C2 Two

"Buonasera, Nonna!" said a man, stretching out his arms when welcoming an old woman wearing an expensive suit and classic sunglasses decorated with Swarovski crystals. "I miss you," he continued, then hugged his beloved grandmother warmly.

(Good afternoon, Grandma!)

Even though the woman's body has aged, her appearance still looks fit and agile. Her back is not too bent like other grandmothers who are already in their 80s in general. Beauty is still visible on her round face, except for wrinkles, even though she often undergoes monthly facial treatments using 24-carat gold. Her curly, white hair hung down to her shoulders and swayed in the wind.

"I miss you too, Jake. You're getting more handsome like your father," said the woman, patting the broad shoulder of the man called Jake. "What a Luciano derivative."

Jake chuckled and became embarrassed whenever he heard excessive praise from his grandmother, Barbara. However, it cannot be denied that everyone who meets or passes them always says that Jake looked like his father when he was young. His tall, straight body posture, sharp dark grey irises, jet black curly hair as dark as night, and a firm jaw framing his neat face were also inherited. Could it be because he was his first child? Jake guessed that most of Fabio Luciano's DNA flowed through his every vein.

Who knows.

Jake turned briefly towards the fuselage of the Boeing 787-8 BBJ with the LC logo on the tail painted in brick red as the symbol of the large Luciano family. It looked dashing and charming in the twilight when the plane moved slowly to park on the north side of Ngurah Rai Airport. Then, holding Barbara's hand while exchanging stories about news and things they had done while hundreds of miles apart. They were followed by several men in formal clothes and smooth hair dragging several large suitcases belonging to Barbara.

"You have a lot of stuff. Is Nonna going to spend time here until the end of the year?" Jake teased, to which Barbara replied with an annoyed chuckle. "Jeez, why?"

"You won't believe that this year's summer sucks," Barbara grumbled as the shiny black Roll Royce Phantom stopped right at the airport pick-up area. "And I agree with your suggestion; maybe I must stay here until the problem is resolved!" The lines of her lips smeared with red lipstick stretched briefly towards the bald man who greeted her politely.

"Just leave it to me, sir," Jake interrupted, holding the driver from opening the car door for Barbara. He wondered what happened to his grandmother to make her grumble like that. Does this have anything to do with the vineyards in Tuscany?

Behind the luxury vehicle was a white Alphard used by bodyguards to drive and store Barbara's belongings. Jake asked the grandmother to sit down immediately before continuing the story until her face became displeased. Then, Jake waved at the second car, telling the men to rest directly after the long journey from Bologna. He signalled the driver to leave first and take them to the family accommodation in Sanur.

"Thank you, Mr. Luciano," said one of the men before leaving.

"Relax while you're here," Jake said kindly. They bowed respectfully, said thank you again, and got into the car. It wasn't until Jake walked around the car and sat down on Barbara's left side that he asked, "What happened?"

"Crazy tourists from Germany are picking and eating my grapes, Jake!" Barbara grumbled in annoyance. Her face immediately turned red like a boiled crab, unable to hold back the anger already boiling to the top of her head. "Without clothes, too!" She massaged her forehead, feeling her blood pressure suddenly rise every time she remembered that disgusting and inelegant incident. She couldn't even sleep soundly due to the mischievous hands of irresponsible tourists touching her vineyard.

Not just this once. The incident that happened to Luciano's vineyard occurred repeatedly when summer arrived. Tourists from several neighbouring countries, including Germany, always visit to see a short tour of how a bottle of wine is produced. It's a shame that a few unscrupulous people are so casual and innocent in stealing wine even though they are not tour group members.

There was even someone who dared to break into the fence and lay out a picnic cloth without the slightest feeling of guilt but even barked when reprimanded. If allowed to continue, this will affect the amount of wine production, where grapes are the primary raw material. Surely Barbara doesn't want to lose, right? Where there are tour tickets, that's where they can enjoy the wine in calculated quantities.

Barbara understands that people from the Panzer country enjoy recreation and eating fruit, especially in the spring. However, their target was very wrong because most Italians depended on the grape harvest at a time when demand for red wine had increased drastically. Meanwhile, ignorant tourists joke that if they have paid for a wine tour ticket, they can eat as much fruit as they like without even wearing a single thread. They argue that this is one of their rights as tourists. Isn't that wild? Are they humans or animals? Barbara grumbled to herself.

"How much did they spend?" Jake asked, worried. Maybe this is why his father couldn't come to Indonesia for his annual family holiday in Sanur.

"Four baskets per pair," grumbled Barbara. "If every day? Can you imagine our company could experience a wine crisis, right?"

Jake nodded in understanding, holding Barbara's tiny hand tightly. "I'll try to find a way out, Nonna."

