Memory Of Love
The Part 23
After hearing the words from Steve, Casey just shook his head, holding back a smile.
"Do you think I'm just kidding?" steve asked, smiling broadly.
"Yes." Yeah." Casey finally laughed.
"Casey...! Do you have a lover?" ask Steve.
"No, yet" Casey replied, shaking her head.
"I've only been a few weeks, I can go back to real life. And haven't had time to think about a lover" Casey continued.
"Whatchu mean? Did something bad happen to you?" steve asked, looking curious.
"Hm ... It can be said that way. Something happened to me, which was a waste of my time, about two years" Casey replied, forcing himself to smile.
"Is it that bad?" Steve seemed to link his eyebrows together, while looking at Casey fixedly. "Do you want to tell me?"
"That's not interesting. Do you still want to listen to him?" Casey.
"Try it!" steve, who seemed to be waiting for Casey to tell him.
Casey then told about the incident, to make him have to be hospitalized, to Steve.
Steve seemed to listen to all the words from Casey, carefully and without the slightest interrupting.
When Casey finished speaking, Steve said,
"I don't know if you've just been through something so bad. I'm sorry...."
"It's not your fault, you don't have to apologize" Casey said.
Steve then pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket, and seemed to notice the display on his phone screen, for a while.
"Casey...! Let's see this!" Steve showed Casey the screen of his phone.
There, a brief message is sent by Steve, to Casey's old contact number, marked almost the same time, with Casey's accident.
"You're sending me a message?" ask Casey.
Casey was quite surprised, seeing Steve could try to contact him first.
Because usually, Casey will contact Steve first, then they continue their communication.
"At that time, I suddenly had a dream about you. But I'm worried about the possibility, that I'm just bothering you, if I call you first....
...I waited all day, the next day. But because you still did not contact me, so I ventured, to send you a message....
... But when I saw that my message wasn't sent, I thought that you didn't want to be in contact with me anymore, to the point that you changed your contact number" Steve replied.
"Right now, after I find out what really happened to you, I'm really sorry. Because I should, I don't think badly of you. I'm sorry," continued Steve.
"Hm ... I don't know what to say" Casey said, smiling broadly, and almost laughing.
"But I was curious. Why do you think I don't want to be in touch with you anymore?" continued Casey.
"Casey...! To be honest, I still don't believe that I can stay on good terms with you. Given how we were when we were in college" Steve said.
"Ugh? ... Whatchu mean? Isn't our friendship okay?" ask Casey.
"Hm ... I feel that you only feel sorry for me, so you want to be friends with me. Even to this day, I still worry about it" replied Steve.
"Oh, gosh! ... Steve! ... I'm happy to be friends with you, and not based on pity....
... I even admire your ability and intelligence. So, never again do you think that way" Casey said.
Steve was silent for some time, staring fixedly at Casey.
"Please! ... Do you still not believe? I even invited you to visit me....
... While my other friends, it has never got a call from me," Casey said, stressing his statement.
"Thank you ... Your words are quite comforting" said Steve.
"Geez! ... So, you think I'm just entertaining you? ... Hmphh! ... You'll try asking my Grandpa, or Lionel...,
... are there any of my other friends from the university, whom I have invited to visit. You are the first, and the only," Casey said.
Steve then smiled widely, then said,
"Now! ... I believe you!"
"It should be so. Because you will only offend me, if you still think nothing of me" Casey said, smiling.
***
Upon Casey and Steve's return to Casey's study, without lingering, Casey continued to do his work.
Steve, meanwhile, seemed engrossed in reading the book inside Casey's study, until he fell asleep on the couch.
Although Casey is done with his work, Casey does not have the heart to wake Steve, who seems to be asleep quite soundly.
So Casey remained in his study, by reading various data on his computer.
Crossed Casey's mind, about the conversation he had with Steve, on the rooftop.
It was quite surprising for Casey, because Steve could dream about her, when Casey was not doing well.
And plus, Casey can't imagine, how people like Steve, who for several years was in an unhealthy social environment, can have low self-confidence.
But fortunately, Steve can survive, and can even become someone who succeeds, with his intellectual abilities.
Casey's office door is knocked on, then opened, disperse Casey's daydream, and make Casey immediately signal to Lionel who is seen there, so as not to make a fuss.
Walking slowly, Lionel walked over to Casey's desk, then said,
"Is your job not done yet? In a minute, lunch break."
As he spoke, Lionel seemed to turn his head towards the sofa, where Steve was still asleep there.
"My work is done" Casey replied, then turned off the computer. "I'm just looking through the old files."
"He makes me feel jealous" Lionel said.
"Ugh?" Casey didn't understand what Lionel meant.
Lionel pointed with a movement of his eyes towards Steve.
"His face is handsome, his body shape is good, still coupled with a smart brain," said Lionel, shaking his head.
"He's the one who got bullied for being close to you? Or vice-versa? You're the one who's bullied" continued Lionel, then put on a mocking smile.
Casey raised her eyes towards Lionel. "You think I'm a liar?"
"Pffit...!" Lionel laughed restrainedly, then walked up to Casey in his study chair. "The answer is honest! ... He's an interesting guy, isn't he?"
"Hey! ... Are you sure you're not a same-sex person?" casey said, intending to reply to Lionel's taunts.
Quickly, Lionel, who looked anxious, pinched Casey's cheek, without Casey avoiding him again.
"Auch!" Casey whimpered in pain, while brushing Lionel's hand off his face.
"He has changed a lot. I didn't even recognize him when I picked him up at the airport" Casey said.
Right after Casey finished speaking, Steve seemed to move, then sat down straight, then looked towards Casey.
With his eyes still soft, Steve, who looked wrong, then said,
"I'm sorry ... Looks like I overslept."
"It's okay" said Casey, then stood up from his seat, and walked up to Steve.
"If you are still sleepy, go to sleep first! ... But maybe it'll be better if we go to lunch first" Casey said.
"Okay!" steve then stood up from the sofa, then returned the book he had read earlier, to its original place.
"We usually eat lunch only in the office cafeteria. Do you want us to eat out?" casey told Steve.
"No need to go outside" said Steve. "I could have met Oscar, right?"
"Okay!" casey said, then immediately walked out of his study, together with Lionel and Steve.
***
Inside the cafeteria, Casey, Lionel, Steve and Oscar sat at the same table.
While enjoying lunch, those who talk, sometimes laugh together, when there are silly stories in the past, which are raised into discussion by them there.
But at that time, Casey felt as if someone was staring at him, until Casey then floated his gaze, went around every corner in the cafeteria, and finally found Aaron.
Aaron, who was sitting alone at a separate table, was staring at Casey.
And so did Julie who did the same, even though she was sitting at one of the tables, which were not far from Aaron.
Well then, according to Casey, Aaron and Julie mean still not make up.
"What's wrong?" asked Steve, who was sitting right next to Casey.
"There's nothing ... I was just looking around at the other officers" Casey said, smiling.
"Hm ... Casey! Can I ask you something personal?" steve asked, sounding cautious.
"What do you want to ask?" Casey asked back.
"Your relationship with the CEO, is it just a working relationship?" ask Steve.
"Yes" answered Casey. "Why?"
"Hm ... He was staring at us, and he seemed unhappy" replied Steve, pointing at Aaron with his eyes.
"It's okay ... No need to think about. He doesn't like me" Casey said.