Around 6 pm, Garuvy and Lyos are exhausted after running around in the Barren Football Field.

"Enough, Garuvy. I'm tired..."

Garuvy smiles. "Yes, I'm tired too. Maybe we should stop for today..."

"Yeah.” Lyos nodded before he added. “I agree." He points to a long chair in the corner of the field with his left index finger. "Let's sit there for a while."

"Yes." Garuvy nodded. After Garuvy sits on the long chair, Lyos sits on her left side.

Lyos turns to Garuvy. "That was so fun, Garuvy!"

Garuvy turns to Lyos. "Yes! Let's play again tomorrow!" She smiles.

"Okay.” Lyos nodded before he continued. “There is another field in this village with two swings in it. We'll meet again at 3 pm in there. Can you come?"

"Yes, I can!” Garuvy nodded before she continued. “You want to play on the swings with me?" Her eyes are widened.

"Yeah.” Lyos nodded before he added. “By the way, I'm glad I met you, Garuvy."

"Yes, I'm happy too. And don't worry. As a Bothyner Anomaly, you won't regret being friends with me."

Lyos’ eyebrows are knitted. "Bothyner Anomaly? What do you mean?"

"I'm a Bothyner Anomaly. Just like you," Garuvy replied.

Lyos’ eyebrows are raised. "What? Is that true?"

"Yes. I'm a Gravity Bothyner Anomaly."

Lyos remained silent for a few seconds before he continued. "You have Ferbothy Disorder too?"

"No, Lyos.” Garuvy shook her head before she added. “I don't have it."

Lyos’ eyes are widened. "What? You're not lying, are you?"

"I can't lie to my first close friend."

Lyos’ eyebrows are knitted. "How come? Brother Haydrow and I have it, so why don't you have it too?"

"I don't know.” Garuvy shook her head before she continued. “Now is not the time to think about it, Lyos.” She turns ahead. “People still don't know much about the Bothyner Anomalies."

"Well, fine, then." Lyos turns ahead.

Garuvy’s face is crumpled as she turns to Lyos. "You're not jealous of me, are you?"

"No, it's okay, Garuvy.” Lyos shook his head before he added. “I'm just amazed. So, you want to become my friend because we're both Bothyner Anomalies?" He turns to Garuvy.

"No, Lyos. I approached you because I'm curious about you, more than just that you are a Bothyner Anomaly."

"Oh.” Lyos smiled before he continued. “Okay." He turns ahead.

Garuvy stands up from her seat. "I'm not tired anymore. It's time for me to go home."

Lyos turns to Garuvy. "Well, thank you, Garuvy. I don't feel lonely anymore."

"Me too. I'm happy to have a friend after so long." Garuvy smiles.

Garuvy walks out a bit far from Lyos. Then she waves at Lyos. "We will meet again! Goodbye, Lyos!"

After Lyos waves at Garuvy, she walks away from the field.

After Garuvy reaches her house, she goes to her mother's room. She sees her mother sewing clothes on her table with a sewing machine.

Garuvy smiles. "Mom, I'm home!"

Her mother’s eyebrows are raised. She stops working and turns to Garuvy. "Oh, it's you, Garuvy. How is it? Did you find a friend?"

"Yes! I found a close friend!"

Garuvy’s mother smiles broadly. "That's good! See? Anything is possible if you dare to try. Now tell me. Who is your close friend?"

Garuvy turns to her left side. "Well, he is unlike any other."

Garuvy’s mother’s eyes are widened. "What? He? Unlike any other? Don't tell me you just found a boyfriend!"

Garuvy’s eyebrows are knitted as she turns to her mother. "No, Mom. I'm still too young for that."

Garuvy’s mother smirks. "Oooh, I see. But 'he' is really 'he', right? Don't lie!"

Garuvy’s eyebrows are narrowed. "I'm not lying! I met a boy in a field, and now he is my close friend!"