"Lo apprezzo tanto. You can always be relied on, Jake," said Barbara, lovingly kissing her grandson's cheek. "It's not wrong that Fabio has great trust in you."

(I appreciate it)

"Come on... my brother Ezio also helps me a lot, Nonna," said Jake, not wanting to get big-headed.

"That's right. But, you're the main heir, Jake," whispered Barbara, poking her beloved grandson's sharp nose with pride.

###

The Bondi Scout Hall community hall at night is filled with people dancing freely to the passionate music of the Spice Girls from the speakers. They move swiftly without specific rules, following their instincts to relieve fatigue after being busy with a lot of work. Armed with a beam of green light pouring from the end of the entrance, reflecting the shadows of the piles of chairs surrounding the hall, everyone danced without any obstacles, including the influence of alcohol.

"If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends!" shouted Anna and Shanon simultaneously.

They lost themselves in the lyrics of Wannabe, the main song on No Lights No Lycra tonight. They were simultaneously shaking their shoulders, facing each other, then turning their bodies, nudging each other's buttocks even though Shanon's body was more significant than Anna's.

Anna raised both hands in the air, prancing more and more energetically, following verse after verse sung by the vocal group from England. She was not paying attention to the sweat dripping down her skin and through her clothes—even the crevices of the bra. For Anna, participating in this activity is like exercising at the gym. The difference is that he doesn't need to lift weights or run on a treadmill. Just stand, sing, and dance with people without fear of being in the dark.

Satisfied with draining his sweat, she rushed out of the hall with Shanon to fill their stomach, which were roaring for their turn to be filled. Their throats also felt dry, as if they were in a barren field, waving and needing water after they screamed non-stop. They laughed and thought such events suited people who wanted to go wild without embarrassment.

"Never mind dancing in the dark, maybe even making love there. They won't be embarrassed," Shanon joked in response to Anna's pinch on the arm. "Argh, that hurts a bit."

"Because you said it innocently," replied Anna. "Where do we rest?"

"Courthouse Hotel," answered Shanon, pointing to the sign at the end of the road.

The two-story building is painted a pale and worn yellow, while in some parts, it is coloured dark green. This place has been a haven for people to relax for decades and has been nicknamed the Newtown icon. It didn't take long to reach it; Shanon and Anna were greeted by long wooden tables and chairs adorning every corner of the bar, while old trees shaded visitors during the day to make them feel comfortable and relaxed. Meanwhile, the black-painted lampposts will emit a soft and subtle yellow light at night, providing romantic effects if you invite your partner.

They almost ran out of seats if a man covered in tattoos on both arms hadn't waved to offer them a place. Shanon responded to the 'unknown' man's invitation while dragging Anna to join in and ignoring his cynical gaze.

"G'day mate!" said the fierce man with a friendly smile. "I'll be done in a moment."

"Oops, sorry," replied Shanon uncomfortably, then stretched out one hand. "I'm Shannon."

"Just call me Benjamin or Ben. It's up to you," said Benjamin, shaking Shanon's hand. "And you?" he asked Anna.

"Anna," answered Anna kindly.

"You're not like the people here," said Benjamin when Shanon raised his hand to ask the waiter for a menu.

"Yes, I'm from Indonesia, and I'm just here to work and have fun," explained Anna.

"Good on ya, that's interesting," said Benjamin, looking at his cell phone screen. "Ah, sorry. I have to go to meet my friend. Enjoy your day!" he said goodbye as he approached the two girls with the casually dressed waiter.

"Fucking hot," Shanon whispered in reply while watching Benjamin's footsteps until he disappeared from view and was met by Anna's elbow in the arm. She turned to the man who had brought a food and drink menu, "A bottle of Lagom Premium red wine, beef nachos, and my friend--"

"Just the same," said Anna.

"Additional?" asked the waiter, sounding friendly.

"Salad, thank you," said Shanon with a wink.

"Wow, we're going to be drunk all day, Shanon," said Anna after the maid left.

"This is your farewell, Annie," replied Shanon, assuring her friend that this night would not happen again when Anna returned to her home country. "Before you return to Indonesia, I want us to party until we can't walk anymore. Besides, I want to enjoy myself with Lagom after our long night in the ICU. Don't you know my favourite wine, huh?"

Anna shook her head while curling her lips. "As far as I know, all the wine in your eyes tastes delicious."

"That's not all, Mate." Shanon put her arm around Anna's shoulders, looked thoughtfully into the girl's brown eyes, and said, "Lagom's pleasure is just like the charm of his owner. He is on the list of the sexiest men I have ever seen. Sexy, Anna, damn, so sexy that you want to kneel in front of him ."

