27

"So here? Shall we eat here?" asked Nathan with an irritated face.

This afternoon he picked up Dinda. At first, he thought he would go alone with Dinda. But unfortunately, Nadya was invited by Dinda. Especially after his frustration, he asked Dinda to eat at the catfish pecel stall!* Is Dinda not wrong? A Nathan Alfaro is invited to eat at a catfish pecel stall where you have to eat with your own hands?!

"Din ..." Nathan said to refuse Dinda's invitation. He should run away from here immediately and hang out with his friends at the mall than have to die with Dinda in a very, very silly way. Being here really wasn't him.

"Nath, sorry, I usually treat you at a place like this. Next time, I'll treat you to the cafe. Oh, the catfish pecel here is a winner, you know, Nath. I found it yesterday with Nadya."

Nadya looked at Nathan with a mischievous smile. She knew more than anyone. A guy like Nathan would never eat in a place like this. Just waiting for a matter of seconds, Nadya was sure that Nathan would refuse flatly or find an excuse to leave here.

"It's okay, Din. It's a new atmosphere, isn't it? It's fun," replied Nathan, who managed to make Nadya, and herself was surprised.

"You're not wrong, Nath? Do you want to eat here? Nathan Alfaro wants to eat at a suburban stall like this?" asked Nadya, who seemed quite surprised to hear Nathan's answer.

Nathan could only smile faintly. He wanted so badly to smack himself in the head or even pretend to be unconscious. How come his brain and mouth can't be in sync like this?

"But there's a spoon, right?" he asked doubtfully.

"You've never eaten here what have you done? Maybe you don't know how to eat sambal* or fresh vegetables, Nath. You're human, right?"

"What do you think Nathan? Satan?" said Nadya. Dinda also laughed.

"Oh come on, a handsome guy like me comes to a place like this, all visitors will be surprised by the owner. I think Hollywood artists are straying here," Nathan was confident.

"Very big head, I swear. What's available is that you think you're from another planet because you can't eat like this. You're really pretentious, Nath!" denied Dinda did not want to lose.

"I'm pretentious. You're pretentious, you don't deserve it!" snapped Nathan.

Not long after, Dinda's order arrived, three fried ducks complete with warm white rice, fresh vegetables, and chili sauce. Not to forget, three glasses of orange ice were lined up there, along with three bowls of water for washing hands.

Nathan looked awkward, confused about which part he would take first. After he saw Dinda and Nadya, he followed in their footsteps.

As for Dinda, he really couldn't understand it. How can a human being not eat fresh vegetables? Eating by hand? Or is Nathan a typical arrogant human who doesn't want to eat ordinary because he was born an affluent person? So, he feels like a prince or a king like a title he carried in high school?

"Just watch, after this, he will definitely ask you to come home," said Nadya, nudging Dinda's arm.

And it's true what Nadya said. After they finished eating, even though Nathan looked crazy because it was probably the first time he had tasted rice, fried duck, sambal, and fresh vegetables, he finally went crazy. Everything in the small cook was gone. However, Nathan hastily invited him home. Dinda wanted to ask them to watch.

"Din, sorry, okay. Anytime, I'll treat you to watching it. I'm really sorry, I can't really do this," Nathan said after being in front of Dinda's boarding house.

He just kept pressing his stomach, and sweat started pouring down Nathan's forehead. And Nathan's pale face looked even paler. Nathan's usually red lips now looked pale.

Nathan why?

Dinda wanted to ask, but she was confused about what to ask. All she could do was, nodding stiffly as she watched Nathan leave, who sped off his car half recklessly. Meanwhile, Dinda pulled Nathan's body with a chuckle that she held back.

"Nathan won't be all right, will he?" Nadya asked, still laughing that she was trying her best to contain.

"What are you doing, Nad? Asked Nathan, is it okay but your expression is like that? It's not funny, you know!" excited Dinda. She then went into her room, put her bag, and lay on Nadya's bed.

"You don't know, Din. Actually, Nathan has a chronic stomach ulcer. And in his whole life, he's never eaten spicy or sour. That's why he never eats chili sauce. He can enter the ICU, Din."

"Huh? Seriously?" asked Dinda, almost in disbelief.

However, Nadya laughed out loud because of that. Dinda really can't understand Nadya. Why is she even laughing?

"Nathan, if you go to the ICU because of what happened earlier, Nad? You're just laughing, aren't you!" excited Dinda. She felt guilty for Nathan, so not knowing made Nathan hurt. No wonder Nathan felt like he was in pain. Her face was pale white, with cold sweat dripping all over her body.

"Well, how about that, Din, it's just funny. You already know he has a chronic ulcer disease, you already know he doesn't like chili sauce. It's a bitch to eat all of us together. Earlier, he could have separated the sauce, or just took a little. Cook sacrifice. life to get a girl, really not his style anyway. Hahaha!"

"Nad..." said Dinda who saw Nadya's happy face. All this time, Dinda knew that Nadya seemed to know very well about Nathan. Is Nadya also one of Nathan's exes who only lasted a week's courtship? Nadya is not wrong. She can be said to be one of the beautiful girls and is popular at school. Meanwhile, according to the rumors, the pretty and popular girls at school were all dating Nathan. "You seem to know Nathan very well, don't you?"

Suddenly Nadya fell silent. She stopped laughing and displayed a stiff smile. After scratching the back of her neck, she sat quietly and tried to occupy herself with other things.

"You're one of Nathan's exes, aren't you?" guessed Dinda without further ado. And that made Nadya laugh even more loudly than before.

"Me, Nathan's ex? No... geez, God forbid!" she answered.

"Continue?" Dinda urged again, who knew Nadya would answer honestly.

"Yes, it doesn't continue," Nadya said as if she was reluctant to answer Dinda's question. She was immediately busy with a novel in her hand as if deliberately avoiding Dinda.

Dinda was still lying next to Nadya, and then she glanced at Nadya now and then. She wanted to talk again but was afraid that her best friend would be offended.