The Sign of Love
Old Disease

Relina looked at Junda closely, she felt she did not have to answer Junda's question which she thought, no need to know about her illness.

Moments after he was silent, he only realized his hand was held in such a way by Junda, suddenly a warm feeling arose in his heart that brought excitement then, flowing into his cheeks, so that his face was reddened.

Instead of letting her hands still cling to each other, Relina pulled her and let Junda's hands go blank.

Relina said, “You don't need to know about my illness.”

The man sighed heavily while looking at both of his hands, then replied, “Why? Is that wrong?”

The gazes of their eyes clashed again with emitting their respective feelings that seemed to make many letters flutter in the air.

Junda had heard the explanation from the internal medicine expert who treated Relina that there was a disorder in Relina's lungs that made the girl physically weak. He may have tuberculosis, a disease usually caused by factors of poor air circulation, hanging out with smokers for too long, or congenital from birth whose mother is a smoker.

The doctor said he had to look at the results of laboratory tests to better know his certainty.

Relina changed her sleeping position while saying, “Ya .. because it's none of your business. I have been sick since childhood. Therefore, do not need to be close to me, you will later reach.”

Junda frowned when Relina said so, because she knew how the disease could be contagious, a disease that could be cured by routine treatment for several months. After all, it will not be transmitted as easily as flu or cough.

I'd love Junda to laugh, but he just replied, “You think I'm afraid of getting scared? Your illness isn't Aids or Corona, is it?”

Relina turned her head and looked at Junda in surprise, not expecting this man to be so persistent. He thought his words could make him stay away, but in fact he even said he was not afraid of contracting.

The disease, Relina got when she was a child because her father, Rosihan—ah, used to be an active smoker. But after learning his son had lung disease, Rosihan stopped smoking completely, until now.

Relina was declared cured, while still in school and get treatment regularly for six months, but returned to relapse after she started working in Bogor.

When working, Relina often forgets or is late to buy drugs, or checks herself, as a result of which she has to repeat the treatment from the beginning. Such provisions of the cure should not be late, must be on time and what if negligent, he said, then the treatment will be repeated as if new treatment for the first time because the dose of the drug will be given gradually and differently every month.

“Alright, I'm going to bed. Thank you for bringing me here. I'll post the fee later.”

Junda returned a small smile as he turned his face away, mocking himself. Relina did not need to feel indebted for taking the girl to the hospital, was of her own volition. But what he saw now was a stubborn girl who did not appreciate her efforts at all.

Junda got up from his seat, tidied up Relina's blanket, then walked out of the patient's room in quiet steps. He closed the door for Relina to sleep comfortably. He went to the public service to take the results of Relina's lab tests that could be seen.

After that Junda returned to see the doctor while carrying the results of blood tests, X-rays either on the lungs or some joints that are suspected of being problematic due to the impact of fights against drunk people.

Long enough Junda talked to the doctor until he finally came out of the consultation room with a pale face. He returned to the room while rubbing his face.

Junda returned to the treatment room and saw that Relina was still sleeping soundly, leaving Junda free to gently caress the girl's hands, head and cheeks. He could not escape his feelings that now the desire to protect and make him happy was even greater.

After that Junda also fell asleep on the side of the bed because of drowsiness that suddenly came attacking.

Relina woke up a few hours later, probably due to the drugs and antibiotics she was taking, so she could fall asleep soundly. He circulated his vision while collecting lives and his gaze stopped on Junda. The man fell asleep on his side with his seat and head resting on his two arms, making his back look curved.

Relina gently stroked her hair, she was grateful that God had sent down an angel. He promised himself, not going to trouble Junda after this.

Suddenly Junda straightened his head and saw what Relina was doing. So surprised was the girl and hurriedly pulled her hand, acting as if nothing had happened.

Junda smiled knot and said, “Come, do it again.” The man hoped that Relina would pet him. She longs for the tenderness and affection of people, other than her grandmother Shasi—, who has been replacing both parents and loving her wholeheartedly. He no longer expected much from the woman who was getting older and lately often sickly.

Relina looked reluctant, she switched the conversation while saying, “Am I able to go home tomorrow?”

Junda glared at Relina right in his eyeballs, then firmly he said, “You, if you're cured, you should rest at home and not have to go back to work!”

“Yes, there is none. But all of that is for your own good.” Junda said while showing the test results and Relina looked on indifferently.

“I know what that means, I can complications if not careful. I have congenital diseases, asthma and allergies, plus problems in the lungs. Then what do you care?”

Junda grabbed onto Relina's hand, approached the back of her hand to her lips and kissed her gently. He said, “I love you, Relina .. I like you,” shut up for a moment, take a deep breath again, “I want to take you to Bogor, you don't have to work too hard, you don't have to work too hard, and you can treat until you recover completely.”

Junda was determined to work on Relina's recovery, doing all that was best for the girl, not for anyone but for herself. He didn't want to lose another chance.

Relina looked at her hand that was still in Junda's grasp, this time she let even the former Junda kiss still feel.

The girl once thought silly when she found out about the myth that the Junda family believed, that she would sacrifice herself if she was a match with him.

The thought came when Relina first looked at Junda's face up close, which made her fall in love and willingly do everything even, having to sacrifice her life to protect her. Yes, if God wants Junda to make a fool of him. In fact he wrote this determination in a personal notebook containing all his agenda and activities.

Relina laughed at herself when she remembered this, for in fact she was now the one Junda had protected.

Junda realized his feelings had been long enough, but only this time did he manage to say them directly. Yes, only the girl managed to weaken her self-defense, until she did something that, she had never done before, was like forcing a kiss on Relina without excuse.

*****

Two days later Relina was allowed to go home, Junda still faithfully accompanied her, with pleasure. Opportunity during that time they use to explore each other and get to know more closely.

When Junda said his feelings, Relina did not immediately answer because Junda did not ask for an answer at that time. Even so, Relina seemed to open her heart, considering Junda's services were quite a lot to her. The girl had nothing to repay Junda's kindness, other than with her feelings, that was all she had.

“Finely, you told your uncle about what we talked about here. Faster is better,” said Junda while in the car that took them back to the Coffee Cafe.

 Seriate