I'll Be Gone For A While

Penthouse Luxury, city M

A patting and also the voice of his brother who sounded worried, made the man called Al silent. Even his activities of packing his personal belongings stopped, with a sigh he held so as not to sound excessive.

Slowly, he took the hand that was still perched on his shoulder, then removed it carefully, afraid of hurting his brother's feelings.

"I know," Al replied curtly, without turning around and returning to his activities after removing the hand from his shoulder.

Thump!

The older brother who felt rejected fell silent, he looked at Alrescha wide shoulders in pain and pulled the removed hand then clenched it tightly. He tried his best not to look hurt, then flashed his usual small smile.

"Then let me help," he said after feeling calm.

"No need, I'm done," Al replied at the same time as the sound of a zip tugging from a suitcase on the bed.

Yes, Al had indeed finished cleaning up personal items and placed the medium-sized suitcase on the floor, with his brother following what he was doing through his eyes.

After he finished placing his suitcase on the floor, Al turned his head back and looked at his older brother—Elfa who was also looking at him worriedly.

"After this I need something, I will go to the airport and meet you there, Elf," added Al informed.

"Where are you going?" Elfarebi asked curiously.

"You don't need to know, the important thing is that I get to the airport on time, that's all," Al replied without any intention of explaining.

"But-

"I won't go away from promises, and Alrescha always keeps the promises he makes," interrupted Al—Alrescha quickly, then patted his brother's shoulder once and walked over to the sofa.

Yes, he took a long coat that he draped on the sofa, then put it on as he walked out of the room and left his brother who was silent in his place from the start.

Then all that was heard after was the sound of the door pounding and footsteps walking away.

Slam!

"Al, I will do something to make you look at me with a smile like before without needing to cover up ," Elfarebi muttered with his promise.

While his brother was sitting in the room, in the elevator itself, Alrescha was seen staring blankly at the door as it opened. He left without wasting time, then walked towards the lobby, to be precise, the exit with a taxi that was already parked.

There Alrescha entered, and the taxi drove off the luxurious terrace of the largest penthouse in town.

Vroom!

Inside, Al just stood still with his hands on his chin after ordering the driver to a place he purposely wanted to visit as a place of remembrance. He will also go to the usual cafe where he sits and does his work while watching a waiter.

Yes, the maid with the golden hair to be exact.

Ckitt!

Slam!

It didn't take the driver to stop far from the passenger's destination. The driver also nodded, when he received orders to wait without fear of the passenger running away and letting him get lost on the path ahead.

Alrescha walked this path with orange tint lighting without fear etched on his expression. He even quickened his pace, until finally he arrived at a grass field and also a river, where he was last with the first love of his life.

Tap!

Alrescha inhaled the air around her greedily, then looked up at the sky above with a small smile. For some reason, when he saw the orange tinge, he remembered the woman whose face was shrouded in the light of the setting sun.

Alrescha felt his love would not grow again after the woman's departure from the world. He decided not to give the love that was not left in his heart for another woman. He has also determined that he will not marry, even though at the risk of living alone to old age.

"Gretta, tell me I'm crazy and selfish. But can I hope that what I know isn't like what really happened?" Alrescha mumbled while exhaling roughly.

"I hope you are still in this world. I promise, wherever you are I will find you again, no matter what. Wait for me there if you are already there (Heaven) and wait for me too if it is true that you are still here (World)."

"I will still keep the love that I have not had time to convey to you. Only to you, My sunshine."

For a moment Alrescha enjoyed the caress of the gentle breeze, as well as the dim light that began to rule the sky with the lunar peeking shyly. He smiled a small smile, a smile that would be his last smile before leaving the river where he used to live with his first love.

A moment later…

Seveenth café

Cring!

"Welcome- ah! Al, so neat, where have you been?"

The warm greeting voice of a waiter sounded familiar, when the door opened and it turned out that it was her loyal customer who came.

Ayana, the waitress who greeted a customer she called Al, walked over and as usual stood while waiting for the order she had memorized.

"Hn, no," said Al—Alrescha who finally arrived at the café, where he usually does his college and office assignments.

He also sat in the usual place, with an order that was strangely different from the usual day he ordered a drink when Ayana offered him a cup of espresso.

"Want some expresso?"

"No, tonight make me a vanilla latte."

"What?" Ayana looked at Alrescha with a furrowed brow, a little confused. However, when she remembered someone who also likes this drink, she nodded then agreed without asking "Okay, wait a minute!"

"Hn."

After that, Ayana left the table and returned shortly after carrying a tray with a cup that gave off a light steam. She put it down after excusing herself with the guest who sat without any meaningful expression, then stood up while offering her services.

"Anything else to order, Al?" asked Ayana, watching in silence as she felt a different aura from the customers who were now looking straight at her.

"Hn, thank you," said Alrescha as he shook his head and broke eye contact, then chose to focus on the thin steam on the surface of his drink order.

"Okay, I'm back to work. Enjoy!"

"Hn."

Alrescha mumbled again with a small nod, then let Ayana leave him and he continued his favorite activity, silent.

Yes, he didn't even touch the hot drink at all, except for his long fingers playing with the rim of the cup, as if wondering what was to come next.

This would be the last night he visited a café that had become part of his monotonous routine. Because after this, his life will be different and no one knows what it will be like.

Alrescha was enjoying his solitude for a long time, until an alarm he set sounded reminding him to go to the airport immediately.

That's right, tonight he went to America, continuing to live a brighter life as his brother wanted.

With that, Alrescha stood up from his seat, left the cup whose contents were already empty in one gulp and approached Ayana, and the man he knew was Ayana's own father.

Tap!

"Are you done, Al?" Ayana asked when she saw Alrescha who was standing in front of the counter.

Alrescha nodded, then looked alternately between Ayana and Mr. Seeeventh who looked at him curiously. He put something into Ayana's hand, with a request that took both of them by surprise.

"I'll be gone for a while, can you..."