We, From The First
#62. Awake From Dreams
Previous night...
When Nico and Aira were enjoying their togetherness in the park, the rain suddenly fell and flushed them. The distance between the park and the parking lot that is far enough to make their clothes equally wet. And either the discussion of what had happened between them before finally agreeing to return to Aira's apartment which was closer than Nico's house.
On arrival, Nico changed his clothes. Fortunately, some of Nico's clothes were still neatly stored, so Nico could still change his clothes. After she finished changing her clothes, Nico sat in the tv room while watching a variety show.
Moments later Aira exits her room using hotpans and a loose t-shirt that covers part of her thighs. His hair is still in a wet state deliberately he did not dry because lazy. And Nico who saw Aira's appearance that night somehow felt her blood rush.
This was not the first time Nico had seen Aira look like that since they had lived together, but there was something strange about her that night. And Nico felt really uncomfortable.
Nico cleared his throat slowly, trying to neutralize the strange feelings that began to roam his chest without warning. When he no longer found a way to dispel the turmoil within him, Nico chose to get up from beside Aira and walk towards the kitchen.
“I'm hungry.” He then opened the two-door refrigerator in front of him.
“There is no material in the refrigerator. Do we need to shop first?” Tawar Aira's.
But Nico who had already opened the refrigerator only seemed to find that what was left in the refrigerator at that time was only a few eggs. Nico thinks quickly then opens the closet on the kitchen set. This time he found instant noodles there.
“We deliver orders only, yes? What do you want to eat?” Aira gave a solution, he had taken out his phone to get ready to order food.
“We ate the food aja.” Answer Nico flatly.
Without saying much Nico took out two instant noodles and two eggs from the refrigerator. No less than 10 minutes, they were already sitting face to face at the dining table with one medium-sized pot of noodles available in front of them.
“Ngak use bowl?” Aira asked carefully while looking at the bowl that Nico had prepared just for her.
“I prefer to eat noodles directly from the pancinya” replied Nico briefly and then began to eat the noodles served.
Unlike Nico, Aira did not eat the noodles immediately, she looked at Nico with a smile. He didn't know after this, when else he would get this close to Nico. And Aira wanted to enjoy every second they passed together.
“If you don't eat soon, I'll finish everything.” Nico said without looking at Aira. He seemed to realize that all Aira had done since then was to stare at him endlessly.
"Y—ya eat..." Answer Aira. He just got caught off guard by Nico.
After they finished eating, the two of them sat next to each other watching a television show. The atmosphere between them that night was completely silent. But even though their eyes are focused on the screen in front of them, their minds and hearts do not actually do the same. Deep down in their deepest hearts, there was a form of longing that they wanted to vent.
Their togetherness at that time was not even able to fulfill the longing they had been craving since the day Nico severed their relationship, and always encouraged Aira to stay away from him. But even vent the longing they crave for each other, to express it they do not even have the slightest power.
“You can call your third wish now?” Nico asked suddenly who was ready to break the silence created between them.
Aira stared at Nico for a while before finally looking back at the screen in front of her. Aira shook her head slowly while smiling slightly. “I won't call my third request now. I'll keep it simple until I really want it. Because only this way, you and I can keep in touch. Because just this way, you will no longer have any reason to keep me away. Because only in this way, you will continue to have a debt that will forever keep us tied to each other.”
Nico clenched his fingers tightly. That he did only for the sake of restraining himself so that his hand did not hold Aira's hand. But the defense collapsed already. His passion was in fact much stronger and clouded his logic. He slowly clasped Aira's hand and made the girl look at him. Their focus is completely scattered now.
“Nic—“
“Just a minute..”
Aira looked at Nico nanar. A few seconds later, Nico immediately pulled the girl into his arms. Aira immediately returned Nico's embrace, she leaned her face against the young man's chest while closing her eyes. And it felt really comfortable, like every time Nico hugged her, it always felt the same.
Aira could feel the embrace of her Mama that she had not felt for a long time, that was the reason why Nico's embrace became the thing she liked the most.
Before long, Aira had to swallow the disappointment once Nico let go of her embrace. Nico held onto both of Aira's shoulders and stared softly at her two eyes. For now, Nico doesn't want to hide anything from this girl. He cupped her face with both hands. Following his instincts, Nico landed a warm kiss on Aira's forehead, the kiss descending on both cheeks then onto his nose, and finally his lips.
Aira froze with both eyes still closed as Nico slightly distanced her face and let their eyebrows cling to each other. Nico was heard to regulate his breathing as well as Aira.
Not long after, Nico again kissed the girl softly and let Aira hug her waist. Aira could feel it so close and let her longing flow like water. This is more than enough.
Maybe Nico did it just to perfect his role as Aira's lover today, but the feeling never lies. Aira knew Nico was sincere about it. And Aira was one hundred percent sure that Nico felt the same way as her this second.
Nico smiled slightly and then kissed the top of Aira's head with affection. Then in a slow motion, Nico tried to release Aira's embrace from her. Although it is very difficult to do so for fear of this girl waking up, Nico was finally able to let go.
Nico sat at the head of the bed rubbing Aira's hair before deciding to leave. With a heavy feeling, Nico moved from Aira's side. He grabbed his jacket on the chair and walked out of the room with a barely audible sound of footsteps.
Then like a dream, Nico disappeared behind the door. For Nico the dream is over. It was time to wake up and return to the real world.
...****...
"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.
...****...
They finished the dinner earlier than planned. Nico's words really surprised his parents, especially his mother who had been doing everything she could to protect Nico. The feeling of disappointment could not be covered from the eyes of both parents Nico, it was also what made Aira feel so angry at Nico. His anger at the young man, had even reached its highest point.
"I don't care if you refuse to marry me, Nic. But what you said to Om and Aunt earlier, has really gone too far! How can you easily say that you will not come back? Don't you think about their feelings?" Sira was full of anger.
After dinner last night, they didn't come home with Nico's parents. Aira held Nico in the room shortly after Adryan and Regina left.
"You should know, nothing's easy for me, Nana!"
"Then what was that? I'm sorry that I don't understand you, but you've always been like this lately. You closed all the gaps for me to understand. If you keep quiet like this and don't want to be honest about the problem, then forever I will continue to look at you as the most annoying side, Nico."
"If I tell you the truth, are you sure you can deal with it?"
Silent. Aira did not respond to Nico's words. Aira had no idea what secret Nico was hiding from the one question she had just raised, but deep down inside her heart she immediately believed that there was something so big, who's holding Nico back and shackling him right now. And that big thing, of course, concerns him.
Not long after that Aira nodded, as if understanding Nico's question.
"Ooh, now I finally understand, if the thing you've been hiding all this time from me is not only about you, but also about me, right?"
"Ma..."
"It's okay to choose to remain silent. But I'm sure you're the same, Nico. sooner or later I'll know."
^^^To be Continued...^^^