Captured by the Past
CHAPTER 7: THE MEETING WITH ALMIRA

Star cafe in one of the famous places in the central Jakarta area, one of the exclusive places for Royyan, Ajun and also Dirta. The bright decoration of the stars on the ceiling of the cafe attracts a lot of visitors who feel the constellations there. In one of the VVIP rooms, with a table that has been filled with many foods that have become mandatory dishes for the three healthy men every time they visit the Cafe Bintang.

The atmosphere of silence enveloped Ajun and Royyan, the two did not talk to each other, they were still focused on their respective phones. Ajun is busy with his online games, while Royyan is preoccupied with the office tasks that his own Papi assigns to him.

Royyan's fingers were busy typing something he sent directly to his Papi. His sharp but small eyes were not to get away from the phone screen, Ajun who saw it in front of his eyes glared with his stoning gaze as he lowered his phone onto the table, while both his hands began to creep into the garfu and the knife beside the meat*steak** his order.

Why the hell is a boy? The cake face wants to hit the anjir, it's scary.

Temenan cave is the same as humans, right? Not the wolf of prey?

Ajun's inner murmur as he fed his mouth with a piece of steak meat of considerable size. His mouth was wide open and ate the steak voraciously while his net did not move from Royyan's serious face.

"Snapain geliatin?"chirps Royyan with the same position, still focusing on her phone.

The deg!

In that instant, Ajun coughed because the steak he ate was swallowed without him chewing because Royyan made himself very surprised, along with his widened eyeballs. Since when did Royyan realize that Ajun kept paying attention to him. Thought Inner Ajun, as soon as he took the water in the bottle packaging that was beside him, he sipped to drain the food that might be stuck in his throat.

Royyan looked a bit smirking in the same position. However, it was only after Royyan removed his phone from the grasp of both hands and he placed it next to the spicy spaghetti plate of his order.

"Lu anjir a very habit, shocked cave," cried Ajun after he finished with his white water.

Royyan did not answer, he just grinned a little and then sipped his favorite lemon tea honey. And immediately moving on to his spaghetty, a few strands of spaghetty noodles slowly entered the mouth of a man who had a heavy voice and was also round.

Shortly after that Dirta arrived with a breath that was still panting, his slow steps entered the VVIP room that was ordered by Royyan. While gulping down his dry saliva, Dirta stood before Royyan with her eyes sharpened.

"Gu-a.. want to talk to you Yan," said Dirta still faltered.

"Dead by the way" Royyan answered briefly.

With a face that is always serious Royyan looked up at his best friend, and fortunately his eyes no longer sharpened. The adjunct who saw the cold disagreement between his two best friends immediately changed positions, pulling his chair slightly away from the table and approaching the window that showed the situation out there while carrying a steak plate with him.

"If it's about El! Cave did not interfere" Royyan continued after he stood up from his chair.

"Yes!"firmly Dirta reset her breathing.

"OKAY. Don't talk about it."Royyan sat back in his chair and ignored Dirta.

"can't. This we have to discuss, El like you, why you don't say the same cave, you know if the cave likes the same El,"

Lazily Royyan sighed. And looked up again to record Dirta's more serious face than usual.

"El said it, right? So the cave doesn't have to say the same to you, either,"

"Yes! He really likes you, and he is now sick Yan, the cave can not do anything,"Dirta sat his body in one of Royyan's front seats.

"Why do you want a cave?"asked Royyan firmly.

Dirta. Surely he himself does not know what he wants, he really loves Elshara. But seeing Elshara suffer because her unrequited love was more painful, her mouth froze. There was nothing he could say to Royyan who was waiting for a definite answer from Dirta.

"You like El, because that's the cave trying to get away from El, is the cave wrong?"

"No. But seeing El sick like that, the cave can't,"

Royyan again let out a heavy breath. Wiping his hair violently, his eyes closed for a moment. However, then he immediately opened it wide. Uphold his back.

"You want the cave to accept El, do you?"Royyan asked again.

Dirta glanced and her net sharpened, while both of her hands were clenched on the table. Before long he carried himself standing with the veins on his forehead stiffened, brazing Royyan's gaze which tried to calm down and was a little indifferent.

"Don't try to get El out of the cave!"said Dirta as she kicked the table in front of him.

