30 DAYS WITH U
24. BE MY TRUE LOVER 4

Since that day on the bridge, Keila has been trying hard to hold back her own feelings. Keila tried to keep her distance from Andra. Keila tried hard not to be affected by Andra's words. Keila tried hard to keep her eyes off the smiles and gazes that Andra gave her. 

But after all the hard work he put in, Keila always failed in the end. For the umpteenth time, Keila remained frozen to hear the sweet words from Andra. For the umpteenth time, Keila remained panicked and nervously accepted Andra's loving gaze. For the umpteenth time, Keila's heart was beating even faster as Andra clasped her hand on the street. For the umpteenth time, Keila's efforts failed to keep her distance from Andra. 

Keila who initially felt uncomfortable with Andra's attachment to her, Keila who was always upset to hear Andra who called her lover, Keila who initially always tried not to be close to Andra, now changed. Slowly Keila began to accept Andra's situation. And unnoticed by Keila, the existence of Andra then became something ordinary. 

Shared habits: shopping at the market together, eating together, sitting on the porch together when it rains and sometimes spending time together just to read a book and listen to music together, it slowly became a habit for Keila. Without Keila knowing, Andra became “something” that is common in Keila's daily life. 

Time passes so fast. Without Keila realizing thirty days of suspension was almost over. That means Keila has to get back to work like before. Keila will return to a situation where she does not know Andra and is busy with work like before. 

The last day of Keila's suspension, it rained during the day. As usual, Keila made a steamed bun of butter and sugar and sat on the porch of her apartment listening to songs stored on her phone. And as is his new habit, he, Andra suddenly emerged from the porch of her apartment and then threw her jacket to Keila and made Keila who had been focused on staring at the rain falling while listening to the song then turned her gaze towards the down jacket. 

“You!” Keila shouted while removing one earphone attached to her ear. “Can't you come quietly without throwing your jacket at me? You keep doing this repeatedly.” 

Keila said in an annoyed tone but her hand spontaneously gave the plate next to her that contained steamed bread to Andra. Keila memorized Andra will ask for his steamed bread which can only be found when it rains. 

“If I don't throw my jacket at you, you won't know that I've been standing here since and if you don't want me to throw my jacket, then wear a blanket to protect your body from this cold.” Andra received the plate given by Keila. Andra then directly devoured one pair of steamed bread in one mouthful. “What song are you listening to this time?” 

“Why? You want to know?” keila asked in a tight tone while putting on Andra's jacket to cover her body from the cold air that came along with the rain. 

“Ya.” Andra answered after finishing eating Keila's second steamed bun. “I won't ask if I'm not curious.” 

“Why are you always curious about the songs I hear?” Keila turned to ask Andra because every time Keila listened to the song with her earphones, Andra would ask about the song she heard. 

“Because everything about you always makes me curious, Keila.” Andra finished spending three pairs of Keila's steamed buns and then returned the empty plates back to their owners. “Remember that. So. . If someday in the future I ask you again, you will remember the reason I asked you.” 

Shit, he did it again. Keila cursed inside her mind while pressing on her chest because of her beating heart. After a while of trying to calm her heart, Keila then looked at Andra and said, “If you are curious about the song I heard, come here and listen with me.” 

Andra quickly ran over and then within a short period of time walked into Keila's apartment and sat down beside Keila. Andra who has often visited Keila's apartment, memorized the password of Keila's apartment door. 

“This.” Keila gave Andra one earphone to listen to the song she was currently listening to. 

For one full song of 3 minutes and 48 seconds, only the sound of rain was heard between Keila and Andra. Both of them silently looked towards the rain that fell while enjoying the song that rotated in their ears. 

“Today is the last day of my suspension.” Keila broke the silence between herself and Andra after nearly 4 minutes of silence. 

“It turns out that it has been a month well,” said Andra with a disappointed tone. “Time passes quickly without me realizing.”

“Yes, it's been a month and because of that, maybe I won't be able to cook lunch and dinner every day for you. My busy work sometimes forces me to come home late at night.” 

