Linger

Wedding Gifts

Finished breakfast, Kalea moved quickly to clean the dishes and other tableware from the table. Gavin had already passed to the backyard because he had to take a call, so Kalea alone cleaned up the rest of their meal.

Just when the dirty dishes managed to put into the sink, the house bell rang so loud. With eyebrows intertwined, Kalea walked towards the front door wondering who would come to visit at this hour? Now it's probably nine o'clock and it's weird that anyone's visiting this early. Moreover, this was the new house they had occupied and only their families alone knew the address of this house. Mama and Papa obviously will not visit because yesterday after her wedding, her parents immediately went to the airport to fly to Korea, celebrating their wedding anniversary that coincides with the wedding day of the princess just wayangnya. Sometimes Kalea does not understand why her parents are still so eager to celebrate the anniversary of the marriage which has turned 27 years old.

If not his parents, then who? Gavin's parents?

The question still kept turning in his head even until he arrived at the door. His half-drenched hands opened the big door. Only to find the wind beating on his face in an annoying void.

There's nobody there. There was not even a trace of anyone who had just set foot in his courtyard. What Kalea found in front of the door was just a 20x20x8 cm deep blue box with a red ribbon decorating it. Still curious as to who had rang the bell, Kalea ignored the gift box for a moment and walked past the terrace barrier. He tilted his head, turned to the right and to the left, throwing a distant look forward to find someone who knew who. But still the result is nil. There's no one there. It was as if the bell in his house was rung by the wind and the gift box was coming by itself, out of nowhere.

Knowing that her quest would only end in vain, Kalea again stepped towards the door. Had stood for a while while looking down at the gift box that was dumped on the floor. Somewhat doubt whether to bring the gift box into the house or let it stay there. The problem was, Kalea had no idea what was inside the box. What if the contents were something terrible; like pieces of a human body, for example?

Ah...Kalea was watching too many thriller dramas so her mind drifted too far.

In the end, he picked up the box. There was a small note paper tucked between the decorating tape, Kalea picked up the note paper and started reading the message there.

Happy weddings. Wishing you a long and happy marriage. Wiht love, December.

That's what it says on the note paper. Because Kalea did not know who the sender was on her behalf this December, Kalea decided to bring the box into the house. Without knowing that far across the street, in a place he could not reach with a glance, a man in a black jacket with a matching hat and mask was aiming a professional camera to shoot Kalea with the gift box in the deck.

After taking a photo of Kalea, the man pulled the phone out of his pants pocket, then dialed a number that did not take long to connect.

"Mission complete." Say it to someone across the street. Then the phone connection was cut off and the man got into his car. The car drove away, killing Kalea's residential area after making sure he would not be caught by a security camera that had been sabotaged.

...****************...

At four o'clock in the afternoon, it rained thinly. Grey clouds rolled out orange tinge that should have been painted adorning the sky this afternoon.

On the living room couch, Gavin focused his gaze on a television screen that was now airing news about the plummeting share prices of several large companies. Although Papa's company is still monitored safely, Gavin always took the time to check market developments to avoid things that are not desirable.

While being focused on following the course of the news, his attention was suddenly stolen by the existence of a gift box on the television table. The box was indeed lying somewhat hidden behind the television, so Gavin was initially unaware of its existence.

"I made pajeon (a Korean chives pancake), you want to try it?"

Gavin turns his head when Kalea's voice interrupts. The woman walked from the kitchen with a plate filled with pajeon. The look on her face was bright, like the morning sun that greeted them when she first opened her eyes.

"Can." Without saying much, Gavin immediately took out a piece of pajeon from the plate that Kalea had just placed on the table in front of the sofa. He brought the pajeon to the front of the mouth and was immediately devoured with spirit. Gavin didn't even have to expect anything from what Kalea did. Because whatever the result, he will still say that what Kalea cooks is good. But far from his expectations, the pajeon that Kalea made was indeed delicious so he did not need to pretend.

"Nob." Praise Gavin with a full mouth. He stopped chewing for a bit, only to smile thinly at Kalea who had joined him.

"Thank you." Kalea smiled back then took a piece of pajeon, took a small bite and chewed it patiently. "I often make this at home, make snacks if it rains again like this."

Gavin only responds to the information Kalea provides. The seeds managed to make the pajeon in the mouth soften and then can be swallowed. Not satisfied with just getting one, Gavin plucks another piece.

In between his chewing on the second pajeon, Gavin again remembered the gift box that had seized his attention.

Kalea cleared. The woman's gaze was straight ahead on the television screen. Seemed so serious that Gavin knew he didn't really understand what they were watching right now.

"What box is that?" tanyanya while pointing towards the gift box.

"What box?" Kalea asked back. He looked at Gavin with a confused look.

"That's, that's behind the television."

Kalea seemed speechless, looking at the gift box Gavin had been referring to for a while. Her eyebrows clutched together and the woman even stopped chewing.

"Geez!"

Now it was Gavin's turn to be confused as Kalea suddenly squealed while patting her own eel. Pajeon was half thrown on the table and then the woman half ran towards the tv table. With a flippant gesture, Kalea grabbed the gift box and walked back to the sofa.

"So morning someone left this box at the door. I don't know anyone, because I opened the door to no one at all." Kalea.

Hearing that, Gavin suddenly leaned up. The box came out of Kalea's hand. His head started to fill with a lot of speculation. Especially when his eyes found a note paper tucked between the tape that decorated the gift box. Gavin didn't read the whole book, because the one thing that stole his attention was the name of the sender in the bottom right corner.

Dec.

There is only one possibility about who the sender of this box is if it refers to the initials of the pseudonym used to send it. The only person closest to her born in December is only Irina, so if the sender's name represents the sender's birth month, then the only possible one is Irina.

But Gavin doesn't want to be prejudiced against someone he cares about. So in a slow motion, Gavin opened the lid of the box. Only to be flabbergasted when he found a set of famous brand jewelry that there are only eleven sets in the world. Nope. It's not about the limited stock and the fantastic price. Except for the fact that a set of jewelry he once bought specifically for Irina on their 2nd birthday.

So, did Irina send this? But for what? What is the purpose of this woman doing it?

"Gavin?"

A slow touch on his shoulder managed to disperse Gavin's thoughts. He quickly closed the box and placed it on the table.

"What's answer? How are you surprised?" ask Kalea. "It's not something terrible, is it?"

It's terrible, Kalea. Much more terrifying than you can imagine. But Gavin could only say it in his heart. Instead, he simply answered Kalea's question with a simple sentence. "It's a set of jewels. But it seems wrong to send, because the name of the sender is also not clear and not listed there also if the package is intended for us."

"How did dong go? Where are you going behind? Kan, the same name of the return address does not exist."

"While you keep it first. Later I try to find out through the cctv around the house. Who knows, it could help us find out who the sender is and this package we can return."

As usual, Kalea complied without much further questioning. In an instant the conversation about the gift box was forgotten, replaced by random stories that Kalea boasted with a carefree tone.

While Gavin began to get busy again with his own thoughts, did not listen too much to Kalea's babbling because his head was too noisy to make him feel dizzy.