The First Curse of Love
70. Story for Danny

"Sister Dean yesterday had a meeting at the Clover Leaf Hotel Harsa. Before that, Brother Dean has indeed not looked fit since you left. Especially over the past few days, Brother Dean continues to be self-excavating. He could even go abroad for two days in a row. And his secretary said, Dean fell ill. He did not want to be taken to the hospital, and preferred to rest while at the Clover Leaf Penthouse. Brother Dean also does not want to go home, for fear that Danny and his mother will worry."

That was Windy's explanation over the phone a moment ago. Windy's voice while explaining that to Qiara sounded very worried. Windy even several times like making sure that Qiara actually came to at least meet Dean just once.

Qiara accelerated his vehicle. About fifteen minutes later, Qiara arrived at the Clover Leaf Hotel, where Dean had been languishing for several days due to illness. As soon as she arrived, Qiara immediately pressed the bell button with a feeling of misgivings, not long ago, Dean who was then pale and weak opened the door for her.

"Qi, have you come?"

"Hurry prepared! We need to get to the hospital. Otherwise, I'll call Danny." Threatening Qiara seriously while walking past Dean and just entering.

Before Qiara went even deeper, he suddenly felt Dean holding his wrist. Qiara froze for a few seconds, before finally turning around slowly, and looking at Dean who was looking down while clasping his hands tightly. Therefore, Qiara could feel the heat radiating from all over Dean's body.

Dean is in real pain!

"I'm a little confused, Qi. We don't need to go to the hospital."

"Then don't make Qia worry about Dean!!"

"Qi?"

"Son Dean said he wanted to see me happy. But, why is Brother Dean torturing himself like this? How can I be happy, while Brother Dean is sick like this?" Said Qiara with a raucous voice. Both of his eyes reddened holding back tears as he looked at Dean's condition.

Dean who was usually always strong and valiant, now looked so weak and seemed to be able to fall at any time.

"This has nothing to do with you, Qi! Brother Dean is not sick because of you. Hm?"

"I hate Brother Dean!!" Sizzle Qiara cynically. But his cynical tone was not immediately able to hide how afraid he was to see Dean's condition at that time.

Qiara then released her hand from Dean's grasp.

Deftly, he then called the hotel clerk, asking to bring a bowl of porridge along with some fever-lowering drugs.

No more than twenty minutes, what he ordered finally came. Qiara forced Dean to go back to bed, ate his porridge and drank his medicine. All of them, none of them escaped Qiara's attention. Even due to being too focused on Dean, Qiara was completely unaware when Danny called him many times.

"Sister Dean?"

Dean who was sitting on the mattress while leaning on the head of the bed immediately raised his face and looked at Qiara who was sitting on the sofa located right in front of him.

"So Dean wanted to see what Ira's mom said back then?"

Dean was no longer feeling Qiara's anger. His tone also sounded soft.

"Good people will eventually meet good people as well." Qiara continued, looking down. After which he lifted his gaze, looking straight at the two eagle eyes belonging to Dean. "Sister Dean is a good man, but Qia isn't the kind person that was meant for Brother Dean. If Brother Dean wants to open the heart of Brother Dean a little... Brother Dean can definitely see the good guy that's really meant for Brother Dean."

"Qia, but—"

Qiara got up from the sofa she had been sitting on, stepped slowly closer to Dean, then sat down next to Dean.

"The good guy was around Brother Dean, so close to Brother Dean. He's the one who's always loved Brother Dean secretly without Brother Dean noticing." Qiara grabbed one of Dean's hands, then stroked it gently, "so, from now on, please try to realize his presence, Brother."

...****...

Danny let out a frustrated sigh as Qiara did not also pick up his call. It had been two hours since his departure, but Qiara still had not reported anything to him. Alisha even said that Qiara had not yet come to the office, which consequently made Danny even more distraught. If he could, Danny wanted to go catch up with Qiara right then and there. It felt stifling if he kept silent without knowing what was going on between Qiara and Dean.

