Tina's P.O.V

Van Van Van. What's the point of mentioning that name? And what benefits is she given by talking that bout that guy? She can act like she's mad then what about me? she says it every time that she needs time though now I doubt she needs it anymore. She's on fence, I guess. Or am I just overracted?

The faster I drive, the more I bring myself to think. I think about almost everything. My family, Mean, and of course, Aom. It seems to me that this is the worst day of my life. I had to endure the image of Aom hugging Van when I rushed everything because of seeing her. There were so many things I did just because I wanted to surprise. I didn't meet her by chance at the university; I didn't know she was there. I had to search for her everywhere, every place that I thought she would like to be. I rushed out of home because i didn't want anyone of my family to spot me or I had to stay with them the rest of the day as for my punishment. I went to places which sold chocolate cakes, where I thought she would go when she was upset (probably because of my absent), but she wasn't there. She had never been to one of those places. None.

I was exhausted, I was hungry, yet the urge of wanting to see her kept urging me. No matter how hard it took me, I still wanted to see her. I still wanted to hug her and inhale her smell into my nose. I still wanted to tell her that I was back and I was sorry. I didn't know where else to go until I ended up at the university at the garden, where I would go when I felt like everything annoyed me. But then, she hurt me. She lashed me, but I still had that energy to forgive her so easily. I did whatever it took to bring her back to me. And now, is she really with me?

I drive faster and faster and I still don't want to go home. I keep driving until I end myself at a familiar place. Mean's old apartment.

It's quiet there, and nobody really comes here anymore, even Mean. She doesn't like to be reminded by her mother or so as I was told. And it has become a part of the family's property since Mean became our member of the family as well. We don't sell it, and we don't do anything to it. We hire cleaners and staffs to clean out the house once a week and leave everything in the apartment as it is. We want it to be original.

I want to be quiet and I don't want to think of anyone by now.

I get out of the car with a feeling of exhaustion staying beside me. I can feel the heat coming out of my body and the headache I'm having is about to explode my head.

I ask te security guard to give me the keys and he does since he also knows me well and guides me to the elevator. It takes me a while to get to that floor.

Everything about this apartment is still the same when I finally arrive. The wooden door, the locks and everything. 

I take up the key and try to unlock the door and get in. The smell of the apartment is familiar to me because I've been here before and it has never changed. The photo of Mean's parents and Mean as a baby is still hanging on the wall just above the flatscreen tv. The spongy sofa is still at its place. No white clothes cover anything and it still looks like an apartment which people live in though unfortunately, there aren't. I fever of my body is getting hotter and hotter until I want to get some sleep; so I walk to the sofa immediately just to sleep. I close my eyes slowly and restlessly. Just then, I can hear the sound of the shoes coming from someone who is walking to me. The figure seems to be a woman.

"Tina!!! Where have you been and why are you here?" the voice is coming nearer and nearer.

"How did you get... in..." I couldn't really speak.

"You're so hot!" wait, the voice is pretty familiar.

"Who... are..." I couldn't finish off again.

I open my eyes bigger just to see who she is.

"Mean! Why are you here?" So, she's Mean. 

I forget that I'm sick and I sit up immediately while she's still focusing on me with a worried expression.

"You should give me a healthy explanation why you left the family without telling anyone? And another explanation of staying here!" She yells and this is so unlike her.

"I don't have time to explain any of this." I shut my eyes again.

"Wait, Tina! You're really hot! Don't tell me you were eating seafoods again! You know you can't eat any of that." she tries to grab me and walks me to the door but I guess I'm too heavy for that.

I answer without knowing that I speak any of those words. "Heh, Aom wanted to eat, so I had to." I smile unwillingly.

"It's getting worse. Just hold on, I'll get you to the hospital." Her voice is in urgent and her body moves fast.

"No... I want to get some sleep." Then I slowly close my eyes. Then I can't hear the sound of her feet moving anymore and instead, she comes to sit next to me and hugs me tightly in her arms. I don't have any energy left to fight her back anymore even if I try.

Then gently, she puts on mine and I try, I try and try and try to pull her away but it doesn't work. It seems to her that I already faint but I don't.

