
“What do you want to eat?” We went back across the island.
“You want to eat, I'll come.”
“What if you choose, something you haven't found in a long time. But you used to visit?”
There was a restaurant that Ko Derrick used to love to bring us here. Canton specialties, Kin Kitchen, char siu they are the best, chicken grilled soy sauce is also a menu that must be ordered there, dim sum, family restaurant, when we were still in a group, and so on, it felt like we found our own family.
But once upon a meal, I also saw Ko Derrick often silently thinking to himself, perhaps remembering his wife's child being separated from him. I can still remember him sometimes pensive and disappearing from us even though he was there.
"How about we go to Kin's Kitchen, on Hennessy Road."
"By, Canton's restaurant isn't."
"Yes, do you like Chinese Food?"
"For seven years, I think I've been used to a lot of food in Hong Kong, it's all here. You'll order whatever you want, I'll eat anything but salad." I laugh.
"Thanks.." -..."
She smiled slightly in response to my thanks. I sat next to her, the third day that felt like this vacation was making me a gamelan. I thought he was just Don Juan who had too much money and was curious, but the way he wanted to get involved in my problems made me rethink.
"Why don't you ask me to fight again." I looked at her words.
"You want to fight with people at the dinner table?" I grimaced.
"I'm just afraid I made you hate me earlier, I didn't think you had any trauma. You're so suddenly so quiet right now."
"Just a little nostalgic considering these streets. It feels like coming back home is actually fun, like remembering the past. Back when I was in Ko Derrick's Group, we used to go to Kin Kitchen, when our group was still together, we were like a real family, depending on each other's lives, I don't think it's an easy time, but I have a family, life in Kowloon is not easy, we don't separate there's still Ko Derrick, he used to take us here at least once a month when we were all on payday. Our group is only seven people, I don't know where they are anymore. I cut ties to everyone after I got out of Hong Kong."
He looked at me in silence.
"You don't have to do this for me, Oliver, I'm gonna talk to Ko Derrick, ask for his help."
"If I say I'll help you, I will. Never mind, what if we just eat good, their mums must be good, after let's just watch a movie, I need to take my mind off today."
"Hmm..why is your attitude so different, when in Bali and in Vietnam you are not this polite." He's smiling now.
"You're a friend, not a temporary girlfriend. I'm not seducing friends. But if you want me to just say it, maybe I can work on it." I laughed, now he looks a bit like the XXXL species I knew before.
"Ohh that yesterday fashion got a temporary girlfriend. You are indeed basta*rd..."
"What matters is that you've seen it all, you still remember it. As a friend you've known me inside and out...."
"See what?!" Now I hit him on the arm.
"It's actually your own fault why you're out, can't you just stay inside, it's gonna last how long, because you came out I thought you wanted to come with me to offer you to join." He continued without seeing me.
"You're the noisy one, who told you two to whisper so!" Now he's laughing.
"It's expressive, but if you think it's funny..." He still continues. I don't want to see it now, somehow this is the talk of the initial meeting in Bali again.
"That's not funny."
"Why? You can't sleep after that. That's why you should just join, who told you to put a high price." He laughed with satisfaction. I was so upset to see him laughing with satisfaction, but when our eyes met I couldn't oppose his eyes, it felt like my face was hot to imagine all that.
"Why don't you ask the girl out on a date, instead ask me to eat?"
"Why do you want to know?" He looked at me with a dikulum smile.
"I just asked." He chose not to answer my question.
We got to the restaurant later. I never remember Kent coming here, this isn't his restaurant, I guess. So I'm not afraid he's here. Even so I still had concerns he suddenly appeared in front of me.
"Message what you want." He closed the menu book and let me choose.
I looked around before entering, then always watching the entrance, this time not because of the escort position but fearing Kent suddenly entering from that door. As has been a habit that is embedded in me, I always try to avoid being around him if I can. Now it's like coming back...
"Sandra, stop looking around. There I am, nothing bad will happen, even if that bastard dared to show up here nothing will happen. He won't be able to touch*tuhmu again the end of the hair." Oliver's rebuke shocked me, apparently he realized my attention was divided.
"I'm sorry, I just..."
"You're safe now, if he dares to show up, I'm here, even if he shows up I'll make him go. Let's focus your attention on the menu book. Tell me what you choose."
I told him the type of dimsum I chose, then the main course, the habit remains habit can not change so fast, I still observe the ceiling carefully, because I often become the guardian of the habit VVIP added kentara, I continued, even if Oliver's got me talking.
"Our food has come." Oliver voices.
"Oh." I was glued to the open door by how many people came in, watching them for a moment.
"His dimsum has come let's eat." But from our position I could see the arrival of people in front of the restaurant, the slightest sound at the door would make me take my eyes off. I realized Oliver noticed me later.
"Sorry, it's just a reflex."
He sighed and called the waiter.
"Can we change the table to the other end?"
"Ohh can Sir. Is something wrong here?"
"Not just want to change tables."
"Well I'll take your food to the table. Move on."
"Come,..." This time he asked for my hand to be held together, which I was forced to accept because he had even attempted to move our table, to a place more protected from those passing by from the front door. Friends who ask to hold hands this really makes the wrong behavior.
"Sit over there." He's changing directions with me now. "It's better not." I just smiled at him.
"Thank you." I started to get to enjoy our meal and chat without having to worry about who would pass by and see me back there.
"That's delicious, I like it.I want this one again, you want it?" He's talking about shrimp dumpling mixed with bamboo shoots.
"I don't know what this vegetable is, it tastes pretty weird, and it's not as colorful as a salad." I laughed, an anti-saladist vegetable hater.
"That's young bamboo. No, you're just a lot. We still have a play course."
"Bamboo. I thought it was hard, here's the tubers?"
"No, it's some kind of bud."
After a long time, only this time I ate alone again with someone. I have been avoiding him for years.
"Sandra?!" I was shocked when someone called my name.