Chapter 7

"Are you sure you want to accept Kozie's offer?" asked Sania when she saw Orlyn busy preparing his portfolio.

Orlyn's head nodded weakly as he still sat in front of his laptop. Sania herself looked at Orlyn with a worried face.

"Are you sure, Lyn?" Sania asked again, reassuring herself.

Orlyn stopped typing. Orlyn then looked at Sania with a puzzled frown.

"What is this?" he asked later.

"This is Kozie's cafe," Sania said again.

"Well, it is. So what?" Orlyn asked again.

"Does Cein know you want to work at Cafe Kozie?" Sania asked later.

"No, Cein only knows that I applied for a job at the cafe."

"You should tell Cein first, Lyn. He has a right to know about the job you're applying for and you have a duty to tell him as well."

Orlyn became more and more confused why Sania was being like this. Orlyn turned from her sitting position to face Sania.

"What's wrong? Why?" asked Orlyn, urging Sania to tell her what she wanted to say.

Sania seemed hesitant to say what she wanted to say. Then Sania took a deep breath and expressed her concern.

"This is Kozie's cafe. You know she is in love with you, and she doesn't know you are married. So it's better if you are honest with Kozie from the beginning. Don't hide your status. This is for the sake of the continuity of your household with Cein".

Orlyn was silent when he heard Sania's words. He knew Kozie had a crush on Orlyn, but that was back then. Is it true that she still has a crush on him?

"Does it have to be like that? Kozie doesn't necessarily still have a crush on me, San," Orlyn laughed.

"Tsk, you can only follow me once, right? She still asks me and Maura a lot of questions about you. Just in case, Orlyn!" said Sania, who was annoyed with Orlyn.

Orlyn was silent again, as if she didn't agree with Sania's suggestion.

"Lyn, you have no intention of hiding your status from Kozie, do you?" asked Sania, who got suspicious because of Orlyn's continued silence.

Orlyn looked at Sania and nodded vaguely.

"I have to, San."

"Why? What's wrong with being married?"

Sania was really annoyed with Orlyn now.

"So that I can get a job with Kozie. My interview yesterday failed because of my married status. I don't want that to happen again."

Sania was stunned to hear Orlyn's words this time. How could Orlyn think like that?

***

Orlyn looked at Cein, who was busy in the kitchen. As usual, Orlyn was not only spoiled in her own home, Cein also spoiled Orlyn. Orlyn saw Cein going back and forth between chopping vegetables and frying fish. Orlyn seemed to have no intention of helping her husband.

Feeling that someone was watching her, Cein turned around and found Orlyn standing behind her.

"What are you doing?" asked Cein, then returned to chopping vegetables.

"Nothing," Orlyn replied shortly.

"Then why are you standing there? Do you need something?" Cein asked again.

"Nothing either."

Orlyn hesitated to answer clearly. Then Cein himself stopped cutting potatoes with his hands. He turned around and looked at his wife.

"What is it, Lyn? Is there something you want to tell me? Or is there something you don't want to tell me?" Cein asked suspiciously.

Orlyn remained silent and just looked at Cein. Then Orlyn took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Cein," she called then.

"Yes?"

"Turn off the stove first! The fish is burning!"

Orlyn said, pointing at Cein's fried fish, which was almost burnt.

Cein was surprised and reflexively turned off the stove and picked up her fried fish.

"Luckily it's not burnt," Cein murmured in relief.

Orlyn sighed when she saw Cein. Orlyn felt guilty for Cein now, even though she hadn't done what she had intended earlier.

Cein had just finished dinner with Orlyn. Unlike usual, Cein immediately cleaned the dining table and washed the dirty dishes. This time Orlyn carried Cein to the living room sofa.

"What's wrong? The dining table is still dirty," Cein said, confused by Orlyn's attitude.

"Come here first! I'll do the dishes later. Cein will clean the kitchen and the dining table," Orlyn said, sitting Cein down on the sofa.

Cein looked at Orlyn with a confused face. Then the girl sat down next to Cein and seemed to take a deep breath. Cein's eyebrows knitted together. She was more and more convinced that something was going on, but Orlyn couldn't say.

"Are you in trouble?" guessed Cein.

Orlyn rolled her eyes in surprise.

"Since when am I in trouble, Cein?" she protested.

"Yes, you were never in trouble. Then what's wrong?" Cein asked again.

"Um, where did I talk?" 

"Everywhere, Orlyn!"

Orlyn looked at Cein for a moment and remembered Cein's nature. She was sure that Cein wouldn't be angry if Orlyn told him honestly that the cafe she applied for belonged to Kozie. Besides, Cein himself allowed Orlyn to work.

"Orlyn?" Cein called again, making Orlyn jump a little.

"Uh, yes."

"Why are you so quiet? Just talk from wherever you want," Cein ordered.

Orlyn's head nodded slowly and then took a breath to gather his courage.

"Cein, first, I ask you not to get angry, right? This is also because Cein told me to work."

Cein's head nodded in agreement.

"Um, I applied for a job at the cafe. You know that, right?" Orlyn continued.

"Yes," Cein agreed briefly.

"Um, the cafe is owned by Kozie. The cafe needs financial staff, and my degree fits the bill. Kozie also said that I was accepted immediately because she offered it directly."

"So?"

Cein's voice sounded unfriendly because Cein remembered who Kozie was. The man Orlyn had used as an excuse to reject Cein, even though Orlyn and Kozie didn't have a relationship either.

"Cein."

Orlyn seemed to notice Cein's tone.

"Continue!" Cein ordered.

Orlyn took a deep breath and nodded her head in agreement.

"You're not angry, are you? This is my chance, Cein. I don't think there will be another one. My first interview just failed."

Cein did not answer. Orlyn's husband seemed to think now. Maybe Cein was still afraid that Orlyn would approach Kozie again later.

"Cein," Orlyn called and held Cein's thigh lightly.

Cein raised his head and looked at Orlyn. Cein looked at his wife's face, which looked so hopeful. Orlyn's happiness in preparing his application file and portfolio could also be seen in Cein's eyes. Cein sighed heavily and deeply.

"Yes, I don't mind if you work in Kozie's cafe."

Finally, Cein made a sound.

"Really? Ah, you really are the best."

Orlyn, who was excited, immediately hugged Cein without permission. Meanwhile, Cein himself smiled at the sight of his wife's excitement.

"The problem of my fake marital status will be told later, later Cein will change her mind when she knows about it," Orlyn's inner monologue.

***