"Listen to me." Manfred jumped two steps and stood in front of Yuana now. "Pritta and I are friends. We went together because we had work to do." Manfred grabbed Yuana's shoulders.
Yuana looked up at Manfred. Those blue eyes. Why did they look so good? And, it felt like a rush was flowing in Yuana's heart as she looked so closely at Manfred.
"Work?" Yuana's voice was low.
"Come on, I'll explain." Manfred pulled Yuana's hand back into the living room. He invited Yuana to sit next to each other on the sofa.
"Pritta's sister is getting married. She wants our band, Mardhika, to play at the reception. Since I'm in Pritta's class, my friends asked me to take care of it. That was I did." Manfred pinched Yuana's nose and shook her.
"Really?" said Yuana, still with a sullen face.
"Since when did I lie to you?" Manfred held Yuana's cheeks.
Yuana straightened her back against the sofa and turned her gaze to the wall in front of her.
"If you still have a question, just ask me," said Manfred. He stared at Yuana's face, the angry aura faded slightly.
"I'm sorry ..." Yuana said quietly.
"I just feel weird, why are you suddenly paying attention to my friend? I know you are now friends with Joseph, the playboy. I'm not angry, I know you won't want to be with him." Manfred looked at Yuana more closely.
"I ... I don't know ..." Yuana crossed her arms across her chest.
"Are you mad at the question?" Manfred turned Yuana's body towards him. Yuana pouted again. Manfred smiled.
"Only now I know, you are more beautiful when you frown. Usually, I see you cry all the time." Manfred's smile widened.
"Hey, what do you say?" Yuana let go of Manfred's hand. She stood up.
Manfred also stood up. "Yu, I want to go home. But I don't want to leave you still angry with me. Don't continue to be spoiled."
Yuana was still upset.
Manfred pulled Yuana in his arms. Yuana was surprised. Only this time, Manfred hugged her on purpose. The soft scent of Manfred's perfume inhaled Yuana's nose. Yuana liked it. She was silent but enjoyed Manfred's sweet demeanor.
"Yuan, I love you. Always. Trust me." Manfred said near her ears. Yuana ventured back to Manfred's hug.
Manfred smiled. He was happy with Yuana's hug. Her tiny body pressed against his chest. Manfred had wanted to do this for a long time, hugging Yuana whom he loved so much.
"Yu, I'm home," whispered Manfred. Yuana didn't move. Yuana felt comfortable in Manfred's arms. She closed her eyes.
Manfred kissed Yuana's forehead gently. His heart was beating strong and fast. "Yu, thanks for accepting me," thought Manfred. He knew, without saying a word, Yuana showed that her heart was opened to Manfred.
After a while, Manfred said goodbye to go home. After Manfred left Yuana went into her room. She sat on the edge of the bed. She felt her heart was not beating normally. She hugged Manfred so tightly and she felt so comfortable. Manfred even kissed her forehead. It was so sweet.
In her mind came the face of Manfred, smiling, handsome. The subtle pounding returned to greet Yuana's heart.
*****
In the following days, Yuana and Manfred were together more and more often. Manfred didn't ask Yuana to be his girlfriend. But he knew Yuana already had a crush on him. Yuana never thought that Manfred asked her to be his girlfriend because she knew in Manfred's heart her name was written there.
Yuana and Manfred still kept in touch with Bobby and Lisa. Yuana met Lisa, but online. Lisa was quite nice.
Currently, Bobby had got a part-time job as a tutor. Meanwhile, Lisa worked in a shoe factory in the administration department. Their lives were said to be going well.
"Yuan ..." Manfred called out to Yuana, the girl just got off the piggyback on her motorbike. "After college, I need to talk to you."
"Okay. My class will finish at eleven today." Yuana explained the schedule.
"Nice. We'll meet in the canteen," suggested Manfred. Yuana agreed.
Then Yuana went to her class. That day she had only one course. After finishing the lecture, Yuana immediately went to the canteen. She had a feeling Manfred was going to talk about something important. Manfred was looked serious. Yuana sat in front of Manfred.
"Mardhika gets offers for albums, recordings." Manfred was serious.
The news of course surprised Yuana. Incredible!
"Huh? That's great, how's the story?" Yuana stared at Manfred.
"You know, it's been almost a year since we created a YouTube channel. People have started to know us. And we also have a fixed place to play. Well, when we played at Regent last week when a music producer from Jakarta saw us. knew us through YouTube. After meeting him, he was even more convinced that he wanted to work with Mardhika," said Manfred.
"When is the plan?" asked Yuan.
"We still discuss it. We want it as soon as possible. If possible, early next month, we will start taking recordings," replied Manfred.
It was the good news. But as a consequence, Manfred's lecture schedule was disrupted. He and his bandmates had to go to Jakarta to take care of making an album. Good opportunity, did he have to sacrifice his education?
"This kind of opportunity won't come twice, Yu. My friends at the band are really excited right now. We never think we'd get such a good opportunity so soon." Manfred said that but obviously, he wasn't that relieved either.
"Do you have to sacrifice college, Fred?" Yuana looked into Manfred's eyes. Now she loved Manfred's blue eyes.
"You know my plan was just to get extra money so I could finish college. If things turn out like this, it's beyond my imagination," replied Manfred. The band's development was indeed better than they thought.
Yuana still suggested that education should not be delayed if possible. It must be a way so that both college and band could go hand in hand.
"I'll be alone again, won't I?" Yuana pursed her lips. She imagined that if Manfred left, she would miss the handsome blue-eyed boy.
"Hey ... we can still keep in touch, chatting, doing a video call. Don't worry, I will still love you. No matter what happens we will not be separated. Okay? You will still be here ..." Manfred pointed at his chest.
Yuana felt her heart explode at Manfred's words.
"I've always loved you, Yu, haven't changed," said Manfred. He held Yuana's hand.
"I love you too, Fred." Yuana looked at Manfred. Yuana realized that her love for Manfred was different. It was not a love for a friend. But for a man who also loved her.
Manfred smiled. He was happy to hear Yuana say 'love'. Although he wasn't so sure it was love for a lover.
"I am afraid of losing you." Yuana slowly said that. For real, there was a fear of being hurt again suddenly appeared.
"I won't. You have to believe me," Manfred said firmly. Yuana nodded with a smile.
"Yu, I have a plan. We're going to visit Bobby and Lisa." Suddenly an idea popped into Manfred's head.
Yuana widened her eyes. "To Surabaya?"
"Sure. Or we better go to South America?" Manfred laughed.
Yuana smiled broadly. "I want to. I really want to meet Lisa. So, it's only been online communication, I have with her. When are we going?"
They agreed to go on Saturday when there was no lecture. It would be a pleasant meeting for sure.