Linger

What If

Along the way back to Irina's apartment, Taruna said nothing. The man only focused on driving the car while occasionally glancing towards Irina who was leaning her head against the window. The woman seemed to throw a glance out, I don't know what so caught her attention out there.

The originally clear sky turned cloudy. Just when Taruna managed to park the car, the speck fell. Noisy created from falling rain drops is no longer disturbing, because now the mind of the Taruna becomes much more noisy than before. Especially when he watched how Irina moved slowly to release the seatbelt and get down from the car with slow motion. Irina was more silent on several occasions, but the woman's inertia this time was quite disturbing because she believed there were so many complaints that she wanted to express now.

With a slow step, Taruna followed Irina from behind. He breathed a heavy sigh as he watched the woman barely stumble over her own leg.

"Focus, Rin! Focus up!" taruna shouted as Irina almost hit the door in front of her. Tariuna swiftly pulled Irina's arm, bringing her to stand beside her tall body.

"The road is beside me." Said the Taruna in a flat tone. But Irina knew, the man's words were indisputable. So, when the Midshipmen linked their fingers, Irina simply complied.

Their steps were slow. Passing the long hallway to Irina's apartment unit. Some of the people who passed by them along the passage seemed indifferent. As usual, those people did not have enough time to care about the other residents in this apartment complex. Didn't anyone say that time is money? And those people seemed to be implementing that sentence well now.

Arriving at the door of Irina's apartment, Taruna reached out. Enter six-digit numbers until the door in front of them opens. Slowly, Taruna entered first, pulling Irina's body to follow her steps which were deliberately made short.

The door behind them closed again and Taruna released her hand. When he turned to Irina, he found the woman bowing her head.

"In the refrigerator there is no food?" tanyanya started the conversation.

Irina just shook her head. Still reluctant to lift his head even though Taruna has struggled to speak with an ordinary tone.

"I'll fill it up, I'll make dinner. Now you rest, I'm going to the supermarket first." The cadet was about to turn around, but her movements stopped because Irina was holding her arm.

Taruna looked at Irina's hand on her arm, then sighed after her gaze rose and found Irina was looking at her heartily with a pair of gray eyes that looked misty.

"Why again?" tanyanya slow. Honestly Taruna wanted to pull that slender body and hugged it tightly without asking much, but when she recalled their last conversation on the roof of the building that did not end well, she said, The cadets decided to no longer act at will. From today, perhaps he will start limiting himself not to break through the existing boundary line. Pray that he can.

"Don't be angry, Na. I'm scared." Irina's voice sounded trembling. The woman was seen biting her lower lip to hold back the crying that was just waiting for time to be shed.

At first, Taruna did not say anything. He just continued to respond to Irina's desire to meet him. Dive into the gray bead little by little although in the end it never reaches the bottom.

The sentence was not said with any hatred and resentment at all. Oath to God, the Taruna said it sincerely. That's what's in his heart and head right now. But for some reason, after that sentence was finished, Irina actually cried.

Midshipmen hate to see a woman cry. Hate it even more when he is the cause of the tears. But at a time like this, Midshipmen did not have many options to do. So all he could do was stay standing in his place, waiting until the sobbing subsided so they could continue the rest of the delayed chatter.

Second by second, minute by minute passed by without another conversation successfully restarting. The crackling coming out from the side of Irina's lips also showed absolutely no signs of easing any time soon. Today, for some reason the supply of tears that Irina had was like more than usual. Because, he has spilled a lot and now the flow is still swift like a faucet of water that is damaged.

In the end, the patience of the Taruna reached its limit. After exhaling a long breath, the man pulled Irina's trembling body into an embrace. Patting her softly on the woman's back to help relieve her stuffing.

"Gue knows what you're afraid of." Whisper later. With a sore heart, Taruna can still work on a smile that even though she knows Irina can't see it, she still hesitates. "That's not gonna happen. I'm not going anywhere. If you have to wait until Gavin asks you to leave, then I will be here to accompany you until then. So you don't feel alone." Really for anything, a real cadet would do it. He would remain on this woman's side until the end. Until all the grudges and wounds that he had single-handedly found equal recompense. Until the flames of rage that slowly burned down all sides of his humanity were slowly extinguished and he could restart what was still left.

"Gue promised not to go anywhere." Deuteronomy, louder, more assertive.

Irina did not answer. Instead, he tightened his embrace. His crying did not subside, it became even more when he buried his face in the chest of the field of Midshipmen. Fulfilling the masculine scent that emanated from this male outfit.

Then, as the scent slowly entered into his respiratory cavity, a random thought appeared in his head. What if Taruna saved him that night? What if Taruna met him first and managed to make him fall in love? Will Irina feel better? Because if you can be honest, on several occasions, Irina found the figure of Taruna standing much closer to her than Gavin. A cadet is like a friend who is at the same point as him, whose hands he can reach easily without having to put in much effort.

Gavin is at a slightly different point. There are several occasions that make Irina feel Gavin's hand is too far to reach, too difficult to grasp and he ends up languishing alone.

But amidst that random thought, there was an even louder sound roaring in his head. That said, if it wasn't Gavin, then there wouldn't be Irina right now.

Just like that, Irina's crying spilled back. Let it be like this. Let him enjoy this sorrow until it comes to a predetermined limit. Let him weep over every sorrow until he wills himself.

In the warm arms of the Midshipman, Irina could only pray: if the time came when she should really let go of Gavin, hopefully the way can be good and not leave a mark that must make them hate each other. I hope that.

Seriate