PRESENT
I remember the first time that Jihan and I met.
It was during our college graduation when I almost accidently fell from the three-step stairs to the stage. Luckily, she was able to grab hold onto my graduation gown right before I fall and right before her name gets called. She smiled at me and said to me that I am a clumsy bunny.
I swear I never seen her before, just from that exact moment. I've never heard of her nor have seen her on the hallways. She was never my classmate. But right at that moment, the very day of supposed to be goodbyes, everything changed and from that day on, she really became my family. We became best of friends.
We didn't think about staying at the library this long because we only applied for the job on a whim. We just wanted to do something since we haven't heard from all the companies we applied for. We didn't expect that the library will grow in us in a short period of time that neither of us wanted to leave even if we received our callbacks from the companies. She was accepted to go abroad to work in a company as creative director. I was accepted to go teach at an elementary school in the same country where she was supposed to go. But really neither of us wanted to pursue that path and we also both received loud scolding about it.
She became my sister, my mom, my bestfriend, my girlfriend, my... simply everything. I didn't give it a much thought until now that I really should be thankful to her. Even though she always wants me go out and date and she can get very annoyingly persuasive at that.
Just like now. I'm sure she's very happy that I got out—to meet someone even if this isn't exactly a date.
"Sir Art, we're here."
I didn't know that Mr. Driver already opened the door car for me. "O-Oh, thank you."
I stepped outside and he assisted me all the way inside to the café of this hotel. I didn't even notice we're already at the most luxurious hotel in the city. I immediately forgot that he mentioned about going here because I was so lost in my thoughts.
The whole vibe and aesthetics of this place screams elegance and it is as if I am transported back in time with the royalties. It's hard not to think about this place like that with all these details of the whole surroundings. The only reminder that I am still at the present is the overall usage of technology around me.
Still hugging this journal with me, at least I had something to distract myself with. Why am I suddenly too nervous about being here? I'm just going to return a journal.
"Young Master Yuan is waiting for you at table five."
I guess that's how far Mr. Driver can go as to assisting me. Not that it mattered but I suddenly felt too out-of-place in this very room. It felt weird being in here in person when Ji and I just joke about being actually here even for once in our life—we aren't rich enough to waste our money staying here for nothing since we live in this city, but it would be the experience that will matter once we do.
"Hello, sir, how may I help you? Table for one?"
I am even a little startled when a hostess came to me, I'm really awkward at this it's embarrassing. "H-Hi." I cleared my throat and smiled again. "Hi. I'm actually meeting someone here. Table five?"
"Oh, you must be Sir Yuan's guest. Please come with me."
That's what I did, I followed her until we came to the last table of the room which is beside the huge glass wall overlooking a grand garden outside. I really don't know what I am nervous for but seeing the man I'm going to meet... it just made me more nervous!
I've never seen such beautiful flowers and such beautiful man all at once in one scenario.
"Sir Yuan?"
This man puts down the book he was reading and also removes his glasses before finally turning to us. "Thank you, Margarette." Standing, he smiles and offers his hand. "You must be Mr. August Arthur. I'm Yuan Vincent."
I accepted his hand for a shake. "Nice to meet you, sir. Please call me Art."
He gestures us to sit down and immediately noticed his gaze on the journal so I immediately placed it down the table. He only chuckles and seemed to be amused by my action.
"You can call me Yuan then." He hands me a menu. "Please order first. Can I call you August instead?"
"Nobody has ever really called me by my first name, it's weird having to ask for it. Please call me anything you'd like." I said as I choose from the selection of drinks available and I can't wait to tell Ji about the varieties of matcha ones in here. "I'll have the hot matcha please."
He smiles, still looking amused. "I'll have another black coffee."
The waitress took our orders and left us. Now, this just proves how awkward I can get. Why am I so different outside the library? I can't even open my mouth naturally to break the ice. Luckily, he smiles and broke off the silence by asking why isn't anyone calling me by first name.
As awkward as I already am, one thing I can do just fine is looking at face of whomever I am talking to. It's been a habit of mine to think that not looking at whoever you are talking to is rude. "I guess I was just called Art my whole life." I remember my own parents calling me that since I was a kid. "Nobody bothered calling me August, since I also insist on them calling me Art."
There were even times that some of my professors got confused with my name's arrangement thinking that my first name is Arthur and my last name is August. I didn't bother correcting them until they asked me for it and check my record files. Same goes with some of my acquaintances at the library.
"But it's okay for you that I call you August?"
"It's okay for me, for a change."
Our orders came and we thanked the waitress. I was about to bring up the journal when he asks me hand it to him.
For that simple request, for that small moment when we are both holding the journal together...
As if I'm burnt with touch, I let go of the journal. Why are there sudden tears in our eyes?
"My grandpa was right." He chuckles but same as what I did, he wipes his own sudden tears. "I'll know it when I find the right one." He looks at the journal then to me. "You felt that, didn't you?"
I laughed even though there isn't anything funny. "Why do I feel so heartbroken all of the sudden?"
I wished I am just imagining things but it's real that my heart feels heavier and it is as if I got myself heartbroken. I haven't even experienced a real heartbreak and yet, here I am knowing it is what I am sure that I feel. It hurts and I can't really seem to stop tearing up.
"I'm sorry." He says, offering me his handkerchief.
"T-Thank you." I took it and wiped my tears properly. I don't really know why I feel like this but he asked if I felt the same perhaps... "D-Do you somehow have an explanation for this?"
A smile curves on his lips. It was weird to think about it at this moment but he has such beautiful lips.
"I have to offer you a deal, August."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Yuan Vincent the Third. A well-known, smart lawyer that specializes in handling cases that has something to do with violence against women and children. One of the direct heirs to their family business. Bachelor. The one assigned to fulfil his grandfather's last wish.
I didn't know he was quite famous until I searched for him. I wasn't convinced that I just met such prestigious person, but I really did and now I'm supposed to give him another answer.
"You're back already, Sir Art?" It's Ma'am Ji, with her mug in her hands. "So... Aren't you going to tell me the details?"
She even wiggles her eyebrows, making me laugh.
"Oh!" She notices the journal. "I thought he asked for you to return that?"
"W-Well, it's kind of complicated." It really is and I don't even know if I'm allowed to tell anyone about it, I should have asked.
"Woah! Spill the beans already! A matter of fact, I've searched for him while you are gone because his voice was enough to tell me he's a looker and I wasn't disappointed. I thought his name was familiar and I was right knowing that I've seen him in the news once or twice. He's a hottie lawyer!"
I can feel my ears getting warm remembering how the man looked. I'm sure Ji immediately notices because she beams all of the sudden. I'm really embarrassing thinking about that man's lips right now. I've never seen such lips.
"I still don't know if I'm allowed to tell you the details but I'll ask him and then I'll tell you everything once it's alright."
"So, you're going to meet him again! Sir Art this is your chance!"
I laughed at that and shook my head. I stood up and changes the topic about the hotel and I'm glad she follows along, leaving the topic of Yuan Vincent alone.
It's not like we're meeting for a date and this woman should really stop treating it like that and making me think it is like that too. It isn't. We're going to meet again because he has a duty to accomplish.
His grandfather's dying wish.
Looking at the journal on the table...
Am I really ready for this type of commitment?
"Before I forgot."
"What is it?"
"Thank you for being my friend, Jihan."
"August Arthur?! You're making me cry!"