"What are you doing here bastard?!" Andrew snarled.
Zyro glanced at Aira, curving a smile before he shift back his gaze at Andrew. "I'm here to check you up I guess?"
"Stop jesting around f*cker!" Andrew shouts, snatching his collar. "My daughter is missing right now! I'm probably sure your son took her away."
"Calm down there Andrew." Zyro removes his hand from him, fixing his collar. "You're right my son and his friend took your daughter. Why? That's because you're imprisoning your own daughter. She can't even choose what she wants."
"See? I'm right! And who are you to say those words? I'm her father!" Andrew shouts angrily, making the teenagers flinch.
"How can you be a father if you're not allowing your own child to do what she wants? You're even deciding for her instead of herself," Zyro stated, trying his best to stay calm.
"Coming from a father who beaten his own son and wife?" Andrew laugh hysterically, widening his eyes.
"Yes I did that but it's all in the past! I've changed now and making up with my son!" Zyro yells, suddenly remember what he did in the past. "My point here is stop being a manipulated father—"
Andrew immediately punched his face, making Zyro step backwards. "F*ck you! Who are you to tell me that? Remember that you're the reason why Jira died!"
Rubbing his cheek, Zyro says, "Yes you're right I'm the reason why she took her own life. And I'll regret forever because of that." He breathes in. "Enough will all of this talk. I'll bring you to your daughter if you let them to be happy."
"Too much saying before he can finally said those words," Rico said inside his mind.
"And why would I do that?" Andrew raised her eyebrow, trying to attack again but Aira block his way.
"Don't tell me you forgot what Jira said to you?" Zyro asked mockingly, furrowing his eyebrows.
That words hit Andrew's mind very hard. His moments with Jira suddenly flashed in his mind. Shaking off his thoughts, he tried his best to calm down.
"Just bring me to my daughter," he commands, averting his eyes from him.
"I can't afford to bring you there without promising me that you'll allow them to be together," Zyro declares sternly, crossing his arms.
"Will your son guarantee my daughter's safety?" Andrew asks seriously, shifting his gaze back at Zyro.
"You should ask that question to my son directly," Zyro replied.
"Then I'll decide later whether I'll allow them or not!" Andrew shouts frustratedly, massaging his temple.
"How many percent you're going to accept them?"
"I don't know it depends to your son's explaination!" Andrew shouts.
Zyro shift his gaze at Rico, waiting for his decision. Rico nod his head, motioning Zyro to agree.
"Fine, then let's go. I'll bring you to your daughter, just promise me you'll not create a scene." Zyro took his key from his pocket.
"Fine!" he snarled, motioning the guards to prepare the car. Both of them went in their car, following Zyro's car.
Rico immediately went in his car too with Krystal and Maica, following the two. Meanwhile, Leonel received a call from Owen and immediately went to the place he said.
Aira notices how Andrew is gripping hard on the steering wheel. The Senior clenches his jaw, contemplating about what happened between him, Aira, Jira and Zyro.
Flashback
[September 1991]
"Where's Jira?" Andrew asks, placing his bag onto the bench.
Aira glanced at him putting her phone inside her bag. "She's not yet done with her last morning class. Wait, I thought you two are classmates?"
"We have different classes, don't you remember?" Andrew took his seat beside his girlfriend, wrapping his arm around Aira's nape. "Are you done with your science homework? Y'know being college is hard."
"Don't tell me you want to copy my homework again." Aira rolls her eyes.
"Of course not, I'm just kidding no." Andrew kisses her crown.
"What a nice timing." Jira cross her arms, seeing her two friends flirting with each other.
"Oh hey Jira," Andrew greets, without removing his hand on Aira.
"Finally you're done." Aira stood up, removing Andrew's arm. "Let's go." She snatches Jira's hand as they ran towards the cafeteria.
"They really left me psh," Andrew murmurs, following the two girls.
