The First Curse of Love
35. Blue Birthday's

That morning, Qiara was watering the plants in her yard when she saw Dean who had just returned after morning exercise. Before Dean entered the gate of his house, Qiara hurriedly called out to him, "Sister Dean!"

Hearing his name being called, Dean immediately stopped his steps and undoed his intention to enter the house. Qiara immediately ran out of her yard and approached Dean.

"Sister Dean when do you come home?"

"Salem, Qi."

"Isn't Om Dewa the same Aunt Fara no longer at home?"

"Yes. But someone wants Brother Dean to take care of it here."

Qiara nodded in understanding before finally asking, "want to have breakfast together?"

Dean did not answer. But of course he wanted to have breakfast with Qiara. If you do not remember that next month Qiara is officially his sister-in-law, maybe Dean will immediately approve the invitation without thinking as long as before.

With a heavy heart, Dean finally said, "Sister Dean had breakfast by himself."

"Then I made Granola for Brother Dean. Brother Dean likes breakfast with Granola, right?"

Before Dean could refuse again, Qiara had already entered Dean's house first. While Dean, he immediately sighed. Why is it so hard to keep a distance from Qiara? Erang Dean in heart.

Qiara was mixing some ingredients like canola oil, honey, and vanilla extract into a bowl when Dean came down from the second floor after cleaning himself. Instead of sitting at the dinner table, Dean prefers to sit at the – pantry table to be able to see Qiara closer while struggling with her work through an iPad. Occasionally he also raised his face and noticed Qiara who was busy concocting materials painstakingly.

Suddenly Dean felt pained, when the shadow that soon Qiara will do all the activities in front of him as his morning routine after bearing the title as Danny's wife.

Dean lowered his head while smiling to hold the pain in his heart.

"Sister Dean, maple syrup I'm changing to honey is okay, huh? Mother Sri said her maple syrup ran out."

The gasping Dean immediately replied, "yes. It's okay."

Twenty-five minutes later, Qiara finally finished making Granola. While waiting for Granola to cool down, Qiara decided to make a glass of low-fat milk for Dean. And after everything was ready, Qiara immediately presented it neatly in front of Dean who was still struggling with his work.

"The work goes on later, now breakfast first."

"Thank you, Qi." Answer Dean. He then removed his iPad and immediately ate the dishes that had been prepared by Qiara.

"Aren't you having breakfast?" Dean asked when he realized that Qiara was just sitting next to him without having breakfast with him.

"So Dean said he wanted to have breakfast by himself. If so, Qia went back home, huh?"

Just as Qiara was about to get down from the high chair he was sitting in, Dean immediately restrained his arm while accidentally seeing one of Qiara's toenails hurt and bleeding.

"Qiara, wait!"

"Hm?"

"Your toenails are injured. Waita minute. I'm taking the drug."

Dean rushed to get the P3K box. After returning again to the kitchen, he immediately led Qiara down from the chair and led her to the living room sofa. Dean sat down on his knees underneath. And just as Dean was about to grab hold of his leg to treat his wound, Qiara quickly lowered her head to stop Dean before Dean's hand could touch his leg.

"Sister Dean, let Qia do the medicine herself. Brother Dean mending further breakfast."

"It's okay for Brother Dean."

"Sister Dean..please!" Pinta Qiara with great earnestness.

Dean who could instantly grasp the meaning behind Qiara's refusal finally chose to budge. Yes, giving up is indeed the only best way, which is also the only option for Dean now. He has no gap to avoid.

Qiara had affirmed the boundary between them since that day.

...****...

Three days are Danny's birthday. On September 20, Danny will turn 24. And Qiara had already devised a plan to come to Shanghai to surprise Danny. Qiara had even prepared his plan as mature as possible.

Whenever Danny calls her or makes a video call with her, Qiara always tries her best not to suddenly let go of saying that she will soon catch up with Danny. Although it was actually in her heart, Qiara was eager to tell Danny so that she could see a happy look on her face. Almost a week did not meet Danny, enough to make Qiara feel tight to withstand the onslaught of longing.

"Qi, three more days on my birthday. It's my first birthday without you." Danny complained while showing his face in a video call.

"Yes, it's okay. We can get rid of it later after you go home. You were there for five days. We'll meet soon." Persuade Qiara while muffling her smile.

"I wish you were here, Qi! Aaaa, I think I'm going crazy because I miss you right now."

"Hahahaha. hold on for a minute, baby!"

Danny shook his head before he looked at the door and ended his video call with Qiara. Just then, Qiara suddenly felt his premonition start to deteriorate.

"Qi, I'll call you later, okay?"

"okay." Qiara replied, trying to understand that maybe Danny should receive a guest.

...****...

Danny stepped straight towards the door. Who comes to his room at night and interrupts his rest?

Danny was then stunned when he found out that Pricilla was standing at the door of his room while reviewing his usual smile. Danny sighed, before finally forcing himself to smile.

"Why, Priss?"

"Dann, you're looking for food, yuk! I'm hungry."

"You can eat at the restaurant."

Danny sighed while showing a face of consideration. It's the third day since he agreed to befriend Pricilla. And during these three days too, if you are not busy or have finished with his work, Pricilla who like memorization of Danny's schedule always come to see him to just ask for company or a meal, or a meal, like tonight.

And Danny, this Foolish Man, is always not up to the heart to give a rejection even though he wants to.

"Three days I'm back in New York, you know." Said Pricilla to just remind Danny that their time is not much anymore.

"OKAY. Let's get some food!" Danny's breakup after going through considerable consideration.

Danny takes Pricilla to a famous Noodle Shop in Huangpu District. Once their noodle order was presented on the table, Pricilla just looked at it when Danny seemed so greedy to enjoy every mouthful.

