The First Curse of Love
3. We Are Injured (1)

"Where are there plans to continue S2?" Sadewa asked Dean, who seemed to have no taste in enjoying the dinner in front of him.

Danny and his mom stopped eating and stared at Dean at the same time. While Dean who had not tasted the food earlier, increasingly losing appetite now. He was sick of seeing his Papa acting as if he cared about him, even though he thought his Papa was just pretending.

"I haven't thought of it yet." Answer Dean at that.

"According to Mama, you continue abroad only. So that you have a new outlook, and are better prepared to replace Papa you will continue our family business."

Faradina tried to give her advice sincerely. But what he found was inversely proportional to what he expected. For Dean, the speech was too presumptuous for him to hear.

Faradina should have realized early on that Dean was good at messing with her expectations.

"Which family does aunt mean?" Dean asked in a non-accepting tone.

"Dean, Papa has said many times, call your Mama right. Your mama is not someone you can call without respect!"

Dean sighed. He then took off his spoon and fork, and looked at Faradina who was sitting right in front of him hatefully.

"I don't even know what to call him. Because it's impossible to just say her name, so shouldn't I call her Aunt? That's the most polite thing I can do."

"DEAN!!" Stuck Sadewa hard.

Instead of responding to his Papa's anger, Dean got up from his chair and said, "later I'll go to college where, I'll send it all to Papa. From the beginning, you guys never gave me a choice, did you? Why should I bother asking my opinion now? In this house, I'm just a robot in full control of Papa, I'm—"

Dean had not yet finished his words, a pretty loud slap from Sadewa landed perfectly on his face. The shocked Faradina immediately stood up and approached her husband, "what did Mas do?"

Danny who does not know what to do just stay in his place with a feeling of anger that he can no longer tolerate. He was very angry at Dean's disrespectful treatment of his parents, especially his mother, who had always sincerely paid attention to Dean even though she was not appreciated.

Dean and his father threw sharp glances at each other with breaths going up and down. In the next second, Dean stepped back, "I'm done. I'm going back to the room now."

...****...

Dean stood on the balcony gazing up at the night sky, looking at the billions of stars strewn about. Star gazing activities like this, is an activity that he often did with his late mother first.

Ever since the dinner table incident, it feels like Dean really wants to cry. But everything he held. He doesn't want to look weak. Whatever happens, he will try to be strong as the promise he made when his mother breathed her last.

Dean closed both his eyes. Then then, a flash of memory from the past hit his head...

...****...

15 Years Ago...

Dean was almost 7 years old when his father brought a woman with a child of about 5 years old into their home. From a distance, without being able to hear the conversation between Mama and her Papa, Dean saw them as if they were having a big fight. But back then, Dean was too small to understand.

Dean walked into the living room, and found a beautiful woman hugging her frightened child. Dean who knew nothing approached them and held the little boy's hand. Dean smiled warmly, and asked innocently, "whose sister's name?"

"Danny. My name is Danny. That Brother?" Ask Danny back. His face no longer looked frightened.

"Call me Brother De—"

Before Dean finished his introduction to Danny, his mother suddenly came and pulled him roughly.

"Dean, now we're out of here!"

"But, Ma, Dean just met this little brother. Dean still wants to be here with this sister..." Whine Dean in an imploring tone.

"Dean, you're with Mama, aren't you?!" Yashinta said almost yelled. The frightened Dean immediately fell silent and lowered his head deeply.

"And you!" Yashinta looked at Faradina cynically. He seemed to want to kill the woman in front of him at that very second.

"Mba, forgive me.I didn't mean to do all this, but—"

"Then what? Why would you want to be in a relationship with someone who is married and has children? Why?"

"Mba, Mas Sadewa and I made a mistake. I'm sorry if—"

"Sorry what you say now, you will never be able to fix what you have broken. I think of you as my sister, Fara. But you betrayed the trust and affection I gave you." The tears that Yashinta had been holding back had finally spilled. His heart is burning now.

