The Season of Reaching the Stars

CHAPTER 28

Laura mopped rainwater seepage in her bedroom. Body's exhausted. For a few days it rained continuously. Laura's house, which had been troubled by rainwater seepage for a long time, has now reached its breaking point. Puddles of water washed the floor of his bedroom. The walls of his room were seen darkening in the rain.

Laura called the builder to fix the leaky roof. After the handyman came, Laura instead had to be disappointed. The repairman explained that it took several weeks to repair the roof and paint his bedroom. Laura had no other choice. He could not possibly worry continuously every time a heavy rain fell. He told the handyman to fix the bedroom as well as other rooms affected by water seepage.

As it must have been uncomfortable being at home during the unfinished repairs, Laura calls Luki and asks for permission to stay in her apartment. Laura makes the decision because Luki's apartment is closer to her workplace than her parents' second home.

Luki immediately agreed to it, and had Laura pack her clothes. He's coming to pick up Laura after work tonight. While going to pick up Laura at the restaurant, Luki meets Niko in the lobby in front of the apartment. They did not meet for several days after their last conversation. Luki is busy with her work and Niko is busy with her shop. When they meet again, there is a hidden feud between the two.

"Niko," said Luki. "I haven't heard any input on our cooperation proposal".

Niko was a little surprised. "I don't think you'll want to cooperate with me after our meeting a few days ago". Luki smiled faintly. "I'm not going to mix business and personal matters. Why am I giving up a good business opportunity? Except... You can't be my business partner".

"Of course not" said Niko confidently. "I'm not afraid of you. I'll review the business proposal you submitted". "okay". Luki walked past Niko, but then turned around again. "There's a business problem. For personal matters, I will not let Laura be sad. You said Laura wasn't happy with me. Will Laura be happy with you? I doubted".

"Why don't you let Laura pick her own later?" Niko was not provoked by Luki's words. Luki was annoyed. "Laura has chosen me". He deliberately ignites Niko's anger. He smiled with satisfaction. "I'll pick him up tonight. From today, she's staying with me".

"What?" Niko could not help her surprise. "Laura will stay with you?".

Luki was very satisfied to see Niko's current look. His face was pale. "You lost to Niko. I won." Luki felt that Niko had the right to accept this from her. She broke Laura's heart. Mama said Laura cried for hours for Niko. Luki didn't know what Niko was doing until Laura was heartbroken, but Laura must have felt devastated by then. Luki just wants Niko to feel the same way. Let him feel the pain of a broken heart.

Luki walked casually to the apartment door. "I won't stop chasing after Luki" Niko said loudly. Lena turned. "Laura is not a game to win. She's a special woman. You haven't married her yet. So I still have a chance to win her heart".

The elevator door opens, Niko enters the elevator. Luki was inevitably a little impressed by Niko's persistence. It's not strange that Laura likes Niko. If Niko doesn't break Laura's heart, she can be her friend. But at the moment Niko is not his friend.

 

*****************************

An hour and a half later, Luki took Laura's suitcase from the girl's hand. "I'll stay for about two weeks" said Laura again as she walked out of Luki's car door. "I'm not bothering you, am I? You don't have a girlfriend who lives with you, do you?". Luki laughed short.I don't have a boyfriend now. You can stay in my apartment the way you want."

"Good then" said Laura. "Thank you, Luki, for letting me stay in your apartment for a few weeks". Luki smiled sincerely. "I would do anything for you, you know? Anyway when else do I have a free maid who volunteered to clean my apartment?".

Laura hits Luki's arm slowly. "Oh, so that's why you let me stay? Make it a free maid? Just yummy. I don't want to take care of your stuff. I'll just clean up my own room". "Hey" Luki complained while pouting. "At least clean up my living room yes," he asked with a glass". "All right" said Laura. 

The two of them got into the elevator laughing. Luki told a joke and Luara laughed out loud. Laura's laughter stopped when on the second floor the elevator stopped and Niko met in front of her. Laura knows she took a big risk meeting Niko when she decided to stay temporarily in Luki's apartment. But Laura knows she can't avoid Niko forever. He has to face it. Perhaps with the frequent meeting, over time the sadness in Laura's heart could disappear, and she will get used to seeing Niko without having to remember their memories.

Niko saw Laura and Luki laughing. Her day is really sick. He tried to repel her pain by calming down at the spa, but when he saw the two at this moment, Niko's heart churned again. She sees Luki holding Laura's suitcase.

"You want to go in Niko?" ask Luki with a smile. Niko enters the elevator. He tried to calm his heart for the second time today. In the elevator, they did not speak. Niko looked at Laura and Luki's shadow from the reflection of the elevator door in front of her. He saw Laura's hand clasping Luki's hand tightly.

Niko clenched her hands tightly. Trying to hold back emotions. His eyes stared at the floor number on the top panel to distract. Because otherwise, he would have wanted to beat Luki up in the elevator.

