I'm Not My Boss' Storage
Wine Tasting and So on

when I first visited Saint Emilion, Ishaan had not reached the age of six. Her parents are still together, while Tanisha is celebrating her eighth birthday. The visit also brought Ishaan to meet Albert, his maternal uncle.

“My nephew, welcome!” Albert stretched out his arms to embrace Ishaan. “So long ago—when did you last stop by here? After graduating S2, huh? Four or five years ago.”

“I was going on vacation here, uh pandemic resilience.” Ishaan looked back. Towards Agni who was staring at them in confusion. “Uncle, I brought my assistant here. Name's Agni. She was the one who accompanied me during a business trip in Europe.”

“Hello, Agni. It's great to meet Indonesians here,” Albert said while greeting the girl. “Mari, I'll take you to my house. Have you guys had lunch?”

On the train, Ishaan and Agni only eat cinnamon roll for the stomach wedge. An hour's drive from Bordeaux to Saint Emilion is passed without stopping by a cafe or restaurant. So of course, the invitation to lunch from Albert became the best hungry traveler, especially Ishaan knows his uncle who is good at cooking Indonesian food.

Albert's house, on the third floor, is on the edge of the vineyard. Ishaan often spends his time looking at the farmers who take care of the wine from upstairs. In autumn, the atmosphere is more crowded. Everyone will soon rejoice in celebrating the satisfying harvest, then feast until night.

“Sorry, yes, Agni, here if the shower must be changed.” Albert handed the room keys to Ishaan and Agni upon arriving on the third floor. “I'm going to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Enjoy your time in Saint Emilion!”

After Albert passed, Ishaan and Agni sat silently. The girl smiled awkwardly, then docked into her bedroom. “I go in first, Mr.”

“Call name only,” pinta Ishaan. “We are here to take a walk, not to make a business meeting. It's also strange that you mention me master in front of my uncle.”

“Good, I'm sorry.” Then, Agni went into the room.

Ishaan put the key into the door hole. Before stepping inside, he glanced for a moment at Agni's room. Although she will only spend one night in Saint Emilion, Ishaan wants Agni to have the best experience in this favorite place.

*

The smell of fried pufferfish and water bubbling greeted Ishaan as he descended into the kitchen located on the ground floor. Albert, while humming a little, was busy arranging dishes containing appetizing food. One thing that surprised Ishaan the most was Agni who was helping her uncle stir something in the pot.

“Sit, Ishaan,” the uncle patted the chair he always occupied when he stopped by the house. “Agni has come down from earlier. Once I found out I was cooking lodeh vegetables, he immediately offered help.”

Ishaan's eyebrows lifted. “Sayur lodeh? The recipe is Mama or Bu Ajeng?”

“Bu Ajeng's. Got your mom,” Albert ducked to whisper something to Ishaan, “too bland.”

“I said to Mama, you know,” seloroh Ishaan. But he agreed with Albert. His mother can cook, just not yet able to keep up with Bu Ajeng or ART at Tanisha's house.

“By the way about your mother, she was able to play here last week. Two days stay.” Albert took out a large bowl to fill the lodeh vegetable. “For inspiration, he said. Let win the project tender from Dubai.” people

“Seriously? It's a shame I just met Mama next week, fitting the schedule in Barcelona is in order.” From his chair, Ishaan observed Albert and Agni moving the lodeh vegetable into a bowl. They look familiar to two people who just know each other.

Then, Albert hinted Agni sitting on the chair opposite Ishaan, then put the bowl in the middle of the table. “All dishes are ready. Let's start lunch!”

For a few minutes, there was only the pleasure of three people in the kitchen. After weeks of eating cheese and milk-rich foods, and only occasionally eating Asian specialties, Ishaan finally met again the spices and savory taste familiar to his tongue. Albert perfected the lunch by brewing jasmine tea from dried leaves and flowers.

“Uncle, can I and Agni take a walk around the garden?” From the kitchen window, a stretch of yellowish-brown foliage seemed to call Ishaan out. “You guys try the wine that Uncle told you about the other day.”

“Ya, yes, please. I keep the wine in the pavilion.”

Agni. “I don't drink alcohol..”.

“Quiet, Agni. There is non-alcoholic wine also to try,” said Albert who immediately published a smile of relief on Agni's face. “So anyone can wine tasting in my garden without the need to worry about alcohol content.”

