Eps. 6 – First Kiss

(Kayshila)

          I pressed the button on my apartment door limply. I'm running out of energy. I couldn't sleep well for two days because Cath and Rangga were panicking about taking care of the newborn baby. So, I was too busy helping them. It was as if I had given birth to the baby. One thing I felt when their child was born was that I was deeply moved. Have fun and be happy.

          I threw a big bag of Rangga and Cath's dirty clothes just like that in my living room. Their clothes are deliberately washed at my house, so they don't mix with the baby's clothes. It's already the second week, and I'm still busy taking care of their child, baby Aurora. My apartment is a bit smaller than Rangga's big apartment. My apartment has two bedrooms, while Rangga's apartment has two large bedrooms and one small bedroom. My apartment type is a living room and kitchen complete with a pantry directly opposite the balcony.

          The appearance of my balcony is a clothesline that I haven't lifted since two days ago. I immediately quickly grabbed my dry clothes and put them in the basket. Maybe I'll just put all the dirty clothes in the laundry room, I thought while looking at my washing machine in the bathroom.

          After that, I was busy tidying up my whole apartment, which I had left for the past two days because I was staying at Rangga's apartment. Around seven o'clock at night, I just finished cleaning the whole apartment. I should contact the office where I work. I've taken an extended leave for three months outside the office. I need to organize my heart and organize my mind. I contacted Ms Vera, Head of HRD, at my office and intended to return to work with firm determination. It looks like I'm ready to work. My heart has calmed down. Hopefully, the things that I imagined will not happen.

After contacting Ms Vera, I idly opened my social media account. Initially, I accidentally followed a social media account on I*******m which contained all the gossip of famous people in Indonesia a few months ago. An update showed one of my photos with Ishan, who was standing and facing each other. I can already guess this is a photo from a few weeks ago at the police station. So, as if that man, Ishan, and I had a relationship. I read some comments that said that Ishan already has a fiancé.

          "Wohoo, who doesn't want a handsome and rich CEO."

          "That's because Ishan had dealings with gangsters yesterday, right? After all, the gangster's wife was also brushed off! You playboy!"

          I took a deep breath. I was tired of reading all the comments. Then, my apartment bell rang—several times in a hurry. I almost jumped up and grabbed the door to open it without looking in the doorway, who rang the doorbell in such a hurry.

          "Hi." A grinning smile. A happy face enveloped him. His hair was dishevelled because it was wet, and it was raining heavily outside. The look on my face was shocked to see him appear in front of my apartment. I hadn't seen him since the hospital when baby Aurora was born.

          "What’s happened?" I asked, still holding the doorknob. My head just popped out from behind the door. I avoided trouble with him.

          "Because I was sure you were in the apartment, so I came here. I brought food. I am hungry." He showed me the two plastic bags he was holding.

          "How did you know my apartment?" I narrowed my eyes at him. I started speaking informally to him.

          "I asked the security guard downstairs from several apartment towers." He was still smiling broadly. "You, don't want to let me in?" He waited.

          Impossible. Is he stalking me?

          I finally decided to open my door wide so he could enter. Ishan gave me two plastic wraps, and I smell the plastic. I smell food.

          "That's food. Just open it." he told me when he saw me sniffing a plastic bag. Then he took off his shoes and his almost entirely wet hoodie jacket. Meanwhile, I opened the two plastic food bags that Ishan had brought. Wow. Fried noodles. I love it. I smirked as I poured the fried noodles into a large plate.

          "Why are you smile? Glad that I came?" he asked. OMG. It turns out he was watching me. I returned my face to normal.

          "I am hungry. Thanks!" I said. I can't understand why I can let Ishan into my apartment.

          Seriously, I decided to talk informally to him. It's because, from the start, he has not spoken formally to me. I'm in a good mood tonight. I decided to go back to work. Though, I'm thinking of increasing my leave for some reason which I'll be looking for in the next few weeks.

          "Me too and getting cold." He folded his arms across his broad chest and seemed to warm him. Automatically I turned on the teapot filled with water and heated it on the stove to make tea.

          It doesn't take long to make hot tea. Ishan is waiting for me.

          "May I eat here?" He asked. He sat on the floor on the fur rug. Feels comfortable. There is a small table in front of him. I used to work there. He even opened the balcony door slightly. So, I can hear the sound of the rain. Without saying much, I brought the plate to the small table. We're ready to eat. He just ate without saying a word to me. I could feel the breeze coming into the room as we ate in silence.

