Chpt 3

Leon turned around and his eyes scanned in all directions. He wanted to make sure of everything he saw.

Completely empty. The figure was no longer visible among the dozens of people passing by. Bisma straightened his collar and tie, which had been messed up by his master’s grip.

“The master asked me to find her again. Who is she? What is her relationship with the master? Even after five years, he still searches for her.” Bisma pondered to himself.

Bisma followed his master, who had already gotten into the car. He glanced at the rearview mirror. His master’s annoyed face was very clear and had worsened since the incident.

“Sir.”

“Continue, I will meet her, but not for a date. I will discuss the contract for our latest product launch!”

Leon’s words were like an unshakable command. Bisma had given up. He would no longer force his master to go on a blind date. Without further ado, the car continued on their initial journey.

“That’s a lot, Nis. Are you sure you bought this much?” Adam was surprised when he saw Nisa return with several bags of food.

“You’re off tomorrow, right, Sarah?” Nisa asked.

“Uh-huh,” Sarah replied.

“Stay here, keep me company for one night,” Nisa persuaded Sarah.

“Ahem, no. You should rest after this, Nis. Restore your energy. Your first job will be very tiring!” Adam shook his head, giving Sarah a knowing look.

“You’re so stingy, Dam. I’m just asking her to keep me company for one night,” Nisa noticed the signal Adam gave Sarah.

“Yes, Dam. I’ll stay over, just for one night,” Sarah began to cling to Adam’s arm, trying to persuade him.

“Haisss, fine, fine, never mind, Dam. Go, but finish your food first,” Nisa realized it was their Saturday night.

“Huhuhu. The fate of being single.” Nisa grimaced inwardly while putting a large piece of cake into her mouth.

After they left, Nisa felt bored. Although her body needed rest, she still felt restless. Visiting her mother was out of the question as it was too late and visiting hours were over. As a result, Nisa wandered the streets alone.

“Hmm, bored. What should I do?”

Nisa kept thinking as she walked slowly along the sidewalk, not realizing a car was speeding around the corner and splashing a puddle onto her clothes.

SPLASH. SPLASH.

“Arrrggghhh!” she screamed while fixing her clothes. A man got out and approached her.

“Sorry, Miss. I didn’t mean to drive too fast! I was in a hurry.” The man apologized and offered his handkerchief to help clean the water splashed on Nisa’s face.

Nisa looked up, “It’s okay, Sir. It was my fault for not paying attention!” The man kept staring at Nisa’s face intently.

“Az-Aznii? Is that you, Aznii?” Nisa’s eyes widened. She had buried that name for five years. Even when meeting new people, she often introduced herself as Nisa, as her family called her.

Nisa looked at the man in front of her, who appeared very masculine in his suit and shiny shoes. She didn’t recognize him.

“Uh, sorry, you might have the wrong person, Sir,” Nisa tried to avoid him and was about to leave.

“You? Forgot? I’m Aldo, your ex from high school!”

Now Nisa’s chest trembled when she heard the name of the man she wanted to avoid. Nisa had forgotten everything that happened five years ago. She didn’t want to reopen or disturb it. For Nisa now, taking care of and restoring her mother was the main priority.

Nisa ignored him and kept walking away from Aldo.

“Az, Az… listen to me first, please!” Aldo said, grabbing Nisa’s hand to stop her from leaving. Nisa paused but remained silent. She tried to listen to Aldo’s explanation.

“Don’t run, Az, please. Look, you don’t need to run from me!” Aldo pointed to a ring already on his ring finger. Nisa glanced at it.

“Ah, he’s married.”

Aldo reached into his pocket and took out his phone.

The dial tone was heard several times, “Honey, sorry… I can’t pick you up with Nata. Take an online taxi, we’ll meet at home, I love you!” The call ended.

“We need to talk, Az!” Aldo pulled Nisa into his car after he ended the call.

“Az, come on… I won’t do anything. I just want to talk to you!” Aldo prevented Nisa from getting out of his car.

“Huh, I shouldn’t have left the house. I should have stayed in my room like Adam said.” Nisa cursed her foolishness for meeting Aldo.

“Talk!” Finally, Nisa tried to make peace with herself.

“Tell me, where have you been all this time? Leon and I kept looking for you. We even went to your house, but you had moved.”

Aldo couldn’t wait to bombard Nisa with questions he had kept for years.

“That’s in the past, so I don’t need to explain anything, right?” Nisa replied curtly.

“Come on, Az, I’m not like before. I’m married to a woman named Sofia, and my daughter, Nata, is four years old. I’ve truly let you go. This time I’m asking as a friend who is very worried about you. You disappeared after we fought, what really happened, Az?” Aldo bombarded Nisa with questions again.

“Hurf!” Nisa exhaled slowly, relieved after hearing Aldo’s words.

“The point is, I’ve been fine all this time. Sorry if I disappeared back then. I just didn’t want to ruin your friendship because of a love rivalry,” Nisa explained briefly after hearing Aldo’s explanation.

Nisa vaguely remembered Aldo’s words; she didn’t actually remember anything that happened five years ago.

“It was my fault, Az, if I hadn’t been rash and consumed by jealousy towards Leon. You wouldn’t be like this!” Aldo regretted.

“It’s all in the past, so we don’t need to discuss it.”

“You’re right, but not for Leon. He searched for you like a madman. He changed a lot after you left. I can’t even give him any advice or input anymore!”

“That’s his problem, Aldo. I don’t want to remember him. We have our own paths now!”

“Uh, I understand. Luckily, I met Sofia. She was very patient with my behavior. She never blamed me when I lost my way because of my disappointment. She always supported me.”

Aldo looked different. After five years, he had become a mature and wise man. Although Nisa once labeled Aldo as a liar because of his behavior. At least that’s the part Nisa remembered.

“I’m glad you can be happy and meet the right woman. Well, it’s late, I’ll go home now,” Nisa said, turning to open Aldo’s car door.

“I’ll take you home, Az,” Aldo touched Nisa’s arm.

Nisa turned, “No hidden intentions, Az, it’s late, I’m worried about you on the road.”

“Uh, okay!”

“Can I have your phone number, Az?” Nisa raised her eyebrows.

“I want to introduce you to Sofia and Nata,” Aldo continued. Nisa gave in to Aldo’s reason, and they exchanged phone numbers.

“Aldo.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Next time we meet, call me Nisa, okay!” Now Aldo turned his face for a moment.

“Because Aznii is in the past, now there’s only Nisa, my parents’ beloved daughter,” Nisa explained, looking far away, not caring that Aldo was still staring at her.