Dew's P.O.V

 

The best thing about me is that I'm good at keeping secrets. Secrets which are forbidden is what I'm good at keeping. 

Aom and I have always been soulmate ever since we first knew each other. She might look strong, but believe me that she's usually emotionally down and I'm not kidding. You seem to see her as a nasty girl sometimes, but she's just as weak as a little girl can be. She gets down so often that I don't know how many times I've listened to her dramas. But I've never got tired of her because that's what friends are for, right? Her dramas always seem to be so interesting, by the way. 

Of course, Aom is a type of girl who can have any guy she likes. I mean, look at her beauty. I don't know how many guys out there who wish they were her boyfriends, but nah, I don't think she's interested in any of them. Talking about guys, I'm sure Van likes her too. He's younger than all of us, but he seems to think that he's equal to us.

The age seems to be a big deal to all of us, but he doesn't seem to think so. He never calls us "Pee" or whatever it is. But that's not the point.

The point is, no matter how many guys out there who are interested in Aom, she will never care of them because she's totally in love with a stranger. A stranger who she happens to know from the past and falls in love in the present. Tina. 

We've been sitting here on this bench for a long time, and she's been telling us about the thing between her and Tina. It's been a week or two since they first met, but Aom speaks as if it's been a long time between. I doubt if it's a love or just a crush. I feel like it's kinda sweet, but now that she's in pain, I can't say I support Tina either. Pei seems to be okay with Tina being wrong here, but that's not okay for me. 

"Aom, there must be a misunderstanding." Pei is the one who speaks up after a long silence between us three.

I'm stuck with my throat. I can't find the right words to argue. Of course, there might be some misunderstandings that Aom can find out yet. As much as I'd like to support, there are parts of me which urge me to find out more about Tina. Tina seems to me like a reliable person, not a cheater like that. I don't know. Just maybe.

"Pei, I found them two sleeping on the same bed! Must there be any misunderstandings?" Aom looks at him. 

"I'm just saying this because I don't think Tina is an irresponsible person. Look at what she's having for you, and look at what she's done. She denies everything about Mean just to be with you even though she knows how much Mean wants to be with her. You see, I don't wanna compare between you and Mean, but if this is the case, Mean has everything that every guy wants. And-"

"Oh Pei, just shut up! Just because Tina is your friend doesn't mean that YOU have to protect her, and deny every truth that Aom is telling us." I shut him up.

"I'm just trying to talk some sense here, okay? I don't want them both to be like this. It's painful, you know? You can see it yourself, Dew, not just me. Look at what's happening to Tina. And look at what's happening to Aom. Of course, you haven't seen Tina today, but I saw her. I could tell that she wasn't her. I'm sure there's something going on and she just can't say anything at all." Pei replies. 

"I don't think she's in any trouble just because of me. I bet she's enjoying her new life. Her new life without me." Aom says quietly.

"If you're not there with her, how can you know? There might be times when you do something wrong, and you're just scared to tell the one you love. The same thing is happening here. You saw her by your eyes, I know, but have you ever considered of Tina's condition? If telling you means losing you, then she won't actually tell you." Pei shrugs. 

"But she should at least let me know her problem."

"But the problem is just not your favorite thing to know. Would you be happy to know that she was unconciously with someone? Would you be happy if she told you that?"

"She should at least trust me." Aom shakes her head.

"I thought you should trust her too?" Pei snaps back.

"That's different a story." Aom sighs. 

"What makes you think it's different?" I interfere the conversation.

"Love blinds you. No matter what your lover does, you see her as perfect. You thought you would always be her light, and she would be yours. You would lie on your bed to think of her every passing second. But when she has betrays you, there are no words. There's only pain. The pain which can never be described unless you're the one who has to go through it. The light has been taken out from you, and there's only darkness, and you're alone. And when you're along, that's when you think she's having her new life without you."

It would seem to me that Aom just answers her feelings to all of us, instead of answering the question. She's in agony and there's nothing we can do to stop. It's not a physical injury which we can just put a bandage on. This is a love issue which the healer must be the one who breaks the heart. Am I right? I don't want to believe that Tina is such a liar, but I just can't hold myself back and do nothing. I'm doing something.

"Don't you think like that, Aom. There might be something which should be done before you make your move. I don't know. Like listening to her?" Pei suggests.

"Yes, there's something which should be done. Like running away from her as far as I possibly can." Aom wipes her tear and walks away.

---

Dew's P.O.V

 

After Van came and picked Aom up, Pei didn't actually want to stay here.

I recall back the conversation I had with Pei before he left.

