Chapter 47 Sugarcane

“Ra, lemme guess, when you were a child, you ate bananas.” Layla rolled her eyes.

“Layla, how did you know?! I ate a lot of bananas, you’re not just a chaser, but your head has a brain. Wow, that’s amazing” Kyran claps his hand in sarcasm.

“Kyran, are you the windows of the airplane?” The two look at me.

If he doesn't want to look at me, I'll just talk to these two eggs.

“No?” he asked unsurely.

“I am the pilot of this airplane, so Jase can ride on me,” Layla said.

Kyran burst out laughing, and Jase looked at Layla blankly. Layla winked at him.

“Lay, before he could ride on you, he already bumped into someone else,” Kyran said while suppressing his laughter.

I pouted that they didn’t mind my joke; they kept teasing each other. Kyran is a bully; I am lucky because he is not bullying me. If he drives me, I will cry, and Ken will be mad at him.

“Are you the window?” I ask Ken, who’s glaring at me right now.

“Tsk!” He closed his eyes.

“Because whenever I look at you, my feeling reaches heaven.”

I pinched his waist to make him react, but he didn't move. I pouted; he was really angry with me.

“Yiiiehhh! Selene knows how to joke! How often have you felt that you’re in heaven, Selene?” Kyran asks me; his attention is on me.

I counted on my fingers and looked up because I don’t remember; whenever I was with Ken, I always felt like I was in heaven.

“Woah! That’s a lot.” I hadn’t finished counting when Kyran’s concluded.

“Yeah, I count them all,” I said and pouted.

“Omo, I am going to be an auntie?! But you aren't pregnant? Does brother is impotent-” Layla hasn’t finished her words and covered it.

“Can you all shut up the hell all of your mouths?! We haven't done that so far!” Kier roared.

“Ah, that’s why you're so grumpy?” Kyran teases.

“No, he’s jealous of the dentist. We visited a dentist a while ago, and he got jealous.” I said to Kyran to make things clear. I don’t want Kier to be wrong.

Kyran bursts out of laughter, and Jase, his attention is on us.

Kier threw the thing that he grabbed, and my eyes widened when he threw his phone at Kyran.

Kyran’s still laughing, and I saw Jase smile, but he hid it quickly. I can’t paint Layla’s face, she wants to laugh, but she’s suppressing herself.

Do I need to laugh too? Everyone seems to be happy.

“Why are you laughing?” He asks while glaring at me.

“They are laughing, so I need to laugh too.” I reason. “I didn't know that being jealous is funny,” I murmured at him, but he knocked on my forehead.

“Shut up!” He hissed and glared at me.

He’s acting weird again.

Being jealous is weird.

“Wow!”

My eyes widened when I opened the door of our house. We just got home from our flight, and it’s already afternoon. I was tired and wanted to rest, but my tiredness faded when I saw this view.

I don't know what I should feel. Ken is in the car, getting our things.

I couldn’t move, and I was surprised.

What does all of this mean?

I ran and teary-eyed hugged the big Doraemon on the sofa. I embrace it tightly.

“Woah, gummies!” I get the bouquet of gummies on the side of this big stuffed toy.

“Happy birthday,” I looked at the door and saw Ken smiling a little bit.

“This is for me?” There are a lot of balloons on the floor, colored pink. A bouquet of gummies, a big Doraemon stuffed toy, and an aluminum foil balloon saying ‘happy birthday’ are hanging on the wall.

I am teary-eyed.

He came near me, “I’m sorry if I didn’t get home on your birthday, and Let me make it up to you today. Did you like it?” He asked nervously.

I get up and jump on him to hug him.

“Thank you. I am so happy!” I said, and I felt him hug me too.

I release from the hug, “how did you do all of these? I was with you all the time in Europe.” I said curiously.

He kissed my forehead, and his hand snaked in my waist, “a friend of mine helped me.” He said.

“This is so sweet.” I tease him.

“Are you still mad at me?” He asks and caresses my hair.

I think it makes him nervous. He was mad at me when we were on the airplane, and I became mad too. If he got mad, then be angry also. Don’t let him win.

“I already bought you gummies and even gave you a factory of gummies. What else do you want, huh?” He asks while looking into my eyes.

“Hmm, I want a car,” I said playfully.

“Okay.” He answered without a second thought.

“Fire,” Conrad called Kier when he came into his office.

Kier, who's busy signing the papers, lifts his head.

Conrad sat on the visitor’s chair.

“You need to know about these things,” He said seriously and colder. His voice is much more complex and more severe than usual. There’s hesitation and pity in his eyes.

Conrad killed his agent. He doesn't know why but Kier doesn’t care. Friendship is more important than someone.

The cold room makes the atmosphere more severe and more senseless.

“I don’t know if I should tell you this. I don’t know if you will be happy or not,” Conrad said slowly and hesitated. He thinks about this many times if he needs to tell Kier about this, but he needs to know. He doesn’t want to hide things from him.

“Give it to me, Conrad,” Kier said while looking at Conrad's folder.

