
Along the way Ayu did not stop grumbling; her manyun lips and eyes bulged every time she looked at Alex. However, the look of the face was immediately replaced with a friendly smile. His hand is held by Alex entering a restaurant. After Alex mentions his name as the booker, a server guides them into a room.
The room was quite spacious, there was a circle-shaped table with several silver-colored chairs around it. The patch was plain white dangling down, and there was a three-colored rose on it.
There was a small stage with a grand piano and a shrewd pianist playing keys after keys and giving birth to such a soft tone. Ayu likes the song, despite not knowing the title and its creator. Ayu likes classical music, but she doesn't know a single song.
There was no one there but the Pianist. Ayu looked at Alex to find out, but the man's face also looked astonished.
"It seems like it's just the two of us."
Ayu's eyes started glaring. "Don't mess around anymore, lex!"
"Unfortunately, this time I'm serious."
Ayu breathed a sigh of relief while removing her grip on Alex's arm. She was grateful that none of Alex's friends had come, at least she could directly force the man to drive her to the airport.
"Can I go home now?"
Alex nodded slowly. "Yes, but after eating, you must be hungry, right?" alex said in a weak voice.
Ayu looked at Alex who was commenting on his usual smile. Although his lips were curved, but there was no happy twinkle in his eyes. Ayu knew very well what kind of expression it was, it turned out that the man who always pricked her could also be disappointed.
"Or do you want to wait for your friend, maybe they're late." Do not know why Ayu actually tried to comfort Alex, but he should be happy to see the man was helpless as he is now.
"No, you don't have to work tomorrow morning."
"Yes!" Ayu nodded slowly, then continued, "but, coming home at midnight is also fine. Flight's only 2 hours."
Alex's face was back. "It's good they didn't come. Just get rid of that pianist and we can be alone, right."
"I want to go home like that, you perverted brain!" said Ayu while turning around, but held back by Alex.
"Aging piano, don't think of anything! I still know this is a public place." Alex defended himself. "Well, it's now proven who's got a bad brain." Alex continues.
Ayu raised one side of her upper lip, sneering towards Alex. The man was always good at twisting words.
"Do you like classical music?" alex asked after taking over the pianist spot earlier.
Ayu who was standing while leaning her back on the piano body answered briefly. "Yes!"
"Like Mozart, Hydyn, or Beethoven?" ask Alex again.
Ayu tries to remember the three names mentioned by Alex. Had he never read a novel about Mozart and Beethoven, he probably wouldn't have guessed that these three were the composers' names. While Hydyn, this was her first time hearing that name.
"Either? I don't really understand their music."
"Do you want to say that you like classical music, but Taylor Swift is the same as Ed Sheeran?" satire Alex.
Ayu shakes. "No! I prefer Camila Cabello and Charlie Puth actually."
Alex imitates Ayu's lips as she sneers and says, "stupid!"
Ayu giggled softly looking at Alex's face, she pushed softly on the man's forehead. "Maternity is mine, you mustn't call it stupid!"
They both laughed, perhaps laughing foolishly. They can also laugh at themselves.
"Ah, I've heard of Moonlight Sonata, can you play it?" ask Ayu.
Alex's forehead wrinkled. "You want me to play that symphony on my wedding night!"
Ayu nodded steadily, while Alex shook his head with a look of disbelief.
Alex knows Beethoven's song. Moonlight Sonata or Piano Sonata no. 14 consisting of three parts was supposedly made Beethoven for his student and lover Contess Giulietta Guicciardi. Love stories do not arrive because of different ages and social classes. A song that tells of separation and loss. 'The Quasi Una Fantasia' or 'almost like a fantasy', that's how Beethoven named it. Ah, what kind of crazy person plays such a song on a day that should be greeted with joy.
"I've heard that song in one of those horror movies, and it's very touching." Ayu explained cheerfully, without the slightest guilt.
"You want your husband to play a horror movie soundtrack on the first night, heh!"
