Priska didn't want to delve into Indra's terrible past, but she was trying to understand the type of women her husband liked. Alright, scratch off Sigi and Indra's first girlfriend. Why? Because her husband loved Sigi selflessly during their college days, while Indra’s actual first girlfriend was a bad memory from his rebellious teenage years. Priska needed a lot of information about every woman her husband had ever dated or even just briefly hung out with.
Yes, Priska knew she wasn’t perfect, and neither was Indra. But she had been his wife for almost two years now, so she had the right to know everything about him, even if it ended up breaking her heart. Priska really did have a habit of seeking out trouble.
She was at Ardo's new house, Indra's friend. It was quieter there because only Lila, Felix, and Ardo were around, while the old house was reserved for employees and the filming crew. The new place wasn’t far from the old one, but it was more comfortable and offered more privacy for their small family.
Priska and Ardo were in the living room, while Lila was helping Felix bathe. This year, their child was turning 5 and was already in kindergarten.
“Why are you so curious about Indra's younger days? I mean, he’s still arrogant with his subordinates, whether it’s Ethan or Boy or whoever, but Indra is very different now from how he was before. Remember, you guys already have Gaffie,” Ardo said, resting his chin on his hand.
“Indra is my husband, okay? I can do whatever I want,” Priska replied sharply.
“Seems like you’ve gone a bit crazy now, Pris? You used to be so calm.”
The semi-curly-haired man had been staring lazily at Priska since she appeared at his door. He complained because it was cutting into his playtime with Felix. Ardo had just returned from out of town that morning and missed his child dearly.
Then Ardo reluctantly started recounting how his friendship with Indra and the others began. How Indra once skipped school for weeks after his mother’s death and only agreed to go back after Aldo persuaded him. Indra started acting out after befriending a new kid from another class.
“A new kid?” Priska asked, feeling anxious.
“Yeah, a girl… from another class. They met by chance at the cafeteria, then they dated, and then… well, you know what I mean, right? A teenage boy, full of curiosity. But when it happened, he got caught in a trap. It didn’t take him long to move on, but he started hitting the gym, and the only person he wanted to take with him was me at that time. Rey was just a sometimes gym-goer, following the mood, FOMO.”
Ardo said that among Indra’s four close friends, only Rey and Ardo enjoyed intense physical exercise, even though they often played basketball together. Aldo preferred studying and reading books, not liking excessive physical activity. Meanwhile, Tomi had already started smoking since high school, so his stamina wasn’t great.
“But Indra was also a smoker,” Priska noted.
Ardo shook his head. “He didn’t start smoking right away, Pris. He only picked it up during college. You know he went for a bachelor’s degree at two different universities at the same time. How did he not go bald from the stress? His way of dealing with it was smoking. Besides, his physical strength was good, so it didn’t really affect him.”
“Why do guys always turn to the gym when they’re heartbroken or stressed? I don’t really care about that stuff.” Priska frowned at the idea of Indra's younger mindset.
Alright, having a good physique might be a source of pride, but relationships between people aren’t that shallow. Priska had been won over by Indra not because of his masculine physique, but because of his drastic change in behavior, becoming sweet and caring during the early days of their relationship. To be honest, Indra wasn’t the type of man Priska dreamed of when she was younger. Indra was too tall, and his nature was arrogant.
Priska had been an orphan, financially struggling, with average achievements. She was used to living alone and having to fight harder than other kids her age. For her, the emotional connection she had with Indra was what made her consider marriage and dare to dream big, allowing herself to be a little selfish in making herself happy.
Ardo then grinned as he grabbed a pack of colorful candies from a glass jar. “Do you want a serious answer or a joke?”
“What do you mean?”
“Answer my question first, Pris. Then I’ll explain from a guy’s perspective.” Ardo unwrapped a candy and smiled slyly.
“What if I say ‘serious’?” Priska was confused about where this conversation was going.
“Because it’s better than killing someone, Pris.” Ardo threw the candy wrapper into the nearest trash can and scored a perfect shot. At the same time, Felix appeared from behind with Lila and their dog.
“Huh? What? That’s crazy,” Priska replied, bewildered.
Ardo shrugged indifferently. “Ask your husband if you don’t believe me. At first, he was heartbroken and trying to vent all his negative emotions. Plus, he was grieving his mom's death. Over time, his goal changed a bit. Just don’t dig into his relationship with Sigi, that one’s even more dramatic. It’s funny!”
“Hi, Priska, what would you like to drink?” Lila smiled warmly. “It’s terrible that my husband hasn’t offered you anything.”
“Ow! Don’t step on me, dear,” Ardo grumbled as Lila stepped on his foot.
Lila turned back to Priska. “Do you like honey pie, Pris? I bought some snacks for Felix this morning and stocked up. You can take some home later.”
“No need to go to any trouble, Sis. I won’t be here long,” Priska replied.