LAST GREETINGS

Episode 17's

Mike parked his motorcycle next to the other visitors' motorcycles. Park guard, a half-aged father was in trouble. He recognized Mike because he had stopped by here a few times.

"Newly appeared again this bang," said the father of half-old parking guard greeted Mike with Jakartanya dialect. Mike returned his greeting while giving a smile to the old man. Mega was still standing waiting for him.

Mike and Mega return to the park - Mike picks her up at his boarding house to keep his promise this morning. After almost a month of not meeting him, tonight Mega and Mike meet again in this park - the park that on the previous nights Mike and Mega spent their time, just two, just the two of them, just unwind after coming home from college.

Mike stepped onto the sidewalk of the road where Mega was standing after making sure his motorcycle was parked safely, greeted the parking guard again and stepped inside the park with Mega.

As usual, Mega's steps and Mike's steps run towards the usual place - a pair of brown benches laid face to face, in the middle of which is a stone table.

But tonight they veered off course, asking Mega to find another seat. His eyes quickly saw that there were already people. Mega according to him because he saw it, there were already two girls, Mike can confirm it was Tania and her friend who at that time he met.

Mike walked as his eyes searched for an empty spot and found an empty bench under a tree. Very careful not to see Tania, Mike took a seat to Tania and her friend who were sitting a little far from where Mike and Mega were.

Tonight they did not enjoy drinks or snacks of any kind. Mega sat beside him, their position turned to the place where Tania was, in the usual place Mike and Mega were always there.

"Is there something strange ?" Tanya Mega instantly, making her heart almost dislodged. Mega realizes it when Mike always steals the view, turning towards Tania and her friend.

"Oh, no. I'm just looking at our usual place" she replied a little nervously. Mike tried to adjust his breathing so that Mega did not realize his nervousness.

"Does it feel any different sitting here and there, Mike ?" Mega asked again breaking the silence. The blood in his body stopped flowing. He was scared.

"Did Mega realize that I recognized the woman sitting there ? Why would he attack me with questions like these ?"

Mike started to misbehave. His heart sipped very fast, thinking about what would happen if Mega knew he did recognize the girl sitting there.

"How do you think ?" This time Mike turned to attack him.

"I'm asking you, Mike," said Mega again. This time a little emphasis.

"No, not different. Do you feel like a Mega ?" Mike turned around asking again not to lose. Mega was silent for a moment looking at him sharply. He's getting nervous.

"No, I think you feel it, Mike," said Mega calmly. His heart was pounding again.

"Oh yeah, how was my offer this morning. Are you interested ?" his question suddenly diverted the conversation. Mega was silent, looking down for a moment to play her fingers.

"I haven't decided yet. But I'll think about it. That's a good idea" Mega replied after a moment of silence.

"I just want you to be able to use your abilities in other forms" Mike told Mega while removing the phone from his pants pocket.

He searches for a photo of Kevin moments ago showing it to Mega after he finds a photo of Kevin with his instrument. Kevin deliberately kept the photos from Kevin's Facebook.

"Name's Kevin. He has been playing music since he was in elementary school. I don't think you'll have any trouble accepting my offer" Mike continued, showing a picture of Kevin. Mega was silent. He didn't say anything.

"If you're interested, I'll call him. He was my schoolmate and now he's in Jakarta. I just met him yesterday. He came to my hostel" Mike explained to Mega.

Mega is silent. He looked at Mike for a moment. But haven't said anything yet. Mike noticed it but ignored it.

"Mike, how do you feel about me ? Why don't you ask me about my phone I left on purpose... "

"For I can read for myself the contents of your heart that you have etched in your poems ?" I cut off Mega's talk fast.

Mike wanted to talk about this but he hasn't had that chance. Mega instead turned to attack him at that time when Mike was angry and discussed Mega's crazy idea.

Tonight Mega asked again about the idea. Mega then mute, staring at Mike. Mike set his sights on Mega.

"I don't want you to be disappointed, Mega. I don't know what to do to convince you. I don't want you to walk out of my life" he said calmly as he took a breath.

"I'm not leaving your life, Mike. How could you think that way. Ilove you. I've loved you since the first time I saw you," Mega snatched Mike's words. Eyes glazed. Mike took both his hands, then grabbed them.

His heart is beating fast. Between hesitation and forced, fear that this makes Mega feel comfortable.

