What A Nice View

Val folded his clean clothes and arranged them neatly in the drawer, He turned his head and saw his phone vibrating. Fena's name appeared on the screen.

"Yeah, Fen"

Soon after.

Val and Fena already sitting relaxed in the lobby. The apartment lobby was non to two, with great decoration, cooled air, calm atmosphere, sweet fragrance, and classy looks. the two were sitting on a large couch near the window, far from the crowd. Fena just peeled the orange and held it out in front of Val.

Both Val and Fena came from the same orphanage. They grow up together. Young Val doesn't have any memory from his early six years, not even a single thing left. He relied on the orphanage to live well until he became what he is now. The story was quite long and boring, but more and less, Fena was the one who loved and took good care of him since they were little. Recently the girl returned from out of town and worked as a kindergarten teacher in the city center. It was a suitable job for a girl as gentle as Fena. She likes to take care of the little kids.

"Here, open your mouth"

Val smiled, and Fena didn't hesitate to push the fruit into his mouth. The girl is a few years above him and acts like his big sister. 

"You have to eat lots of healthy food, you're getting thinner Val, even though the office food isn't delicious, you still have to eat it. Indeed, it's so unpleasant, right?"

Val shook his head while chewing the orange that was full in his mouth, he smiled until his eyes disappeared.

"No need to save money, Val, I know you did it, but what's the point if you end up getting sick?"

Val smiled. He swallowed the food in his mouth. 

"What do you mean, Fen, how do you know I save on food? Don't worry, my boss is so kind, he often treats me to any kind of food. He's a foodie, eats whatever he thinks of, but he never gets fat."

"Oh, the one you said Jason, right? Did you really stay here for free?"

Val nodded. 

"Yeah, of course. It's a bit strange, but I thought that since I look so pitiful, and he also has a lot of money, why not?"

Fena fell silent, staring at Val's face for a long time, from such a close distance the young man was even more attractive, she raised his hand to caress Val's hair. This made Val stop his movements, his mouth still full of food and busy chewing like a child.

"Val, you're grown up, it's like just yesterday we were still playing at the orphanage, time flies so fast"

Suddenly the girl looked at him quite seriously. Val looked at her with his big eyes.

"Then, how if, we have a picnic next week, let's just the two of us, there's a park that was just finished not long ago in the city center, it looks like a nice place," continued Fena.

Val sat up, slowly taking Fena's hand off of him.

"I have a consumer interview next week, I don't think I can"

Fena pursed her lips. 

"Then, the week can be done, right?"

"I can't, Fen. Boss will ask for the report on Monday, and Anwar will ask me to finish it, I have to do it on Sunday, another time, okay?"

Fena looked disappointed.

"Come on Val, we haven't been out together for a long time," Fena insisted, tugging at Valiant's hand.

"Fena, sorry I can't"

…..

"Time..

You seem to keep taunting people to follow your every beat, without giving them a chance, let alone waiting. You ran with your little arms spread out against the sky, with a big pole holding you up as if to give you as much support as possible, and continued to smile backward where many were left behind and even fell while trying to catch up with you. Can you just stop for a moment, stop, and reach out your hand to help anyone tired of chasing you? ..."

…....

Val just turned off the computer and was about to leave his desk, he grabbed his bag and hung it on his shoulder. Out of nowhere, Jason stopped in front of him. It was already evening, and all the staff on the floor had gone home, so he didn't expect that the boss was still in the office because his office had been dark since earlier.

"Hey Boss, you still here?"

Jason smiled.

"Of course, I was waiting for you. So, what are we eating tonight? Iyan didn't come home today, he said there was a seminar out of town, so we were free to eat out. Em, what do have in mind?" he asked.

Val smiled. Jason saw the bag hanging from Val's shoulder and took it.

"Here, let me take it"

But Val grabbed it tight.

"No need, Boss"

Jason insisted.

"Come on, let me, look at you, so pale, getting thinner, what if you faint because you're too tired from working? I told Anwar and Alex not to take you to the exhibition. Next time you aren't allowed to go out with them."

Val couldn't help but let Jason carry his bag, the two of them stopped in front of the elevator which soon opened.

"But, if I don't join them, what's the point of me being here, boss? Anwar and Alex's team needs someone to help them."

The two of them entered the elevator.

"I've asked HR people to look for new staff since last month, I need you to make reports and presentations. Don't argue, I've decided that way."

"Boss, why do you always do whatever you want?"

Jason smiled. He grabbed Val's hand and pulled him out of the elevator.

"Come on, I'll treat you to hotpot tonight, it's quite cold tonight. You have to eat more."

"Yeah boss"

 ....

The air was blowing quite cold that night. The restaurant is not far from Jason's apartment, only three blocks, so after eating he and Val walked back to the apartment. Jason smiled when he saw Val, he looked so full.

"Why, too full, is it?" he asked.

Val rubbed his stomach, of course, he was full, and at the same time nauseous and wanted to vomit the contents of his stomach out. He was trying hard to hold it in because his boss might ask questions about it. Val nodded.

"Hey, yeah boss, I'm too full. Em, can we sit there, boss?" he asked, pointing to a long bench near the park not far in front of them.

Jason nodded.

"Sure, come on"

Soon after that. Val sat with two hands beside his waist. Looking up to see the clear sky from there. The park is located between buildings, on an empty lot which was deliberately used as a green area. It is spacious enough that unexpectedly the sky can be seen clearly from there.

Jason looked at Val in silence. What does the kid have in mind? The wind blows his soft hair gently. The evening light from the lamp post shows the kid's side view. He looks so gorgeous at any angle he can see him. Sweet and delicate Val.

"What are you thinking, Val?" Jason asked.

Val only looked above them, the stars decorated the dark sky and twinkled cheerfully. As if flying toward them, Val seemed to be drawn closer to it.

"The sky is beautiful, boss, it's rare to see the stars here. When I was little, I could sit like this almost every night and look at the sky. The sky in Karby was wider and there were more stars."

Jason looked up. He nodded. The wind blew gently, caressing Val's hair, and flew lightly to mess it up.

"Yeah, the sky at grandfather's house is also wide, I will take you around to see the sky when we go there, okay? You will like it. How was your hometown?"