They started to eat inside the cafeteria while talking to each other. Aira and Jira are sitting next to each other while Andrew is sitting across them.
Andrew and Jira are friends since they were in 6th grade in elementary and they met Aira when they were in first year of highschool.
Aira's family belongs in millionaire family while Jira is an orphan and staying with her own apartment.
"What's that?" Andrew asks, pointing the violet bruise on Jira's left arm.
Jira immediately covered it using her uniform. "It's nothing I just slip on my way here." She laughed awkwardly.
"Don't lie, did he do that to you?" Andrew asks worriedly yet you could see the anger on his face.
"No, I'm really telling you the truth," Jira defended, scratching her nape.
"Jira you should break up with him. He's always hurting you physically and that's wrong," Aira stated, looking at Jira with her worried expression.
"Hehe don't worry, I know someday he'll change," Jira uttered hopefully, swallowing her food.
"When is that someday huh?" Andrew furrowed his brows.
"Just you wait, I believe he'll change." She wiggles her eyebrows.
"And when? When you're already dead because of his abuse?" Andrew asks sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"Hey don't say that kind of words!" Aira reminded, throwing a tissue on Andrew's face.
They all laugh happily, jesting with each other.
Their college life continue until they heard the news about Zyro going to detention room because of punching a professor. Since the professor let it pass, Zyro didn't receive any punishment except getting in the detention.
Aira and Andrew tried to persuade Jira to break up with Zyro but she still didn't listen. She loves Zyro more than anything, since he's the reason why she got away from her abusive orphanage.
"Stop pestering us!" Zyro shouts angrily, wearing his shirt upon seeing Andrew outside their apartment.
"What the hell are you doing in Jira's apartment?" Andrew snarled, clutching the box of chicken he bought.
"The hell are you saying? Of course I'm allowed to be here since I'm her boyfriend!" Zyro clenches his fist.
"What did you do to he-"
"Andrew?" Jira went off her apartment, only wearing his short and covering his breast using towel.
"You two did that?!" Andrew's eyes widen in shock and anger, looking alternately at them.
"So what we're in a relationship." Zyro tilted his head sideways mockingly.
Andrew immediately charged at him, grabbing his collar. "How dare you! After hurting her physically, you still have guts to f*ck her!"
"So what?!" Zyro snarled.
"Stop please!" Jira sobs.
Swallowing his anger, Andrew drop his collar, stepping backwards to draw some distance between the two.
"Why are you here Andrew?" Jira asks, forcing a smile.
"I just to give you this," Andrew answers, showing the box of chicken.
"I got this." Zyro touched the box and was about to steal it but Jira shouted him not too. Angrily, Zyro removes his hand, letting Andrew to walk towards Aira.
"Here." He gave the box to his friend.
"Thank you," she replies, accepting the box.
After that incident they never saw Jira again. She never attended her classes too in college. Andrew and Aira were very worried, they even tried to call her phone but it's already out of coverage. They went to her apartment but she's not there anymore.
Andrew decided to go to the orphanage that Jira came from, only found out that Jira was being abused there too.
"So Zyro is the one who saved her that's why she's hoping for him to change?" Aira asks. They're now in 4th year of college.
"Yes and the worst thing here is, Zyro is also abusing her too. Why she can't feel love she deserves?" Andrew shakes his head in disappointment. "I wish I could separate her from that bastard."
Time flies by until they had their daughter. They still haven't heard anything from Jira since their first year of college until Andrew accidentally saw her in the park.
[December 1999]
"Jira is that you?" Andrew asks, taking his seat on the swing beside the woman.
"Oh it's you Andrew huh? It's been a long time," Jira replied. She has plenty of bruises on her both arms. "How are you? I heard you have a daughter now."
"Yes and she's already one year old. How about you? How things going on with? You're still in a relationship with that man right?" Andrew asks, not wanting to look at her.
"She's already a year old? That means she's at the same age with my son," Jira said cheerfully, giggling.
