The First Curse of Love
69. Come Back to You Again

"And, we never really said goodbye

We never really said it was over

We never really said goodbye

First love never dies..."

^^—First Love Never Dies by Eugene Wilde & Joanna Wilder

...****...

"Dann, where are you? Is your work done?" Qiara asked Danny over the phone.

After meeting with Felicya and knowing some things about Danny that he had not known so far made Qiara feel depressed. For one reason, she desperately wanted to meet Danny and give him a hug.

"Say a little. Why?"

"Yes already. I'm going to your place now, huh? I'll wait there."

"cock out?" Danny asked for a doubt.

"It's okay."

"Emm, okay, okay."

After the phone connection was cut off, Qiara immediately tidied up her belongings, put them in a bag then walked out of her room.

After the elevator he was waiting for opened, someone he knew came out of the elevator carrying a paper bag. Qiara was fixated for a while as the person smiled warmly at her.

That man is Vanno. His ex-girlfriend was.

"Hay, Qi? You're back?"

"Willow? Since when do you work here?"

Vanno approached Qiara, then replied, "it has been two years, Qi. I'm in talent management division."

Qiara just nodded. Meeting Vanno suddenly like this was enough to make him feel awkward.

"Oh yes, Qi! Next weekend I got married. Lo dateng, huh?" Vanno said as she reached into the paper bag and picked up an invitation for Qiara. The paper bag that Vanno was waiting for turned out to contain his wedding invitation.

"Oh yeah, hahaha yes, Van!" Qiara replied as she accepted Vanno's wedding invitation and read the front.

His laughter sounded forced. It was Qiara doing to break his own awkwardness.

"Zara's? So, you're going to marry Zara?" Qiara said then after reading Zara's name on the invitation. "Good! I'm relieved, because you can get a wife-to-be as good as Zara." He looked at Vanno in front of him.

Zara used to be their underclassman on campus. Although she did not know Zara personally, Qiara knew that Zara was a good woman.

"Thanks, Qi! I didn't think I was married to Zara." Vanno took a short pause, "uh yeah, if you can go with Danny, yeah?"

Qiara was a little surprised when Vanno dragged Danny's name.

"I'm still awkward with Danny because of what happened seven years ago. But, yes, no matter how it has passed. Sekaut—"

"Aawkwardly? What happened seven years ago?" Sela Qiara before Vanno finished his words. Vanno's words really made him confused as well as curious.

"So you don't know about that? Danny didn't tell me anything about elo?"

Looking at Qiara who looked completely ignorant, Vanno was much more astonished.

...****...

"The day before we broke up, Danny mergokin I cheated on each other girls. For the first time, I saw Danny that angry. He seemed to be able to finish off anyone with his cold gaze. Our meeting that day was arranged with Danny. He asked me to make your mutusin, and don't show up in front of you again. You may not be aware, but it was Danny coming from behind."

"That second I finally knew that Danny had more feelings for Elo, Qi. Danny loves you more than anything."

While waiting for Danny in front of his room, Vanno's explanation about the events seven years ago was wrapped up in Qiara's memory. Now that Qiara finally understood, why did Danny act strange and force her to go with him, at a time when Qiara had even given an explanation that he already had an appointment to meet with someone else. So, due to a pinch as well, Danny was forced to buy his birthday gift long before he had his birthday.

And Danny deliberately did not say anything about the Vanno affair because he did not want to make himself feel very sad. Danny did not want to make Qiara feel inferior in front of him because Danny had caught Vanno cheating. That's how Danny appreciates Qiara.

Qiara's chest was filled to the brim when she discovered one fact that Danny had always loved her, and what was more painful for Danny was; Qiara never believed Danny's feelings. He always doubted the growing love and deeply rooted in Danny's heart.

All this time, Qiara had only focused on herself, until she escaped with her true feelings.

"Qi, it's been a while?"

One voice belonging to Danny instantly pulled Qiara out of his long stature. He was moved, then looked at Danny who stood in front of him with three of his team at the back.

Qiara, who seemed to be indifferent to the surroundings, walked up to Danny without a single speck of hesitation like before. He then brought his body into Danny's arms. What he did made Danny not believe. While the three members of Danny's team who followed Danny seemed to whisper to each other before finally leaving Danny and Qiara just the two of them.

"Qi, you're okay, right?"

'I'm sorry I never believed in you all this time, Dann...' Lirih Qiara inwardly closed her eyes. He also tightened his embrace.

"Mhmm, I just want to hug you right now." Answer Qiara later.

Being in Danny's arms, Qiara's heart that felt empty for three years finally filled back up, filled to the brim. For the first time in three years, Qiara felt herself whole.

...****...

Qiara opened her eyes slowly. He could faintly see Danny sitting on the side of the bed while looking at him who was sleeping soundly in Danny's room. Qiara who did not have time to go home to his apartment, again changed his clothes with clothes belonging to Danny – as he often did before.

Qiara then glanced at the wall clock behind Danny which was almost showing at one in the morning. In his mind Qiara thought, Danny must have not slept at all.

"Why not sleep?" Qiara asked in a hoarse voice while changing her position to a sitting position.

"I'm scared." Danny answered softly, but with honesty.

"Fearful? Scared why? Do you have nightmares?" Qiara started to worry.

Danny shook his head once more, "i'm afraid that if I sleep, you'll disappear again when I wake up. Like three years ago." Danny lowered his head while pressing his palm with his thumb. In Qiara's knowledge, it was a gesture that Danny showed whenever he felt anxious or scared.

Danny's confession just hit Qiara's heart. Because of that, Qiara could not dispel her tears that were immediately rushing out one by one. The wound he left behind turned out to be quite deep and imprinted in Danny's heart.

Qiara then leaned her body close to Danny, wrapped her hands around the man's neck, then pulled him into his arms.

