Balfour huffed. âYouâre really growing a spine, huh?â
On the outside, Byran seemed tough, but on the inside, he was nervous. He was afraid that his brother would lose his temper and give him a piece of his mind.
Yet Balfour, although displeased, didnât lash out. Instead, he said, âYouâre not a kid anymore. Itâs about time you started thinking about settling down. But donât just jump on the bandwagon because you see others getting married.â
Byran looked serious. âIâm not jumping on any bandwagon. Iâve been thinking about this every day for three years. Iâve been thinking about how I can bring Ida back home. Bro, just agree to us getting engaged.â
Balfour pinched the bridge of his nose. âIâm just your brother, not your parent. Discuss this with our grandparents and father. If they agree, I wonât object.â
Upon hearing that his brother wouldnât object, Byran breathed a sigh of relief. âAs long as you agree, weâre half way there. Thanks, bro!â
Balfour fell silent.
Perhaps he said he agreed just to get it over with.
As Byran turned around, he saw Ida approaching from the kitchen with three small water bottles.
He quickly stepped forward and solemnly declared. âIda, my brother has agreed to our relationship.â
Idaâs expression was unreadable, but up close, he could hear her sigh in resignation.
She didnât respond to Byran. She merely set the water bottles on the coffee table. âBoss, itâs just water.
Give it to the kids.â
Ellinor gave her a slight nod.
Ida, seemingly uncomfortable under their scrutiny, turned and retreated to her room!
Byran followed her. He nearly got shut out, but thankfully he had the foresight to slip in before the door closed.
As she watched the two, a hint of concern flickered in Ellinorâs eyes. She turned to Balfour and said, âMr. Howard, you donât seem to be thrilled with the idea of Ida becoming your sister-in-law?â
âItâs not that. Ida is an excellent woman in all aspects. I just think Byran is not worthy of her, and theyâre not suitable for each other.â
Ellinor raised an eyebrow. âOh, please! I bet youâre just bothered by the fact that Ida is older than Byran. How shallow!â
Sensing that his sister was angry on behalf of her friend, Balfour sighed. âEllinor, even if I had no objections, would you really feel at ease letting your good friend marry Byran? The guy doesnât even have his own life figured out, so how can he be responsible for a woman and a family?â
If she had a choice, Ellinor would obviously want to find a mature and caring man for Ida, but now she didnât have a say in it.
Even though Ida always seemed aloof, she could tell that Byran was in Idaâs heart.
âMr. Howard, youâre not young anymore, but can you honestly say that youâve figured out your life?â
Balfour was taken aback. âUhâ¦â
Ellinor smirked. âWhat does it mean to have figured out life? Honestly, none of us have. I used to think I had it all figured out, but now? Itâs a total mess.
Mr. Howard, none of us have the pure emotions that Byran has. His feelings are nothing but pure sincerity, without hesitation or calculation. This kind of emotion is rare in todayâs world. It should be praised, not dismissed from our perspective, When it comes to love, none of us are as wise or as brave as he is.â