Hot Couple: Inara's Love Story

Longs

》Your presence by my side makes me really dependent. Without you it feels weird. If only you were here, my wounds would not be this pure, for you are the antidote to all my pain and the antidote to my every sorrow. If you feel, I miss you so much.

I think Reza deliberately wrote those stupid words via whatsapp to get my attention. But I can't prevent myself - I still care about him. What if he lets himself get sick to get my attention? What if his stubbornness exceeds my head?

《Stupid! Take your painkiller.

》Alright, I'll drink. Thank you for your concern. At least I still feel like you've always been there for me.

《Do NOT GR! I care because I caused the wound. Don't act like I'm still your girlfriend.

》I won't argue with you. I know, you also know, and we both know, about what is in our hearts. That bond will never break even if we are thousands of miles apart. I Love You, Mrs Inara Dinata.

Oh my God, why is this so complicated? If being with him is difficult, why is staying away even more difficult? Why is this feeling so torturing to me?

I knew Reza was right about that bond, the bond between us - a bond that would never be broken - or actually just unbroken, despite the fact that this heart was already broken. But...

Hey, he fits Salsya well, he likes to hurt himself to get attention. Goddamnit! Why should I care?

Put my phone. I'm out of the room, I need some fresh air. Unfortunately, the city is now made of poison, the air contains lead, exhaust fumes, and toxins that can kill my heart.

I went to the front porch, there was Ihsan sitting alone there. He was engrossed in his cell phone.

"Hey, why? How manyun?" Ihsan asked as soon as I realized that I was standing by the door. To the cross I was standing there, I went to him. "Oh yeah, Mas Reza was posting a video on Instagram, hashtagged it for you someone I miss -- Because I Love You. This is a Dygta song in the Reza Dinata version. Wanna hear?"

I shook my head, pretending not to care about the video. "Why, anyway, Mas Reza is still being sweet as if nothing happened? Just now he was whatsapp, he said his wound hurt. I had to respond to it. Because of me he got hurt. Naturally, right, I care? I still love."

Ihsan smiled a little. He caught the intent behind my long-winded sentence. "You think Mas Reza helped Salsya because she still loves Salsya?" guess Ihsan, exactly and without a stale base.

"It could be, right?"

He's nodding. "Yeah, it could be. Who knows," he said. "But I don't think it's because it's still love. Sorry, lo, yes, I'm not defending Mas Reza. I'm just explaining this from my point of view. For example, if I was in Mas Reza's position, if you threatened me to commit suicide, I would care, because I love you as my sister. Or if Aarin threatens me, I'll care because I love him, and he's my girlfriend. Whereas if other people did that, I would also still care, care as a fellow human being. Because what? Because not everyone can be indifferent to others, the people around him. Not everyone can be as indifferent as you."

I grunt. "Then, was my attitude wrong?"

"Come on," said Ihsan, shrugging his shoulders. "Ask that to your heart. But for sure, no one blames you, neither does Mas Reza. Everyone has their own character." Ihsan was silent for a moment, then stood up. "I'm going down, hungry. Wanna come?"

I shook my head. "I'm full" I said. And, I decided to go back to the room after Ihsan left to go downstairs.

If only you were here with me

Maybe I'm not alone

Your shadow always accompanies me

Decorate my night

I want to be with you

I will never turn away from you

Even if you're far away from me now

Kan s'lalu kunanti

Because I love you

This heart always calls your name

Hear my melat

I promise only for you my love

There will never be another

Is it missing in your heart

Like a miss I think

Can I keep falling asleep

Without you by my side

I will always wait for you

Why do I hear his voice too? But...

That song is for me, I know it. I could even feel Reza's presence just by hearing the song while closing my eyes. Reza sings it with all his feelings. Her feelings. Like me, Reza believes that music is a cosmic language that speaks directly to our souls, easing pain and reminding us that we are not alone.

"Let's hear Reza's voice, huh?" ask my mom when I open my eyes. He was standing in front of me earlier. As a result I could only grin and blush, because I was caught listening to Reza's voice to not know and not hear when my mother knocked on my bedroom door.

I'm nodding. "Nara kangen" I'm afraid.

"It's ok. Just listen if it makes you feel any better" she said as she approached me, then she leaned over and kissed me. "May it put you to sleep. Mother does not want you to get sick."

I shook my head, and I smiled. "No way," I said. I showed the earphones and slipped them into the ears. "The sound will put Nara to sleep. Mother need not worry."

When I woke up the next morning, I realized two things. First, right said Reza, everything feels strange. Usually he always kisses me before I go to sleep, or once when we were far away, he always calls me and waits for me until I am completely asleep. Now I feel lost, and, even though I'm asleep, I don't sleep well, I wake up all night. And second, my morning is no longer beautiful. I was used to preparing breakfast for her, and now I can't even see her face.

I miss.

However, as soon as I checked my phone before I came out of the room, Reza's whatsapp notification had already graced my phone screen. Yep, at least it makes me feel a little relieved.

》Good morning my beautiful girl. Take care of yourself and always take care of your heart.

