THE OUT OF MY LEAGUE

22

A few hours before ...

Mike was sitting in the waiting chair of the hospital, where the TV that was broadcasting the news this morning was airing. To avoid Darren as the remnants of his anger still have not subsided, he is forced to go down to the second floor and Darren decides to go out to buy breakfast.

Until a phone ringing sound coming from inside his briefcase interrupts his focus.

“Halo?” Sapa Mike ogah-ogahan without seeing who contacted him.

“Mike, where are you now?”

Spontaneous Mike glared surprised to hear the owner of the voice. He saw a glimpse of the screen of his phone and found the name 'Dad' listed there.

Swallowing a rough saliva, Mike replied, “What is it?”

“Come home now you son of a bitch!”

Mike rolled his eyes lazily. “If I don't want to?” Ask in a mocking tone.

“Babymu I'll sell!”

“Oiii!”

Mike immediately stood up from the chair and shouted, making some people turn to him. Because of the incident, Mike had to escape to a quiet place, namely in the hospital park.

“Dad! Are you crazy?!” Mike asked with a stifled shout when he arrived at the park.

Across there his father was ruffled by the waist while smiling with satisfaction to raise his face towards the sun. Aaa ... Freshly. Today it was confirmed that he won.

“Whyaa? He said he didn't want to go home!”

Mike grunting. “Okeeee, okay! I'm home, satisfied!?”

“OK! See you at home, Children Less Ajar.”

His father ended the connection with a joyful tone. Makes Mike even more obnoxious. What kind of father would have to threaten his son by selling their family dog just to get him home!

Yes, Baby. The golden retriever has been his best friend ever since he became Mike's tenth birthday present. Because so happy, little Mike will only play with the dog, forgetting the reality where children his age must hang out with peers and have fun outdoors. Outraged, his father once secretly sold the dog abroad so that Mike can grow back to normal. And even though the incident has been happening for years, Mike is still plagued by trauma. You will never know how much Baby means to the grown man, because the old dog has accompanied him to grow, through all the difficulties he has faced until now. That's why Mike, baby.

As soon as he arrived at his family's mansion, Mike rushed out of the car and ran up the stairs to open the main door before bursting in while shouting, “Baby!? Baby!?”

Baby who was resting on his bed spontaneously woke up with his tail swaying enthusiastically, then ran to find the owner of the voice that he had not often heard.

Running with worry, Mike approached Baby and hugged him, stroked his fur, and kissed his golden-haired head.

“Baiiik boy,” Mike laughs happily.

Until a footstep interrupted Mike's hearing, making the man turn toward the stairs.

“Mike?”

“Mother!”

Mike stood up and immediately approached his mother who was still standing on the last rung of the stairs, while Baby had been tailing at Mike's feet, still not satisfied to let go of longing with the owner.

Looking at his mother's face, Mike smiled warmly. Years ago he left her, met her for the first time at the airport, and now, this is their second meeting and her mother is still as beautiful as ever. Oh, don't forget that she was a veteran model before. With the face of the Mexican-Filipino crossbreed, she gave birth to a child as exotic as Mike.

“How are you, hm?”

He gently cupped his son's cheeks, rubbing them affectionately. Mike closed his eyes, soaking in the warmth that was there, he always missed his mother's gentle touch, he was already fully home.

“I'm good, Mother. Mother herself?”

Mike clasped his mother's hand, again smiling warmly only for this greatest woman before him.

“Good, mom just finished breakfast in room.”

Mike breathed a sigh of relief. Yes at least his mother can still take care of him when he is not there.

“Finally you came too!” The sound of baritones echoed throughout the room.

Thanit, his father, appeared in a bathrobe and wet hair, suggesting he had just finished swimming out there.

Mike immediately rolled his lazy eyeball and turned towards the old man.

“Actually what told me to go home?”

Thanit did not answer at all, he passed them and went to sit on the sofa in the living room. Inevitably Mike and his mother followed, then sat side by side on the opposite sofa, while looking at the man at the same time.

“So like this ..” originally. “Where have you been these two days, hm? Why not get active in Darren's office? Dad sent you there to learn from him, but why have you been absent for two days in a row?” Attack repeatedly.

Mike grunting. How to work if he himself is hostile to the McGold!