Danny then grabbed his jacket, about to go after Qiara to complete his wish. However, given that Qiara had said he only needed time alone with Dean, Danny immediately abandoned his intentions. He did not want to make an impression as if he did not give his trust to Qiara when they had just restarted their relationship.

So Danny buried deeply all his anxiety, trying to convince himself that everything would be fine. That Qiara would soon 'go home' to her.

Not without reason Danny feels this jolly. In the past, he had never trusted Qiara about Dean which resulted in misunderstandings between them for quite a long time. And Danny doesn't want that to happen again. Qiara had already given him a chance for the third time, Danny would not be acting stupid for the same reason.

Danny returned to busy himself with his work while waiting for lunch to go to meet Qiara on Radio.

...****...

September, 2012...

"Sister Dean again! Brother Dean again! Why is everything about Dean? Even on my birthday, you go by when Brother Dean calls and says he needs you again. I need you too, Qiara! I'm your guy!!"

Danny was furious. In the midst of her 17th birthday celebration, Qiara suddenly left just after Dean called her and asked to meet. What made Danny really angry was, this was not the first time Qiara had been more concerned with Dean being so timid. Ever since Qiara saved Dean from his near-suicide, Dean seemed to not want to escape from Qiara. At every turn, Dean clings to him.

At the beginning, Danny tried to understand and relented, but the more he came here, the more he was caught off guard. Slowly he began to feel that Qiara no longer needed him.

"Danny, you know how things are like, right? I can't possibly ignore Brother Dean for now! Earlier, when I followed Brother Dean to the tomb of his mother, Brother Dean again cry."

"Are you so unfortunately the same Brother Dean?"

"Danny, he's Lo's brother!" Denied Qiara loudly.

"Oohs? So if he wasn't my brother, would you like him?" Lick Danny with anger that has reached its peak.

"Lo's angry again. I don't want to talk to you right now. We'll continue tomorrow." Disconnect Qiara. For now, Qiara did not want to get into an argument with Danny. Especially when Danny just celebrated his 17th birthday.

As usual, Qiara chose to budge.

"If you knew Brother Dean first, and I never came to the life of Brother Dean, you would have fallen in love with Brother Dean, not with me. I'm just lucky, because I knew you first, Qi..." Lirih Danny before finally stepping away ahead of Qiara with his disappointed feelings.

...****...

"Eh, I already know who the girl who made Mas Danny fall in love." Said Bagas who suddenly came and joined Nova, Lily, and Aren who were discussing something in the pantry.

"Who? Who?" Nova's enthusiastic-looking question, as well as Aren and Lily next to him.

"Well, Lil!" Said Bagas while glancing at Lily while standing while holding her coffee cup.

"Mba Qiara's. Producer at ANHstar Radio." Lily answered casually.

"Mba Qiara's? The producer that once went missing, keeps coming back? Any time?" Timpal.

"Yesterday I, Bagas, the same Dimas saw directly Mba Qiara who suddenly ajuk Mas Danny. Both of them were really hugs in front of our eyes. Yeah, right, Gas?" Lily threw again at Bagas who was immediately greeted by Bagas with a steady nod.

"I used to be horrified anyway, if Mas Danny and Mba Qiara were dating. They've been dating since High School, breaking up and graduating. But, they reversed it once again when they worked together at ANH Group. But, yes, it is. right at ANH Group they are dating diem-diem, no one knows. Especially when Danny was not as popular as he is now." Aren.

"Wait a minute, if Aren's talking is real, is that not true?" Said Nova.

"Which rumor?" Aren and Lily asked compactly. While Bagas, he only listened and observed.

"That's a rumor that says that three years ago, Mas Danny was about to get married, but it was canceled because he was caught cheating in Shanghai."

"And the girl who was going to marry Mas Danny was....?" This time it was Bagas's turn to speak.

