02 Familiarity

No one could replace Evan in Grace's heart. Although she didn't know how he was doing, she still hoped he would be okay. In fact, she kept praying that their communication breakdown wasn't because something bad had happened and that he was OK. 

Nevertheless, a man entered Grace’s life nearly a year ago, offering her warmth and filling the emptiness within her. His name was Anthony, several years her senior, and he owned a grocery store in her neighborhood. He and his family moved here just a year and a half ago. 

The two met for the first time when Grace bought some groceries at his store. But there was no TV series scene between them, where one could fall in love at a glance. Their closeness only began when they were appointed to the organizing committee for the Independence Day celebration. 

Grace discovered that Anthony was a hardworking man and the primary provider for his family. Her father was sick, her mother was gone, and he had two younger sisters who were still studying and needed a lot of money. That's why he wasn’t married even though he was already in his thirties.

The celebration of Independence Day was said to be entrusted to Grace and Anthony again. It was because they truly made the celebration a success last year that it became memorable for the people. 

But I'll be exhausted, Ant. I got busier this year," Grace complained, leaning her head against a pole in front of Anthony’s grocery store.

Meanwhile, Anthony just chuckled as he closed his store. "Well, all you have to do is tell the neighborhood head, Grace, that you're not available," said Anthony. "Someone else would happily replace you and help me."

"Oh yeah. The girls in the neighborhood are head over heels for you, aren’t they? Surely they'd say yes right when you ask for help," she wittingly commented. "Anthony, please choose me to be your partner." Then she laughed in satisfaction.

Anthony ruffled Grace's hair. "Don't go too wild with your imagination. You just sounded like the girl in the TV series my sisters watched," she said. "Let's go." He walked over to his motorbike and started the engine. He handed the helmet to Grace.

Receiving a helmet but not putting it on right away, Grace then stood in front of the motorbike. "But really, I will just decline the request. I need to focus on work first," she said, emphasizing her intention.

He nodded. "Okay, okay. Just say it. It's okay. But after that, you might not be able to buy groceries at my store. And don't invite me to that cafe anymore," he threatened jokingly.

"Oh, no. This big boy is sulking." Grace chuckled and moved to the other side, getting on the motorbike right behind Anthony. "Okay, we'll talk about it later at the cafe." She patted him on the shoulder as if asking the driver to start driving.

Still not moving, Anthony slightly turned to Grace and asked, "What is it that makes you love visiting that café every week? I've asked you several times, but you still haven't answered my question."

"If I answer it, you have to treat me to whatever I want at the café," Grace replied playfully, trying to avoid the question.

"That sounds easy. You can get anything you want, as long as it's not more than five bucks," Anthony said, only to receive a light shove on his shoulder. "Ouch!"

"What the fudge? What can I get for five bucks? Geez." Grace tapped Anthony on the shoulder once again.

"The longer I’m with you, the more my body will crumble, Grace." He stroked the spot where she had hit him, as if he really felt pain.

"Come on, you're a strong guy. You lift rice sacks every day. You could even outdo those gym-goers, you know. There’s no way your body will crumble." Grace sneered in response to Anthony's joke. "Let's go now." She put on her helmet.

Anthony, honoring the girl's request, revved up his motorbike and left the store. Navigating through the narrow streets of the neighborhood, they eventually emerged onto the main road.

Kuta Cafe, as its name suggests, was situated right on the edge of Kuta Beach. This was a spot that Grace and Evan used to visit every weekend. They would enjoy the sunset by the beach while having casual conversations about life's little moments and their future plans.

Evan's departure left a deep pain in Grace's heart. For a year after their communication breakdown, she did not return to this café. It wasn't until she met Anthony that she found herself back here. She had avoided the place because she didn't want to shed tears while sitting alone and watching the sunset.

Fortunately, Anthony's presence helped lift Grace's spirits. The loneliness she had felt gradually faded. In fact, she couldn't deny that her feelings, which had once been solely for Evan, began to shift towards Anthony.

The ten-minute journey was just enough for Grace and Anthony to arrive on time. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon as they quickly settled into two wooden chairs beside the café.

Dahayu, the woman who had owned the café for years, already knew Grace’s usual order. She only needed to ask Anthony what he wanted since he often changed his order with each visit.

“Grace, I’ll be back in a moment. I need to go to the restroom,” Anthony said as he got up from his seat while their order was being delivered.

Grace simply nodded, still captivated by the twilight scene before her.

Noticing that his regular customer was alone, Dahayu placed the order on the table and took a seat in Anthony's chair. "Miss, are you dating that man?" she asked curiously.

Grace shook her head and adjusted her sitting position to show respect for her elder. "Oh, no, Ma’am. We're just close because we live in the same neighborhood," she replied, doubts lingering in her mind.

"I thought you two were dating," Dahayu continued. "Actually, I used to believe that you would eventually marry that sweet best friend of yours."

"Huh?" Grace was taken aback, unable to believe that Dahayu held such an opinion.

Dahayu nodded. "That's right. You used to be very close, almost inseparable. You made such a perfect couple," she remarked. "But Evan lives overseas now, doesn’t he? How's he doing?"

Grace took a deep breath. She never really talked about Evan with people who knew him; she preferred to let others form their own opinions.

Imitating the youth, Dahayu rested her L-shaped fingers under her chin. "Let me guess, you guys broke up?" she guessed, as if she already knew the answer.

“Eh? No, Ma'am. We weren't even dating,” said Grace with a sudden thumping heart. ‘Gosh, it's been a long time since I've seen Evan, so why do I still get this nervous when someone assumes we're in a relationship?’

