An Unexpected Revelation
After school, as Adrian pushed Elsa's wheelchair down the corridor to go home, suddenly,
"Adrian, Elsa,"
Adrian stopped, and then both of them turned. They saw their teacher calling them. Adrian turned Elsa's wheelchair and pushed her closer to the teacher.
"What is it, Mr. Firman?" Adrian asked.
"I want to talk to both of you. Let's go back to the classroom," Firman replied.
Finally, they both followed Firman from behind and entered the classroom. Firman closed all the doors and pulled up a chair, then he sat in front of their desk.
"Alright, I just want to ask you both, is it true that you're living together?" Firman asked.
"Who told you that, sir?" Elsa asked.
"I just heard rumors, that's why I'm asking now," Firman replied.
"No, sir, we're in the same apartment tower, but different units," Adrian replied.
"Oh, I see. You're not lying, are you?" Firman asked.
Adrian and Elsa took out their respective keys and showed them to Firman, then put them back in their pockets.
"Alright, I believe you. To be frank, even though it's only been a few days, you've already become famous among your friends because of what happened in class that day. Many rumors are circulating about you two, but if none of it is true, then it's fine. I will find out who started those rumors to stop them," Firman said.
"Yes, sir, thank you, sir," Elsa replied.
"You're welcome. All right, you may go home. I just wanted to confirm that, since you're in my class," Firman replied.
"Alright, sir, thank you, we'll take our leave," Elsa replied.
"Yes, sir, excuse us," Adrian added.
They both left the classroom, leaving Firman alone inside, who smiled watching them.
"If it's just dating, it's fine, it's called youth," Firman thought to himself.
******
Because tomorrow was Saturday and a holiday, they didn't go straight home. They walked around the mall located within their apartment complex. After circling around, they entered a cafe in front of the mall. Adrian ordered drinks and food at the counter, then brought them to Elsa, who was waiting at a table.
"Here's your frappe," Adrian said.
"Oh, okay, how much?" Elsa asked.
"Relax," Adrian replied.
"No, I can't do that. How much?" Elsa asked again.
"It's really fine," Adrian replied.
"I don't want to."
Elsa opened her smartphone case and took a bill from inside, then she handed it to Adrian. When Elsa opened her smartphone case, Adrian accidentally saw a family photo behind the cover.
"Hey, don't just stare, take this," Elsa said.
"Y-yes, thanks. Oh, I'm going to the restroom first, can you watch my smartphone and bag?" Adrian asked.
"Okay, don't be too long," Elsa replied.
Adrian handed her the smartphone he had placed on the table and put his backpack on the table. After that, he stood up and went to the restroom. Elsa, seeing Adrian enter the restroom, then she glanced at Adrian's smartphone on the table. Out of curiosity, her finger pressed the power button. Elsa's face immediately changed when she saw a photo of Adrian with his parents and a little girl with them.
"Huh? Lia? Oh, she's Lia's brother?" Elsa wondered to herself.
Suddenly, Elsa remembered Dr. Kelvin's words on the phone, saying that Adrian's family died in a plane crash. She turned Adrian's smartphone back on and made sure to look at the photo once more. Elsa covered her mouth with her hand. The photo was indeed a picture of Adrian with his parents and Lia, his younger sister.
"Oh God, that means Lia is already..." she thought to herself.
For Elsa, Lia was the figure who brought her back into the light, even if only for a short time, when she was in darkness after her grandmother passed away. Tears streamed down her face, and she bowed her head, covering her mouth with both hands. Meanwhile, in the restroom, Adrian looked at the mirror while washing his hands.
"She has a family, right? Of course. Unlike me, will she go back to Bandung later? I'll be alone again. Ah, what are you thinking, Adrian? We're just friends, right? But why do I feel so messed up just by seeing her family photo?" Adrian thought to himself while washing his hands.
Adrian dried his hands and walked out of the restroom. When he came out, he saw Elsa bowing her head, and from behind, Elsa looked like she was holding her chest in pain. Adrian immediately ran and crouched beside Elsa's wheelchair, but he was even more surprised to see Elsa crying.
"What's wrong? Are you sick? Oh dear... should we go to the hospital?" Adrian asked anxiously.
Elsa glanced at Adrian's anxious face, who was crouching beside her. Suddenly, "Thump," Elsa turned and hugged Adrian. Of course, Adrian became confused, and he raised his hands to Elsa's head and back.
"What's wrong?" Adrian asked.
"You... you're Lia's brother?" Elsa asked.
Hearing Elsa's question, Adrian was utterly shocked. He was confused as hell because Elsa knew his late younger sister.
"Y-yes, how do you know Lia?" Adrian asked.
Elsa recounted what happened in the hospital garden for three consecutive days when she was hospitalized there and met Lia. After hearing Elsa's story, a snippet of his sister's story that he had forgotten came back to his mind.
******
"Creak," the room door opened. Adrian slowly turned to look at the door, then he saw a little girl run in and sit next to him.
"I'm here again, big brother," the little girl said.
"Oh, Lia? You're alone? Where are Mom and Dad?" Adrian asked.
"They're in the administration room. We're going back to Jakarta this afternoon," Lia replied.
"Oh, right, you're going home today," Adrian replied sadly.
"Yes, but don't worry, I'll definitely come here again, so don't feel lonely, okay, big brother," Lia said cheerfully.
"Haha, of course. Hey, why are there so many leaves on your clothes?" Adrian asked, picking a leaf from Lia's shoulder.
"Oh, I went to the garden earlier, accompanying the big sister in the wheelchair," Lia replied.
"The one you told me about yesterday, who just had heart surgery? What's her name?" Adrian asked.
"Wah, I don't know her name, hahaha. She's the one I told you about yesterday who just had heart surgery. She's always alone in the garden, so I accompanied her for a bit. I met her just now to say goodbye. I also told her that my big brother is hospitalized here, so big brother, if you ever feel lonely, just look for her. Just tell her that you are my big brother. I also told her to look for you, even though her only answer was 'yes, yes, hehe'," Lia said.
"Huh... but I don't know her? Besides, you don't even know her name, how would I try?" Adrian asked.
"Hehe, I forgot to ask (even though I already know her name, but if I tell him I know it won't be fun right? hehe). I actually asked her to get to know you, big brother, but she seemed shy, so she didn't want to. If you want to meet her, she's definitely in the garden. She's a beautiful person, big brother, you'll definitely like her, but it's a shame she seems a bit insecure," Lia replied, looking down.
"Why is that?" Adrian asked.
"Um... she doesn't have legs, but she's kind. She wanted to talk to me and always smiled, even if it was forced, haha," Lia replied, laughing cheerfully while holding the back of her head.
"You silly girl, who would be forced to smile if you talked to them, haha," Adrian replied, smiling.
******
Back to the present, Adrian shed tears. He glanced at Elsa, who was hugging him.
"So... the one she talked about back then... was you?" Adrian asked.
Elsa, who had buried her head in Adrian's shoulder, nodded. Immediately, Adrian hugged Elsa tightly, and his tears streamed down. Although they became the center of attention in the cafe, none of them admonished the two, including the waiters.
"Lia, I have met your big brother," Elsa thought to herself.