I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
68. Buying a cello for someone

### One week later....

A woman in casual clothes with her hair tied and a baseball cap on her head was standing in front of a shopping mall.

He leaned against the wall as if he was doing a shooting pose until some people glanced at him, occasionally his eyes glanced at the circular clock on his wrist. Feeling not wanting to attract attention, he pulled out his phone, playing it to just busy himself. One hand he put in his pants pocket.

"Huh, Hahh, sorry, sorry, I'm late," another woman's voice came up to her running and stopped panting in front of her.

"Did you just run, Charlie?" welcome that woman who is none other than Ariel.

"I got an extra assignment before my working hours were over, and I didn't expect it to be done much longer" he said with a regretful face.

"You've come more than enough to relieve my anxiety, Charlie. I was thinking something happened to you" comforted Ariel.

"I asked for your help myself, but I came too late" he said.

"That's not a situation where you can always handle it" Ariel replied.

"You looking for a drink?" ariel couldn't bear to see Charlie as out of breath.

"Only if you will accept the drink I will give you" replied Charlie grimacing in guilt.

"Well, if it'll help make you better" replied Ariel.

"Come on!" take Charlie.

Ariel follows Charlie, walking into a shopping mall. They started to wander around after buying canned drinks to accompany their steps.

"I'm surprised you have a sister. I thought you were an only child" Ariel said.

"Actually, I also recently learned about it" Charlie explained.

"Sure you have a reason for that, don't you?" greet Ariel smiling without the urge to question.

"But, really, I'm amazed at you taking over to take care of her" Ariel showed a sincere face.

"I just did what I had to do" Charlie replied.

"So, what musical instrument do you want to give her as a gift?" ask Ariel.

Charlie thought for a moment, while Ariel waited patiently, being able to understand it without pressing on her.

They continued walking until they arrived in front of a large store that sold various musical instruments.

"I think of Cello, because he really likes Cello," Charlie replied after a long pause.

"But,,,?" Ariel managed next to his eyebrows, as if reading Charlie's mind.

"I don't know what kind of cello he likes" Charlie said.

"What's your sister like?" ask Ariel.

"You mean?" Charlie raised one eyebrow.

"I mean, the character he has," Ariel replied.

"Does that have anything to do with him liking the cello?" ask Charlie.

"Of course" replied Ariel.

"Because we're not very close, I can only say he's a little stubborn, but sometimes I see him being gentle even though it's not meant for me, and a little rebellious" Charlie said.

"Then, the cello was a good fit for him. I'm just suggesting that the decision remains in your hands" Ariel said.

As they begin to choose, Ariel gently caresses the cello she sees with a fine engraving on Cello's neck.

"What do you think of this?" ask Ariel.

Charlie observes Ariel's chosen Cello and likes her. He asked the store owner about the price.

Ariel raised the Cello carefully, then sat there in the chair, her hand began to play the Cello gently while positioning the Cello strings to match the rhythm.

Charlie was stunned when he saw Ariel playing the cello he was going to buy. He becomes more and more convinced to buy it when Ariel perfectly tunes the Cello's strings.

"Well, lady, your game is beautiful" the shopkeeper praised.

"Just a coincidence" greeted Ariel kindly.

The shopkeeper stuffed the cello into a suitcase before handing it to Charlie, and finalized the payment.

"Thank you very much, Ariel. I was very helpful" Charlie said.

They left the music store and went into the cafeteria to fill their stomachs.

"But I'm surprised you can play the cello" Charlie said.

"I'm a musician, Charlie. Not a pianist," Ariel let out a light laugh.

"Ahh, you're right, I almost forgot about that because I just saw you play the piano" Charlie replied.

They chose a seat that was immediately approached by the waiter who recorded their order. Finished with the order, the servant left for a while.

"But tell me, is your sister also practicing music somewhere?" ask Ariel.

"Yes, he did. But, I don't know where he trains" Charlie replied.

"How's it?" Ariel frowned both of her brows not understanding.

"He left after I was working and went home before I came home" Charlie said.

"Well, now I agree when you call it stubborn" Ariel commented.

"Ha ha ha,, yeah, but I'm glad he's with me" she said.

