It Is My Decision

Jasmine chooses to keep her rumbling feelings to herself. Removing the feeling of confusion in her heart, choosing to divert it to being busy helping Rosie tidy up her things. Tomorrow Rosie will move to the village.

"Are you all right, Dear?" Rosie asks Jasmine, her daughter is looking lost in thought like she is thinking about something else.

"It's okay, Ma. I'm just tired," Jasmine answers, not wanting Rosie to worry.

"Really?"

"Hmm." Nods Jasmine.

Tring...

The ringing of Jasmine's cell phone interrupts their conversation. Jasmine reaches for her cell phone, there is a new number that she doesn't know.

[Who?] Jasmine asks herself.

Finally, Jasmine picks up the call, sliding the green button.

"Jasmine! I'm in front of your house."

"El???" Jasmine can immediately recognize Raphael's voice.

"Yup! So please open the door Jasmine, it is cold outside."

"A—alright! Wait a minute." Jasmine walks quickly out of her room and opens the main door.

"How did you know my house?! You followed me?" Jasmine asks as soon as the door opened, revealing Raphael's handsome face and smiles at her.

"From the ring I gave you, it's a good thing you kept it," El smirks happily. Raphael's ring has a tracker that can track Jasmine's location, the same function as Leonardo's earring.

"Then how do you know my cell phone number?" asks Jasmine again.

"From Ray."

"Ray?"

"His family business is communication, he has all the cellphone numbers of his customers. If I know your last name, he will help me to find your number. And you don't have it, easy to me to ask him." Raphael walks into Jasmine's house, and his eyes start to wander, looking around. Tiny but very clean and tidy.

"What are you doing here?" Jasmine folds her arms across her chest.

"Slow, Girl! You won't let me sit down first?" asks Raphael.

"Sigh... Sit down!"

Jasmine sits down too, she looks at Raphael in surprise. What does this naughty boy want to come to her house this evening?

"Who, Jasmine?" Rosie comes out of the room because she hears a guest's voice.

"Ah, good night, Aunty, my name is Raphael, I'm Jasmine's friend!" Raphael replies, and he introduces himself politely. His politeness takes Rosie by surprise.

"Wow, wow, what a handsome and good polite boy!" Rosie exclaims, Leonardo didn't stop to amaze her, now there's another one that's no less cute be friends with her girl.

"Don't be fooled by his handsome face, Ma. He's a jerk, he has no morals!" Jasmine sneers at Raphael.

"Hush! Jasmine, Mama already told you not to be rude to people!" Rosie lightly pinches her daughter's arm, "what else in front of a handsome boy!" she adds more sentences. Jasmine immediately glares, Rosie is more thrust Raphael than her daughter.

"Puff...!" El holds back his laughter, seeing Jasmine's annoyed face amusing him.

"Dunno ah, then Mama just chats with him, I go," Jasmine says annoyed.

"No need to be angry with Mama, go make a drink for our guest. El, what do you want to drink?" Rosie asks Raphael warmly.

"El?" Jasmine is furious, Rosie so kind to this naughty boy.

"Anything, Auntie, the important thing is that the drink is made by Jasmine's pretty fingers." El smiles and makes Rosie adores him.

"Hoek...I want to throw up!" Jasmine imitates the style of a nauseous person.

"Jasmine!" Rosie is annoyed with her daughter's rudeness.

"Yeah, yeah, Jasmine will make a drink." Jasmine walks to the kitchen and makes two cups of hot chocolate.

"Where's Mama's?" Rosie asks surprised that Jasmine returns with only two glasses on the tray.

"Mama, don't drink sweet chocolate at night! You'll be fat, I'm sorry to Uncle Saches if he can't carry you on the wedding night," Jasmine teases her mom.

"Hish! This kid, so sulky, huh?!" Rosie embraces Jasmine, and pinches her cheek, causing Jasmine to scream in pain. Raphael chuckles at the behavior of the mother and daughter who are more like friends.