It takes her a few seconds to pull back from me and whispers at my ears. "Why can't it be me?" I can feel many drops on her tears running on my cheeks as she leaves.

Aom's P.O.V

Sitting by the table in the restaurant, I'm trying to rewind back to what I have said to Tina. It was so unfair and mean to her, I admit. Why would I mention the name at the first place? This is so complicated.

It's been a big while since she left and she hasn't texted me to discuss about the problem yet and I'm so worried. She always forgives me no matter how clumsy I am. But what she said to me was also something unforgivable. It's like she doesn't value the feeling I have for her. 

But then, another shiny car (though I can't see how shiny it is when it's in the dark) parks in front of the shop again. But it's not really likely Tina's style. Just as the owner walks out of the car, I immediately recognize who she is. P'Air. 

P'Air is in rush to get into the restaurant and her goal is to come to me. My mom is sitting by the counter with her eyes wide like she's surprised to see P'Air in here. P'Air just greets her a little then rushes to me again.

"Aom, I need you to come with me."  Then she grabs my wrist and pulls me up but I seem to freeze there.

"Tina's in trouble!" P'Air explains and that makes my heart skip a beat.

"Wait what? She was completely normal when she was-" 

"She WAS fine but She ISN'T right now. I need you to come with me, please." then I just nod then rush back into the car with her. 

I tell my mom that I would be home late and my mom totally understands since she overheard the conversation.

As soon as P'Air drives out, she drives as fast as a horse.

"P'Air, where are you taking me to?" I ask.

She doesn't look at me since she's still focusing on the road. 

"I'm taking you to the hospital where Tina lies in." 

I am totally in shock. I thought that she was fighting with her family and she might need my help but this is totally different. What if something bad really happened to her? Did she just have a traffic accident?

"What happened to her?" I ask immediately just as she finishes answering my question.

"I don't know. Mean just called me and she said Tina is there with her so I thought I would need you there with me too."

Right, Mean. But I don't have time to be jealous. All I can think now is to pray for Tina to be okay and that she would be fine.

"Do you parents know?"

"Uh, no, they don't. And I'm not planning to tell them since they're in their business to Australia. I don't want to worry them."

"Oh." 

"Are you okay?" P'Air asks me back.

"I'm completely fine. I'm just hoping Tina would be okay or else I would be guilty." I say.

She smiles a little. "I know almost everything about you two, Aom. And I know where you two are getting into. Love."

"Tina must have told you everything."

She nods then answers. "Almost everything. And I missed out a lot of informations lately when she wasn't home. And I bet she was away just she wanted to do something surprising for you, didn't she?"

"I guess you're right. She really surprised me." But I couldn't tell her about the perfume thingy. I guess I'll let Tina explains her with that part.

"Mean has always been a nice person, Aom. Even if she's in pain, she still manages to be nice to you. I'm not asking you to forgive her of trying to invade into your business, but I'm just saying that love makes everyone selfish. I'm just asking you to be calm when you see Mean with Tina in the hospital. There are parts of it that you don't really like.

"Don't get me wrong, I do love to see you together with my sister. I really do. But I'm also scared that there's to much for Mean to handle. I'm afraid that she gets hurt. Tina has always been in rush to get you by her arms, but I think it takes time to satisfy you and Mean, don't you think? So Aom, please, never give up on Tina just becuase you see Mean around because that will never change how Tina feels for you.

"I asked her to question herself who she chose to be with and yeah, I think she probably chooses you. So, can I ask you one thing?"

"What is it?" I demand back.

"I might not understand you completely, Aom. But I also have a girlfriend too. While we were still friends, I had hard times too. There were many guys chasing after me, demanding me to stay with them. But at the end, my heart chose her. And we're still in a relationship. It's amazing. And now, I'm asking you this same question. You don't have to care what other people might say about you but who does your heart choose to be with?"

"..."

"It's okay if you still cannot answer this sort of question since it's too early. You might like her but you still haven't loved her yet. Things need time. But do you understand what I just told you?"

"I get what you're trying to tell me, P'Air." I smile.