Apart from practicing indoors, old man Hendrik suggested they also practice outside, such as in a park. Just like this time, Gabby was training in the park with her coach.
Michael still faithfully accompanied Gabby, he sat casually on the long wooden chair available, sometimes reading books, playing games on his cellphone, and sometimes watched them, more precisely, watching Gabby.
Since he always accompanied Gabby, old man Hendrik often thought that they were dating. He asked Gabby about her relationship with Michael once, but she quickly denied it and said that they were just close friends.
When Hendrik saw Gabby's cheeks blush, he didn't say anything and just nodded his head.
Time flew so fast. From day to day, coach Hendrik invited the whole class to practice in the park. Michael was always there, watching Gabby knock her opponent onto the hard ground.
Usually the park had almost no visitors, but ever since they trained there, the park had become lively.
In early November, Gabby was notified by his coach that there was a Karate match in West Java. Gabby and some of her friends were chosen by coach Hendrik to represent the city of Bandung.
Since then, it had been difficult for Michael and Gabby to meet. When Gabby had to practice, Michael had piano practice. When Michael had free time, Gabby was busy catching up with the school's lessons. Even so, they still took the time to exchange messages on their cellphones.
-
Gabby defeated more than three hundred participants. With a face drenched in sweat she stood on the podium wearing her gold medal and thanked whoever was on her mind, as she actually hadn't prepared to deliver her winning speech on stage.
From earlier, her eyes were sweeping the audience seats and trying to find where Michael was sitting, but she could not see any sign of Michael's presence.
In the front seat of the audience, Daniel was holding a handkerchief and wiping his tears that had been unable to stop coming out. On the contrary, Agnes was giving the loudest applause from beside him.
While looking at her husband, Agnes nudged his arm and whispered, "Don't cry! Our daughter won, not lost. Don't be embarrassing!"
Daniel blew his nose loudly and then said, "My little girl can beat me now. I'm sure after this she will definitely beat the world and stand on the biggest stage ever... "
Hearing this, Agnes really wanted to leave her husband alone in the audience seats.
At the backstage, Coach Hendrik couldn't help feeling proud. Every time someone passed by he would point at Gabby and say something like, "She's my student!"
Finally, after Gabby's speech was over, without further ado the emcee immediately invited Gabby and three hundred other participants to take pictures together. Gabby's eyes turned back to the audience seats and pursed her lips when she couldn't find Michael.
-
Michael sprinted into the building where the karate competitions were held. He occasionally looked at the watch on his left wrist and sprinted faster when the clock read two in the afternoon.
'I'm late!' Michael thought.
Arriving in the room, Michael looked to the right and left trying to find Gabby or Gabby's parents. His eyes fell directly to Gabby's father who was blowing his nose in his glove.
Michael walked over to Gabby's father and found Gabby's mother hugging her daughter tightly, "I'm so proud of you! Don't mind your father over there."
Gabby's brown eyes closed and a sound of laughter escaped her lips. As soon as Gabby's eyes opened, her eyes immediately fixed on the figure of a man who was standing not far from her, "Michael!" She exclaimed, waving her hand excitedly.
The man walked over and greeted Gabby's parents, "Hello, sorry I'm late."
Quickly, Agnes walked next to him and gave a brief hug and then asked, "Michael, why are you late? Traffic jam huh?"
Michael showed the flower bouquet in his left hand and said, "I stopped by the flower shop first to buy this for Gabby."
Seeing the flower bouquet in her future son-in-law's hand made Agnes' eyes immediately sparkle, she looked back and called her daughter, "Gabby! Come here for a moment!"
Gabby, who was initially laughing at her father's face which was flooded with tears, immediately came closer, "What's wrong, Mom?"
"Michael has something to say to you." Her mother replied happily. Gabby's mother then walked away from them, not forgetting before she winked her right eye and gave Michael a thumbs up.
Michael handed the flower bouquet that was in his left hand to Gabby. A sweet smile rose in his cheek as he said, "Sorry I'm late, I stopped by the flower shop before coming here."
