We, From The First
#42. One, Two, Three!
"When I find half of myself in the twinkle of your eyes, I cry out between question and certainty. Want me to explore the deep recesses of your heart to the deepest parts. Want me to dive into the veil of mystery from both your eyes. Until I can find my whole self there. Until all the questions disappear, and leave only certainty."
...****...
Aira's a little frustrated. Not only because he had to witness the familiarity that occurred between Nico and Nana this morning, but also because Rakha who had not ignored him since morning. Aira did not not want to try to reprimand Rakha and behave as usual, but the look on Rakha's face today really hinted that he did not want to be disturbed first. At least for a moment.
When the lesson hours were over, and after Mr. Ando disbanded the class, Aira immediately went to the sink located on the edge of the ball field to wash his face. Without Aira knowing, it turns out that there is Rakha who is also washing her face.
Their positions face each other. Rakha who first raised her face, was immediately greeted by the sight of the figure of Aira who was washing her face. For a moment Rakha was stunned. The water shafts attached to Aira's face made the girl look even more beautiful.
Although still feeling upset over the rejection of Aira yesterday afternoon, Rakha felt unable to bear if she had to linger to this girl.
Rakha, who had now managed to shake off all her pain, suddenly chuckled softly as a ignorant idea reached her head.
Rakha splashed Aira's face with tap water. Aira who had been busy washing her face, immediately gasped as she felt the splash of water on her face and clothes. In annoyance, Aira raised her face and stared intently at the person in front of her.
Once aware that it was Rakha who had splashed water on her face, Aira's annoyance suddenly eroded within seconds.
"Rakha is very ignorant!"
"That's revenge because you rejected me twice." Rakha answered nosy, and played back tap water until it again splashed into Aira's face.
Aira reflexively parried with her arm.
Silent for a while. There was no sound of protest from Aira anymore. At that very moment, Rakha spontaneously thought that Aira's eyes were entering the water and he was feeling the pain now.
"Ra, what's wrong with you? Got eyes, huh?"
Because there was no answer from Aira, Rakha quickly turned off the tap and walked over to Aira who was on the other side.
"Ra?" Call Rakha softly while touching Aira's arm covering her eyes.
At that moment, without Rakha guessing, Aira instantly removed her arm from her eyes and laughed so hard at Rakha's backlash.
"Ketipuu!" Pekik Aira then ran around the sink. Rakha is chasing him.
For the next, they continued to splash each other's tap water until finally...
"HEY! STOP IT!! YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S WATER PAYING?!" Shouted Natta ―The Former Chairman of Osis who was standing on the second floor with Nico who was seen throwing deadly gazes at Aira and Rakha.
...****...
"Nic, what's up here?" Natta asked Nico who was standing there looking at Rakha and Aira who were face to face washing their faces down there.
Nico did not answer Natta's question. At that moment, Natta followed Nico's gaze. Next, Natta mangosteen seemed to understand with a grin on his face.
"Ohhh? Apparently someone's disturbing your view down there? Need help?"
Nico again did not tease Natta.
Then, those 'important' moments finally arrived as Rakha started splashing water on Aira's face. Scene after another sweet scene continued until Nico's anger was ignited. It was very clear when Natta saw both hands Nico clutching the iron barrier very strongly.
And then....
"HEY! STOP IT!! YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S WATER PAYING?!" Shouted Natta quite loudly peppered with his power-mad tone. Rakha and Aira stop their 'sweet scene.
Right next to her now, Natta could feel an icy chill.
...****...
The 1st semester exam is approaching. Nico and his friends look busy again. As they used to do every exam, Nico and the others always gathered at Rio's Coffee Shop to study with a group tutored by Rakha.
Seeing Aira who had just come with Yumi, Bia, and Sheryl, Nico immediately removed her bag from one of the empty seats she had prepared for Aira beside her. Nico did it very naturally. He did not even look at Aira at all while doing so and remained focused with his notebook.
Seeing Nico's sweet demeanor, Aira somehow couldn't help but smile on her face. Afraid of being caught with the others, Aira also poked her lips in order to hold back her smile.
Aira then immediately sat down beside Nico before the others realized.
