We, From The First
#58. Three Requests

"What, Ra? So you broke up with Nico? Since when?" Sheryl asks Aira shortly after Aira finishes her story about her relationship with Nico.

Sheryl's reaction was seen to be in disbelief, as well as Yumi and Bia who were gathering with them at the mini cinema B-Cafe.

"Since two weeks ago." Aira answered with a lethargic face.

"But why, Ra?" This time Yumi who sounded threw a question.

Aira seemed to think after. Slowly he began to realize something. Since reuniting with his father, Nico's attitude begins to change for Aira. And not long after, precisely after Aira finished her script exam, Nico immediately severed their relationship. It's like Nico has indeed been waiting for the right time to break his relationship with Aira.

Instead of gaining enlightenment after finding a single bright spot, Aira actually felt that everything was getting deadlocked. Aira also certainly could not convey what was stuck in her mind right now regarding her suspicions regarding the reason Nico decided on her. This matter had dragged Aira's suspicions at the meeting of Nico and her real Papa, how could Aira convey that to her friends?

And Aira swallowed all her bitterness alone.

"I don't know the exact reason either. But maybe... Nico wants to focus on the completion of the script."

"What's thesis nyelesein? It has been more than a month of work on the script Nico mangkrak. Already several times he also got scorned by his Advisor." Yumi replied a little fiery.

Yumi who is one major with Nico, certainly knows what happened. Yumi also feels unacceptable to see Aira treated in this way by Nico, considering how Rakha loves Aira very much and is willing to do anything for Aira.

Yumi just felt, that what happened now was completely unfair to Rakha. His rakha.

"What?" Surprised Aira who really does not have any clue about what Yumi just reported to her.

"I think, Ra, there's something else Nico's hiding from you. He also disappeared, right, before you mutusin lo? You can't be fooled like this, you have to find out."

Yumi realized. That means it doesn't rule out the possibility that others could have known about what Nico is hiding now.

And after returning from campus after completing all his Judicial needs next week, Aira immediately returned to Nico's house to find his whereabouts. Upon arrival, Aira does not find Nico. Ms. Ningsih said that Nico left again. Nico's been gone for two days without Mom and Dad knowing.

"Bu Ningsih, Nana is worried about Nico. Nana wants to know why, but Nico never wants to tell Nana." Said Aira sadly for a moment after she dropped her body on a chair at the dining table.

Bu Ningsih who knew the true story immediately gave up her job and approached Aira. Ms. Ningsih suddenly hugged Aira, then said, "Mba Nana, sometimes there are things we don't need to know so we don't get hurt. For now, please understand and trust Mas Nico, huh?"

Slowly, Aira's cries began to sound in Bu Ningsih's arms.

...****...

Nico had an accident in the middle of the rainy night.

With such a strong cry and with her entire body that she felt trembling violently, Aira approached Nico's body. Blood flowed from his head, and Nico was unwilling to open his eyes even as Aira repeatedly shouted her name hysterically, pleading for Nico to come to her senses immediately.

"NICO WAKE!! DON'T STAY WITH ME! YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE I HAVE. IF YOU LEAVE, I WON'T BE ABLE TO LIVE, NICO!!"

As Aira was lamenting Nico's stiff body, a mysterious man in all-black clothes suddenly came over.

"Om, please save Nico!" Aira Pinta. His voice sounded begging.

But the mysterious man did not say anything, he did not even see the face of Aira who was so panicked and frightened.

And when the mysterious man turns around after lifting Nico's body, only Aira can see that the man is the same man as the mysterious man who several years ago has killed the lives of his parents.

Aira remembered it very clearly, because on the night of the accident, it was the mysterious man who ran her to the hospital.

"DON'T TAKE NICO AWAY!!" Shouted Aira loudly.

He ran, following the mysterious man. But what happens next, the mysterious man goes missing swallowed by the darkness of the night with Nico.

"NICOOOOOOOOO!!" Shouted Aira as loud as possible after successfully waking up from her nightmare.

At that moment, Nico who had been sitting on the bed immediately embraced Aira's body.

That night, Aira falls asleep in Nico's room. He decides not to return to his apartment because he wants to wait for Nico. Nico had been sitting by Aira's side for an hour, trying to dispel her fear of hearing the sound of rain while continuing to look at Aira's face nonstop.

"Na, I'm here. Don't you be afraid, okay?" Oozing Nico with a trembling voice.

"Nic, that guy's coming. He took you away from me, Nico."

"Sst... Udah, huh? I'm not going anywhere. I'm still here, and will always be here just like you. Hm?"

"I saw his eyes, Nic. I was so scared. Hiks hyks..." Said Aira while sobbing.

His voice truly sounded slashing, and regenerated Nico's guilt on the innocent girl who had inadvertently replaced him bearing the inevitable anguish of his pain.

'I'm sorry, Na. Sorry for making you suffer what was not meant for you in the first place.'

...****...

