About Taste

I Love Ella

"What did you come here for?" asked Andra without looking. Because from his voice alone, he already knew who had come to him, Kairi.

"To see a bad boy crying in the rain." replied Kairi while sitting next to Andra.

"You're happy now to have a full Papa" Andra said in annoyance.

"Not really, I'd rather if this truth isn't revealed" Kairi replied.

"Whatever you say, but now go! I want to be alone!" andra said while looking down.

"You are still childish" said Kairi.

"You don't understand the pain I'm feeling" Andra said.

"I don't understand your pain, because you don't understand my pain either" Kairi said, staring at Andra.

"What do you mean?" andra asked, looking back, she returned Kairi's gaze.

"You think you're the only one who's in pain, not Andra, I'm in pain" Kairi replied.

"I'm just an illegitimate child, a child born outside of marriage. And now my dad's gone, before I can apologize to him. You don't think I'm drowning in Kai's remorse" Andra said in a quiet voice, barely audible as the sound of the rain was pouring down.

"You are an illegitimate child, but Mama and Om Adit accept your presence, you exist on the basis of Andra's love. While I, even though Mama and Papa are tied to marriage, but Mama is not expecting my presence at all, I exist on the basis of coercion not love. You don't think it hurts Andra." said Kairi while still staring at Andra.

Andra fell silent, she could not answer Kairi's words. He knew that if Kairi was also injured, he saw that Kairi's eyes were so sad when he looked at her. Ahh why they have to experience something this bitter.

"Maybe you're right Andra, crying in the rain can definitely lighten the load" Kairi said as she lowered her umbrella, closing it.

"What are you doing?" andra asked as she looked at Kairi's body that was getting soaked.

"Playing rain. I don't think we've ever done it." replied Kairi casually.

"Why are we experiencing this Kai" Andra said as she cried again, clutching the mound of earth in front of her very tightly.

"Tuha tests us, because God loves us. You're a man, you can't be a whiny like this, you can definitely get through everything Andra" Kairi said, embracing Andra.

"It's Kai's weight." replied Andra.

"No, if we're together. Get up, you can!" kairi said as she moved from her seat. He extended his hand to Andra.

Andra welcomed Kairi's hand with a smile, and then she got up from her seat. With tears still flowing, Andra dropped her body in Kairi's arms. The hug of an older brother, which he had never felt. Andra grew sobbing as Kairi returned her embrace. The man she had hated all this time, turned out to be the first person to come to her, when she was down.

"Cry if it makes you feel relieved. But you have to promise, you won't cry again after this" Kairi said as she rubbed Andra's back.

"Although today I got the wound, but I also got back my Mama and sister. This sense of happiness overcame the pain that had stopped before." Kairi's inner self in her heart.

"Let's go home, it's dusk soon" Kairi said.

"Come on." replied Andra as she let go of her embrace. They looked at each other, and then they smiled at each other.

"You got a car?" andra asked as she walked away from the funeral.

"No, I was in a taxi" Kairi replied as she followed Andra's steps.

"Where do you know I'm here?" ask Andra.

"I'm smart, not like you who rely solely on emotions." replied Kairi.

"You're still a bitch!" snapped Andra.

"And you stay childish!" kairi replied with ease.

Then they both got into Andra's car.

Andra sat at the wheel, while Kairi sat next to him.

***

The hour hand shows at 08:00 p.m. Kairi sat on the bed, in her room. Not the apartment, but the house. Last afternoon he came home with Andra, and as he said goodbye to his apartment, Mirna kept him. Ms. Mirna insisted that Kairi stay here, and as a result this is where Kairi is now. In a room he used to live in for 18 years.

An hour ago, Kairi and Miss Mirna and Mr. Louis had dinner together at the dinner table. Family relations are quite warm according to Kairi, because all this time he never felt sitting together with his parents. After dinner, Mr. Louis said goodbye to the apartment. Kairi does not hold it back, because she knows the relationship between her parents is still not improving.

As for Andra, since arriving home this afternoon, he went straight into her room, without saying a word. Even when Bik Surti called him for dinner and Andra refused him, he locked himself in his room until now.