But without Aira realizing it, Rakha continued to pay attention to every step he took.
"Not the same road as Tristan?" Rio said narrowly as Bia sat right before him.
Honestly speaking, Rio was still upset after knowing that Bia and Tristan quite often walked together. Especially after Tristan blatantly asked for his opinion on what if he and Bia were dating.
"Lo why the hell, Yo? This feeling of a few days is still the same as me."
"Not sensitive either, Bi! He doesn't like to squirm lo deket-deket keep the same Tristan." Timpal Yumi relaxed.
"Come on! Just end the friendzone between you, and make it now!" Sheryl.
"You two are compatible. Just so!" Natta added while pointing towards Bia and Rio alternately using his ballpoint pen.
"Dadians! Be so! Sohan!" Koor Rakha, then followed by another.
Their sudden learning situation turns into a moment of love statement, splashy in an instant.
Because already confused with the fog first with the ignorance of his friends, without thinking long Bia said with the origin, "do not ngaco you guys! Rio's not my type."
Hearing the perfunctory statement from Bia, Rio immediately stopped the recording activity. The ballpoint pen that had been in his hand since then, just slipped away.
"Geez!" Rakha muttered softly while covering his mouth with one of his hands.
The situation that had been stirring was suddenly silent and awkward.
"Already! It's already! Stop bothering Bia with Rio. Now let's just keep learning!" This time, Nico who deliberately wanted to divert the atmosphere sounded chimed.
After that, everyone completely refocused on their material today. But neither Rio nor Bia seemed to be fully focused. The words of their friends a moment ago, have succeeded in messing with the contents of their heads.
Surprisingly, they have very often gotten such temptations from others. But this was the first time they felt the prank temptation had such a shocking effect on their hearts.
...****...
"Why haven't you returned from Banu Island?" Rakha asked Ranha as she had just entered the house after returning home from group study.
"No, Brother. Maybe malem. Oya, sis?"
"Why, Ran?"
Rakha put down her bag and sat down on the sofa.
"So..." Ranha said hesitantly.
As Ranha did not reply, Rakha finally turned her attention away from the magazine in her hand, then looked at her sister seriously. For some reason, Rakha felt that there was something strange about his sister's attitude. Don't tell...
"So why, Ranha?" Rakha's face became more serious. His premonition began to say, that Ranha had met her Mama.
"Ranha met Mama."
"Continue?" Rakha again asked after previously sighing and trying to muffle her anger.
"Yes so... Mama ngajakin Ranha eat. Mama told me a lot about her life in New York. Mama also asked how Ranha and Rakha were doing as long as Mama was not around. Is Rakha's sister Ranha well, and―"
"Enough, Ran! Rakha doesn't want to be horrified anymore."
Rakha who felt completely fed up, immediately grabbed her bag and got up from before Ranha. But once Rakha was about to climb the stairs, his sister's words immediately stopped him.
"Ranha kangen with Mama, Sister. Can't we just go with Mama?"
Rakha massaged her forehead which started to feel throbbing. Before Rakha can digest Ranha's words, Ranha again says something that makes Rakha's mind more chaotic.
"If we go with Mama, Rakha will no longer feel depressed because of Papa. And Rakha must know, if Ranha can not continue to squirm Rakha distressed kayak gini."
Rakha was already about to continue his steps, but Ranha suddenly stepped quickly to block him. Ranha held one of Rakha's hands, and looked at her with tears in her eyes.
"If Rakha's sister hates Mama because Mama has ignored Papa and left us, Rakha is wrong. Mama never saw Papa, Brother. Papa just misunderstood."
The angry flashes that had shimmered from Rakha's two eyes, slowly disappeared. Ranha's speech just now, enough to make him jolt violently.
...****...
After struggling with the physics formulas overnight, Nico who felt thirsty came out of his room to take a drink in the kitchen. However, when he had just stepped down from the stairs, he immediately stopped his steps when he saw Aira who was sitting alone in the TV room while doing chemical tasks.
Nico casually passed by him, walked towards the pantry and picked up some water. After returning, he sat down at Aira's side and said, "again the task?" Nico then downed his drink with an eye that could not be separated from the figure in front of him.