"Why? Don't you know, Dad?"
Alex sizzled softly, then thought for a moment. Maybe the song is indeed the most appropriate, because tonight he has lost his love. She has no right to keep Tamara in her heart, or fantasize about the future she will be going through with her.
From tomorrow all his thoughts and heart should be on Ayu, the woman he married and was carrying his child. He has lost -- lost the love he has secretly guarded for a dozen years.
"Well, I'm gonna play that horrible song." Alex agrees and starts pressing some piano keys.
Suddenly a voice stopped Alex's fingers.
"Excuse me, Mrs!"
The server that was driving them to the room showed up.
"I'm sorry, I was so late that I drove Mr and Mrs in the wrong room."
Alex and Ayu looked at each other.
"No! I did order this room, not any other room" Alex denied.
"Sorry, sir, but your room is upstairs. Your guests are already on top."
Want to not want to, Alex got up and took Ayu to follow the server. Though as I recall Alex in ordering the room downstairs, why now he was diverted to the top floor.
They climbed a winding staircase with a golden rail and red cloth ornaments on it. Red rose petals scattered on the steps, making Alex smile bitterly. While Ayu stared in amazement at the red petals.
"Do you like roses?" alex asked as he glanced at the woman he was holding.
Ayu nodded at a glance with a smile and eyes still fixed on the fresh petals under her feet.
"You like to be guarded and cared for, not scatterred to be stepped on like this!" said Alex.
Ayu wanted to defend herself that she was not the one who scattered the flowers. However, considering he was happy when he saw the petals, he was snuffed out.
For a moment Ayu thought hard about Alex's words. The man is right, what he likes will definitely be treated well.
The atmosphere was suddenly silent all the way up the stairs. They are struggling with their own minds.
After passing the stairs and stepping towards the room indicated by the Server, Ayu stopped. He also pulls Alex's arm to help stop the move.
"It's because I'm not the person you like, until you ruin my life!" said Ayu with eyes that started to glaze over.
Alex gulps. It seemed like it took a very long time to make Ayu forget her mistake that night. Let alone Ayu, he himself still hated himself for his stupid mistakes. However, he had to convince the woman that he never played around.
Alex grabs Ayu's hands and stops her tightly. "Well if you are a rose, not only will I take care of it, but also I will cultivate it until it fills all my gardens. So, other flowers will have no place to grow."
If usually Ayu would only laugh at the words that seemed excessive and more like that, this time she fell silent. Ayu's heart beat faster than usual, her breathing was heavy as she looked into Alex's eyes that seemed to say honesty.
"I didn't justify the night, but I want you to walk me into the room as my wife" Alex glanced at the door, before turning his eyes to Ayu. Then he continued, "and stayed with me as my wife until my life ended."
Either because of being hypnotized by the eyes that Ayu kept staring at, or because of Alex's words containing a mantra -- which made Ayu nod just like that. Partly Ayu cursed her nod, Some smiled in agreement.
***
"Please enter!"
After their little drama, the server let them into a large doorway with golden handles on both sides of the door.
Alex pushed the doorknob. The soft groove of a piano sounded along with the door opened. The light of the room dimmed, a boy stood before them wearing a hat that lit up in the darkness. Alex knows the boy, he's Ben's oldest son, Josh.
Alex and Ayu glanced at a glance. They smile at each other while shaking. They stared ahead, then stepped following Josh who was walking while sowing flowers.
In front of them was a little girl holding a bouquet of flowers standing surrounded by heart-shaped candles. The daughter is Josh's younger sister, Jessy, who was born just minutes after Josh.
Josh stopped in front of the candle, turned to look at the bride and groom with a smile then waved his hand before stepping away and lost in the darkness.
"Uncle, Aunty, here!" call Jessy when you see Alex and Ayu are astonished and look at each other briefly.
Ayu tightened her grip on Alex's arm. He didn't expect to get a surprise party like this from Alex's friend. They sat in a circle of candles and approached Jessy.