"I know what you're about to say, Dew, I know. Yeah, they're both of my friends and I love them. But still, as much as I want to be on Aom's side, there's a part of me which still wants to know about Tina. If she was a cheating type of person, she wouldn't wait for Aom to enter her life. She could have used her charm to get the girls in school and have cheated them one by one. Why would she want to break Aom's heart by this, anyway? Do you see this thing critically?"

"I don't know. Maybe she wants to play it cool so that the girls in school won't think that she's easy to get?" I replied.

"Stop thinking about her that way, Dew. And don't judge her too quick. She's not that type. You can say other tomboys are like that, but this is not the case with Tina. She's dear to me like a sister to a brother. I'm still keen of what's going on here and I won't give up. I believe it's just a set up or something." 

"A set up?" I asked. 

"Yes, a set up." He nodded.

I looked confused, so he had to explain. 

"Well, you've never known Mean, actually, and I only know her quite a bit from Tina. The only time she has spoken of Mean was when Mean came back home recently. She only said Mean was back, and that was it. See? Tina has never talked about Mean at all, so how can she fall in love with that girl? 

Theoretically, when you like someone, you always talk about that one. In this case, Tina always talks about Aom whenever Aom is not around. That's a huge different. Therefore, Tina got on the bed with Mean has to be a set up. By Mean. I'm sure." he nodded again.

"But that can't be true. I've never seen the girl, but I-"

"Well, Dew, that's why I said don't judge her. All you have to do now is to wait and see if I'm right. I'll have to do something."

"Like what?"

"You know, some sort of talking with Tina. I'd like to know what really happened even if she doesn't feel like telling anyone."

"Yeah right. As if you can find her." I rolled my eyes. 

"Oh, she can be easily found. She usually stays in the musical room whenever she doesn't want to go home. I know her too well that she doesn't want to go home now, and doesn't want to talk to her adopted sister.

"I think I'm gonna go find her now. Do you wanna come?"  He asked.

"Uh, yeah, I kinda want to talk to her too." 

He looked hesitate.

"What do you wanna talk to her about?"

"About Aom, of course. What do you think? Flirting with her?" I rolled my eyes.

"Okay." He laughed.

Then his phone rang, and he had to go since his mother picked him up. He didn't leave the job to me; he just left with a goodbye. 

 

Probably Pei was right. Probably I was too quick to judge Tina. Whatever she has done, I can't judge her yet. But what is it with me that I wanna talk to her so badly? I want her to know the situation so that they both can solve it out. I don't want it to prolong anymore long. I know that Aom is feeling cheated, but there's more than that I wanna to talk to her. 

She's the first person that Aom ever loves, and probably the last. Whatever they've done, I can ensure you that Aom is not just testing Tina, she just wants to know if Tina is reliable person or not since she has given her everything to Tina. 

Without knowing, I wander around the building looking for the musical room. I hope that she's in there even if I haven't found the room yet. Due to the rule, I'm technically not allowed to get in pretty much. But who cares? No guards, no fences, I can still walk around the building as if I'm a student here. 

I just love the school's environment. Look at all those beautiful trees in the school area? I just feel like it's fresh to study in this school. The buildings are not so extraordinary. There are so many universities in this city, but the only one who I kinda feel like I admire is this university. The buildings in here are really something. They use the glasses as the cover of the buildings as if they're buildings of companies or something. And you can still see someone who's standing on the second floor through the glass, anyway.

I have to admit, I'm just a visiter here, and wandering around to find the musical room isn't easy. What if she's not in there? Who can I talk to? Should I call Pei and ask for her phone number? But what if she thinks that my conversation of me and her is a part of Aom's plan? I'll just hope that she just appears to be in the musical room and that's it. 

And now, thanks god for this help, the sound of the piano attracts my ears of all a sudden. I've never imagained anyone who can play this good in my entire life. All I've ever heard was just those who play for music companies, and now there's a real player who isn't playing for anyone. For her sake.

I try to walk around to find where the sound it, and yep, I finally managed to find the room. Come to think of it, I've actually passed by so many times, but why didn't I notice? Because she didn't play it at that time, or what?

I knock on the door to see if she responds to me, but she just doesn't; so, I guess that leaves me no choice but to just walk in. 

She's still playing, not bothering to look at me. Is that how a piano player plays? I mean, when she plays, she just doesn't care about anyone near them?

I hope I know the melody she's playing, but it's just too sweet and I've never heard of it before. Is it a new song that she composes on her own? Or is it just another song that I've never heard of?

I wait for her until she finishes, and then she flashes her eyes at me. She looks at me as if she doesn't remember me at all, and yet, she tries to remember my face, I think.

I'll admit this for once. She's charming, and attractive. If she didn't have anything related to Aom, I might have wanted her all to myself, but no, I'm just kidding. There's no way I can see her. 

