The Price Of Sincerity
There's a Price

Max revives his car and leaves the apartment building. He leaves Jane, who may be fast asleep in her bed. She had to return to the engagement party as soon as possible, there was already a gift she had prepared as a congratulation from him.

“Where are you from?” asked Dye who looked agitated when she saw herself walk into the party room. He's been looking for Max for almost an hour. Even she planned to go to the man's apartment thinking Max was home.

“Only look for fresh air,” Max walk in through Dye.

“Say you're done with women, right? Don't try to lie to me. But yes, because you are here. Do we start now?”

Max looked at the clock on his wrist. It's past midnight, it's twelve o'clock by ten minutes. She's late. “Why didn't you start earlier? Didn't I already say twelve.”

“You blame me? I've been looking for you since, how could I have started it when there was no one. Bizarrely. Then I'll start it.” Dye took the phone in her pocket, she contacted someone. “Now.”

Just a minute later, the event room became a scene and the audience walked out of the room carrying a glass of wine in their hands. All eyes were fixed on the sky. Flickering colorful flickers in the dark night sky and continued with the inscription ‘Congrats on your engagement.’ End with a pink love shape. Everyone was amazed at the sight he had just seen. While Max walks back to the beautiful sight, he heads towards Devan and his fiancee, Katty.

“Yo, buddy. Congratulations on your engagement, I think you will make the beautiful woman beside you wait a long time.” Max hugs Devan and winks at Katty who is staring at him. Max smiled cynically after the woman averted a look that blushed shyly at him. “Do you like my gift?”

“Of course. You always come with a surprise. Thanks.” Devan embraces Max once again, as if not satisfied being hugged by the man. The same tall man as him. “I'm really sorry for not being able to attend your sister's wedding.”

“Yes, it's okay. You also gave her a wedding gift. That's enough.”

“Are you alone? Tumben once you're not with a woman. Don't tell me you're alone.”

Devan looked around Max, no one. There was no one beside him or behind him. He looked at Max once more as he raised his eyebrows wanting to know who the male partner was tonight.

“I go alone.”

“Really, are you really alone? But I saw Ziya earlier, I thought you went with her.”

“Hemm. Even if I come alone, I won't go home alone. Right?”

“Haha. This is the new Max that I know, I was astonished because it is impossible for a Max to leave his right arm empty.” Devan laughed and Max smiled. But that smile looked bland.

“We haven't had a drink together in a long time, how about sitting down for a while. Oh, where is Dye? I sure saw it a while ago.”

"He's busy, just let him."

After hearing Max's answer, Devan walks with Max still in his embrace. He took the time to say goodbye to Katty who was next to him. They walked up a circular staircase that connected the floor with a hallway to the top balcony of the building. There was no one above, looking silent and desolate. Only them. Max and Devan pass through a glass door that borders the balcony and hallway.

"So how? Have you met him?"

"Eitherway. I don't want to talk about it." Max appears moody after answering a question from Devan that he believes if the man asks his fiancee, his former-fiancee.

“Looks like he didn't come back, yeah. Max's." Devan stared at Max's disheveled face from the side. "Hey I didn't mean to talk about it. But at least I'm glad you can part with a woman like that.”

“Like that? Don't provoke my patience, Dev. I want to tolerate what you say because this is your show. But it seems, because we're here. Just two. There is no harm in adding one more gift.”

Buk.

One hit landed on Devan's pale white face and Max clasped the man's collar afterwards.

“What do you know?” Max clutched Devan's collar very firmly. “You don't know anything about him. You don't know him, Dev. Stop provoking me, do you think there will be a woman who treats me like an ordinary man other than her? Other women just seduce and tease me with their bodies to get my money, nothing is as sincere as her.”.

Buk.

Devan immediately retaliated with a punch that was harder than he received as Max's grip weakened.

“It turns out Dye was right, you've lost your mind because of that woman. She's sincere? Maybe, but it was long before she cheated on you and begged you to free her affair. Did you forget? Or intentionally pretending not to know. Think, Max. She's no different from any other woman. Wouldn't you say it yourself if sincerity had a price. And you should be able to accept when that sincerity ends with the price you give. So can't you forget about it now? You're still acting as if she's still your fiancee for wrapping a ring around her finger. Sillier. I think because I heard you came to Ethalos, you forgot about it. Turns out not.”

Devan laughed a little. “Hah yes one more, you know I found the ring at auction two months after he disappeared. If you don't believe me, I can send it to you. Diamond ring with engraving RM. That's the ring, isn't it?”

“Where? He couldn't have sold the ring. Impossible.” Max again clutches Devan's collar which is released due to the blow he received. But not as strong as before. Devan can release it easily.

“I'll send it to you tomorrow. So stop thinking about it, okay? And assume she was never in your life.”

Devan patted slowly the chest of Max's field covered in a shirt and layered in a flaming blue suit, he stepped away from the man and planned to leave while stroking his cheek which was hit by Max.

“Didn't he say something to you?”

Devan's steps came to a halt after he opened the door, he was silent for a moment before replying. “No.” And go by.

“Ahh,” Max cheers into the night sky hoping the load can be reduced, albeit slightly.

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