Chapter - 22 - Mentor Wine…
"What makes you so honest to me?"
"Aren't you my cousin? Though the blood is a little far, you can't deny that we are relatives."
"You are right.."
They both laughed. Yuya was happy to get a person to talk frankly without hiding knives in the words.
"To be honest, I am living on pins and needles this month. Keeping relationships between humans is so tiring."
"Then don't keep it. You are already in college. You can live the way you want. Just don't break the laws. Your parents are not herding you here. What are you afraid of?"
Two pink fists hit his arm. The lips are pouting, enough to rival a duck. Wine thought she was a quiet girl but her lively side appeared before him. He knew she was relaxed in front of him.
"Bad guy!! Calling me cattle.."
"I'm not saying it. It's you who instantly know your own identity…"
Yuya felt the burden on her mind become lighter. She was isolated by her roommates in the dorm. On the outside, they acted all friendly and not letting her out of their circle while spreading rumours about her. However, once they were in the dorm, they started talking strangely and left her alone. Yuya didn't know what they even wanted to do. Was college life worth intriguing? It's not imperial harem.
"I just want to make friends. At home, I can't make friends with my mother watching me tightly. That scared my potential friends away."
"Oh. My mother is very open minded. She just criticized me openly and secretly, saying this guy is bad and that guy is not good. She only scared me to back off, not the other way around."
Wine could feel it. His mother was the same. She always tried to filter their siblings' friends. Except for meeting in school, they couldn't go out with friends. If someone pleaded with her to let us come, she asked him/her to be responsible for their safety.
Who on the earth would always want to grantee for them whenever they go out? For students, friendship couldn't be deepened in the school. Visiting each other's homes, playing games and going on picnics was the real way to go. No friends wanted to come to Wine's home because his mother was so scary to them and he couldn't go out. It would be strange if the siblings could make friends.
"Your mother loves you, isn't it? She protected you like this but if you are bullied here just because you want to make friends, you are sorry for her. Furthermore, that kind of friendship is not worthy of you."
Wine didn't want to get involved at first. However, he guessed he should be a good brother after he knew she was related to his grandfather. He would warn her but if she doesn't want to change, that's not his business.
"You can see it ?"
"What is so difficult to see? They are just short of saying you are not a virtuous woman to your face. Only you don't refute it.."
If you don't refute it, it will become a fact.
"What will you do if you are in my place?"
"Wine!! Come here after you are done talking. I got you a green coconut."
Who is it if it's not Anawar, sitting on the stone step with two coconuts beside him. Wine stood up, dusting the sand away on his pants…
"If I were in your place, it wouldn't even happen. College life is very short. We still have a long way to go in our life. So, this friend and this reputation, I don't care. If they are sincere, I will give my sincerity back. If not, all I will say is "fuck off"..."
Wine walked towards Anawar, leaving Yuya alone. He hoped she would find her pride back. Having good friends was a blessing, but not having one was not a bad thing either. Life was all about depending on yourself..
Sometimes, your own family could send you to death, let alone superficial friends.
"Where have you been? You disappeared as soon as the truck stopped."
"I saw someone I know in the restaurant. I went to meet him. Here…"
Wine took the coconut from Anawar's hand.
"How much is it? I'll pay you back."
Anawar raised his eyebrow. Something was not right. The situation was pretty good before. Wine had no burden eating the food he brought. What happened in a few minutes when he was away?
"No need. It's not bought by me. It's my friend who paid for coconuts."
"Oh. Give my thanks to him.."
"Will do.."
The breeze became a little rough, messing Wine's slightly long hair. Wine took out a hair tie from the pants pocket and tied his hair, revealing his smooth forehead. Facing the wind directly became torturous as there were sands in the wind.
The coconut juice was delicious, very suitable on the hot and dry beach. The translucent coconut flesh was quite sweet. It's gone in a few bites. Wine felt a little unfinished and wanted another one but he couldn't drink more coconut juice. He had to stop.
"Anawar…"
"Hmm?"
"Let's go walk on the beach. I want to touch the sea water. I am afraid to go on my own."
"PE teacher scared you ? Let's go.."
It's true. The PE teacher really scared him. The coast was clear without garbage. There were small waves hitting the beach.
Wine took off his shoes and walked on the sand with his feets bare. He walked towards the sea,just enough for the small waves to touch his feets. The feeling was strange. The waves seemed to pull him towards the sea. He got dizzy in a few minutes.
If he said he wants to go back, Anawar would agree. Come when he wants to come and go back when he wants to go back, it seems selfish…
"Do you like the sea?"
"I don't particularly like or dislike.. It's okay."
"Then, can we go back? I feel dizzy."
Anawar wanted to hold him but he rejected. It was not that bad. He put his shoes back on. It was uncomfortable with sand sticking on his skin. They went back to the stone step they sat on before, waiting for the time to go back to the college.
The trainees had a good time playing on the beach. Some guys even got their clothes drenched in sea water. By the time they arrived at the dorm, it was already past dinner time.
They had to hurry up and eat dinner apologising to the cook. Taking a bath comes later…