Tell Me Again, My Love

He sighed, now regretting with what he did earlier. He should just keep his cool, not letting his jealousy to overtake his rational. He should not act that way.

"Do you like the fish?" Jason asked, helping Mika to take out all the bones from the fish. He placed the fish meat into Mika"s small plate for her to enjoy.

"Hmm..." Mika nodded. She took a small piece of the fish and ate it with her rice. Her chopstick reached for the tomato with egg to put into Ryn"s bowl.

Ryn looked at the small cubes of tomatoes and murmured her thanks. Then, she took some tomatoes for Mika. She placed down the chopsticks on its small stand and turned the turnover to get the spicy meat.

Their meal was accompanied by a woman playing a harp. At first, Ryn was not used with it but later on, the food grabbed her attention and the existence of the woman was forgotten. The food was more important.

The woman excused herself once she was done playing five songs. She left the harp in the room and got out of the room to get some breath. Although people were smiling and eating happily, the woman could feel the air of awkwardness. It was a slight moment but it did affect the room.

"No matter," she said, "My work is done... finally."

The families who were finally done with their meals just watched as the waiters retrieved all the dishes. Two waiters helped refilling the drink.

"Do you like it?" Jason asked, his finger playing a twirl of her hair while rubbing her nape gently.

"Yes. Thank you, Jason," both shared a light kiss.

They all smiled seeing the couple interacted. It was sweet, almost innocent as Jason was worried he would hurt her with his action. 

They spent another ten to fifteen minutes before decided to start moving. Jason only sent Mika to the car before he joined his parents in their car. The goodbye kiss given by Jason took was so long, Jeremy had to tap his shoulder to break the kiss.

"Oh, man, control yourself. It"s not like you won"t see her ever again. You"ll see her tomorrow, for G.o.dsake," Jeremy groaned.

Jason, ignoring the reminder from Jeremy and kissed Mika"s hand gently. Then, he leaned forward for another kiss but it was stopped by Jeremy who pulled him back and pushed Mika into the car even deeper.

"No, man, no more kisses. Go home," Jeremy told Jason.

The elder couples behind just smiled watching their antics. It was funny.

Ryn, on the other hand, was chewing her lower lip nervously. She had postponed telling Mika about her new place to live for so long and now, she had to tell Mika whether she liked it or not. Mika would be asking why she did not return to the mansion once they started moving.

The Long couple and Jeremy looked at Ryn full of question. They were waiting for Ryn to confess about her new home. None of them wanted to start telling Mika first. They wanted Ryn to break the news.

Ryn sighed. She did not sit next to Mika this time. She let Mr and Mrs Long sitting next to Mika. Mr Long on her right side while Mrs Long sitting on her left side. Ryn sat facing Mika.

"Why are you sitting over there?" Mika asked in puzzled. Usually, Ryn would sit next to her, if they were sitting on the pa.s.senger side at the back.

"Actually... err..." Ryn looked around nervously.

"Ryn?" Mika looked at her best friend.

Ryn stole a look at Jeremy, hoping she would help but he gave her a poker face. Silently cursing him under her breath, she gave Mika a weak smile. She leaned forward to grasp Mika"s hand.

"Ryn?" Mika was puzzled seeing how nervous Ryn was. She looked at Jeremy, but her big brother did not give any reaction.

Ryn took a deep breath to calm herself. She could do this. 

"Mika, babe, I have something to tell you."

"Yes?"

"I... I have moved out."

"Excuse me?" it might be the noisy engine (although it was quiet in the car) made she heard it wrongly. 

"I... I rent a house and I want to invite you to my housewarming party tomorrow."

"What?" Mika"s loud voice even surprised the quiet and colemn driver. 

"Mika," Mrs Long patted her daughter"s hand to calm her.

"Mother, didn"t you hear her? She said... She said..." Mika cried, holding her mother sadly.

Ryn wanted to hold Mika but seeing how emotional Mika was, she was a bit worried. She cancelled her plan to touch Mika, leaving the coaxing into Mrs Long"s hands. She was stuck in between right now. 

Mrs Long wiped the tears on her daughter"s cheeks tenderly.

"Mika, I don"t want to see you sad like this but..."

"Why do you have to move? Is the house not cozy for you? The room not comfortable for you? You can move into my room," Mika wailed, hugging her mother sadly while looking at Ryn.

"It is not about coziness or the size, Mika. I just... I need to have my own place," Ryn tried to explain but Mika shook her head, refused to hear Ryn"s words.

"Mika, you have to listen to me. I have moved out of your place and into my own house," Ryn stated firmly. She was no longer worried about making Mika sad. Mrs Long and her husband were here to help coaxing Mika. Nothing bad would happen to Mika with her parents here.

"Mika, be honest. Are you going to stay with me when you get married to Jason? That man is so excited to be your husband and you insist to live with me? What will he say?" Ryn tried to make Mika think.

"But... But..."

"Ryn is right, dear. Your wedding is on the way. Of course we haven"t set the time yet but one day, pretty soon,you will marry Jason. Are you going to live with Ryn when you are married to Jason?" Mrs Long coaxed gently.

Mika"s wet eyes looked at Jeremy, hoping her big brother would help her persuading Ryn not to move out.

Jeremy just crossed his arms and kept quiet. He could not do anything when Ryn was giving him cold shoulders.

The tears raining down even more when Mika saw her big brother did not do anything to help her. Why? Why didn"t he do anything? Did he not in love with Ryn and was desperate to reconcile with Ryn?

Was his love a fake love?

"Dear, stop crying. You have just gotten better. Do you want to get sick again?" Mr Long told his daughter who had turned into waterpot again.

Mika shook her head but the tears refused to stop.

Ryn sighed. She glanced out of the window and noticed they were almost near her apartment. They needed to make Mika understand and accept this matter before they reach the place. The time was running out.

"Mika," she started, trying to gain Mika"s attention.

Mika wiped the tears with the back of her hands, sniffing. She did not want to accept this. She refused for Ryn to move away from her. She wanted to live close to jer best friend.

"Mika, listen to me," Ryn started as she held Mika"s tear stained hands. Her fingers stroked Mika"s hand gently. "I do love you. Do not ever think I am moving out because I hate you."

"Then... Why...?" Mika choked out.

Ryn brushed the tears from Mikavs face tenderly, "I have my own life, Mika. I am not you. I want my own s.p.a.ce and you, my dear, need to prepare yourself on becoming a wife. You can"t act spoiled like this, can you?"

"But... But..."

"Here, we have arrived at my home. But you, dear Mika, just got discharged from the hospital and I know you are still weak and tired. Why don"t you..."

"I want to follow you. I want to see your place. I don"t think its better than my room," Mika suddenly cried.

"But..." Ryn looked at Mr Long, hoping he could persuade Mika to stop.

"Why don"t we go there? It will be a short trip so Mika will not get worried of you living here alone," Mr Long decided.

But today the crews are busy setting the cameras, Ryn"s heart cried. Mei Li was at home to help her watching over the production. 

Ryn looked at Jeremy but only for five seconds before she looked at Mrs Long, begging the older woman would help her.

"I think it"s a great idea. Mika won"t get worried and we also can see the house," Mrs Long said, patting her daughter tenderly. She knew what was inside Ryn"s mind but she also needed to calm Mika down. Her daughter was such a precious and sensitive girl and if they were to discourage her to go to Ryn"s place, the possibility of Mika getting sick from worrying was quite big. Her dear daughter was quite a worrier, especially when it was regarding about Ryn.

Ryn tried again but it was hopeless. None of the Longs was on her side.