EMBRACE YOU: Presence & Poison
Episode 13's

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Instead of answering, Bayu just laughed out loud. “All right I'll be honest. I can't possibly not investigate you. At first I was very angry with you, I guess when you decided on me, you cheated and fell in love with another man.”

“Am I that kind of girl?!” I asked not to accept.

“Eumm.. no.” I smiled with satisfaction at the answer.

“But now I can see clearly how you are blatantly attracted to a handsome man, staring

doctor Stefan is like that.” I stared at him sharply, covering up the shame of being caught by him.

“Beautiful guy is hard to resist.”

“He's not handsome!”

“He's handsome with his hazel eyes, his gray brown hair and his white skin. His smile and his way of speaking—“

“Sials. I can't dye my hair.” I chuckled amusedly hearing her grunt. Then his facial expression changed, looking back at me.

“But after investigation, I understand. For five years I've been looking for the right time to see you. I'm waiting for you to finish school and work. I waited until I could be in a place that could boast of you. I don't want to come back to you as just an ordinary soldier. Just with that hope, I hope to meet you with pride.”

I shut up, looking at him. His words warm my heart. Never before has anyone been so sincere about meeting me, wanting me to be proud of him.

Bayu smiled so charmingly, he lowered his head to grab my right hand that was free from the infusion needle. Grasping warm. “I'm sorry if I secretly investigated you, I was so angry, so upset with you. You let me down, you reneged on a promise to stay by my side for as long as I was in the military training camp. But now I understand. I understand the outline.”

“What do you understand? Tell me the outline.” I asked nervously, it felt uncomfortable when others were secretly investigating your personal matters. But he's already apologized, I should try to think from his side.

Before replying, Bayu looked at me for quite a while, looking for something from within my eyes. His hands that held mine, he did not let go.

“You're sure I can say it?”

Bayu knows me very well, he knows what I think. He's a good man, look at him that way

esteeming me. He asked me for permission just to answer my question? So sweet.

I finally smiled a little, this time smiling sincerely at him. “No. Nay! I'd be so embarrassed to hear it.”

“Good. I'm not gonna say it. It's just I want to say one thing.”

“What?”

“I may not be able to help solve your problem, but I am here to support you.”

I smiled wider, his words once again warmed my heart. I haven't felt this feeling for a long time. Feel comfortable and calm with someone.

“Thank you. You look grown up now.”

“Of course, I'm twenty-four years old. You too.”

“I'm still twenty-three years old. I haven't had a birthday for this year.”

“Oh, you're right! My birthday is over, you didn't prepare a gift for me?”

“For what I prepare a gift? Three months ago we had not met. Who are you anyway? We're just someone who knows each other.”

Bayu narrowed his eyes, now his gaze returned to ignorant mode.

“Tega once. I always prepare gifts every year.” My eyes immediately sparkled.

“Really? Give me!”

“No!”

“The gift is for me!”

“I'll throw it away!” I hit her shoulder in annoyance.

“If you want to throw it away, then why tell me if you're preparing a gift?!”

“So I can see this upset face of yours.” Bayu laughed a little at me. I glanced, not wanting to look at him. He's still the same, a hobby teases me like this. A hobby really pisses me off.

“I'll get old fast if facing you every day.”

“I will accompany you until old.” Again, his words made my heart weak. I looked down, unable to look at his face because if I looked at him for a long time, my face could turn red.

“Natasha?”

“Hmm?” I looked up, Just this time I heard Bayu clearly say my name. His round eyes did not look at me, I could see sincerity there. I can feel his affection through there. Would it be wrong for me to feel loved by her?

“Your short message five years ago was not accepted!” Now, Bayu looks very serious making me even more nervous. Her face looks more mature than my last memory of her.

“What?” I asked, pretending to be stupid but actually I wanted him to say it more clearly.

Tok tock..

This man looked annoyed, he glanced at the door very sharply as he said. “Log in!”

“Report sir, we've found Rey.”'s hideout

Rey? They'll catch him ‘kan? Of course I have to! I can't imagine what if I see him again. The shadows about poison and freefall are still very clear.

“Good sir!”

After saying it out loud, the man who was standing in the doorway closed the door again and left Bayu and I in this room.

“I have to go.”