"Yes. But I'm a little confused."
"What number is it about? Have a look!" Nico placed the glass on the table, then got closer to Aira.
While Aira was sitting down, Nico still chose to sit on the sofa.
Aira turned around, showed Nico her workbook, and pointed to number five. Nico read it for a while, not for long, he then nodded in understanding. He took over the pencil in Aira's hand and began to explain.
"So gini, to determine the freezing point of 0.3, you can determine it by comparison..."
Nico then wrote it on the back of the book Aira while explaining slowly so that Aira easily understand it.
While Nico was busy explaining, Aira actually lost focus when she saw Nico's handsome face. Aira's stunned. And everything Nico had explained seemed to evaporate in the air. None of it got into his brain.
"Here you get it?" Tanya Nico made sure while looking towards Aira.
At that time Nico knew that Aira was staring at him. The position of Aira's face which was right under her face, made Nico able to see clearly every curve of this girl's beauty.
Aira could also feel her heart pounding in an irregular rhythm, as their pair of eyes clashed against each other. Aira wanted to immediately throw away her gaze. But Nico's two clear eyes that seemed to have a magnet, making Aira powerless to just turn away.
One. two.. three. control button in Aira sudden error. Outside the orders of her brain, Aira raised her face and landed a kiss on Nico's lips.
Something inside Nico is like yelling at him without a cue. Both of Nico's shoulders reflexively lifted as he felt Aira's lips touch the surface of his lips gently. Before Nico could neutralize everything, Aira had regained her consciousness and hurriedly kept her face away from Nico's face.
"Sorry..." Lirih Aira quietly without daring to look into Nico's eyes.
Aira, who could no longer endure her embarrassment, decided to leave before Nico. But just as he was about to get up from his seat, he knew how to feel Nico holding his hand.
"Who said you could go? You should finish your job first."
Damnit damnit! Aira bit her lower lip with a puckered face. Not his ration to escape now.
...****...
(Night on Aira's Birthday)
On the way home after returning from the mini market, there was no chat between Nico and Aira. Nico who a while ago looked very emotional, now began to look calm and more able to control himself than before.
Despite everything that happened outside of his plan, there was not a single thing that Nico regretted right now.
Aira just stared at Nico's back which was walking not far in front of her. As soon as Nico was about to enter the gate of her house, she unexpectedly pulled her wrist and held him down with her face down.
Nico turned his head, then looked at Aira with a questioning look. Not long after, Nico then turned his gaze on his wrist which was now held by Aira with both hands.
"Slow down, Nic?"
"You mean?"
"I'm not asking for time to think, but I'm the one who gives you time to think. I don't want you in trouble anymore because of me, Nic. So, please think again." Aira said, still with a downcast face.
Nico who was beginning to understand the guilt that was surrounding Aira at the moment, immediately released the grip of Aira's hand from her wrist. At that moment, Aira's heart seemed to be melting.
But the next thing that happened was, replace Nico who grasped both hands of Aira. Aira flinched gently. He who had initially lowered his head, just lifted his head and returned the gaze of Nico's eyes that were so deep through his niche.
"You don't have to feel guilty, Ra. I understand, and I'm sorry for my rash actions. You must be surprised and not ready. I should have considered a lot of things before then, right?"
Aira nodded slowly, which Nico replied with a smile.
"Let's relax first. Focus on the same final exam, then let's date after that. Agreed?"
Once again Aira nodded, but this time with both eyes glazed almost in tears.
"Hey! Don't cry anymore. Stop whining! You're 18 years old today." Nico said, looking down to see Aira's face.
When Aira's stuffing began to sound, Nico chuckled and then immediately grabbed the crybaby girl, locking the tiny body of Aira in her arms. Nico then gently rubbed Aira's hair.
"I'm sorry, huh? I won't like that anymore. Promise!"
Aira still didn't say anything. Only his increasingly powerful sobbing sounded. Then slowly, both hands raised and coiled around Nico's waist.
Nico smiled as he felt Aira return his embrace. He then presented Aira's head with a small kiss.
"Stttt! Don't cry anymore, okay?"
To Be Continued...^^^