"Cock not eaten? No likes? Want to find somewhere else?" Danny asked on the sidelines.

"I don't like it. But I'm on a diet." Reply Pricilla –still by looking at her noodle bowl.

Danny let go of the chopsticks for a moment, then said to Pricilla, "just eat what you want to eat. No need to hold back like this. After all, your body is already very thin now. I'm sure, it's just a bone wrapped in skin." Ledek Danny while pointing towards Pricilla's open arm using his eyes.

Hearing the teasing that Danny threw, Pricilla immediately looked at Danny with an unacceptable look and lips that he deliberately pursed.

Unknowingly, Danny laughed loudly. He then grabbed the chopsticks and positioned them in Pricilla's right hand. For a few seconds, Pricilla was stunned when she felt her skin rub against Danny's skin.

"Let's eat! You can go on a diet tomorrow. So, tonight you can eat the whole thing."

The smile on Pricilla's face widened with blissful eyes. The little attention Danny gave him, managed to give a warm effect on his heart.

After dinner, they returned to the hotel. Danny, who did not want to waste any more time, immediately told Pricilla to return as soon as he drove the girl to his doorstep.

"Danny, wait!" Intercept Pricilla while timidly grabbing Danny's hand and holding it slowly.

When Danny hurriedly wanted to let go of his hand, Pricilla actually tightened it. "This once, Dann. Please don't turn me down." Lirih Pricilla with a pleading voice and a bowed face.

"Priss, this is malem. You'd better—"

Not yet had Danny finished his words, Pricilla suddenly just threw himself into Danny's arms. Danny immediately stared with an empty mind. His movements felt dead for no reason.

"Three years, it's been the toughest three for me, Dann. So, can I give you a hug? Just one minute."

Danny's body that had been stiff now began to relax. Although he again did not return Pricilla's embrace, but Pricilla can feel that Danny can accept it.

Pricilla immersed herself in Danny's arms. Then one by one, all the wounds, pain, despair, restraints that had bound him for these three years revolved back inside his head. But everything no longer feels agonizing, because now he is in Danny's arms. Someone he so longed for and loved half to death.

"Dann, can you please tell me that I've done my best?" Please Pricilla. Recalling how hard he had been trying for his dream, but never really could make him feel the strong support from those around him made him so fragile.

Danny closed his eyes for a moment. He slowly raised his hand and returned the hug of Pricilla. He then patted Pricilla on the shoulder, trying to give her strength.

"You're great. You've done your best. Thank you for staying this far." Danny murmured full of earnestness and without the slightest sense of compulsion.

As one of the people who knows the life story of Pricilla, and all the struggles of Pricilla to get to this point, of course Danny can not stay silent when this girl only asks for one support from him. For Danny, it never hurts to strengthen someone. Even if the one who asked for it was someone else, and not Pricilla, Danny would still do it.

Danny just hoped that would be enough. Because right now, he feels enough.

...****...

Thirty minutes Qiara waited for Danny's arrival in the lobby, although he had not shown any signs of his appearance, Qiara still waited for Danny's arrival with patience. Qiara was hopeful, that his sudden presence would succeed in surprising Danny. He even prepared a sweet strawberry tart.

Now, Qiara instead became impatient to want to quickly see the surprised face of Danny when he saw his arrival later. It would be great to see Danny running out of words. And they're gonna spend the night celebrating Danny's birthday.

Five minutes later, from a distance Qiara finally saw the figure of Danny who was entering the door. Just as Qiara was about to rush up to him, Qiara's steps suddenly came to a halt when she saw Pricilla – who had somehow appeared from nowhere came up to Danny and touched one of his arms.

Pricilla looked like she was saying something to Danny. While Danny, he just smiled with an eye that did not escape the girl. Danny then raised his right hand and rubbed Pricilla's head. Exactly what Danny often did to Qiara.

Qiara who was watching all the scene after scene was able to sense very clearly the crack in her heart. Crack it that will gradually widen to cause destruction.

One question finally disturbs Qiara's instincts; what is the female protagonist of the scene in front of her, is the answer why all this time Danny never once said that he loved Qiara too?

Qiara stepped back while giving a rough breath. The cake box that had been in his hand just slipped and rations to the floor. Her tears had already been held in the fertilizers, looking like glass that was preparing to break in a countdown.

Not quite there, Qiara knew how to feel a hit so hard on his chest when he saw Pricilla approaching and landed a brief kiss on Danny's lips. It feels tight mixed with pain. Qiara did not even have the power to simply turn her face away.

When all the pain was not contained anymore, someone suddenly came from behind Qiara, pulled her wrist and grabbed her fragile body that was ready to collapse when Pricilla would kiss Danny again. It was also then, the tears that Qiara had been desperately enduring finally spilled.

"I'm here, Qi. You are not alone." Lirih Dean while rubbing the back of Qiara's head with full softness, soothing all the pain that whack all over his body.

...****...

April, 2021...

"Qiara Serena Ghandy, will you marry me?"

Said Dean kneeling before Qiara who still looked surprised and could not believe what was now happening. A diamond-studded gold ring was presented to Dean in front of the woman he loved most, hoping Qiara would accept his proposal.

A moment later Qiara gasped as she felt something from inside her jerking without warning. He then spread his eyes around her. Now, all pairs of eyes from a group of residents in the Orphanage make it the center of attention. Their faces looked just as tense as Dean's.

They were loyal supporters who had always supported Dean and Qiara's relationship all along. They were also, children who were very precious to Qiara.

"Sister Dean, wake up! Don't be shy!!" Whisper Qiara with bulging eyes.

But Dean only showed a look of unconcerned face with a careless smile that accompanied him.

To Be Continued..^^^