HEART
Soto Lamongan's

It was two o'clock in the morning and Psyche was still sitting there staring at Adam lying on the couch. He was awake even though not a bit of caffeine had been gulped.

The vibration of the black phone that was on the table made his focus shifted. If it doesn't belong to Adam, then Psyche will ignore it. But it rings too often. And this time I don't know how many times.

Hearing the man's subtle breath and his two tightly shut eyes, Psyche made no need to worry as she grabbed the man's cell phone.

With the keywords he had memorized it was not difficult to find some neglected calls and messages on behalf of Miranda.

Psyche doesn't express anything. Even when he found a row of messages that he never expected.

"Why not pick up my phone, Adam?"

Scrolls.

"About your question in the car, I kept thinking about it."

Scrolls.

"Are you starting to get distracted with our relationship?"

Scrolls.

"Then, I'd better be honest, right?"

Scrolls.

"I'm sorry I—"

Scrolls.

"I love you, Adam."

Psyche stared at the last message for quite a while. Miranda is still a woman, no matter how sick she is for her failures in the past will not make her deterred to love.

Like the inline lyrics to the song—pain is just the consequence of love. No one really wants to love anymore, they just don't want to get hurt. But wounds are a consequence of love. They will never be separated.

And what makes a person endure in love is not his folly, but the sincerity to accept every consequence.

Psyche will teach Miranda another lesson. About love and its consequences.

So, he deleted all the messages and the history of the missed calls from the woman.

He smiled bitterly. Adam once again for a long time.

The man's frustration was conveyed in his rough and hurried kiss until his lips were reddened and swollen. Then on his neck there are also some purplish red marks that will not disappear for the next few days.

Adam a few hours ago was a stranger. But he was happy because what made Adam become like that was the same reason—which made him a terrible figure.

He loved Psyche and now the man loves her too. Adam thought things would break even after his feelings were reciprocated and Adam knelt under his feet to start things over.

But it's not all that easy. His revenge for all the ill-treatment of Adam who had stepped on his pride as a woman was not over.

There are other factors that make things even more complicated.

"You've made me like this, then I won't let you go so easily." The words of Adam after his kiss a few hours ago still ring clearly in memory. With a glare, the man continued, "Come back to me. I'm not asking for—I'm telling you, Psyche."

The man's body collapsed before him. Kneeling with his head down and made Psyche think that Adam was really drunk.

But, just before Psyche reached for Adam's body to stand up, the man spoke again, "Don't leave me. Don't make me suffer like this."

Adam held both hands that were about to grab the man and stood up straight. His head looked up at the dim ceiling.

"Why... Should I listen to you?"

"Because you love me." Adam shook his head weakly. His tone was bitter and weak. "No. Because we love each other."

Psyche kneads her temples slowly. A few hours ago it was something like a dream. Even as he had predicted everything, he still could not believe that Adam could easily kneel beneath him.

But not only that, although Psyche had glazed over Adam's words, she denied that something wet under her feet was her tears.

.

.

.

"You awake?"

When he opened his eyes, Adam found Psyche standing before him with a tray of milk and pancakes.

Adam quickly shuffled, just then he realized that a thick blanket had just slid off his body.

"What time is this?" The man grabbed the phone and found it was not alive when pressed. Looks like it's running out of battery.

"Half eight. Whether you want to work or not." Psyche put the tray on the table. "I'm leaving soon, it's gonna be a problem if somebody sees us out together."

Adam noticed the neat Psyche with a work suit and a fragrant body scent. Did Psyche change her perfume? The smell was different from when he decided that day. Also, he found no trace of his treatment last night when he noticed Psyche's neck.

"I work. We're leaving together."

Psyche glanced at Adam for a moment before turning around and grabbing his briefcase. "I don't want to argue with you, Adam."

"Then don't refuse. I've knelt under your feet as you wish."

"We go together. Wait for me below."

.

.

.

Jacob was stunned when Miranda was standing in the elevator that he was about to enter. The man smiled slightly before standing beside Miranda until the elevator door closed.

"I didn't see your cousin. You're usually gonna stick to it all day."

His cousin, always his cousin...

Jacob grinned. "I thought he was with you all night."

Miranda glanced at the man with her eyes tails. "Don't get me wrong, he just drove me home."

"Well, as what?" Jacob asked sarcastically.

Miranda licked her own lips. As relatives, Jacob and Adam both had sharp tongues. But Jacob had a different level to Adam.

"I don't think that's any of your business. But whatever it is you want to look at it like."

The conversation in the elevator was long for Miranda. But unlike him, Jacob seemed to enjoy those moments.

"Sometimes I'm amazed at your attitude that doesn't care about other people's views. But, on the other hand I feel sorry for you."

Miranda melengos's. He swallowed with difficulty. Although it was just the two of them there, somehow he felt claustrophobic.

"You're always by his side, but you're always taking refuge behind his lovers."

Miranda said, "Stop that word."

But as if deaf, Jacob continued, "Stop, Miranda. Look around you, even though you look fine, I know you're as hurt as the woman who ended up with Adam."

"I said stop!" Miranda gasps. He looked at Jacob with guts. "What's wrong with you today?! You're such a bitch!"

As the elevator door opened, Miranda rushed out of the box. But Jacob quickly held back his hand, dragging him into a deserted corridor and pinning his body against the wall.

Both breaths are puffed.

"You approached me to make Adam jealous of me." Jacob was in front of him with a sharp look he had just seen. "You think I'm gonna let you treat me as you please after all this?"

Miranda's body is getting pushed against the wall and Jacob's breath has touched part of his cheek.

"Stop paying attention to him, he doesn't love you, Miranda."

A pair of eyes that often displayed an emerald-colored soot was closed. He did not want to hear anything more, even though he knew very well what reality was like.

"Take me off."

"will not. Not after you hurt me."

"Who hurt you..." The sound shocked both of them. "... Jacob?"

Miranda squeaks. It was Adam's voice. The man could not be seen because he was blocked by Jacob's body which was bigger than him.

Jacob snorted softly before releasing his grip on Miranda. The man turned around and found Adam staring at him with a frown.

"Mirishou?"

No. gabe. The man looked towards Miranda.

"What are you doing here?" Adam looked at them with a suspicious look. And Jacob also just realized that Psyche was behind the man.

"There's nothing." Jacob glanced at Miranda with both hands hidden in his pants pocket. "Just play around, there's no need to throw a murderous gaze like that, Adam."

Jacob directed his grin at Psyche. "If I can't take this one, what if it's the woman behind you?"

This time it was Miranda who noticed the presence of the woman. Seeing Adam coming in with Psyche felt so impossible for him.

They've broken up. That's certain. And Psyche also seemed to hate Adam when she saw his eyes last time.

Did they just happen to cross paths there?

Adam grunting. His sharp gaze was strewn with a meaningful flickering cast by Jacob.

"Omong empty!" The man passed through his body with quick steps and echoed along the corridor.

Adam thinks Jacob doesn't know anything to do with Psyche. Also like-minded Miranda— follows Adam by constantly calling his name.

Jacob laughed blandly as he glanced at Psyche. "See those two guys? They're both pathetic, aren't they?"

"Yes. And we're more pathetic for loving those two pathetic people."

Psyche stared at their departure with tightly clenched lips.

Why does everything still look painful?