The Berries' Dilemma Season 1 Finale - Till The End Of Time

I rushed to the airport as quickly as I could. I wanted to see it for myself, I wanted to know, that she was safe, not because I was in love with her, it was because I cared about her.

Season finale – Till The End of Time

They were countless of people, no matter what time it was, or day, or month, or year, people were always there. The airport was a place I really liked. It was the platform to take us to places, places we forged immeasurable memories. I searched throughout the gates, one by one, looking for the right number. She was going to stand in front of the mentioned gate, waiting for me to find her, and at last, I did.
I smiled, I smiled widely as soon as I saw her standing. She was fine, she was looking better than ever. I marched to her slowly, opened my arms wide, and held her tight. I bet most people would think we were lovers, but the truth was, we weren’t, not anymore, not since college.

6 Hours ago.

“I have to go.” I told my wife earnestly.

“...Then go. Just go and don’t ever come back...” She replied faintly and closed her eyes.

“Don’t say that...When you don’t mean it.” I said as faintly as she did.

“What if I mean it then? What if, what if I say, I don’t love you anymore?!” She started being aggressive.

“Then it’s a lie! You’d be lying, I can feel it...You still love me don’t you?” I asked, desiring clarity.

“Not as much as I hate you right now.” She answered straight to my face. I took a pause before answering. I looked at her, she was angry, disappointed, sad, and tearful.

“I thought you’d forgiven me, after that night. I thought everything was fine after the meeting? When Syaz made us head, remember?!” I asked aggressively.

“Fine? Forgiven you?! You really think it was going to be that easy for me to do that?! You almost divorced me Straw! How do you think I feel about that?! Fine?!”

“...I gotta go..” That was all I could say, and it was all that was said.

The next day – 9.38 a.m

A fine meal for breakfast was all it took for anyone to for a moment, just for a quick moment, forget about recent downfall or unfortunate events. We were having breakfast just like how all of this started that morning, how a single second of foolishness and lust, had led us to the dark age.

“I was worried. You never called, you never told anyone where you went. You just left a freaking note, a note!” I said.

“Haha. Yeah I was pretty pissed.” Apple replied me.

“Not to mention inconsiderate and ignorant!” I added.

“EH pls! Ignorant?! Do you even know who our current prime minister is?” She asked me.

“Well duh, it’s that malay guy with the songkok.” I answered quickly. We both could only smile. “It’s great to have you back. I missed you.” I said after a long pause.

“Yeah, but I’m not gonna be back for good though. I’m going back to Hawaii in three days.” Apple confessed sadly.

“What?! Then why did you come back for?! You could’ve called!” I said rationally but insensitively.

“Oh my god don’t you remember what tonight is?” Apple asked me, and I was caught in my own head, trying to force information out of my rusty cerebrum. “In case you ever remember, I came home for that...Just, for that.”

11.11 a.m

“Finally!Malaysia!” Jizzy said excitedly as they both finished their inspection.

“Great to be home isn’t it?” Asked Tiny.

“You betcha.”

They searched for their new driver, Kino, who came to Malaysia all the way from Zimbabwe. In the limo, Jizzy and Tiny were sitting, with every bit of their energy drenched up from the long flight. They both had the same thing in mind, they both knew the reason why they were coming back earlier than they should.

“So are we really going, tonight?” Tiny asked.

“Well yeah, we came back for it.” Jizzy answered helplessly.

“But I bet no one is even gonna be there. I bet no one even remembers!” Tiny stated strongly, and Jizzy could only stare outside the window, thinking about his wife had said.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go, I don’t wanna drive all the way there for nothing. Plus we have to take the ferry.” Kitty was having the same conversation with his wife somewhere in Penang.

“Yeah, but it’s important dear! It’s only once a year! Remember last year’s?! It was super fun!” Ribena told her reluctant husband.

“That was last year, this year everyone is having a rough time, I bet no one even remembers.” Kitty let out his piece of mind.

1.56 p.m

“Yo man, do you know what tonight is?” It was the first thing Syaz said when Bulu picked up his phone.