Dahayu looked up and then back at the young girl. “In the past, the term ‘dating’ wasn’t commonly used. If you were close to someone, spent a lot of time together, and were compatible, that was considered dating. So, I assumed you were dating him,” she explained with a meaningful smile.

"Who's Evan?" Just then, as if he had materialized out of nowhere, Anthony was standing next to the two women who were chatting.

Dahayu got up from the chair. "Ah, you're back. Please have a seat," she pleaded. "I'm leaving then. Please enjoy the view and the meal.”

Grace smiled at the woman who saw her friendship with Evan. "Thank you, Ma’am," she said before Dahayu left.

Anthony, who was already sitting in the chair, grabbed his drink from the table. "So, who were you talking about? Evan? Who is he?" He again asked about his unanswered question.

"My old best friend," said Grace, taking her drink. She stirred the young coconut water in the glass while recalling the good memories she had with Evan.

Anthony frowned. "Old? Is he… not your best friend anymore?" he asked.

Grace shrugged her shoulders.

“What does that mean?”

It's been years since he left and stopped talking to me," Grace said weakly. This reality was too bitter for her to accept.

"Perhaps he's forgotten you," said Anthony without thinking. It was typical of an aloof and straightforward guy, like those found in Korean dramas, whom girls adored.

Grace shot him a sharp look. "Why are you so outspoken? What a meanie," she retorted to his nonchalant response.

Nevertheless, they weren't actually fighting. The two of them used to toss around such words at each other, but they didn’t really mean it.

Grace's previously inconsiderate personality had changed because of Evan. She learned to behave appropriately and avoid offending others. Sadly, losing him caused her to revert to her old ways, which led her to go along with Anthony.

"Well, what's the reason then?" Anthony turned to Grace and raised an eyebrow. "Let me tell you from a guy's perspective. If a guy no longer wants to have anything to do with a girl, he will cut off their communication. No matter what the reason is."

Grace didn't reply to his words immediately. She processed Anthony's opinion in her head and linked it to the possibilities that could happen.

Grace considered losing contact as a possible reason for their disconnection. However, she kept up with technological developments, and Evan was well aware of that. He should have been able to find her social media account. If Anthony were right, it would suggest that Evan wanted to forget their friendship, a thought she wished were not true.

On the other hand, Grace struggled to believe that Evan could be that kind of person. He had once saved both her life and her mother's. Over the years they spent together, she had come to understand his true nature. She was certain that it was impossible for him to forget her simply.

“Hey, what’s with the long face?” Anthony nudged Grace's arm. “Don't overthink it. Am I not here with you? You'll never be alone; I'm just a call away, or, well, just a few steps away.” He wiggled his eyebrows and flashed a smile.

Grace chuckled at his dad joke and nodded. “Yeah, thank you, Ant,” she replied. She quickly gulped down the young coconut water until the cup was empty, leaving only the fruit's flesh. “Uh-oh, it's finished, but I still want more. I’ll be right back, Ant. My belly is craving more coconut water.” With that, she rose from her chair.

"Grace, please buy some fries too, okay?" Anthony asked, raising his thumb.

Grace chuckled, finding his love for fries amusing. No matter where they went together, he always ordered the same thing. "Geez, okay, okay," she agreed.

As the sun began to set on the western horizon, Grace walked into the cafe. She smiled and waved her glass at Dahayu, the owner, through the window, entirely focused on him and not paying attention to where she was going.

Just as she was about to bump into a man in a long shirt exiting the cafe, her quick reflexes kicked in, and she maneuvered swiftly to avoid a collision.

As Grace was about to step into the café, something in the doorway caught her eye. She bent down and picked up a worn-out keychain made of clear resin, with half a seashell embedded in it. 

“Could this belong to that man?” Grace muttered to herself. She quickly turned to where he had gone. “Hey, Mister! You dropped something!” she called out, but her voice, though loud, didn’t seem to make him stop walking.

Determined to return the keychain, Grace raced after him. Unfortunately, she had to give up the chase when he got into a car; there was no way for her to catch up at that speed.

"How do I return this item? Maybe I’ll just keep it for now. Perhaps one day it can find its way back to its owner," Grace thought as she opened her right palm and stared at the keychain. "Why does this thing seem so familiar? Hmm, it might just look like ones I've seen at the market." Not wanting to dwell on it, she made her way back to the café. Her stomach was eager for more coconut water.

Dahayu welcomed her with the drink she would order again, making her customer smile.

"Oh, I'm so glad you know me so well, Ma'am. Thanks," she said, still trying to catch her breath.

"What's wrong? Why are you running out of breath?" Dahayu asked.

Grace lifted the keychain to her chin. "Someone dropped this at the door. But when I tried to return it, he disappeared too quickly," she replied.

“Oh? The young man?” Dahayu asked, guessing.

“Well, I’m not sure if he’s actually young,” Grace shrugged.

Dahayu pursed her lips in thought. “As far as I’m concerned, he is. He looks familiar to me, but I can’t place him because he was wearing a mask.”

Grace shrugged again. “Anyway, just give me a call when he comes back to pick this up. I’ll come as soon as I can to return it to him.” She paused, then added, “Oh, I almost forgot. I’d like to order another order of French fries.”

“For him?” Dahayu nodded toward Anthony.

“Yeah.”

“Alright. They’ll be coming in a minute.”

“Thank you.”

Dahayu watched as Grace walked away. “Oh dear. I know it's not my place to say this, but I truly wish you would end up with Evan, Grace. Where is that boy now? If only he realized how desperate you've been.” She shook off her thoughts and began preparing the orders that Grace had placed.

[ABY]