          "I love rain." Ishan said while thrusting the plate at me. I poured some rice and some side dishes onto his plate: Rice and side dishes. I can't spend it anymore. He didn't protest at all. Rich people are the same as ordinary people when they eat. If you are hungry, they have much food too. There are only oddities. The food Ishan bought was Chinese street food. Fried noodles, cap cay, and fuyung hai. I laughed inwardly.

          "Me too. The harder it is, the more I like it." I answered.

          "We have a lot in common, don't we?" he guessed and started to chew his food.

          "Even if there are the same habits and hobbies. I don't want to be compared to you." I said coldly and flatly.

          "If we have the same habits and hobbies, the rest we can be friends. Get closer." he said again. "I'm tired of people always contradicting me, because I always take the middle ground so that mine and hers go hand in hand."

          His face looks bored while eating.

          "I'm looking for someone who agrees with me. I need guidance. Because I've gone too far." I said, continuing his words while hiding my hands under the table. Because of the scars of my suicide, even though I was holding a spoon and fork at the time.

          Silence. It looks like I said something wrong. I glanced at Ishan, who watched the rain pouring down from the fifth floor of my apartment.

          "Where did you buy this?" Finally, I asked. I was melting the situation.

          "Oh this is near my office. I just bought it for the first time. All employees say it's delicious."

          "I already guessed. Mr CEO has never had food like this."

          "Oh no. I mean because my employees talk about the food they often buy when they work overtime."

          I am quiet. Nodding.

          "So how's your wound?"

          "Well. It still hurts a little when lifting heavy."

          "What did you pick up? Don't lift heavy. Just call me. I'll be right here."

          After dinner is over, Ishan looks at the pile of dishes in my sink. He pulled out his cell phone, and I'm sure he took pictures of the plates. We chatted a lot about something that I thought was weird. But somehow, I feel calm and comfortable. There are some things that I keep to myself, and finally, someone else finds out. That's very strange, in my opinion.

          “So, Cath was spoiled by Rangga. All his wishes must be fulfilled. So at that time, I bought the curtains and some of the fabric motifs on the sofa." I pointed at the sofa in front of the TV.

          "You mean you also like what Cath likes?"

          "It is not like that. Actually, I had a hard time getting this sofa motif. I just found out from Rangga, that this motif uses a pre-order system and is only produced once. Cath already said he wanted to buy something like this. But Rangga forgot and I don't know." I shrugged. "I told Rangga, I told my friend to buy this."

          "Oh I see. That means if there's something I want to buy and the system is pre-ordered, maybe I should contact you."

          "Hahaha, it's not like that either." Wow, I laughed for him. I immediately thought, is my heart getting better?

          And the rain stopped.

          There is a feeling of emptiness. The wind still blows into my apartment. Ishan leaves home. He saw some umbrellas that I collected, and he took one of the dark blue umbrellas.

          "I borrowed the umbrella, okay?"

          "Yes, just take it as long as you don't forget to turn it over." I said. "Your jacket?"

          "The jacket is wet. Can you go wash it?" Ishan laughed. Ishan grabbed the doorknob but stopped. He turned around. The distance was maybe two inches from my hand because I followed behind him and intended to lock the door when he came out.

          "Hmmm, I've been thinking about this ever since you said something."

          I frowned.

          "In that case, you can make me trash, your lament, a person you can order. I want you to complete yourself, make yourself happy."

          His face was severe and red. Maybe I'm blushing too. I haven't heard a word in a long time that made my blood boil from the bottom up. He leaned closer to me and kissed me instantly. Right on my silent lips. WOW. The sensation is great. Then…

          “ISSHAAAANN!!!!!!!!!!!!” I shouted. I takes another umbrella and is about to hit him. Meanwhile, he had disappeared along the apartment hallway.

          Idiot, I said to myself. I don't know him at all suddenly; he kissed me? Laksana Davendra Ishan, this is a playboy.

When I want to sleep, I find all my social media too full of mentions. An I***a Story from @daven.dra. There appears a photo of dirty dishes where there are writings.

There is a woman; after a man eats, she's not asked to wash the dishes @kays.citraaaa

Instantly, the number of my followers increased drastically.

****