Ambivalent

39. No Shackles Left

Rune

It was a miracle how our plan worked so smoothly.

Akara got the card; I convinced the hidden-floor staff that my uncle wanted me to be a part of the serving by showing Panit's card, saying my card hadn't arrived yet; none of the illegal gang saw the camera or suspected my glasses; my uncle confessed everything easily unaware of the camera I had on.

Too good to be true, but it really happened.

Getting caught red-handed, my uncle, Panit, the rich-yet-unlawful gang and Jake were arrested by the police while my father was taken to a hospital where criminals were admitted.

Luckily, we saved the girls as well as the boys with AXT+1.

Although I really don't want to talk about that time as I was shaken badly and was worn off, I have to say that Akara was always there for me, giving me the strength to get over it.

After the scandal, somehow the hotel ownership landed on my hand again because of the weird will of my grandfather, but I didn't want to do anything with it after all that happened. Therefore, I sold it to a good businessman who agreed to keep all the employees, and we paid the whole money to the victims of my greedy family, except one.

Akara's parents.

As they were already dead, I decided to do something for them.

"Where are we going?" Akara asked when I got the key of his car, "are you okay? Do you feel stuffed?"

I shook my head with a smile as he was doting on me. "I am okay, I just want to take you somewhere," I said and grabbed his hands, "can I?"

"I would follow you even to hell," he replied cheesily and got into the front passenger seat.

Chuckling, I took the driver's seat and started the engine.

The ride took around forty minutes as it was a bit far away from the city; and therefore, Akara kept asking where we were going.

"We are here," I said as I parked in front of the cemetery.

"You wanted to visit your mother?" Akara asked with sympathy.

I smiled at his selflessness, but it faded fast as guilt tugged in my heart, being partially responsible for his parents' death.

"What's wrong?" Akara cupped my face and dried a tear which I didn't realise shedding.

"Nothing," I forced a smile, "let's go," I said and left the car with a change of plan in my mind. Akara followed me, and holding his hand, I took him first to the flower shop, then to my mother's grave.

"Hi, mom," I greeted her with a wai, "sorry for not coming for a while."

I swept the dust on the gray gravestone and placed the flower on it. Then I pulled Akara forward, "this is Akara, he is my..."

"Boyfriend," Akara finished it for me and interlocked our fingers after waiing, "nice to meet you madam, I am Rune's boyfriend."

A fond smile crept onto my lips before I got down to the tasteless matters. Taking a deep breath, I said "so much happened during this year, but I really don't want to talk about it. Just know that I had to ruin our family for justice, but I am okay now thanks to Akara."

Akara squeezed my hand, "I am so sorry, madam, as I upset Rune too much, but believe me from now on, I won't let anything bad happen to him, only good things are allowed."

I dried my tears with the back of my hand, "don't worry mom, we will be okay," I said in between my sobbing and found myself in Akara's protective arms.

When I calmed down, I got the second bouquet of daisies and directed Akara to other graves which were close to my mother's.

"You want to visit another person?" Akara asked, but when I pointed to the gravestone, he froze on his spot.

"Are they..."

"Yes," I nodded, "your parents."

"How...?" Akara mumbled with confusion, so I decided to act.

After dusting off the gravestones, I placed the flowers in between them. "I thought it would be nice to have our parents together, my mom would look after them, you know."

"You are too good to me," Akara murmured as he back-hugged me. I felt my shirt getting wet, so I broke the hug and turned around.

Drying his tears like he did, I said "don't cry, I wanted to make you smile not cry."

"It is happy tears, so they aren't counted," he said and holding my hand, he stood in front of the gravestones, "mother, father, finally I am in front of you. I know your deaths were unfair, but let's not talk about the past. Here is Rune, the love of my life. I am sure you would love him."

I smiled at his words and waied to his parents, "hello, uncle and aunty, unfortunately I am the reason for your death, but I wish you could forgive me because I can't break up with your son."

"Never," Akara said firmly and after spending some more time in the graveyard, we left, hand in hand.

Finally, we could leave the bitter past behind and look at the bright future.