Chasing Stars

Destroying the Star and Solar Relationship

Autumn has changed to spring. Niko had already completed almost all of the jewelry courses she wanted. Only one or two elective courses remain. Her jewelry designs had been part of Julien Bardeux's autumn collection the previous year. Julien was overwhelmed by the over hundreds of Niko's designs after the exhibition. Apparently Niko's design is much in demand by Parisians, especially the upper class. Julien says Niko's work looks elegant, simple, but has a classic value. Maybe the three combinations made the customers impatiently waiting for the next works of Niko.

Niko still works at Mike's store. This may be his last year working there. In the evening, Niko opened the drawer of the bed and opened her star ring box. From the proceeds of his savings as well as the sale of his jewelry designs, Niko could raise money. One by one Niko bought the diamonds, and there were already twenty diamonds filling the spot in the five corners of the four stars. Fifteen more. Three more stars to fill.

Niko's lectures are now centered more on the GIA laboratory on fith Avenue. There he learned how to make sketch drawings into real shapes. Niko loved every second she was there.

Today when he got to the front of his lab class, he saw the announcement of a jewelry designing contest. The organizer is a worldwide famous jewelry company, Tiffany & Co. The theme of the jewelry show is *Back to Nature*. The first winner of the contest race is entitled to a certain amount of money and the opportunity to intern for six months at the company. Niko was interested in following him. The deadline for her collection is one week away at one of New York's art galleries.

After college, Niko calls Mike that he can't work that day and decides to work all day in the lab because he has to make a draft for the contest.

When exhaustion enveloped her body after working nonstop for hours, Niko came out of her lab briefly to buy coffee. In the middle of the stairs down his body hit someone.

"Fareli!" said the man. "Never thought of seeing you back."

Niko looked into George Finley's eyes in annoyance. It's been almost a year since he met George. He thought George was out of the GIA, but the young man survived. "Not met for a long time."

"Last year I moved to GIA Carlsbad" George said. Niko had never seen him to date. "So you're back in New York?"

"Well," said George sharply. "Why? are you afraid of a competitor?"

"No. I'm not afraid to face you," said Niko calmly. "I think it's the opposite."

"It's still as arrogant as ever" George commented angrily. "Your nature is still there." Niko rushed down. His body was already tired, and he was unwilling to spend his energy arguing with someone who did not deserve his attention.

From the top of the stairs George Finley growled. He clenched his hands together and one of his hands hit the wall. After his anger subsided, he walked into one of the laboratories. There are several pictures on the computer. Niko's sketchbook is there.

At first George looked at Niko's plans with annoyance, but over time he fell silent. In the plan there is a long necklace in the middle of which there is a green leaf. Five small butterflies perched on the leaves. The color composition chosen by Niko increasingly shows the elegance and elegance of the necklace. George realizes that Niko will participate in a jewelry contest organized by Tiffany & Co. Niko titled the necklace *The Forest Dream*.

Without a second thought, George took the option to print from the computer program. ("You will regret for underestimating me, Fareli"), he growled.

 

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The following days, Niko worked relentlessly to make the necklace as she had designed it. Because in the contest mentioned the participants also have to prepare the real form of jewelry, it is permissible to use synthetic jewelry stones.

Just two days before the contest's final deadline, Niko rushed into the gallery to submit her draft. A pageant officer had Niko fill out a form. After completing the form, Niko is welcome to fill out the list of participants. On top of Niko there are the names of participants who have submitted the design along with the title of the design. When Niko was about to write her name, the ballpoint pen in her hand fell to the floor. His eyes saw the name George Finley. But it was not the name that surprised him. Title of George's show, *The Forest Dream*.

("How could he have the same design title as me?") Niko was completely confused. His mind goes back to the week before when he met George in the lab. ("Is it possible he saw my work there?")

Excuse me, sir," Niko asked impatiently at the contest officer. "Can I see George Finley's jewelry?"

The officer nodded. "I'm sorry, I can't show you the work of other participants."

Not out of sense, Niko took out the necklace she had made and showed it to the officer. "You don't have to show me George Finley's work. I just need you to check if the necklace design is the same as my necklace."

The officer seemed reluctant, but Niko insisted. His feelings said George had already taken his draft idea. "Please, Sir. I can't give you the exact same masterpiece as the person before me."

The officer finally gave up. He checked the picture of George Finley's design, then saw the necklace held by Niko. "Yes. Exactly the same as your work."

"Thank you." Niko rushed out of the gallery. George must have seen his work in the lab a week ago. Niko really did not expect Goerge would replicate exactly the results of his design.

Niko could not hold back her anger. He went to see George at his apartment. When

George opened the door to Niko's apartment and approached her. "You stole my plans!" Goerge smiled without guilt. "What do you mean?"