"You have a son too? With Zyro?"
"Yes and they're very alike."
"Congratulations," Andrew mutters, even though he doesn't want Zyro to be her husband.
"Thank you." She stands up from the swing. "Then I gotta go. Anyways, promise me that you'll be a great father and will not abuse his daughter no matter what happens."
Shifting his gaze at Jira for the second time, he nodded. "Yes, I will."
"Then I gotta go now, see you somewhere!" Jira waves her hand, spinning on her heel.
After that day they never met again until Zackarius met her daughter when they were 13. Andrew noticed that Zack and Zyro has the same face, therefore he asked his collages to search about Zack's info, and he found out that he is Jira and Zyro's son.
Because of that, Andrew separated his daughter from Zack. He believes that both Zyro and Zack has the same attitude and behavior. He's afraid that once his daughter fell inlove with the young boy, Azalea might also experience what Jira experienced with Zyro.
Azalea's POV,
"So that's the reason," I said, once Zack is done telling the whole story about our parents in his father's point of view.
"Yes. Your father is just afraid for your sake, but his mistake is, he never let me prove myself first," he mutters, handing me the milk he took out from fridge.
"However, how did your father know that my father and your mom met in the park?" I asks, taking a sip of milk.
"My mom told him." He shrugged.
Abruptly, the door fell open and Ashley emerged from it. He's sweating a lot, catching his breath.
"I thought you're already sleeping, what are you doing outside?" Zack asks, sitting beside me.
"I'll answer that later! Be prepared they're already here! Sir Zyro, Senior Andrew and Seniora Aira!" Ashley shouted nervously, holding the doorknob.
Zack and I exchange a glance at each other, nodding. We already decided what we're going to do once they arrive. He also told me the whole story regarding this plan of them. Rico was the one who started it and told Zack to help him. At first, I couldn't believe that Rico helped Zack to take me away, but in the contrary I'm so happy that he did this for me. I'll probably thank him once I saw him. I know he's hurting inside but he still wants me to be happy. His feeling for me is really genuine, but I won't be able to return it back. He deserves someone that'll return his love.
Zack hold my hand as we both went off the rest house. We saw them waiting for us at the gate.
"Azalea!" My father shouts as he ran towards us.
Zack immediately put me behind his back as we stopped from walking, waiting for my dad to arrive in front of us. Uncle Zyro and mom also followed my dad.
"Azalea why did you ran away like that? You made me worry." He holds my right hand, staring at my eyes worriedly.
"I'm sorry." The only word came out from my mouth.
Wordlessly, he shifts his gaze at Zack who's looking at him firmly. He's not the scared Zack anymore.
"Why did you take away my daughter? You could've ask me first," he uttered seriously, dropping my hand.
"If I do that then you wouldn't allow us," Zack replied, suddenly fell on his knees, entwining his hands. "Please Senior Andrew, give me a chance to proven myself to you and to your daughter. I promise that I'll love and protect her forever!"
We all look so stun when he suddenly did that. Tears are forming up in my eyes again, seeing the man I love begging for my father's permission.
Mechanically, I bent down my knee, copying Zack's pose. "Please dad, let us love each other! Please let us prove ourselves to you that our love is genuine and true."
He didn't answer, he just stares at us wordlessly. I kept my eyes on him while Zack is facing the grass.
"What are you going to say Andrew?" Uncle Zyro smirks, making my dad wince in anger.
"Both of you stand up," he commands sternly.
"I won't stand up without your answer dad/senior!" Zack and I said in unison.
"F-Fine! I'll let you see each other from now on. But in one condition, Zack you should prove to me your worth and your love for my daughter. I should see how genuine you're for her, understand?" he asks, ruffling his hair messily, making mom and uncle Zyro laugh.
"Thank you Senior!" Zack answered as we both stand up.
Smiling, I look at him and laugh at the same time. Finally we'll be able to do what we want.
***
The ending is near!