MY LOVELY AUTHOR'S

MISADVENTURES AND LUCK IN LIFE PART 4

            I expected it. Just like my best friend-Mika at school and my co-worker-Lara, Arata would also leave me in this kind of situation. Humans always do that when they are desperate. They will try to save themselves when they are pushed or cornered.

            “Author, can you go to your balcony? I have to look at your face to say this important sentence.”

            I knew Arata would leave me for his popularity. This is what I expected. And when that happens. . . I probably won't be able to see it again. So with the thought that this meeting might be our last meeting, my feet stepped towards the balcony of my apartment.

            “I've been on the balcony as your request. Now what do you want to tell me, Arata?”

            I stood on the balcony of my apartment and found Arata standing on the balcony of his apartment, facing towards me with a cell phone stuck to his ear just as I did. Arata smiled at me just like the last smile he showed me. It's just that the smile felt a little heavy as if something was blocking Arata's day.

            “Author! Why not wear a heavy jacket?? What if Author gets sick?”     

            My forehead twitches hearing Arata's nagging. Who was it that I went out to my balcony on this cold night and didn't have time to put on a thick warm jacket??

            “If you are worried about me, quickly say what you want to say!!” I complained to Arata while trying to withstand the cold night wind that blows. “The sooner you say it, the sooner I get inside my apartment, Arata!”

            “Alright then. Let me take a breath first, Author.”

I heard Arata take a few deep breaths and exhale quickly. I didn't know what he was going to say, but it felt like what he wanted to say seemed to be something heavy that made him have to take a few breaths like that.

            “Already??” I asked when I no longer heard Arata's puff of breath from our connected phone.

            “Already, Author.” Arata smiled at me and this time the smile he showed was a light smile. It seemed like something that had stuck in Arata's heart had disappeared.

            “So, what do you want to say?”

            “As I said before, Author's scandal can stop if another scandal comes up and draws more attention. Two more days. .. I'll hold a press conference to end all the scandals that exist about you, Author. Then at that press conference. . I will bring all the evidence that will clear your name and also. .”

Arata suddenly stopped his words and made me curious. “Also what?”

            “Later. . I opened my little secret and that was the only way to end this, Author.”

            My eyebrows shriveled at the secret word coming out of Arata's mouth. “What secret do you mean, Arata?”

            Arata shook his head while smiling at me. “I can't say it now to Author. To find out, Author had to wait for the day of the press conference.”

            The furrow of my eyebrows deepened to hear Arata kekeh keeping a secret that will open in two days. “Then??”

            “If later after hearing my secret and Author feels moved when they hear it, can Author get out of that cage and run up to me?”

            I tilted my head because I did not understand the meaning of Arata's words. “Why should I do it?? Are you going to sacrifice your career, Arata? If you sacrifice your career, it's better not to do that press conference!! Let people say bad about me.”

            Arata smiled at my words, that smile as if telling me that he would be fine. “Author not to worry. I wouldn't do that.”

            “Sgratitude.” I feel relieved that Arata did not endanger his career just for my sake, the Author who refused to save himself.

            “Remember this, Author!” Arata puts emphasis on his speech. “If Author feels moved to hear my words later, Author has to get out of that cage and come to me.”

            “Tell me why should I do it, Arata?”

            “Author,” Arata ignored my question and insisted on making me wait for two days. “To be able to meet you, as much misfortune as I will receive. I was willing to use all my luck in the world, just to be able to meet you.”

            “What does that mean, Arata??”

            After ignoring my question, Arata disconnected his call and immediately entered his apartment. Arata just left and left me with various questions and confusion that filled my mind. Actually. . .what is the meaning of Arata's remark and his strange request?

*

            Two days later. . .

            Drrrttttt. . . My phone is unceasingly shaking because of the call that Warda has made ten times. I who had just cleaned myself up after being busy working on my sixth novel, finally raised the eleventh call made by Warda.

            “Hya. . . Asha!!! Where have you been?? Why haven't you received my call since???”

            I pressed the plug button on my phone, while drying my wet hair. “I just took a shower, Warda. Why are you so excited??”

            “Ah right. . Quickly turn on your TV and open LBS channel right now!!!”

            “What is it??” I took the TV remote and changed the TV channel to LBS as requested by Warda.

            “Arata. . That's Arata,” I heard the tone of Warda's voice that seemed to be filled with a burning and passionate. “He is doing a press conference.”

            The LBS channel that appeared on my TV then made me see the face of Arata who was doing a press conference together with his manager.

            “Did you see it, Asha?” Warda asked me to make sure.

            “Ya, I saw it.” I looked towards the title that appeared at the bottom of my TV screen where it was written Arata's press conference about his relationship with Author Wallflower. I smiled as I remembered two days ago, Arata told me that he was going to have a press conference to end things. This clock seems to be the event that Arata meant.

I looked at Arata's face from my TV and smiled at what Arata was doing right now.  He actually did it apparently and it seems after this. . I can only see this annoying real face from inside the glass screen like before.

            “Tadi. . when you were in the shower, Arata talked about the bullying scandal that befell you, Asha. Arata has called several key witnesses and evidence confirming that you are the victim of the abuse case and not the actual perpetrator.”

            Reporter 1: So. . scandals and articles saying that Author Wallflower was a bully in her school days are wrong. Is that really Mr Arata?

            Arata: Yes, that's true. You've all heard the statements of the witnesses that I just. After this event is over, I will send the case to the police on charges of defamation and harm suffered by Author Wallflower due to that irresponsible article. I will demand that those perpetrators that in the future the same thing never happen again.  

            Reporter 2: I heard Mr. Arata is a fan of Author Wallflower, he said, he is now a co-worker as he plays in a film adapted from Author Wallflower's novel and is also known as Mr. Arata is a neighbor of Author Wallflower. Is it the reason these three circumstances keep Mr Arata here and clear the defiled Author Walflower's good name?

            Arata: All this time. . . You've all been curious about my love story, haven't you?

            All reporter: That's right.

            Arata: All this time I never said and told you about my love story, because I never knew the name of the woman I liked until a while ago.

            Reporter 2: You mean Mr Arata?

            Glug. I gulped down my saliva like curious reporters waiting for Arata to answer. Out there. . definitely all Arata fans feel what I'm feeling right now. But. . . Hearing Arata's answer, I wondered in my mind: what is the relationship between Arata's love story and him trying to help me?

            And . . .it didn't take me long to get the answer.

            Arata: The woman I like is Asha whom you know by her pen name Author Wallflower.

            Deg. My heart skipped a beat hearing Arata say during a press conference. Are you crazy, Arata? Didn't you say you wanted to solve this scandal?? But why did you even make a confession to like me??