After that health check a month ago, she promised that she would eat and drink properly. But apparently old habits die hard. Only saying yes to it didn't make her able to change her lifestyle that fast after all.
However, one day she had indigestion due to it. Ray who found out about the problem then made a small sanction which they agreed on in case Althea didn't eat properly. And so, Ray managed to make her kiss him twice and said lots of embarrassing stuff for all those occasions.
At one point Ray joked about how Althea must've enjoyed the punishments as she kept on disobeying their agreement time and again.
"Cut me some slack, please... I might die of embarrassment." Althea whined.
"Then just eat properly and stop being curious, no?"
'You know it's hard for me, yet still, you're saying that?' Althea pouted as she refused to reply other than giving him a non-committal "hngg" sound.
Flipping her book in a sulking manner, she suddenly thought of another question.
"Ray," Althea called out, "Could it be that you're secretly rich?"
Ray smirked at Althea's questioning eyes before shaking his head with a soft laugh.
"No, not really. At least my family wasn't... well, this well-off." Ray gestured 'this' with his hand as leaned back on his sofa.
"Wasn't? So are they now?"
"You can say we're better off now. Doesn't affect me, though." Ray made a face coding 'You remember where I lived before, right?' to which Althea nodded in contemplation.
"Why doesn't it affect you, though? I mean at least now that your family is better off."
"My family wanted me to be independent, so I was given just enough money to live. The rest of it, I need to work for it."
"So it doesn't matter if they become richer or not as you'll be given the same?" Althea asked and Ray nodded in confirmation.
"Thanks to that I learned to make money on my own, though."
"Oh? How did you do it?"
"It's normal. Taking some part-time jobs and stuff." Ray hid the fact that he didn't do them for money, but instead because he was bored out of his mind back then.
"Would you tell me more about it?" Althea asked. Those don't seem to be part of his bad past, but she just didn't wanna make Ray feel sad or burdened in case that was.
"Maybe next time, dear." Ray shook his head lightly, "You should sleep."
Althea looked at her clock and realized it was late already. Of course, for her who used to sleep at 1 or 2 am in the morning, it was still too early, but she wanted to fix her sleeping habits.
"I understand. I'll message you tomorrow then." Althea got up from her seat and laid on her bed.
"Good night."
"Good night to you, too" Althea answered before cutting off the call. Her mind floated to the thought of couples who debates about who should cut the call first with the cliche line of, "No, you cut the call, I don't want to~" back and forth. She wondered if she and Ray would ever do such a cringey thing... but before she could get an answer, she was already fast asleep.
***
"Aaa-Finally doneeee!" Karin exclaimed exaggeratedly as she stretched on her chair.
"How dramatic, Miss." Althea giggled as she poked on her friend's side which Karin quickly catch.
"No, my dear. You're the one who took it too easy." Karin twirl the ends of her brown hair, "I have tried so hard for two weeks, okay? I need some relaxation."
"Hihi, can't agree more." Althea nodded.
'Though I won't get any.' she lamented softly in her heart.
Althea couldn't remember the last time she could hang out with her friend. It should've been a couple of months. She did go on vacation with her family, but with how strict her mother was, the trip was still tense for her.
Fortunately, Haru, her little brother, would drag her to walk around the recreational place, or else the whole trip would be a waste for Althea.
"So it will be holiday soon~" Karin swished her book in front of Althea before stuffing it to her bag, "What are you gonna do for holiday?"
"Miss, are you really asking me that?" Althea huffed, "It's clear that I'll stay at home. At most I'll hang out with my family."
"Or visit my house?" Karin asked, yet strangely her tone seemed like she already knew the answer.
"Yeah. Or visit your house." Althea re-check her books before zipping her bag.
"Right. Any news from Ray?"
"Oh. Let me see." Althea unzip the smaller pocket of her bag and took her phone to check if there was any chat from Ray.
"Nothing yet. I guess he should still be in the interview venue right now." Althea placed her phone back.
Yesterday, Ray was invited to the scholarship interview after he passed his written test. He departed for a city around four hours away from his hometown to take the test. Thus, Althea had been waiting for his chat.
"Hm, got it. Hopefully things go well with ya guys." Karin gave a thumbs up.
Althea nodded enthusiastically. Among all the people who knew about her relationship with Ray, which is not many, Karin must be their biggest supporter. Just like a cupid pairing them together.
"I'll tell you if there's any news."
"I'm fine with it and all, just don't make this single lady feel jealous, okay?" Karin offered a fist to Althea to which Althea bumped her fist as she said, "Then get your own boyfriend, lady."