“Yea man, are you going?” Bulu asked curiously.

“Of course, isn’t everyone going?” Syaz asked, now he was curious.

“I have no idea man. With how things went the last 2 months, I doubt anyone is gonna remember. Pussy knows now though, he’s next to me drinking his mineral water from his girlish water bottle.” Bulu said while smiling.

“Oh ya, well, we could always call the others, I’ve already packed, I’ll be on my way there in an hour or less.” Syaz told Bulu.

“Oh? Then we’ll pack and meet you guys, let’s go together.” Bulu suggested.

3.12 p.m

“Did you ever think this would happen after college? Me, you, alone, on a road trip.” Apple asked me while I was driving my fully customized Golf GTI.

“Nope, never. Ever since Smelly came along, I...I never thought anyone else would be with me. But hey, we’re not together or anything, it’s just-“ I was cut before I could finish.

“I understand. I mean we’re hanging out, we’re having fun.” Apple said.

“Those were the exact words Smelly said when she asked me to marry her.” I told Apple.

“Oh really? Wait, WHAT?! She asked you to marry her?! What the hell?!” Apple was freaking out.

“Well, yeah, it’s an interesting story that we never told anyone, she told everyone she met that I did it, well duh, I was supposed to, but she beat me to it I guess...Or rather, it was so sudden, I never really thought about it in the first place; proposing to her.” I told Apple while reminiscing the years before, when we were absent from the dark age.

4.24 p.m

The ferry was on its way to the beach. Inside, sat Ribena and Kitty, anticipating what lied beyond the ocean.

“I really doubt anyone’s gonna be here. I can’t believe you talked me into this.” Kitty told his wife for the thousandth time.

“Come on dear, it’s going to be fun. So what if no one is there? We can have fun on our own!” Ribena answered while clinging her arm to her husband’s.

“We have work to do, I still haven’t gotten that designer I wanted for the wardrobe for the movie, and-“

Ribena stuck her right pointing finger to her husband’s lips, indirectly asking him to shut up, and he did.

5.05 p.m

“Is the Tai Ti down?” Pussy asked, and nobody answered.

The four of them were play our family game by the beach, waiting for night to come so they could start the celebration, but it was just an excuse, each of them knew, that they were all waiting for the other berries to arrive. The private island in Terengganu bought by the Berries was more often than not, prohibited. However they were still people there around the year, visiting, indulged in their vacation fever. Most people on the island knew the Berries, the Berries were famous for making the island a hot spot for tourists.

At the same time, in the other part of the island, Apple and I were walking, not expecting on bumping into someone familiar, someone who had ‘Berry’ as one of their identities.

“We don’t have anything for fireworks.” I said.

“Who cares, no one else is here, I don’t even think we’re going to celebrate it.” Apple said with words that were filled with disappointment.

As we were walking, the unexpected became the opposite when Jizzy and Tiny were caught throwing grasp sand to each other. I looked at Apple who was already bursting with laughter.

“Oi!” Apple screamed.

“OII!” Tiny replied the scream. “Oh my god, is that Straw alone with Apple?” Tiny whispered to her husband Jizzy.

“Let them be la, don’t meddle with other people’s marriage.” Jizzy replied with a slower whisper as they both marched closer to me and Apple.

“Didn’t expect to see you guys here.” I said as we got close to each other.

“I could say the same thing.” Tiny let out the words sarcastically. Jizzy hit his wife’s arm from the back, indicating her to stop teasing.

“Is everyone here?” I asked as Tiny and Jizzy exchanged their silent thoughts.

“If by everyone you mean us then yeah.” Cried a familiar voice from behind me. It was Ribena and Kitty, the cheesiest couple in the family.

We exchanged words of unexpectations and later walked unknowingly as we continued our conversation. We talked as if nothing had happened. We talked as if no drama had took place for the last couple of months. We talked, normally. Normal never seemed so wonderful as it was now. We were laughing and kicking sand for numerous minutes. As we closed by the other half of the island, more familiar faces started appearing, this time, they were more than two.