"Not in the world?" Anna teased, gazing at the waiter who had come with her order. "You're too much, Mate." Anna was drawn to the black bottle labeled Lagom, which was coated in gold, giving the impression of being expensive and luxurious. It says 2018, the year the grapes were picked, has reached five years, which people say is enough to get the perfect taste.

Anna is not a big fan of wine like Shanon, who is still enthusiastic about talking about the achievements of Lagom, whose company is headquartered in Tuscany. Occasionally, he buys them for certain occasions, especially when celebrating his birthday or experiencing heartbreak.

"That means he's still less charming than Ian Somerhalder," replied Anna in reply to Shanon's sentence, who adored the man who owned Lagom.

"Tsk!" Shanon snorted in annoyance as she let the waiter show him the brand and year of the drink she ordered. Then, the man opened the wine bottle using a corkscrew and placed two glasses on the table. "Thanks!"

Shanon hastily poured the drink into a tall-legged tulip glass and handed it to Anna. She has to prove that this drink is as sexy as Lagom's. The owners went crazy over the past few years when they promoted it to Sydney.

"Try it, Annie. Take a deep breath and feel the aroma of grapes mixed with mint, cherries, and blackberries teasing your nose. You will imagine a shirtless, muscular man sitting on the balcony waiting for you to do something naughty," explained Shanon, excitedly imagining a burly man. A descendant of the Greek Gods stopped by his balcony wearing only a thin silk cloth.

"Hah?"

Anna gaped until she unconsciously revealed her characteristics as an Indonesian citizen. Shanon laughed but still told her friend to do as asked. She poured herself some wine and then shook the leg of the wine glass to reveal the aromas of the drink before sniffing to feel the sensation of her all-time favourite wine.

Anna imitated, sticking her nose into the glass, just looking for an answer to her curiosity about why Shanon was so crazy about Lagom. She knew that drinking red wine like this made one feel like she was in a place with high-class people. Don't forget the classical music accompanying it, not the pop-rock music now playing throughout the bar area. Completely the opposite!

Once she smelled it, Anna confirmed that there were aroma characteristics she couldn't describe. It is a kind of combination of herbal and fruity fragrances in one. Reminds him of a famous perfume brand. Victoria's Secret? Anna tasted a little, letting the drink sit in her mouth so that it spread on her tongue and penetrated every taste bud.

A moment later, she was stunned when a light and smooth layer of silk appeared on the roof of her mouth. From blackcurrant, cherry develops into cocoa, black pepper, and a hint of oak on the palate. When swallowing and going down the oesophagus, another sensation comes like harmony. The sweet taste is quite dominant, followed by acidity, which is not too high, and ends with a bitter taste, which is not too strong.

"What do you think?" Shanon asked, raising and lowering her thick eyebrows, already able to guess Anna's amazed expression. "Can you imagine a hot, sexy man welcoming you to make love until you faint?"

"Shanon, come on..." Anna blushed but didn't deny Shanon's wild opinion. "This drinking has nothing to do with romance."

"There is. You're just too old-fashioned!" Shanon blurted out irritably.

"Damn!" Anna exclaimed, hitting her friend's arm in exasperation. "So, how does the owner of Lagom look like and put him on your list of hot men in your life?"

"Not much information; I mean, he doesn't want to be exposed by the media. So, most of the internet is talking about his family and his fiancé." Shanon opened his cellphone and the Instagram application where the JL001 account with hundreds of thousands of followers was displayed. "See? He only shows off the view, a damn hot back shot, and curls that I would love to run my fingers through if there were a chance for ONS. Never once does he show off how handsome the human is. So, I always shadow him like Apollo."

"Jeez, you're crazy!" taunted Anna.

"I'm right. He's nicknamed the Sexyback, back man, or sexy ass. His butt, Annie, you can see how dense it is under those pants," Shanon pointed out as if he was drooling.

"Where does he live anyway?" Anna asked curiously.

"You didn't know?" Shanon widened her eyes. "Jesus! Open your eyes, Annie. He lives in Bali. He might be your neighbour in the same country as you, province, or city! God, why is my friend so blind to Your masterpiece?"

"I don't have time to think about hot men like the ones in your head, Shanon," said Anna, sipping her drink again. Damn, Lagom wine is delicious, Anna thought; she would add this brand to her list of favourite drinks.

"You're too self-protective, Annie. If you meet a guy with these characteristics, let me know. OK?" Shanon asked, rounding her pupils like a puppy asking for mercy.

"I'm not sure. You're going crazy like this," Anna sneered, sticking out her tongue, and then gulped down the red wine until it was finished. On the other hand, I'm curious about this JL001.

Who's he?