Old Tradition

There were times when Yu was quite tempted to accept the offer from these beautiful half-naked girls. At the very least, he also wanted to feel what making in love was like. And that has happened, unfortunately, he did not bring a penny.

So, deciding to just go straight back to his room at the Akimura facility would be better, he thought.

"Are you enjoying this urban night?" asked a mechanic at the entrance of the building, after Yu passed through the guard gate.

Looks like this one mechanic is still working late into the night, Yu thought.

"Well, not as it should be," said Yu.

The mechanic chuckled, he quite understood what Yu meant.

"You should have brought some penny, man!"

"Yeah, there's nothing I can do about it."

"How about you just come with me? In a moment, my work will be over. We can go have fun with the girls."

"I thought you worked late at night?"

The mechanic chuckled. "No, man. My working hours are only until six in the afternoon."

"It's clearly eight o'clock right now!"

"I know," he said. "There's a little thing I need to get done—you know, for the sake of the simulation you're going to run tomorrow smoothly."

"Ah, I see, huh?" Yu nodded.

"So you want to join me?"

"Thank you for your invitation," Yu said. "But, no. I'm already exhausted."

"Aah, what a shame," the man nodded. "Yea, yea… you have to maintain your physical condition to always be fit, my friend."

"That's what I meant," said Yu. "Okay then, I'm going to my room now. Look after yourself!"

"You too!"

Yu passed from in front of the man to continue towards his room.

***

Yu felt it wasn't time for bed yet. Also, because of his lust that had been growing up since earlier, ever since he had met those half-naked girls on the street, Yu had thought that he would just soak in the swimming pool to quell his burning lust.

After all, in this swimming pool, Yu can relax a bit because the roof of the large room only consists of a layer of thick and clear glass.

Yu floated on the surface of the water with his face up. Yeah, this is better, he thought. Enjoying the twinkling of millions of stars up there is enough to cheer him up. Also, dampen the lust that had arisen.

It wasn't until he felt cold because he had been soaking for a long time, then Yu came out of the pool.

While in the pool earlier, Yu was silent, daydreaming about the twinkling stars without thinking about anything else. The same thing happened when he was in the bathroom. Yu just stood silently with one hand leaning against the wall in front of him while warm water dripped non-stop from the shower faucet above his head, soaking Yu's body with a little warmth within. And the man kept his eyes on the tiled floor, watching the stream of water seep into the drain in the corner of the bathroom.

And the same thing happened when the man was already in his bedroom. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling of his room without thinking of anything that might lift something in his memory. Except, for the white color on the ceiling. It's like a big canvas, and Yu is the painter, but he doesn't know what to paint on the surface of the canvas.

All empty like a baby's mind. Nothing crossed his mind.

There is nothing.

***

"I thought you were going to give your virginity to one of those girls?" Alina smiled as she checked the syringe in her hand.

"Come on!" Yu smiled blandly. "I mean, at the very least, I wanted to do that first time with a girl who was very special to me. Not to kind of those girls."

"Wow!" Alina nodded, she gently pushed the stainless steel table to the right side of the special chair where Yu was lying on it. "You seem to have high self-esteem. Good, that's good!"

Yu chuckled. Even though it was all just an excuse because yesterday Yu didn't bring any money with him, however, Alina's words could slightly comfort his disappointment.

"Thanks, I guess."

"Ow, you're so cute!"

Yu chuckled. "Enough about me. How about you?"

"Hmm, what should I tell you?" Alina shrugged, she sat in her chair and prepared the syringe. "Give me your hand, and try to relax!"

"There must be many things you can tell me," Yu said while trying to relax his body, especially on his right hand which Alina would inject with the special serum. "About your dinner, your fiancée—anything!"

Alina smiled as she injected the serum into Yu's hand. "Done!" she said. "Yeah, a lot of things!" Of course, the beautiful doctor knew for sure about the man's interest in her life.

"Come on now!" Yu chuckled as the doctor massaged his hands. "Don't be so stingy with me!"

"As usual, Yu," said Alina. "Calm yourself for fifteen minutes."

Yu, who was getting used to their pattern of activity, had already begun after the doctor had finished injecting the serum into his body.

"All right," said the doctor. "It's just a regular dinner, the two of us in the same place almost every time."

Yu chuckled. "Looks like having dinner at any kind of place would be very unregular with you, Doc."

"Hey, hey, come on now!"

"Oops, sorry!" Yu laughed even louder. "I just don't agree with what you said, that's all!"

"Well, maybe that's from your point of view," said Alina. "Oh my, you guys! Don't you think from our point of view as women?"

"Hmm," Yu frowned. "I don't know!"

"That's what I meant," said Alina as she grabbed the transparent tablet from the top of the stainless steel table, then activated something on it. "It's like all the men."

Simultaneously, the display on the large screen on Yu's left displayed a three-dimensional image of the man's brain, his heart, and his blood pressure.

"They say love is about bringing two differences together," said Alina. "Take care of each other. But in reality, it's always women who are required to understand their partner's condition."

"Are you trying to tell me that your relationship isn't going well, Alina?"

Alina smiled as she glanced at the man beside her. "I didn't say that. Don't just conclude anything as you wish, please!"

"Alright, alright," Yu hid his smile. "Sorry about that. And then?"

The young doctor took a deep breath. "As I said, it's just a regular dinner. Then he drove me home to my house."

"Hey, don't you guys live together?"

The doctor smiled as she shook her head. "Not all couples want to live together before the wedding, Yu. You should understand this better, right?"

"Why do you think of me like that?"

"Well, aren't you a native of this Nusantara?"

"Aah, you have a good point," Yu chuckled again. "Well, you're right. However, I'm not sure if that tradition still exists today."

"The point is," said Alina. "That's what I do. I still live with my parents."

"Oh, I see, huh?" Yu nodded slightly.