30 DAYS WITH U
19. HELP FOR DATING 6
“. .” Keila froze for a moment when she heard the reason Andra wanted to see the place where she grew up. Keila was eager to hide her face with both hands, unfortunately one hand was still in Andra's grasp and made her unable to hide her face.
“You are silent again?” Andra asked while looking at Keila.
“Because who am I like this??” Keila averted her gaze trying to avoid Andra's gaze which seemed to be happy to catch a wet freezing reaction and surprised her.
“Actually I've been wanting to do this for a long time, can I do it now?”
“What do you want to do?” Keila looked back at Andra and found that Andra was smiling at her. That gaze made Keila misbehave, Keila turned her face again.
Not long after something felt attractive on Keila's cheek and made Keila who had turned her face from Andra look back at Andra. “What are you doing? Why are you pinching my cheek?”
“Didn't you realize every time you froze hearing my words or were surprised, your cheeks were round like pufferfish? Moreover, the red hue on your round cheeks made me feel even more anxious.” Andra who had only pinched one cheek of Keila then released her hand grip on Keila's arm and pinch one cheek of Keila who was still free. “You are really adorable, because it was a long time ago I wanted to do this. Pinch your cheeks.”
Because of Andra's actions, Keila must inevitably stare at Andra's face and the gaze that Andra casts on her. For a moment, Keila felt Andra's gaze at her was as sincerely loving as when Keila's father looked at his mother first. Keila asked herself in her mind. Is this man someone I've been looking for all this time? How do you look at me the same way you look at mom? The gaze that made others who saw him feel a sincere feeling of love, it was the typical gaze that belonged to Father that made me always amazed at father and hope to find a lover and life partner like father. If you were alive and here, would you like Andra as much as I love Andra?
“Le. .pas. . . . Kan!” Keila spoke with some difficulty as both of her cheeks were being pinched by Andra who was feeling anxious.
“No. I've really been wanting to do this for a long time, so let me see this adorable face of yours a little longer.” Andra did not obey Keila's orders and her hands were still pinching Keila's cheeks.
Keila who did not give up then raised her one free hand and then touched one of Andra's hands that was pinching her cheek. Keila then pulled Andra's hand and grasped it tightly with her hand. Keila quickly raised Andra's hand closer to her face as if she wanted to kiss the hand until Keila's teeth stuck into the skin of the hand and made Andra scream in pain while releasing another pinch on the cheek Keila's.
“Auw, Keila!” yelled Andra as she pulled her bitten hand away from Keila's teeth. “Why did you bite my hand? Your teeth really. .” Andra cast a sharp look and did not believe Keila. Andra looked at Keila and Keila's bite marks in her hands.
Keila smiled happily to see her bite marks in Andra's hands. “Your own fault! I told you to stop pinching my cheek, you still pinched my cheek. So feel that in return.”
Feeling no want to lose to Keila, Andra then looked at Keila with a sly look because something in her mind right now was replying to Keila. “From, Key! I have to repay you. Let me bite you too and leave a mark there just like you did!”
Hearing the words of Andra who wanted revenge for her bite, Keila spontaneously took a thousand steps and rushed to get away from Andra. “No want!” Keila shouted as she continued to move away from Andra.
The chase between Keila and Andra was inevitable. But thanks to that, Keila actually made Andra go around to the neighborhood where she lived: from where Keila used to spend time after school, then the building where Keila went to school and the place where Keila helped her father work. After running around and around to some places where Keila used to spend her teenage years, Keila and Andra then stopped at a small bridge not far from Keila's residence.
Andra left Keila who was standing by the wall of the bridge while staring at the small river that flowed in the hot sun.
“This.” Andra handed Keila her favorite canned drink while putting a hat on Keila's head. “Use this to protect your face from the scorching sun.”
Keila glanced at the hat that was suddenly already on top of her head as her hand received the canned drink that Andra had bought at the grocery store near the bridge. “You do this often?”
“What?”
“Consideration as you just did. Buy a hat and put it on my head without me asking.”
Andra opened her canned drink and drank it before answering Keila's question. “No. I've never done that to girls other than you.”
“Then. . how can you have such a caring nature if you have never even had a lover before?” Keila asked with a curious look while trying to open the lid from the canned drink.
Keila drank the canned drink and after her throat was refreshed, Keila asked Andra again. “You haven't answered my question?”
“I-it was something my dad used to do for my mom.”
“It looks like your father is a very romantic person considering your actions during this time can make many girls fall in love in a moment to you if they know. .”
Andra smiled and then looked at Keila. Andra brought her face closer to Keila and looked deeply into Keila's eyes. “Are you not included with those girls?”
“. .” Keila's eyes were enlarged and spontaneous, Keila immediately pulled her face away from Andra's face. For the umpteenth time, Keila felt awkward and panicked at the same time whenever Andra looked at her deeply with eyes full of love. “A-is your father still doing those romantic things even when he might be old now?” Keila tried to divert the conversation.
Andra shook her head with a small smile at the corner of her lips. “No. Since I was ten years old, my mother has passed away and it was a big blow to my father.”
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean-“
“It's okay. It's been a long time,” explained Andra. “Since my mother's departure, our once warm home has turned cold. My father, who was so devastated by my mother's departure, then chose to busy himself in work to make him forget the fact that my mother had left and would not return
“How about you?” Keila subconsciously asked. “How about you? Did your father lose your mother and prefer a job and then forget about you? Ah, i-that's what used to happen in the novels I read. Sorry if my words might be a little presumptuous.”
Andra turned her eyes away from Keila and looked towards the flowing river while drinking out her canned drink. “You guessed it right, Keila. What you said is true, Keila. Because of my mother's departure, I also lost my ever-attentive father and from that day our warm home turned cold as if it had no inhabitants.”
Keila who felt pity and guilt because of her question, unconsciously moved her hand and patted softly on Andra's shoulder. Unknowingly, Keila felt like comforting the figure of the man who had always disturbed her and at the same time always took care of her. “Because I know what it's like to lose an important figure in the family, today I am kind to you, Andra.”
“Belcome? What does it mean?” Andra immediately caught Keila's hand which had been patting her shoulder slowly.
“I'll be kind enough to let my mother's affection share with you. You know, it seems like my mom really likes you. So if one day you feel like you miss your mom, you can come and meet my mom. My two sisters won't mind considering your handsome face and you're a no-nonsense person.”
“You're sure you'll let me visit your mom next time?” Andra clasped Keila's hand tightly.
“Yes. As long as you were yesterday to see my mother and not for any other reason.” Keila gave a slight warning to Andra.
“I'll do it without hesitation again. Your mother was a fun person.”
Keila sighed as she was happy to be able to help the figure of the man who had always tried to help her even though sometimes upset Keila. Like this time, Keila was really upset that Andra did not let go of her hand that was in Andra's grasp. “Can you let go of my hand?” Keila spoke in a tight tone while trying to pull her hand.
“No. I'll hold your hand until I get back to your house.”
Keila exhaled again as she tried to hold back her sense of regret towards Andra. I've been kind to her, see what she's done for me? He pisses me off again.
Without a second thought, Keila raised her foot and immediately stomped on Andra's foot to vent the resentment in her heart. As Andra was shocked and in pain for her actions, Keila then pulled her hand from Andra's. “Didn't you see this suburban area??? Clutching my hand will make people gossip about me. They will say if I come home here with a male friend, I will get married soon.”
Keila walked away, returning to her home while Andra tried to endure the pain in her legs following Keila right behind Keila.
“If you want to get married as soon as possible, I'm willing to do it, Keila.” Andra shouted while trying to chase Keila.