Back into Your Arms: Chapter Seven [ENG]

BiYA Chapter VII

“Where have you been?”

Iona jolted as she saw Fiki standing before her, arms crossed and eyes glaring. Seeing this, Mas Bro shuddered in fear and immediately bolted, leaving Iona all alone. The girl could only scratch the back of her neck, confused about what to say. From the way Fiki looked at her, it was clear the man was being very intimidating.

“Do you want to take revenge in such a fragile state?”

“No, I—”

“Just say it if you know who the mastermind is; I’ll send a hundred men if necessary to finish them off—”

“No, Brother!” Panicked, Iona kept waving both her palms. She tried to dampen Fiki's exploding emotions. The man looked furious, his chest heaving unsteadily.

“Then why? Don’t act like a hero!” The more Fiki raised his voice, the more he stepped toward Iona as if he were about to pounce. “Going with only two people! You think you’re safe because—”

source: Gemini

“I went to see my first love, Brother!” Iona exclaimed while closing both her eyes. She was afraid that a second later Fiki would throw a punch or who knows what... Iona didn't know how the Buana family truly functioned. However, Fiki's gaze was indeed terrifying.

Iona gathered the courage to open her eyes, peeking slightly. She was quite surprised to see Fiki stunned and lost in thought, his gaze fixed far ahead. It was as if he was never prepared to hear that answer from his only sister's lips. Whether he was shocked or shaken, it took several minutes for him to remain silent, processing the words of Iona—who, in his eyes, was Stella, his biological sister.

“First love?” Fiki asked in a faint voice. A second later, he covered his wide-open mouth. Then he shook his head dramatically, as if the news was impossible for him. “YOU CAN FALL IN LOVE?”

Iona, who was previously afraid and panicked, was instantly offended. The nerve! What did this man mean? Just how cold was Stella’s heart for Fiki to react this dramatically? Or had this girl truly never been in love before?

“No... it’s impossible. This can't just be Identity Dissociation! There must be a symptom more severe than this!” Fiki decided. He paced back and forth in front of Iona then suddenly stopped. “Let's go to the doctor!” Suddenly, Fiki pulled Iona’s hand by force, intending to take her out of the house again, dragging her to the hospital.

“HAH? What's wrong with you, Brother? It’s normal for me to fall in love. What is wrong with you?”

“No! Before, you said all men were pests! You even swore you wouldn’t marry anyone, no matter what happened!” Fiki cried out full of energy.

“Humans change, Brother! Who knows the lines of fate, right?”

“Are you really Stella? Or are you possessed by a spirit?”

I’m dead! Iona hissed, especially as Fiki stared at her intensely. His gaze seemed to pierce straight into Iona’s soul, which was also trembling.

“What kind of Identity Dissociation is this? You’re like having an identity crisis—”

“What is going on here, Fiki? Why do you keep speaking in such a high tone to your beloved sister?” Suddenly, Buana arrived from the living room with a confused and panicked face. Especially when he saw Fiki's position, about to drag Iona away. “You must have lost your mind, haven't you? Why are you being so rough with your sister, huh? What kind of mistake did she—no, what kind of mistake did you make, huh?”

“Father....” Fiki tried to defend himself, to explain his intentions, but Buana shook his head, refusing to listen. The middle-aged man approached, released Fiki’s grip on Iona’s hand, and led his daughter away. “Father... at least hear my reason first, Father!”

Buana ignored Fiki's cries as the young man just stood there, shouting without moving. Meanwhile, Iona just remained silent and observed the dramatic scene that had just befallen her. What kind of dynamic was this? Perhaps only the Buana family experienced such complicated events.

*＊✿❀　❀✿＊*

Joe jumped onto the bed without removing any of his work attributes. Even his two black shoes were still on his feet. Joe stared at the ceiling of his room, which might have been bored because it was always the object of his gaze. He suddenly remembered the incident this afternoon when a security guard dared to stop his car. In his entire life as a director, this was the first time he had been stopped in such an inappropriate manner.

source: Gemini

Thinking about it, it was quite strange. Was the matter ‘someone’ wanted to convey that important? Or was that person so desperate that even a security guard dared to block his car?

Joe rubbed his face, trying to clear the small things that might cloud his mind now. Without changing the direction of his gaze, Joe exhaled as strongly as possible. He hoped that with it, all his emotions and longing would evaporate along with the carbon dioxide leaving his nostrils. If only it were that easy to throw away all his feelings of longing for Iona, he certainly wouldn’t be suffering this much.

“So you are really in love?”

Iona glared, surprised to find Fiki forcing her door open. He was suddenly standing beside her study desk, level with Iona who was reading a stack of papers about Joe. The girl looked like a true stalker who was hungry for the desire to meet Joe. Moreover, Fiki’s sudden arrival made her embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed red, unable to hold back the shame.

source: Gemini

“Ah? Uhm….”

“You even told Mas Bro to find out many things about that man? Woah… since when did you like him?”

Iona immediately covered the messy pile of papers in front of her with her head. The girl rested her head, directing her gaze at Fiki who kept staring at the desk full of papers scribbled here and there—marks where Iona thought it was important to circle or underline.

“Why did you suddenly come in—”

“Sorry, I thought you were a completely different person now... that’s why I was quite confused by your change. Turns out you fell in love with him, is that why you’ve changed so much? But where did you meet him? A café? A bar? Or what? Since when? Or was it on the same day you were in a coma?”

Iona scratched the back of her neck again. Her brother really didn't give her a chance to answer. Instead, he bombarded her with dozens of detailed questions. It seemed like Jodhokerto wasn't even this fussy about asking everything as if a matchmaking and marriage were about to be held.

“But how could you only remember him if you only have amnesia? Is your love that big? Or during your coma did you imagine things so your subconscious keeps calling his name? Or after you went to the boutique with Father, did you go on a blind date?”

“Brother… are you really not giving me a chance to answer?”

Fiki didn't answer back; instead, he covered his mouth again, which was hanging open even wider. This time his eyes were full of belief, even quite glassy with emotion because he was touched to know for sure that Iona—or at least the Stella he knew—was truly in love.

“Is there anything I can do for you to get his heart? Do you need help?”

Iona looked at Fiki intensely. Fiki remained in his position—covering his mouth with wide, unblinking eyes.

“Previously, Stella really never loved anyone?” Iona asked, pointing to herself.

Still in the same position, Fiki nodded—a very slow and stiff nod.

“On the first day you were allowed out, you immediately thought about going on a blind date? Wah... you really are a visionary, Stell—uhm... I mean Iona. That coma made you realize your arrogance so you must want to feel love before you die, right? Just admit it. It won't make you look weak.”

Iona said nothing. She only propped her head up with her palm. Frustrated about how to answer. Fiki being this dramatic made her confused about how to react. She was also afraid of saying the wrong thing and having her identity exposed. After all, she was supposed to live as Stella, as per her task when transmigrating into this body.

“You want me to help you? I can make you meet whoever it is you desire—”

“Really, Brother?!” Iona almost jumped with joy when Fiki offered help like that.

“But you have to be honest with me!" Iona nodded enthusiastically, sincerely promising in her heart that whatever Fiki asked, she would answer as honestly as possible. "Yesterday Father must have matched you with someone, right?! That’s why you suddenly found a man so easily!?”

Hearing that, Iona immediately put on a sour face and sat back down in her study chair. She went back to propping her head with her palm. She couldn't believe Stella’s brother was this stupid and naive.

BiYA Chapter VII

This work is the intellectual property of Alinea Aneyla. Please do not copy, distribute, or republish without written permission from the author.