We, From The First
#56. Finished

After ending the dinner together with the unexpected atmosphere caused by Nico, Nico immediately drove Aira back to his apartment. During the trip, they did not talk to each other. Nico was busy focusing his gaze on the street in front of him, while Aira, he kept staring at Nico from the side with a million question marks lodged in his mind.

During this one month, Nico's attitude was already quite strange to him. Nico, who always cared for her, who always took time for her no matter how busy she was, or Nico who was even willing to leave important things for Aira, now seemed to keep her distance. Aira wanted to ask Nico more, but Nico somehow, had given the impression that Aira did not need to ask him about anything.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at Aira's apartment. Unlike usual, this time Nico just drove Aira to the front of his apartment building. Nico doesn't even seem to have the desire to go in with him.

"You're in, huh? Sorry I couldn't stop by. I have to finish revising I'm this malem."

The same reason again!

"Nico, I'll talk to you." Disconnecting Aira in the end. Now Aira no longer cared about anything. He wanted to know what had really happened to Nico over the past month.

"Na, say it tomorrow, yeah. Sekaut—"

"Must now!"

And Aira never found herself that bold and determined against Nico for nearly five years together.

"Ma...."

"On the wedding plan that Om and Aunt said earlier, I understand why you refused on the grounds that are not ready, and I am okay with that. But, your attitude for the past month is the same as I've been really weird, Nic. And it inevitably made me think, that something made you refuse to marry me."

Nico didn't say anything. He simply lowered his gaze, like fear that Aira would be able to read into his eyes.

"Can't you be honest with me? Tell me what happened to you over the past month, so you always take care of me. You've never thought of it before, have you, Nic?"

In Nico's heart cried out in frustration. How could he be honest with Aira when the situation wasn't that simple? How can Aira accept his honesty with the airy, when Nico who he loves and believes more than anything is the son of a killer who has eliminated the lives of his parents, Nico, who has caused trauma and hatred in him for so many years? How could?

Nico sighed softly, trying to calm himself in silence, before he finally turned his head and looked at Aira beside him.

"Ma?"

Seeing from the way Nico was looking at her now, somehow made Aira feel a bit frightened. Like all the bad things will soon surround them.

"Now I'm going to say something. But, there are conditions that you must fulfill."

"A—what?"

Nico again sighed before finally answering. "Don't say, or ask anything. Agreed?"

Nico has come to a decision. Actually, he won't take this decision for tonight. He planned to do it another day. But the situation right now is really being squeezed. He did not expect that his actions over the past month had gone too far so as to make Aira careless.

While Aira, despite her hesitation, nodded her head, and placed her trust in Nico's hands as she had done all along.

Nico then grabbed one of Aira's hands, and grasped it, as if it was the last strength he had. Nico then placed the hand of Aira he held in front of his forehead, Nico then lowered his head while closing his eyes.

"To the future, we both seem to be facing quite a serious problem. And it's not easy for us to get out of this problem. But, no matter how heavy the matter is, and no matter how big of a mistake I make now, please keep believing in me."

Nico then raised his face, then looked right at both of Aira's eyes. His look was sad, but thoughtful.

The matter further tore Nico's heart mercilessly as he finally arrived at a decision that would later kill him slowly. Nico did not want to think any longer, and deliberately stalled for time. Because the longer he delays, he will be more and more unwilling with his own decision to release this innocent girl.

The road is getting dark and dead. Nico really felt alone, lost among doubts and fears.

"Na. We just stop here."

Silent. The world stopped spinning, the beat of time froze.

"N—Nico?"

"We're done, Nana..."

...****...

After her separation from Nico, Aira cried. What makes him so desperate now is the fact that he can't ask Nico anything. He had no idea what was going on, or what kind of hardship Nico was going through right now, but Nico did not even give him a chance to ask, or soothe all the pain he might be suffering from.

After walking for twenty minutes, Aira finally stopped at a stop and sat there with a blank look. His crying had subsided, but not with his pain.

All of this, still felt unreal to Aira.

And without Aira noticing, Nico, who had been following her, was quietly watching her from across the street. After a long time of thinking, Nico finally opened his phone and looked for someone's name on his contact list. After finding the number he was looking for, Nico immediately contacted him.

"Hallo, Kha? Where are you now?"

...****...

Aira gasped as she suddenly felt someone draping a jacket over her shoulders. Aira who initially thought that the person was Nico, immediately looked up with a single smile on her face. However, what he found later, made his smile gradually fade away.

That person is Rakha, not Nico.

"Kha, how can you be here?"

"So I was on my way home from the dorm, and I kept seeing you sitting here alone. At first I thought it was a ghost, but it turns out..."

Rakha half-jokingly replied while sitting next to Aira.

In response to the joke that Rakha rolled, Aira only smiled faintly. And after that, there was no longer any chatter between them. Rakha faithfully sat beside Aira, accompanying her in silence without asking any questions, just accompanying her.

"Kha?" Call Aira after long enough to let Rakha by her side.

"Hm?" Rakha.

"I'm hungry. Please buy food."

Rakha's laughter finally broke. Likewise with Aira who finally smiled after a long time wallowing in her pain.

^^^To be Continued...^^^