"Aunty go inside first, okay? You guys just continue the conversation."

"Okay, Auntie!" El smiles, ah, his deadly smile returns, making Rosie fall for his charms.

"If only Uncle Sanches were that handsome," Rosie whispers at Jasmine's ear.

"Oh, so flirty!! Go away, Ma, you still need to pack up your things!" Jasmine pushes Rosie's body into the room.

El giggles again, now he understands a little why Leon is so crazy in love with this wildflower. For Young Masters like them, warmth, cuddles, and outpouring of love are indeed what they yearn for the most. Jasmine may seem fierce and grumpy, but she is very warm and loving.

This does not mean that children from rich families lack love. But the busyness of their parents produces a sense of longing for a spoiled embrace and attention. From a young age, Raphael used to live in loneliness, surrounded by caregivers, servants, and assistants, but they did not make him happy. That's why Raphael often looks for an outlet in women, trying to fill the emptiness of his heart with caresses and sex.

"So what are you doing here?" Jasmine asks, immediately slamming her butt onto the sofa.

"I'm thinking about you, Jasmine. I'm worried about your feeling after I told you about our family plans." El moves his butt to the right, getting closer to Jasmine.

"Don't come near, I already told you I'm allergic to playboy." Jasmine pushes El's face.

"Tsk, I've broken off all my girlfriends for your sake, Jasmine! Not a masher anymore." El chuckles.

"Woah! I appreciate what you did for me, but, Don't worry about me, El. my feeling is not that fragile."

"But you were crying this afternoon."

"Well, the initial response of a woman's feelings. But after cooling my head and thinking clearly. I started to organize my heart. I will choose to believe in Leon." Jasmine smiles, their love not that fragile.

"Huff... it's up to you! But promise not to get hurt, Jasmine. I don't want to see you hurt later." Raphael sighs, getting up from his seat.

"Are you going home already?" Jasmine gets up too.

"Yeah, your words made me realize that I have lose before the match began." Raphael takes his jacket.

"Don't be silly!"

"Who's silly? My feelings are sincere for you." Raphael furrows his brows.

"Are you different from Leon? Are your marriage will not going to be arranged too?" she asks.

"My business is engaged in entertainment, some of which are even illegal. So, why be afraid to act illegally by having two legal wives?" Raphael laughs.

"Fuck! You Mangy Dog!" Jasmine rises her voice.

"Hahaha... kidding, my Papa has promised to let me choose my future wife as long as I can lead his business properly." Raphael strokes Jasmine's face to stay calm.

"Why can't Leon do that?" Jasmine is curious.

"I don't know, maybe because Uncle Louise is too scary, Leon can't deny his orders." El hugs his arm, a chill down his spine as he remembered Louise's fierce figure. The man once punished him along with Leon and Ray when they were playing ball and accidentally broke his favorite bonsai pot.

"Is he that's scary, huh?" Jasmine swallows her saliva hard.

"Yes, yes, more than scary, I'm home. See you at school! Don't run away from me again, Jasmine. I promise I will hold back and not fight with the Cat again." El smiles sweetly at Jasmine, making Jasmine smile too.

"El, thank you."

"I didn't do anything."

"Hahaha...thank you for worrying about me." Jasmine gently pats El's arm.

"Promise you won't be hurt because of your own decision." El takes Jasmine's hand, stroking the back of her hand gently.

"Yes, I love Leon with all my heart, of course, I won't regret my decision. I trust him." Jasmine nods firmly.

"Ah, hearing it coming out of your lips makes my heart ache! ah, I'm going home!"

"Hehehe, bye, El."

"Bye, Jasmine."

El starts on his red sports bike, darting out of the narrow street in front of Jasmine's tiny house. Jasmine continues to smile until El is out of sight.

[ Is it true that I will not be disappointed and hurt?] The smile immediately disappears, in fact, it is different in the mouth, different in the heart, Jasmine is still restless thinking about all the bad possibilities for her future with Leonardo.

— JUST MINE —