Michael was stunned. His eyes widened.
"A-pril...?"
Rossie's recording continued to play. Her mouth was stretched into a wide, manic grin as she chanted the word "Michael" over and over again. She lifted the camera, dancing around wildly with it. In the final few seconds, Rossie kissed the camera lens, leaving a dark red lipstick smear on the glass.
The video cut to a solid black screen.
Mora, who was standing right next to Michael, snapped her head toward him. Her eyes bored into his face. Without warning, she slapped him hard a sharp crack that left a stinging pink handprint on his left cheek.
"What the hell did you do to make her like that, you fcking moron?!"
Michael just lowered his head, unable to utter a single word. Mora pinched the bridge of her nose, her face twisted in pure frustration. She began pacing back and forth, her heels clicking aggressively against the floor.
"I told you a thousand times! Find another girl, anyone but not her! What is wrong with you?! A guy like you just has to walk down the street and pretty girls would line up for you. There are millions of women in this world, and YOU CHOSE MY BEST FRIEND?!" Mora screamed, pointing a finger directly at him.
Michael swallowed hard. For several minutes, he was completely silenced. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped the edges of the table.
"I don't know what to do anymore. You always act so tough, but you're just a loser. YOU'RE A LOSER! YOU'RE A COWARD! You've never even kissed a girl you actually like! Even though... you're already in your thirties. You have money, a great body, a handsome face. What are you missing, huh?? How long are you going to wait? Do you want to die an old virgin?!" Mora ranted, jabbing her finger in his direction.
Michael touched his lips briefly. Slowly, he lifted his head to look at Mora.
"Honestly, I have kissed a girl. No, not some cheap streetwalker. But..." Michael swallowed again. "April."
Mora was visibly shocked. Her gaze sharpened as she studied his face. Her right arm tensed up. She stepped right up into Michael's personal space and punched him hard on the right cheek. Immediately after, she poked his forehead with force.
"Out of millions of beautiful, curvy women in this world, you got fcking hrny for the quiet disabled girl in a wheelchair?!"
Mora spun around. She stormed out of the room, her stride fast and furious. She kicked the automatic door as it tried to seal the office, the impact so violent that the resulting metallic hum left a ringing in Michael's ears.
Michael let out a heavy sigh. His mind drifted back, pulled into the currents of his past.
---
It happened right by the river near the industrial district. Mora was helping push a wheelchair occupied by a girl about Mora's age. Mora introduced her to Michael.
The girl introduced herself as "April." Her face was pale and clean, her silver hair neatly arranged, and her smile was incredibly sweet. She admitted she wasn't comfortable sharing her first name or surname, so she adopted her middle name for others to use.
April turned to look at Michael, who was still wearing his office uniform. He explained that he had just gotten off work and liked to cool off by the riverbank.
April chuckled at that. She confessed that she also loved the view of the river whenever Mora took her out for a walk.
However, Mora often mentioned that she was busy at the warehouse or swamped with school assignments. Because of that, Mora could only take April out on Sundays.
With a knowing smile, Mora turned to Michael and suggested that he could take April out for walks after work. After all, Michael's work schedule wasn't always packed, whereas Mora was currently buried in her third semester of college.
From that day on, Michael took April around the city every day after work, talking about everything and nothing. April told him that she first met Mora at the hospital, back when Elias Scott Cäcillia—Michael and Mora's father had finished a checkup for his legs. Mora had been the one pushing her father's wheelchair, and that was when she bumped into April. They had chatted while Elias was still being examined by the doctors.
April often asked Michael to accompany her to expensive restaurants, insisting on paying the full bill herself. Michael felt terrible refusing her, so he always agreed to whatever she wanted.
On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, April called Michael to ask for a trip to their favorite spot by the river. Michael wasn't busy, so he immediately went to pick her up. April was already dressed and made up impeccably when he arrived. As soon as the door opened, she smiled and urged him to hurry before the fireworks began thundering across the night sky.
Michael pushed April's wheelchair a little faster than usual, accompanied by shared laughter. April grinned widely, pointing out small details along the streets.
When they reached the riverside, April and Michael looked up at the night sky with calm expressions.
As the fireworks exploded in a riot of celebration, the night breeze gently tousled their hair. The LED clocks hanging on every city building struck 00:00. Their eyes were glued to the abstract collisions of light painting the black canvas above them.
Slowly, their hands found each other. Their hearts beat in sync.
"Kiss me," April said softly.
Michael looked at her. April looked back, her eyes sparkling. In Michael's eyes, she looked like a celestial angel who had descended from the heavens, waiting to be kissed.
Michael leaned down halfway. His hand cupped the back of her head. April squeezed her eyes shut. For a few moments, Michael's lips collided softly with hers. The moment was soundtracked by the crackle of fireworks melting into beautiful patterns above. The colorful lights bathed their clothes in a vibrant glow.
When they pulled apart, their hearts were pounding violently. April looked away, smiling at the reflection of the gently rippling river.
