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The music played by the paid band at the Love and Laugh Cafe was entertaining for all the visitors. One of them was Ken and his two friends, Harry and Alan.


The blackened bags under his eyes emphasized his lack of sleep last night. Not to mention her expression that had been continuously grim since Ken arrived.

"What's wrong with you, anyway?" Harry couldn't stop asking Ken that question. He sipped the rest of his strawberry mojito, then continued. "Is this still about the girl who blamed you yesterday?"

Ken finally turned his head. After a dozen questions asked by Harry and Alan, this was the first time the man gave an answer. "Yes."


Alan, the young photographer who was savoring the Melted Chocolate Brownies with great care, then replied. "You don't think about girls that much. Usually, it's a wrap-one-night stand-amnesia the next day. Right, Harry?"

Harry chuckled amusedly at that. True enough, he thought. "Why don't you call Stefani? Go out with her, have some fun, or... 'get an oil change', whatever."


But Ken just returned Harry's gaze and shook his head. "I've already broken up."

"Huh? Fuck, when?"

"This morning," Ken replied casually.

"Holy shit!" Harry shook his head in disbelief.

The same went for Alan who was sitting on Ken's right side. "That's it. Instead of you being upset, and thinking about a girl that you might not be able to meet again, let me introduce you to a girl. Beautiful, her name is Aulia. Guaranteed to make you love her all the time."

Ken raised one eyebrow, curiosity creeping in. "Let me see."

---

Ken lowered his gaze, bringing him face to face with the sad beads of the woman named Aulia. The woman with her messy brown hair was now smiling happily. Her hands then moved up, hooking right at the nape of the neck of the man who was touching her all over.

"You play very well, Boy."

But the man who had stripped off all his clothes to play around there, just gave a short snort and replied. "I'm not a boy, fyi."

And one hard pounding from Ken, made Aulia sigh instantly. She tightened her grip on Ken, before letting out a long moan and having the climax she had been waiting for minutes for.

"Uh, honey... it's your turn now, huh?"

Ken smiled faintly, then quickly released what was tightening down there. Making the woman who looked exhausted before, frown in surprise.

"Why?" Ken got up and picked up the towel on the table. "How come it stopped all of a sudden?"

"I don't want to play anymore," Ken replied briefly.

Which, of course, confused Aulia. She got out of bed and approached Ken, who was no longer on fire. While stroking the man's cheek affectionately, Aulia tried to advance her face to Ken. Making the distance between them only a few inches. "Honey, that was just foreplay. We can play in round two, or three. I haven't even done anything yet, that was-"

"Aulia," Ken interrupted suddenly.

Aulia was frozen in place. The words that had been gathering in her throat and ready to come out, disappeared.

"I just don't wanna play. Not at second, or third. Let's end it here," Ken continued. His tone was low and casual, but Aulia felt intimidated by him. The man then took out a wallet from the clutch he was carrying. There were several hundred thousand bills in there, and Ken chose to take them all, and then give them to Aulia. "Take it. This is for you today."

Aulia's eyes were adorned with gray soft lens lowered, fixed on the pile of money offered by Ken. But she couldn't accept it right away. It was a lot, but Aulia felt it was not enough. She looked up again, then said, "But I want you."

"Tsk. No, you don't. The only thing you want is this money. So, take it. Or... is there not enough money?"

The not-so-tall woman frowned without making any movement.

Which made Ken take a stand. He put the money on the table, then put his clothes back on. Before throwing the towel he was holding onto Aulia's body slowly. "You have to cover your body, you'll catch a cold."

Then the man left the hotel room he had paid for. He didn't care about Aulia who still felt a tightness in her chest from the sudden rejection.

Ken had said yes to Alan's offer earlier, thinking that everything would be easier if the man made love. But as it turned out, sex was not the answer to the questions that made his chest rumble. Gabriella's face was still in his mind. And every time he remembered her gaze, her expression... and even her accidental touch, it made Ken even more curious about her.

Was this curiosity?

Or... was Ken just sympathizing a little because he knew she had suicidal thoughts?

The man hurriedly dismissed his thoughts about Gabriella as soon as his buttocks landed perfectly. The black seats had recently had the foam replaced, so Ken was no longer in pain every time he passed a speed bump. He buckled up, positioning himself comfortably. Before turning the key dangling in the hole and starting the engine that was already cooling down.

But before he could take the car for a spin, the strong vibration of his cell phone caught his attention. He took the flat object out of his pants pocket. In his haste, Ken forgot to take it out. And in the next second, after the man successfully entered the password on the screen, surprise was all he felt now.

Gabriella: Tbh, I don't fucking care. No need to apologize. And oh, please, leave me alone. Don't try to cross my boundaries, or... you'll never get out of there.

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