Kiau sit on a chair. There was an old typewriter in front of him. The windows were wide open letting the breeze came into the room. His room was filled with books and piles of papers, but they were all neatly arranged.
His finger was on the typewriter, but he didn’t write anything. The paper was still clean. He looked out the window without thinking anything. He hoped that something outside there could give him an idea.
After he lost his memories, he worked as a novelist in a newspaper. He chose that because he found this typewriter. He made up stories about himself. Himself who might have been a musician, or maybe a policeman or possibly some other job he might have done before he forgot about it.
He didn’t do it to find out about the old him. If he wants to know his past, he can read the journal or other writings in that room, or he can ask people around who know him.
Certainly not a suspicious and scary doctor or a mistrustful and big liar like Mr.Morris. The better choice is Rudal who looks innocent, but who knows what he is thinking. Emna was also a bad choice, something fishy about her.
Kiau doesn’t trust anyone, not even himself.
Instead of writing, he draws their character on the paper. Cute drawing of doctor, Morris, Rudal, Emna, and him. And then makes arrows and write down the relationship between them. He sticks that paper on the window.
When he looked out the window, he looked down from second floor, there was something looks familiar. There was a peach parasol with a lace, he knew that very well. It is Emna’s little umbrella.
Emna was in the street below with her parasol. She looks at Kiau’s windows, and they look at each other. Kiau looks a little startled, didn’t expect Emna to be there.
Kiau talked to himself, “Why she is there?”
Emna smiled at him. Kiau didn’t smile back, he wasn’t pleasant with it. Emna saw Kiau’s expression, and then she walked away.
And that happened again. The next day, Emna was out there, under the big tree with her parasol. Kiau watched her, but she didn’t do anything, just sat there while looked at Kiau’s window.
Kiau went downstairs, went outside his home. He went down the stairs and met Emna. Emna looked so happy, she avoid Kiau’s gaze, her face was very red.
“Mrs.Emna, do you have something with me? Yesterday, I saw you here too. But you left before I met you.”
Emna looked blushed, “I-I come here to see you, Mr.Kiau. Do you have some time to drink together?”
Kiau doesn’t want it. But he doesn’t feel comfortable turning down Emma’s offer.
Suddenly, someone called Kiau, “Kiau!” that voice came from Rudal. Rudal waved his hand high in the air. He approached Kiau.
“Don’t forget my pineapple!” Riau said, when he is in front of Kiau. He smiled so brightly with his dimple.
“Oh, I am sorry.” Rudal rubbed the back of his head and bowed apologetically. “I didn’t notice you were with someone Kiau.” He apologized to Kiau.
“Thinking of my favorite food make me didn’t notice a beautiful lady like you. I am so sorry, Mrs.Emna”
“How you know my name?” Emna looks puzzled.
Rudal answered, “Mr.Kiau has told me about you before.”
“Oh really? That’s make me happy.” Emna smiled.
“He said that you are his friend” Rudal said. But after that suddenly the atmosphere feels cold. “Did I say something wrong?” Rudal feels guilty without knowing what he did wrong.
Emna looks gloomy with the word ‘friend’. “That’s right, I am just a friend. His friend...” She muttered.
“Nothing wrong,” Kiau said, “Let’s buy your pineapple croissants. I and Emna also want to drink there.”
“Wait, I can get it later. Two of you can spend time together.” Rudal said. Emna looks more relieved at Rudal’s words, she is glad that Rudal understands what she wants.
Rudal continued, “I would just be a third wheel.” he chuckled.
“A third wheel is required. You can get your pineapple croissants now or never.” Kiau pulled Rudal’s sleeves.
“Wa-wait, now or never?” Rudal looked serious, “Now!” he answered with firmness. “Is that okay Mrs.Emna? If I come?” Rudal looked with puppy eyes. His ultimate weapon.
“Of course, I’d be happy. Kiau asks you to come with us, how can I refuse you?” Emna smiled.
“Thank you. You are so kind, Mrs.Emna.” Rudal looked happy.
“A pineapple croissant and pineapple juice with vanilla ice cream!” Rudal ordered when they arrived at the cafe. They sat in the table under a shady tree.
