A Real Smile

Nancy laughed her lungs out hysterically, followed by Hertwig's contagious laughs that made even Samuel smile.

Nancy caught a real smile for the first time.

His lips were curled beautifully into a smile and his eyebrows accompanied them. A real smile.

She was awed but her laughter continued because Hertwig just won't stop either. She wanted to stop the current moment.

But before she could imagine that it would go forever, the smile on Samuel's face disappeared and he watched them laugh with a straight face.

She wanted to know. She wanted to know so bad. Why was smiling so hard for him?

"He always told his lovers weird shit, so they wouldn't hang around," Hertwig said in between his laughter. "I have cancer. Pfffffft!" Hertwig laughed hysterically.

"They do not seem to go away unless I say something peculiar," Samuel admitted.

"Why do you have to reject them anyway?" Nancy asked. "Did you never like any girl that asked you out?"

"No. It would be discourteous of me to reject them before trying to get to know them. I just do not want to be in a relationship."

"Why?"

"I cannot make commitments, as I do not know what the future holds for me."

"Dude." Hertwig's expression changed into a frown of concern. "Don't you dare overthink…"

"I am not. Do not worry."

Hertwig! Nancy could just ask Hertwig about Samuel. If he was his so-called bestie, then he should be able to tell her about everything.

She nodded to herself, thinking she would ask him later.

"By the way," Hertwig turned to his side to look at Nancy. "Why are you here at midnight when you guys are not even dating?"

"Why are you here then? Are you guys dating?" Nancy asked back.

"No." Hertwig passed a sarcastic smile. "I'm here because he called me. Did he call you?"

"I did not call you at midnight though." Samuel corrected.

"Same thing!" Hertwig was irked, moving back to look at Nancy as he anticipated an answer.

"No. He didn't call me. But," Nancy leaned back confidently. "I don't need his calls to be here."

Hertwig raised an eyebrow before bursting into laughter.

"You broke in?!" Hertwig laughed hysterically, he could cry his eyeballs out.

"Mhm," Nancy admitted.

Hertwig slammed his hand on the couch several times before grabbing his stomach, trying to slow down but his laughter carried on.

"Is he crazy?" Nancy was irked.

"I believe he is," Samuel replied.

A moment of silence dropped between them.

"But seriously." Hertwig couldn't stay quiet for longer. "Why did you even break in? Knowing you, you can't miss him at least."

"Ew. Why would I miss him?" Nancy said.

{System has detected the host to be lying.}

"Tch." Nancy sulked at her system. It was more annoying than she had thought. "I came here to ask for his permission for a party."

"A party?" Samuel raised an eyebrow.

"A party." Nancy nodded. "Don't you dare say no, or I will snap your head into two."

"It depends on where the party would take place and what it is about," Samuel said.

Nancy nodded while Hertwig watched them talk.

"It's a birthday party-"

"DAVID'S?!" Hertwig stood up in the middle of her explanation.

Samuel frowned lightly before looking at Nancy for further explanation.

"Yeah, I know. David shot Samuel in front of my eyes, tried to abduct me, blah, blah. I know I'm being dumb. But, Veronica... I have to go. I have a bad feeling about this." Nancy explained.

"Since when did you start showing sympathy for Veronica?" Hertwig asked.

"Veronica or not. It's David we're talking about!"

Nancy looked at Samuel in anticipation.

Samuel just shook his head.

"Samuel!" She whined right away.

"One, you appeared at my house without prior notice of your wish to visit knowing you were abducted here last time. Two, I am told to protect you for which I have to keep you away from every possible danger. Going to the birthday party knowing that it is dangerous is something I cannot allow at any cost. I will not tolerate your behavior. If you are willing to keep this up, know that I can ground you inside your house anytime. If I were you, I would be careful of whose house I am breaking into."

Hertwig grimaced. Nancy rolled her eyes. Samuel seemed stricter than before, and she hated it.

"Fuck you too!"

"Alright."

"Alright?"

"Alright."

Hertwig grimaced. Nancy rolled her eyes. Samuel was surprising her every second now.

Hertwig slowly sat back after sitting up from surprise.

"I-I'm also invited to his birthday party, by the way.." Hertwig whispered amidst the tension.

Nancy and Samuel stared at him for a solid minute.

"Why didn't you say that earlier?" Nancy asked as she narrowed her eyes.

Hertwig swallowed the lump in his throat before grabbing his phone from his pockets. His hands were visibly shaking. Both tyrants were staring him down for some information that wasn't supposed to be disclosed.

He showed the invitation directly given to him on his phone. David personally invited the liveliest Professor to his birthday party as Hertwig was an acquaintance to many, unlike Samuel.

"Samuel…" Nancy finally resorted to puppy eyes. "Please?"

"No." He was blunt as ever.

"Yes."

"Cannot allow it."

"Should allow it!"

"Hertwig's going!"

"Hertwig is not your bodyguard, I am."

"So what?! Your bestie can look after me for a night, no?"

"No."

"Y-"

"You will not go to a potentially dangerous place without my presence. Do you understand? I shall follow you to the corners of the earth, but as I am not invited to the party, I humbly request you to stay inside."

Hertwig nodded before he started shaking his head. He wanted to say something, but the two tyrants in front of him loved arguing. He had honestly never seen Samuel go into such details.

It was like babysitting an early teen.

"Hertwig?" Samuel noticed. "You may talk now."

With an awkward smile, Hertwig nodded.

"I was allowed to invite one person with me…" Hertwig muttered. "Because girls at our college love Samuel, but inviting him was inappropriate so they gave me the option to invite him myself."

A sudden smirk appeared on Nancy's face as she looked at Samuel, blinking her eyes, and showing off her luscious eyelashes sarcastically.

Samuel cleared his throat as he looked away. Of course, he did.