"Was... that your first kiss?" April asked, her lips still trembling slightly.
Michael touched his mouth. He ran a finger across his lips, as if the sensation had left a permanent mark that time couldn't erase.
"Yes. That was my first kiss," Michael replied.
"Me too," April said with a wide smile.
After that, they just stared at the sky for a long time, sharing a comfortable silence. Eventually, April turned to him.
"Michael."
Michael looked at her, a shallow frown on his forehead.
"Yeah? What is it?"
April swallowed hard, as if something was caught in her throat.
"I..." She hesitated for several moments, struggling to get the words out. "I love you, Michael. To be exact, since the first time we met. Do you love me too?"
Michael was stunned. His heart went into turmoil at her words.
"I... I can't answer that yet, April. I'm sorry... no, this isn't a rejection. I just need time. Please, try to understand."
April smiled at him with her eyes closed.
"I understand. It might be too sudden for you. But, can you give me an answer later?"
Michael frowned.
"What do you mean 'later'? I don't understand."
April turned her face to look at the black sky, which was slowly becoming plain again, before continuing.
"At 9 AM this morning, I'm having surgery on my legs. It will only take a few hours, but I'll have to learn to walk normally again, like a baby. That will take at least four months. At most... who knows how long. When I come home... I'll be waiting for your answer, okay?"
Michael smiled, looking down at her face.
"Yes. I promise I'll have an answer for my feelings when you're healed."
April let out a soft breath.
"I can't wait to hear it. And also... my birthday is in April, on the 20th. I hope this will be my best gift."
Michael's smile widened.
The night grew deeper. The uproar of fireworks slowly faded into silence. The sky had finished celebrating the turn of the year.
April asked Michael to help push her home; she wanted to get back quickly.
When they arrived, April's parents were already waiting. Michael handed the wheelchair over to them. As he turned to leave, April grabbed his hand. She looked up at him, her cheeks lifted in a smile.
"I'll wait for you in front of this door in April, okay?"
Michael nodded. As he walked away, April waved goodbye.
---
The months flew by quickly for Michael. The digital date on his phone calendar now read the 20th of April.
After work, beaming with a smile, he bought a bouquet of flowers. He held the bouquet in his right hand, while his left hand balanced a cake that read "Happy Birthday, April," complete with a photo and unlit candles.
Michael walked down the street, a grin plastered on his face. The soft, warm glow of the setting sun perfectly matched his mood as he strolled along the sidewalk toward April's house.
When he arrived, he immediately pressed the doorbell.
Once. No answer from inside. Twice. He pressed it again and again. Still no response.
Michael tried knocking on the door, but no voice answered him.
He peered through the window beside the door. The luxury furniture was still neatly arranged inside. He turned around, leaned his back against the wall, and sat down in front of the door to wait.
Hours passed, but there was no sign of April coming home. The twilight faded into almost total darkness. The cake Michael was holding began to emit a faint smell. Michael kept guarding the cake and flowers right there on the doorstep until, without realizing it, he fell fast asleep.
---
The bright morning sun hit Michael's face. He woke up, realizing he was still in front of April's door. Even now, there was no sign of her.
Michael sighed. He left the bouquet and the cake lying there on the porch. He walked home, his face gloomy and his mouth set in a sullen pout.
His mind was filled with questions about where April could be.
A week later, Michael returned. The cake he had left was now rotting and covered in flies. The bouquet had withered.
Michael tried to muster the courage to ring the bell again. But this time, the bell didn't even sound.
He looked inside through the window again. The furniture was in the exact same position, only now it looked quite dusty.
Michael sighed again. He went home, gloomy and sullen.
A month later, he came back. Same result. Two months, three months, four months. Still no sign of April.
Michael even tried calling the hospitals in the city. But the staff always told him there was no record of a patient named April. Michael accepted these confusing answers with a heavy heart, though his mind only grew more chaotic.
Exactly on New Year's, Michael returned to April's house with high hopes. He wanted to take her to see the fireworks again like the year before.
But when he arrived, Michael was shocked to see the house was now filthy, dusty, and completely abandoned. He peered through the glass and saw spiderwebs clinging to the furniture. Ants were crawling wildly everywhere in massive numbers.
He went back to the riverside spot he used to visit with April. Michael stared at the night sky, vibrant with fireworks. But what he felt in his heart was entirely different.
Since that moment, Michael buried the name April deep inside him. He tried to erase that name from his mind, completely...
---
Michael's mind snapped back to the present. He was staring blankly at the rough floor tiles, a bitter smile lingering on his face.
A moment later, the automatic door to Mora's office slid open, accompanied by a groan of pain.
When the door opened fully, Michael's eyes went wide.
"Toki? Why are you here? Your leg isn't normal yet."
Raden lifted his head. He was breathing heavily, panting from exertion. He smiled enthusiastically when he saw Michael, fighting through the stinging pain in his leg.
"I was bored staying in the room. What's actually going on?"