EMBRACE YOU: Presence & Poison
Episode 192

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Bayu shook his head and clucked softly with a small smile he still showed.

I stepped up, eroding the distance between us, then my attention was seized upon seeing the photos hanging there were our photos from small until now in a certain moment.

Suddenly I remembered our old days, when we were kids in tutoring, when we started dating as lovers in High School. Then in the last few months.

“You still have these photos?” I was amazed that there was a picture of our childhood hanging there.

Bayu cleared his throat slowly, followed me saw him and replied. “Actually, I asked from Dessy. Good thing he has our photos.”

I nodded considering that Dessy was Bayu's cousin. The three of us became friends first. Remembering those days, I missed my friend. Haven't seen him in a long time.

Then my eyes turned to a small jar covered by a hard brown in a small bolongi for air to enter, hanging on each photo. Something bright there turned out to be a firefly.

“You caught these fireflies?” I was amazed the second time.

“Then where are we now? I don't remember ever being here.” I asked to look around, this is clearly a back garden in a house.

I who still admire our photos realize that Bayu's answer has not been heard since.

This man stood still behind me, so I turned around, found him staring at me. His gaze looked solemn this time which made my heart beat faster.

I'm so nervous.

For the next five seconds we just kept looking at each other, until Bayu sighed softly and said. “So—you already understand the photo?”

“Yes, it's our photos from the past until now.”

“Can you see something different from those photos?” My reflexes turned around again to pay attention to the photos. My eyes moved quickly, impatient to see what surprise Bayu meant.

Either because I was too hasty looking or indeed Bayu was cheating on me, but I did not see anything strange about the photos.

“Good. It's okay if you don't see it. That's indeed a silly idea.” Bayu muttered sounds resigned.

I turned back to face him, just after that Bayu suddenly took out a small box of dark blue velvet from his pants pocket, then his legs moved and in an instant he was already kneeling before me.

I can't say anything. Shocked of course!

He's gonna propose to me? Any more?!

His hand moved open the box, there was a beautiful sparkle from within.

“Sorry, this decoration is a bit cliche.” He said, puffing for a while before continuing.

“Natasha, from today onwards, I look forward to holding your hand. You said I was protecting you, but I just wanted to always protect you like this all my life.” There was a pause that made my heart seem to go up into the windpipe.

“Natasha, I want to always be by your side, holding your hand, growing old together.” Now I feel my eyes heating up, his tone soft and solemn.

“Natasha, maybe I didn't look serious when I proposed to you that morning, you were so special to me, I should have given you a proposal that was never forgotten. In my heart, I have always taken you seriously and important, so Bayu's—” paused his words, I smiled little seeing him looking nervous.

“Natasha Icha Danendra, do you want to marry me?”

My heart beat so fast that my own ears could hear it, sweat soaked my palms and I barely knew how to breathe. My whole life has never felt like I was in a situation like this.

The soft cover of Christina Perri's song was still heard between us, the wind blew on our bodies and shook the branches of trees, photos, and balloons around us.

Time seemed to stop, I could hear my own heartbeat. A serious atmosphere like this suddenly reminded me of something.

“Before that, I want to ask you 3 things.”

“You really like me?”

“I love you.”

I smiled broadly at his answer.

“You know how my family is, I have two fathers, three mothers and 2 foster brothers.” For a moment, Bayu rolled his eyes thinking for a moment.

“Three moms—”

“My adoptive mother, my biological mother and Aunt Rose, she took me to tutoring at the same tutoring place you used to be, until we could meet. She's already I consider my mother.” I said remind.

“It's okay, if you marry me you will have three fathers, four mothers and 3 brothers.” We both laughed at each other.

“And lastly, I do not plan after marriage resign from my job.”

“OK. The important thing is you are happy.” The answer.

I couldn't stop smiling, even though my face was hot but I didn't want to be interrupted by this moment.

My feet moved closer to her, both of my hands holding her two hands that had been holding the velvet box ever since.

Bayu was still kneeling before me, his head looking up as I was already in front of him very close. I slightly lowered my head and a kiss landed on his forehead.

“I want.” My answer was a big smile.

This man smiled back at me, he then took out a small sparkling diamond there, dropped the box and immediately got up to his feet.

I just realized it was a silver necklace.

Bayu immediately put it on my neck. “You've given me the ring before.”

“I'm happy to spend my money just for you.” He said it sounded tickling.

Then his hand touched both of my cheeks, Bayu slightly lowered his head when his face was very close to mine. The two of us exchanged happy smiles, the breeze of the night pounding on our bodies and a gentle kiss landed on my forehead, continuing with him hugging me very tightly. Both of his hands wrapped me in warmth.

.

..

…

“Woahhh... I found it!”

“At first, I was a bit surprised too. Benny can indeed be as thorough as that.”

Right now, the two of us were sitting under a tree with lots of photos and jars filled with fireflies that had been removed from the branches around where we were sitting.

Bayu said that he actually meant for me to pay more attention to the hanging photo. At first I didn't understand, but after Bayu told me that in every photo we took from small to now, it was, there are several letters that are photographed either from the background or from the picture on the shirt that if put together will be combined into the word Merry Me.

“You think this is a coincidence? Or is it fate?” Tanyaku tease.

“Hmm.. I prefer to call it destiny?” I couldn't help but laugh seeing how Bayu answered with a small smile.

“But that sounds cliche. Looks like this is just a coincidence.”

“No no! Let's answer again this is destiny.” I said sulking to him.

Bayu. “Just a coincidence.”

I know he's teasing me. “Say destiny!”

“Hahaha. Just a coincidence.”

“Destiny!” I started letting my head rub his arms, reminding me of cats.

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