Ajun. His eyes widened azmat, almost Ajun choked back. Luckily he could still swallow the meat of the steak well. Crossed over his chair and continued to devour his food.

While the exhausted Royyan responded to the love-covered Dirta and made him rude to his best friend, he immediately stood firm.

"Keep you want what cave? The cave accepts El wrong, the cave is also wrong, the cave must what? Answer!"royyan's tone of voice was high.

His heavy voice that was also round broke the winds that passed, as well as Ajun who was behind was shocked and almost his plate was released from his grasp. Then he stroked the chest after he managed to catch the white plate that almost fell.

"Gua wants you to go away El, the cave will make el fall in love with me." said Dirta firmly who still felt doubtful about his own words.

"OKAY. That's the purpose of the cave."

Without waiting for anything else, Royyan grabbed his black denim jacket and immediately put it on. Picked up his phone and immediately rushed out of the VVIP room.

Ajun who was near the window, rushed to stand up and chased Royyan out of the room while looking at the plates and garfu of his former meat steak that had moved everything into his stomach.

"Where are you going?"yell Ajun call Royyan.

Without turning his head Royyan waved his hand upwards while continuing to walk forward without caring for anyone else, "gua pull first, the food has already been paid for."sahut Royyan after he reached the end close to the stairs leading to the first floor.

"Wiii!"call Ajun.

But Royyan had gone down the stairs and did not answer any call from Ajun. The tall and slightly dark-skinned man compared to Dirta and Royyan returned to the room to Dirta who had been sitting in one of the front seats of the table.

"Elshara gi-" asked the unfinished Ajun.

"Ah crazy cave forget El! Thanks brother! After the food, dear it is free,"he said then cut the words Ajun, while patting Ajun and stepped out of the VVIP room, with a thin smile that began to crack.

"The dog snatched it, really."so Ajun was a little upset, as he followed Dirta's back out of the room.

Ajun rubbed his palms together, preparing himself to eat food that had not been touched by Royyan. Except spaghetty and lemon tea honey that have been empty. Which is indeed Royyan's favorite food and drink.

The lips of Ajun grinned. It was with great pleasure that the man with sharp shoulders began to scoop the seafood fried rice before him and immediately he launched it into his mouth which was filled with saliva and could not bear to immediately devour it all food on the table.

...***...

The next day, on the weekend. Royyan walked in the largest mall in the area near where he lived, a plain black T-shirt with a jacket that was also plain gray, there was only a famous brand name decoration on one side of the jacket. Jackets that have white skullcaps, and jeans that are also black. Tracing the mall alone without carrying a small bag that he used to use when visiting the mall.

From the third floor to the fifth floor, he thought he wanted to spend his time alone accompanied by artificial snow that they made ice skating tours. His big steps came out of the elevator, after he got to the fifth floor he was heading to.

Circulating his gaze to every corner of the fifth floor in the mall, swinging slowly while enjoying the breeze created from the air conditioning displayed above attached to the ceiling of the mall.

"Aaaaaaaakh.." shouted someone behind Royyan.

Sontak Royyan immediately turned his head and found the figure of a beautiful woman he met some time ago. And she was Almira, the little-eyed woman running around in a storm and constantly screaming breaking the silence of the mall that had many visitors. Behind Manda the friend continues to follow Almira who is frightened chased by someone wearing a panda costume.

"Almira! Wait...."Manda yells trying to chase after Almira.

"Darkahok..."Almira continued to shout with her frightened face and shrill voice.

Royyan smirked at how cute the golden brown long-haired lady's face was, she was standing in the middle. Slowly Almira began to approach Royyan, and without realizing it Almira scattered her body hugging Royyan sticky. The man pecked, his eyeballs moving to his left and also to his right while his hands were raised upwards. Baffled. He didn't know what to do, wanted to return his embrace, but he didn't know who this woman was.

It feels impolite to embrace a woman carelessly without the consent of the woman herself. Someone in a panda costume was getting closer, his distinctive voice made Almira realize that what she was afraid of was getting closer to her.

"I don't want to, takuuut...."Almira grimaced even she cried on Royyan's shoulder as she tightened her circle of hands around Royyan's neck.

"Gum people, not ghosts."tap Royyan unanimously.

"You want people or whatever it is, it's scared, it's a clown...."

"Dou's costume,"

"Don't want to be afraid anyway." replied Almira stern who continued to grimace, while jumping around swinging around Royyan's neck.

