Ryanthi: Sweet Cake, Bitter Reality
● TWENTY-SIX : The Stare of an Adrian

Adrian continued to watch the girl who was busy tearing the tissue sheet in front of him. Wipes that were once fully filled, now only leave a few sheets. Whether you realize it or not, when Ryanthi does just that. However, Adrian knows that the beautiful girl is not okay.

A while passed, Ryanthi was still engrossed in what he was doing. He seemed to be unaware, that there was a man who had been watching himself while sipping coffee. Ryanthi just stopped, when the tissue in the box was completely used up. He was stunned, then looked at Adrian.

"It's okay. Later I ask the waiter to bring more, until you are satisfied," said Adrian calmly, before sipping his coffee again.

Ryanthi. Instantly, he turned his eyes back, as he saw the pile of tissues had already filled part of the table. Some even fell on the floor near his feet. Ryanthi turned back to Adrian who still looked calm.

"Let the waiter take care of it" said Adrian casually.

Ryanthi did not obey Adrian. He immediately went down to the bottom of the table, to pick up all the tissues on the floor. It drew the attention of those at the table next to them.

Realizing that the girl is in the limelight, Adrian immediately tells Ryanthi to sit down again. He slightly pulled the girl's arm.

Ryanthi understands what Adrian means. He intends to sit back. Nahas, his head hit the end of the table quite hard.

Adrian patted his forehead. He shook his head many times, looking at Ryanthi's ridiculous behavior. The girl was busy rubbing her painful head.

A moment later, Adrian raised his hand. He called one of the waiters to clean up all the torn tissue.

"Please tidy up and get me a new one" he asked

The waiter nodded politely, as he passed to the back, having previously cleared the table first.

Adrian saw the empty coffee cup. The man let out a long sigh, looking around the place. However, his attention turned back to Ryanthi. "Happy?" tanyanya opened the conversation.

Ryanthi looked up while brushing the hair that covered part of the face, then tidied it up. He looked at the recharged tissue box.

Adrian seemed to understand. He shifted the tissue box in front of Ryanthi. The girl looked over and moved the tissue box away. "Enough. I'm satisfied" said Ryanthi, who looked calmer this time.

"I told you that we should just swim in my place" Adrian said.

"We've been here long enough. From then on, I felt like I was in a meeting room," continued Adrian with a disappointed face.

"I told you that today I don't want to talk to anyone" Ryanthi replied. "I'm in a mess" said the girl so quietly, that it was almost inaudible to Adrian, because he didn't respond. Adrian was busy with messages on his phone.

"How did we suddenly meet?"

Adrian takes his eyes off the phone screen and turns briefly to Ryanthi. After that, he returned to his cell phone screen. "Who can guess what will happen. I also don't know how to suddenly meet you" he replied.

"remarkable. You even know that I'm in a mess" Ryanthi said.

Adrian put his phone on the table. He looked back at Ryanthi. There was discomfort in his heart. He thought they would talk warmly and familiarly. "I once felt where my day was really chaotic, and everything around me seemed really annoying. I also haven't seen my mama for quite some time, because she'll definitely ask about all sorts of things."

"However, the longer I think, the more I do it wrong. I'm trying to get back to enjoying a hobby. Meet people and talk to them. Finally, all the stifling feeling that was inside the chest was like it was gone and flowing away."

Adrian was silent for a moment. Not long after, he continued his words.

"We don't have to tell everyone what happened. However, closing yourself up will only make you feel more isolated. Loneliness will remind us more and more of how miserable our lives are."

Ryanthi looked at the man. Only this time did he dare to do it for quite a long time.

"How painful is it?" Adrian's question makes Ryanthi aware of the daydream.

"What?" The girl asked back.

"Your feelings," replied Adrian flatly.

"Then? I'm not sure if that's the only thing that's gonna get you to spend a box of tissue" Adrian fishing rod. It made Ryanthi look back at him.

"I'm not sure I can tell you this. However, the longer I sit on my own, it feels like this chest is getting tight and makes me feel like a squeak. I can't tell anyone at home."