Krona claps her hands. "That's awesome, Garuvy! You exceeded my expectations! Now tell me. Who is he?"

Garuvy smiles. "His name is Lyos Bimasaktyo."

Garuvy’s mother’s eyes are widened. Her eyebrows are raised. "Huh? Is that true?"

Garuvy smiles and nods.

"W—What are you thinking, Garuvy? He's dangerous! I already told you about him, right?"

Garuvy’s eyebrows are narrowed. "What I think is, we shouldn't treat him like a bad guy! That rule is too cruel! And people just obey the rule without thinking!"

Garuvy’s mother’s face is crumpled. "No, Garuvy. People are willing to obey the rule because they are afraid that they will make him furious if they are too close to him."

"Oh, then I'm braver than most people here! Wouldn't that be embarrassing for them?"

"Garuvy, you must know that most children have unstable emotions. They must have known about it. That is why they tried to avoid Lyos."

"They all know? Are they really that smart? I think a few of them don't really understand emotions. They really treated Lyos like a dangerous person, based on the news they heard. That's the truth, but it pissed me off!"

"Oh, looks like you are quite smart, Garuvy."

"Of course! Because I always get good grades at school! And even though I still can't get along with my classmates, I always observe them and hear what they say! Now I want to ask about the adults! Adults' emotions are more stable than children's, right? Then why are they still avoiding Lyos?"

"Well, there are two reasons for it. The first one, most adults don't have time to talk with Lyos. The second one, the adults have no choice but to obey the rule, because the rule was made by Mr. Burthe Saviery, the Levytatia Village Head."

"What's wrong with Mr. Burthe?" Garuvy asked.

"Well, you're still a kid, so it's normal if you don't know anything. Every time a villager breaks the rules in this village, Mr. Burthe always gives fines to the villager.

“He didn't tell us that we will be fined if we break the rule to stay away from Lyos. However, the employees in my fashion shop told me that they are afraid of being fined if they break the rule.

“Some of them have children, so they told their children to obey the rule in order to avoid the fine. That is why," Krona explained.

Garuvy’s face is crumpled. "I see. I have become close to Lyos, so will we be fined?"

"I don't know. I will ask Mr. Burthe later. By the way, you said that you still can't get along with your classmates. You should have found your first close friend at school. If your first close friend is Lyos, a kid from outside your school, you won't be able to see Lyos on certain days. Do you understand?"

"I already know that, but I tried to talk with my classmates. They are shocked because it's the first time I have talked so much in front of them.

“They started to be interested in me, but we're still not close yet. I'm not too interested in them myself.

“That's why I decided to look for friends outside of school. When I reached a soccer field, I found Lyos.

“When I think about him, I realize that he has some similarities with me. I decided to make him my first close friend, and I will become his first close friend too. Am I wrong for that?" Garuvy explained.

Garuvy’s mother remains silent.

"I don't want to do anything strange. I just want to become his friend. And don't worry. I won't make him angry," Garuvy continued.

"Okay.” Garuvy’s mother nodded before she added. “Do what you want." She smiled.

Garuvy smiles broadly.

"After all, you and Lyos are both Bothyner Anomalies. Your meeting was destined."

"Yes!” Garuvy nodded before she continued. “Thank you forever, Mom!"

Garuvy’s mother chuckled. "Hey, that is too much." She stands up from her seat. "Now I want to pick up your father. You have to look after the house."

"Okay, Mom!" Garuvy nodded.

Garuvy’s mother leaves her room.

***

A few moments later, the car driven by Garuvy’s parents comes to their house and enters the garage. Then they come out of the garage and close the garage door.

After they entered the house, they saw Garuvy sitting on a sofa while reading a children's magazine in the living room.

Garuvy puts her magazine on the table in front of her. She stands up from her seat and turns to her parents after realizing their arrival.

Garuvy smiles. "Dad! I have wonderful news for you!" She approaches her parents.