“Wait, I just buy you a croissant.” Kiau cut off. Kiau sat beside Rudal.
“I know, I will pay my drink.” Rudal answered. “What your order Mrs.Emna?” he asked.
“A cup of chamomile tea, please.” Emna answered. She sat in front of Kiau and Rudal.
“And you? Mr.Kiau” Rudal looked to his right side.
“Green tea, please.” Kiau answered.
“I don’t know you like tea, Mr Kiau.” Rudal asked. Rudal looks happy because he got new information about Mr.Kiau.
“Coffee has a strong aroma, I can’t handle it that with my smell at the moment.” Kiau fixed the mask on his face.
“Okay, I will order it ahead first,” Rudal went to order their food and drinks. Leave Kiau dan Emna alone.
“Mrs.Emna. Can you stop doing that?” Kiau looked serious.
“Wa-What?” Emna pretended not to know anything.
“If you don’t stop that, I will report you to the police.” Kiau isn’t joking, he is unsmiling
Emna looks frightened. She looked down without saying anything.
“I am coming! There are the drinks.” Rudal came not at the right time. “What is this suffocating situation,” Rudal looked puzzled.
“Mrs.Emna I didn’t introduce myself before. Rudal Redwistone, I am Kiau’s housemate” Rudal tried to lift up the mood. “How can I say it?” he mumbled, “I mean, I and Kiau share a house, and there is one more, Mr.Sherwin.”
“I see...” Emna smiled awkwardly. “Nice to meet you, Mr.Rudal.” the atmosphere looks more comfortable that before.
“Nice to meet you too, Mrs.Emna. Here is your Chamomile Tea.” Rudal gives the drink.
“What is this!” a familiar voice suddenly interrupted, “I see familiar face here.” That was Morris. Morris walked over to their table.
“Ah, Mr.Morris.” Rudal bowed to him politely. Morris replied it with a smile.
“And there is unexpected face here.” Morris looked at Emna, but Emna avoided his gaze with fear.
“I am also seeing unexpected face.” Kiau looked intensely at Morris. “That face that I don’t want to see.”
“That’s a special greeting for me isn’t it? I love to hear it.” Morris smiled. “I didn’t know you would be at the same table with this lady. This is interesting.”
Emna looked away again, he looks scared. Kiau remained silent, but he was a little confused. And Rudal looks clueless while spooning his vanilla ice cream.
“Oh maybe, you don’t know yet or this beautiful lady is not telling the truth.” Morris put his hand on his chin, looked at Emna.
“If you go now, I don’t tell Kiau the truth.” Morris crossed his arms.
Emna looks hesitated, “Mr.Kiau, sorry I have something to do. See you next time,”
“She really left. Doesn’t that means she is confirming that she is lying.” Morris giggled. “And she really believes I won’t tell you. But when she isn’t around wouldn’t be a good time to expose it.” Morris sits on Emna’s seat.
“What do you want Morris?” Kiau asked.
“I want you.” Morris smiled, “It’s like a date, right?”
“What the heck.” Kiau’s expression was flat, already used to Morris’s jokes. “Don’t forget there is one more person here.” Kiau pointed to Rudal.
“I didn’t know you wanted it just the two of us.” Morris looked happy. Kiau stared expressionlessly.
“Are you two really dating?” Rudal covered his mouth with both hands.
“Of course..” Morris looked at Rudal with his smile, “...not.” he continued his words.
Rudal smiled awkwardly.
“Rudal! Is that you? My subordinate!” A very low voice came from a man who looked about 40 years old. He put his arm around Rudal’s shoulder.
“Mr.Vred!” Rudal shocked. “This is Mr.Vred, he is my captain and superior in the police force. Because you lost your memories, I thought I should introduce him, though you have actually met him before.”
“What is this?! Did you drink this things?” Mr.Vred shouted. He looks disgusted at Rudal’s pineapple juice.
“That’s pineapple juice,” A baritone voice come from behind Mr.Vred. He looks more younger than Mr.Vred, around 20 years old, like Kiau and Morris.
“Mr.Izen? You are here too?” Rudal smiled. The person called Izen smiled at Rudal. “And he is my senior, he has a higher position than me.”