After all yesterday he himself was lazy to enter because he was sick of being in one building with Darren. Mike couldn't possibly focus on working if he was messed up with his own thoughts. And for today, it's because she had to drive Lily to the children's hospital. Mike was willing to leave Lily with the jerk just for the sake of the temporary job.

“I have business, hence absent.”

Thanit immediately squinted his eyes. “Urusan? Don't tell me you're still playing women!?”

“Of course, I learned from the expert.”

Not that Mike's playing Lily. It was just that he wanted to make the parents angry first.

And sure enough, Thanit immediately hissed biting his lips. “You are!”

Mike immediately hugged his mother, acting scared, he silently stuck out his tongue, mocking his father.

If asked; does Mike still hate his father or not? He himself is neutral. He hated his father only in the beginning, especially when in his teenage years he had to know a fact that his father often cheated on him, especially even though his mother knew it, he said, he did nothing and would casually answer like this; ‘Your father was a jerk, but he always knew where to go back home. Although all the women in this world he cheated on, his love will never be greater when he looks at your mother. Don't worry, Mike. Love is not about forcing to stay, but it is about receiving and giving. Understand this, so that someday you can be a wise person in terms of love.’

With his maternal smile, that day Mike tried to understand. But even so, he decided to go abroad. Always running away is the way. He was afraid to hurt those closest to him just because of a selfishness in his teenage years.

But getting here, in the old age of his father and mother, Mike finally understood; his father would always find his way back into his mother's arms.

So, when asked again; does Mike hate his father or not? Well, it's all just the past. It may still leave bad memories, but it strives to maintain the positive side of loving this family completely.

Father clucking. “Err .. Anyway dad called you here not because of that. But there are more important things to discuss.”

Mike blinked, this time letting go of his embrace slowly. “What's important?”

“According to father ... Since you're an adult, I want you to start getting serious about your relationship. Not playing around like this again, you'll never know which woman will pretend to be pregnant with your child and hold you accountable, Mike. So, having thought about it carefully, I will match you with the daughter of a father friend.”

Wait, sec!

Mike had imagined his future with a woman. And that's just Lily.

Not the woman he knew through an arranged marriage!

As people of the Bourgeoisie, matchmaking does sound more convincing. In addition to being able to strengthen business matters, it is also able to give birth to more qualified successors. But does that guarantee true happiness?

People say that love exists because of habituation. It's true! But not based on compulsion. That sentence only applies to two people who meet because of the thread of fate. Everything is pure because it is not regulated by humans. But if it all starts with coercion and is governed by man? Then who fights only one, is the other what? Team hurray!?

“Mike?”

Mike was silent for so long that Thanit had to call him many times.

Immediately the two eyebrows Thanit dived a few inches. “You don't play me, Rancid Boy!”

“I'm not kidding. I've loved it for a month.”

“Then ... does he also like you?” This time her mother asked.

“Mmm ... I hope so.”

Seeing his own son unsure, Thanit clucked, “Tch! Means the match is still being implemented!”

He then stood up from the sofa, and posed bravely by puffing his chest while shaking his waist, hoping that in this style Mike would not be able to dodge. The eyes of Mike himself are a bit ridiculous, if only his distended stomach is not that fast, maybe Mike will not hold back the laughter at this time.

Fuck up! It's ridiculous for these parents.

...----------------...

Dark hugging night.

Again the busiest city in the Philippines brings its story to life. The dim twinkling of street lights guides each rider on his route. The honking sound did not go out, and in one of the children's hospitals there was a room that had its own story.

Keeping her warm, Darren plays a strand of Lily's long hair. Just a long sofa with so little space to sleep on, Lily curled up in the arms of the field-shouldered man behind her. Making the man's arm a pillow, he lay down comfortably.

The behavior of the two people as if to say that the endless dispute a few days ago has finally been extinguished. Everything was over after the two of them opened up to each other, and this was their first step toward getting closer to each other. And if only Lily could stop time, she just wanted to be in Darren's arms like this forever.

The room was so dark, only the lights on Mary's head were lit. Closing her lips to Lily's ears, Darren whispered so softly, “You've slept?”

“Not yet,” reply Lily whispered. Afraid to wake Mary.

The sound of seconds on the clock on the wall became a silent witness when Darren's hand playing the strands of hair now went down to the waist and crept to hold him there possessively.

