Marrying the Little Miss
Contrition

Along the way back home, Rianti continued to widen the smile to make Bella who had been struggling with her thoughts about Avan's request to be a candidate for love directly focused on the in-laws.

"Ma, I see Mama's very happy? What's up?" ask Bella.

"There's nothing, Mama is just happy" replied Rianti.

"Ma—"

Rianti grabbed Bella's hand and said, "Darling, Mama knows what you're thinking. Once again Mama apologized because Mama told Avan about the operation. Honestly, even though Mama supports your every move, but Mama doesn't want you to part with Avan. I'm sure Avan actually likes you, just that he's not aware of his feelings."

"Ma, I really don't want to force anyone to like me. So I beg you not to do this again" said Bella with a look on her face pleading.

"But if Avan himself is after you how?" ask Rianti who still wants Bella to consider her feelings for the child.

"That's impossible. Because I know that Avan likes Laudya" replied Bella blankly.

"Do you believe that if a relationship is based on lies and reciprocity there is no such thing as true love?"

Rianti saw Bella just silently he said back, "Mama is sure Laudya will make one fatal mistake."

"I mean Mama?"

Rianti raised both eyebrows and then again widened his smile while patting the back of the son-in-law's hand.

"Ma, don't tell me Mama told Kak Avan about Laudya," guessed Bella.

"Of course not darling. Do you think Mama's not considering Mama's child's feelings? Mama just told Laudya about her secret."

"So I mean Mama—"

"Yes, if Laudya himself tells his lies despite being sick but Avan certainly can accept it all. Let Avan reflect on every fact he gets. Mama's sure she'll come back to you later" Rianti said.

Bella had no idea what she was doing. His mind refused to be able to return to Avan, but his heart and feelings actually said otherwise.

***

A week has passed since Avan cut ties with Laudya. The man is now just silent at home, not much he does only sometimes he sends a message to Bella. Unfortunately, the message was read like a newspaper.

Avan breathed a furious sigh amidst his weak body, thinking about how his relationship with Bella was going to be in the future.

"Is this karma for me?" ask Avan to himself. In the man's life at this time there is only a regret, he used to waste people who love him so much even close their eyes if the girl was nearby.

The man's gaze returned empty as he recalled his pleading with Bella. Sometimes Avan corrected Bella's attitude at that time, when she apologized and wanted to re-knit the marriage that was immediately rejected. Recalling that fact Avan took a deep breath back so that his heart could calm down.

In the next minute Avan grabbed the phone and pressed the active button, the man looked gently at the face he now made wallpaper, "Bel, give me a sign if indeed I can chase you back. Don't be like this, Bel."

"Bella," Avan's pulmonary voice called out that name again. It felt like the man felt a tightness in his chest.

"Stupid you, Van. You idiot!" Avan smacked his forehead as a sign of impingement.

"Van, how long are you gonna be? I told you love needs to be pursued, not waited for" Samuel recalled.

"But if Bella turns me down, what, Sam? He would hate me if I kept chasing him!"

Samuel walked towards Avan who was still laying down on the bed, slowly Samuel's hand outstretched to hold the friend's shoulder.

"Did you remember how Bella came after you? You even think of him as a parasite that you should get rid of immediately. But the girl didn't stop, she just kept walking towards you with all her physical behavior, right?" Samuel tries to remind Avan back how Bella used to chase a man who would probably never open her heart to her.

While Avan's mind is looking for pieces of memory about Bella who continues to pursue her. However, unfortunately, whatever Bella did did did not enter her memory at all. The thing Avan only remembered when he helped the girl, the rest was nothing better.

"Maybe I was too cruel to her. I don't remember any good or funny memories of him at all. I always assumed that what he did was only to destroy my happiness," Avan explained, causing Samuel to shake his head.

"If that's all you remember. Why don't you carve memories from zero with him. Pursue him Van before another man chases him" Samuel says.

Avan's heart is squeezed when he hears another man is going after Bella. He did not accept that at all.

"No! I will not let anyone approach or hurt him" Avan refused.

"Then be the shield that is always beside him" Samuel said.

Avan immediately got out of bed despite his head throbbing pain because it had been a few days not eating and just lying down.

"Van are you okay?" samuel asked as he saw Avan holding his head.

"I'm fine. I'm going to see Bella" Avan replied excitedly.

"You sure you want to meet Bella with this look?" Samuel shook his head as he looked at Avan's appearance. The hair was slightly long and disheveled, not to mention the black fur that filled his chin and around his mouth.

"Do I have to go to the salon first?" asked Avan while holding his chin while feeling the black feathers.

"I can't believe an Avan Mahendra can think that silly."

Avan laughed in Samuel's voice, saying, "Did Bella be like this?"

"Maybe, because she's always pretty with her natural make up." At once Avan's sandals floated into Samuel's body.

"You said I should be his shield, right? Don't try to praise him when I'm around!" avan's ketus made Samuel unable to hold back his laughter.

"You laughing?" Avan ruffled waist.

"You're funny when you're jealous. Go clean up and I'll take you to meet him" said Samuel, who immediately got a nod of the head from Avan. However, before Avan actually went from that place to the bathroom he again floated his sandals next to Samuel's body.

"Avans!"

"Bonus at the end of the year, Sam!" avan went straight into the bathroom.

"Damn!" Of course the curse was not heard Avan. After actually making sure Avan left, Samuel immediately took his smart thing to contact someone across there.