“That’s not what I mean, Izen! You can’t be a real man by drinking it! Three cups of Espresso!” He suddenly ordered the bitterest coffee. “Oh there you too, Morris and Kiau, what a surprise. So five cups of Esp-”
“Latte.” Morris cut off Vred’s words.
“Iced Americano.” Izen added.
“I can’t drink it.” Rudal looks worried.
“The scent is too strong to my nose now and I don’t want-” Kiau’s words were cut off.
“WWHAAAT??!! How can all of you...!!” Mr.Vred so mad. Somehow, all of them managed to finish it without bloodshed and drink together.
The next day, She still did it. The time when she was there was not the same. Some of it are in the morning, afternoon, evening, and even in the night. That means she wasn’t there of any business around that area, but like Kiau thought, just to see Kiau.
It is scary Kiau. What she wanted, or what is she was doing there so terrifying.
That day, she was there again, like always under the tree with her parasol. But that day was a little different. She looked at Kiau’s window but didn’t smile anymore, she stares blankly.
And that day it rained very hard, but she was still there looking flat. Kiau went downstairs, opened the door, and went outside. Kiau looked at Emna from the top of the stairs outside his house. Under the heavy rain, without an umbrella.
Emna looks very surprised to see Kiau coming to meet her. This is for the first time Kiau went downstairs and went out his home. She runned to Kiau. She sees Kiau from the bottom of the stairs.
“What are you doing?” Kiau asked. “Why are you still doing it?”
“Mr. Kiau.” She looked very happy, but her smiles looked so creepy, “Cause I love you, Kiau. I just want to see someone that I love.” she climbed the stairs one by one. Reduce the distance between Kiau and herself.
She continued, “Can we have a drink together again?”
“No, can you stop it? Just go home now.” Kiau answered.
“You are worried about me, right? You tell me to go home because you didn’t want me to get sick in the rain. It is really sweet.” She covered her embarrassed face. “But can we just have a drink?”
“Whatever, just go home now,” Kiau didn’t care about how she interpret it.
“I just want us drink together, just 5 minutes enough.” She looks so desperate. “One minute? Just-” Her eyes widen. She grabbed her parasol tightly.
“Go now, or I will never want to meet you anymore.” Kiau holds the doorknob.
“NO! DON’T GO AWAY!! JUST A MINUTE!!” She screamed. She looks frightened. “DID HE SAY IT?” the person that she means was Morris,
“YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME? ONLY I THAT REALLY LIKE YOU!! ONLY ME!! ONLY ME WHO LOVE EVEN THE OLD YOU!!” She looks frightened and very mad.
Kiau looks confused and afraid. He subconsciously slowly retreated.
“I DON’T TO GO BACK TO HOW WE US TO BE.” She looks shocked. She said things Kiau shouldn’t have heard.
“What do you mean?” Kiau looks confused. Why is his girlfriend doesn’t want them to go back to how they were before Kiau lost his memories. And why she was afraid of something that Morris might say.
“NO, KIAU. I MEAN.... NO DON’T...” She looks scared.
She ran up the stairs which were slippery from the rain. And in an instant she slipped. She was still far away from Kiau. She tried to grab Kiau so she doesn’t fall. But Kiau looked at her with a flat gaze without extending his hand to help.
She fell, rolled down in the stairs and reached the bottom of the stairs. Her body is disorganized. Her peach gown turned red, wet with pouring rain and blood oozing out of her body.
Kiau saw her down from the top of the stairs. He looked so calm. He wasn’t frightened, as if it was a normal things to see.
He walked down, step on the stair one by one. He reached the bottom of the stairs. There was her body there, lying on the ground with puddle of blood around her. His expression didn’t change, just flat.
He sat crouched, looked at her. The strong smell of blood get in Kiau’s nose. It was hurt him. For a few moments he was silent. He stand up. He looked coldly at her again. And then he went away.
“Like I said.” He’s back again. “I don’t want to see you again if you don’t go now.” He put her parasol over her head. Covered Emna’s face from the rain. And then he walked out, leaving Emna’s body on the ground.