CHAPTER 7 : I'm Your Friend

Footsteps echoed as he passed through a long hallway.  Sometimes, the handcuffs on his hands would make a faint clanking sound when they accidentally bumped into each other.

 A pair of iron shackles, is the price to be paid when he is given the opportunity to get out from behind bars.  It didn't matter, because only an hour later he would come back in.

 The young man walked calmly with a guard who led faithfully.  Soon he entered a room containing a table and two chairs, one of which was occupied by another young man.

 "You only have an hour to talk.  Make the most of it, and remember that we are always watching over you."

After leaving a message, the warden left and locked the door from outside.  It was true he was watching from behind the glass wall.  His gaze was fixed on the two young men in the room.

 "It's been five years, you haven't changed, Devan."

 Unexpectedly, the inmate was the first to start the conversation.  That young man stepped in, carrying handcuffs in both hands and sat opposite another young man who he called Devan.

"Oh?  But you've changed quite a lot, Dean.  I almost told the warden that he might have brought the wrong person."

 Dean chuckled, then suppressed a faint smile on his face.  They looked at each other after a moment of sarcasm.

 After all, this was Dean's first visit after five years in prison.  Of course he should welcome it with joy.  Moreover, the one who came was none other than his childhood friend.

 "So, what brings Mr Investor here?"

 Devan maintained a cold face, although Dean's guess about his current profession surprised him.

 "Just for fun, maybe I can invest in one of the biggest prisons in Jakarta."

 A cynical smile appeared faintly when Devan gave his response.  It was the only change in facial expression he had ever shown Deandra.

 "It seems Ivan is not coming.  Are actors always that busy?"  asked Dean again.

 For a moment, Devan was silent.  He honestly hated it when Dean always guessed things right.  It's always been like that.  Neither he nor his twin didn't understand what was going on in Deandra's brain.

 "Busier than you think, of course."  Devan replied, cupping his hands on the table.

 Deandra did the same thing.  As if deliberately showing off the handcuffs on his hands to the old friend.  Trying to bring down Devan's mentality by reminding him of the fateful incident five years ago.

 "Ivan sent you?"

 "Yeah, you think I want to come here by my own decision?"

 Devan looked at him sarcastically.  In the end he reveals the real purpose of his arrival.  Of course, because in the first place the reason to invest in a prison was a ridiculous one.  Devan was sure that there was no way Deandra would believe it.

 "I see, I guess this is a form of atonement for your sins for what happened five years ago."  Dean quipped as he leaned his back against the back of the chair.

 "What sin?  Five years in prison makes you delusional."  said Devan with a light snort.

 Devan reached into his shirt pocket and took some things out of it.  A business card, credit card, passbook, and keys.  Making Dean give a cold look at these objects.

 "What happened is what it should be.  I made the right decision.  So I'm sorry, I have no regrets."  Devan spoke at length.  While putting one by one his luggage on the table.

 "Ah… what a shame then.  Even though seeing a Devan cry and beg for forgiveness must be exciting."  Deandra smiled casually, then stretched her arms forward as if he was getting rid of aches.

 Honestly, Dean wasn't expecting it.  Because he does know Devan's temperament.  That young man will only do what he thinks is right.  Relationships, feelings, everything is unimportant.  There is only profit and loss.

 A second later, Deandra's attention was drawn to the items on the table.  Five years in prison made him a little unfamiliar with these items.  Until now he looked at them with furrowed brows.

 "So what is this?"  he asked, reaching for one of the cards with the shiny gold label.

 "Ivan sent this for you.  Of course, you can't use them all now.  It's house keys, debit cards, credit cards, house certificates.  Everything will be transferred in your name once you get out of here."

 Devan folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in the chair.  While Deandra seemed to be flipping through the cards in his hands with an astonished look on his face.

"I know you understand.  Right after you get out of here, come to us.  We will cover all your needs.  We will even gives you a decent job."  said Devan again, this time while crossing his legs.

 Devan is always ready for whatever response Deandra will give to this offer.  If it wasn't for his brother, he'd be very reluctant to be honest.

 Because Dean always managed to annoy him in various ways.  For example, is to laugh at the offer he gave.

