The Woman Ruler of the Altan Clan

Chapter 41 The Meaning of Friendship

Although Shanum woke up late, he still had time to get out the door of the house and reach the campus in time. Because it does not take long to bathe, dress up in moderation and pick up bread to eat in the car.

For five days yesterday, he didn't want to go to college. He deliberately avoided his two best friends. Even though they tried to contact him. After the explosion of his emotions in the campus garden the other day, he did not dare to show his face. Shanum could not bear to look at the pity they had directed at him.

Until the voice of an unknown number called him last night, and made him very shocked. It turns out that the one who called him was Mr. Reno. He asked her how she was doing and why she had not yet made an appointment for further guidance. Mr. Reno's voice sounded gentle and attentive.

What a pleasant surprise. Shanum didn't expect his guidance counselor to pay so much attention to him. It is fitting that every student on this campus is competing to register for guidance with him. And Mr. Reno knows his cell phone number. As Shanum recalled, he never gave his number to the man.

Arriving at the campus, Shanum parked in his usual spot, jumped out of his car, and ran past people trying to avoid him from getting hit by the girl.

Shanum headed for Pak Reno's room as per their agreement. He glanced at his watch, he was still five minutes faster than the time scheduled by his lecturer. Shanum tried to normalize his breathing that was gnawing the effect of running earlier.

Then she tidied up her clothes, took out a small mirror from her bag and checked the powder and moisturizing of her lips. Shanum was dissatisfied with the lip moisturizer that was thinning from eating bread in the car. She took a lip-moisturizing tube from the bag, and reapplied it on her lips.

Now he was ready to meet that handsome lecturer. He smiled enthusiastically to undergo guidance today. Shanum knocks and grabs the doorknob, sneaking in.

He saw Mr. Reno looking up and smiling at him. "Ah, Shanum, you've finally come too. Come on, please sit." Shanum frowned. "Am I late, sir? As I recall, my arrival was on time."

"Oh, no. You're not late, Shanum. I came too soon." Mr. Reno then smiled nervously. "I'm too excited to meet you. So. forget." He did not continue his words. Mr. Reno immediately told Shanum to sit with a wave of his hand.

Shanum advanced slowly, looking hesitant to approach the man. "Sit down, Shanum. I'm not gonna bite." Shanum froze to hear the man's words. Those words were also said by Khan. Oh no, don't remember that guy anymore, Shanum.

Shanum. "What's up, Shanum?" Mr. Reno got up from his seat and wanted to approach him. "Em, I'm fine, sir." Shanum smiled nervously. Then he came forward and threw his ass on the bench.

Mr. Reno sat down again. "Why were you daydreaming?" He leaned his body near Shanum. The girl looked up, she saw the handsome face of Mr. Reno smiling gently at her.

"Ah, that's.no sir. I just suddenly remembered this had to meet with my best friend in the cafeteria, well. in the canteen Mr." Then Shanum looked at the table, clenching his lips tightly which was his habit when he felt restless.

Mr. Reno looked at him with an inquisitive look that was not covered up. Suddenly someone knocked on the door. Mr. Reno turned his head and allowed the person who knocked on the door to enter his room.

The door was opened, the face of a girl came from behind. Shanum turned to the door. He was one of his friends who was also working on a thesis, his name was Cantika. The girl had a pretty face as per her name. Mr. Reno smiled at Cantika. "What's up, Cantika?"

"Sorry Mr. Reno, I'd like to submit the chapter that yesterday had to be corrected." Cantika walked into the room still with her sweet smile. Mr. Reno glanced at Cantika, nodded briefly, and smiled slightly.

"Just put it there. If you're done, please close the door again. Later you will be contacted by my assistant for the next guidance schedule." Mr. Reno showed me a small table by the door.

Then he focused his attention on Shanum. And although Shanum knew this sounded strange, but during the instant that his eyes were diverted from him, he felt Mr. Reno's smile look just like a stale smile. The smile did not reach his eyes. But as soon as his gaze returned to her, it all felt warm and kind again.

As soon as the door closed again, Mr. Reno said, "Well, where we talked about it." She smiles. "Ah, then we just go straight to guidance huh. May I see the repair chapter."

Shanum exhaled, looking relieved as Mr. Reno did not wonder further. He took the revised chapter from his tote bag, and placed the set of paper he had made into one with a paperclip, in front of Mr. Reno.

The guidance is finally done. Shanum excuses Mr. Reno, promising to return in two days to submit the next chapter. Mr. Reno smiled as he nodded. And Shanum came out of the room with many questions lingering in his mind.

Sayup-sayup he heard the sound of his cell phone, he immediately reached into the bag, held it, and saw the phone screen. It turned out that Diva contacted him. Shanum knew, he could no longer dodge. However, they are close friends. It is impossible to ignore them forever.