Kairi lay her body on the bed, she looked at the sky of her room as her mind glared far away, remembering the time after time she had been through all this time. When he was little, when he was a teenager, and now when he was an adult. There were so many sweet and bitter things that he felt.

Kairi let out a long sigh, and exhaled it violently. He closed his eyes, and tried to shake off all the shadows about everything that had passed. Kairi grabs her phone lying next to her, she types a good night message, and sleeps well for Ella. Without waiting for a reply from Ella, Kairi put back her phone. He closed his eyes, and prepared to wade through the dream world.

At the same time, in a different place. Andra sat pensively on the sofa, in her room. His eyes were staring at a photograph on the table, a picture of him and Ella while still in school.

Andra again remembers her best friend, all this time if she was in trouble, it was her best friend who always came and gave her support. But now, when he was faced with a very severe problem, his best friend was no longer beside him. Then how is he going to deal with all this, if no one else is standing next to him.

Andra just kept quiet while rubbing the photo she had just grabbed. His best friend has left, his father is gone, and his mother has disappointed him. Andra felt like she had fallen into the most difficult position. He was too late in the problems that befell him, until his eyes remained awake until almost dawn.

***

The hour hand shows 07:00 in the morning.

Kairi yawns while stretching her muscles. His body felt sore from yesterday's rain. Kairi got up from her sleep, and rushed towards the bathroom. After washing his face, he came out of the bathroom, and stepped out of his room. His stomach was wrapped around the pain, from hunger.

With a slightly quick step, Kairi walked down the stairs. But not until he set foot on the last step of the stairs, suddenly he was surprised by the voice of the woman who was talking to his mother.

"Sorry Aunt but I have no other choice" she told Ms Mirna.

Kairi stops her steps, and steals what they're talking about.

"Can't Nadhira be repaired, can't you forgive Andra?" ask Miss Mirna.

"I forgive her Aunt, but I can't fix this relationship. He loves other women, where I might be able to stay aunty." replied Nadhira.

"Nadhira!" call Miss Mirna slowly.

"Sorry Aunt, my decision has been unanimous. My engagement and Andra will be void, and I'm here to return this ring" Nadhira said.

"Tante is really sorry Nadhira, Aunt is very regretful of Andra's attitude. But.." said Miss Mirna.

"I.iya be careful" said Ms. Mirna quietly. He was really shocked to hear the explanation from Nadhira.

"Who's the woman Andra loves, could it be Ella. If it's true, then what will it be like, Kairi and Ella love each other." said Ms. Mirna as she looked at Nadhira's departure.

"Who's Ma?" asked Kairi who suddenly came near to Bu Mirna.

Ms. Mirna gasped a little, then she turned her head, and looked at Kairi.

"His fiancee is Andra, but she came here to return this." replied Ms. Mirna, showing her the ring box she was holding.

"meaning?" kairi asked while looking at her mother, she wanted to make sure that her hearing was not wrong.

"His engagement is off, because Andra loves another woman. Whether this is true or not, Mama is really dizzy, Mama must ask directly to Andra" said Ms Mirna while shaking her head.

"It turns out what I heard earlier was true, who was the woman that Andra loved. Hopefully not as I thought." Kairi's inner self in her heart.

"Mama wants to talk to Andra?" ask Kairi.

"Yes." replied Miss Mirna while nodding.

"Then let me call you Ma, we'll have breakfast together" Kairi said with a smile.

"Yes." replied Miss Mirna with a smile.

Kairi again stepped up the stairs, he walked towards Andra's room located next to his room.

Getting there, Kairi knocked on her door many times, but there was no answer from within. Where's Andra?

Then Kairi tried to open the door of the room, which turned out to be unlocked. Then Kairi opened it wider, and her eyes looked at the figure of Andra who was asleep on the sofa, with the head that she had cupped on the table. Frowning in wonder, Kairi stepped closer to Andra who was still asleep in her sleep.

One of the first things that caught Kairi's attention was a picture frame on a table. The photo of Andra and Ella laughing together, Andra's hand embracing Ella's shoulder from the side, looks very familiar. Looking at the white sand they were incandescent, Kairi guessed that they were on the beach.