“But earlier the doctor said you also have to rest, remember?”

Bayu gave a small smile, then his hands raised patted the top of my head slowly. “I'll be back quickly, our conversation is not finished!”

“What else?” I pretended not to understand, but as I expected, Bayu knew Natasha Icha Davindra too well. He clucked and smiled ignorantly at me.

Without saying another word, the man got up and walked slowly to the door and opened it, before he disappeared there, Bayu turned to look at me.

“Remember, don't be naughty! I don't want to hear a complaint from Doctor Stefan if you secretly look at him.”

“Go! Quickly Go!!” I was about to throw a pillow at him but the door was closed first with a satisfied laughter belonging to Bayu.

It hasn't been fifteen minutes we've been chatting but my feelings have been so unnerving. There are so many feelings I feel with her. Like I was riding a roller coster.

This is Bayu, the man I still love very much. A man who has a lot of charm. She is indeed not as handsome as Doctor Stefan or as cool as Rey who has a mysterious aura, but Bayu has a dazzling aura that I cannot resist. Besides, now I feel Bayu looks authoritative and mature. I can guess if I haven't gotten to know the new Bayu side very well.

I want to know his new side. I want to know what his life is, how his daily life is. I also wanted to take a longer look at his angry, happy, sad and nervous expression, all his expressions.

Now I just hope Bayu gets back quickly. I miss him when Bayu hasn't been away for a minute.

***

“Thank you sus, sorry to trouble early in the morning like this.” I smiled at a well-dressed woman who was cleaning up the tools she had just used to remove the needle

infusion of my hand.

The clock shows at five in the morning. After Bayu left, I forgot to have not checked the phone for almost twenty

four hours and lots of notifications from corporate chat groups.

I almost forgot my meeting this morning. The usual meeting is held every six months. The meeting was attended by the head of administration like me from all branches in the country. The meeting will usually last for four days and three nights out of town.

Like the meeting that has been done, I will go with Mr. Dani and Miss Rima using the office car. The three of us are from the company branch in this city and they've been in contact with me since last night about where we met.

There is still three hours, I have to quickly go home to prepare the clothes that will be brought. I can't miss this big meeting.

“Again? May you leave it to me so you don't run away.” I looked at the voice of a man.

On the doorstep stood Dr. Stefan, a doctor with honey-brown hair. I immediately stood up to greet him who was smiling at me.

“I haven't officially introduced myself. Hello introduce I am doctor Stefan.”

“Halo doc, nice to meet you. Icha.” I welcome the hand of this handsome doctor.

“You can't go home now. Inflammation of the stomach due to stress, should be a lot of rest. You've only been less than two hours feeling it now already want to go?”

“This morning I have to go back to work, there is a meeting that must be attended.”

“I will give you a sick license and you can give it to the company management.”

I shook my head quickly. “No doc, thank you. I'm just asking for a sick license for yesterday. I really can't leave this monthly meeting.”

Doctor Stefan seemed to be breathing. “Just calm doc, Bayu won't be mad at you.”

“I told Bayu to rest because after he brought you here, he has not rested, he

busy looking for the man who gave you the poison when he just came home after completing his military duty. Now he's out again and not listening to me. Then you, the patient who was just given the antidote to the poison, who just jumped out of this building and who felt stomach inflammation due to stress will also return to work.”

For some reason, his tirade made me chuckle softly. It turns out that Doctor Stefan was chatty too. “Sorry doc once again. I'll ask Bayu to take a break when he calls me.”

“Yaa alright, as long as you keep your diet and don't get too stressed over work. Enough rest, huh?” I'm nodding. Grateful for his attention.

“Come let me drive home.”

“Eh no need to dock, I will order a taxi.” I shook my head quickly, uncomfortable with his help.

“It's okay. Early mornings like this difficult to find a taxi.”

“T—but doc!”

“I can't let a woman go home alone, especially this woman brought by Bayu.” Doctor Stefan smiled seductively at me.

I frowned while holding a shy smile. Can't believe I would easily blush in embarrassment just because of her teasing, just because someone offended Bayu's name.

Gezz.. Usually I'm not like this, my friends often say I'm a difficult woman to guess because of the flat expression I show. I won't be easily embarrassed when a man tries to get close to me. But it seems Bayu is an exception.

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