Chapter 1: A Shabby Car

"Hey, what's going on? Why do you look so gloomy?" Hera Adnan asked as she had just seen her grandson come home from college with a languid face. 

Vesa Araya still looked down and did not answer his grandmother's question. 

"Vesa Araya, I am talking to you. Can't you hear me?" 

Vesa who was walking and was about to climb the stairs stopped and turned around. He already understood that every time his grandmother called his full name like it meant that his grandmother was getting impatient. 

The young man who was about to turn twenty years old looked at his aged grandmother but the lines of beauty were still on his face. 

"What should I say, Grandma?" Vesa said lazily.

Hera sighed softly and then spoke, "What happened at your campus again? Do you have problems with your friends?" 

Vesa replied, "When have I not had problems with them? You know it very well, they bully me almost every day. And they said I didn't deserve to study at the University of Greenwich. I'm too poor and a lot of other things." 

Vesa attended the University of Greenwich and was in his final year majoring in Accounting and Business. A major he didn't like but chose because he didn't want to disappoint his father. 

Hera just stood up. It was absolutely there was no grandmother would be willing to have her grandson bullied. 

"Don't mind them. They're just jealous of you because you're more of a genius than them. You get a scholarship every year, and they don't. Of course they don't like you," Hera said very proudly. 

Vesa couldn't help but smile when he heard his grandmother's words that had a tone of pride in them. 

"But that's all I can be proud of. They have a lot of things that I don't have. Well, and the most annoying thing is that they always boast of their parents. As for me? What can I be proud of from Dad? Dad-" 

"Young man, you are talking about my son. Your father is my proud son, just so you know," Hera interrupted impatiently. 

Vesa rolled his eyes lazily. 

"But, Grandma. What do I know about dad? He even only comes here once a year. I sometimes wonder if the father still recognizes me as his son or not. Seriously, I think only he is so willing to throw his son here and instead live in Indonesia alone," Vesa said at length. 

Vesa was silent as he said all the things that were in his head. 

Hera waited for her grandson to speak again but after a while he didn't say anything. 

Then, the old woman said, "Is that all?" 

Vesa didn't dare look at his grandmother because he seemed to have talked too much. 

"Vesa, I know you must be very upset because your father decided not to have too much contact with you. He had a very strong reason for that. You just have to be patient. Haven't I already said, there is no father in this world who loves his child more than your father. He did all this because he loved you too much." 

Vesa still couldn't accept it because for him the reason wasn't strong enough. This was because he had never heard his father try to explain about anything he did.

Vesa had lived with his grandparents since he was a child until now he was about to turn twenty. And during that time, he was never once allowed to visit his father in his homeland. 

Indonesia seemed to be a forbidden country for him. However, Valentino visited his son once a year and spent time with him for a whole month. 

Even so, the relationship between the two of them was arguably not very close. They might live in the same house but still not very close. 

Vesa even sometimes felt awkward when he was around his father. However, meeting his father had always been the day he had been waiting for that year. 

"What happens, boy?" the old man's voice managed to startle him while he was daydreaming. 

"As usual, Grandpa." Vesa answered lazily. 

Thomas Miller approached his grandson and patted him on the back. Hera headed to the kitchen and let her husband talk to his grandson. 

"They bullied you again? What are they doing this time?" Thomas asked, who was used to hearing bad stories about his grandson's problems. 

Since childhood, Vesa always talked about anything to his grandfather and the young man always found a solution that sometimes surprised him. 

Vesa suddenly remembered when he was in elementary school. At that time, there was one of his friends who stole his stationary so that Vesa could not do the test. 

And when he told this to his grandfather, he was instead given a suggestion to repay his ignorant friend by inflating his bicycle tire. Vesa actually did it and ended up getting him called into the counseling room. 

He thought he would get angry but strangely his grandfather gave him two thumbs up for having managed to avenge his friend's actions. 

"One of my classmates is having a birthday and he's holding a party. He's the son of a successful businessman. His family owns a furniture business. He said that the party will be lavish."

Vesa was too excited to explain quickly but he then took a moment to pause before explaining again. 

"They said that every invitee has to use a car to get there. Isn't that weird? They actually want to show off the car brand or something?" Vesa said. 

Actually Vesa was just confused, how he was going to get there. Their family did have a car but of course that car was rarely used because it was too old. 

"Oh I think I know what I have to do. Of course. You'll be there. I will make you there," Thomas Miller said. 

"What!?" Vesa asked in surprise. 

"Grandpa, no. I don't want to use that old car. Not because I'm embarrassed, but because I'm afraid it will break down in the middle of the road," Vesa said carefully. 

Thomas huffed in annoyance. 

"Who told you to use my old car?" he said annoyed. 

Vesa blinked, "Which car do I have to use? Grandpa, we only have one car. Do you intend to borrow a car for me or what? But what about the rent? Isn't it expensive? Then-" 

"Shut up!" Thomas said really annoyed at his grandson who he thought was too chatty for a man. 

"By the way, when is the party?" 

"The day after tomorrow, Grandpa." 

Thomas Miller was surprised but then he smiled at his grandson and said, "Calm down, Vesa. This time you won't be bullied!"