 "Is this how you guys apologize to me after what happened five years ago?"  Deandra chuckled, then threw the card in his hand onto the table regardless of how much nominal was stored there.

"Oh, wrong.  Not you guys but Ivan, right?"  he asked again, this time Dean smirked at the end.

 "Five years in prison actually managed to make his character worse than before."  Seeing Deandra's attitude, Devan commented in his mind.

 Devan's face didn't change at all.  Even the sitting position looks more comfortable.  It was as if he was completely unaffected by Dean's provocations to him.

 After a while, Devan took a deep breath.  He couldn't understand the behavior of the young man in front of him.

 "I don't care if you misunderstand me.  But you better not misunderstand about Ivan.  Because all this time, he was probably the only person who still cared about you."

 Deandra raised an eyebrow with the intention of belittling every word Devan said.  He still insisted on upsetting the young man with his attitude.  Of course, even Dean wouldn't believe it.

 Knowing that fact, Devan chose to straighten his back and looked more seriously at Deandra.

 "On the day of your first trial, Ivan planned to come.  You may not believe this but it's a fact."

 "Then why didn't he come?"  Dean asked quickly.

 "Because I forbade it."  Devan answered without pause.

 After a moment of silence, Devan continued his story.

 "He wants to come as a witness.  He wants to prove your innocence.  But that time, on the same day he had another schedule."

 "Debut in his first film."  said Deandra.  Once again cutting Devan's previous sentence.

 Dean lowered his gaze, staring blankly at the array of objects on the table.  He recalled the billboard promoting the latest film he had seen when he got into the police car.  Ivan was there.

 "You know Ivan.  He is hardworking, ambitious.  Appearing on TV has been his dream since childhood.  He is even willing to not eat just so that his posture matches the character he plays.  He had worked really hard for it.  But when he heard that you were going to trial, he wanted to let it all go to come to court."  said Devan at length, cupping his hands on the table.

 "I can't allow that.  Even though we ended up having a big fight, even though he ended up hating me till this day.  I have absolutely no regrets for preventing it that day."

"Even if that means you have to sacrifice me to spend ten years in prison?"  Deandra asked in her mind.

 For a moment there was a feeling of irritation in Deandra's heart.  He wanted to be selfish, he wanted to ask why Devan's younger brother career could be more important to that young man than his irreversible youth.

 But then, Dean again remembered that he didn't understand.  He will not understand what it's like to be Devan because Deandra is an only child.  Because of that, Dean felt he had no right to comment on his friend's actions.

 "Since then until now.  Ivan still believes that you are innocent.  That's why he worked so hard, he put all this together for you.  So that he can make up for everything you've lost for ten years.  That's why I won't accept your bird-minded thoughts about Ivan."  There is an emphasis at the end of Devan's sentence.

 But instead of responding to the young man across the table, Dean was focused on something else.  Slowly but surely he looked up.

 "And you?  Do you believe that I am guilty?"  then asked in a low voice.

 For a moment, Dean could see the change in Devan's face.  But he couldn't understand the meaning of that expression on that face.  Because apart from a sense of surprise, there was also a faint sadness there.

"We've never been close.  The reason we keep seeing each other is only because of Ivan.  Honestly, I can't judge.  In my eyes you look like someone who can do anything."

 From the way Devan said it, he looked so calm.  Every sentence is spoken effortlessly.  That's why it's not hard for Deandra to believe it.  One thing Dean didn't know was that Devan was whispering in his mind.

 "But I still can't imagine that you were stupid enough to do such a cruel thing to your own parents."

 Unfortunately, Devan chose to keep the sentence in his mind and had no intention of actually saying it.

 Now Deandra's feelings are mixed.  Sad, annoyed, emotional, he doesn't know which feeling to focus on.  But one thing is clear, he misses his old friend.  He missed him so much that Dean subconsciously carved a genuine smile on his lips.

 "Next time, take Ivan too."

 "It will be difficult, but manageable."

 Devan smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly.  In contrast to the smile that was painted on Deandra's lips.

 Devan could see the relief on Deandra's face.  In a way, it made him optimistic.  But unfortunately, fate said otherwise.

 Because five years later, right on the day when Deandra was finally free.  The young man disappeared and no one was able to find him.

 To be continued....