Faradina was Yashinta's younger sister when she was both educated in college. Yashinta admired Faradina for her intelligence. She is one of the genius students even though she comes from a family that is all lacking.

After her marriage to Sadewa Adhitama, it was Yashinta who helped Faradina a lot to get a job after completing her studies. He also helped Faradina a lot during the completion of his Post-Service lecture. And thanks to Yashinta's perseverance and unyielding efforts from Faradina herself, he finally got a position that is quite important in the Sadewa company. At first Faradina was just an ordinary employee, but after five years working there, she finally got a position as Marketing Manager.

Everything was fine until the day when Faradina suddenly disappeared without a trace. Even Sadewa himself was unaware of its existence.

On the eve of his company's birthday, Sadewa drinks too much that without him knowing, the 'accident' happened. From that day on, Faradina decided to disappear from the lives of Sadewa and Yashinta. But secretly, Sadewa continued to search for Faradina's whereabouts. Just a year ago, she found Faradina, and married her secretly after learning that Faradina had given birth to her Son.

And now, all those secrets are revealed and ravage Yashinta's entire world.

"Dean, now we're out of this house!"

Yashinta pulled Dean's hand about to take him away. However, just as they were about to step up, Danny's tiny hand intercepted Dean's wrist.

"Where are you going? Don'tgo. Danny Temenin plays here."

Yashinta felt her chest tightening when she saw the child's innocent face pull Dean's hand and hold him back from leaving.

By trying to establish himself, Yashinta forced Dean until his hand was removed from Danny's grasp just like that. He finally really took Dean out of the house with his broken heart. And as Dean walked behind his mother, his eyes kept on Danny, who seemed unwilling to let go.

From that very day on, Dean had instilled in himself that the pair of Mothers and Children that his Father brought into their home, were the destroyers of his happiness.

...****...

"Sister Dean!"

A voice suddenly broke Dean's long daydream, and pulled him back to consciousness. Dean turned to the side, then found Danny who was already standing next to him.

"Gue knew, Papa and Mama had made a big mistake in the past. Big mistake that may not be able to you sorry until anytime. But they paid for it. And you don't have to do this to make them remember that mistake. Without doing anything, sin always looms over them. No matter how hard your stance that you can't forgive the past won't change anything, brother."

"Just go. What do you want from me?" Ask Dean indifferently.

Danny straightened up and looked at Dean bravely, "gue asked you to change your attitude to Papa and Mama. After all, they are our parents. And it's our duty to honor them."

"They're not my parents." Dean said firmly and coldly.

"Fine! Mama may not be your birth mother, but Papa? Papa is your biological father, brother. Papa who has sacrificed a lot for you. Papa who has been holding everything back to protect you. Papa who tries to bury his bitterness for your happiness. Can't you see that side of it?"

Danny's words just now, suddenly made Dean's emotions ignited. The old wounds that have not dried up, again gaping. This time, he who had been reluctant to answer Danny, finally prepared to spit out everything he had been sniffing all along.

"Birth father you said? Where was he once? Where have I been and my mom suffered? Where was he, when all my friends were booing because I didn't have a father? Where did my mom get sick and die feeling hurt and lonely? He never existed for me, though! Lo and Mama you will never understand what it's like to be me. Betrayed and thrown away like garbage, left to live abandoned without ever trying to find. Is that what you call a real father? You also do not know how it feels to lose a mother who is very lo love because of a mistake caused by a person you call BIOLOGICAL FATHER!"

Danny's heart seemed to be sliced when he heard Dean's words. Danny never knows what it's like to be Dean, but really, Danny also feels sick to see Dean's situation is difficult to forgive and reconcile with his past. Every second, Danny always felt tightness in his chest when he saw Dean's face. Sometimes, Danny even regretted his birth. If Danny had never existed, Dean might not have suffered this much. If Danny had never been born, he probably wouldn't have taken anything from Dean.

And if he could choose, Danny might prefer never to be born and ruin Dean's life.

To Be Continued...^^^