Niko knew George was pretending not to know. “My work for Tiffany contest. The Dream Forest. You stole it from me."

"You can't just accuse me," he replied lightly. “You have proof that I stole it from you? I could have the same idea as you."

"Why are you doing this?" Niko challenged George fearlessly. "We both know you're using my designs for this contest."

George slowly closed the door to his apartment. "I don't have to explain anything to you. Besides if you have any evidence, I don't want to be accused of anything else."

Niko looked at George's closed apartment door. He knew he could not prove The Forest Dream was his work, because he never told anyone that he made the design. He is also unlikely to enter a contest with the same design work. The only solution is to create another. But it's two days left. Niko spent five days making her first necklace. He did not know if he could make another necklace within two days.

Niko entered her apartment building limply. His face looks not excited. As he looked at the papa sitting in the lobby, his face grew even more moody.

"Relic." Papa stood up to greet his son.

"What are you doing here?" Niko was too tired to argue.

Papa saw his son's fatigue. Niko's face was pale, under her eyes there were dark circles a sign of lack of rest. "You okay Niko?" ask papa to worry.

Niko decided not to answer. “Papa hasn't answered my question."

"Father was invited to attend a medical seminar in New York." Papa walked closer to his son. "Papa thought while papa was here, papa decided to look at you." "Mama's not coming?" ask Niko.

"No. Your mama's not coming. You sure you're okay? you look exhausted."

"I'm doing fine. It's just that today wasn't my best day. Papa's going upstairs?" "If you don't mind," replied papa.

Niko pressed the elevator button. Shortly after, the elevator doors opened. "Let's go up."

After they reached the apartment room, Niko asked, "what would you like to drink?"

Papa shakes. "Do you want to answer papa's question now? You okay?"

"I think, as a doctor, you can diagnose yourself." Niko sat in the living room chair facing papa. "I'm tired. I'm sleep deprived. Is my diagnosis correct?"

"You're still mad at papa." Papa asked the question of his son.

"Yes. Papa hasn't taken my calls in two years. Do you think I have no right to be angry?" Niko was upset.

"Papa still thinks you made a mistake. Look at you now." Papa actually wants to make up with his son, but the one that comes out is even anger. "You said you were happy with your choice, but right now you don't look happy at all."

Niko took a deep breath, trying to hold back. "Papa hasn't given up on it in two years? I can't fight anymore about this. Especially not at the moment. Papa better leave before we both regret our next words."

"All right." Papa stood up and walked out of the door of Niko's apartment with emotion.

As soon as his father left. Niko lay in her bedroom. His eyes looked at the star ring that was on his palm. Suddenly the rain came pouring down her bedroom window. Granules of water flow alternately in the window of his room. Niko got out of bed. An idea began to appear in his head.

He immediately took his sketchbook and began drawing a necklace with one horizontal line, and the horizontal line hung dozens of vertical lines that were irregular in length and the ends were water droplets. Niko smiled faintly. Two hours later, the necklace was in perfect shape. Niko named it *The Waterdrops*.

Niko takes an umbrella and rushes out of her apartment to the GIA lab. He's working on his new work until the lab closes. The next morning, when the lab opened, Niko continued her work until the afternoon.

He managed to register his work for the Tiffany contest at the last minute. He is now waiting for another three-day announcement.

Niko returned to her apartment in relief. He yawned exhausted and that night fell asleep for ten hours.

 

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At exactly ten, Niko typed in the address of Tiffany & Co. He chose the contest winner announcement menu. A blue page opened quickly. Niko did not see her name in the first place. He saw George Finley's name there. Niko's name came in second. Niko felt a little disappointed, but she was still happy that her work got second.

An hour later, her apartment doorbell rang. Niko opened the door of her apartment and saw George Finley standing in front of her

"I won" George told Niko.

"I know, congratulations on your victory." Niko was about to close the door to her apartment, but was arrested by George.

"Is that all you want to say?" George asked in wonder.

"Yes. Now go." Banish Niko, insisting on ignoring George's presence.

George went into Niko's apartment. "I don't understand you're not angry?"

Niko sat on the back of the chair and folded her hands in front of her chest. "Why should I be angry?"

"I'm winning. You're losing. Defeated you. Finally after a long time I managed to defeat you," said George quickly.

Niko laughed short. "Congratulations. You've already defeated me." Insinuations.

George was upset. "I stole your work." He tries to stir up Niko's anger.

"I know." Niko looked at George casually. "That's why I'm not angry. My work still wins."

"Why?" George stepped back. "Why can't I beat you?" Niko asked back. "Why do you always want to beat me?"

