Kenan had kissed him.
Austin was stunned for a moment. This was obviously something that was suddenly accepted, but why did he just stand still and let Kenan press his lips even more?
Feeling no resistance, Kenan moved his lips, savoring Austin's lips alternately up and down. There was still no reply from Austin until the point when Kenan caressed the man's lower lip in slow motion.
In between kisses, Kenan's lips developed a smile as the strong grip that pulled his collar and tie moved to the sides of his arms. Holding him tightly and in a split second Austin had Kenan in one of the restroom stalls and slammed him roughly against the door. Austin kissed Kenan back in rapid succession.
Kenan squealed as Austin threw his body hard, but that was nothing compared to the rough and demanding kisses. If it wasn't for Kenan pushing the man's body with all his might, Austin's rough kiss would have lasted until the next minute.
Kenan wiped his saliva-soaked lips with the back of his hand, then said, "I only gave you a meeting kiss, but why are you so eager to reciprocate?" Kenan squinted at Austin and tilted his head slightly toward the man as if to resume their kiss. "Is your wife not good at kissing?" The sneering tone was clear in every word.
Austin who was staring at Kenan just stared back at him sharply. "Isn't the problem now between you and me, why did you bring my wife?"
"I'm just asking, shouldn't I?" Kenan raised one eyebrow.
Austin lay where he was, his lips unmoving but his eyes seeming to want to say something.
"Forget it. Let's go back! I don't want to keep Monsieur Serge waiting."
After the two exited the toilet, they returned to their seats, building a more relaxed atmosphere from scratch. Like two actors reenacting the same scene in a movie.
"You guys took so long, the food is already starting to cool down."
"That's because Austin decided to wait for me, even though I told him to go first," Kenan explained without a hint of a lie.
Monsieur Segre laughed a little at Kenan's answer. He looked at Austin who immediately changed as soon as he went to the toilet together with Kenan. Whereas a few minutes ago in Monsieur Segre's eyes, Austin seemed to want to avoid Kenan, but now Austin was willing to wait for him. In his heart, the middle-aged man was relieved that he didn't have to do things like before to make his two sons get along. After all, he realized, if Austin and Kenan were grown men, they were no longer the boys he knew fifteen years ago.
Boys who immediately fight over something worthless. After all, Austin was now 27 years old, and Kenan 28 years old although Kenan's face looked easier than Austin.
While Austin saw his father's proud reaction about the progress of their relationship, he gave a big compliment from the bottom of his heart to Kenan and his perfect charade.
Just like old times, Kenan always says, "everything is fine" when Monsieur Serge finds some cracks between them.
His father would ask Kenan if his relationship with Austin was a problem? Did Austin do anything bad to him? Then Kenan would smile and say everything was fine. Just like Austin wanted.
After finishing the meal while talking, the dinner was finally over. They parted ways right in front of the star restaurant. Austin stood to Kenan's right to give a good impression of their relationship in front of his father, as did Kenan. The man occasionally tapped Austin's right shoulder while throwing in a few jokes.
"Even if he's married, I'm still his brother, I'll reprimand him if he misbehaves." Kenan's hand reached out to ruffle Austin's dark brown mane. As soon as his attention caught the sharp gaze veiled by a smile, he stopped the movement and put his arm around his brother's shoulders.
Monsieur Serge stood beside the car with his personal driver who had been waiting. He slowly got into the back seat after the driver opened the door.
"I'll be going then," Monsieur Segre said, waving as the car door closed.
Kenan and Austin nodded and smiled as they watched their father leave. Then, the smiles disappeared. Austin brushed off Kenan's hand perched on his shoulder as soon as Monsieur Serge's car had passed them by. The man narrowed his eyes sharply at Kenan who was so apathetic about what he was doing without considering the consequences.
It hadn't even been a day since the foster brother she didn't consider had been with her. However, Kenan had already angered him with an outburst of emotion that he continued to hold back from exploding. Until whenever, Austin would never accept Kenan's status as his brother.
***
Austin Indrayan Keano didn't come home until late in the evening. Austin's residence stands on Bukit Golf Terraces, an elite apartment located in Metro Pondok Indah, Kebayoran Lama. Bukit Golf Apartment is located in the expensive Pondok Indah area, precisely on Jalan Metro Kencana IV.
Kenan cast his eyes around the mid-century modern style main room of Austin's apartment. He also saw many ceramic displays of various sizes with abstract patterns. Kenan could tell that the price wasn't cheap.
