Back into Your Arms: Chapter Twelve [ENG]
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| BiYA Chapter XII |
“Is it okay… if I just take a walk in the front yard?”
Buana sighed, turning his office chair to face the young woman who had been trying to convince him so she wouldn’t rot from boredom all by herself.
“What’s there to see? Is it really that interesting to make you step out there?” Iona, in Stella’s body, nodded happily, as if she had gained a glimmer of hope from her father’s response. “Fine, as long as the Mas Bros are always accompanying you—”
“Thank you, Dad!”
Without missing a beat, Iona immediately dashed out of the room in high spirits. She forcibly pulled the two Mas Bros standing outside the room to accompany her for a walk in the front yard. Even she didn't know why she was this happy. Well… at least she could catch some fresh air out there.
“Since when did Miss like books? Didn’t Miss used to feel nauseous whenever reading a book?”
Mas Bro watched as she grabbed a black-covered novel, witnessing firsthand a total miracle where their Miss was suddenly interested in reading lines of letters across hundreds of pages. Pausing for a moment, Iona looked down at the novel in her hands, then slowly began to read. She didn't feel any urge that would make her nauseous or uncomfortable inside Stella’s body, until a soft chuckle escaped her lips. She had just realized that Stella was actually pretty hilarious back when she was alive.
“I guess I used to talk a lot of nonsense back then...”
Without explaining any further, leaving Mas Bro scratching the back of his neck, Iona walked down the stairs. Heading towards the front yard, a place she had never truly set foot in all this time.
“Miss….”
Iona, who was still reading her book while sitting on the egg chair, merely hummed. Reluctant to pull her eyes away from the thick novel. She was right in the middle of reading the most exciting part of the chapter.
“Do you think, Miss… that figure looks suspicious enough?” Iona’s focus was broken for a moment; her eyes shifted forward, then toward the two Mas Bros who were staring fixedly at a single spot. “He’s been loitering on the street outside for about 10 minutes now, back and forth. This time, he’s standing right in front of the gate.”
Iona placed her book on the chair, stood up, and began walking closer.
“No need to get closer, Miss!” Mas Bro tried to stop her, but Iona was already stepping forward faster. “Miss! Stay right here! Miss!?”
“…. JOE?!”
Iona sprinted, approaching the gate without a single trace of fear or feeling threatened. Naturally, the two Mas Bros escorting her immediately ran after her, drawing their firearms just in case. The man was clearly startled out of his wits when three figures swarmed him, even pointing weapons at him without hesitation.
“What are you doing?”
Joe was at a loss for words. He just stared with wide eyes, completely baffled about how to respond. His initial intention of dressing up exactly like the mysterious man from last night—to bait the real perpetrator out or test the reaction of the Buana residence guards—had instead pushed him right onto the chopping block like this.
“Are you stalking?”
“H-HAH? O-OF COURSE NOT! FOR WHAT?” Joe looked right and left frantically. Mas Bro was now firmly aiming the gun straight at his head. Even though Joe’s current position was outside the Buana family premises, the bullet could easily fly through the iron bars of the gate and shatter his brain. “Should I put my hands up right now?”
“Lower your weapons! He’s my friend!”
“If he’s Miss’s friend, why didn’t he contact Miss and call her instead of showing up in a grey jersey, shorts, and a black cap like this?” asked the Mas Bro standing on the left.
“Agreed! Even if he didn't harbor bad intentions, why is he stuttering and shouting like that?” chimed in the Mas Bro on the right.
Iona let out a sigh and pushed both of her Mas Bros away. “What normal person stays calm when a gun is pointed at their face, huh?!” Iona clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Now open that gate for me! Let my friend in!”
Perhaps because her loud scream carried a trauma from the past—back when their Miss was still in her prime, alias 100% Stella—the Buana family bodyguards immediately scrambled into action. Promptly unlocking the gate upon their Miss’s command.
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“What was your name again?”
“J-Joe… Sir…?”
