We, From The First
#61. Last Day
Unlike other students who were so happy when declared to pass the thesis exam, Nico actually showed the opposite expression. As soon as he came out of the examination hall, his face looked so flat. There was no excessive euphoria that he felt even when his friends who had been waiting for him had rushed towards him and hugged him and congratulated him.
But the smile on his face could be a little painted when he saw Aira who was standing not far from him while showing a proud face. Inwardly, it felt like Nico was hugging Aira and thanking the girl for never getting tired of helping and supporting Nico for the past week. But he knew for sure, that he himself had already stretched the barrier between them. And Nico will never be able to just break through the bulkhead he has created.
"It's our last day as girlfriends, is there anything you want to do?" Nico whispered in Aira's ear as the others including Rakha walked in front of them while laughing so cheerfully.
I don't know what babble Rio threw that could make the others laugh so much.
"More than me all day." Aira answered in a whisper, mimicking a sentence Nico had written on the coupon Aira gave.
Once again Nico smiled, but this time with one fine grin that was strewn across his handsome face.
Upon their return from college, they immediately get ready for their last date. And while preparing herself, Aira had received a phone call from Rakha asking for her whereabouts.
"I'm home again, Kha."
"Still at Nico's?" Rakha's voice sounded slower than before.
"Yes." Yeah."
Rakha was silent for a few seconds, "Ra? Want to walk this afternoon? I'll be back in the dorm."
"Yeah sorry, yeah, Kha. I have an appointment with Nico. Emm... How about next week? Next week, right, I'm the same as the others. We can get together right in the middle of the mall."
"I want you both to." This time Rakha answered firmly. His voice sounded cold too.
Aira, who was shocked, tried to find her consciousness again. He smiled gently, then replied, "okay. We'll both walk."
Just after Aira finished her phone call with Rakha, Nico suddenly appeared while knocking on the door of Aira's open room. Aira turned her head, and was a little stunned when she saw the handsome Nico in a white shirt that she combined with a pair of blue jeans. Aira also uses a white A-Line dress that covers down the knee. A blue sweater she wore on her shoulder made her appearance look sweet.
Aira looked at Nico from head to toe with an observing look.
"Why, Na? Is something weird?" Ask Nico.
Aira withdrew her gaze from Nico, the next second she shook her head, then smiled at Nico. "It's okay! Let's walk!"
...****...
Over the past three hours, Nico and Aira have done a lot. Subsequent to
watching in the cinema, Aira whines at Nico to invite him to play in the timezone. Nico who initially just watched Aira play finally decided to come play as well. Maybe Nico did not realize it, but today Aira managed to make him laugh freely as if there was no problem between them.
Knowing that he managed to make Nico laugh, Aira chose not to say anything. He was afraid that the slightest comment he threw would make the man return to being cold to him like lately. Aira could only enjoy the laughter in her silence. For him, this was more than enough. Nico was with him and laughed, what's more comforting than this?
After the mall, they went to a park. While walking side by side in the park, Aira's attention was on a cotton candy seller. Aira approached followed by Nico behind her. Regardless of Nico, Aira ordered one cotton candy and asked Nico to pay for it.
Nico did not say anything, he just showed his ugly face while taking out his wallet. In that instant, a smile full of satisfaction immediately fell on the beautiful face of Aira.
“You don't want to try?” Aira asked Nico while thrusting the cotton candy directly in front of Nico's face.
Nico clucked and removed Aira's hand from before him.
“You want, I can buy it myself.” Answer Nico coldly.
Aira shrugged her shoulders and showed a facial expression ‘ya already’. He again enjoyed his cotton candy while continuing to walk behind Nico while humming cheerfully.
Moments later, Nico turned to face the girl after thinking hard enough. Aira who had not realized it kept walking while still eating her cotton candy. Then without Aira expecting, Nico ate the cotton candy that Aira was eating from the other side.
For a second Aira felt her heart stop beating, her breath choking without warning. Their faces are only a few inches away now. Their eyes meet each other.
And the gaze so deep from Nico made Aira feel as if there were only two of them in that place.
A few seconds later, Nico pulled his face back. Suddenly he smiled so gently and made Aira's heart seem to jump with excitement deep inside.
Nico grabbed Aira's right hand and grabbed it and let their fingers interlock with each other. “Today I will total mgejalanin my role as your girlfriend.” Whisper Nico slowly in front of the girl's face then lead her to walk.
Aira who was still frozen just resignedly followed Nico with an overflow of feelings that he himself could not explain in a series of words. Her heart was too flowery now to be able to describe how she felt at this moment.
After getting tired of walking around the park, Nico took Aira on a bicycle to go back around. Aira who was sitting behind Nico felt her heart explode in a countdown as soon as Nico grabbed her hand and wrapped it around her waist. The attitude he showed was as if asking Aira implicitly to hug him.
Without hesitation, Aira hugged Nico tightly.
Simultaneously, their past memories revolved around Aira's head. Memories from their childhood are ripples of happiness, with no distance, no bulkhead.
As now, Nico used to ride Aira's bike. The dragged memory inevitably caused a form of longing that erupted in their respective chests. If only time could repeat itself in those laugh-filled times. Thought they were silent.
