1 ANOTHER ENCOUNTER
All this is no coincidence
Just, just, by my feeling
The whole world is different from yesterday
Just, just, with your joy
When you called me
I became your flower
As if we were waiting
............….
Human fate and destiny are just a game in the hands of the Creator...
The future is an endless opportunity without a pause….
Finally, their hands intertwine and bring us together again...
...................
2 years later, Johan Alvaro's house, in the morning…
"Johan, we need to talk…"
Johan raised his face with a confused look as his hand holding the teacup was stopped in midair. While Mama Sharren's face, the middle-aged woman was looking at him very seriously.
"What's wrong, Mom?"
Mama Sharren closed her eyes. Take a deep breath and sighed softly as she took out a large brown envelope, then handed it to her son. At that time, fortunately, there were only two of them in the dining room. Johan took it and the frown on his temple got even deeper. A bad feeling crept into his heart.
Something is wrong here.
"What is this, Mom?"
"Please open and read it, Johan…"
Shortly, Johan immediately opened the envelope and his eyes stroll the picture and each line on the medical report. It is a report of the examination result from the latest about the health condition of his mother.
It was a scanned photo of cancer cells that has been spreading to the uterus and abnormal bleeding in the vagina area that has been going on for several months.
"What is this, Mom?"
Johan asked the same question again in a trembling voice. The image of his late father is still freshly etched in his memory. His cold body…
His pale face….
Please, God…
No, not anymore….
"Mama has been diagnosed with cervical cancer, Johan..."
"It's stage 4A…"
Johan's eyes glazed over and reddened as he murmured the next sentence. Trying so hard to say something…
"Mom, I think..."
"Johan..."
Her mother cut him off before he continued.
"I think…."
"I won't survive…"
.....................
Alvaro Corp, Johan .'s office
"Good morning, boss..."
Derry, his personal assistant greeted him with a beamed face like a morning sun while whistling a little and carrying a stack of folders that contains the documents that Johan had to check and sign that day. It was quite contrary to Johan's face at the same time. Gloomy and unreadable.
It's still so early but he looks haggard and restless.
Incidentally, the office was deserted because the two of them arrived earlier than usual. Looking at his boss' unusual state, Derry's brow furrowed in confusion. After he put the pile of documents on the desk, Derry couldn't stand it anymore. He sat across from him and asked in a curious tone.
"Okay… So, tell me…"
"What's wrong, Johan?"
Johan just glanced at him and let out a deep sigh and replied to him desperately.
"It's my mom, Der..."
"She's dying..."
.......................
A few hours earlier….
Suddenly, Mama Sharren knelt before her son with tears in her eyes. Johan, who didn't expect this, quickly squatted down and tried to lift her.
"Mom!!" John shouted at her in surprise.
"What is wrong with you? Why are you doing this??!!"
"I'm so sorry, Johan… huhuhu,,, I have made lots of mistakes…"
Her head is filled with flashbacks of all the misfortune events that happened to her and Johan in the past. All of her wrongdoings. All of her faultiest. It's all coming back to her. Haunted her mercilessly.
"It was me who forced you to divorce Renata and set up a marriage with Kinara in the first place..."
"I have brought nothing but suffering and demise upon you, Johan..."
"I'm so sorry, Johan….huhuhuhuhuhu…."
Mama Sharren weeps bitterly with tears running down her cheeks like a pair of stream rivers. Silently, Johan pulled her mom and hugged her in his arms. While the old woman's body still shaking from her constant sobs. Finally, she admitted it. All her sins.
No more pride and arrogancy in her gesture and voice.
"Ma…ma, never mind…it's okay…"
"It's over..."
"Those were in the past. We all made mistakes and it's fine. We are okay now…"
"We are good now, mom. And, I…"
"I have forgiven you too…"
"Let's not reminisce about the past anymore, Ma. Papa is in heaven. I only have you as my mother, right? Mama, please… don't be like this..."
