I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
108. Longs
At the hospital, Joel does his job, but several times Joel loses his focus. His attitude has changed considerably compared to before.
No more warm smiles that he usually shows every time checking the condition of his patients. Even during the break, Joel simply shut himself in his room.
Several times Joel checked his phone which turned silent. No more silly greetings that he usually receives every day, spoiled whimpers that harass him every morning but still like it.
"I miss him, but_," Joel murmured softly, then smiled bitterly.
Joel opened his phone, looked back at the photos of their togetherness one by one, no matter how many photos he kept on his phone until he also printed them and put them in the room.
Many things that they had gone on together turned back in front of his eyes. As hard as Joel casts away the shadow, it makes the flash of the memory hugging him even stronger.
Ariel's messages and calls completely stopped after Joel said the words in front of his own house.
[[Meet me one week ahead, then I'll refresh you, but don't expect me to believe it too much, ]]
The sentence seemed to backfire on him where now he misses his voice so much.
Time continued to pass until without him realizing the day had changed in the afternoon, a sign that his working hours had ended. He tidied up his things and left his room.
His steps came to a halt when Joel saw a familiar figure approaching him.
"I thought you were home" she said with a sweet smile on her face.
"What are you doing here, Christina?" ask Joel.
"In company of my mother who made an appointment with Seth's doctor" replied Christina.
"Is your mother sick?" ask Joel.
"No," Christina answered softly. "Just the usual control, my mom always comes here every month, and has regular appointments with Seth's doctor since we've been in town" Christina said.
"Ah, so it seems," said Joel.
"Then I go first. I have other business" said Joel.
"Wait, Joel," stop Christina.
"Yes?" greet Joel.
"I'm sorry about the other day, I shouldn't have done that. It might not be what I thought, and I just want to take pictures without permission just because I accidentally saw them, I'm sorry" Christina said.
"It's okay" said Joel.
"Did you guys fight?" ask Christina.
"No," said Joel.
"Thank God, I'm glad to hear that, then" said Christina.
Joel just smiled thinly, then parted and left Christina. Without realizing it, Joel directs his car to the studio where Ariel trains.
Joel saw Ariel just came out of the studio, but did not leave immediately but stood up while occasionally looking at the circular clock on her wrist as if waiting for someone.
Not long after, Ken appeared behind him and stood beside him doing the same thing, waiting.
Intrigued by what Ariel was waiting for, Joel remained there watching Ariel from a distance. Until Joel gets the answer.
A large truck stopped right in front of the studio where David was in the truck which immediately jumped down with a big smile.
"Am I late?" ask David.
"I don't even care if you're a few hours late" Ariel said.
Ariel seemed to be laughing, but Joel also saw the laughter was different from before.
"Why is his face like that? Shouldn't you smile with satisfaction after making your game work?" mumbling Joel cynical.
With several others getting off the truck and Ken, they drop off some musical instruments.
"Ahh, right too, the musical instrument came today," Joel murmured.
Joel looked back at Ariel in silence. He almost got out of the car when he saw Ariel suddenly staggered while walking away from the truck and was caught by Ken who was nearby.
"Sister, if you're sick, why don't you take a break? Brother is getting pale," Ken scolded in a worried voice.
"I'm fine, just not having a taste for breakfast this morning" she straightened up.
"You're so stubborn" said David.
"Oh shut up,,! Just finish your job," Ariel ordered at will.
David laughed briefly without feeling offended and resumed his work of lowering all the musical instruments in Ariel's message.
"Come in first, Ken! I'll be right after I finish this," Ariel asked.
"Okay" replied Ken.
Ken hastened back into the studio, while Ariel asks David to sit in a chair while removing a thick brown envelope from her bag.
"Let's just say if the numbers don't match, I'll give you again if it's less" Ariel said.
"Haiss, no need. I believe you." welcome David to smile.
"You can call me back if you need anything. I'll be happy to help you" David said.
"That means a lot to me, thank you very much, David," Ariel said.
"No problem. But tell me something!" david Pinta.
"What?" ask Ariel.
"Hey, what makes you think that?" welcome Ariel to laugh lightly.
"Come." answered David raising his shoulders.
"Your shine is much different than when you came to see me with him" he continued.
"Your sensibility is terrible," Ariel replied giving a horrified look.
"I'll take that as a compliment" David laughed.
"Well, wouldn't every relationship be like that? We just misunderstood, and it will improve" Ariel said.
'Hopefully,' Ariel continued inwardly.
"You're dealing with a problem that seems a little bit better than him" David said.
"You think hard in silence but solve your problems, while he assumes more himself and takes out his emotions" he added.
"Hey, do you realize in front of who you're trying to pin him down?" welcome Ariel put on a feigned face of anger.
"Ha ha ha,, sorry, I deliberately (smiled widely). After all, he's not here to listen" David replied at will.
"But I'm here, remember?" reply Ariel.
"Alright, but I won't apologize for that" replied David laughing crisply.
"You won't turn elsewhere to buy musical instruments or to repair them because of what I say, will you?" ask David expectantly.
"Silly!" welcome Ariel to punch David in the arm.
"I can get the best musical instruments and repair services from you, how can I move to another place?" coined.
"Ah, I just remembered, I need guitar strings. But, I will come alone there when I have free time," said Ariel.
"Now I'm curious" said David, staring closely at Ariel's eyes.
"How many musical instruments can you play? My max, which you're good at like when you play the piano," asked David.
"Hemm,," Ariel muttered softly as she looked up.
"Last time I remember, I mastered six musical instruments. But, I also learned a musical instrument that I had never played and could master,"
"Come on," Ariel answered, raising her shoulders and laughing.
"Well, I'll just give the flies a chance to settle in my mouth if you say this any further" David continued to make Ariel laugh.
"I'm saying goodbye, it looks like they're done, too" David said as he stood up.
David leaves while putting two fingers on his thinning and blinking one of his eyes, which is greeted by the head of Ariel.
After David's truck leaves, Ariel turns around and enters the studio. While Joel who had been watching Ariel just breathed a long breath.
His eyes glazed over remembering the days he had spent with Ariel. Nothing feels like what Ariel did was a fake. All the things Ariel had shown her all this time seemed sincere. But, I don't know.
Joel pulls the steering lever and starts running his car again, leaving the studio and returning home.
>>>>>>>--<<<<<<<
#Bram Apartment.
Bram sits in a chair in his private work space. The stack of documents on his desk he had completed in a short time.
Her hand is holding a fake marriage document that her father and Ariel made. His forehead crinkled sharply, unable to find a gap from the document to become a wrong point and turned to reply to the father.
"Damn," said Bram annoyed.
Bram gripped his hair with a huff. Plunge the documents in his hand onto the table.
"It's made so meticulously and neatly, everyone would just believe it with just this," he growled.
Bram leaned his back, constantly thinking of finding a way out.
"Is he willing to help? It was impossible when he also desperately wanted to destroy it" Bram murmured.
"Is it not better if we also discuss this with Miss Ariel, sir?" ask Sam who has been silent since then while struggling with his computer.
"No," Bram replied shaking strongly.
"I don't know what he's thinking, and he's also dealing with a problem that I'm causing" Bram bans.
"But, it's not your fault entirely,"
"I find all these things very awkward, and I feel like someone deliberately wants to destroy a new relationship with the woman" said Sam.
"That's what I'm thinking" said Bram.
"That four-eyed man wouldn't believe what I said without proof,"
"Should I see Miss Jesica, sir?" ask Sam.
.....
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To be Continued