The Destiny
Special episode: Alex and Rachel (Nana)

Primary school, where children aged seven years and above gather and study basic knowledge there. Everybody knows that.

Those are times without burden. Wake up in the morning, go to school, and play. Life is still very innocent, making adults very envious.

"Lady!" Call a man, waving his hand with a smile that never faded from that handsome face.

Today, on her own initiative, Alex offers herself to Rachel to pick up Nana. A little wish so precious to him.

"Uncle!" Call Nana while running cheerfully towards Alex.

"The high five." As Alex greeted her when her little daughter was in front of her, the man's hand was raised to perform a high five with Nana.

"High five!" Nana quickly replies to Alex's high five.

They will always do high five every time they meet, it's like a typical greeting from both.

"Let's go in." Take Alex.

Nana nodded and got into the man's car, the little girl sitting next to the steering chair.

After Nana enters, Alex also enters and sits in the steering wheel. Then, help Nana wear her seatbelt.

"Uncle." Call Nana.

"Yes?" Alex took a quick look before then refocusing on the road he was on.

"Before you take me home, can you take me to the playground?" Pinta Nana, her gaze was directed at Alex with a hopeful look.

"You want to go to the playground?" Ask Alex.

"Yes, Nana wants—" The ten-year-old girl is seen bowing her head, hanging up her unresolved sentence.

"Why what?"

I also want to spend time with my real father. — Inner that little girl.

Never underestimate a child, at that age, adults will think they are still children who do not understand anything. In fact, it was the wrong thought.

When a child starts to remember something, he starts to have a memory. They have become human beings who begin to have thoughts and understandings that will continue to develop. Children at that age, like a mystery and also a surprise for adults.

"Just want to. What—paman can't?" Ask Nana.

"Hey, of course you can. So, which playground do you want to go to?"

Nana smiled happily, her face looking enthusiastic with the question from Alex.

"That playground." Nana said, her hand pointed at a ringleader that was visible from the street.

"You sure? That's a regular playground." Said Alex.

"Em." Nana nodded confidently at his wishes.

"All right, we're there." Said Alex turning his car's drive back to the playground that Nana wanted.

•••

"It looks smaller than I thought, are you sure you want to keep playing here? Look there are only a few games. Uncle can take you to a playground bigger than this." Alex said as they just walked into the playground.

Drrt. Drrt. Drrt

The sound of Alex's cell phone rang, the man then took his phone from inside his pants pocket.

Rachel's name is on the phone screen. Immediately without waiting for long, Alex immediately picked up the call.

"Hello? Alex. Where're you? You've already picked up Nana, haven't you? I haven't come home from college, so take her to Ana's sister's house first." Rachel said from across the street.

"I was at the playground with Nana." Alex answered while looking at Nana with a smile.

"Garden playing? Why did you suddenly ask him to go there?"

"This little girl asked for it." Alex still looked at Nana, who was also staring at him, waiting for her father to finish the call.

There was a sigh from Rachel, the woman seemed to know with Nana's attitude to Alex, asking the man to go to the playground, spending free time with play is not the nature of Nana, but the nature of Nana, unless there's a reason. The reason Rachel knew. The reason that sometimes makes Nana silent and moody.

"Alright, take good care of him, don't disappoint him. One more thing, tell him to come home at three o'clock in the afternoon, Nana should be home before five." Rachel.

"Yes, I understand. Then I close the call. I can't bear to see this little girl wait for long." Alex said with a hand that rubbed the top of Nana's head.

"okay." After hearing the words from Rachel, Alex then disconnects the call.

"Sorry to have you waiting a long time." Alex bowed, aligning herself with Nana.

"Is that the mother who called?" Nana asked who was nodding by Alex.

"Ah, I almost forgot, there was a message from your mother. We only have game time until three in the afternoon. Because you have to be home before five in the afternoon." Said Alex.

"good. Let's get uncle on that." Nana pulls her father's hand towards the slow-spinning prick.

•••

When it came to the very top, the pair of eyes could see many houses and tall buildings.

The wind that blows also produces fresher air, feels fun and more fun because riding the vehicle with someone who is expected.

"You look like you're riding it for the first time." Alex said, he was sitting opposite his daughter.