“Ehm. .” 

Keila caught the disappointment in Andra's eyes when she looked at him. “But we can still have breakfast together if you want.” 

“Ya, I know it.” Andra took a long breath. “I really didn't expect if these thirty days really passed quickly. Honestly, I also have to go back to work in the office and I will also be busy starting tomorrow. Maybe we'll meet less often, but-“ 

“I and you may be busy, but. . . I will stick to you even if not as often as I do now. I still haven't given up on making you my lover. Please give me your lunch time to me.” 

Keila frowned because she felt she did not understand. “What does that mean by lunch time?” 

“From tomorrow, I'll take you to your office and pick you up when you get home from work. Then we'll meet again at break time for lunch together.” Andra answered Keila's question with a smile on her face as if her head was currently already imagining what was said from her mouth just now. 

“You didn't say anything wrong, did you?” Keila was surprised to hear Andra's explanation. 

“No.” Andra shook her head. “I told you, I will make you my real lover so I will do anything for it.” 

Keila's eyes were rounded when she heard Andra's words describing her determination to make Keila her lover. “You really. .” 

Keila was at a loss for words to describe Andra's effort and determination. 

Andra let out a small laugh looking at Keila's current expression. “So you don't have to worry we won't meet because of our busyness. Maybe a day or maybe two days or maybe a week, we might find it difficult to meet because of our respective busyness. But trust me, Keila. I will definitely come back to you and stand before you.” 

Keila pulled her head in shock at Andra's words. “If anyone else had heard these words of yours, they would have thought I was your lover for a long time, Andra. Stop saying something that makes people misunderstand our relationship!” 

Andra laughed a little. “Hahaha. Let others misunderstand. In fact, I want people to think that you are my lover. So when you get close to another man, people will tell me. That way, I can stop the efforts of the man who tried to approach you.” 

Keila let out a long sigh as she realized that the more she fought against Andra's words, the more Keila realized that she could never win a fight with Andra. 

“Key?” call Andra. 

“What else??” asked Keila who was upset because of her defeat in a fight with Andra. 

“If I may know, the song we are listening to is what does it mean? I was curious about everything about you. But for this one, I really don't understand. Your taste of the song is amazing. A week ago, you heard a Japanese song. Ten days ago you listened to a Korean song. This time, what language song is this? I really don't understand.” 

“Hahaha. .” Keila spontaneously laughed out loud at Andra's long speech about her taste. “If you don't understand, why would you listen to a song with me?” 

“Because everything about you always makes me curious.” Andra answered casually. 

Not wanting to hear Andra's words about her determination to pursue her, Keila then opened her phone and typed something into the search engine. Not long after, Keila showed something she was looking for through a search engine to Andra. “See this!” 

“What is this?” ask Andra who then took Keila's phone and read what appeared on Keila's phone screen. 

“Translation lyrics of the song we are currently hearing. This time it's a song we're listening to in Thai and it's a translation of the lyrics. Isn't the lyrics romantic?” obviously Keila with a smile while listening to a song that was still spinning through the earphones in one of her ears. 

A smile appeared on Andra's face when Andra finished reading the translation of the lyrics of the song she was listening to along with Keila. “You're right. The lyrics of the song are really romantic.” 

Andra then returned Keila's phone still with a smile on her lips. For a few seconds silence returned between Keila and Andra until Andra suddenly said to Keila without looking at Keila. “I wish I could have a relationship like this song. Have a lover whose love will last forever like the lyrics of this song and I hope that lover is you, Keila.” 

Keila froze hearing Andra's words for the umpteenth time. His heart beat again for the umpteenth time. The time stopped and Keila could not hear the sound of rain falling. In Keila's ears right now only heard the song she was hearing along with Andra. Keila's heart skipped a beat as the song played the so-called ref part in Andra's speech. 

Damnit. This song is my favorite song but it makes my heart beat because of Andra and her speech. Keila cursed in her mind as her heart skipped a beat with a song spinning in her ears.