Chapter 4 - Meet

*Happy Reading!*

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Sometimes, what we hold on to is more prone to disappearing. Whatever we hold dear, is faster to go. Neither a person nor an object.

Borr never expected anything to last. It's just, that he wants something he likes to last a little longer. Not a few years. At least, 10 years is a short time to enjoy together.

Sometimes, sadness always fills his heart. When you see some other couples act romantic. Siv wasn't someone who liked anything romantic, she preferred small talk without fuss or anything.

Until the end of her life.

However, even though it has been many years since Siv left Borr, the image and laughter of that woman are still etched in Borr's memory which can sometimes be a knife to the man himself.

"It shouldn't be,"

"What do you mean?"

"We shouldn't have gone by ship,"

Borr looked at Vali with a confused look. "Then we ride the car for days?"

Bargi chuckled, and he shook his head. "There's still a plane, Borr!" He patted Borr on the shoulder a few times.

Borr rolled his eyes lazily, he brushed off Bargi's hand which was on his shoulder. "You are airsick." He keeps his distance from Bargi. "Always."

Borr clearly remembers that several years ago, they went on a plane vacation together. At first, everything went well and was fun, but in the middle of the trip, Bargi got drunk and made everyone drunk too.

For Borr, it was a terrifying event for him. Because when his friends were drunk, only Borr and Vali were not drunk. As a result, it was the two of them who cleaned up Bargi and Odin's vomit. And, why didn't they call the officers? It was because of Bargi's request, he didn't want to appear bad in front of others.

Even so, Bargi wasn't afraid to show his worst side in front of Borr, Odin, and Vali.

"Damn, that incident made me suddenly feel disgusted with you." Vali walks away from Bargi. He used his hand to cover his nose, he had a disgusted expression.

"I feel offended," Odin said while putting on a flat face.

Borr chuckled, and he shook his head. Then looked at Bargi. "Where's Hel?"

"He stays in the room."

Bor nodded.

"I'd rather have us in the car for days than be here," Vali said. He looked up, staring straight at the ceiling of the restaurant on the ship. "I should have realized from the start that you had other intentions." His eyes turned to Borr who was staring at the window.

Borr turned his head, he smiled faintly. "Aren't I so pathetic?" He looked down. "Again I'm re-opening old wounds."

"You're just too deep in sorrow."

Borr turned to Bargi. "Maybe so."

Odin, who had not spoken much since then, looked at Borr's face. That man---Borr---looked a lot different from a few years ago. He loves Siv too much.

As an adult who has never dated, Odin doesn't understand what it's like to lose. However, from Borr, Vali, and Bargi, he knew losing was a painful thing.

"Why are you guys silent?" Bargi looked here and there, he threw a look of pretending to be confused. Then pointed at the two women who had just entered the restaurant. "You see them? Aren't they very beautiful?"

Borr, Odin, and Vali turned to the two women. Odin nodded. "They are beautiful." Borr and Vali nodded.

The two women they entered walked towards them. They're fine bodies were clad in long and thick clothes. Both of their faces are beautiful. Coupled with blushing cheeks, one of them looks like an innocent woman who likes to smile.

"And they're walking towards us," Vali muttered, he moved uncomfortably. "Oh, I don't like this."

"And sadly you can't go," Borr said.

Vali nodded once, he glanced at Bargi with a sneer. "Bargi's always been like that."

On the other hand, Bargi looked with interest at the two women. He forgot the fact that he already had a girlfriend, namely Hel. As the two women grew closer to himself and his friends, Bargi had to swallow his disappointment because the women passed him. They---the women---turned out to be taking the oranges that were placed behind Bargi and the others.

"Oh, shit."

Odin and Borr laughed. Borr tapped Bargi's shoulder twice. "Remember, you have Hel now."

Bargi exhaled in annoyance, while Vali smiled happily.

However, Vali's smile didn't last long. One of the two women tapped him on the shoulder several times. The woman smiled sweetly but didn't make Vali's smile return again.

"What is it?" asked Vali. He moved away from them a little.

It made Borr, Bargi, and Odin's attention shift to Vali who was now wearing an uncomfortable look.

"Oh, hi." Bargi greeted the two women, he smiled sweetly. His hand reached out to greet them.

"Nanna." Said the woman dressed in light blue. She took Bargi's hand and held it for a while.

"Elli." Said the woman who was dressed in crimson. She smiled as he returned Bargi's hand---after Nanna.

Borr nodded once, he smiled faintly. "Borr."

The two women smiled with their heads nodding.

Then, Odin said his name and Vali. The words he spoke weren't many, only his name and Vali's.

"We want to join you. Can I?" Elli asked while looking at the men nearby in turn.

Borr glanced at Odin, he couldn't decide anything without the approval of his friends. Whereas Odin who was being stared at only blinked a few times, he also didn't know what to do.

Even if they agreed to it, Vali would feel uncomfortable. But, on the other hand, Bargi will be happy. They---Borr and Odin---it wasn't a problem if Elli and Nanna joined forces, but it would make Vali feel uncomfortable.

Vali himself had kept his distance from the two women. He looks like he doesn't like the opposite sex.

"Ah, we..." Borr's words were cut off by Bargi.

"You can be with us if you want. We have no problem." Bargi smiled sweetly, he pulled two chairs from another table and coded Elli and Nanna to sit down.

Elli and Nanna sat gracefully, they smiled and mumbled a word of thanks.

"Are you guys on vacation or going somewhere to work?"

"We're on vacation, spending the winter break." Bargi smiled, her heart screaming with pleasure.

Borr exhaled slowly, he put his mouth close to Bargi's left ear. "You have to remember Hel. She's still your lover," he said, reminded.

Bargi smiled at Elli and Nanna. "That's my business," he muttered to Borr.

"I'm going to my room." Vali got up from his seat, nodded, and left the room.

Once betrayed by the woman he loved, Vali was reluctant to be close to any woman. Even if they just say hello or just smile at him. The wound that had been inscribed by the idol of the heart still made a clear imprint on his heart.

For him, it is better to avoid wounds than to treat wounds.

"I will catch up with Vali." Borr smiled and left. He walked a little fast to catch up to his friend. "Has he turned into a same-sex lover?"

On the other hand, Hel sat blankly, she was squeezing a small object in her hand. Tears trickled down her reddened cheeks. As time went on, her tears grew louder, she covered her face with both hands.

"Damn, damn, damn. What happened to me?"

Hel threw away the object in her hand to coincide with the slight shaking of the ship. She paused and looked around fearfully, but didn't move from his room. She chose to lie down on the bed and sleep.