RUN WITH ME
CHAPTER 10: GETTING CLOSER

"That was so spectacular!" Gavin smiled widely when he heard that from Arunika's mouth. The woman praised him all-out, as well as Cassandra but not too ignored by Gavin.

"Very well played, feel honored to watch it live." Cassandra praised for the third time, finally Gavin returned with a faint smile.

"Thank you." There was a red tinge on Cassandra's cheeks so she lowered her head, not wanting Gavin to see. Arunika who has since noticed Cassandra's behavior just smiled understandably.

After successfully neutralizing her heartbeat, Cassandra was ready to open her mouth again, but a servant suddenly came and whispered a short sentence to her. Hearing that Cassandra felt disappointment and gave a small smile to the two people in front of her.

"It's a pity that our conversation should end here, my parents are calling." Only then did Arunika and Gavin understand the change in the look of the face. Arunika gave Cassandra a look as if to say, there are still many opportunities to approach Gavin so that he does not have to worry. The gaze was able to give peace in Cassandra's heart so that she finally resigned herself, while Gavin only lowered his head once with a thin smile when the woman left.

After the back was felt far away, Arunika gave a confused look to the man next to her, then placed his right hand on his waist and head was shaken to the left, "what is the matter with you? Bad mood?" Now Gavin is confused about Arunika's question.

"meaning?"

"Why are you so cold to Cassandra?" Gavin raised both his shoulders indifferently, "i'm just not comfortable with the SKSD guy, you don't realize he's tried several times to hold my hand?"

"He was just trying to be friendly, Gavin," Arunika argued which made Gavin speechless and stared in both of Arunika's bright brown neutrals. In his heart Gavin suspected that Arunika did not realize the implied intent of the woman so he again raised both shoulders.

"When he tries to be friendly or not, I still feel uncomfortable."

"Then why didn't you feel the same way when you first met me? I think my SKSD attitude is worse than her." Gavin was silent at the question. It was a question that Gavin also did not know the answer to, whereas Arunika was still waiting for an answer from him.

Gavin looked back at Arunika, then smiled mischievously, "Run, want to get some fresh air?" Arunika's eyebrows swooped in to hear the offer, clearly Gavin was trying to divert the conversation.

"You want ... Oi! I'm not done talking!" Before Arunika managed to finish her sentence, Gavin grasped Arunika's right hand and pulled her gently. Inevitably Arunika's body moves following Gavini's steps. Arunika continues to scout Gavin with questions, but Gavin has no intention of retaliating.

Gavin opened the door that was placed in the backstage, and, no one there—entah go where the staff who should be standing around the stage— while the invited guests are still busy talking so they are not aware of their movements. Instantly a long and wide hallway was plastered in front of Arunika's face. When the door was firmly closed, Gavin let go of his grasp, while Arunika distanced herself from the man.

"Why are we here?" tanya Arunika looked suspiciously at Gavin who was already a few steps in front of her, while she was still standing near the door.

"Finding some fresh air" Gavin replied as he slowly pushed through one of the many doors in the hallway and locked it so that he walked back to the other door, and did the same. In fact, the answer has not been able to assuage Arunika's suspicions.

"How can we get some fresh air here? Here is just a hallway with dozens of doors that go nowhere." After saying that, Gavin pushed open his fifth door. Gavin stared complacently at Arunika. Gavin is aware of the suspicions that Arunika has and he acknowledges them, it is more strange that a woman does not feel suspicious when she is in the position.

Gavin made a hand gesture that invited Arunika to get closer, it took a while for Arunika to dare to approach and the man seemed willing to wait as long as Arunika wanted. Slowly Arunika approached and when the distance was only two steps left, Gavin ignorantly pushed Arunika slowly.

"Gavin!" arunika shouted while trying to balance her body, while the one called out only laughed loudly while closing the door behind her. Then he walked over and stood beside Arunika who was looking at him sharply.

"Look, pretty, right?" Sontak Arunika turned her gaze forward and sure enough, a spacious courtyard filled with various kinds of flowers instantly spoiled her eyes. Arunika's eyes widened and both her hands covered part of her face, completely amazed at the sight.

"Very pretty. Know where this place is from?" arunika asked as she walked closer to the flowers, wanting to see them more clearly. Gavin tied his hands behind his waist and looked at Arunika's already crouched back.

"When I walked onto the stage, I saw the waiter enter the door we first entered. Since the door was left closed on its own, I could see the waiter open this door and disappear. So, I was thinking, maybe this door is the servant's exit. But, I didn't expect that there was such a good view, but the plan was that I just wanted to take you in for a breath of fresh air and as it turns out, we got a bonus." Obviously Gavin with a big smile on his face.

Arunika smiled, then refocused attention on the flowers in front of her. Suddenly a suit was draped over his shoulder, covering his upper body as a result of his shirt being off-shoulder type. Arunika glanced at Gavin who was crouching next to her, then put the suit on her body.

"Thanks." -." Gavin just stood still and looked at the flower that Arunika touched.

Silence filled the atmosphere between Adam and Eve, but it was not a disturbing silence, but a silence that made both of them feel comfortable. Without Arunika realizing—because too focused with flowers—Gavin occasionally glances at her and smiles small.

"I don't think I've said this yet." The silence was finally broken by Gavin's heavy and deep voice. Arunika turned her head small, waiting for the continuation of the sentence of the man next to her.

"You look great in these burgundy dresses." Gavin's voice shrank at the end of the sentence, but Arunika could still hear him. Silence became his reaction, not expecting Gavin to praise his performance. Not knowing what to reply to, Arunika could only thank him with the look he directed back at the flowers in front of him clumsily. Of course Gavin caught the unusual behavior and could only chuckle slowly. He saw a new side of Arunika.