《Hei! You are the one who should take care of the heart. Goddamn bum!

》Wkwkwkwkwk Kamuuu. We're better, yeah. You are angry not for long, not more than three days. I was lonely and not strong enough to resist longing.

Cuneiform! He deserves to be crazy about me. Something is wrong with his brain. If there was no Salsya, I thought Reza was the right man for me. A pair of crazy people complementing each other.

The next day, Reza again sent a message via whatsapp and still pretend that everything is okay.

》This morning I still can't push up. I hope after this you no longer hurt my shoulder, or you can no longer feel this burly muscle hugging your body tightly. And yeah, here's my shoulder-the place you lean on, not the kind of meat you're free to prick before you make satay.

Uhuh.. somehow I became laughing and immediately fantasizing wildly. I began to imagine our affection yesterday, when those sturdy arms were coiled around my waist, then the scent of his sweaty body, which was able to sedate me with an intoxicating sensation, also the heartbeat and the roar of his breath that is able to make my heart pounding incoherently.

Ah, nevermind. I can't spend time with silly fantasies about Reza. But to be honest, the messages it sent did make me feel better. I was no longer worried about him, no longer thinking about whether his wound was still sore, whether he was eating enough, or whether he was getting enough rest. Besides that I realized that was his goal, he didn't want me to worry about his condition, and he wanted me to always remember him and continue to communicate with him.

But...

It turns out that on the morning of tomorrow again, Reza did not send whatsapp to me, it makes me feel anxious again and again worried about the situation. He and I broke up for three days and just this morning he didn't try to contact me. I was forced to seduce my mother to call her, just to ask her how she was doing, if she was okay, if she was healthy, and what about her injuries -- whether her injuries had improved. I have a lot to know about him.

"Reza is good, thank God is healthy, Reza's wounds have also been lightened," he said. I could hear his voice because my mother activated her phone loudspeaker.

"Well, you've heard it yourself, haven't you, sweetheart?" my mother said loudly. "Mas Reza you're fine. What else should you ask?" said.

"Ih, Mother..," whine. "Nara said don't tell Mas Reza that Nara told him to. Mother intentionally, huh? Mommy made Nara shy, you know!"

I sulked, while Reza, who was somewhere else, chuckled happily - knowing how much I still cared about him.

And, what's even more annoying is when the house bell rings a few minutes later. It was only about eight in the morning, I was standing in front of the sink, just finished washing the dirty dishes we used to have breakfast.

"Honey..," cried my mother, she was carrying a basket of dirty clothes from Ihsan's room. "Please open the door, honey. Looks like there's a guest."

Argh... Who, anyway, is visiting this early in the morning? I grumbled as I walked towards the door.

A moment later, it felt like my heart was leaping out and I was aghast as I peeked out from behind the window curtain. Because, the one standing out there is Reza, the man I miss and the man I want to stay away from. I ran to my mother's back, and asked her to go to Reza to tell her I wasn't home. I went upstairs, hiding in my room. I know how stupid and cowardly my attitude is. But...

Geck! Geck!

My heart was pounding faster, like a drum about war.

"Darling.I know you're inside. Come out dong... are we better, please?" said Reza. He was standing right behind me - we were just separated by a rectangular object called a door.

Huh! I who was still bored after running and climbing stairs - instead had to take pains to dampen the rhythm of my heart that was not because Reza's existence outside my room.

You idiot! Of course my mother let Reza follow me upstairs. She might say I'm not home.

"Darling, it's been three days, lo. It's not good to be angry for long. I know you miss me too, don't you?"

Oh Lord, I must exert all my strength in me to resist the impulse that I may open the door for him. I have to endure that desire desperately. For if I do that, I will surely admit the truth - I will say that I miss him too, there is nothing I would have wanted more than to lay my head in the groove between his shoulders and his neck, inhaling his scent, and listening to him chuckle his insane words of love in the ears.

But I didn't move a bit.

"Okay, it's okay if you don't want to see me yet. But later you have to try kebaya and wedding dress, yes. Hopefully fitting. Tell Mayra if it's too big or too small. Or we can meet May. He's in Bogor now. Anyway, you can tell May. Okay well? I love you. I'm going home, yeah. Bye, sweetie."

Don't go. I miss you, Mas....

My heart was struggling and screaming. But I remained silent.

I stayed there for the next few minutes, until I was sure Reza was gone. After that I opened the door, ran to the front porch to see Reza - at least I could see it for a moment, just a glance. To melt the longing.

But Reza is gone, he's gone. The car is no longer parked down there.

Why the hell am I?

Reza wanted to explain everything back then, but I went berserk until I stabbed him. Then he kept calling me, but I was annoyed with him. When he didn't call me, I was worried. Now that he's coming, I'm ignoring him. After he left, why am I sad? Wh why?

I raised my face while biting my lips and took a deep breath, holding back the tears. Although in vain. The clear thread barged out. I sobbed. And I realized how much I regretted my stupid attitude.

"I miss you, Mom...."

"I miss you too."

"Eh?"

"I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere without you. Because I love you."

Oh my God, that voice? Reza Mas?