Adrian still faithfully listens to all of Ryanthi's stories. "I can be a good listener."

"I only knew you a few days ago." Ryanthi was still hesitant.

Adrian smiled crisply. He then corrected his sitting position to become more upright. "Aren't you the one who said you can't tell anyone at home? So, why not just tell this stranger?"

"How long can you forget your ex?" ryanthi asked after being silent for a while.

"depends."

"Depends what?" ryanthi did not understand.

"Depends on how much you feel about her. If what you feel is normal, it will not be difficult to forget. However, if he is someone you really think of as a soulmate, it may be more difficult and sometimes it takes a long time to be able to completely forget him" explained Adrian.

"Come Ryanthi. Why do you have to pretend to be stupid about something like that? I think you can feel it for yourself from every experience."

"Then, how do you feel, when your ex-boyfriend is getting married to someone else? I mean, she's getting married." The words Ryanthi spoke were completely chaotic. Whether Adrian understands or not.

"Almost all my ex-lovers are married. I have no problem with that. I have also attended their wedding several times. Just pray for the best. When he prefers others over you, it may be because God is preparing someone more appropriate for you" Adrian explained seriously.

Ryanthi was silent for a while, before returning to speak. "Now, the man will marry my half-sister" Ryanthi said softly as he lowered his head. "I've rejected this feeling towards him. I told everyone that I had thrown the man away. But his truth is just a big lie that I have done. Right now, I just want to go. To be honest, I don't want to see them both. However, I don't know why because I can't do it." Ryanthi's words sounded so soft.

"Classical love story apparently," said Adrian calm. Ryanthi stared at Adrian. He did not understand the meaning of the man's words.

"You mean?" .

Adrian put a small smile on his lips. "I don't mean to take your pain for granted. However, in this part of the world there are a lot of people who experience the same thing as you. You are not the first and only person to experience something like that. When our loved ones choose those closest to us. Friend, brother, or whoever it is" he explained.

"Have you ever been in a position like me?" ryanthi asked curiously.

Adrian shaking. His face still looked serious. "I don't like complicated love stories, and would ever let myself be imprisoned in such a situation. If love is something that many people always look for because it can provide happiness, then why should we feel tormented by it? I will not be willing to make life difficult just because of trivial matters. There are still many things that are more important. Why waste time lamenting something useless?"

"Maybe because you're a man. Your feelings are different from mine" Ryanthi argued.

Adrian silent. Her eyes stared intensely at Ryanthi's face which had caught her attention, and she had always imagined it almost every time. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love. I also felt very bad. However, eventually something managed to revive the chaotic thought," said Adrian.

"Look at yourself in the mirror. You have two strong legs, which are still able to support the body. You can still stand upright, even without the hand of a lover who has left you. There will always be a hidden power within everyone, even for the ones who look very weak. I'm sure you're not a weak girl."

Adrian's tone sounded increasingly quiet, but the stare in his eyes was sharply felt by Ryanthi. The man seemed to be pouring positive energy as well as the greatest strength in him for the girl.

Meanwhile, Ryanthi is unable to escape. He could not turn his face away for even a moment. "How do you know that?" ryanthi asked softly, with only a small movement on her lips.

"Because I see you all the time" Adrian replied without letting go of his deep gaze, so that it felt piercing to Ryanthi's heart.

Either the wind from which it was blowing suddenly, and made Ryanthi's body seem to tremble. His feet began to tingle and spread to the calves. She also felt like there were thousands of butterflies tickling her heart, making her uncomfortable.

Ryanthi gulped a few times, to moisten the throat that felt very dry, so as to make him unable to make a sound. Ryanthi regretted having dared to fight those eyes, until finally she felt herself as if she was sitting in a small canoe in the middle of the ocean. His heart is not broken.

At that time, Ryanthi just wanted to go home and escape from there. He felt he had to hide from the strange feeling that enveloped him. Hiding himself from Adrian's gaze felt so scary, and seemed to kill all the determination in a Ryanthi.