"I'm sorry I came into here without your permission, but I did knock, though." I apologize. 

She shakes her head and walks away from the grand piano. Again, she flashes those attractive eyes to me, wills me to continue more. But she ends up replying me, anyway.

"You're not the first one to say sorry to me." She smiles and looks at me with concerned eyes. "Have we met before?" She asks.

"I'm Dew, remember? I met you at Aom's house." I suggest.

Of course, I should have known that just hearing Aom's name could make a little difference to the looks of Tina's eyes. 

Her eyes suddenly turn cold, and they don't look like attractive before. She turns away from me with an immediate movement. The next second I see her, she's already by the window, staring down to the ground. 

"I remember you now." I can feel her smile through the phrase.

"That's it? That's how you can say when you remember someone?" I tease, but she doesn't seem to get my joke. 

"I'm sorry, but I just don't know how to behave myself lately. If I do anything wrong, correct me." She still doesn't turn back to me. 

We remain silent, and there's nothing we can start our talks. 

"The song you were playing before was very nice." I compliment.

"Was it?" She turns to me. 

"Yeah. But I don't think I've ever heard of it." 

"No, you shouldn't because it's a new song that I've just recently composed."

"Yeah? What is it about?"

"It's umm... It's about a relationship which never works out, but she tries to make it happen anyway." She smiles. 

"Who is it for?" I know my question is straight, but I don't think she's gonna hide from me either.

"This song is inspired by Aom. She's the only one who makes me want to write it." 

"You know, Dew, it's not that I want to um... bother you or something, but I just have no one to talk to for a long while." She turns to look at me while I'm taking my seat by the guitar. "Will you stay and talk to me?" 

It's like the first time ever that she's ever asked me. For one thing, I had wanted to storm into here and kick her out of this place, but indeed, seeing her like this leaves me no choice. She seems to be a victim to me.

"Sure. I've always been a good listener." I smile. 

She smiles to and turns back to the window. 

"I've read a novel and there's a line in there which the main male character says 'Apparently, the world is not a wish-granting factory', I kinda agree with that."

"I can't say more. Whatever we do in this world doesn't always satisfy you, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I know. But I used to think differently when I was a child." 

I stay still and quiet, and try to listen to her story. 

"When I was a kid-" She continues "There was nothing I feared of. What would I fear of if I had everything I ever needed? Who would need to make a wish once she owned everything? I guess... I guess that's just too wrong to ever think about." She shakes her head again.

"I don't think my first wish would be granted, and it's just the first thing that I ever fear of." Then she turns back at me again. 

"I know you know what's going on between me and Aom, Dew. I know. But I'm not playing as a pathetic one who's asking for your sympathy, and I'm not asking you to understand me either, but I just need somone to talk to, okay? Please don't get me wrong.

"When I saw Aom hopping on Van's bike" She takes her seat back on the piano. "My heart almost exploded. I don't know what you think between us, but maybe, just maybe, maybe you think I shouldn't feel this kind of thing for Aom, but it's too late. I am deeply in love with her that I can't pull myself back.

"The love I have ever had for her never ends. I've waited so many years just to be with her, and I've never been involved with other girls. But the way she's behaving to me recently is so cold, and I don't understand what's going on. She just changes her path, and clings her life with Van." Her eyes turn to red. 

"I'm sorry." I reply. That's all I can think of. 

"Don't be. You have nothing to say sorry for. I'm just telling every tiny detail I can think of." Then she wipes her tears as way before they can fall on her cheeks. 

"I know how you feel, and I'm sorry. But Van is just Van. He's that protective." 

"Of course, he can be. I have no words for Van, but the Aom who was so nice to me before, where is she now? You don't know how much it hurts me to see her like that. Every second you try to be closer, but she pulls me out of her way further away." 

Then she just turns her head down and cry heavily.

"Don't cry." 

She doesn't respond.

"Maybe you should solve it out, Tina. Because I know what's going on, and you listen to me well. I only say it once and it's up to your own to solve it."

Then I start to tell her everything Aom told me. I know it wasn't a good idea telling Tina like that. But really, I don't think Tina means to cheat Aom like that. There must be somehting like it because Pei said so. 

Tina's listening to me carefully, trying not to cry in the moment.

When I finish, she just rises up.

"But it was only a set up, Dew! A set up!"

"I know, Tina, listen, this isn't about me understanding you or not, Tina. It's about how you can get Aom to understand because she was the one who saw everything! And simple words can't get into her ears, Tina! She's in pain, probably much more than you. She wants you to tell her the truth, okay?"

"I will." She says and gets out of the room quickly.