Butterfly In You
Chapter 39: I Love You

From her position, Jesslyn with a faint smile broadened her focus on watching Shehan who was busy ordering food. The man spoke enthusiastically. Even when she finished ordering, Shehan smiled broadly at the waitress.

Jesslyn's eye beads moved to the top at a glance, seeing the departure of the waitress who had been serving them. "You look so excited. Is the aura of the newlyweds really this bright?" the candlestick throws a guyon at Shehan later.

"Haha!" She was greeted with a crisp laugh by Shehan. "Not really, I'm just having a little fun."

"Slightly happy?" Jesslyn called, curious. "It must be your new wife who's the reason for your joy, right?"

Shehan was aghast, wanting to refute Jesslyn's guess just now, but he couldn't deny it either. "By the way, why don't you get married, Jesslyn? What do you think is still single?"

Shehan's question makes Jesslyn silent a thousand languages. He fluttered while still staring at Shehan intensely. "I'm thinking of the right way to express my feelings to the person I want to marry."

Shehan jokingly slowly faded away. He no longer wanted to tag his best friend because Jesslyn had changed the atmosphere of their topic to be serious. "You are a successful woman. You have a good career and your background is also good. I'm sure there won't be a man who can turn you down."

"Ck!" jesslyn was comforted, then turned away for a moment. "really? There won't be a man who can refuse me?"

"Of course."

Jesslyn sees Shehan intensely for the second time. There was a desire to say something to the man sitting in front of him. However, the time became less fitting when the waitress came again to their table, to deliver food. One by one the dishes were placed on the table. Also two glasses containing two different types of drinks.

"Please enjoy the dishes!" the waiter said then kindly. He left again after a brief nod from Jesslyn and Shehan.

"Come, we'll have lunch!" take Shehan, get the cutlery.

"Hhm ...." Jesslyn assented through her gloom. Then also took his eating equipment.

Presumably, something Jesslyn wanted to reveal had to be held back first. At least until her lunch with Shehan is over.

**

Nearly forty minutes later.

A sheet of Shehan tissue seka to each end of her lips to clean up the food scraps stuck there and Jesslyn looked at the man's activities with a look of adoration even though what Shehan did was trivial.

"Did you have any urgent activities this afternoon, Jesslyn? If so, we can go home now." Shehan advised.

"Yes, Shehan. There are urgent things to do, but not in my office. Except here."

"Here?" Shehan frowned "What is that?"

"I want to continue the conversation we talked about."

"Chat about what is it?"

"About no man will reject me."

"Oh, yeah."

"Does that include you, Shehan?"

"Me?" Shehan.

"Yes, you. Are you not going to reject me?"

Shehan still does not understand the meaning of Jesslyn's words. "Sorry, Jesslyn. I still don't understand."

"I know you're not sensitive to women's feelings. That's why I'm willing to go all the way from America to say this. But baby, I'm late."

Jesslyn, who would not wait any longer, grabbed Shehan's hand. Rubbed his back with his thumb. Shehan was silent while watching Jesslyn's movements.

"Aren't you going to reject me, Shehan. If I say the one I want to marry is you."

Shehan froze instantly. He had guessed it, but when he heard Jesslyn finally telling the truth, it made Shehan clumsy. Not because the woman expressed love, but because Jesslyn was his best friend. Yang Shehan thought their relationship was only a close friend, nothing more.

"But you know I'm married, Jesslyn."

"That's why I said I was late. To be honest, just arrived in Indonesia, I had met you directly at that time. But at that time you said you were getting married. With a heavy heart, I had to endure this feeling again."

Shehan pulled his hand from Jesslyn's grasp slowly. I don't want to offend that woman. However, Jesslyn who sensed there was a quick shift held her back.

"I love you, Shehan Murad."

Shehan immediately flinched, permeating Jesslyn's expression just now. The two friends were silent to each other with their mixed feelings. Surprised? Shehan must have felt that. Jesslyn is curious about Shehan's reaction after this. After he said the feeling of love that he had been harboring all this time.

"Sorry, Jesslyn." This time Shehan actually pulled his hand apart. "I'm married and my second marriage just happened."

"Aren't you the one who told me that there's no way a man could have rejected me?" sahut Jesslyn with a sad look.

"I thought all this time, our relationship was just a friend. No more than that."

"Because you've never been sensitive to all the attention I've given you and Nurbanu, Shehan. I know the reason Sarah divorced you is because this is also one of the factors. But I'm different from Sarah, Shehan. Trust me, I will never leave you or turn to another man."

Shehan took a deep breath, wanting to relax his chest cavity which seemed to be filled with the tense atmosphere between himself and Jesslyn.

"No need to talk about Sarah anymore."

"Yes, Shehan. At first I didn't want to talk about him either. Let's talk about you and me."

"Jesslyn ..I am a husband now. And I have a wife now."

"How have you felt about me all this time? Didn't you expect anything more than to be my friend?"

Shehan stared inside Jesslyn who was staring at him with a wounded look. It was heartless to have to hurt that beautiful woman again.

"I think you and I are the same. We are both difficult people to be close to others. But when we find the right person, that person will always be a shadow of ourselves."

"Even you know that, Shehan."

"But .. I'm sorry, Jesslyn. I really just think of you as a friend. My pal. Never more than that."

Jesslyn's lips twitched like they were holding back a cry. "At least you know how I feel about you, Shehan."

Shehan instead grabbed Jesslyn's hand and rubbed her back with her thumb. "Jesslyn, I know you have an amazing personality. It's more appropriate if you're with an amazing guy, too. Thank you for how you feel all along. For your concern for me and Nurbanu. I hope and I'm sure you'll find a partner who can accept your love and love you."

"Thank you for comforting me, but I'm hurting right now." Jesslyn returned Shehan's hand. "Please let me do it for a while. Just sec. So that the thirst of my heart is a little watered."

Shehan did not answer yes, but also did not pull his hand from Jesslyn's tight grip. He recounted it if he could treat Jesslyn's grief even if only for a moment.

***

SERIATE...