We, From The First
#65. Like a Death Penalty
Rakha and Aira along with the others arrived at Banu Island in the morning. They arrived shortly after Bimantara Danadyaksa's body was buried. Guilt then arises in Aira's heart when she does not accompany Nico in moments that may be the most devastating moments of her life.
Although Nico never said anything to her, Aira knew for sure that Nico always loved her Papa. No matter how much hatred was in her heart, Aira knew very well that Nico always loved her Papa.
Aira and Rakha along with the others stood at the very back of the line among the mourners who arrived to make Aira almost desperate because they could not see and embrace Nico at that time.
While Rakha who stood right beside Aira, looked so riled up since the first time they all set foot on Banu Island. Rakha is worried that Aira will recognize Bimantara Danadyaksa as the murderer of her parents. Rakha did not even dare to imagine if his fear was really happening. She was afraid to imagine how devastated Aira was when she found out that the person who had killed her parents six years ago was the real father of a boy who had been holding onto her life.
"Pity Nico. Just lately he's suddenly changing and always disappearing." Said Bia in a half-whispering tone and looked worriedly at Nico's back.
"That's why, we can't judge a person's appearance only from the outside. Nico has always seemed to have a happy family, but it turns out..." Sheryl did not continue her words because she felt powerless. His heart is heavy.
"Mira! Raksha!" Call Yumi suddenly who is also standing next to Rakha.
Aira and Rakha turned their heads when they heard Yumi calling them. A glance from Yumi immediately greeted them.
"Did you two know anything about Nico?" Yumi's tone sounded serious.
"Gue only found out not long before. Papa I and Papa Bladder Nico turned out to be old friends." Rakha answered honestly.
"Elo, Ra?" Yumi turned to look at Aira.
Aira was silent for a few seconds before finally answering while turning her attention to Nico's back which began to be seen after several people around her one by one left.
"I know since I was a kid. It's just that this is the deepest wound Nico has that neither I nor Nico can share with anyone else, me..."
Aira did not continue her words when she saw the one name so familiar in her most painful memory stamped on the tombstone that was being mourned by Nico.
"BI-MAN-TARA DA-NA-DYAKSA"
Aira spelled that name in the heart. How could I forget? If that one name was mentioned by his father in the last breath. How could I forget? If that one name always lives and lives in his wounds and even becomes a nightmare every night.
Aira held tightness in her chest, trying to attract positive thoughts that it could just be the same two names with different people. But things blur, when a large enough photo leaning in front of the tombstone is again caught by the sight of Aira.
Those two eyes... Aira remembered those two eyes very well.
Aira was knocked back while holding her chest. He is unsteady, and almost falls if Rakha does not hold him.
"Dad!!" Pekik Rakha worriedly,
"Aira, why are you?" Bia asked as she approached Aira. Now they all gathered around Aira.
Aira's memory was drawn backwards, as she and Nico had a fight some time ago.
"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?"
Aira's tears were held in the pelupuk. Is this what Nico meant about something Aira would not be able to deal with?
"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."
The tears finally flowed slowly, accompanying her patients.
"A—do you not want to know why I met him? Don't you want to ask anything about him?"
Aira's chest was getting tighter. It felt like a huge rock was squeezing him mercilessly.
"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."
Aira cries mute tears without tears after successfully putting together a puzzle that lately continues to drop Nico. But even so, Aira's little heart still refused to believe. Aira wants to hear it directly from Nico.
"Airaaa... What the hell, Raaa?" Bia asked who was getting more anxious when she saw Aira's face that began to pale with trembling eyes, like a frightened person.
Rakha who was quietly beginning to understand what was going on, immediately hugged Aira's body tightly.
It turned out that what Rakha was afraid of was actually happening.
"I'm here for you, Ra. I won't let you get ruined." Rakha whispered while holding Aira's head.
True what Nico said, it turns out that Aira can not face this truth.
...****...
"It looks like Nana remembers Bimantara's face. That's why, he suddenly fainted at the funeral." Regina's words were covered in endless feelings of anxiety since Aira fainted earlier.
Meanwhile, Nico and her Papa were only able to fall silent. In fact, they had predicted that all this would happen. But when it finally really happened, they were all suddenly deadlocked and did not know what to do. Of course Aira would be disappointed in all of them for having hidden something of this magnitude concerning her for so many years.
"Now you understand, right, Nic, why would Mama want you to marry Nana and take her away from here? We're all responsible for protecting Nana's happiness, but when it's like this, we all fail."
Nico just listened to her Mama's words without intending to answer while continuing to stare at Aira who was lying weakly on the bed. When Aira passes out, Nico takes her from Rakha and takes her home to her parents' penthouse.
Before Regina continued her anger, Nico who suddenly saw Aira's hand moved directly closer to her while grabbing and grasping the fragile girl's hand.
"Nana? It's Nico, Na!"
Aira who was slowly beginning to gain her consciousness reflexively pulled her hand from Nico's grasp. It also inevitably reduces the wound in Nico's heart.
"Om, Auntie, can Nana ask for something?" Aira asked weakly as she had already taken a sitting position at the head of the bed.
"What, Na?" Ask Adryan.
"Nana wants to talk alone with Nico, can you please leave us alone for a moment?"
"Sin..." Regina called Aira's name tiredly.
"So please."
After a while, Adryan nodded in agreement and took his wife out of the room, leaving Nico and Aira alone.
"Na, a─aku..."
"Nico, I'll ask you one thing, but please promise, that you'll answer 'no' to my question."
"May,"
"Oh, no. You HAVE TO answer 'not' no matter what." Errata Aira with a desperate pleading tone.
"I don't care if you're lying or being honest, but I want you to answer 'no'." Aira continued later, repeatedly emphasizing the word 'not' which actually made her chest tight. He wiped away a drop of his fallen tears.
In her mind now, Aira wanted to reject this bitter reality. Refusing was the last thing he could fight for, even if Nico had to lie to him.
"What is Bimantara Danadyaksa your Papa, a─is the same Bimantara Danadyaksa as that man?"
Nico lowered his head in with raging feelings. Just like Aira, Nico also started shedding tears.
"It's an easy question, Nico! You just answer 'no', you don't even need to look me in the eye, you just make a sound." Persuade Aira.
Aira is getting desperate to the point of being almost frustrated when Nico is not yet willing to open his voice.
"Niko! Answer me!!" Aira grabbed both of Nico's hands and held them firmly.
Until suddenly...
"I'm sorry, Na." Answer Nico briefly with a vibrating voice.
"Hey! I'm just asking you to say 'no', why are you even apologizing?"
"Sorry..." Answer Nico again.
Aira immediately released Nico's hand from her cage and shed her tears in front of the young man. Aira was crying hysterically like a baby who lost her mother.
Seeing this, Nico approached and hugged Aira. For this time, Nico really didn't care as Aira continued to brush him off, and even refused to be hugged. Then when Nico managed to embrace her, Aira rebelled while crying.
When Aira finally calmed down in Nico's arms and did not fight again because she was getting tired, one of Aira's words suddenly threw Nico into the most painful wound.
That one remark sounded like a death sentence to him.
"Ra─Rakha's... I want Rakha. Please take me to Rakha."
^^^To be Continued...^^^