Aira came out of her room as time was almost showing at half-five in the afternoon. Since this morning ─right since last night after Nico calmed Aira, the young man again did not show himself. Though last night clearly Aira heard Nico say to her, that she is not going anywhere and will always be with Aira, but the proof is now what happened? Nico disappeared again like a ghost.

Fed up with it, Aira seemed to have to strategize for Nico to really not be able to disappear or avoid it anymore.

"Mom, what time does Semalem Nico come home?" Aira asked Bu Ningsih who just happened to pass in front of her.

"Emmm... About half-twelfth, Mba."

Aira simply nodded, before she finally heard her phone vibrate. Aira immediately opened her phone, and read the message that was sent by Rakha.

Aira would have refused. But as he thought again, he felt he could not bear to refuse Rakha's request. After all, Rakha rarely asked her for anything, so what harm would it do if for just this once Aira complied with Rakha's request?

On the other hand, Aira also felt bored waiting for Nico at home all day who even refused to just show his face to Aira.

Aira immediately replied to Rakha's message with a smile that she did not notice on her beautiful face.

...****...

At first Aira thought that Rakha would take her to a mall for a walk. But Aira was wrong. It turns out that Rakha took him to a Lantern Festival held at HR Tower. Aira had never expected before that Rakha would take her to a place as beautiful as this. Over the past few months, Aira has been so focused on her script that she has no idea that there is such a grand annual event.

They arrived at HR Tower when time was almost up at night. The lantern flight will be held at exactly eight o'clock. Some people were busy preparing their lanterns.

After tasting some folk snacks that Aira had not met for long, Rakha suddenly pulled his hand and took Aira to the lantern seller. They are too busy tasting snacks here and there to forget that they have not bought lanterns.

"The lights are only one. But you're a couple, right? So, why not fly one lantern together like another couple?"

"Our Ka─... Bu─not pasa─"

"We just need one lantern." Sergeah Rakha before Aira finishes her explanation.

Aira also threw a gaze of protest at Rakha who was then seen sighing with relief.

"Konon said, if you fly the lantern together, your love will be realized. Happy fighting!" Close the Trader with confidence.

Rakha and Aira just both chuckled awkwardly at the merchant's words.

Aira uses Rakha's back as a base for writing.

While Aira seemed to be earnestly writing down her wishes, Rakha had not written anything down.

"Kha, you're not writing yet?" Aira asked as she peered towards Rakha's paper.

"Well, what hope." Answer Rakha as he is.

"If you were human, you would have one hope that you really wanted to make happen."

Rakha did not sound. Somehow Aira's words managed to touch the deepest recesses. Rakha's cheerful face, now turned serious, with Rakha's plan then saying, "I can ask for anything, right?"

"certain."

"I'm really going to write it down, and ask for it with all earnestness." Said Rakha again who was still turning his back on Aira.

"Please, Top Star Rakhaditya pride one country!"

Rakha then turned around, and surprisingly twisted the tiny body of Aira to her back. Now, it was Rakha's turn to make Aira's back a base for writing.

It was time for them to fly the lantern. Rakha and Aira held the red lanterns together while waiting for instructions, without knowing each other's expectations.

And after getting the instructions, everyone released their lanterns simultaneously. As the lantern flew and twisted slightly, Rakha could see one simple wish that Aira wrote; "MAY RAKHA WIN, AND BUY 8 BOXES OF PIZZA FOR US ALL."

Rakha chuckled amusedly reading Aira's expectations before then he rubbed Aira's forehead in a fit of anxiety. The lantern turned again and now showed the hope that Rakha wrote; "I WANT AIRA TO LIKE ME."

Aira's laughter was frozen. He then lifted his face and saw Rakha who was looking at him with a smile that was so sincere.

"So you said I could ask for anything, right?"

...****...

From behind a window on the second floor of his house, Nico can see Aira who was out of the car with Rakha. Nico did not know what they were talking about, but clearly Nico saw Aira who was bowing her face. Rakha then rubbed Aira's shoulder, then gently pulled the girl's arm, and let her lean her forehead against Rakha's chest.

Rakha seemed to close his eyes while gently patting Aira's shoulder like she was calming him down.

Looking at all those sights, Nico unknowingly gripped Aira's cell phone in his hand. Before going out with Rakha earlier, apparently Aira forgot to bring her phone and just left it on the dining table.

Aira hadn't even read the message Nico sent her this afternoon. The message contains:

Nico once again stared at the message he sent to Aira. Next, Nico deletes the message from Aira's phone so that Aira never finds out that Nico had taken her along to the lantern festival.

At the lantern festival, Nico waited for Aira's arrival for almost an hour. Nico could not pick up Aira because he happened to be in the Marvi area, where HR Tower is located. Nico was there because he had to see the class president. Meanwhile, if he picks up Aira, he will take a long journey to get home. So, Nico decided to wait for Aira there.

