30,000 Feet

Bab 12

"Welcome to the Villa of Chen!"

Melangkah masuk ke dalam villa tiga tingkat itu, sebuah rasa kagum menerpa benakku. Aku memang ada dengar daripada Jerlyn yang keluarga Clarence ini loaded tapi taklah seloaded ini yang aku bayangkan.

"Bear in mind we only live here since 10 years ago. Prior that, we stay at a penthouse nearby Jalan Tun Razak."

"Even that sounds luxury." Aku menambah pujianku verbally.

"It is? Okay then. Wait, no one home ke?"

Melangkah ke dalam lagi, aku nampak seorang perempuan Cina late 20s I think tengah turun tangga. Melihat aku dan Clarence, sebuah senyuman maha jelita terpancar di wajahnya.

"Hai! Kawan Zii Jia ke?"

Aku tak expect dia akan jawab 'the boy I kissed' but 'my staff' is something aku tak expect langSUNGGGG. By the way, this amoi lawa gila.

"So, Qasy, this is my sister, Catherine. Yang James suka tu."

Mendengarkan itu, sebuah tawa terletus antara aku dan Catherine. Catherine kemudian sigh moderately.

"He keeps saying that one of his staff got a crush on me tau."

"If only you knew how big his eyes opened whenever I tell anything about you."

Seronok pula tengok dua beradik ini bergaduh manja. Nampaklah yang mereka sememangnya rapat.

Aku kemudiannya ternampak potret mereka sekeluarga di ruang tamu yang agak besar. Sepasang suami isteri yang aku rasa dalam mid 50s, sama-sama nampak padan.

Di belakang mereka berdiri paling kiri dan kanan adalah Clarence dan, abang dia maybe? Christopher tak salah nama dia. Di tengahnya barulah ada Catherine dan aku rasa again kakak Clarence, Candice, kalau aku tak salah.

"That's the eldest, Christopher. Now an optometrist. The second one is yours truly right here, Catherine..." Catherine memperkenalkan keluarga Chen kepadaku. "Then there's Candice, a data analyst and the last one is this ah beng named Clarence, a psychologist."

"Thanks for that warm introduction, my jie jie." Kemudian Clarence memanjangkan tengkuknya. "Where are the others?"

"Mama pergi shopping dengan Candice. Candice datang pagi tadi. Eh, tidur sini ke?"

Clarence memandang aku. Haa sudah!

"Err I tak bawak baju?"

"So? You and me different gender maa?" Clarence menambah lagi.

"Then I'll tell James." Haa eloklah. Malam tadi aku tidur sorang, malam ni dia pulak tidur sorang.

"So, you guys go chill. I want to make custard pie. Nanti siap I panggil ya."

Clarence langsung membawa aku naik ke biliknya. Masuk ke dalam biliknya, again aku fascinated. Bilik dia sama besar living room rumah aku sia.

Dia menghenyakkan badannya di atas katil membuatkan bajunya terselak sedikit mendedahkan perutnya. Terjilat bibir jugalah aku melihatkan itu.

"Comelah lay down."

Aku pun turutkan sahaja. Jujurnya, rasa kekok. Sangat kekok. Tapi seorang Uqasyah Idraki sifatnya memang begini. Mudah ikutkan sahaja sesiapa yang lebih alpha.

"Qasy..."

"Yes?"

"Remember our conversation about love?"

"Yes."

"Actually I kinda lied. I used to believe in love."

"Used to?"

"Yup."

"What happened?" Aku tilt sedikit kepalaku menghadap dia. Posisi aku sekarang memang sedang berhadapan dengan biseps dia considering dia sedang bersandarkan lengan.

"He told he was straight. But then, apparently he just tak nak me. Well, I can tolerate the pain of the rejection but the fact that..." Dia diam seketika. "You know what's worse than rejection?"

"What?"

"Unworthy sacrifice."

"Wow...?"

"Yeah. I sacrifice my feelings only to be broken again and again. I think that's what makes me who I am today. I expect too much before but nothing ever come at that standard. Salah sendiri jugalah."

Aku angguk lagi. Aku tak sedar yang tanganku perlahan meraih pahanya. Aku ingatkan tangan dia kat situ.

"Qasy..."

"Hmm?"

"Why do you agree to come to my house today?"

"You bring me here. Not like I have a choice."

Dia chuckle. Kemudian dia berpaling memandangku. Aku juga berpaling memandangnya. Aku rasa macam nak spam je si Jerlyn apa yang sedang aku pandang ni.

Clarence without his spectacles. Clarence with his vulnerable state. Clarence with his mata redup.

"You still haven't got the hint ke?"

"Wo bu zhi dao woo." Ya, Mandarin aku barai gila. Tergelak jugalah dia dibuatnya.

"Actually, I like it when you call me 'gor gor'."

"You do?"

"Yes, I am..."

"Gor gor..." Aku menyebutnya perlahan. Dia tersenyum. "And I like you kissed me last night."

"Really?"

Aku angguk lagi.

"Wanna repeat again?"

"Now?"

"Well, when then?"

Aku pun merapatkan bibirku dengan bibirnya. It wasn't long but there was a moment.

"Actually, Uqasyah, remember you told me maybe because I haven't met the person yet hence I don't believe in love? I think that mayyybe, I found the person already."

"Me?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Aku dapat rasa mukaku memerah.

Kemudian aku merasakan tangannya didepangkan memelukku. Satu kucupan kemudian dihadiahkan ke dahiku.

"Wait... are we..." Aku bertanyakan itu kepadanya. "Something?"

"You want to go there?"

"Hmm, I think it's quite too early to go into that."

"It is."

"So..."

"It's okay. You can be my baobei..." Dia kemudian cium lagi dahiku. "Baobei..."

"So I called you gor gor?"

"Can lor."

Aku tersenyum lagi.

"Okay, so are we or are we not?" Aku bertanya for assurance.

"Hmm, we kissed, we hugged. Definitely not manager-staff anymore."

"But not dating also."

"So let's just call it in-between."

"Yup, in-between."
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Hai, Clarence Chen Zii Jia here! I know some of you guys sukakan I as a character xie xie aa... I just want say XIN NIN HUAI LE GONG XI FATT CAI to all readers yang celebrate!!!

Okay drop down some comments here ya please...