Dusk At the End Please

First Night

Dusk greeted, a row of orange had graced the sky of Bandung at that time. On the rooptop of a towering building someone was enjoying his solitude.

The gust of wind slowly made him sleep more and more in the daydream, it seemed he did not realize that the sky had been painted orange.

"Say people, sometimes pain will make us stronger. Fear will make us more courageous. And heartbreak makes us smarter."

"But may I use that thinking intelligence this time to remain optimistic, not to stop grounding the efforts and skyrocket the do'a to hope that now seems to have been dashed? isn't it easy for God to turn something painful into a very beautiful moment? because nothing is impossible when Allah said Kun Fayakun. Forgive me for my selfishness Shanum, I really can't stop this feeling. Let me continue to love you"

Akhtar spoke to himself. Such a great love for Shanum back should he be damped as hard as his heart.

"Once again, no one is okay after a loss. If anything, he's just too good at hiding flavors" he murmured.

While in Bogor...

Shanum who realized that his room was still dark even though it was already evening immediately moved from the top. He removed the traces of tears that had flowed profusely on his cheeks. He folded back the letter that was still at home in his grasp and stored in a safe place along with all the memories of Akhtar.

Shanum doesn't want it all to still be a part of his life. Right now Shanum is determined to dedicate his life to someone he has chosen to be his future. The priest will lead him to heaven.

Tok.dok...

The sound of knocking distracts Shanum from a box where all the memories of Akhtar are stored. He also kept it in the lowest cupboard so it is not easily affordable. Shanum intended to ask Fauzan to secure the items, hoping to enter the clearing room soon and never return.

Shanum immediately opened the door, and found a male figure who had now officially become her husband. An awkwardness now surfaced between them, Shanum standing in the doorway without letting Haqi into his room. She was confused as to what to do, this was the first time a foreign man would enter her room.

"Can I come in?" haqi asked dilute the atmosphere.

"Huh?" Shanum was dumb, clearly confused on his face.

Haqi who found Shanum's facial expression like that felt funny with his wife's behavior. He smiled kindly and repeated his question with gentleness.

"Can I come in?" reworked.

At the same time, Rida happened to come through Shanum's room next to her. He heard a stupid question he thought was asked by Haqi but there was no answer from Shanum's mouth.

"Steak!" rida's jolt solves Shanum's indistinctness.

"That Bang Haqi wants to go into the room, will you stop him? haha.." Rida reminds Shanum with a tone of ridicule and ends with a loud laugh because she feels funny with her brother's behavior.

"Oh, yes, please Bang" Shanum shifted his body and opened the door of his room wider giving way to Haqi in order to enter.

"Sorry Bang, Teteh I'm very cool but if the business ginian he really likes to be stupid, haha..." Rida again taunted her brother.

Haqi simply smiled in response to Rida's chattering.

"Ishh. Sorry Bang" Shanum glanced at the younger brother who was still laughing at him. Shanum exhaled his coarse breath after the departure of his sister, Haqi was already inside his room. Tonight will be the first night for her to be in a room with a foreign man who has now become her mahram.

Haqi circulated his gaze to every corner of the room he had just entered. Simple, but shows the strong character of the owner of the room. He smiled as he looked at the row of photos adorning one of the walls of his room. Haqi also stepped closer to the wall, watching the photos depicting Shanum's metamorphosis from time to time, so that he became what he is today.

Adhan Maghrib also reverberated, they agreed to perform congregational prayer for the first time in the room.

"Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullah wabarokatuh" Haqi concluded his prayer with a greeting as a closing greeting of the series of prayers.

"Oh Allah from now on let me wave at the feeling that is no longer worthy to dwell in my heart. Let me be at peace with myself, even if it feels more difficult" Shanum murmured in his heart.

"Sir...." Haqi still looks reluctant to take off Shanum's hand.

"Yes" Shanum looked up as he called.

"For me you are aamiin at the end of my prayer. Simple, be the last and able to make God smile. Thank you for being a part of the perfection of my religion"

Shanum was still mute he ventured to look fixedly at the man who was now in front of him and was clasping his hand tightly.

"How special is a woman. As a child, he opened the doors of heaven to his father. As an adult, she perfected the religion for her husband. And when you become a mother, heaven is under the soles of her feet" Shanum said in his heart.

"I want to be with you, Dek. I know the challenges of life after marriage will take a lot of physical and heart fatigue. There will be a phase of crying, disappointment and pain that must be lived, because that is how common love in the world is. It's not always beautiful, but I'm ready. And from all these trials I pray that one day I can hold your hand in heaven and say we are finally here" Haqi continued expectantly.

"Really, I want to build love with you. Passing through every joy and sorrow, weeping and laughter. Until we get old and old. Help me to be the best priest for you, who comforts you when you are sad. Who can share happiness when you are happy. And being able to share the most beautiful moments of our lives together"

The words that Haqi uttered made Shanum moved. He knew that the man holding his hand was his priest. He made his choice to the man in front of him. His obedience and devotion had to pass from his parents to this man. The man who will be the source of his paradise or his hell.

Shanum still stared fixedly at the face of the man who had now legally become her husband. The awkwardness was still evident from his attitude.

Haqi smiled at Shanum's misbehavior when his hand held him off.

"It's halal for you to hold, isn't it, Dek?" Haqi raised Shanum's hand which was still within his grasp.

Shanum just nodded stiffly at Haqi's question.

"Sir, getting married is about shared commitment and responsibility towards someone you choose. When we decide to get married, then we must be ready to work together to undergo all the tough challenges in our new life"

"From this moment let's step together, Deck. If there is an attitude that makes you uncomfortable, then talk and say which part you should fix"

Shanum nodded again, his gaze still fixed on the man who had already spoken at length to him.

Shanum's heart suddenly beat faster as Haqi brought his face closer to Shanum's. She was getting tense with what her husband was doing. Confused what to respond.

Haqi then whispered right in Shanum's right ear.

"Can we make peace with each other's past? you are with my past and I am with your past. We may not be able to be each other's first love, but we can always be each other's last. Let's be together"

Shanum's body seemed to freeze, this was his first experience interacting with the opposite sex with a position that was quite intimate according to him. During this time Shanum is very guarding himself from association with the opposite sex. His current position made him very nervous and misbehaved.

Haqi did not let go of his hand. He drew his body closer to Shanum as he whispered those words. He noticed Shanum's stiffening body as he approached, slowly distancing himself. The smile on his lips saw Shanum without pause with his face increasingly blushing made Haqi even more anxious.

Shanum further lowered her face, she was powerless if she had to continue to face her husband. This opportunity was used by Haqi to further tempt Shanum.

He brought himself closer to Shanum, his hand stretched out to grab Shanum's chin to look back at him. Shanum was forced to look up at the sight they met, Haqi getting closer to his face Shanum and......

Tok.dok...

"Teh, teteh..wait for everyone to have dinner" Rida's voice ripped it all away.