Nana turned to Alex, the little girl then sat in her place, looking at her real father.

"This is the second time for me. Previously, together with Yuan and Aunt Ana, it was about two years ago." Nana answered, her hand moving to grab Alex's big hand, she raised it, then placed it on her own head.

"Papa." Nana said, making Alex wide awake to hear it.

He had grown up before his time — words Rachel ever told him it again crossed Alex's memory.

Four years ago, Alex decided to go abroad, taking care of the branch company that was there. Rarely returned to her home country, it made her miss Nana a lot. When he misses, he will contact Rachel, asking about the news of his biological son.

"Did you know that?" Ask Alex with a soft look.

While Nana looked sad, but then she changed her expression so quickly, the little girl smiled at Alex.

"Can— papa?" Ask Nana again.

The call sounds simple, very simple. But for Alex, it's not that simple to get the call he's been waiting for so long. It was so moved that his heart heard his seed that had developed into the figure of the little girl now calling him papa.

"It must be hard for you to accept this reality huh? Forgive papa." Alex said, his tears uncontrollably, just sliding.

"Is my presence a mistake?" Nana asked, wiping away her father's tears.

Alex shook his head,

"No, you're not a mistake." Answer Alex.

"Then don't apologize, if you apologize, Nana will feel that Nana is a mistake." Nana.

Alex rubbed the little girl's head, looking at her softly.

"You really have grown up before your time, my son." Muttered Alex.

•••

Rachel looks at her watch once again, she just got home from university and is now waiting for Nana to come home.

Yes, Rachel continued her studies again after thinking about it for quite a while.

Completing his college degree was part of his dream, several years of time had passed, during which time he worked hard to be able to fill the numbers in his savings, all that he did in order to set aside money for him to continue his studies that have been delayed for several years.

"Why not go home yet? It's three o'clock past fifteen minutes." Rachel was waiting for her son to come home.

Ten minutes later, the sound of a bell ringing echoed across the apartment.

Rachel walked to the apartment door and opened it,

"Too late by twenty-five minutes." Rachel told her son.

"Sorry." Nana said, he was always taught from childhood to be disciplined. Coming home on time is one form of discipline that Nana must adhere to.

"Go in and take a shower." Rachel's orders.

"Good." Answer Nana.

Before entering, he saw Alex, throwing a smile at the man.

"Papa, see you later." Nana then walked into the apartment, to her room.

"Papa?" Ask Rachel.

"Well, he asked for it. Then I'll excuse you. See you — tell that to Nana." Alex said then passed away from the front door of the apartment.

"Wait, we need to talk." Rachel stopped Alex's steps.

The man turned around and waited for the next word from Rachel.

"Follow me." Rachel closes the apartment door and walks ahead of Alex.

Their feet continued to walk towards the roof of the apartment building.

"What did Nana tell you?" Ask Rachel.

"Not much."

Rachel took her breath.

"Even if he has called you that, don't meet him too often and don't even think of taking him away from me."

Alex is flabbergasted by Rachel's words, the woman's words sound selfish if people don't know how Rachel's struggle to care for Nana all this time. He said it wasn't without reason.

"What did you say? I can't do that."

"Then, why haven't you been married yet?"

"What does it have to do with Nana, I'm married or not, it's—"

"Is that so? Then marry and forget about Nana. Besides you're thirty-five plus, do you intend to be a lonely old man?"

Alex looked at Rachel in disbelief, the woman said it with a mixed heart.

"You feel sorry for me?"

"I just want you to be happy too. When you found out you weren't married until now, guilt always enveloped me. I don't want to live with that feeling. Every time I see you, I feel like I'm not comfortable." Rachel said with slowly flowing tears.

Alex exhaled his heavy breath, he closed his eyes for a moment.

"Sorry to make you feel uncomfortable in my presence."

"It's not like it—"

"Yes, I understand how you feel. But sorry, I can't ignore Nana anymore. From the first time I apologized to you until now, I couldn't ignore Nana, she's still my responsibility. No matter what happens, he is my flesh and blood. I'm sorry, Rachel." Said Alex.

"I think you should come back soon. It's almost five o'clock, don't make him look for you." Alex said then left there, leaving Rachel alone.

End.✍