"Mega, I'm sorry. I don't want you to disappear from my life. I mean, if someday, when our relationship ends, either because of any problem, then we antagonize each other or curse ourselves not to see each other again. I'm afraid it's gonna happen" Mike shut up for a moment.

"I want you to remain my best friend, my sister, so that whenever you are always there for me and there is no strange feeling when you meet me" Mike tried to convince her. He still hasn't let go of his hand on Mega's. Mega looked down, but did not cry.

"I'm sorry, Mega. You must understand it's Mega. You know, don't you ? I love you only as a friend, as a sister to me. Not more. And until anytime I won't be able to break it," he said again while Mega still speechless.

Mike knows this is difficult to accept, especially on the grounds that someday if their relationship is broken, he does not want them to be hostile to each other.

"Love doesn't always have to have, does it ? Ahhhhh. I have to how ?"

Mega is still down. Quiescent. Didn't say anything. Both of his hands are still left in Mike's grasp.

I don't know what he's thinking, but Mike knows he must be trying to accept the reality and the pain in his heart right now. Mike refuses his love for the umpteenth time.

"Mike, you know what ?" Mega says slowly. He's still down. His voice began to tremble.

"I've loved you since the first time I saw you. I'm more confident and finally dare to express my feelings to you after I know, in your heart there is no one," continued Mega.

His voice started to sound a little bit raucous. Her tears began to fall. Megan cried for the first time in this park.

"Tell me, Mike. Am I wrong when I decide to love you ? Or because you feel uncomfortable, a girl first expresses feelings to a man ?"

Mega is silent again.

Mike felt guilty about her. But Mike did not question him who first expressed his feelings. Not at all.

For Mike it is common for a girl to express her love for the man she loves. Mike was silent. Only the sound of Mega's sobs was heard.

"Tell me, Mike. Am I wrong ? If so, tonight I will erase all my feelings for you, kill him, and bury him deeply. I will no longer make you master of my poems" Mega continued.

This time his voice went up. The sound of his sobbing is getting clearer but not getting anywhere else, only Mike who heard it. He makes Mike the master of his poetry while Mike makes another girl the master of his poetry. Ahh, this cruel is me, his mind.

Mike hugged her tightly. His right hand tightly embraced Mega's shoulder. He let Mega's head lean on her shoulder and let her cry in his arms. Mike allowed himself to feel what Mega was feeling right now.

The disappointment that Mega felt at the moment, just like what Kevin felt to Cindy. Ah, hopefully, they can love each other after both feeling the disappointment of loving truly.

Mike closed his eyes, letting Mega cry in his arms. Mike tried to calm him down but it felt impossible. Mega loves Mike and currently he is in Mike's arms.Of course hugging him like this will make him feel more and more his love is getting stronger.

"But no. Mike has to end it all. Whatever happens."

"Mega, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. I can only love you as my best friend, as my sister," she whispered in Mega's ear.

"Here you go, don't cry anymore. I know it's hard on you, but I'm asking you one thing," Mike let go of his hug, then held Mega's cheek, directed Mega's gaze at her.

"Mega, if you really love me then let go of me Mega. Just be a sister, a friend and let me love you as my best friend, as my sister" Mike said as he stared fixedly into Mega's eyes. Mega's tears were still flowing down her cheeks. Both of Mike's thumbs tried to stroke him.

Mega releases both of Mike's hands on his cheeks. She wiped her tears again. Then down, shut up.

"It's hard for me, Mike. I don't know if I can get through this or not at all" Mega said later after wiping away her tears.

"I'll try my best. But remember, Mike. I let you go because I love you" Mega continued. This time he looked up at Mike's face.

Mike was stunned to hear what Mega said.

" Ah, her gaze made me instantly feel sorry for her."

Mike said nothing. Mega.

"Mike, can I hold you ?" Mega asked instantly, breaking the silence. Mike was stunned again for a moment to hear it. His heart is beating fast.

"Of course," Mike answered briefly while playing the tail of his eye. Mega smiled and quickly wrapped her hands around Mike's waist. He let his head lean over Mike's shoulder. Longtime. Mike let.

"You'll always hold me like this anytime Mega if you're forever a friend and sister to me" Mike whispered in his ear and landed a kiss, just above Mega's crown.

Mega just kept quiet despite realizing what Mike was doing. She truly felt the comfort and sincere love of Mike for her as her sister and best friend.

"I love you as a friend and sister, Mega. Not more. I'm sorry."

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