EMBRACE YOU: Presence & Poison
Episode 217's

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“A long time ago we did not collect like this huh.” Jeremy's grandfather told his friend, Alvaro's grandfather. The two old men threw happy laughs at each other.

“Finally we can be a whole family. I really didn't expect our granddaughter to be a match.” Grandpa Alvaro answered and glanced at me and Bayu at the end of the table, at a glance, everyone took a glance at us.

Bayu and I who had argued just looked at each other and looked back at Jeremy's grandfather. I know, the atmosphere between us is still awkward and confused as to how to start talking to him.

“Betul. Maybe from the beginning we were destined to be a family. I suddenly thought of Rose.” Grandpa Jeremy looked glum at the end of the sentence.

“Yes. Rose. She's a very nice woman. He's been quiet there.” Grandpa Alvaro replied. My eyes caught the sad expression of Evano's father, he had a look down before Aunt Renata slapped her hands softly.

“I heard a story from Kirana about Rose asking where tutoring was when the kids were small first.” This time Nella's grandmother made a sound. Everyone turned to look at Kirana.

“Betul. That was the beginning of their meeting, yes ‘kan, Bayu, Icha?” Mother glanced at us which made me a little surprised because it immediately got all the attention.

“Yaa.” Answer us both compact.

“You and Rose are very close, Cha?”

“Yes. Aunt Rose I consider my own mother. She is very kind and I love her very much.” I answered Jeremy's grandfather's question, smiling lightly and recalling Aunt Rose's figure. It feels so good that people here know and remember him.

“Rose is a very good woman. He even bequeathed all his possessions to Icha.” Nella's grandmother throws a bomb ready to explode at me.

“Err—Ya.”

“And you kindly asked all of Rose's relics to give to your foster mother.” As if he was really smearing the bomb, I looked at Grandma Nella who was still looking at me sharply, she was like challenging me answering in front of everyone.

“True. Anyway, my foster mom is still Aunt Rose's big sister, I think she deserves it more than me.” I answered confidently, still looking at Grandma Nella who immediately turned her gaze a little annoyed.

“How about we start eating it? I'm already hungry.” Bayu's voice distracts me. Everyone seemed to be interrupted and they nodded in agreement to Bayu's proposal.

I know, they all must have been quietly fixated because of the aura of debate that had emanated from me and Nella's grandmother.

When everyone was already busy with their food and their respective chatter, Bayu and I still remained silent, no one tried to start.

Alisya who is on the left side of Bayu is busy playing his phone so heed us, but not with uncle Kenzo. I know, it was like he was trying to start a conversation with me until my plate was almost finished, and then Uncle Kenzo looked at me completely.

“So, you guys are fighting?” Ask slowly, whispering to me.

I just nodded in response, not intending to lie when it was discovered.

“Well, it is common thing for each pair, ‘kan?”

“Yes. Ordinary thing that can never be used every time it happens.” I said. Apparently Bayu heard our conversation, he had glanced at me but did not comment.

“I remember first every time we fought, in the end he often said something that made our quarrel feel more valuable.” Uncle Kenzo said as his eyes daydreamed at his empty plate.

I looked at it fully, waiting for Uncle Kenzo's next words.

“He said, if you want to enjoy the rainbow, prepare to face the storm.” The words of this man beside me seemed to pull me away from the silence.

But my mind suddenly remembered my first meeting with Uncle Kenzo at the hospital.

“Uncle, err—I remember about in hospital. When you cry.” I said carefully.

Uncle Kenzo glanced at me and his little smile calmed me down.

“Yes. I failed to make a great first impression on my nephew.” He smiled gently.

“I don't understand.” I said honestly, this time completely ignoring the food in front of me, sipping drinking water, from the corner of my eyes, I saw uncle Kenzo frowning uncomprehendingly as well.

“What?”

“Uncle Kenzo and aunt Kenzie, you guys look really good to me.”

“And why should you question this?” Uncle Kenzo is still shrinking, not understanding.

“I mean, isn't it, usually people from business families and rich like the Danendra family, they'll be competing for treasure? With my arrival, it is possible that your position is threatened.” I whispered with emphasis, hoping that only Uncle Kenzo would hear it.

Yoke!

“Aww—Hei!” I turned around, glancing sharply at Bayu who had just knocked on my head with his finger.

“Sorry uncle, he watched too many dramas. He is always to the point, so—”

“Ha ha ha ha. Its alright. His nature to the point like this is indeed similar to my brother.”

“After we've been quiet from earlier, the first thing you did was hit my head??” I whispered to Bayu.

“So what do you expect from me, hm?”

“Sort of honesty? But I get it, we have our own space, so I appreciate your decision not to tell me, maybe it's better I don't know.” I said I was still upset and curious, but a dilemma because I didn't want to force it.

“Why do you think that? I'm guessing you gave up on making him tell the truth.” Ask uncle Kenzo.

I turned to look at him and answered. “I do not give up, precisely because love is not a strap or a trapping net, let our story be infinite space of motion. We have our own world. We also have the world together.”

Uncle Kenzo looked silent but his eyes were unfocused, like he was thinking hard.

I turned back to look at Bayu sharp who was also both still thinking, the behavior of these two men was exactly the same, being busy with each other's thoughts.

“Hey, what happened?” The voice of the woman behind me surprised me a little. When I turned around, Aunt Kenzie was bowing beside my shoulder, between me and Uncle Kenzo. It was only realized that the men at the dining table had finished eating and were now moving into the front room.

“I saw you guys were having a nice chat, but why did Kenzo get quiet like this? He rarely had to think hard like this.” Aunt Kenzie continued with a satisfied grin.

Getting a head bobble from me in response, this woman's forehead frown deepened. But the silence was broken when the voice of Rasha's father shouted from the front living room, calling Bayu to come to him.

Bayu blinked a few times then immediately stood up, before he left, this man had a chance to glance at me and look at me directly. No words came out of the two of us.

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