“Good, then, I wash dishes—”

“Lho, you know, who told you to do the dishes?” Albert stared intently at Ishaan who was about to get out of the chair. “Ishaan, you clean up. Agni helped me prepare lunch. After that, you can go around the garden.”

Ishaan grunts sebal. For the sake of spending a day as beautiful as this in Saint Emilion, he was willing to be a baby for a while in his uncle's kitchen.

**

Floral dress that Shia gave as a birthday gift finally used as well. Its soft and cool material falls perfectly on Agni's skin. Not to mention the two pockets on the sides of the skirt that allow it to store the phone without the need to carry a bag.

I finished washing the dishes, the message from Ishaan who just got into the phone read. I'll wait for you at the kitchen door, yeah.

After putting on the strap sandals, Agni went down the stairs to the kitchen. On the doorstep, Ishaan, wearing a white shirt and khaki-colored shorts, stands on his back. As if noticing Agni's presence, the man turned around and smiled wryly.

“Come, Agni. Let’s have some wine.”

*

From a distance, the vineyard Albert managed looked like a tea garden. The difference is, the vine trees are higher, the leaves have changed color as autumn approaches. Behind the foliage, purplish-blue wines pop. Imagining the taste and texture alone makes Agni drool first.

“You try?” Ishaan pointed at the wine in the nearby tree. “We should stop by next week at harvest time, so we can join metik.”

“No need, Uncle Albert will be angry if he knows there is a lost wine.”

“She's the same story you?” guess Ishaan. Actually, Agni is just a chirp. “My uncle's soul really fused together this garden. When I was a kid, I used to pick one, one, Agni. One grape. But he knew and punished me for cleaning the kitchen at the end of the holiday period.”

It turned out that Albert was as disciplined as Agni had expected. “Mmh, sorry, what... does Uncle Albert live alone? From earlier, I did not see his wife or son.”

“He's still single.” Ishaan's answer surprised Agni. “Sometimes, I wonder why she's not married or dating someone. Just, yeah, disinclined. He's my uncle, but he's got privacy I need to respect.”

The next minutes passed in small talk. From discussing the workweek, favorite locations during a tour of Europe, to the Indonesian food they want to try from Albert. So excited was the chatter, Agni and Ishaan did not realize that they had reached the top of the hill where the pavilion stood.

“Ladies first,” Ishaan let Agni in. The size of the pavilion is small, but the use of glass on a number of sides managed to give the impression of spacious on the inside. In addition to the central space intended to entertain guests, there is a room and mini kitchen that complements the function of the building.

“Honestly, I've never tried non-alcoholic wine.” Ishaan brought a bottle of wine and two glasses from the bar. “So, I'll accompany you to make a tasting.”

A deep red liquid filled the bottom of the glass in front of Agni. His first experience tasted wine directly in his farmyard. Ishaan sat down after filling up the glass, then shone it at the girl.

“Let’s have a toast. For a business trip that is soon completed,” invite Ishaan. Embarrassed, Agni raised the glass, then directed it at Ishaan's glass until a clanking sound was heard. “Cheers!”

At the initial intake, Agni smokes sour and sweet. A little tangy, but did not make his tongue startled. Then, Agni took a sip once more while looking for the right vocabulary to describe the pleasant sensations that flowed through her body.

“At least bland for me,” Ishaan commented. “Perhaps because I often drink alcohol.”

“If for me... yummy,” Agni chimed. “Taste quality usually reflects production quality. Uncle Albert would never half-take care of his garden.”

“The real business. Therefore, if you stop here I will discuss strategy or business inspiration even though our fields are different.” Ishaan took the bottle of wine and brandished it. “You added?”

While enjoying the next glasses, Agni and Ishaan surrounded the pavilion, then stopped at the window overlooking the garden. Looking at the golden glint of sun-scattered leaves.

“Tuan—”

“Agni—”

Agni was surprised because they were talking together. Then, he hinted Ishaan to finish his sentence first.

“No, you go first,” Ishaan. “What do you want to say?”

“Umh, sir instead of checking other wines here?”

Ishaan fell silent, then his mouth formed an O. “Yes, only it can be taken care of later. There are more important things I want to ask you.”

For some reason, Agni was nervous to hear it. “What is it?”

Ishaan took the glass from Agni's hand, then put it on the counter with his empty glass. Jemarinya then cupped Agni's face and without long guessing, Agni knew what things Ishaan wanted to ask.

This time, Agni was lazily waiting. As their distance narrows, he pulls Ishaan's shirt collar, then tucks in his lips.

***