6.31 p.m

“Oh my god, you guys are here!” Apple screeched from a couple of metres away from where Syaz and gang were playing chor tai ti for the fiftieth time.

“Oh hey!” Syaz cried out happily.

“Apple...” Bulu said faintly. It was obvious that was happier than ever to see her safe. Despite all that had happened, Bulu still cared for her as he always did, only difference was, he realized how different his care for her was compared to when they were married, he realized, that the love and care he had for her when they married, were all wishful thinking. It was reality now, and reality finally seemed brighter.

“Hey. You look great. You all look great.”

It had been two months. Most of us stopped talking to each other, but tonight, things were different.

8.09 p.m

Lights were dimmed, they were countless of them given to life by hotels and more hotels, but nevertheless, they were dimmed. We were all laughing and having fun exchanging kept thoughts. It was getting closer to our celebration. I looked and searched, searched hard for this person I called wife, for this girl I was madly in love with. The berries were eating the barbequed chickens and lambs, it was a heart-warming view. I changed failure to a conversation with Apple under a coconut tree.

“Can’t find her?” Apple asked while we were ravishing out chickens.

“Don’t think she’s here.” I said sadly.

“Who?” Belle asked out of the blue, getting into the conversation.

“My wife. My...missing wife.”

“Oh...Where’s Shells anyway?” Belle asked curiously.

“She went back to Australia already, something urgent came up with the company.” I answered.

“Oh..Erm..Listen, about your wife, she’s here actually.” Belle confessed slowly and quietly.

‘What? Where is she?” I asked excitedly.

“In the hotel room, actually we bumped into her while playing chor tai ti, but she insisted on being on her own. She asked me not to tell you though, but, I can’t do that now can I?” Belle confessed everything.

I put down my chicken, it was delicious and irresistible, but it wasn’t as my wife. I got off from the wooden bench by the beach, turned around, and saw her, standing like Ju-on underneath a big tree, deeper by the shore. I walked to her slowly, hoping that every step would make her miss and forgive me more. Fifteen steps. It took me fifteen steps to finally see her beautiful face.

“You know I put down my chicken just to find you.” It was the first thing that came to my mind.

“You look like you’re having fun with your college romance.” She said with an angry face. “I heard you two came here together, how romantic.” She added.

“It’s not what you think.” I tried to convince her.

“Whatever Straw, I came here for the rest of the family, not to see you or Apple.” She said her piece and walked away, and I was left stunned.

Bulu came over to where Apple was. They finally sat in front of each other, facing history right in the face.

“I heard you went to Hawaii. Where’s the flowers around your neck?” Bulu joked.

“I hung it in the room I rented, didn’t think I needed it here.” Apple said.

“Tonight’s gonna be a good night. I mean come on, the chickens’ awesome!” Bulu joked again.

“Haha, yeah, glad I came home for this.”

From afar, Syaz, Belle and Pussy came over with countless woods. They had collected the items needed for our bonfire, they were also things that we wanted to burn, useless things, bitter things.

“Okay guys, we’re gonna light up the bonfire soon, finish up your food and get your brown and yellow asses here.” Syaz informed every Berry outloud.

“Oi! Shit you!” Commented Smelly while laughing. That was who she was. She was always happy around others, she always acted as if she was all right in front of everyone, even when she wasn’t. It was one of her many selfish personalities to not make others worried.

We finished our food swiftly, and gathered around the piled woods.

“All right guys, I’ve saturated these things with oil, all we need, is this.” Said Syaz as he held a lit up stick. “Since 2 years ago, we’ve been here, at this very spot on this day and time, to celebrate what we are now, to celebrate, the day the Berries were formed, the day, we became a family.” Syaz acted his part as the senior of this family. “Straw, you are the man with the baton now, give a speech or something, I did it for two straight years, now it’s your turn.” He added.

