LIBRARY ROOM

Edo stopped himself from picking up the piece of chocolate that was on the table. With sparkling eyes, he brought his face closer to Erika's.

Erika held her breath for a moment. She felt her face suddenly heat up due to Edo's spontaneous action. Then, on purpose, Erika's eyes rested on the piece of chocolate that Edo didn't pick up. In an instant, Erika devoured the piece of chocolate with a satisfied smile. "No. Of course it's not."

"It's too bad."

Edo showed an expression of excessive sadness. "Oh… my bad luck." His overreacted words like a theater actor, making Erika laugh.

"Oh, stop your play of drama."

"Glad to make you laugh today."

Erika nodded in agreement with what Edo said. While chewing on the piece of chocolate that was on the table, Edo looked around the library again. He saw the room with a new perspective. Starting from the floors and then lying of bookshelves, tables to chairs. Also, he looked up to the roof of the library room. He liked the interior concept of the room. Erika got a point that Edo likes the library room which is a new thing for him.

"Haven't you ever been here before?"

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Who knows? I also do not know."

Erika expected an explanation, but before she could ask further Edo said, "It's drizzling," he was surprised. Erika turned to the window and saw raindrops falling on the roof of the room.

"Do you have any special memories of the library room?"

"Why do you ask like that?"

"Who knows? Looks like you're trying to avoid the topic of the library."

"You're smart girl."

"Anything related to your past must be related to a girl."

"Besides being clever are you also a fortune teller?"

"You don't have to be smart to know that. And when I saw that sad face of yours-----" Erika deliberately hung up her words to get the man's attention.

"What?"

"Just a moment ago, it seemed like you were remembering your past again. And for that I guess I don't need to be a fortune teller, do I?"

Edo straightened up and reached out his hand to pick up the remaining piece of chocolate and ate it quietly. The girl's words did not offend or disturb his past. Instead, it was the girl's smile that really melted his heart as he had realized from the start of their introduction.

"It's not really…Because it doesn't bother me anymore."

"Are you trying to explain or are you just playing a riddle?"

Edo just smiled when he was hearing Erika's words which sounded like a satire. He looked at the girl through his long eyelashes. "They're right. You're a grumpy girl."

"I don't have to deny or confirm what they call for me."

"Didn't you who say that was your nickname among your friends. Am I wrong?"

"Not. If that satisfies you, then please, go ahead." Erika shrugged nonchalantly.

"Alright-----From now on, I will accompany you if you wish to come here." Edo smirked looking at Erika who seemed surprised by his words.

"But I never asked you to do that."

"I insist."

"I didn't mean to meddle in your personal affairs or disturbing your past." Erika said sincerely. From the news circulating among teachers about Edo, Erika just found out that the man was the second son of a conglomerate and an aristocrat in Kalimantan. Don't know what happened so that the man had to leave his city and leave all the comforts that are attached as a trait of rich people. "Although I don't know what happened to make you move here, I hope you can forget about it. I believe you are capable and keep moving forward to reach your future."

"Do you want to be my future?"

"Maybe-----" Erika said turning to Edo. "Depends on how far you try." The girl continued to smile with raised eyebrows.

Edo took out a handkerchief from his trouser pocket and held it out to Erika's hand, which looked sticky because of the chocolate stains that seemed to stick between her fingers. Edo said, "I hope you mean with what you say. Why did you finally soften?"

"It's just because I don't want to be exhausted alone."

"Can you explain what you mean?"

"I want to live my three years here normally without having to struggle through it."

"You mean…I am the cause of your pain and exhaustion?"

"That's exactly."

Edo laughed at Erika's answer. "Then how do I share your fatigue with me? By being your boyfriend, is that so?"

"Of course not if I did, then it's same just i make troublesome for myself, wouldn't I?" Erika answered frankly. "Not only getting terror from your fans, maybe my three years here will be more difficult for me to pass it." added the girl with raised eyebrows. "After all, I'm still too much to suffer just because of a boy, correct?"

"You are right. Then, what is your plan?"

"Withhold you."

"But it how can be?"

"I want makes you a little bit rush by taking advantage of your liking for me to drive those girls away."

"You're sure only that?"

Erika glared at Edo by biting her lower lip. "We will see later. Can you survive without the girls admiring and cheering on you?" Erika grumbled turning her face away with a frown. "We'll find out how lonely you are without the girls' distractions." The girl murmured, still irritated.

"You underestimate me too much, Erika."

"Is that true?"

"You have no idea how grateful I am to have to do that to them."

"Why?"

"Actually, I feel very disturbed by their existence." Edo replied with a satisfied laugh. "I can't ignore them or be cold to them because, I don't want to give you a bad impression as an arrogant and heartless man." He continued grinning broadly like a child who had just been given candy.

"But?"

"What?"

"When we start?"

"About?"

Edo said, "Sharing the fatigue." He smiled gently at Erika. "I can't wait to talk freely with you without having to be secretly." He added getting closer to the girl's face. "You know how much I miss wanting to be able to do everything with you?"

"No."

"It really hurts when you always keep your distance from me, both in the classroom and in the school environment." Edo said with a serious face. "But now we can-----"

"No." Cut Erika suddenly immediately stood up from her seat.

"What did you say?"

"Like what I said before, nothing will change from our current relationship."