2. FRIENDS

Luna sat huddled hugging her knees. She looked at the graves of her parents with a sad gaze. Who would have thought that that night would be her last night with them. Honestly, Luna still can't believe what happened. How could they possibly leave her so soon?

"Luna, that's all right, you'll get sick later, let's go home okay," Jane—Luna's best friend, tried to persuade the girl to leave the tomb as soon as it was getting dark.

"Can't I just sleep here?" asked Luna in a weak voice.

Jane fell silent. She knew that Luna was so lost. Who wouldn't be so hurt if they had to lose both parents on their birthday?

Jane also sat beside Luna, she no longer cared about the condition of the tomb which was getting tense because it was dark. She would only accompany Luna until she felt better.

"Know what's funny?" asked Luna suddenly.

"What?" asked Jane confused.

She didn't see anything funny in that incident.

"Before my daddy died, he asked the man who crashed our car to marry me! Instead of giving me his account passwords, safes, and other treasures, he asked a complete stranger to marry me!" Luna laughed sadly remembering her father's last request.

Jane didn't say anything because she was too confused about how to react. She couldn't imagine how it felt to be Luna. How could she marry a man who had killed her parents?

"So... you agree to marry that man?" asked Jane carefully.

Luna shook her head weakly.

"I don't want to, but after all, that's daddy's last wish. So far, Dad has never asked for anything from me. You know my parents always pamper me. They never demand anything. I feel very guilty if I can't fulfill his last wish," Luna answered in a very low voice.

Jane fell silent. She knew very well what Luna said was true. And it was fitting for Luna to fulfill her father's last wish.

It is just...

"You are willing to marry that stranger man?" she asked.

Luna didn't answer and just took a deep breath. The girl tightly closed her eyes, and let the cold wind hit her pale face.

"Hey, you two silly girls! Can you guys just go home? It's time for the ghosts to come out, if you stay here, they will be very annoyed!"

Luna and Jane turned their heads in unison towards the voice that suddenly sounded so loud from behind them.

Eros—Luna's best friend, stood with his arms folded across his chest while staring intently at the two girls in front of him.

"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be in China?" asked Luna confused.

"No, you're senile! He's studying in Korea, not China!" Jane protested.

"Stupid, I studied in Aussie," Eros said quietly.

Luna and Jane nodded their heads in understanding.

"It's late, you guys should go home, you can grieve at home with a heater and snacks to prop up your empty stomachs!" Eros exclaimed then sighed.

"He's been abroad for so long that he forgets that no one uses heating in Indonesia," Jane sneered.

Ah, Eros forgot about that one. Even if there is hail, Indonesians will still turn on the air conditioning in their homes.

"But... I agree with the idea of ​​a stomach prop. We've been crying all day long, so at least have mercy on our bodies," Jane said softly, making Luna smile slightly.

***

"So you're getting married? At a young age? Ah, to that strange man you just met on that terrible day?" Eros asked with wide eyes.

Jane scowled at Eros' successive questions. Couldn't that man be sensitive enough not to press Luna with that question? Luna's been pretty messed up today.

"So has he been here and had a serious talk with you?" asked Eros again.

"Who is he?" asked Luna confused.

"The man who promised to marry you!" said Eros annoyed.

"Um, Sam?" asked Luna again.

"Okay, so that guy's name is Sam? Then, has Sam been here?" Eros insisted.

Luna shook her head weakly in response to Eros' question.

"What if it turns out he already has a wife? Or worst of all, he already has children? And what if he turns out to be a man with minuses?"

Jane, who couldn't bear to hear Eros' question, immediately grabbed a sofa cushion and threw it at Eros.

"Seriously, can you just shut up? Don't pressure Luna any further! Look at Luna already so tired and depressed! At least let her rest for today!" Jane growled.

"Sorry, you're right, I should let Luna rest for now. But I think this is something very important, so I can't wait to say it," Eros said as he leaned his back on the sofa.

"It's okay, I know you guys are worried about me. It's just, for now, I really can't think properly. Maybe because I'm tired," Luna smiled and looked at her two best friends in turn.

Eros and Jane nodded slowly.

"For these few days, we'll be staying here, so you can rest easy and rest without worrying about anything. When Sam comes, you don't have to worry, I'll take care of it!" Eros smiled meaningfully at Luna.

"Don't make fun of him! Don't be ridiculous, if Sam comes here later, I'll just find him! If you meet him, I'm not sure what will happen after that!" Jane stared hard into Eros's beady eyes.

"No, there are things men should talk about. Consider me Luna's guardian now!" Eros exclaimed emphatically.

Jane shook her head slowly. She immediately pulled Luna and took Luna away from the room before Eros rambled even more inconsequentially.

Luna took a deep breath after she was finally able to lie down on her soft bed.

"It all happened so fast, to be honest, I wasn't ready, Jane."

Hearing Luna's words, Jane could only nod weakly.

"Slow down, Luna, I know this isn't easy, you still have me and Eros, don't ever feel alone," Jane said, patting the back of Luna's hand lightly.

Tears were flowing from the girl's eyes.

"Thanks, Jane," Luna said softly.

Jane just smiled warmly in response to Luna's words.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Luna's house, Eros was busy with his cell phone. He had told his Aussie roommate that he wouldn't be back there anytime soon, so he asked his friend to put away any valuables he still had left there.

Under these circumstances, Eros would not have wanted to leave Luna alone. Eros loved that girl very much. As a best friend of course.

Eros, Luna, and Jane have been friends since childhood, they are even closer than siblings. At a time like this, Eros felt compelled to take care of Luna until she felt much better.