“Owh, all right then.” I said and came forward. Syaz handed me the stick, and I held it proud. I cleared my throat loudly before started talking. “This year, has been hard for us, for most of us, but in a way, we have matured. Nobody said it was going to be easy, nobody said we were going to be happy forever, but nobody also said anything about how to deal with this, with marriage, with trust, with love. Nobody said anything, I guess we just have to figure it out by ourselves.” I stopped and paused before resuming. “I messed up a lot this year, and there is no apology in the world that could take everything back, but they say, that forgiveness is an act of god...So why not we forgive? I am not asking you, to forget what I’ve done, I am asking, for forgiveness. I am truly sorry...But tonight, tonight, is a special night. This was the day that we were formed, the day we all sat at this very spot, being blissful and loved so fiercely, cared so strongly, hugged so tightly. So let’s make tonight, after two exact years, the reincarnation, of the Berries.” And I stopped.

Everyone was looking at me, everyone had their own thoughts and ways of thinking. After an awkward silence, Belle clapped sarcastically and everyone followed with a smile on their faces. I placed the lit stick gently onto the pile of woods, and there it was, the bonfire that marked the Berries’ second year anniversary.
Some of us continued eating after the bonfire was born, obviously it was them. Some of us went to Syaz’s room to retrieve fireworks that Syaz had brought from Melaka, and the rest of us, were mending broken hearts, including our owns. I caught my wife staring into the fire alone. I marched to her, this time with normal speed, this time, with less hope.

“You know we’re literally destroying the environment right?” Again, it was the first thing that came to my foolish mind.

“Yeah.” She said with a faint smile on her face.

“You are becoming so bad. Remember the first year we did this right after graduation, and you said that you weren’t gonna do it next year, but you did it anyways?” Before I finished the question, she was already laughing.

“Hahaha. Yeah I remember. You said you find nice girls doing bad things to be sexy.” She said with a smile on her face.

“Oh yeah! I still find it sexy.” I turned my head rightward with hopes that she would look at me, and she did. “Where do we go from here Smelly?” I finally popped the serious question.

“I don’t know. For these few months, it seems as if, we’re going nowhere.” She said with an expressionless face.

“Then let’s go somewhere! Anywhere’s better than nowhere!” I replied rapidly.

She didn’t say anything, or maybe she couldn’t, either way, I did something I’d been wanting to do for the last 75 days. I held her tightly within my arms, shut my eyes completely, all we could feel was each others’ warmth, and echoes of the bonfire. In our hearts, we knew, we were the definition, of ‘Till the end of time’.
Bulu, Apple and Pussy were using empty talks to past time. It was a regular talk that became irregular since some time ago. It was the kind of conversation we would have during college, a conversation that reminded me, of normal.

“By the way, where’s that girl? The one who almost became a Berry.” Bulu asked insensitively.

“Oh, I don’t know man. Haven’t talked to her since, you know, the Holy thing.” Pussy responded, and Apple gave Pussy a pat on the back as comfort.
The remaining Berries returned to the bonfire with what seemed like limitless fireworks. Syaz had this evil grin on his face as soon as he looked at Bulu. They were probably plotting something evil.

11.59 p.m 11.11.2016

We scattered around the bonfire. I was finally holding hands with my wife again. Bulu, Apple and Pussy had past the awkward period and became family again, Kitty and Ribena got to eat countless chickens, Jizzy and Tiny were talking about cleaning bathrooms again, Syaz and Belle finally got to spend time with the family. It was a good night, no, it was a miracle, the miracle that we craved and prayed for. Syaz and Bulu placed the fireworks in order, and all that was left, was for us to light them up. We all got into positions with lighters in our grasp, and smiles on our faces. We had a countdown before lighting them, and as soon as it was over, the sky was filled with fiery lights and smoke, decorated with our screams of joy.

“HAPPY SECOND ANNIVERSARY BERRIES.”

The night-sky was bright and hazy, I took my wife’s hands and ran to the hotel with her. Everyone else was outside screaming joyfully, and in the midst of the sentimental celebration, marched a figure of a woman, closing by the bonfire. Every Berry stopped and stared, trying to figure out the sudden intrusion. It didn’t take long for them to realize that it was no mere intrusion, or intrusion in any kind at all, it was her, the girl who should have been one of us Berries. It was a special night for all of us, but for Pussy, it was judgement day

THE END