Nico also tried to call Aira several times, but there was no answer. Knowing that the message has not been read by Aira, inevitably Nico finally felt anxious for Aira and decided to go home. However, before Nico swung his footsteps, he was immediately knocked back when he saw Aira who had suddenly appeared at the lantern festival with a joyful face. Nico was already about to approach Aira thinking Aira was catching up with him, but the figure of Rakha who soon appeared beside him made Nico undo his intention to approach Aira.

Nico followed wherever they went. And Nico saw it all. Starting from those who seem fun to taste every folk snack, then when they buy lanterns, write their hopes on paper, to when they fly lanterns together. Nico witnessed all of this without exception. How Aira looks so happy when with Rakha, while lately Nico has always hurt him non-stop. Nico even read the expectations of the two people, and the more it made him feel so dwarfed, the more it felt that it left him powerless.

Despite the weight, that night Nico actually decided to release Aira completely.

...****...

Nico goes to the compound field of his home after he receives a short message from Aira.

That's the message Nico received. Although a little confused by the message, but after all Nico stepped foot too.

After a long time of thinking, Aira finally found a strategy to be able to hold Nico stay with her. And Aira has made sure, that for this time Nico will not be able to avoid it again.

After the lantern festival a week ago, Nico disappeared again. Yumi even said that Nico never appeared on campus for a week. The script was really messy. And when Aira carried out Judicium, Nico did not reveal himself any hair. Three days ago, Aira returned to her apartment. That's what Aira did to lure Nico home.

The first strategy worked. Nico really went home.

Nico arrives on the field to meet the call of Aira when the time has gone by dusk. Once there, Nico was immediately greeted with the song ‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’ which was deliberately played by Aira through her phone. And there, just below the ring, Nico could see Aira was trying to get the ball into the ring.

The song continued to spin as if describing how Aira was currently feeling towards Nico. And as soon as the song was over, Aira managed to get the ball into the ring. He quickly caught the ball he had thrown and looked back as if called by Nico.

Aira smiled bitterly, she flanked the ball in her arms and walked up to Nico with a blank look without light. “Job! I miss you.”

It was the first time Nico had listened to a harsh word thrown from Aira.

But despite his surprise, Nico did not reply. He just looked deeply into the two clear eyes of the girl with a scarred look that he tried to cover as much as he could. Nico was willing to bet, Aira's longing for him was no greater than the longing that had been tormenting him all along. Nico misses him more than anything. And the fact that this girl was within her sight, yet she was not even able to hug him made her almost crazy.

Aira pass the ball that had been in his grasp towards Nico. Nico caught the ball swiftly and threw a questioning glance at Aira. “Let's go one on one. If I win, you'll have to kabulin my three requests without protesting what's more rejection. But if I lose, I won't bother you anymore. Even if you ask me to stay away, I will stay away.”

Again Nico did not speak, he played the ball in his hand and then ran small to the middle of the field. He accepted the challenge.

Fight's starting. Aira mustered all the abilities he had in order to defeat Nico. In his heart, Aira had convinced himself that today he had to defeat Nico.

In the early minutes, Nico did master the game and make Aira lateraban. But as time goes on and arrives in the middle of the game, Aira again finds her lost powers. Their game also began to draw. And the more he gets here, Nico starts to acknowledge the girl's abilities.

At first Nico did not want to budge, but seeing that Aira's determination was so strong it made him weak. In addition to that reason, Nico also wanted to fulfill Aira's request that he had never been able to fulfill.

So let it be just for once he forgets everything and thinks only of this girl.

Half an hour later, Aira was two points ahead of Nico. Nico himself deliberately disguises his defeat by letting Aira win thinly so as not to make him suspicious.

Nico was sitting lethargic in the middle of the field with sweat pouring down his forehead. He also tried to adjust his breathing up and down. Nico only looked down until he finally saw a pair of legs belonging to Aira standing upright in front of him.

“It looks like my request will be fulfilled soon.” Aira said as she reached out her hand to help Nico stand up.

But instead of welcoming Aira's helping hand, Nico crouched down and tied up Aira's loose shoelaces. For a moment Aira froze in place. He did not expect Nico would do this sweet thing to him. And that, inevitably drags his memory back into the past, when he first played basketball with Nico when he just moved.

At that time, Nico also did the same to him, tying his shoelaces.

After tying Aira's shoelaces, Nico stood alone. He looked at the girl in front of him with his eyes always looking cold, as he had done so many times lately.

“Now mention the three requests you mean.”

Aira was pulled back from her long daydream once Nico's cold tone of voice was caught by her ears. Aira gasped then looked at Nico while thinking about the first request he would make.

“My first request is—“

Aira let her words hang. In the next second, Aira hugged Nico's neck. He closed his eyes and tiptoed so that he could reach Nico's height. Without saying a word, Aira landed a gentle kiss on Nico's lips and purposely held it a little longer. Nico who was originally blank slowly began to realize what was happening.

After thinking for a long time and arguing with his bath, Nico closed his eyes and tilted his face. Simultaneously, he grabbed the girl's slender waist and hugged her so that the distance between them was completely wiped out, kissing the entire surface of Aira's lips without exception, as if releasing everything that was held back.

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