"I'm not leaving anymore. I-i promise. But now, you sleep first, huh? You must be tired of working all day. You need to rest." Pinta Qiara with a trembling voice. He wiped his tears, trying to strengthen himself.

After successfully persuading Danny, Danny is finally willing to go to sleep. But instead, Danny did not let go of Qiara's hand. At that point, he really felt afraid just in case Qiara would leave him again.

Realizing the fear that surrounded Danny, Qiara further tightened his distance with Danny. One of his arms he was wrapped around Danny's neck, Qiara then pulled Danny slowly until the man's face leaned against his chest. Qiara rubbed Danny's shoulder, trying to convince him that he was going nowhere.

Qiara even hummed one song quietly while continuing to rub Danny's shoulders, and occasionally stroked his fine hair.

And finally Danny who was gradually calmed down, slowly began to fall asleep comfortably in Qiara's arms.

...****...

Danny opened his eyes in the morning, and Qiara was not next to him.

Danny immediately pulled out of bed, frantically calling out Qiara's name but there was no answer. What happened last night was just a dream? Or... did Qiara leave her again?

Danny, whose wits are covered, comes right out of his room. But he immediately breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Qiara who was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. With a cheerful face and a smile that was so light, Qiara served two plates of banana pancakes on the table along with two glasses of milk and some fruits.

Danny stepped quickly towards the woman, then hugged her body as tightly as he could. Although he was able to breathe a sigh of relief, but the rays of fear in both eyes did not want to disappear.

"Qi, I thought you were gone again."

"Danny's free! I'm having a hard time breathing. Where am I going anyway?" Said Qiara in a choked voice while banging on Danny's back.

Danny then loosened his arms, "you should have woken me up earlier, so I wouldn't panic like this."

"Sorry."

Danny then released his embrace of Qiara. He looked at Qiara's fine face which that morning looked beautiful. Of all the appearances of Qiara, Danny likes his appearance when he just woke up. His hair that he tied just about anything, face without his makeup that still looks beautiful, the aroma, the voice, Danny likes everything about his Qiaranya without exception.

Danny smiled in admiration with teary eyes. It was never imagined by him, that today he would see Qiara again when he just woke up. With an arcing feeling, Danny landed a kiss on Qiara's forehead, and held it a little longer.

"I love you, Qi! Thank you for keeping your promise not to go."

Danny once again kissed her forehead, then went down on both her eyes, both her cheeks, her nose, and lastly...

But shit! Before Danny had time to kiss his lips, Qiara with a faster motion even smother Danny's mouth with a strawberry. Danny snorted in annoyance, while Qiara, he immediately laughed triumphantly.

"Breakfast first!"

Qiara who felt that she was in the wind immediately sat down on the chair. Without the slightest feeling of guilt towards Danny, Qiara ate her banana pancakes voraciously.

A little while later, Danny snorted his smile before finally joining Qiara for breakfast together. After sitting next to Qiara, Danny rubbed the woman's head in a fit of anxiety. Danny is determined, that next time, Qiara will get his punishment for having presumptuously refused to be kissed by Danny.

As they were engrossed in their togetherness that morning, Qiara's phone which she had placed on the table suddenly shook. The two of them automatically glanced at the phone.

And Danny was stunned to learn that Qiara had just received a message from Dean. Qiara read it immediately. His cheerful face had changed without warning.

"Dann, I think I should see Brother Dean."

...****...

April, 2014...

Danny stops his steps when he sees Vanno pulling a girl's hand inside a club, then takes her to a quieter place away from the crowd. Feeling that something was wrong with the sight, Danny followed them.

And Danny immediately grunts his smile when he sees Vanno kissing the girl passionately. His anger burned to the ground after learning how the jerk played Qiara, his favorite chatty friend.

Danny did nothing and just waited behind the wall for a few minutes before the two men finally completed their indecent act. The girl, whom Danny knew was named Helen, who was also his Classmate came out first. And as soon as Danny stood up, Helen's eyes immediately showed a surprised look, but Danny just showed his mysterious smile and let Helen go.

Not long after, Vanno also came out. That was when, his eyes immediately whistled with the eyes of Danny who had seen him with a murderous look.

"Eh, e─elo, Dann?" Sapa Vanno, trying to sound reasonable. But in his heart Vanno was already feeling ketar-ketir. He believes ninety-nine percent, that Danny just caught him.

Danny exhales violently before finally crashing Vanno's body and showering him with a punch in his stomach.

"Fuck lo! How dare you playin Qiara like gini!!"

"Gue wouldn't believe it if your best friend wasn't such a saint!" Vanno replied angrily, "don't kiss, I just hold her hand just she looked at me with disgust, as if I was just trash disturbing her view! What's the point of me keeping a girl who doesn't even want to be touched?!"

"Elo deserves to be treated like that, because you are far more disgusting than trash!"

Danny's emotions get less stifled when Vanno calls Qiara a saintly pretender. He again landed a pretty hard blow on Vanno's stomach. A few moments later Danny tried to think with a cold head. If he keeps beating Vanno like this, he could get into trouble later. And also, Danny doesn't want Qiara to be embarrassed because he caught his girlfriend cheating on him.

"Lo know why I didn't hit you in the face?" Danny asked coldly.

Vanno did not answer, but stared intently at Danny's eyes.

"So Qiara's self-esteem was not hurt. I want you to meet Qiara with a clean face, so that she doesn't throw any questions at elo." Danny replied with great emphasis. "So, I'll give you until tomorrow. Put away Qiara, and no longer appear before her. Otherwise, I'll risk everything to finish you off. Understand??"

Vanno felt his whole body goosebumps as he listened to Danny's last words. He couldn't even say a word to Danny to return all his words.

^^^To be Continued...^^^