"What are you doing here?" Wira was full of smile but his stare was the complete opposite of his amiable look.
"I'm visiting her, what else?" The other's smiling face belonged to Kevin. Both of them were smiling but Nana, as the third party, could sense something different from each one of them.
What was this sense of rivalry that she had been feeling for a while? They sounded like they were rivals but at the same time there was something odd from the way they were radiating their aura.
"I didn't know you guys are close. I've never heard of her talking about you." The meaning was clear. [You are so insignificant that you are not worth mentioning at all. Yet, you act so close to her?]
"Wow, that hurts! You talked to me behind his back?" [Do I look like I care?]
Nana rolled her eyes as she watched the exaggeration expression on Kevin's face. How did she not know before that this man tended to make dramatic expressions and sarcastic remarks?
"Then, again, why should she report whom she is talking to to you?" Kevin's expression changed again as he smiled solemnly towards his friend.
Wira didn't like the sound of his provocation. He didn't even like his presence. But, he knew he couldn't just shoo this man away.
Nana, on the other hands, was getting a serious headache listening to their banter and being at the center of the battle. While it was true that she did talk to Kevin more than a couple of times and she didn't have any obligation to report to Wira whom she was talking to, the way it became a problem in the eyes of these two men made her instinct to flee kick in.
No, she couldn't run away from these troublemakers. She bet she couldn't even walk one step away from them before they followed her like lost puppies.
She needed to find a way to shut these men up quickly.
"Kevin, what are you doing here?" Nana ignored the victorious stare Wira gave him as soon as that question escaped her mouth.
"I have some work to do around here so my mom asked me to meet you and send you this." Kevin took out a small paper bag that he had been hiding under the table.
Nana squinted her eyes and took that suspicious paper bag. Inside was a small black box, usually used to store jewelry or watch. There was no name carved on the box or written on the paper bag, but it only made it more suspicious in her eyes.
As far as she knew about Aunt Melissa, that lady had never given her any cheap things. No brand didn't mean it was cheap, most of the times Aunt Melissa would deliberately change the "cover" to disguise the true value of the things.
"What's this?" Nana couldn't hide the wariness in her voice. It was hard for her to be excited when she had to accept a gift from someone, especially when that gift was expensive.
"Open up. My mom has just returned from Country S and she bought it as souvenir for you. You know her, you can't say no to her." Kevin smirked.
"I assume it's not the first time you've been given gifts by Aunt Melissa." Wira didn't sound happy at all.
Kevin rolled his eyes. "You're getting more annoying. Step up your game instead of being wary of others! I've given you enough time to get her back but as far as I've seen it, you made no progress. Don't blame others when she got snatched right under your nose!" Kevin's scolding was what Nana was waiting to hear.
The way she heard it now, they were still best friends but Kevin was mischievous enough to tease his friend. It answered the odd feeling Nana had been feeling all this while. The sense of rivalry she sensed before was utterly fake.
Wira snorted. He leaned back and crossed his eyes in front of his chest. Displeasure was still all over his face but as Kevin's friend, he must have known about his own friend's behavior.
Kevin might look aloof and cold in front of his colleagues or partner of business, but he was pretty much a troll in front of his close ones.
Nana should have known by now. After all, they had been talking for months. Their initial relationship which was so ambiguous and somehow strange had turned into one that looked like family, instead. Still, this man was so cunning that she still fell into his trap this time.
Nana was stunned seeing the item inside the plain box. It was a watch. It looked like a a beautiful plain watch but the name of the brand engraved inside was enough to make Nana shuddered in fright. An expensive watch as a souvenir? Only Aunt Melissa could think of it.
The cheapest watch of this brand was at the cost of her two months salary. This beautiful watch, she assumed, was probably more than that. The exquisite and intricate details and the materials of the watch looked nowhere near the word 'cheap'.
Nana cried inwardly. Because of Aunt Melissa, she now knew the difference between luxurious, good and average materials. Now, whenever she accepted or bought new things, she would unconsciously scan for the materials and the details of the items.
Not that it would restrain herself to buy average or good quality items. After all, her money was not enough for her to lavish herself with luxury.
One needed to be mindful on how they spent their money.
"I can't-"
"Nana, I've told you. My mom doesn't accept rejection." Kevin kindly reminded her.
Nana sighed. That was true. She had tried to refuse the gifts before, but Aunt Melissa would have more ways for her to accept it. Later on, she stopped refusing and politely thanked the lady in hope that she would stop giving her gifts.
But, it didn't work. The price of the things being gifted to her escalated every time and Nana started to feel uncomfortable again.
"You know, if you feel uncomfortable again, you can agree to my mom's request to marry me."
"In your dreams!" Wira blurted out. He glared at his own friend fiercely. "You don't even like her!"
"But, I'm comfortable around her." Kevin didn't look like he was surprised with Wira's sudden outburst. He looked like he was expecting it. He could even give a calm reply to Wira. "Isn't that what we are all looking for in our partner? The one who can make us comfortable, I mean."
"Shut it! I'm not going to listen to your crap!" Wira looked annoyed but he made the right choice. He covered his ears and looked away from Kevin. What he did looked childish but it was effective against Kevin.
After all, Kevin wouldn't pursue something if the person involved had shown his disinterest or discomfort. But, his smirk was really irritating. That much Nana must admit.
"Just take it. Don't forget to text her to confirm that you've accepted the souvenir. I need to get going. Let's meet again tonight for dinner, shall we?" Kevin's attention returned to Nana and he treated as if Wira wasn't around.
"Alright. Just text us when you will be free." Nana nodded.
"It's a deal, then." Kevin smiled and stood up. He picked up his bag and stopped to peer into his friend's eyes mischievously. "If you're so slow, I'll take her." He said in a low tone.
Before Wira could respond, Nana slapped him on his back in frustration. "Stop it! I'm not an item."
Kevin chuckled as he stood up and walked away. He waved his hand as he walked out of the family restaurant, leaving the dumbfounded Wira and slightly irritated Nana.
"That man is getting more annoying the more I see him." Wira grunted as he took a sip of his not-so-cold drink.
"It just means you are close to each other."
Wira didn't deny it, but he stared at the girl who was busy taking picture of the new wristwatch on her slim wrist. As much as he hated it, the watch looked good on her. He watched as Nana typed on her phone seriously, probably reporting to Aunt Melissa that she had accepted the gift.
Wira couldn't help but sulk. Nana had not even met his parents but she had met and pretty much closed to Kevin's mother. They even had a talk about marriage between Nana and Kevin. How could he not feel threatened?
"Can you stop talking to Kevin?" He muttered unknowingly.
Nana stiffened and she looked up to stare at Wira's eyes directly. Wira was stunned hearing himself as well. Seconds later, he regretted his words. Seeing Nana's response, he knew that he had crossed the line.
The way her clear eyes were staring at him without ripples made his heart thumped in discomfort. He really made a mistake this time.