Lily's heart is not okay. With all his heart he tried to resist the screams inside his chest, making a hue on his cheeks and ears say another to the reaction.

Sensing her female body seeming a little jumpy, Darren asked, “Did I surprise you? Do I have to take it off?”

Darren was already going to keep his hands away from that slender waist, when the owner himself deftly pulled Darren's hand back to it.

Darren smiled silently. His heart rumbled for no reason. Similarly Lily who could only cover her face with her palms, she was completely at a loss for words over her attitude just now.

“Lily ..” Again Darren's call sounded like a music that Lily would not stop listening to.

“Hm?”

“Do you love me now?”

“Do you think?”

“Hmm ... Maybe tomorrow morning.” Darren convinced himself.

Although the answer to her marriage invitation was hung on the grounds that Lily still needed time, Darren willingly did not force the will for the woman to accept it. Perhaps not yet fully he loves, therefore, Darren who will show his love, showering him with a lot of attention, hoping that the woman will melt and will receive it. Yeah, it has to be like that.

“Hahah ..” There was a sound of soft ruddiness that managed to escape Lily's lips.

“Aih ... why laugh?”

“It's the fifth time you've asked like that.”

“It was your fault for driving me crazy these few days.”

“Iya, yes ... Everything's my fault. Blame me just keep going.”

Darren. “Aih, you sulking?”

Mew raised his head, wanting to see Lily's current expression, ascertaining whether she was really pouting. But instead the woman covered her face, preventing Darren from seeing. Darren laughed at the cuteness. After all how to not be embarrassed, Lily herself did not know why she could clearly show such a labile emotion. Or ... Is this what it feels like to be in love; things are becoming childish? Ah, then, let Darren be his adult party.

“Lily ..” Darren called back as soon as he laid his head in its original place.

“Iya?”

“What in your heart is another man?”

Lily nodded, not answering. How could Darren think that way!?

Lily turned around, facing Darren on the sofa. He looked up, stared for a moment before finally asking, “Why do you think like that?”

Darren pretended to think, his eyes refusing to look Lily in the eye directly. “Mmm ... Just curious.”

Out of annoyance, Lily hit the man's field chest, making the man chuckle at the woman's priesthood.

“Err ... But I mean it,” the laughter subsides. “Do you think there is another man in your heart? What about Mike? In your eyes what is she like?”

Lily started thinking. “He's a nice guy, considerate, always asking what I want, always smiling when I see me. He's a perfect guy.”

Darren sneered inwardly; perfect what!?

“Then, how am I in your eyes?”

This time Lily was confused. “That version first, what's the current version?”

Darren laughs. “Two.”

“Mmm... In the past, you rarely smiled except in front of Mary, a lot of silence and also thought, anyway difficult to read, sometimes you often forget to put things.”

Well, Darren can't deny it. Because it's true. “If the current one?”

Lily nodded, then smiled slowly. “Mmm ... Let's just see it first. Maybe I'll answer it later.”

“Then I will give you a side you have never seen before. I will shower you with love until you find it hard to breathe, until you have no choice but to return my feelings. Are you letting me?”

The woman blushed. He can't speak anymore. Why is his word so sweet? And what's wrong with me? Lily! Stop blushing!

After neutralizing her feelings, Lily nodded timidly, then went to hide her face on the man's chest. Making the owner smile happily, then dyed the top of his female hair, before resting his chin up there, decided to sleep in such a state.

Without them knowing ...

There was a wounded heart watching them.

At 11am when Mike clearly remembered Lily was still in the hospital, he immediately drove his car at high speed to pick up the woman.

But when he arrived at the door of Mary's room and opened it slowly, he even got two bodies of people who were fighting each other from yesterday now even seemed to get along.

They're so close in the deckap. Drowning in silence. So envious of hoping.

Mike could only close the door and turn around with a slumped shoulder as he had just dropped his hopes.

He ended up sitting on the waiting chair available along the hall, rubbing his face roughly and staring at the floor of the hospital.

Suddenly he remembered his mother's words; don't worry, Mike. Love is not about forcing to stay, but it is about receiving and giving.

Does Mike have to act more from now on? Give her love with all her ability and see if Lily will still run towards her?

At least he had to fight first before declaring himself defeated. Yeah, it has to be like that. If one day he really loses, maybe then he will give up the woman completely.