"Nice place," Kenan complimented his foster brother on the place that would be his home for some time to come. Some time that he couldn't be sure if it would be short or long.
Dragging a red suitcase that was neither too heavy nor too light, Kenan stepped in front of a framed photograph that was displayed on the wall of the front room. There was a picture of a man wearing a black tie tuxedo shawl collar tux with a white shirt, and next to him was a beautiful woman wearing a tea-length wedding dress.
"Back already?"
Kenan's observational activities ended as soon as his eardrums caught the sound of a woman stepping towards him from behind, while lowering her gaze into the contents of the turquoise blue hobo bag she was carrying. Although there was no response, the woman continued, "Austin, I'll probably be home late today because I have to attend ..."
Helena couldn't continue when the person standing in the room wasn't her husband as she thought. The unexplained situation made her gaze widen slightly in question.
"Who are you?" Helena asked, a look of surprise passing through her eyes.
The stranger smiled faintly at him. Just as he opened his mouth to answer her question, someone opened the door and entered in a bit of a hurry. She was somewhat stunned and became silent for a few moments after seeing two familiar people throwing glances at each other.
Helena's attention shifted, staring at Austin's newfound presence then moving to the stranger in front of her for a glance in turn.
Realizing that it wasn't just him and Kenan in this room, Austin immediately spoke to dispel the awkwardness in the air. "Helen, meet me, this is Kenan." Austin looked at Helena. "And Kenan, this is Helen, my wife," he continued, turning to Kenan.
Kenan and Helena looked at each other awkwardly again, but Kenan broke the ice by flashing Helena a bright smile and extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Miss, ah I mean Mrs.," Kenan said kindly, yet coldly.
Helena smiled and took Kenan's hand. "I'm also happy to meet you, I didn't realize that my husband had a brother, because he never told me."
The word 'my husband' that the woman said made Kenan unconsciously snort inwardly.
"No wonder he never told me, because after I left, Austin and I lost contact."
"That's a pity. I wish I could make Austin's close friends my friends too, especially if it's his brother, I'd consider him my brother too."
Helena added that the woman didn't really know the people who were Austin's acquaintances because her husband rarely if ever talked about his childhood.
"But there's no need for that, because you're back." Austin said.
"Glad to be back," Kenan admitted.
"I almost forgot," Helena looked at Austin. "I'll probably be home late today." She returned to her conversation with Austin.
"To that seminar you were talking about the other day?" he guessed.
Helena nodded. "Okay, then I'll go first." Helena got up from in front of Austin and Kenan, walking over to the sofa where she put her silver-white wrap coat to wear. As Helena put one hand in, Austin went straight to her and helped her put it on.
"I'll see you tonight," he said, pecking Austin's lips and walking past Kenan with a smile.
Kenan returned it, and once she was no longer looking at him his smile disappeared in an instant to become as flat as a mask removed.
After Helena's departure, the room was left with only Austin and Kenan and the flat expressions with cold eyes that adorned their faces.
"Your wife is beautiful too," Kenan complimented sarcastically, his lips in a lopsided smile.
"Don't ever hope to snatch her, even if it's only in a dream!" insisted Austin.
"Ahahahaha!" Kenan's laughter broke out that very second. Making Austin winced in shock. "What's so funny?"
"You look really scared if I take it away from you?" Kenan looked at Austin closely. At the same time, the look in his eyes seemed more relaxed. "You love her?" he asked.
Austin's mouth quivered and raised his voice slightly, speaking a bit sarcastically. "Why do you ask that?"
"Hey, it's normal for me to ask that. You just answer, yes or no?"
Austin returned Kenan's gaze for a few seconds, looked into the man's irises and said, "I love her so much," He admitted.
Kenan only responded to the man with a faint smile, however, a wry one. "You don't worry, I would never intend to take her away from you. After all, she's not my type."
Kenan took a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket and walked towards the balcony of the apartment. On the first floor balcony, Kenan could see the entire view of the green garden overgrown with beautiful and organized flowers. Darkness had covered the sky, small twinkling stars scattered in the sky.
Kenan turned his body to lean against the balcony railing, his gaze fixed on Austin who was still standing where he was. Kenan then put the cigarette in his mouth and lit it with the lighter he took from his other pants pocket. The man smoked his cigarette while looking at Austin who was now walking over.
"Cigarettes?" asked Kenan as he pointed a pack of cigarettes in front of Austin.