Her eyebrows are raised after seeing her father’s smile. "No need to explain. I already know." He clarified.

"Oh, is that so? Well, what do you think about it, Dad?"

"Congratulations on overcomin’ your fear! I'll give you somethin’ as a reward." Garuvy’s father replied.

Garuvy’s father takes a wallet from his right trouser pocket. He takes a banknote from his wallet with his right hand. He gives the banknote to Garuvy. "Here's 5,000 Ang for you."

Garuvy’s mother’s eyes are widened. "What?"

Garuvy’s eyes are widened. "Oh, thank you, Dad!" She receives the banknote with her right hand. "I swear that I will protect you forever!"

Garuvy’s father chuckled. "Hey, c’mon. I just gave you money."

Garuvy’s mother turns to her husband. "Is it that easy for you to give money to her? You are too kind!" Her eyebrows are furrowed.

Garuvy’s father turns to his wife. "No, you're too fierce if you say so. By the way, why does Garuvy keep sayin’ ‘forever’?" He chuckled.

"I told you that ‘forever’ is now her favorite word." Garuvy’s mother replied.

Garuvy’s father smiles. "Well, she heard that word for the first time from me. I told her to protect you forever, Krona. It's my fault."

Garuvy smiles. "It's okay, Dad! I like ‘forever’!"

"See, Thomas? She likes the word, so you should not blame yourself for that."

"Well, then.” Thomas turned to Garuvy before he added. “Do you have any homework, Garuvy?"

Garuvy turns to her right side. "Ah, yes. I have one."

"Then do your homework before you forget, okay?" Thomas ordered.

"Ah, okay. I will go to my room now." Garuvy leaves the living room.

***

Around 8 pm, Garuvy's family is having dinner together in the dining room by eating at the same table.

Garuvy sits on the chair in front of Thomas, and Krona sits on the left side of Thomas.

On their plates, there is rice mixed with chicken soto. Each of them has a glass of water to drink. After they finished their food, they started talking to each other.

Thomas turns to Garuvy. "Okay, Garuvy. We're havin’ dinner together because we want to talk about you and Lyos." It makes Garuvy turn to him.

Krona turns to Garuvy. "We have asked Mr. Burthe whether we are fined or not."

"Oh, I see, so… are we fined?" Garuvy asked.

Thomas and Krona remain silent for a few seconds.

"Yeah.” Thomas nodded before he continued. “I must pay 50,000 Ang to Mr. Burthe tomorrow."

Garuvy’s eyes are widened. Her eyebrows are raised. After a few seconds, she looks down with a crumpled face. "I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to disappoint you..."

"It's okay, dear.” Thomas nodded before he added. “When you approach Lyos, you don't realize if there’s a fine, right?"

"That is right.” Krona nodded before she continued. “It is not your fault."

Garuvy’s eyebrows are furrowed as she turns to Thomas. "I'm a kind person! I can be his close friend without making him angry!"

"Yeah.” Thomas nodded before he added. “We understand how you feel. If you want to be close to Lyos, do it. We won't stop you. And don't worry about the fine. Just think of it as a payment."

"Yes.” Krona nodded before she continued. “It's not free to approach someone who has Ferbothy Disorder, Garuvy."

Garuvy’s face is crumpled. "Maybe I should return the money you gave me, Dad..."

"No.” Thomas shook his head before he added. “Just save it! It's a reward for your courage."

Garuvy smiles while her face is crumpled. "Thank you, Dad..."

"You're welcome. Now, tell me. When and where will you see him again?" Thomas asked.

"Huh? Um... I will meet him again tomorrow at 3 pm in the field with two swings," Garuvy replied.

"I see. Have you finished your homework?" Thomas asked.

"N—Not yet..." Garuvy shook her head.

Thomas smiles. "Then go to your room now and finish it. We're done talkin’."

"Oh, okay, Dad." Garuvy leaves the dining room.

To be continued.