"Flower for Aunty!" Jessy thrust out the bouquet of flowers and was grabbed with a smile and pleased by Ayu.
Ayu took off her grip on Alex and pinched Jessy's cheek in a fit of anxiety. Although faintly seeing the child's face due to the lack of lighting, Ayu was sure she was very cute and beautiful.
"Bye-bye!" Jessy waved her hand, then left and disappeared in the same place as her brother.
Only Ayu and Alex stay in the circle. One of Ayu's hands held a flower, and the other held Alex's arm again. Alex gently kissed the top of the woman's head.
"They're trying really hard!" muttered Alex in between Ayu's hair.
Write 'Welcome to our newly Weds, Mr. Mrs And. Jones' lit up in front of them. The writing shimmered in the air - the result of a colorful laser light game.
The lights are brightly lit along with a beautiful piano and cello.
Here we stand today
Like we always dreamed
Starting out our life together
Light is this your eyes
Love is on our hearts
I can't believe you really mine forever
Maybe it was because of the song, or how his friends set up a very beautiful little party - Alex shed tears. His arms were coiled around Ayu's back spontaneously, then one hand rose stroking the woman's hair slowly.
On this day
I promise forever
On this day
I surrender my heart
Here I stand, take my heart
And I Will honor every word that I say
On this day
Ayu could hear Alex's heartbeat clearly, as well as the man's gasps and breaths. The tone sounded much more beautiful than the music the composer was playing. He smiled in Alex's arms, even something as small as this could make him fly high.
The feeling of loss was felt by Ayu, after Alex took off his embrace. However, he was filled back as his hand was gently stroked and placed gently on the man's lips.
Sounds of applause and small cheers were heard from some couples in the corner of the room.
"Kiss! Kiss it! Kiss it!" happy cheers of men and women who seem to be compact wearing white clothes.
Alex turned his gaze to Ayu who was also staring at him. He raised one eyebrow at Ayu asking the woman for consideration. Seeing Ayu only speechless, Alex guessed that she rejected the idea. And, he won't force.
Ayu's smile faded away seeing the obvious tear marks on Alex's cheeks. He did not expect the man he always considered a jerk to be moved to tears. His hand extended to Alex's cheek, gently wiping the remaining tears.
The world stopped spinning, there was no music, no cheers, there were only the two of them there. They looked at each other deeply with their hearts beating fast and blood rustling, giving a strange sensation in their stomachs.
Alex's words this afternoon about the monogamy he professed; the beautiful confession before they entered this room, and the crying haru that symbolized sincerity. The katiga mixed causing a strange turmoil in Ayu.
Perhaps that was also what caused Ayu to start taking that strange step. He stepped on the tip to try to reach the man at height, then placed his lips gently on Alex's lips.
Oxygen is disappearing around Alex. That wasn't a kiss, he couldn't even categorize it as a kiss. Ayu was just sticking her tiny lips for about a second on Alex's lips, but there was a strange feeling that made her chest go down
The loud cheers of his friends, made Alex realize. He glanced at Ayu who was looking down with flushed cheeks. He smiled with satisfaction and pulled the woman in his embrace.
***
Ayu looked at Alex's friends one by one. The thick-bodied one was Gio, while the girl he was carrying was Armita, a girl who if seen at a glance and listened to her name can be clearly concluded that the mature brown-skinned girl was of Indian descent.
While the tall and somewhat thin man was Ben, next to him was Clara, his wife. Ben's twins were picked up by his nanny. Based on Alex's story, Clara is a woman with a bad temper, and possessive. However, as far as Ayu could see, the oriental-faced woman was very friendly and cheerful. Moreover, he was the mastermind in this surprise.
"I know you want a simple wedding. But, as a fellow woman, I know very well what a dream of a married woman is, a romantic party." That's how Clara said to Ayu when she congratulated him.
