31- Zee

"Zee..."

Zee looks up, eyes directly towards Ta.

"Where were you last Saturday? You leave us that night, and suddenly I had to pick you up in the same random street. Just like the last time..."

"What random street?" Bear asks. He looks at his boyfriend, before his eyes linger at Zee.

"I don't know. It's quite far from here actually," Ta casually talks while sipping his ice coffee.

"Sneaky rendezvous, huh?" Bear smirks.

"Actually, the area seems too clean. Nothing remarks a red flag. It's like a old neighborhood, with a bunch of old folks and kids. Normal business. It's homey and friendly..." Ta frowns before continues. "Which makes it even weirder. Why are you ended up in that area?"

There you go, Zee! They start asking you questions now...

Zee choose to keep silence, eyes waver, floating at the blank space. Something goes into his mind, instead of replying to Ta, he goes blank.

***

"Ma... She doesn't want us to meet again," said Shu.

"Are you sure? I didn't heard she said that," Zee wiped those tears from the girl's eyes.

Shu's head fell down. She frowned a bit because her little lips pouted.

"Mama told me not to trust you. One day, you'll hurt us. I don't know why she can't see what I see in you, Uncle Zee..."

In silence, Zee didn't blame Pan. He treated her like a trash before. In the end, she left him, moving on with her life, having Shu and living a proper live.

At least, compared to what she used to have when she lived with him. No more police station visitation, no more drunkard man who scold her, no more possessiveness that restrained her.

She's free and happy.

"I will never hurt anyone. Not anymore. God is giving me a second chance. I will never waste it. I can promise you that," Zee earnestly gave Shu a guarantee.

Shu drew a smile on her face. She put her little hand on Zee's cheek and pinched it.

"I know you're a good man. I have faith on you. I hope, one day, Ma will see that in you," the little girl said.

Zee suddenly felt jolted. He stared deep into the girl's eyes. He felt like seeing the whole world inside those little eyes. The feeling, it's unspeakable. Overwhleming.

He shed a tear, unknowingly.

Their conversation got interrupted by a bell sound.

"Let's check the door," Zee lifted Shu and they walk towards the door. When Zee opened it, Cray was standing there with a white bag.

"Zee?" he looked at him, in puzzle. Zee put Shu down on the floor, staring at Cray with hooded eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked Cray.

"I just wanna check on Pan. She was drunk last night. So, I'm worried," said Cray.

"Shu, tell Mama, we have a visitor,"

Shu nodded and immediately ran into the kitchen.

"Mama?" Cray asked.

"Yes. Mama. Do you have a problem with that?" it's Zee's turn to ask.

"Who are yot to Pan? Relatives?"

"Who are you to her?"

The push and pull game begins.

"I'm trying to pursue her right now. I'm serious about my feelings for her," Cray spurred some words bravely.

"How long did you guys... In talking state?"

"Not long. Maybe 2 months,"

"And you tell me you're fell for her?"

"2 months is enough for me to determine my feelings for Pan. She's a great woman and I adore her for that," said Cray.

"I think you know nothing about her..."

"You were talking as if you know her so well..." Cray smirked. "Just because you're in her house now, it doesn't mean you know her that well.."

"You don't know me. So, keep your cloudy judgement by yourself. If I am a stranger to her, I won't stand at this very spot," Zee interrupted Cray before he could finished his sentences.

Maybe those words were not harsh, instead of annoyed at him, Cray snickered and gave Zee a deep glare.

"Well, there's always a beginning of something, am I right? Being on the same spot is meaningless, unless if you dare to step in and moving forward," Cray crooked her lips up.

Before Zee could replied to him, Pan appeared from the kitchen with her friends and Shu. She reluctantly invited Cray into the house. And the man dared to pass by in front of him and smirked.

"Looks like I did moving up..."

***

Thinking about that makes Zee boils inside. All those emotions stack up like a domino that waits to crumble the whole line. He calms himself before shifting his eyes onto the stack of papers on the table.

Learning his reaction, Ta softly pats Zee's shoulder. He watches his friend with concerned.

"You know, if you have a problem, you can always count on us..." Ta recites his words carefully. He doesn't want to pull some unnecessary ropes just that might risk his friendship with Zee.

"I'm back..."

The conversation halts as Cherry makes an epic entrance with some files in her hands.

"Cher! Welcome back, pal!" she replies to Seth's high five with a strong slam.

"Ah, you're alive, Ta. I thought you were dead. I came to your room last Sunday and you're not even there!"

"Wait, how did you know I wasn't even there?"

"I knocked your door like it almost torn apart!" Cherry hands the file with gusto to Ta.

"For what?"

Cherry points her finger at the file. Ta opens the file and read the content. Then, he looks at Zee.

"Zee..." Ta hands the file to him. The man reads the content.

"This is out of the blue..." he glares at Ta.