The Grief of the Two Red Lines
Brian's Regret

Brian sat in Andre's room. Since then, he entered and sat without a word. Andre, too, didn't ask him anything. Letting Brian with his mind.

Andre sat in his chair and did his job without any concern for Brian there. But looking around, Brian's face was a mess.

Andre cleared his throat, making Brian's daydream crumble. He immediately glanced at Andre who was focused on typing on his laptop.

"Are you busy, Ndre? Then I'll get out first."

"No". Andre closed his laptop and walked towards the sofa where Brian was sitting. After being given a code of fever, then Brian wants to talk.

"Do you have anything to say?" Andre sat down in front of Brian. Drinking the instant coffee Brian brought back.

Brian was silent again. Like weighing something to talk to Andre who is clearly on Zaira's side now.

"Relax, I won't tell Zaira".

Brian jerks. Andre seemed to know what was on his mind.

"I promise you. I'll help you while you're really going to defend your household with Zaira."

Hearing that, Brian looked down. He had already troubled Andre a lot who had never even seriously asked him for help.

Brian took out a small pink envelope from his shirt pocket and handed it to Andre.

Andre opened the envelope carefully.

"That's from Rinnada. He sent it this morning."

Brian pulled out the contents. It's a picture of Brian and Rinnada. At the campus park.

Brian and Rinnada were sitting under a tree like they used to. Andre came over happily and said that the script had been approved by the guidance counselor.

"Yin, yan. Look, I'll be in court in a minute!" She shouted very happily. He showed the file that had many scribbles from his lecturer.

"Goodbye Andre". Rinnada applauded Andre's success.

"Well, traitor. You can't wait for me". Brian said as he squinted his eyes at Andre.

"Sorry, yes. If it's about this, I won't wait for you. I'll be late for sure". He eyed Brian.

"Damn. Nevermind, go. Just bother me". Brian turned to Andre who was still smiling looking at the file in his hand.

"As my happy sign, look at me carrying this". Andre grabbed something in his bag. "Tadaaaa" he took out a polaroid camera.

"Come, hurry. Let me take a photo. You guys don't have any pictures of the two." Andre took a few steps back. Put the camera on his face. "Swipe dong, why so stiff". Andre directed his hand so that the two people in front of him approached each other.

"You count to three, I'll make my own style". Brian then glanced at Rinnada.

"Okay, one, two.."

THE CRAKE!

"ah! Brother Iann!!" Rinnada was shocked because Brian suddenly carried her without excuse.

The camera then pulled out Andre's shots.

He shook it while looking at the friendly scene of Rinnada beating Brian on the shoulder in a fit of anxiety.

"Now, results. Take it home, there." Andre gave the photo to Brian and Rinnada. Seeing the results, Brian laughed as he lightly touched Rinnada's eel.

.....

Andre looked at the photo. The photo he took for the memories of the two of them. Instead of being a happy thing, it is now a bad thing.

On the back of the photo, it says the date and name of the location of the photo was taken.

"Then how are you?" Andre asked Brian who looked very confused.

"He sent me all our memories. I don't know what to do. I'm afraid he sent it to Zaira." Ring with lethargy. He felt very wrong in choosing the path.

Andre exhaled. "You're really gonna change, right?" Andre's view changed decisively.

Brian stayed for a while. "Yes. I'm.."

"Yin.." Andren took his breath again. Seeing Brian hesitating, he needed to tell him something.

"You look doubtful."

"It's not like that, I just.."

"You want to have a child?"

Andre's question made him speechless.

"I don't know what made you change. But I also understand you. And you need to know, you can't get everything you want."

Brian looked down at her. I don't know where Andre knows. To be sure, what Andre said was true. He could not be with Zaira if he chose a child of his own flesh and blood. He also did not want to leave Zaira because his feelings for the woman were also strong.

"You have to choose. Leaving Zaira and seeking the happiness you have been waiting for, or being with Zaira without a child of your flesh and blood". Andre again.

"Why did you say that?" Brian frowned when he heard the sentence coming out of Andre's mouth, the person who usually always supported his relationship to stay lasting with Zaira.

Andre leaned his back against the sofa. "I feel sorry for your wife. Your mind managed to change with just one encounter with Rinnada. You don't want to leave Zaira either. Then what do you really want? You think about it well. Don't let you regret your decision. Zaira deserves to be happy, you're the same."

Hearing the wise words from Andre made him even more confused. Brian looked down, cupping his face with both hands.

"I can't leave Zaira, Ndre. I've decided that. If it is my destiny not to have children, I will try to accept it. I was afraid Zaira would leave me. Right now, she doesn't want me to touch it, it's hurting my heart." Brian's face was very sad. He thought of his wife whom he had betrayed.

Andre felt sorry for Brian. Her first love story must end without a definitive answer. He knows how much Brian loved Rinnada back then and watched Brian crumble for months. Then now, the dilemma hit him to the point of almost destroying his household. Moreover, he desperately wanted a child of his own flesh and blood.

"Think carefully, so that you and Zaira are both happy."

"I'm sure, Ndre. Now, I have to make Rinnada stop bothering me."

Andre nodded. "alright. I will accompany you to meet him. Say it out loud to Rinnada, so he doesn't bother you anymore. If he still does, inevitably, we have to tell his mother and sister".

"You're right, Ndre. Thank you for helping me."

"No problem." Andre remembered something. "Do you know how Dinnara is?"

"Yes, he's fine. At least that's what Rinnada said."

"You sure?"

Brian nodded. "What's wrong?"

"I've just been to Rinnada's old house and to Dinnara's tomb."

"What's? a tomb?" Brian scrunched his eyebrows. He thought he heard Andre wrongly.

"Yes, grave. Dinnara was dead a week after we left. Rumors are going around, he killed himself".

Brian was silent and could not believe what Andre was saying. "Are you sure, Ndre?" He made sure, because obviously Rinnada said that Dinnara had lived happily. What does Rinnada mean?

"I saw his grave myself. If Rinnada is lying about that, it seems like there's a lot he's hiding from you" Andre stood up from his place. "Come, meet Rinnada now." Take Andre to Brian who is still frozen in his place. Andre felt he had to put an end to what Brian had started.

Seriate....

(illustrated image taken from kibrispdr.*rg)