The elevator doors opened on the fourteenth floor. Niko came out without looking at the two. Laura finally heaved a sigh of relief after her manahan since Niko got into the elevator.

"Have you managed to make her jealous?" ask Laura. Laura did not understand Luki's question. "What do you mean?". 

"I know who Niko really is, Laura." Luki decided to be frank with Laura. "you used to love her in school." Laura enters Luki's apartment. Following Luki who was already walking in front of him, "how did you know about that?". "I concluded it myself." Luki held Laura's hand and told her to sit in the living room chair. "Your attitude is completely different when you're with Niko. When you first met her at the jewelry store, you looked different. Doesn't look like the bias. I know you're pretending you don't know him. But, Laura, you're not a good liar the longer I suspect you've known Niko before. I asked my mom about the man you once liked. Then I know everything."

"Sorry Luki" said Laura sadly. "I didn't mean to hide it from you. I'm just trying to forget my past." "Niko thinks I'm your girlfriend" Luki continued. "sorry. I never said you were my lover. Niko drew her own conclusions," Laura tried to explain.

"So how do you feel about her now?" ask Luki at last. Laura smiled bitterly. "Honestly, I don't know. I don't want to think about how I feel about him right now." Luki saw her sister looking helpless. He sat down next to Laura and grabbed her shoulder. "You can count on me Laura. You don't have to endure your own feelings anymore. You got me. You can talk to me."

Laura dropped her head onto Luki's shoulder. "Thank you, Luki". "You can come to me whenever you feel tired." Luki smiled warmly. "I'm always ready for you. It's just...'' Luki made Laura smile. "Don't take too long. Because my shoulder will be cramping". Laura pulled her head on Luki's shoulder and punched Luki's stomach slowly. He laughed. Laura was really lucky to have a sister who could comfort her.

 

***********************************

Laura meets Niko again after returning from the restaurant three days later. This time they met while waiting for an elevator in the apartment. The two entered without speaking. Laura tries not to look at Niko and forgets Niko's whereabouts beside her.

"The book you dropped when we first met..." Niko ended the silence between them, "your physical book isn't it?". Laura remained silent. Niko turned to face Laura. "I just remembered it a song a few days ago." Laura stared at it without blinking. Laura decided not to comment. But Niko's words touched her heart. Niko recalled their first meeting at the school park that time.

The elevator doors opened on the fourteenth floor. Niko got out of the elevator while sighing. His hand held the elevator door open before closing. She looked at Laura gently, there was no hatred in her eyes.

"Sorry" he said slowly. "You liked me first without me noticing. But I promise you, I'll like you longer than you like me." Niko took her hand off the elevator door. Before the pift door closed, he gave a smile to Laura. When the elevator doors open on the next floor. Laura came out and sat in front of the elevator. She was crying slowly. How could he forget about Niko after what she said? Laura was really scared of her feelings. He started to love her, couldn't forget her, and now he loves her.

 

******************************************

The following days, Laura forced herself to ignore her feelings. He is busy with his work. It works tirelessly. The repairs to his house will be completed soon. Soon he could return home.

Laura just got back from her shopping show at the supermarket. While opening the door of Luki's apartment, her right leg suddenly cramped. Laura dropped her shopping. He slowly pulled his right leg and tried to sit down. He took his pain pills out of the bag. Because it was in so much pain, he immediately swallowed two grains. After that he lay down on the living room sofa. Soon his eyes felt heavy. A few minutes later, he fell asleep on the sofa.

 

*************************************

Niko was about to ring the bell of Luki's apartment, when she saw that the door was already open. This morning he had already seen the cooperation proposal Luki had put forward. She had already made some changes and was going to discuss it with Luki in her apartment.

Niko goes into Luki's apartment. "Luki?" said slowly. There was no answer, but Niko saw Laura asleep on the living room couch. The vibration in her pants pocket makes Niko take it he took her mobile phone. Masuj's message from Luki.

Excuse me. Today the meeting is off. There's a problem I have to deal with at the company. I'll call you back.

Luka.

Niko replied to the incoming message briefly. He saw a bag of groceries in the middle of the room. He picked it up and put it on the kitchen table. Then his gaze turned to Laura who was asleep on the sofa.

Niko walked up to Laura, then sat down at the wooden table of the living room. Staring at. Laura fell asleep comfortably.

Niko smiled slowly, her hands tidying her hair on Laura's forehead. In her brows Laura's eyebrows, nose, and lips with her index finger. Niko's hand moved down and touched Laura's hand. A ring of stars adorned the middle finger of the girl's left hand. The star ring. Niko gently touched Laura's fingers with her fingers.

Niko looked at Laura sleeping for a long time. After that he leaned over and kissed Laura's forehead. "May you have a good dream, Laura."

Niko exited Luki's apartment and closed the door of her apartment without making a sound. Niko could not hide her happiness. He laughed a lot while driving to the jewelry store.