Days After You's

Chapter 10 - Stella's New Activities

Stella is a home-based type of person. At least that's what I heard from her father when I met to talk about our marriage. His father said he could spend twenty-four hours per seven hours at home without feeling bored at all when he had no other activities. He used to work at a famous book cafe owned by his father's friend, but because the job was considered too much for him, he was told to stop by his parents. I haven't gotten around to asking about anything else like what he's doing now instead, but someone had already cut our conversation off by then. That's why I think that she's just a spoiled woman who always relies on her parents.

"Luiz, here's your spoon and fork. Be careful with the soup, I just lifted it from the pot so it's still hot."

"okay."

Me and Stella were just about to eat dinner when that conversation with Stella's father came back to my mind. Sitting next to each other facing the lighted television, with only a moderate volume of the voice of the news anchor and a kitchen lamp illuminating the room, the atmosphere that covered us at that time felt quite soothing.

Now that I think again, I think Stella is just a victim of her father and mother's treatment that sees her as a fragile person and should continue to be spoiled. They raised her in a way that women would ultimately be only the responsibility of her husband and would not have to bother with anything unless it was to please her husband as well. No wonder Stella is better at housework than any other job out there. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just a pity to hold him back from learning anything else that might interest him.

"Luiz, eat carrots and vegetables too."

"...Aye." Yeah."

About Stella who likes to stay at home, at first I did not feel anything strange from that because I was the same type, too, and it's good that he prefers to stay at home because that means he won't cause trouble or do anything outside like some of the wives of my co-workers— gossiped and fidgeting was the last thing I wanted from a wife—until I realized that Stella could actually be like that because she did not have any friends who wanted to or could be invited out.

I was enjoying a bowl of warm broth from the bowl when Stella started talking. He told me about his visit to Kevin's unit and Naomi's mother a few weeks ago. He did get out more often than usual and sometimes made me who came home to find an empty house, I was also worried that he was starting to wander outside but it turned out that he was going to visit the mother and the child.

When I asked her why she was so enthusiastic about them, Stella asked me again with a question that made me quite surprised.

"Luiz, am I a bitch?" Ask. His eyes were round filled with curious twinkles, as if he had been anxious to ask that question long ago.

I blinked in wonder, completely clueless as to why he suddenly asked that, while he was getting more and more demanding with his question.

"If you care too much about something or someone, what is an annoying trait?" Stella's timpal when I haven't answered.

"Maybe?" I replied, "If that person were to interfere in my personal affairs, I would be angry."

"Ah so yes.." muttered Stella. With the sight down and the two ends of the lips drawn straight, his expression looked unusually moody, "But it was hard for me to not care about the others around. I can't bear to not do something when I see a problem, even though sometimes I realize it's none of my business..."

Oh, I got it. He must be the one who is commonly referred to as a typical busy body person. You know, it's the type of person who always preoccupies himself with other people's business even if it's none of his business.

"I just want to help and be a good friend, but they call me someone who is too meddling, looking for face, not cool and the like. Luiz, isn't it weird that they originally liked my help so much and wanted to be my friend because of that but ended up leaving me for the same reason?"

As she asked, Stella's eyebrows furrowed deeper and deeper, and her lips pursed. I immediately lowered my head, for some strange reason, I felt it was not good for me to see that expression for too long. It was as if something from him was pushing me to grant whatever he would say next. Danger, that expression is danger.

I refocused on what Stella said before. What "them' did he mean were his old friends? I suppose. So this is the reason why he never had close friends around him, even when we married guests who came from his invitation side were mostly his father's business associates or not his cousins. I was wrong, but apparently he was not the same as me who did choose not to be so close to anyone outside my family, but he was simply someone who was shunned by his friends.

That's enough to answer my question as to why she's so enthusiastic about the Naomi she just met. No doubt, he wanted to find a new friend of the woman's figure far beyond his initial concern for Kevin. Especially after knowing that Naomi is also the same age as him—ya, Naomi apparently the same age as Stella despite looking much older than her appearance—no one can stop her from making that decision.

I swallowed my food slowly before replying, "Not really. You may not realize that you've crossed the line with your attitude and they don't like it. That's why limiting yourself is important. Being too kind or caring about anything, one day can have a bad impact. To you and the people around you."

"Because something excessive is not good."

"Even if my intentions are good?"

"Hm."

"Then...Luiz, do you think Naomi and Kevin would be upset if I visited them every day and were being too friendly? Help them with this?"

I paused for a moment while chewing my food. Like I said earlier, since returning Kevin, Stella began trying to familiarize herself with the mother and child couple every day.

Every dinner time, without being asked Stella would always tell me about this it was from whatever she did in their house and other things she knew during her time there. She regularly gives food, listens to Naomi's curses about her husband and accompanies Kevin several times while Naomi is busy. Everything he told me was full of energy. Unit B-082 seems to be his second residence at this time.

Even if something makes Stella refrain from visiting every day, it may be Naomi's husband who until this moment he still does not know his name. She described Naomi's husband who, despite appearing to wear a suit similar to mine, as ugly with a fierce face, and temperamental when she first met. The point is there is no good impression of Naomi's husband in her memory. Often he always told stories so expressively, seeing the look of his face that alternated from happy to regrettable when telling about the family was quite entertaining and amazed me.

It shouldn't be a bad thing if he could find a new friend, so I answered the question as to what it was.

"As long as you can set limits so as not to interfere in the privacy issues that exist in their families. I think they'll take you with a big heart."

Stella's water returned bright with a smile, "Yes! I'll try to hold back. Maybe I should do yoga again."

"..."

Stella hummed while taking a piece of pandan chicken that she recently learned the recipe.

"If you can't get close to Kevin's dad. And don't let your kindness be used by others" I said.

Again, I don't want him to get dragged into some trouble later. However, even though we do not love each other, she is still my responsible wife.

Stella nodded and a minute later looked up with brilliant eyes, "Luiz is really a grown man. I'm lucky to meet you."

The speech just shot from Stella's mouth, making me unprepared so secretly excited to respond like what. I don't want him to see me as an admired figure or anything. I'm just an ordinary man who, because he obeyed the wishes of the family, had to marry him and talk about this. I want to say, if the one in front of you is another man who is much more friendly and considerate, maybe he will give you a better response with sweet words full of love.

Instead I just muttered softly and continued eating without saying anything more. That night, it was the first time for me and Stella to speak something quite serious, and since then even though it was a small talk, we have been talking to each other quite a lot.

"Stella, if anything happens, you have to tell me right away" I said, watching Stella chew her food. Hearing that, as he had already just nodded and smiled, but I knew he would come to me soon as his first aid. And I hate myself for feeling a little proud of it.

I wasn't supposed to make her dependent on me, but I was the one who continued to offer her help.