Trapped in the Past

Cheek Dimple

Ruri immediately glanced at the clock that showed four o'clock in the afternoon. The girl hurriedly got up, grabbed a towel and rushed to take a bath. Before the bathroom was closed, Ruri had shouted at Shanala who was still cleaning her bed.

"Ma, papa's not home yet, is he?" ask Ruri to make sure. If his papa knew there was a man waiting for him, Roland would have been furious and chased the man away. Given his protective attitude is very excessive on his only daughter.

"Father came home two hours ago. And it's been an hour before you woke up, all that time you've been talking to Dion."

Ruri couldn't believe what she heard. After her bedroom door was closed, her mother just passed by leaving Ruri on the verge of worry. How could his father have invited Dion to a chat? It's not exactly Roland's nature!

After her neat appearance, Ruri ran into the living room and sure enough, what her mother said was not a lie. Roland was chatting with Dion there.

"Well, the Princess is sleeping already down," Roland quipped as Ruri stood near them.

Dion was stunned to see Ruri's beauty this afternoon. Her hair was still beautifully severed, flying when the afternoon wind hit her. The sweeter shirt and trousers blend perfectly with the white skin. Not to forget the thin-framed glasses he was wearing, also became his attention. What a sweet glasses girl.

"Have you been home long?" Ruri made small talk, the atmosphere there really made her awkward.

"I'm so excited to talk to Dion. Why did you wake up so long? The princess sleeps. Making others wait is not good!" Roland got up, patted Ruri on the shoulder before leaving from there.

Ruri blushed in embarrassment. Her father blatantly mocked her in front of Dion.

"Where do you know my home address? And why don't you tell me first if you want to come? It almost made me have a heart attack!" he sat on the long sofa in front of Dion.

The black-shirted man flashed a smile capturing Ruri's annoyed expression. "Alita and Kagami told me. And since we haven't exchanged mobile numbers," he said, embarrassing Ruri. The girl completely forgot about it.

"I'd like to take you on a bike this afternoon. Hows it? Enjoying the beauty of the city in the afternoon while cycling is fun. Wanna?" Dion spoke of the purpose of his arrival.

Ruri squeezed her fingers tighter. His eyeballs are agitated. "Gue doesn't have a bike" he said. "So you don't let me ride a bike" he explained.

From the kitchen Roland shouted. "Ruri likes to panic when on the highway. That's why I bought a bicycle. You gotta piggyback on him, Dion. But you have to be patient, because he weighs almost a hundred kilos!" Afterwards there was a sound of laughter from Roland and Shanala.

Ruri's face is like a boiled crab. He's clucking pissed. "Papa knows!" He glanced at Dion, the man seemed to be holding back his laughter.

"I'm gonna piggyback you." Dion got up smilingly reaching out to Ruri. "Yeah, your dad let it go."

Ruri was stunned staring at Dion's outstretched hand in front of her face. Seen once again the face of the man who had a sweet and soothing smile, Ruri wondered where her confidence came from.

"Gue can stand alone." Dion's hand was ignored.

The red bicycle parked in front of Ruri's terrace is the vehicle that will take them this afternoon. At first Ruri hesitates whether the vehicle is capable of carrying her with Dion. However, Dion continues to reassure and give Ruri courage. The bespectacled girl's smiling face accompanied Dion's slowly paddling feet carrying them further and further away.

Roland wiped the corner of his eye. There's water there. She stood behind the door until Ruri actually left with Dion.

"Ruri's grown, Ma. Dion is a good man, this time papa did not choose wrong," Roland told his wife–Syanala– who stood next to him.

Syanala pinched her husband's waist. "Well, what the hell, Ruri was a kid!" his protest.

Roland rubbed the former pinch of the wife. He stood up to defend himself. "Once the men approached Ruri, only Dion dared to come directly to the house and ask papa for permission. Really gentle man, papa could feel that he was serious with Ruri." Unknowingly Roland spoke to himself, because Shanala was puffed out and left him alone earlier.

***

Ruri looked at the man's burly shoulders, her hands tightly clasping Dion's clothes from both sides, afraid of falling.

"Why bicycles? Why do we have to ride an afternoon bike like this?" ask Ruri on the sidelines of their trip.

"Because I can't ride a motorcycle or a car. After all, this bike is a romantic vehicle, many in the movies scenes of lovers pedaling a bike like we are today."

"Mostly watch movies. That's why you think weird like that" Ruri sneered without her noticing Dion smiling for her this afternoon.

"Where are we going?" Ruri made a sound again.

"Patience and wait until this bike stops. You'll find the answer after that."

Ruri knew that and what was wrong Ruri asked about their destination in a busy afternoon in the city crowd. They're the only ones seen using bicycles this afternoon, like snails in a crowd of fish.

"I talked a lot with your father. Turns out he's a fun guy." Dion changed the subject. "Sir Roland told me a lot about you, Ruri. The princess is just a sweet wayang," said Dion again make Ruri surprised.

"What did you say about me?"

"much. For an hour we talked about many things. Your father said that as a child you often sleep in his ketek after hearing stories from cases he handled. Then he told me the details about you and your father hiding from your mother, when you were caught not yet asleep when it was late at night. How did you come out at that time and pretend to close your eyes, just from hearing the story I could feel the excitement."

"Then another story about your eyes that experience farsightedness. Your father felt guilty for neglecting to watch over you in your hobby of reading the novel, until your eyes were exhausted and sick. I could feel her heart ache from her voice when I told her earlier. Shaky and shrill."

"The other thing your father fears is your attitude in speaking. He sounded loud and couldn't change it. He's worried, afraid you don't have friends. But after she met Kagami, Alita and I were worried it was gone. Your father really loves you. You can feel a genuine love from her."

After hearing that Ruri was getting blushed and annoyed. He was ashamed that Dion heard his shameful story, and at the same time he was upset that his father could not brake his mouth.

"Wait for me for an hour? Why don't you ask my parents to wake me up sooner?"

"intentionally. You see, your father was engrossed, I could have a chat with a famous lawyer sometime." Dion held back his laugh.

Bicycles stopped, they arrived at a playground. The atmosphere there was empty, the swing that was still moving signified that before this place had not been empty some time ago.

Ruri cringed, circling looking around. "Why are we here?"

Finished parking his bike, without answering Dion led Ruri to follow him. They stood at the top of the slide game, not to slide down, but Dion sat up there. Followed by Ruri who is still confused.

"Gue thinks you want to play the slide. What's so special about this place?" ask Ruri again.

Dion's eyes looked far ahead. Their view faces directly into the afternoon sky. "From here you can see a beautiful sunset. Because there's nothing blocking our visibility from here." Dion glanced at Ruri.

"The sunset was beautiful. You know it, but ... there's something much more beautiful than that" Dion added.

His words pecked at the curious flame in Ruri's heart. "What's that?"

Dion's smile was engraved wide. From this close distance Ruri only realized that the man had dimples.

"I'll tell you later, when the sun starts to set."