"When did you start playing music?" A question came out of Arunika's mouth, the woman felt she had to open the conversation so that Gavin's praise did not continue to ring in her head.

Gavin paused for a moment, thinking about the answer. "I think from four years old."

"The first musical instrument you learned?"

"Guitar." A new fact Arunika got about the man.

"How long did you study guitar?" ask Arunika back.

"One month." Arunika's eyes widened to hear that, but soon her face returned to its original state, "of course so, if not, how could you possibly be said to be the smartest of musicians your age." Gavin chuckled at hearing that.

"Then what musical instrument do you like best?" Arunika again gave a question, making Gavin feel like he was being interviewed. But he still answered.

"It's stupid that I asked that question, but it was clear when you played it earlier. Change the question," Arunika muttered to herself while gently patting her forehead. Again and again, Gavin could only laugh.

"I'll just give you two questions, okay? Since when did you learn piano and why do you like it?" Without waiting for Gavin's reply to his request to give two questions, Arunika immediately asked curiously.

Hearing the question, Gavin was silent for a while, then placed his head on his two arms that used his knees as a pedestal with his head facing right, leading to Arunika. Unknowingly Arunika also did the same thing in the opposite direction. Since their squatting position was only one inch away, the two people could clearly see each other's faces. Gavin looked at the Arunika's eyes, which were adorned with bright brown eyes with their plump fur, showing a dominant firm impression, but Gavin could also catch a soft impression in them. Not much different from Arunika who also stared at the blue netra, able to make him drift in it.

After looking at Arunika—'s face with the same position, Gavin replied, "I started learning piano after mastering guitar. At first I learned because of the demands to continue the generation of family classical music games and strangely, people always praised me, even though I felt I never put feelings in my game. All I'm showing you is technique." Arunika lets Gavin tell a story with herself who listens intently.

"Then there was one person who woke me up, my mother." A longing smile appeared on Gavin's face, making Arunika smile.

"My mom used to say, even though I didn't realize it and always said that all I showed was technique, my piano game always had feelings in it. I didn't know what he meant so he asked me what I thought when I played the piano. I replied, all the effort I put in to master that one piece and my feelings when playing it. That's where I realized, my mother's words were true. Funnily enough, my mother once said that my smile after playing was the widest of all the smiles I've ever shown." Gavin ended his speech with a small ruckus.

"And your mother's words were right" replied Arunika who made one eyebrow of Gavin rise.

"Your widest smile comes after playing." Clarify Arunika while standing from her squat, her legs start to cramp. Gavin followed the woman's actions, then patted her thighs and butt slowly.

"Why can you say that? Have you seen all my smiles?" gavin asked with a seductive smile. Arunika clucked in annoyance and hit her arm softly.

"Because I've told myself, how about now it's time for you to tell me?" Arunika smiled knots and looked at the sky above her while tightening Gavin's suit on her body, the wind started to blow fiercely.

"I have nothing to tell," Arunika casually replied. Gavin nodded in disagreement.

"Then I'll do the same." Arunika glanced and snorted softly, "please."

"Are you really smart from childhood?"

"No, I've scheduled a lot of courses since childhood."

"From age?"

Arunika weighed his answer by counting in his head, "I think from the age of eight, but before being regularly included in the course, I've been taught independently by my father and mother since the age of five in their free time." Gavin was a little surprised to hear that.

"What did you learn at such a young age?" Arunika raised both of her shoulders indifferently, "i forgot, but it seems about the main organs of humans." The man there could only be speechless, Arunika chuckled at the reaction.

"Just like you, it's all because of family demands. My family has long been known as a family of qualified doctors, which is why it is here like there is an unwritten rule that being a doctor is the only job we can have. If you dream of another job, then you should be ready to be forced to like medicine or kicked out of the family."

"Have it?" Arunika nodded, "although it seems to follow the times, my family's mindset is still ancient, actually" he continued, chuckling.

"Then, is becoming a doctor your dream?" gavin asked again while staring at the woman who had only been looking at the star-dotted sky and the moon above her.

Arunika raised both shoulders, "well, until now I did not know I wanted to be a doctor or not, but if asked to think about things other than being a doctor also never could. So for now, I'm just letting myself get carried away." Gavin also nodded in understanding.

Before long a long vibration was heard, Arunika knew it was not hers because the bag in her hand did not shake at all. When he looked at Gavin, the man had already stuck his smartphone in the ear.

"Run, it looks like we have to go back to the ballroom" Gavin said as he pocketed the rectangular object.

"Why? Called to go home?" Gavin nodded with a lethargic face, "my brother was suddenly fussy and kept calling his mother." Although Arunika feels awkward with the word "his mother", he does not want to cross the line and focuses more on small facts about Gavin.

Arunika nudged softly her hand, "you should tell your sister sometime." Gavin quickly mutilated.

"You still want to be here?" Arunika nodded slowly.

"Alright, the exit is the same as we entered earlier. Be careful, if you meet suspicious people immediately run or scream, you can also directly contact me."

Arunika snorted, "yes, take it, go there." Gavin laughed at the new call, then walked quickly to the door.

Before long Arunika realized that Gavin's suit was still on her shoulder, "Vin! The jas?" his yell.

"You just take it first and give it back Monday tomorrow, or you want to keep it is fine." After saying that, Gavin's figure disappeared from behind the door. Arunika exhaled softly while smiling. Then he turned his face back to the flower garden, then with his eyes closed inhaled a deep breath and let out slowly.

"This is the only reason I'm still here."

...⁕⁕⁕...