"QIARA MBA!!" Answer the others in a loud enough voice.

"Why are you all gathering here?"

One voice belonging to Danny immediately surprised them all to make them immediately take a standing position while lined up with one another. Bagas, Nova, Aren, and Lily both lowered their heads. They're getting ready in case Danny's gonna scold them.

"Ka—we... We're..." Answer Nova.

Danny was already standing in front of them after picking up a bottle of mineral water in the fridge. Danny's face looked relaxed.

"Eh, I want to be with you guys." Said Danny suddenly after downing his drink. He then placed his bottle on the table, right next to a vase of flowers.

"A—what is it?" Ask Nova who is still staggered.

"Eeeng, I have temen..."

Bagas, Nova, Aren, and Lily compactly put on a serious face, waiting full of anticipation.

"My friend, just turned the girl around. Well, keep suddenly the former girl's bust, ngajakin the girl I met. And my friend said, for two hours the girl is hard to connect, according to you, about..." Danny finally turned his gaze to Bagas, Nova, Aren, and Lily who were looking at him with a gawking face.

Danny then shook his head, "already. I missed my question just now. You guys don't understand." Said Danny resignedly then grabbed a vase of flowers on the table that he thought was his bottle of drink.

Danny completely lost focus because of Qiara to make him unaware of the surrounding.

"Mas Danny, wait! It's Danny's drink." Megat Nova delivers a bottle of mineral water just as Danny is about to down the water in the vase.

Danny cleared his throat hard enough, and tried to stay cool in front of his team members after just doing something quite embarrassing.

As soon as Danny came out of the pantry, the laughter of Bagas, Nova, Aren and Lily instantly broke out simultaneously. Danny, who they had known as a cold, cruel, and assertive figure, suddenly lost his wife in front of them all.

...****...

When lunchtime arrived, Danny immediately rushed to ANH Radio to meet Qiara who was still difficult to contact. Before arriving at his destination, he met Alisha who had just stepped out of the elevator.

"Eh, uh, Dann! Where you going?" Alisha asked as she held Danny's chest with one of her hands.

"You found Qia. Qia's back, right?"

"Returned from earlier."

Just as Danny was about to move on, Alisha held him back, "uh, wait a minute, Danny!"

"Otherwise, Cha?" Danny was getting frustrated. He only wanted to meet with Qiara, but why did it have to be this difficult?

"Qia had time to return, but went again with Defan for an interview speaker outside the city. It's gonna be back tonight."

"WHAT? OUT OF TOWN?! Lo why don't I jump right back on Qia back anyway, Chaaa?"

"I guess Qia is already ngabarin lo."

"Boro-boro ngabarin, call me just he did not lift from earlier." Danny complained later.

"Yes, yes, rather than lo bete, mending with me. Celine and Arga have been waiting for us at the front restaurant for lunch together."

"But, Cha... Qia..."

"Qia is not a child! I'll definitely be back. He also works, not obscure. Just relax."

Alisha then flanks Danny's right arm, and takes him by force to go to the restaurant, where Celine and Arga are waiting for them.

...****...

"Which art?" Alisha asked as soon as she and Danny had arrived at their place of appointment.

Danny who had not calmed down as he was still thinking about Qiara, immediately sat down and faced Celine head-on.

"It wasn't that Arga said it was already chat lo, ask to be picked up. The car's in the garage." Answer Celine.

"Oh, huh?" Alisha immediately checked her phone which she had not opened. And sure enough, he got a message from Arga asking to be picked up.

"Well, you two wait here, okay? I'm gonna go pick up Arga for a second."

Before getting an answer from Danny and Celine, Alisha immediately rushed out of the restaurant to pick up Arga.

Moments after Alisha left, Danny and Celine who had been acting awkward were both not immediately open the chat. Since Qiara's departure three years ago, they were no longer as close as they used to be. Celine's position is quite wrong considering Ray is her boyfriend, while Danny himself is her cousin.

