Back To You's

Chapter 142's

1 year later....

The ringing of the cell phone distracts Rafa. The man grabbed his cell phone lying next to him. He sighed first, before finally picking up the phone call.

"Hello." Said Rafa who then listened carefully to the words of the person who called him.

"You're home? I told you not to come home, right?" Rafa's tone sounded a little upset.

Still paying attention to the movements of someone not far from where to park the car, Rafa finally ended the phone call.

"Wait a minute, I'll be back."

After a few minutes of silence in the car and making sure Hanna had entered her apartment building, Rafa immediately started his car engine and returned home.

...****************...

The girl was still waiting for Rafa to come back, sitting on the steps of the porch of the house while playing her phone. His gaze was immediately diverted when Rafa's car stopped in front of the house, then smiled widely while standing and put his phone into his clutch.

"Sorry, these nights I come here."

The girl named Giulia immediately apologized as Rafa walked towards her. He knew his mistake, because it was not just once that Rafa twice forbade him to come home.

"Hm, it's okay. But I'm sorry I couldn't let you inside, my parents were watching." Rafa glanced at the corner of the terrace to the right, where the CCTV camera was installed.

"No, I don't need to go inside, Rafa. I came because. to deliver this." Giulia held out a brown paper bag towards Rafa.

"My parents came, and my mom cooked Ossobuco and polenta. It's made from beef. And. It's also very soft and tasty, my mom cooked it for three hours. I have tasted it too, especially the pattern. Better than I made hehehehe...."

"Thank you very much. You feed me too often, Giulia."

"No problem. It's because I love cooking and want to share it with you."

Rafa was speechless, observing Giulia's expression which seemed to still want to say something.

"Is there anything else you need to say, Giulia?"

"Ah, that. Tomorrow is my birthday, and we will have lunch together at a restaurant near here. You're going to accompany me, right?"

A birthday? Even Rafa has not prepared a gift for Giulia. And again, why did Giulia invite him to meet her parents?

"Giulia, I...."

"You don't have to worry." Cut Giulia quickly. "It's just a regular lunch. Our work tomorrow is not so busy. So it doesn't matter if we have lunch outside."

"Then I'm going home now, you go inside. Don't forget to put it in the freezer if you don't intend to eat it now. Good night, Rafa."

Giulia kissed Rafa's cheek on the left before walking towards his car, and left Rafa's house. It was as if Giulia had become a habit, always peeping her cheeks every time she would part with him.

His relationship with Giulia has been close for months. He and Giulia worked together on their alumni campus. The views of their coworkers even assume that he and Giulia have officially dated. It was because Giulia was so attached to him almost every occasion.

Rafa lifted the paper bag Giulia gave him, then sniffed the scent of cooking that was vaguely caught by his sense of smell. His footsteps hurriedly entered the house, wanting to immediately enjoy the food brought by Giulia, whom he had forgotten what her name was.

Although a year has passed, Rafa is still secretly watching Hanna from a distance. Because Rafa still has not accepted the decision that Hanna has taken, and at least make sure that Hanna remains fine.

The job of waiting for Hanna to return to her apartment often leaves Rafa late for dinner. Sometimes Rafa took the time to buy some snacks in the mini market near the campus. But if the job requires him to overtime, then it is not uncommon for Rafa to watch over Hanna on an empty stomach.

Rafa has eaten Giulia's cooking a lot, but this is the first time he will eat Giulia's mother's cooking . The girl always brought him lunch, and forced him to eat together. Surely only the two, while listening to Giulia who is cool tell a lot of things, like never lack of material to tell.

The Italian girl has a hobby of cooking. Of course more often cook Italian food, especially pasta and its friends. Perhaps you could say Rafa has tasted many typical Italian foods. Not just pizza, lasagna and spaghetti, but even to the typical food where Giulia lives that may not be worldwide.

After opening the food container that Giulia gave, Rafa immediately scooped and enjoyed it. It tasted really good, and made her remember her mother for eating Giulia's mother's cooking. While continuing his past dinner, Rafa looks at the clock on his phone. After making sure the time was right, Rafa made a call to his mother.

"Rapha! Tumbenan early in the morning called?" Mama Salma exclaimed as she picked up the call from her youngest child.

"Why not sleep? This is mama cooking breakfast." Ask Mama Salma again.

"Rafa just ate, Ma."

"Huh? Isn't it there at eleven o'clock, Fa? Why just eat? What if you get sick later? Who's gonna take care of you?" Mama Salma nagged without pause.

"Rafa. Just got back, Ma. Much work."

"What makes you come back at this hour because of work?"

Mama Salma knew full well that her youngest son was still expecting Hanna and watching her from a distance. That's why he did not believe just like that when Rafa said he was busy with his work.

Rafa gave a small laugh hearing the answer from his mother. Indeed, he could not lie to his mother, and should not lie to his mother, or anyone else.

"Hanna's fine, right?"

Rafa is silent for a moment, remembering the look on Hanna's face she sees every day as Arthur drives her back to the apartment. Even though he had lived with him for a year in Bristol, Rafa rarely found Hanna who was so happy.

"Hanna's good, Ma. And look.. very happy." Rafa said in a soft voice.

Maybe Hanna was happy with Arthur, who loved and cared for him. And maybe it's time now that he should let go.