"It seems so obvious that you love her" Ariel replied.

"Hey, by the way, I've never heard of you other than you're a musician, what about your family?" ask Charlie.

The pause lasted until the servants returned with their orders, and placed them before them.

"Am I asking you something I shouldn't be asking?" charlie felt guilty again.

Charlie knows the story of Ariel from Bram, but he just wants to make sure what Ariel's own response is.

"Your question is not wrong, Charlie," replied Ariel.

"Only, I don't know how I'm going to tell that when I don't have a story to tell you" Ariel said.

"you mean? I don't understand" welcome Charlie.

"I haven't been with them since when I don't really remember it, but it happened when I was a kid, maybe around the age of five," Ariel said.

"Uhmmm,,, this is soft and cold," Ariel spoke by commenting on what she ate by closing her eyes.

"You're going to be a food vloger that way, '" Charlie chuckled.

"Trust me, I never even dreamed of it," Ariel greeted with a horrified face.

Ariel's reaction made Charlie unable to hold back his laughter. He felt how could the Ariel told by Bram and Ariel in front of him be the same person? How did Ariel hide so tightly the thing that happened to her?

Charlie could only faintly smile at the thought of a little girl with a hard life who lived and now became a gentle figure and was sitting in front of him.

"What keeps you from being with them? I mean, are you with your grandmother or relatives?" ask Charlie again, biting his burger.

"No," Ariel nodded slowly still continuing to bribe her mouth gelato.

"They just don't like me and I choose my own way of life_,, maybe," Ariel replied a little hesitantly.

He stared at the spooned gelato he was holding in front of his face, as if rethinking the answer he was about to give.

"You chose your own way of life at that age? Are you crazy?" blow Charlie.

"Are they not your parents after all? They could've worried about you_,,,"

"They purposely dumped me, Charlie," Ariel cut.

"They threw me away while I was in a high fever, put me in a building almost collapsed and left me with only clothes attached to my body. I think it sounds silly if they're worried" he continued laughing discordantly.

"Haahhh, it's a relief to be able to get that sentence out after so many years of harboring it" he said.

Ariel stretched her body, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Sorry, Ariel. I'm sorry I made you remember the things you should have forgotten" Charlie said.

Indeed, he did not expect the story directly from Ariel actually sounded more suffocating to him. Charlie never imagined how parents could be so cruel as to leave their child sick and without anything?

"Not to be sorry, I can't even forget it even though I really want to. It's just that I don't remember their faces anymore, and I'm grateful for that" Ariel said with a warm smile.

"You're the first great woman I've ever known, and how lucky I am to know you" Charlie said sincerely.

"I'm even more fortunate to know a great female officer like you" Ariel replied.

They throw each other smiles, then laugh. Ariel glanced at the circular clock on her wrist, and decided to end their meeting.

They split up in front of a shopping mall with a different purpose. Ariel drives her car to the hospital, hoping to meet Joel after one week of not being able to see him.

Even contacting him has been a little more difficult in the last three days. Sometimes he himself is so busy he can't take a call from Joel.

Ariel accidentally wears a hat and hides her hair in a hat. Covering his face with a black mask and wearing clear glasses, and spraying perfume that he never wore.

Reflecting once again, Ariel got out of the car and stepped lightly into Joel's room.

Geck,,,

Geck,,,

Geck,,,

Ariel knocked on the door slowly, and hid her wide smile behind the mask.

"Come in,,"

There was a voice from inside answering, the voice of someone he missed, and Ariel also knew for sure now was the hour home for Joel.

Evidently, when Ariel opened the door, Joel immediately changed the look of his disappointed face into a warm smile, welcoming the patient who came even though it was just a health check.

"Uhuk, excuse me doctor, did I come at the wrong time?" ask Ariel.

Deliberately, Ariel changed her voice to hoarse, as if she was suffering from an acute cough.

"Ah, not at all, let's go, please," Joel welcomed the patient to sit down.

"I just saw, uhuk uhuk, a doctor like telling me to see another doctor,"

Instantly Joel was stuck, as if at gunpoint when the speech of the person in front of him hit the right target. Ariel tried to hold back her laughter.

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