Aira suddenly asks Nico to stop in front of a stand that sells various souvenirs, he pats Nico on the shoulder several times and makes Nico inevitably end up stopping the speed of his bike.
Aira approached the stand after getting off the bike with her attention fixed on a dreamcatcher. Nico who realized the direction of Aira's focus immediately let out an annoyed breath.
“You still have nightmares, right? It can ward off all your nightmares and make you dream good. Want?” Aira suddenly turned around and extended the object to Nico.
Nico seemed to think before saying, “as long as there is you, I don't need that."
“Ma—you mean?”
This time they were both speechless with their eyes both locked on their eyes. Once again Nico sounded out sighing. His eyes looked tired, he threw away his face and answered the question Aira asked.
“Make me, beautiful dreams will only make me sick when I wake up.”
Aira said nothing more. He put the dreamcatcher back in place and rode back on the bike feeling awkward. But even so, he didn't expect this day to pass quickly and get him thrown back into an uneasy state with Nico. And if this was a dream, Aira did not want this dream to pass. As long as Nico lives in a dream, he will do it with pleasure.
In the shade of the orange sky, Aira's feeling seemed to be transformed into a white cloud that danced over the sky and gently blown by the wind.
Everything feels so right, everything feels so perfect.
...****...
"Thanks, yes, Yum, I've done it." Rakha said to Yumi as the car driven by Yumi stopped right in front of Rakha's dormitory building.
Before returning to the dormitory, Rakha asks Yumi for help to escort her back to the dormitory. Yumi who was not busy was immediately willing to take Rakha.
"That's what friend are for, Kha." Reply to Yumi who was impressed indifferently.
Rakha smiled widely. And when Rakha was about to land her right hand on Yumi's head, Yumi reflexively dodged. Rakha was stunned for a while with her hands still hanging in the air.
"Don't do anything like that again when you even deny my feelings." Lirih Yumi softly without daring to look at her interlocutor.
Yumi was serious about her words. But what he found later, Rakha just ignored him. He forcibly pulled Yumi's head with one of his hands, then smothered her on the shoulder tightly.
"I want to keep acting like this, what can you do? Hm?" Rakha said as he tightened his grip on Yumi's head.
To be honest, Rakha had grown tired of the awkward state between herself and Yumi lately. Rakha wants to fix everything, so that she and Yumi can return to the way they were. Like the moment before Yumi expressed her feelings.
"Racha! Not letting go of me? I'm serious!!" Tell Yumi with her muffled fierce voice in Rakha's confinement.
"Racha! Not letting go of me? I'm serious!!" Rakha repeated Yumi's words while following the girl's tone and manner of speaking.
"You don't leave soon, I'm sure you'll be niesel." This time Yumi's voice sounded rather threatening.
"What do you want to do with me? Huh uh?" Challenge Rakha.
Beyond Rakha's expectations, Yumi suddenly wrapped her arms around Rakha's back, then hugged her ignorant friend with courage. Yumi's face, which had been leaning on Rakha's shoulder, now moved to Rakha's chest. Rakha freezes. For the second time he was surprised. Yumi's hug was really soulful. This is no longer a hug between friends, but between a woman and a man.
"Gue already said, right, if you will be able to sell your money" said Yumi in a half-whispering tone.
Rakha who was originally blank, now actually returned Yumi's embrace and adjusted her position to make it more comfortable. Let it be for once, Rakha treats Yumi like a woman.
Yumi, who felt absolutely no rejection from Rakha, slowly closed her eyes, and enjoyed a moment that might not come a second time.
...****...
"Father, Mama... Nico wants to say something." Nico said to his parents.
That night, their families including Aira were celebrating Nico's graduation at a restaurant in one of the five-star hotels. Adryan even specially reserved a VIP place for them.
"What, Nic?" Asked Regina lightly while cutting her steak.
"Before, Nico would like to say thank you to Papa for accepting Nico, and treat Nico like his own child so far. Nico was very happy, and never felt any lack of affection from Papa. But all this time, Nico always forgot to thank Papa."
"Papa should be thanking you, Nic. You've brought a lot of happiness and luck in your life all this time." Reply Adryan with sincerity.
In that emotional situation, Regina smiled proudly at her only son. Aira is the same.
"Is that all you want to say, Nic?"
Nico shook his head at a glance, before finally conveying the main thing he wanted to say, "Nico will continue S2 abroad, and it is likely that Nico will not return."
Adryan and Regina stared at each other for a while. Those who initially thought that Nico agreed to the wedding plan and continued their study abroad with Aira, both threw smiles at each other. Their goal of keeping Nico and Aira away from Aira's dark past seems to be materializing soon.
"But first we have to find a date for your wedding with Nana first. Problem S2 we can take care of after the wedding."
Aira's feelings were stirred up as she listened to Regina's words. A group of vocal choirs seemed to be singing full of excitement deep in his chest. Suddenly though...
"Nico will go alone, without Nana." Nico replied while targeting his cold gaze at the figure of Aira in his last two words.
^^^To be Continued...^^^