"Yes Diva. Oh, I'm at college." Shanum silently listened to the words of Diva. "Okay, I'm going to the cafeteria now," he continued. Then he closed the call, and stepped towards the cafeteria.

By the time he reached the cafeteria, Farah and Diva were already there. Diva called out to him with a wave of her hand. Both ordered food and drinks.

"Sit, Sha. Come on over here." Diva pulled the bench next to her for Shanum. "I want to order some food and drinks first" he replied. The girl then headed to the reservation.

After Shanum moved away, Diva looked glared at Farah. "Why is your attitude so harsh? It's not solving the problem, but it's making it runnier, you know."

Farah rolled her eyeballs. "So, I was anxious to see his avoidance. If there is a problem, why not solve it. Not even hiding to hurt yourself," scorned Farah.

Diva shook her head while smiling wryly. "Maybe he has his own considerations as to why he behaves that way. After all, it's not our portion to get too involved."

"Yes, too" replied Farah as a beard. "Anyways now we can only support Shanum. If he needs our advice then we'll interfere, okay." Diva pats Farah on the shoulder. "Yes," he answered, lifting his shoulder.

Shanum then returned to the table carrying a tray containing a bowl of meatballs and iced tea. He smiled stiffly. Still feeling uneasy, he put the tray on the table and sat down with his two best friends.

"I'm sorry about that" Farah said. Shanum fell silent and looked at Farah's face. He saw Farah was no longer the face of judes as before. Shanum then began to crack his lips. He smiled faintly as he looked towards Farah. And the girl replied to him with the same smile.

"So you were the guidance?" tanya Diva broke the silence between them. Shanum nodded his head while chewing his meatballs. "Eh, how's the guidance with that famous handsome lecturer?" Diva squinted her eyes.

Shanum picked up his iced tea then gulped it down. "He is kind and considerate. But there are things that make me anxious" Shanum replied. Farah's eyebrows curved hearing Shanum's speech. While the Diva seemed to frown.

"What do you mean, Sha?" Shanum then told the incident during the guidance earlier to his friends. Diva and Farah are seen gawking as Shanum finishes the story. "Don't say..." The diva covered her mouth with her palm.

"Jeez, Sha. Apart from one handsome man you get another handsome man like him," Farah said with a snort. "No way, ah. Don't overdo it in judging his treatment." Shanum.

"From the guts, it's predictable, Sha." Farah still insisted on her opinion. "We'll see then, Sha. There will soon be another approach" Farah said.

"Wow, I didn't expect. If this is publicly known. Could be a world of lectures on this campus." Diva clucked in admiration. "I don't want to comment" Shanum said.

Diva then cleared her throat. He looked at the girl. "Sha, no offense. I have something to ask you. But, please, I don't mean anything. Just want to know." There was a pause, Diva fell silent. Shanum raised his eyebrows. "Yes, just say it. I don't mind." Shanum smiled.

"Promise will not be baper," said Diva. Shanum nodded. Diva is back. "Look, if Mr. Reno really approaches you, what about Khan?" Diva stared timidly at Shanum.

However, Diva does not want to hurt Shanum. But he had to ask a question that ran through his mind. At least so that Shanum can think about it as well.

Shanum closed his eyes and shook his head, not knowing what he had to say to answer Diva's question. It's more complicated, and he doesn't dare to wish.

Shanum knew, he still had to let out all his complaints before starting to poison his entire mind. Maybe by telling stories, he can feel calmer.

"I don't know." He opened his eyes and looked at his two best friends with a sad look. "About Khan, I've tried to accept his lie. But it turned out to be difficult. Sometimes the pain just stabs me, you know? And, it doesn't feel like it's getting any easier."

Shanum's throat choked, his eyes began to glaze over. Diva approached Shanum. He squeezed his shoulder. "Already, Sha. Don't continue. I'm sorry, I." he said.

Shanum. "No, I have to get him out. All these stifling ripples." Farah looked at Shanum, her face softened as she said, "I'm not sure this will be any easier. I thought you'd just get used to that feeling of emptiness, loss, and somehow learning to live between things." Farah smiled, wiping away the tears that had involuntarily dripped down Shanum's cheeks.

And they continued in Farah's house, in the shade of her soothing room. They let Shanum continue his story, taking out his uncles. Come to feel his pain, his fear, until the two are all mixed up, real and deep, without beginning and end.

They endure like that, crying, telling stories, and sharing what they should have done a long time ago. If only Shanum had let his friends in. If only he hadn't pushed them away. He might have more quickly felt the heavy weight in his heart lift like this moment.