Austin didn't reply but he took a drag of his cigarette and Kenan lit the match. Austin smoked his cigarette as the tip touched the flame. Without saying anything even after exhaling the smoke he leaned against the balcony railing to Kenan's right.
"So... how does it feel to sleep with the same woman throughout your marriage?"
"Why do you always ask me questions that piss me off?" Austin snorted lightly with the new smoke coming from between his lips.
"I don't know if my questions upset you," Kenan replied without guilt. "Besides, you must not have tried to play with the others for a long time, ah ..., it's not that you don't want to, you want to even if you hold back. I'm right, right?"
Austin did not respond to Kenan's words.
"That woman, I can see she loves you, loves you very much. But I'm not sure, your love is not as great as her love for you. You must have realized that too, right? Even if she knew you were playing with others, she wouldn't be able to let you go."
"Stop baiting me!" scolded Austin.
"Why this?" Kenan laughed sarcastically as he looked at the man, then his expression turned flat in just a second. "Don't tell me you've changed?"
Austin didn't answer, he turned his face away from Kenan, put out the half-lit cigarette, and walked inside. Kenan also did the same, following Austin from behind.
"Austin, wait for me!" He equalized his pace. Meanwhile, Austin ignored him, continuing to walk towards Kenan's suitcase.
"Hey, what are you doing with my suitcase?" Kenan exclaimed.
"Throw it away."
"No, Austin!"
The summoned one turned around. His eyes searched Kenan's face for a moment, and ended up reaching for something in his pants pocket. Austin took one of Kenan's hands that were still at his side and placed it in his palm. It was a key.
"If you don't want to be thrown away, stop fishing me!" He turned back to Kenan before saying, "Your room is on the second floor on the left."
After saying that, Austin walked away. Leaving Kenan standing where he was with a key in hand. Austin thought there was no need to walk the man to his doorstep because Kenan was an adult, not some little boy who had just been adopted.
While tightening his grip on the key, Kenan looked at Austin's back who soon disappeared from his sight. There was a knotted smile forming on both sides of his lips along with dreamy eyes.
In the past, their relationship had experienced a tug of war. Although it seemed as distant as the earth and the sun, they had also been as close as veins. Going through good and bad times together, although there were more bad times than good. It was because Austin was always bad to him that Kenan left his life, his family's life. The reason was because his father always paid more attention to Kenan than his own biological son, his flesh and blood. And that made Austin furious, Now everything changes, it's not time that changes both of them. However, it was the circumstances that made him change. If it was someone else, maybe Austin would never want to know Kenan again, let alone let him live in his apartment.
Just think, what person would accept someone who left without saying goodbye like the earth, then in ten years' time suddenly appeared. However, in reality now Austin accepted Kenan, letting him act as he pleased even in front of his father.
***
Kenan Pradipta woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. In his dream, he kept running and running with all his might without stopping until he couldn't feel his legs anymore. Meanwhile, no matter how far he ran, he would eventually return to Austin to feel the man's torment again. If morning came, Kenan would forget everything and run again. In the end Kenan couldn't completely let go of that man.
Eyes blinking for a while, accompanied by dim light and silence, Kenan lazily turned his head towards the wall clock whose seconds echoed through the air.
The full moon peeked through the slightly open balcony curtains casting a faint glow. After standing up from his lying position after gathering his life, Kenan stepped into the apartment's kitchen to look for mineral water.
The footsteps, as well as the conversation of two people distracted Kenan who wanted to go back into his room with two bottles of mineral water. Kenan watched her with cold eyes, even more so than the current night wind. There was an unwanted question roaring in his heart. When can I tear him down?
Once he got his pride back, destroying Austin would definitely be the first thing Kenan did. Just thinking about how he could get what belonged to Austin, Kenan took a deep breath for a moment. Remembering what he had originally come back to the family for, Kenan was now in a bad mood.
"You're home too late," said a man, who had been sitting on the sofa playing with his cell phone. He greeted Helena as soon as she opened the door.
Kenan watched them from upstairs.
Soon another voice piped up, "One of my friends asked me to go to karaoke, he was so insistent that I couldn't resist."
Smiling in reply to Helena's answer, Austin put his arm around his wife. "You're cold."
She embraced Austin back, threw her arms around his neck, and they kissed hotly.
Not wanting to add to his worsening mood from seeing the eye-painful scene down there, Kenan quickly went into the room, back to his bed. Before that, however, he picked up the cell phone that lay on the bedside table. He pressed the speed dial number listed at one. There was no need to wait long for the call to connect.
"Ivan, i need your help."
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