Buana glared sharply, moving his face right up to Joe’s, whose body was trembling uncomfortably. Extremely close. Perhaps merely a single millimeter away from Joe.
“Dad! Dad, don't make Joe uncomfortable!” Gathering courage out of nowhere, Iona pulled Buana back to keep him away from Joe, who was breaking into a cold sweat.
“Who is he anyway? I don't recall you having a friend like him! Have you ever even had a friend?”
“Dad!” Iona pinched Buana to quiet down the middle-aged man—who in this lifetime happened to be her father. “Don't embarrass me in front of him!” This time, Iona whispered furiously right into her father’s left ear.
“Who is he anyway? Just because he’s the CEO of Irena Company, do we have to be all respectful and polite?!” Buana probably intended to whisper, but his voice was far too loud. Joe, who had been forced to sit in the chair, could hear every word.
“Yes, I know. I looked into him a bit yesterday!” Buana added upon seeing his youngest daughter’s confused expression.
“I’m sorry, Dad… I really never told you about him all this time.”
At the exact same moment, both Buana’s and Joe’s brows furrowed in utter bewilderment. Both were equally confused by what Stella—brought to life by Iona’s soul—actually meant.
“Lies! I would definitely know who he is if you’ve known him for a long time!”
They continued their loud, mock-whispering argument. Joe listened attentively, because to be honest, he was curious as to why a Stella Viviana—who once again, was actually living through Iona’s spirit—suddenly appeared in his life for no apparent reason and refused to leave his mind. Joe adjusted his seating posture, but the two Mas Bros watching over him glared intimidatingly since he moved without their permission. Joe swallowed hard and returned to his original position.
“I… saw him in a dream.” Iona wanted to slap her own forehead because that was the only excuse that could come out of her mouth. Completely absurd! Yet, that was the only explanation that popped into her mind.
“And then? You saw his figure in a dream and decided to approach him? Wanted to get to know him better? Wanted to date him?” Buana raised his voice even higher, finding his daughter’s answer utterly ridiculous. “Turns out after your coma, you’re still the same, Stella darling… totally nonsensical—”
“It’s not that simple, Dad… I… kept seeing him throughout my long dream while in a coma.” Iona framed her past life as a long slumber that Stella had gone through. For some reason, Joe’s blood ran cold; he froze upon hearing it. “I was his childhood friend, who later became his girlfriend, his one and only… I accompanied him playing badminton, we spent time in the green apple orchard, working on assignments together….”
Iona stopped, her lips no longer able to utter another word as tears streamed heavily down both of her cheeks. Her body trembled. Hearing this sent chills down Joe’s spine; every single memory of his happy moments with Iona flashed vividly in his mind the moment Stella’s lips—the figure he was perceiving with his own eyes—spoke of the exact memories he had actually lived through.
"My darling, my sweet child... what are you feeling right now?" Buana immediately wrapped his arms around his daughter, who stood motionless aside from her sorrowful trembling. The middle-aged man’s heart shattered as he witnessed his child’s body shaking with profound grief, completely unaware that the girl inside was no longer his daughter, but a desperate soul named Iona trapped in her own tragic fate.
＊✿❀ ❀✿＊
“Did you really… see all of that in your long dream?”
Iona’s eyes widened as she turned to face Joe, who was gazing at her intently. A deep, tender look filled with sorrow. Iona never knew what was truly going through the man’s mind. She only felt heartbroken because that gaze was the exact same look from the very last scene of her life as Iona. Right before she drew her final breath.
Truth be told, Iona’s initial desire the moment she succeeded in meeting Joe was to hit him, to scream and ask why he didn't trust her. Why he had so cruelly accepted an arranged marriage with another woman. Never saying a word, never trying to reach out. Yet miraculously, Iona’s love proved to be far greater than all that suppressed rage. What she truly wanted to do instead was to hold him tightly and beg him to come back to her arms. To return to her embrace..
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| BiYA Chapter XII |
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