Royyan squinted as he let out a long breath. Royyan's persuasion did not work for Almira who had trauma with clowns, or costumes resembling animals. Her childhood trauma made Almira a coward. Clown who once took him away without the knowledge of his parents, at that time Almira was still under six years old who did not know anyone in a panda costume was good or bad. He just followed the clown's steps and ended up staying in the hot sun with the clown.

For hours he became a clown to get money from the people who passed him. Almira who was pure white instantly reddened due to the ferocity of the sun. He was crying loudly, terrified, also his body was weakening. The clown left Almira by the roadside alone in tears, fearing that people would realize that he was taking someone else's child.

From that day Almira was terrified every time she saw a clown nearby, lucky at that time the woman who already had long golden brown hair from childhood met her Papi's personal secretary with several bodyguards who were looking for Almira, and returned safely.

The sobs of Almira grew firmer, shrieking Royyan's ears. But Royyan remained silent, waiting for Almira to finish with her cries. Hearing Almira's cry become very loud, Royyan returned Almira's embrace. Gently stroked Almira's hair and back.

"Calm down, calm down, let's get out of here. The clown has not chased, he has returned there again," Royyan said soothingly.

The dense crystal threads slowly shrank and left her stuffing alone without anyone falling from her eyelids. Almira's hand weakened and came down from Royyan's neck, she looked back with great caution, her hand trembling while holding one of Royyan's hands.

And sure enough, the person wearing the panda costume had stayed away. Almira only saw Manda slowly dragging her steps closer to her. Relieved. His vocal cords were tired of screaming nonstop because he was afraid he could not control it. Almira suddenly lowered her knee and sat down under her one hand still tightly grasping Royyan's hand.

"Thank God. Relieved.."he was limp.

"Can be off," said Royyan who then he hunker down beside Almira.

Gradually, Almira turned her head with a weak neck, she looked up after realizing that she was hugging a man she did not recognize, he did not even realize that the one who had warmed his hand was the man.

Almira was stunned as she threw out her arms at the man who had wide hands. Royyan smiled slightly.

The deg!

Almira's shoulders were raised with the accompaniment of her widened eyeballs. Gooseflesh. He dragged his body slightly away from Royyan's ankle, which the man still touched in front of the frozen Almira.

"Dirty. Cepet stood up," continued Royyan as he stood back up and immediately left Almira who was still sculpting.

The presence of Royyan made the woman with a beautiful and petite body that could not say a word, she just fell silent with a heartbeat that was so tight.

Whoa crazy! That guy again. Lu! What is Anjir Almira! So stupid anyway.

Good thing that guy doesn't fuck I hug, if it's a mosquito, it's mine.

The Grouse of Almira. His reddened nose and cheeks that were still moist from his tears earlier, slowly faded along with his stuffing.

"Faith lu." asked Manda gasping for breath and immediately kneeled before Almira.

"Well?!"with her innocent face Almira turned weak.

His heart is still beating fast. The parfume worn by Royyan is still attached to Almira's memory. Then he shook his face as he opened his eyes and immediately stood with Manda who had already pulled him to help stand up.

"Why did you suddenly run away anyway, the cave was shocked, where the cry again like a child who was not bought in a balloon." he said again.

Almira looked at her with her usual level. Soon he tidied up his appearance that had been messy because it challenged the wind that hit him, to avoid the panda costume.

"Fear crazy! In the mall why there should be soan anyway, I'm surprised."grutu Almira advancing his lips a few inches.

"You afraid of clowns?"

"Yes. Where did it hit the kebab guy again, embarrassed anjir. I want to taro my face where try," replied Almira with her face that began to turn red, that second she also covered her face with both hands.

"The boy in the guy,"

Almira turned her head and scrunched her forehead in wonder at Manda's words, she did not understand at all what the words of the friend flowed in which direction.

"Tasty kok anyway. Dihngaco lu ya, "lips Almira frowning.

"Yes that. The guy in the pretty lady's hug is free, and your hug is not free,"

Almira nodded as she let out her breath a little annoyed. Quickly he ruffled his waist staring intently at Manda, then he snorted. While Manda clear up by turning her eyeballs in another direction that is more interesting, than seeing the face of the friend who is sharpening the view but still looks funny, her soft face can not display a scary face.

NEXT....