“Are you sure?” Conrad asks worriedly, “this is insane, bro; this folder that I am holding on to; the information inside will hurt you and change your lives.”He is concerned.

“Do you love your wife?” Conrad asks while looking at Kier’s eyes. And waiting for his answer. He knows what Kier did in Europe: go home early and be with his wife. He even received a punch from him when his wife divorced him. He’s blaming him.

Kier heaved a sigh and slowly nodded his head, “yes, more than my life. I am willing to turn my back to the things that I have for her,” he said in a low tone and full of love.

Conrad clenched his fist.

“Are you willing to sacrifice for the both of you? Sacrificing means letting her go and letting her be with someone,” Conrad said sincerely and dull of meaning.

Conrad's eyes are full of hesitation, concern, and worry for his friend. He saw how happy he was when he married and didn’t want to ruin his happiness.

The time in that room is like ticking so slowly. Slow move and severe atmosphere.

“Just kill me, Conrad. Kill me if that is going to happen. Kill me,” Kier said weakly.

Thinking of that will kill Kier. He doesn’t have time for a love life; that’s why he doesn’t do girlfriends.

Conrad sighed in frustration, “here’s the folder,” He finally put the older one on the table.

“Inside the folder is the information you needed, completed, and,” Conrad licked the bottom of his lip; he didn’t want to utter these words.

“Answer your question; II hope you’ll be fine after you find out everything,” Conrad sighed again.

“It’s your choice if you want to open it, but let me warn you. Once you open and read what’s inside this folder, you won’t like what you’ll know,” Conrad warns.

A long silence between the two of them.

Conrad is just staring at his friend.

“I have to go,” Conrad said, tapping Kier’s shoulder with concern.

Kier’s badge didn't look at him nor answer; he was staring at the folder lifelessly. He doesn’t know what’s inside the folder, but Conrad seriously makes him nervous and even asks questions about his wife.

He clenched his fist. What's inside this folder? He’s having second thoughts about opening it. He slowly lifted his hand, stopping from the air; he clenched his fist.

Why does he need to leave his wife? What kind of fucking information is inside the folder connected to his wife?

He closes deeply and urges them to hold the folder. His breathing is getting heavier.

Before Conrad left his office, he looked at Kier’s and finally left the office.

Kier opens his eyes and pushes himself to open the folder. His hands are trembling for unknown reasons.

He finally opened it, and his breathing stopped when he saw the pictures of his wife. He continues to read and flip the other pages. Every piece of information that he’s reading makes his heart tighten.

He can’t believe what he is reading, and there's strong evidence inside and a DNA test inside.

He clenches his jaw, and the papers crumble. He can’t believe this.

A tear fell from his eyes.

He won’t accept what’s inside this folder and all this fake information but thinking about the past makes his mind miserable. He ran his finger on his hair frustratedly.

His body is trembling. His veins pop because of the strength that he is releasing from clenching his fist.

This information will definitely ruin his life forever.

“Omo!” Layla ran to Kier when she saw her cousin.

“Cousin, why are you here?” Layla asked when she came near to him. She was about to kiss him when he moved backward. She pouted.

“What are you doing here?” He asked. His voice is a deep baritone, and there’s something in his voice; it's gloomy, and his eyes are lifeless. He looks at Layla.

“This is the orphanage that I am doing! And I really like this orphanage. There’s something on this. A part of me wants this orphanage,” Layla explained livelily.

They started walking around the garden slowly and savoring the moments.

“How about you? What are you doing in this kind of place, brother? It’s rare and new to see you here.” Layla asks curiously.

“I just checked something,” Kier said lifelessly.

Layla is wondering why he is so calm and answering her questions. He should be turned back on her and left, but this time is odd.

He changed a lot, but he's still short-tempered.

“Are you going to adopt a child?” she asked, “you and your sister-in-law until now, don't have a kid. I want to see my niece before I fly.” She pouted.

“Why would you think of that way?” Kier asked. His expression is still the same, void of emotions.

“You are here, and I thought you decided to adopt one because, you know,” Layla said.

“I am not impotent, Lay. my wife is not yet ready to have kids, and I respect her,” Kier said firmly.

Layla rolled her eyes. “You are so kind towards her, but to me, it’s like you are going to kill me, and you always make her your top priority,” Layla said bitterly.

“I hope Jase will be like you,” Layla murmured.

Maybe this was the most challenging talk they had.

“You should find a man who loves you more than you.” Kier said out of the blue, “I don’t like you for Jase, but since you don’t want to listen to me. You must endure the result of your actions.” He said sincerely and looked at the sky.

“Duh, Jase loves me. You are just hindering our love story. That's why he’s not saying his feelings for me.” Layla said confidently.

“I hope you are my real brother. I don’t want you to be my cousin; I want you to be my real brother.” Layla said out of the blue.

Even though they are cousins, Kier acts like a real brother to her. He protected her and took care of her when she was a kid. Their childhood memories are still with her; she will surely bring them to the afterlife. Her brother is precious to her; he is the only person she can lean on.