Kairi smiled wryly as she stared at the photo, for some reason her heart was suddenly agitated, and uncomfortable. Sighing a long sigh, Kairi stared at every inch of the room, but she found nothing interesting.

Then Kairi looked at Andra who was still asleep, and suddenly her eyes looked at the picture frame that Andra was holding. Kairi was curious, and he slowly tried to take the photo.

Kairi was stunned for a moment while staring at the photo, a photo of Andra and Ella wearing high school uniforms. Andra's hand was rubbing Ella's hair, and a big smile was engraved on her lips.

Kairi sat on the bedside, still carrying the photo. He looked at her for quite a while, rubbing her slowly. Seven years Ella loved Andra, Ella harbored a very sincere feeling for a long time. And now, it seems like things are starting to reverse.

"Do you really love Gabriella" said Kairi slowly while looking at Andra who was still not awake.

"I was wrong to be present among you" Kairi said as she looked back at the photo.

Ella's smile in the photo really disturbed her heart, a smile that looked so sincere, Ella must have been very happy at that time.

Kairi rubbed her face violently, then she got up from her seat, and put the photo back on the table. He shook Andra's body, and tried to wake her up.

"The hydra! Build Ndra!" call Kairi.

But Andra just squirms slowly, keeping her eyes closed.

"Andra!" shouted Bu Mirna who suddenly stood on the doorstep.

"Still asleep?" mrs Mirna asked while looking at Kairi.

"Yes Ma." Kairi replied as she glanced at Andra.

Then Miss Mirna stepped closer to Andra, trying to wake her up slowly. But Andra did not budge, he remained asleep in his sleep.

"Andra!!" ma'am Mirna shouted right in Andra's ear.

Andra flinched in shock, and spontaneously she immediately jumped from her seat.

"Mama." said Andra while grunting in annoyance.

"Mama wants to talk to you" said Ms. Mirna as she looked at Andra.

"Speak what?" ask Andra slowly.

"What did you do Andra, Nadhira came here and returned this ring. He said your engagement was off, because you loved another woman. What does this mean, Andra?" mrs Mirna asked in a slightly high voice.

Andra was stunned to hear the words of her mother, Nadhira had completely abandoned her.

"I'm sorry I let you down Nadhira." Andra's inner self in her heart.

"Andra! You answer Mama's question, don't shut up!" snarled Bu Mirna.

"I don't love her Ma, so it's better to cancel. Instead of being forced, the ends will hate each other, and separate. The victim is his son, like this family!" andra also said in a high tone. His emotions began to ignite, he was really tired of living his life, which he thought was very unfair.

"See what you said Andra!" snapped Bu Mirna while slapping Andra's cheek hard.

"Just slap Ma, slap or hit harder, let me die, so I can meet Dad. My mom was always right, and I was always wrong. Even when Mama hid all this, Mama still felt right. Without ever thinking about my hurt and broken feelings. I know who my father was when he died. And I can only apologize to her grave, if you think it's all funny!" andra shouted with a hunting breath. His brain was already hot, he could no longer think clearly. His heart and mind were overwhelmed with anger.

"Andra relax! Don't talk to Mama like that!" kairi said as she approached Andra. He tried to calm his sister, because his mother had cried while holding his chest.

"I'm talking about Kairi's reality. Mama and Papa's selfishness makes us feel pain. If only my family was harmonious, I wouldn't need an escape, I wouldn't have gone the wrong way. If only I could be a good man, I wouldn't lose the person I love." Andra said slowly, Kairi could see clearly if her sister's eyes started to glaze over.

"Who do you love?" kairi asked with a fast-paced heart.

"You don't need to know." answered Andra quickly.

"I need to know Andra" Kairi said.

"You sure you want to know?" ask Andra.

"Yes." Kairi replied while nodding.

"The one I love is Ella, the woman who will soon be my sister-in-law. Now you're satisfied, because you know the answer. But you take it easy Kai, I'm not gonna take it. I, too stupid, only realized this feeling when it was too late. I'm happy to see her happy, so promise me to always make her happy" Andra said, patting Kairi on the shoulder. Then he stepped out of his room. He did not care about his Mother and Brother who were transfixed when he heard the words that came out of his mouth.

Seriate......