heat exploded across her face.
That pervert!
She grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him. "Pervert!"
Haze easily dodged, laughing. "Relax, princess. I was just surprised. You actually don’t look that fat in your sleeping clothes."
A slipper flew next.
"GET OUT!"
Before she could launch her other slipper, Haze moved—fast.
In a blink, he was right in front of her.
A gasp barely left her lips before he clamped a hand over her mouth, his palm warm against her skin.
"Shut up," he muttered, his voice lower now. "Your dad let me in. Your yelling’s gonna wake the whole neighborhood."
Mia froze.
Not because of what he said—but because of how close he was.
The space between them was nonexistent.
Her back pressed against the mattress, his hand firm on her mouth. His other arm caged her in, the scent of mint and faint cologne invading her senses.
She could feel the warmth radiating from his skin, his steady breath just inches away.
Haze must have realized it too, because his throat bobbed as he swallowed. His gaze flickered to the side, his jaw tightening.
Mia's heartbeat slammed against her ribs.
What the hell is happening?
After what felt like an eternity, Haze pulled away, his usual smugness faltering. He ran a hand through his already messy hair, exhaling sharply.
"Just get dressed. I’ll be outside."
And with that, he was gone.
Mia let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding.
She hated how her skin still felt warm where he touched her.
Shaking her head, she grabbed her hoodie and sweat shorts, hoping the thick fabric would block out whatever weird reaction her body was having.
---
By the time she reached the dining table, her stomach was already protesting. The smell of garlic rice and fried eggs filled the air, making her mouth water.
She barely had time to sit before she caught Haze staring at her legs.
Mia froze.
Then narrowed her eyes.
"What are you looking at?"
Haze’s gaze snapped up immediately.
"Nothing," he said too quickly, his expression shifting to defensive. "You just really live up to the Peppa Pig aesthetic today."
Her eyes twitched.
"What?"
He gestured at her pink hoodie, smirking. "Pink? Peppa Pig. It fits."
Mia resisted the urge to throw her spoon at him.
"You are so annoying," she muttered, picking up a plate.
Before she could even grab rice, Haze snatched it away.
"Don't eat if you still wanna survive later."
Mia blinked at him. "What?"
He grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "We're doing five rounds around the mansion first. Then you eat."
She gawked at him. "Five rounds?! Do you want me to die?"
Haze leaned closer, his voice dropping into something infuriatingly smug. "Five rounds is just a friendly treat, princess."
Mia groaned, throwing her head back. This was already shaping up to be the worst Saturday ever.
---
Mia lay sprawled out on the Bermuda grass beside the road, completely drained. Her hoodie clung to her slightly damp skin, her legs felt like jelly, and her chest rose and fell heavily as she tried to catch her breath.
Jogging was not supposed to be this brutal.
"Hey, Peppa! One more round!"
Haze’s voice rang through the quiet morning, making her groan. She tilted her head slightly, just enough to glare at him. He stood a few feet away, completely unbothered, hands on his hips, his own breathing steady. Not a single drop of sweat on him. Unfair.
"You haven’t even lost any fats yet!" he teased, grinning.
Mia let out a strangled noise. "How many hectares is your damn mansion?" she grumbled between ragged breaths.
Damn that stupid school muse title. Damn that stupid play. If it weren’t for that, she wouldn’t be stuck doing this. She should be in bed, curled up with a book or scrolling through her phone, not out here dying on a weekend.
She was so deep in her annoyed thoughts that she didn’t notice Haze sitting beside her until she turned her head.
He wasn’t looking at her.
Instead, his gaze was locked on something beyond the vast backyard of their estate.
Mia followed his line of sight, her eyes landing on a familiar treehouse nestled between the sturdy branches of a large acacia tree.
The sight made her pause.
The treehouse wasn’t just any ordinary structure—it was their place.
A place already built when they were kids. A place where they used to escape from the world.
She already knew what was on his mind before he even spoke.
"Wanna go there?" Haze asked, his voice softer now, not teasing for once.
Mia didn’t hesitate. She nodded.
And just like that—without another word—they both took off running.
For a moment, it was like they were kids again, racing towards the treehouse, their feet pounding against the soft grass, their laughter mixing with the warm morning air.
Haze, being the competitive ass that he was, reached the base of the tree first, looking down at her with his signature smirk.
"Slow as ever," he taunted.
Mia rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, she grabbed onto the old wooden planks nailed into the trunk, pulling herself up the familiar path to the one place where their childhood still existed.
As soon as she crawled inside, nostalgia hit her like a wave.
- Writer