However, the awkwardness occurs only when they are alone. If there were any others, they could chat off-limits to each other.

"K—Kak Ray already told you?"

Danny, who had been busy with his own mind, heard Celine speak despite her initial stammer. Danny looked at Celine, not long after that Danny sighed softly, "hhh... cousin what are you? Not directly telling me first, instead Bang Ray who you sent to tell me." Danny protested, as well as intending to dilute the situation between them.

"It's good that I sent Brother Ray to tell you."

"Mir..." Call Danny softly.

"What?" Celine replied with a pretty judes tone.

"Three years have passed, can we not be better?"

"When have we ever fought?"

"Lo understand what I mean Celine, don't pretend to bego!"

Celine who was wet now looks excited. Their situation is now quite ridiculous considering that they used to be so close to each other. Celine then beredehem, trying to look relaxed in front of this annoying cousin.

"Gue equals Qia.. have returned semalem."

"What?" Shocked Celine.

"Yes, last night we turned it over, and it should be today that we both passed it on to all of you. But this morning, Qia nerima chat from Kak Dean, she said she should see Kak Dean. Finally this morning Qia left, followed by Dean at Clover Leaf. And until now Qia can not be connected. Icha said, Qia had come back from earlier, but now went out of town for an interview."

Celine just listened to Danny's words, without interrupting. Looks like Danny needs to be listened to right now.

"Gue's really scared, Cel. But I don't want to make the same mistake. In the past, I could never trust Qia. Even after we met again after being separated for three years, I immediately judged him arbitrarily and hated him. I don't want to be a selfish Danny anymore. But don't know why.my heart can't calm down since, Cel."

Celine nodded in understanding, as if understanding all the fears that were haunting Danny now.

"Danny, I guarantee a thousand percent you can trust Qia as much as you want. You should know this, as long as you are apart, not a second Qia ngelupain lo, not a day that he went through without mentioning your name, he always misses you every time he breathes. That's why, for almost two years in Brisbane, Qia busied herself with college to be able to take her mind off you even if only for a little while. Because of her efforts as well, Qia was finally able to finish her studies faster. So, what I want to say is, there is not a single thing that can shake Qia's feelings to the elo. After all, forever Brother Dean will only be a big brother figure to Qia, it can never be more than that. Elo is Qia's first and last love. No one will ever be able to hold your position in his heart."

"He's been through it all because of me, and I just hate and blame him after meeting." Sorry Danny. For some reason his chest felt so tight.

"For that, you have to trust Qia." Celine took a moment's pause before continuing, "and in my opinion, Qia does need to finish all her affairs with Brother Dean to the end, until there is nothing left between them. So that later, the two of you can step more lightly. And for you, you also have to meet Brother Dean, talk to him from heart to heart. This is advice that I can handle as a friend and cousin. Hm? Let's get everything done, so that there are no more injuries, so that no more parties are hurt and hurt."

"Thanks, Zoe. Ever since then even now, elo has always been the best venting friend."

"Thanks, too. for returning our old Danny."

Danny had just sipped his new order drink when Celine suddenly said to him, "oh yeah, Dann..."

"Hm?"

"So, I want to tell you about Elo. It's about what happened after the accident and went into a coma three years ago. I guess you deserve to know this."

Danny placed his drinking glass on the table while looking at Celine with both eyebrows clasped together.

Celine then smiled calmly as she sighed softly, "when you were in a coma for a month, not a day Qia left elo, Dann. She was always by your side, almost every day she cried and prayed for your recovery."

The look on Danny's face instantly changed in a split second. For the three years they had been apart, the thing that made her hate Qiara the most was; the thought that Qiara had never been there for her while she was between the intersection of life and death.

But today, Celine comes up with a story that proves her wrong.

Danny was finally thrown into a pit of regret and guilt that strangled him.

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