There were no words Ayu could say to Clara other than thank you
"I don't think you're coming, Cleo?" alex asked his secretary who was standing next to Jonny.
"Lumayan Pak Bos, get a ticket to the Maldives for free," Cleo replied.
Ayu immediately looked at Cleo with enlarged eyes. Just accompany Jonny to an event like this and Cleo gets a ticket to the Maldives. Ayu who every day also works hard; banging bones, never given a week off, let alone a vacation ticket.
If only Ayu had known, she would not have made herself look stupid and begged Cleo not to be fired. Ah, he should have just asked that the woman be fired.
Ayu shook her head slowly, removing the evil wishful thinking in her head. He seemed to be too envious, whereas Cleo was not wrong.
The sound of the clinking of the glass distracts Ayu. There Gio stood while holding a glass.
"Let's toast to my son of a bitch's happiness!" said Gio while raising his wine glass in the air.
Everyone at the table raised the glass with joy. They gulped marun liquid, except Ayu. Fortunately before refusing to let the server pour him a drink, Alex had already stopped the server.
Ayu had promised never to try a single drop of alcohol since that awful night.
"This is a bottle of wine that I've been keeping for years" Gio said with a bottle of wine decorated with red ribbons. The bottle was in 1945.
"I know you've been after this bottle a lot, Buddy!" Gio continued while glancing at Alex.
"As my promise, I will give you this bottle of my beloved!" Gio handed him a bottle which was the production of one of the famous wineries in France.
Alex got up and grabbed the bottle with a satisfied smile. No one does not know the wine that is very wanted to be collected by every lover of classic drinks. Alex has often tried to get Gio to sell, but always failed. No he thought that just by getting married, he could get it for free.
With a bang, Alex Manarik the bottle from Gio's hand, but to no avail. Gio held the bottle even harder, not willing if his favorite drink changed hands.
Seeing his friend scramble, Jonny got up and pulled Gio's hand.
"Come on, it's Alex's wedding day! This is the gift you promised." Jonny persuades Gio, so the stocky man takes off his bottle.
"My feet are so big-hearted!" Armita praised, then giggled with Jonny and Alex.
"Relax, I'll call you all to enjoy this wine" said Alex stroking the bottle of wine that now belongs to him. "Except Gio of course."
"Don't be stingy, Lex. Poor him!" Ben defends Gio.
"Well, this is the one who loves. Pamali if taken again, let's just take a sip." Alex timps as he winks at Gio.
While the three men were engrossed in their debate about a bottle of wine that was the same age as Indonesian independence, Clara who was sitting not far from Ayu was seen jabbering at Ayu who was just smiling.
"They are like that." That's what Ayu caught from Clara's mouth movements.
The atmosphere was calm again, they had already stopped discussing about the appointment time to enjoy Gio's gift.
Gio still stood up and started praying for Ayu and Alex's wedding. "I'm so happy, Buddy. I hope your wedding is getting more and more delicious, like that wine. Longer than the age of wine that you might share in a glass, next week." Then, he continued again, "Red Wine has its own philosophy! The red color means passion, you know what I mean, Bud!"
It was Gio's turn to blink one eye at Alex.
"Sir Gio is so romantic!" pekik Cleo praised.
While Ben sneered at Gio. "I don't remember you giving any prayers when I got married, Gi. There's no gift, just a free meal at my party."
"Ah, you don't need prayer for the marriage age, considering you're so afraid of Clara that I'm sure your marriage age won't falter until death do away."
Clara's eyes poked towards Gio. "Fear what?"
"Fear of losing you, dong, fear what else?" Gio defended himself.
Clara looked at her husband with a murderous look.
"Of course, if he's going to dare to mess around, I broke his neck."
Ayu chuckled softly along with some people who were staring at the strange behavior of the husbands. Looking at the interaction of Alex and his friends, Ayu could tell that the man had a very good friendship environment.
***
😘 With love.
(Sorry, long update. HP has been hurt 😉)
***