Girl In The Winter's

Chapter 5

The day has changed leaving the story of the past, sadness and disappointment buried with the sunset. It was enough he had been crying all day yesterday over the news of his biological mother's death that he had never even met before. So also today the sun has turned ready to welcome the day, as well as Ayumi who is ready to pursue her future.

Today John is kind enough to give him a day off, along with his empty lecture hours, giving him a little time to pamper himself before returning to the busyness of his daily routine. Her sweet perched white headset covered both ears bouncing off the beautiful tones of the ipone and Adele's melodious voice spoiling her ears, his eyes focused on the book in his hands and his body he rested on a maple tree whose leaves had been reddened. The occasional autumn breeze made Ayumi have to glue her jacket together, for how long he sat there until the corner of his eye caught a flash of light on the right that made him turn his gaze from the book towards that light.

It was there that the man stood clad in blue jeans, a white T-shirt and an army green jacket looking fit on his strapping body, his eyes peeked at the camera lens nikon in his hand towards Beaver Lake, after several times taking a view of the lake in front, he lowered the camera and turned to look at the black round eyes that were watching him. Ayumi smiled when she saw Erik looking at her, but the smile instantly disappeared as the man turned his back and walked in the opposite direction, for a moment he was silent to see the man's behavior then shrugged his shoulders indifferently and resumed reading activities. A few minutes later Ayumi felt someone sitting next to her, she took off the headset and put it around her neck after she saw Erik now sitting with a spoon next to him.

"Novels?" He said after seeing the book that Ayumi had read.

"Yep, Mortal Instrument," Ayumi mentioned the title of the novel she was reading but the man simply raised his eyebrows.

"In this exam season, you can still read novels?" Erik looked at Ayumi with cold eyes.

"Today is my day off."

"So?" Erik asked while raising his eyebrows after hearing Ayumi's absurd explanation in his opinion.

"You don't know what the word 'holiday' means'?" Lifting two fingers forming quotes in the air, Erik just stared at him expressionlessly, "Holiday means time to pamper ourselves and for me that means a day without college and study assignments," ayumi said with a smile looking at Erik who was still looking at her expressionlessly.

"Oh come on, Erik, live only once so enjoy it don't take it too seriously." Ayumi turned her gaze away from the man with her alluring sharp black eyes towards the calm lake before her. Erik did the same thing, they fell silent for a while enjoying the view of Beaver Lake surrounded by maple pohan, which is a little, red cedar and hemlock whose leaves had started to turn yellow made the scene in front of them like a very beautiful natural painting.

"Is this your other hiding place?" Ayumi turned her gaze for a moment towards Erik who was still looking towards the lake, the man looks perfect if the alluring smile that was shown yesterday adorned his handsome face again, but today he looked like he was wearing an impenetrable ice mask.

"No, I love spending my time here reading books."

"Novel," said Erik correcting the words of Ayumi who smiled amusedly.

"Hey, sometimes I read my textbooks here too." Ayumi tried to defend herself while putting her novel into a bag, then stood up followed by Erik who stood towered beside her. Ayumi turned her back and started walking away from the place, Erik followed behind, they were walking on the garden path among the trees whose leaves had begun to fall.

"Aren't you teaching today?" Ayumi asked while gluing her jacket.

"Today I am free."

"So you're off?" Ayumi smiled seeing Erik nod, "Do you have an appointment today?"

Erik looked at Ayumi for a moment before he finally shook his head, "No, I have no promises."

"Good, I'll teach you how to enjoy the day off." Ayumi smiled as she raised her eyebrows and walked back leaving Erik, who was still glued.

*****

"China’s town? You're taking me to spend my day off in China’s town?" Erik gaped in disbelief when Ayumi took him to step foot toward the place where the largest Asian community in Canada.

Erik could hear a sad tone in the girl's voice, "And today you're missing home?"

Ayumi nodded as she continued walking, "Yes, today I miss home, miss my family, my friends and home food."

Erik could see the void in the look in his eyes even though his lips were trying to smile, but it was too forced even for a cold human like Erik.

"You know, I only found out two days ago that my real mother was dead." Ayumi said as she continued to walk beside Erik among the people walking in China’s town. Erik stopped his steps, he gasped at the words of Ayumi who was now standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry, I'm in mourning" Erik said sincerely.

"Don't be sad for me, I haven't even met him once." Ayumi smiled then continued her steps that had stopped.

"My mother is Japanese and since I was born I have been abandoned by her." Ayumi glued back her jacket the air around suddenly felt much colder, Erik still silently listened to the girl's story seriously.

"I was raised by a very great father, so I can grow up like now." Ayumi smiled as she told her father, "After twenty years my mother left me finally two years ago I decided to come here to look for her." They now turned to the right, "But my search was in vain, My mother died four years ago." Ayumi ended the story with a wry smile.

"You must be very sad," Erik said successfully made Ayumi stop stepping, he was silent for a few moments a little thought.

"sad? Hmm. Yeah, I'm sad." Ayumi nodded her head while closing her lips until she formed a straight line. "To be honest I don't want to be sad, I'm too angry and disappointed to be sad, but.." Ayumi patted her chest as she looked at Erik with sad eyes but there was an angry flash there too, "Oh, this is where it hurts." Erik looked at Ayumi feeling sympathy for him, there was a strange feeling seething within him to pull the girl into a hug and provide a sense of comfort, dispelling all her sadness and disappointment.

"Yesterday I was mad at him for leaving me from a baby never even once looking for me, and I was disappointed that he would not last a little longer to wait for me, but..." Ayumi took a deep breath before resuming her words, "Now I am more angry and disappointed in myself. I'm angry why I didn't look for him long ago, I'm angry why I didn't call him long ago." Ayumi exhaled heavily, she smiled wryly as she walked back.

"If only I had not attached importance to my own feelings, maybe at least I've met my real mother even once." Ayumi's gaze glared for a while, until finally she could control herself and then cleared her throat.

"You must think that I'm a pathetic selfish girl." Ayumi said as she looked at Erik who was now observing her.

Erik was silent for a while as he continued to look at Ayumi and finally he nodded, "Yes, you look pathetic you need to eat a lot, is it still far away? I'm so hungry."

Ayumi gaped at Erik's expressionless speech and laughed out loud, "Oh my God, you're so funny."

Erik raised his eyebrows hearing the girl's words, did he not mishear. She's she? Kim Erik? A funny?

"I'm sorry, the place is near." Ayumi gestured with her head towards the front not far from where they stood there was a whitewashed building with the inscription 'Indonesian Foods' on it. They enter the restaurant, which is immediately greeted by the song Noah, one of his favorite bands. Living in a region away from family makes all Indonesians who are there become relatives no matter which tribe and region they come from, they are a big family who give each other strength and support each other.

As Ayumi was greeted like a child who had just returned home, all greeting her by her nickname, smiling warmly and even hugging her because it had been a long time since she had met.

*****