Johan whispered as he continued to embrace and gently caress the woman who had raised him. Loving him unconditionally. Taking care of him day and night. Yes, she is the same woman who made his life shattered into million pieces. But, this woman was also the one who had fought hard and risked her own life to struggle and give birth to him into this world. Blood is thicker than water. And for any reason, for her full dedication as a mother who had raised him with love, Johan had sincerely forgiven his mother.
As for Mama Sharren herself, when she heard about the verdict of her illness from the mouth of their family's doctor, at the same time, she felt that the whole world fall to pieces under her feet. Her body went limp and she slumped to the ground. She no longer has the strength to stand upright on her feet.
Karma. This is karma.
And, she willingly accepts it. Undertaking an atonement for all her mistakes and sins. But not now. Not when she finds out that she is on the verge of death and that her beloved son is still single after his last two marriages ended in such a tragic way.
At least, after she died, there will be someone who could look after her son and take care of Johan for her. Someone who loves her son sincerely and they may grow old together and have a happily ever after as a closing.
"Find another girl to be your lifetime partner, Johan..."
"This time, mama won't interfere with your personal life anymore and I will give my bless to whoever stands next to you..."
.......................
Johan ended his story with a disheveled face. His hair is messy and ruffled.
"If I don't find a woman quickly, my mother unwilling to get any treatment for her cancer, Der..."
"What should I do?" Johan asked helplessly in a frantic tone.
Damn it!! As if it is so easy to bring a girl into his house and grant his mother's wish?
Like he coming to the store and picking any items as he wished?
Oh my God…
Johan was really confused about what to do now. And, it's not only him who got dragged into this unexpected circumstance. It's Derry too. His eyebrow furrowed deeply as a sign that he is thinking hard to find the best solution for this problem.
Finding a random girl?
In the short time?
Ah!!
A light bulb suddenly popped out inside Derry's head.
"Oh, I know!!"
"I know how to solve this problem!!" Derry shouted at his boss proudly and snapped his fingers!
"By the way, have you ever heard of this company?"
"Call A Friend?"
......................
Another frown is clearly seen on Johan's face once again.
"Call A Friend?"
He never heard about its name before. What the hell kind of company is it?
"It is a private company that provides service for "any kind of fake relationship "…"
"Have you ever heard of a Japanese company, Family Romance?"
"In here, we have "Call A Friend" with a similar service…"
"Well, that kind of stuff…"
"You hire someone to be your "partner" to be introduced to your friends or family at occasional events like graduations, weddings, etc, without any emotional attachments or feelings. It is purely a business for avoiding gossip or bad rumor from nosy people…"
"How is it? Does it sound perfect for you?"
"It's Call A Friend. The company would provide a list of names. The candidates that you can hire as your "fake partner". You just only need to choose who most fits your criteria and if it feels right, just contact him or her in a chat, then make an appointment privately, and tell him or her about the circumstances and rules. The condition and what kind of role that she or he should play perfectly. Set up a price and negotiate it with them. And, voila! It's done..."
"Next, you only need to wait until the big day comes, pick him or her up and act professionally..."
"It's quite simple, right?"
A huge grin appeared on Derry's face once more time after he spilled that crazy idea.
Stressed out, Johan massaged his forehead and ruffled his hair.
What kind of stupidity is this? He hissed in his heart in annoyance.
But anyway, does he have other choices?
Her mother is in critical condition and what even gives him more pressure is…
The stubborn old woman is unwilling to undergo any therapy if Johan hasn't found a partner to be brought into his house and introduced her as his fiancée.
Aissshhhh…..
"Have you tried their service, Der?" Johan asked him over with a frustrated face and his question was immediately answered with a firm nod from his personal assistant.
"Yup, I did. A few times…"
"And as I told you. They're good…"
............................
The whole world is different from yesterday
Just, just, with your joy
When you called me
I became your flower
As if we were waiting
We bloom until we ache
Maybe it's the providence of the universe
It just had to be that
You know, I know
You are me, I am you
(Serendipity – BTS)