"Hmm, it smells so good. Thank you." Said Gabby while inhaling the smell of the flower bouquet in front of her. The flowers looked so beautiful, the combination of red and white roses made Gabby's eyes fresh.
This was the first time Gabby had received flowers from a boy, as her father was not counted. In her mind, Gabby was imagining that she would put the flowers in a vase and put them on the table next to her bed.
"Gabby! Michael!" There was a scream from behind Gabby which made the girl turn around.
And sure enough when Gabby turned around she could see her mother waving her hand excitedly, as if calling them to come closer, "Come here! Let's take a family photo together!"
Michael opened his mouth wide and his face looked flushed. He then closed his mouth and shook his head, "It's okay, I'm just here auntie."
"What kind of nonsense is that? Come here, my future son-in-law, we will take a photo together." Gabby's mother walked over and grabbed Michael's arm to stand next to Gabby's father.
"Why do we have to take photos with Michael?" Gabby's father asked, tilting his head and looking up at the ceiling of the building.
Gabby's mother narrowed her eyes at her husband then gave an irritated chuckle at him, "You shut up! If you protest, you can come out and wait for us to finish taking photos!" Gabby's mother turned her gaze towards Michael then continued, "Let's just ignore him Michael, let's take a picture with aunt and Gabby."
Seeing the difference in her mother's attitude toward her father and Michael made Gabby chuckle, as if her mother's attitude had changed from a lion ready to eat its prey and then turned into a spoiled cat when talking to Michael.
Her father's face changed from cold to red with shame, he then grabbed the back of his neck and wet his dry throat.
Finally, because he feared his wife, he asked a passerby who happened to walk in front of him to take their "family" photos. After snapping a semi-awkward photo, Gabby's dad took the camera from the guy's hand and thanked him.
When Gabby saw coach Hendrik come out from behind the stage, she waved her hand, "Coach Hendrik! Let's take a photo together!"
Coach Hendrik walked with his big smile toward Gabby who was waiting for him. He then shook hands with Gabby's parents and congratulated them on the victory of their only child.
Finally, the family photo that originally had only four people turned into five. Gabby and Michael stood side by side, Gabby's right hand carrying her bouquet of flowers, her face so bright that Michael couldn't tell the difference between Gabby and the flowers. Michael made a peace gesture and smiled broadly.
"Say cheese!" The guy who was asked to take their photo said, his hand pressed the shutter button and the flash light blinded their eyes for a moment. Gabby's mother thanked him and took the camera back.
After her mother saw the photo she clapped her hand twice loudly and said, "Alright! It's time for us to have dinner together!"
-
In an expensive looking restaurant, Gabby sat next to Michael and Gabby's father and mother sat across from them. Seeing the interaction of the two teenagers sitting across from her made her mother reconsider her idea of matchmaking her daughter.
"Michael." Gabby's mother started slowly, she put her drink on the table then folded her arms and placed it under her chin.
Hearing his name called made Michael finish chewing his food and then wiped his mouth before saying, "Yes, auntie?"
"Michael, do you like Gabby?" Gabby's mother asked with a friendly smile.
Michael's eyes widened in shock and he could hear Gabby choking violently. Michael then quickly fetched a glass of water for his friend. After the girl took the glass from his hand, he immediately stroked Gabby's back, trying to calm her down.
The smile on Gabby's mother's face grew bigger as she clapped her hands lightly, "Okay! Your face has answered auntie's question." She then took her spoon and took the steak on her plate, before putting it in her mouth she continued, "Then, you will definitely become aunt's son in law someday!"
Gabby wiped her mouth with the back of her right hand and complained, "Mom!"
"Shut up! Mom believes Michael..." Gabby's mother turned to her husband and pointed to him with a tablespoon, "And you also shut up, don't protest too much. "
When Gabby's mother looked back at Michael's face, the young boy immediately lowered his head trying to hide the red on his cheeks.
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