FORBIDDEN TO FALL IN LOVE

37. Stuffy

"Never" lies Valeda. "I didn't feel anything when I was near Daniel" Valeda said in a stern tone. He wanted to make sure to himself that he was telling the truth.

"So it seems," Celine nodded, as if understanding Valeda's reply. "I know that you want to organize your career first now. Nothing is more important than that."

"Yes. You're correct. Daniel just confused me with his behavior" Valeda added to reassure himself again. In his heart, he was still worried about how he felt. He did not want to rush and made a wrong decision. After all, she felt very embarrassed if she had to admit everything to Celine though.

"In that case, let me advise Daniel to sort out personal and work matters" Celine said as she rose from her seat.

"No!" prevent Valeda fast. "No need!"

"Hm? Wh why? I thought, you don't like to bother with this kind of business?" celine asked, feeling weird because Valeda stopped her that fast.

"Yes, I do not like troublesome things like this. But, I can solve it myself," Valeda reasoned.

Celine looked at Valeda for a moment. "alright. I won't interfere" Celine replied. "I'll be on my desk if you need me."

"Okay, thank you" said Valeda. She watched Celine until she disappeared from behind the door of her room. Valeda let out a long sigh and leaned back in her chair. That expensive chair failed to make Valeda comfortable at the moment. His mind could not focus on the papers before him.

"Daniel is not coming... Though he promised to bring breakfast," murmured Valeda disappointed.

Valeda breathed again and again. There was not the slightest intention in him to do what was in front of his eyes.

Geck, tok, tok!

A slow knock was heard from the door of Valeda's room. "Lake in!" valeda replied in a lazy tone. He doesn't care who comes.

"Excuse me."

The heavy sound made Valeda sit up straight. Blood flowed to his head. His eyes focused on seeing who had appeared from behind the door.

"I brought him breakfast," Daniel showed up, challenging the food he used to bring.

'Luckily I ate a little, ' Inner Valeda. "Thank you" replied Valeda. He got up and approached Daniel who had sat down first on the sofa.

Daniel opens his chain and arranges the food on the table. "I made a simple meal. My sisters loved it. I thought you'd like it too." Daniel thrust a spoon at Valeda.

Valeda accepted it with trembling hands. He wanted to ask why Daniel was angry yesterday, but at the same time did not want to ask him.

"Eat," Daniel handed over the well-stocked bushel with side dishes to Valeda.

Valeda lowered his head, staring at the food bushel on his lap. The fragrance of Daniel's cooking is delicious and appetizing. "Thank you" said Valeda slowly.

"Hm" Daniel answered briefly. He scoops his portion of food into his mouth.

Valeda also started to enjoy the breakfast that he had been waiting for. He himself was aware that the food of the famous chef in his apartment, was no longer his favorite. Valeda prefers to eat the simple food that Daniel makes.

'It feels like Mama's cooking, ' Valeda's mind as she chews her breakfast.

Thirty minutes they spent in silence. They just focus on chewing their food. Valeda even counted how many times he chewed unconsciously.

Several times he glanced at Daniel, trying to open up a conversation between them. But Valeda undoes his intentions every time he makes up his mind. Valeda enjoys stealing such glances. His eyes thirsted for the beauty of Daniel up close.

"Lunch later..." Daniel suddenly spoke, making Valeda jump. Fortunately, Daniel did not realize that Valeda was shocked. "You better eat at your restaurant with Celine like you used to."

"I have important business" replied Daniel.

'What is important until you don't explain it to me?' thought Valeda. "What do you mean 'as it used to be'?" even that question is thrown out.

"I'll start to get busy with the task Celine gave me. It would be better if I focus on my goals" Daniel replied.

"I refuse!"

"There's no reason for you to refuse" Daniel replied quickly. "In the treaty there is no rule that I should have lunch with you."

Valeda bit her lower lip. There was dissatisfaction in him after hearing Daniel's words. However, he himself admitted that it was true. Not knowing from when, he got used to Daniel's existence. Valeda himself knows that he is too dependent on Daniel at the moment.

"Yes, it's up to you" said Valeda. He did not find any reason to maintain their closeness.

The food in Valeda's lap was empty, but he had eaten slowly to sit beside Daniel longer. Daniel stretched out his hand, realizing that Valeda had finished eating. "here," she asked.

Valeda handed Daniel a food chain. There was no longer any reason for Daniel to linger in his office. Valeda immediately lost his taste for work. There is no guarantee that Daniel will treat him as gently as he did yesterday, even if they were just the two of them.

"Alright, excuse me," Daniel stood up from his seat as soon as he finished arranging his challenge.

"I-I'm going to cook tonight" Valeda said quickly before Daniel left.

Daniel stopped, then turned to look at Valeda who was still sitting on his couch. Daniel smiled wryly, but the smile made Valeda's heart ache. "Not to be forced. You don't have to keep it. I won't be angry. Have fun with your friends!"

Valeda stood up. "You've changed, Dan!" yells. He becomes annoyed at himself for not being able to hold Daniel back any longer.

"I haven't changed. You only know me more." Daniel went from before Valeda without looking back.

"Is this because of Rangga?" urged Valeda when Daniel's hand touched the doorknob. Valeda recalled Celine's words a few minutes ago before Daniel came to his office. Valeda could not help but ask about it, and it would be clearer to him if he heard the answer from the concerned directly.

"Hahaha," Daniel laughed crisply. "What's my relationship with him?" Daniel asked back.

'true. They have nothing to do with it. Why would Daniel be angry at Rangga?' thought Valeda, justifying Daniel's words, again.

"If there's nothing to talk about anymore, I'm sorry."

"Tonight, I'll be waiting for you!" the sentence just slid from Valeda's mouth without him being able to think about it a second time.

Daniel was silent with a sharp gaze piercing through Valeda's defenses. For a few seconds, they looked at each other in silence. Then, the silence passed as Daniel opened the door and departed from before Valeda without giving any response.

Valeda pensively stared at the door of his office that did not move after Daniel closed it. His head became empty. Valeda just stood up and remained silent.

"Why this?" whispered Valeda. His hand lifted and rubbed his chest. "It feels so bad here. Tight and uncomfortable..."

Valeda shook his head violently when a wild thought appeared in his head. The thought that he should have never thought of.

"I'm not sane!" he said, chuckling. "Easy! I need to focus on my work!" Valeda walked quickly back to his desk. He opened all the files he needed and got back busy with what he should have done that morning.

***