17. Orphanage

Daniel raised his hand, then pressed the button next to the door, two or three times.

TING...NONGG...

A middle-aged woman opened the door and burst into the arms of the man next to Emilly. "You haven't been here in a long time, since—"

Daniel let go of his embrace, then cut off the words of the woman who was usually called Aunt Anah. "Daniel brought a lot of food, Auntie. Everything is in the trunk of the car," he said quickly.

Aunt Anah smiled faintly. "You go in first, Auntie will ask your uncle to help bring the food inside." Aunt Anah glanced at someone next to Raka who was looking down and moving her feet. "Is this your lover?"

"Hah?" Emilly looked up and glared in surprise when Aunt Anah mentioned that she was Daniel's lover.

"Yes, this is my girlfriend," replied Daniel, blushing, then Emilly stepped on Danile's toes hard, making him wince in pain.

Aunt Anah just shook her head looking at a pair of young men who were fighting, then shifted her body to make way for Daniel and Emilly to immediately enter the orphanage.

Emilly walked behind Daniel, she looked back and there was no Aunt Anah there. Then her hand gripped Daniel's hand, to stop the man's footsteps. "Why did you bring me here?"

Daniel turned to Emilly, then smiled faintly. "So you don't fuss and whine to always ask to go home, Emilly." Daniel's mind mumbled.

Emilly waved her right hand in front of Daniel's face. "Daniel? Why are you dumbfounded?"

"Ehh—" Daniel blinked.

"You're starting to go crazy, aren't you? When me talk to you, you're dumbfounded."

Daniel chuckled. "You know, right? A part of my brain and body has been contaminated with your presence in my life, Em." Emilly rolled her eyes lazily when she heard the answer from Daniel's mouth that she didn't want to hear.

Daniel took his steps to a room filled with many small children. They are doing their respective activities. Some are busy reading story books, watching television and playing games and laughing. But no one was bothered by the differences in their activities.

A little girl looked at Daniel, she who was playing immediately ran towards Daniel, and Daniel aligned her height with the girl's body. "Brother Daniel!" she said as she hugged Daniel's body tightly, her eyes closed for a moment. "You've been bad!" she continued. She let go of her embrace with Daniel, then folded her arms in front of her chest.

Emilly chuckled at the similarity in her nature to the little girl, behaved sweetly and then suddenly could sulk at any time. She didn't want to make a sound yet. Emilly still wants to see the sight that soothes her heart. But her daydream on the figure of the little girl in front of Daniel was interrupted when a group of boys who had been playing, were now in front of Emilly.

Emilly rests on her knees. "What's wrong?" she asked a group of boys who were smiling coquettishly.

"You are beautiful."

"There's no one here as beautiful as you!"

"Play with me, beautiful."

Daniel cleared his throat loudly and shifted his body to be next to Emilly. "This one..." Daniel looked at Emilly then turned to the five boys in front of him. "Mine!" he continued, making the bunch of little boys turn around and grumble with annoyed faces.

"All the pretty ones are mine!"

"I'm handsome too, really!"

"How come the beautiful sister wants brother Daniel?"

"Little kids always have to give in, right?"

Emilly laughed softly looking at the five boys who looked at each other while grumbling with his friend. Emilly's dimples were visible, making Daniel pinch the cheek of the girl next to him in exasperation. Emilly grimaced and then huffed in annoyance.

"I'm beautiful too!" said the little girl who still had a sullen face in front of Daniel.

"You are angry at me?" asked Daniel gently.

Emilly noticed Daniel's behavior that suddenly hypnotized him in an instant. How can Daniel, whom he knows as a guy who can't stay still in his campus, now turn into a calm and affectionate Daniel.

"Yes, Luvi is angry! Because you rarely play here anymore!" snapped the girl named Luvi. "Don't tell me..." Luvi hung his words.

"What?" Daniel looked at Luvi in surprise.

"Because of that pretty girl, huh?" he continued.

Daniel chuckled, then kissed Luvi's forehead lovingly. He raised his hand and stroked Luvi's hair fondly. "No, dear! I've been busy lately."

"Let's have dinner!" Aunt Anah's voice startled Emilly's amazement at Daniel's figure.

Daniel immediately carried Luvi's small body and pulled Emilly's hand to hold hers. For this second, Emilly didn't rebel or babble, he let Daniel lead him to the dining table. Followed by the children who had gathered in the living room.

Daniel pulled a chair and told Emilly to sit there, then Daniel pulled a chair next to Emilly and sat there too. He carried Luvi on his lap.

"Luvi! Don't stay there, just sit where you are," said Aunt Anah warned.

"It is okay,"

Daniel wanted to spoon the rice into his plate. But Emilly's hand held her wrist. Daniel turned and found Emilly who smiled faintly.

"I'll take it!"

Daniel brought his face closer to Emilly's ear. "It's time to be a mother to my children later." She whispered.

Emilly flinched at Daniel's words. "Don't fantasize!"

Maybe Daniel will invite Kiya to the orphanage more often. He wanted Emilly to always be sweet to him, like now.

After dinner was over, all the children continued their respective activities. Emilly invites Daniel to the backyard where there are various games. He was really going to interrogate Daniel who brought him here, and why everyone here knew so much about Daniel. And here they are, in the garden behind the orphanage, Emilly is sitting in the swing while rubbing her feet against the slightly wet grass from the rain this afternoon.