Chapter 24

"Maybe I should stay away from Mr. Senja."

Mentari's words made Vivi and Yunifer stare at her. The three girls were currently in the classroom, deciding to have lunch there since the school cafeteria was currently full of students.

"Why are you talking like that?" she asked. "Isn't he your fiancé?"

"I know." Mentari took a deep breath and rubbed her face with one hand. "I just think that I always make Mr. Senja get hurt. He always helps me and doesn't think about his own safety. You also saw, right, that his head was injured? That's because last night he helped me, who was almost hit by a motorcycle."

"Mentari, Mr. Senja should have protected you." Yunifer commented. "Apart from being your teacher, he is also your fiancé. He also said that you don't need to worry about this, right?"

Mentari covered her face with both hands and sighed again. "Vi, Yun, I can't let Mr. Senja keeps getting hurt trying to protect me. What if one day, Mr. Senja is not only injured, but actually... dies? I don't want that to happen. Even though I don't want this engagement, I still don't want anyone to die because of me."

"In that case, how about you ask for an opinion from Mr. Senja?"

Mentari lowered her hands from her face and looked at Vivi with a questioning look. "What?"

"Ask Mr. Senja, does he really feel burdened because he always gets hurt to help you." Vivi pointed something behind Mentari by using her chin. Without thinking long, Mentari turned and froze when she saw Senja already standing behind her chair. The guy raised an eyebrow and took a deep breath.

"Mentari, can you come with me for a while?" asked Senja. He pointed towards the classroom door. "We'll talk in my office."

Mentari groaned softly and stood up from her chair. The girl was forced to follow Senja to the guy's office. As soon as Senja arrived at his office and closed the door, Senja immediately grabbed Mentari's arm and brought her to the sofa. He ordered Mentari to sit down and he stood before her.

"Could you please explain what you meant by what you said in class earlier to your friends?" Senja asked in a serious tone. His gaze was firm. Mentari, seeing the seriousness of Senja, immediately looked away. She didn't want Senja to see how pathetic she was right now.

"It doesn't mean anything," answered Mentari. "I'm just speaking the truth."

"You are being too hyperbolic." Senja took a deep breath and massaged the bridge of his nose. "I can't die just because I help you too much, Mentari."

Hearing that, Mentari clenched her hands at her sides. She stood up from the couch and gave a glare to Senja who was shocked in his place. There was sadness, fear and anger in Mentari's eyes. Senja didn't even know why Mentari could change like this. Does the girl have a problem that makes her mood bad?

"How can you be sure that you won't die while protecting me?" asked Mentari in a loud voice. She pointed at Senja's hand. "Your hand was injured because you were protect me, who was almost stabbed by Mila." Now, Mentari pointed at Senja's head. "Your head was injured when you protected me, who was almost hit by a motorbike. Then, what else would Mr. Senja get if you protect me again? What if Mr. Senja will be seriously injured and have to be hospitalized?"

"Mentari...."

"I can only make Mr. Senja hurt! I can only trouble the people around me!" And now, Mentari started to cry. "I don't want to hurt the people around me anymore."

Senja is silent. He looked at Mentari who sat back down and cried hysterically. Her tiny body trembled. Senja is sure that some of the problems that have occurred in the last few days must have made Mentari feel stressed, so that her emotions are out of control like this. Senja sighed and sat beside Mentari. The guy then reached out and hugged Mentari tightly while rubbing her head.

Mentari does not reject Senja's embrace. To be honest, she needed someone's hug right now. She felt that her life was no longer as calm as it used to be. There are too many problems in her life. A problem she couldn't face alone, but she also couldn't share it with her father. Mentari did not want to make her father worry. She just wanted to see her father happy.

Only that.

"Mentari," called Senja in a gentle tone. "I will not die that easily. I'm a teacher. I am also your fiancé. My job is to protect you, Mentari. So that you don't get hurt. You don't have to be scared or worried that I'll get hurt. I was injured, but it was not a serious injury." Senja broke his embrace and wiped away Mentari's tears. The guy smiled. "You don't deserve to cry, Mentari. You deserve to smile more."

Mentari snorted, then chuckled. She felt much better now because of Senja's words just now and also his hug.

"You have to promise me that you will not do anything dangerous again just to protect me."

"Mentari, I—"

"Promise me, Sir," interrupted Mentari. She looked at Senja with a stern gaze. "I will also promise that I won't be in any more danger. I promise I will always be careful."

Realizing that Mentari would not listen to his words, Senja finally gave up. He nodded towards Mentari.

"All right, I promise." Senja ruffled Mentari's hair and stood up from the couch. "Then, now I want to talk to you. It's about our engagement."

"What's wrong with our engagement, Sir?" asked Mentari. She was suddenly nervous and trying to stay calm. "We're still going to call off this engagement, right?"

Senja shook his head. "Unfortunately, we must continue this engagement, Mentari. My father suddenly got sick. He is hospitalized. The disease is quite serious. Then, my father asked me to marry you immediately. He requested that our marriage be held next month."

Mentari blinks. "What?"

"You must become my wife, Mentari."

"Sir! I am still in senior high school! I can't marry Mr. Senja because I don't love you!" Mentari exclaimed. She panicked. "You don't love me either, do you?"

"Of course," said Senja. "But, what can I do? My father begged me to marry you soon. Or, actually you are afraid to marry me because you are afraid to fall in love with me?"

Mentari snorted and crossed her arms. "Don't talk nonsense, Sir. I can't possibly fall in love with Mr. Senja."

"Then there's nothing you need to be afraid of, right?"

Mentari is silent. Confused about what answer to give. Why did she have to get married at such a young age?!

"Tell you what, how about we make a bet?"

"A bet?" asked Mentari while raising one eyebrow.

Senja nodded. "If I fall in love with you, I will give all my wealth to you. However, if you fall in love with me, you must do whatever I tell you to do. How about it? This way, we can both rest easy, right? Both of us will not fall in love because of this bet."

"Deal!" Mentari exclaimed.