Goerge looked at Niko sadly. "You don't understand. When my father was appointed to the faculty board to give you your first scholarship at GIA, he asked me why I couldn't be like you. Why don't I take the scholarship out of his hands. The more he praises you, the more I hate you. That's why I want to beat you. I want to make my father praise me just once."

Niko understood now why George hated her. "You're wrong."

"George frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I understand everything." Niko smiled at George. "I understand that your father wanted you to be like him, a famous jeweler. My father also wanted me to follow in his footsteps to become a doctor, but I chose to achieve my own dreams. You don't like jewelry, do you? How long can you pretend to survive? Sooner or later you'll be exhausted. I don't think you can steal someone else's work for the rest of your life to get a confession from your father. Stop chasing your father's dream. Go after your own dreams."

"My father won't forgive me if I pursue my dream of becoming a theater performer." George swallowed.

Niko shook her head while laughing slowly. "My father has not forgiven me until now. But I can't pretend to like something I don't like forever. For eighteen years my father prepared me to become a doctor. I have had trouble breathing over time. I was afraid to open my eyes in the morning because I had to do things I didn't like over and over again. Don't let that happen to you, Finley."

George was stunned to hear Niko's words. He did not expect Niko to have the same problem as him. "But how can I stop? Isn't it too late to pursue my dream?"

"All you need is courage. Believe in yourself, then you can do it. If I could be honest, since the first time I said, you are not talented in the field of jewelry. How can someone who does not like jewelry design beautiful jewelry?" Niko walked up to George and looked at him. "Don't waste your life. It's never too late to pursue your dreams."

George smiled and extended his hand to Niko. "sorry. I've hated you all this time. I didn't think it was you who made me realize my dream. Hey, Fareli, can we be friends?"

Niko shook George's hand. "certain Finley. And. All my friends call me Niko."

George smiled. "You can call me George."

"I'm glad you became my friend, George," Niko said solemnly.

"Me too, Niko." George shook Niko's hand tightly and then let go.

"I'm going to pursue my dreams from now on" George said.

Niko smiled. "Hopefully it works, George. I'll wait for your show invitation ticket later."

George laughing. "definitely. Good bye, Niko. I'll go first."

When Niko was about to close the door of her apartment after George's departure, suddenly someone said to her from outside the door.

"Does living with papa really make you breathless?" tanyakanya.

Niko concluded papa heard all of his words with George. "Come in, pa."

Papa enters Niko's apartment room for the second time. "Papa never thought papa would make you suffer."

Niko took two cans of beer from her refrigerator and gave one to papa. "Not all the days with papa made me unable to breathe. I remember when we both went fishing when I went to High School. I was really happy then."

Papa smiled for a moment. "I'm sorry you forced your desire on you."

Finally the apology came out of my mouth. Niko drank her beer a few sips.

"I've been thinking a lot about my past for two years. There is nothing wrong with the medical school. I never hated him. I just prefer jewelry. Maybe if I never liked jewelry, I'd go to medical school. I'm sorry, too, pa. I'm sorry I couldn't make papa's dream come true."

"We're both too stubborn to apologize, aren't we?" Papa smiles.

"Don't blame me" joked Niko. "I got that trait from papa."

Papa took a slow breath. "Papa's proud of you."

Niko's heart was filled with joy. "Thank you, pa."

A few moments later, while they were talking, Niko's HP rang. The pageant organizers said George Finley had resigned from the contest and handed Niko his first place.

"Congratulations, Niko," said the father after hearing the news. Niko hugged papa while smiling with excitement. Finally he can share his happiness with Papa.

 

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Niko memeluk Mike erat-erat. Ini adalah hari terakhirnya bekerja di kedai Mike. Besok dia akan memulai masa magangnya di Tiffany.

"Hopefully, Niko." Mike let go of his embrace and looked at Niko sadly.

"Thanks, Mike. I'll always stop by your shop whenever I'm in New York."

"I will always wait for you to come." Tears began to fill Mike's eyes. For the past two years Niko has been like her own son.

Niko took out a box from her bag. "I have something for you. Here, open it."

Mike opened the black velvet box that Niko gave him. Inside, a silver hatim necklace behind the heart was engraved with the names of Mike and his wife.

"You can give it to Carrie. For your twenty-fifth wedding anniversary next month."

Mike's tears wet his cheeks. "Thank you, Niko. This necklace is so beautiful. Carrie must have liked it."

Afterwards Niko says goodbye with her co-workers at Mike's tavern. While riding in a taxi that will take her to the airport, Niko knows her memories at Mike's tavern will be part of her life.

During the following months, Niko was really busy with her jewelry designs for Tiffany. At the end of his internship, Tiffany offered Niko a permanent job, but with a heavy heart Niko refused. He had promised Julien to work for him for two years.