BURNT WINE

 

#𝟎𝟎𝟖 ¦ 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞

"If only the world is less complicated"

ㅡㅡㅡ

It was a striking 11:52pm on the cold March night when Madeon peeked through the wet window. He's been sitting there for 3 hours, staring back at his half-done paragraph on a dim lighted screen. He can't go anywhere with this rain and thick fog outside. He might as well ordered a glass of Brandy, for his room-temperature coffee is not helpful anymore. He moved from the comfy seat to the bar section, approaching the uninterested looking bartender.

"𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘫𝘯"

Said Madeon to the muscular and pale looking guy in his bow tie uniform. The guy shifted and started to get his order. Madeon takes a little glance at his name tag; "Dornan". It says. He felt a little uneasy to order actually, that dude looked like he hated the shift and wanted it to be over soon. But the rain keeps the customers in. It's not like many people left inside, but still it doesn't keep him from extending the shift. 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘺. Madeon thought. He's a bit of an observer. He fancy observing people more than talking. He's an author, it helps him to understand more about the human nature.

Madeon turned from the Dornan dude to a couple on the other end of the bar section. He crossed his leg and takes a glimpse of the atmosphere surrounding the two.

It was rather thick and cold, not because the temperature. It's another kind of cold. Like two cubes of ice, waiting to be melted.

"How's.. Your mom?", a voice breaks the pregnant silence between those two. A beautiful pair of eyes lifted and stared the taller.

"Uh.. She's.. Fine. Still sewing, and still into her daisy garden..", the girl answered, adjusting her layered brunette locks.

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"How's Benne?", a smile raised when the name was mentioned. A light chuckle warms the atmosphere.

"She's great, a week ago she gave birth to three cute pups actually..", said the man in a blue long coat staring at the girl enthusiastically. The brunette smiled softly.

"Congratulations.. That's such a blessing, you've always wanted her to gave you puppies..", she commented.

"Yeah.. Thank you.."

And the silence hugged them once more. The tall guy stirs the floating ice inside his whiskey. Sipping it slowly. Letting the taste lingers on the back of his throat. His eyes noticed a pair of hands fidgeting under the table, so he clears his throat.

"Gaelle.. You still write music?", the Gaelle girl tensed a bit at the question. It somehow brings back things that she doesn't really want to talk about. Not at this time. Not in front of this guy again.

"Mm.. Yes. I still write music", She straightened her back and gave a smile. Secretly hoping this conversation doesn't sink deeper than the surface.

"and actually.. I've been participating in this huge music festival project these past few weeks.. It's going to be great", she added. The guy smiled at how this topic makes sparks in Gaelle's eyes.

"I see, you're still as passionate as you did back then.. Nothing ceased, just getting more.. Alive", said the taller staring at Gaelle with a particular tenderness. A familiar one, as Gaelle recalled.

"How about you, Regen? Still catching dreams and bring it to life over your canvas?", Gaelle leans closer and asked him with a teasing tone. Regen laughed at the familiar line. Yeah, that's the way he always told Gaelle about what kind of art he's doing.

"Sure, I'm still living it on. I.. I'll be having an exhibition with three other artists from across the continents by the end of this year..", Regen rubs his nape.

"But I think it'll be a bit overwhelming for my collection..", said Regen being genuinely honest about what he feels for the upcoming event. Gaelle stared at him for a while, chewing on her lower lip deciding whether she wanted to tell him this particular something or not. As she doesn't plan on taking the conversation sink deep.

"No, Regen. It'll be just as amazing as your first one. Your piece are amazing, and I'm sure you got in this one because it's worth it", but she said it anyway and the man froze.

For many years, he's been wrong.

"You- You came to the Gallery? Summer 2017?", Regen asked in disbelief. His eyes roams all over Gaelle's looking for an answer. She smiled and nodded her head. And it somehow ripped Regen's chest open.

"oh god.. I thought you never came", said Regen in an airy voice.

"I saw the daisy field.. with me in it. It was beautiful", said Gaelle carefully.

"I'm sorry, I didn't have the courage to tell you back then.. Not even to look at your eyes", her voice comes out so thin, almost like a whisper. Regen still remains speechless.

"it was situational.. I'm sorry I couldn't understand better back then, about your dreams and about my own wish for freedom", Gaelle stared at his eyes. Regen slowly shook his head and reached out to stroke Gaelle's cheek.

"No, it's okay.. I'm no better myself, Gaelle. I've failed to see things your way, and it makes you feel the need to go your own way", said Regen, eyes piercing deep into her eyes.

"Thank you for saying so, Regen", Gaelle stared back at his eyes. Deep, tender but stone cold. Almost a winter.

"Nah, I'm glad you came, Gaelle. Thank you, I.." 

𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 

Regen blooms into spring and it seems like he couldn't catch the winter in Gaelle's eyes.

"Would you like to accompany me over the end of this year? It's in Paris.. Fly with me there, Gaelle", he whispered. Gaelle didn't answer him. Giving a long pause at the scenario.

She reached Regen's hand to bring it off of her face. Gaelle shook her head.

"I can't, Regen. I'm getting married", Regen's eyes went blank at her tone, then he focused on Gaelle's ring finger. He slowly put his hands down.

"O-oh.. I'm sorry I didn't know..", said Regen absent-mindedly as he forced a smile.

"𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘎𝘢𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦"

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The rain stopped and the customers leaving one by one. By now, Madeon has finished his glass of burnt wine. He saw the brunette girl reached for her coat and left.

Upon her leaving, the blue coated man harshly rubbed his hair, almost yanking it out. Madeon watched him put his head on the bar table, and a painful sobs was heard from his trembling shoulder.

Madeon decided to call it a day as he pulled out some cash and placed it under the glass for the Dornan dude. He packed up his things and walked out to his car.

As he unlocked the car, he found a familiar brunette hair, crying painfully in silence. Rubbing her ruined mascara with her inner arms. Madeon exhaled at the view. He slowly approached the girl and gives out his handkerchief.

"𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵?"

"Please have this, miss", Madeon put the handkerchief on her palm and walked away. Making his way to the car. And thought to himself as he drove away; 𝒊𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅.

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Fun Fact : Brandy is a liquor containing 35-60% alcohol, people of Deutch called it 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘫𝘯, which translated as Burnt Wine. Brandy is a distilled wine, therefore it's a Burnt Wine.

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Jakarta, 16 Maret 2021
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