The Girl Next Door's

Floral

Deril stood in front of the police station. Previously, when he found his sister buried in the backyard, the desire to run to this place was very high. He wanted to yell at everyone inside the police station, to catch the perpetrator.

However, now, as the few days passed, his common sense returned to work. There was no evidence in his hands. There were no eyewitnesses around either. Mika could not be his ally.

"How many times have I been through here, huh?" deril muttered.

Actually, the way back to his house is not through this police station. He had to turn a little far to get here. So desperate, later he even passed the place continues after school is over.

"Hhh, let's go home!" he told himself. Deril was ready to pedal his bike back, before someone suddenly stood in front of his bike.

The woman with her hair was in a mess, standing before her. His pale face was in stark contrast to the orange-colored sunlight that fell around them.

"Hi, Brother!" the woman tried to be friendly. But, to Deril, his smile even looked suspicious.

"Sorry, who, huh?" Deril.

"I'm Mia. Officers at the office" he replied, pointing to the police station. "I see, my sister is confused. Want to tell the same brother?"

Deril's eyebrows shot up. He was suspicious of the woman in front of him. The man's appearance was more akin to a kidnapper than a police officer. "Sister?" reset Deril. "I think you're more apt to be called 'aunty' than 'sister'."

Instead of being offended, the woman named Mia was even stunned to hear Deril's answer. "Okay, whatever you want to call me. But I'm sure I can help. Look, I'm the best graduate."

"I'm just passing by" Deril lied.

Mia smiled broadly. "Lied."

"Why lie?"

"Nobody stood in front of the police station for five days straight, if only by chance passed by," Mia explained. He glanced at the logo on Deril's left chest. "Your school's not around here. You need about twenty minutes here."

The throat immediately felt dry. It was as if he was caught doing something wrong. "I'm just walking around. I'm new in this neighborhood."

Mia nodded. He looks ambiguous, between believing and not believing. His eyes were like a child who wanted to know everything. But, Deril did not see any ill will in this disheveled-looking woman.

"If there's nothing to talk about, I'm sorry" Deril nodded once, saying goodbye.

"Ah, wait!" Mia caught Deril's bike handlebar. His hands were very thin with long fingers. "If there's anything, you can call me," he spoke still excitedly. Then, Mia pulled out a business card tucked in her pants pocket. "When."

"I have a reliable Dad" Deril replied, but still received Mia's business card. After putting the business card into his bag, Deril pedaled his bike back, moving away from the police station. He slightly sped up the speed of his bike, afraid of being stopped again by Mia. "Is the police officer all that weird?" deril muttered.

***

Deril sat glued when he found Mika standing in front of the gate. For some reason, the wooden gate, became very beautiful when Mika was there. Though, previously Deril did not pay too much attention to such trivial things.

He hurriedly got up from his seat. Deril did not even bother to put a palette of watercolors and brushes in his hands first, before approaching Mika. Deril felt as if he was sucked in by the presence of the girl of his heart.

"Hi, Mika!" Deril greeted despite sounding stiff.

Mika smiled knot. A smile that could make Deril's day good for twenty-four hours. Today, Mika looks good. She wears a clean white midi dress. Her long hair was neatly intertwined, draped on her right shoulder. The end is even decorated with red ribbons. The fragrance of roses came out whenever the wind greeted his body.

"What's up here?"

Mika lifted the watercolors she was carrying. "Papa give me permission. Draw."

"You want to draw in my house?" deril asked while opening the gate for Mika.

Mika nodded. "On page. Can't go in the house."

Deril agrees, the important thing is that he can be with Mika. "Come, over here!" Deril lets Mika follow him, returning to where he painted earlier. "I have a new canvas. You can wear it."

"Thank you." Mika grabs Deril's canvas. He touched the surface. "Paint me with mine."

"OKAY. No problem."

Deril is actually getting used to Mika's rather strange way of speaking. Mika is almost the same age as him. However, the way to talk is still like a toddler who learns to string words.

"What do you want to draw?" Deril accidentally doesn't ask the permission that Doctor Stephen gave Mika. She should look happy because Mika is visiting her house. Deril cannot raise any suspicion. He's determined to make Doctor Stephen off guard.

"Flowers."

Deril. "You fit the flower" Deril praised. "Together beautiful."

Mika did not respond. He put the canvas on a buffer and began to be busy pouring his watercolors into the paint palette.

'Hhh... Perhaps such praise was already his daily meal. So it's not worth it if I say, ' Deril thought, sad.

As Deril gets busy with his thoughts, Mika thrusts her own color paint at Deril. "Try?"

"You mean, can I try it?"

Mika nodded. "It's nice. Papa buy. Paris."

"This paint is from Paris?" reset Deril.

Mika nodded again. "I have a lot. It's okay to end."

Deril received Mika's watercolor gladly. He washes his palette, then pours new paint. While glancing towards her right, Mika had already started to draw a line on the canvas.

"You don't need a sketch?" ask Deril.

Mika shakes. He looked at Deril who was still looking at him. "I want to be free" he whispered.

Deril's hair bristles when their sight meets. However, a strange taste appeared filling his heart. She felt an oddity from Mika's eyes and her way of answering.

"Drawing must be free" Deril said. He had to weigh the answer that came out of his mouth. Deril doesn't know what Mika's purpose is here yet. She also cannot rule out that Mika is Doctor Stephen's child.

Mika turned her face away. He looked sad after hearing the reply from Deril. "Flower. I draw a lot. Can you read the painting?"

Deril did not answer for a while. Of course Deril is not good at reading the meaning of painting, although he is good at painting. This hobby is created because of the amount of free time he has.

"Look at the flowers later," Mika added, as Deril only gawked.

***