LOVE OF JUITA

Someone From the Past

Because I know the best love will always come home.

If you don't come, then,

maybe you are destined to be a story that only deserves to be stored as a memory.

- Boy Candra

***

After Julia's departure, Septian spent all his time trying to fix the problems at the store. He ruled out his main efforts in programming. The effort was deeply rooted, so he dared to leave it for a moment and raised a team leader who had tested his capacity and loyalty to oversee the project.

The first two weeks of Septian worked hard to clear the name of the smudged store by taking care of everything that needed to be done to the health service and BPOM. He had to go through a complicated bureaucratic flow and a series of visits from the agency to review the production and packaging. He made sure everything was up to standard. 

He also asked Si Mbok for permission to use the backyard as a location for additional production. He did not want the production site to be far from his reach. Because he wants to make sure everything goes under his watch.

It takes extra work to reinvest the trust of consumers. Therefore he created a website specifically for their store that provides information about production and product information. If Julia promoted through social media. Septian uses almost the same way, he uses the services of bloggers and vloggers to cover the store and its production system. He deliberately opened the secrets of their production kitchen to remove the "dirty" image that had attached.

After it was felt all mature Septian steadily reopened the gift shop with the old name but a new logo to give a fresh impression in the eyes of consumers.

That night Septian was busy doodling his agenda, writing down all sales ideas and strategies. His adrenaline is ridden to finish all this as best as possible. So excited to focus on the store eating and sleeping schedule messy. He also felt a lot of stress and fatigue. Now he realized that Julia's struggle to realize the dream was not an easy thing. 

If in programming he is only faced with a computer monitor and keyboard, inanimate objects that he functions to create complicated codes in running a system. Now, when building a brand he deals with humans, living beings with all their complex feelings and thoughts. He was really forced to think critically and carefully in establishing communication and relationships. It's not all that easy. It's exhausting for an introvert like him.

He regretted letting Julia go through all the hardships alone. He used to think what was difficult just to build a brand? Julia who he believes is smart and nimble can certainly do it alone. Never once did he lend a helping hand. Only give advice occasionally without a solution.

Septian let out a heavy sigh remembering the thing that had happened. He returned to the agenda book with all his graffiti.

After all the planning is ninety percent complete. He picked up his phone and wrote a message via chat to Riska.

"Ris please all the production employees whose daily working system is collected all tomorrow afternoon after zhuhur in the store. I'd like to meet them all and brief them before our store officially opens again." 

Septian sent out the chat that lanngsung ticked two blue marks had been read. Not until a minute Riska has returned the message.

"Okay, ready to do it."

Septian smiled in relief, Riska is completely reliable. 

Septian went to bed to rest. While waiting for drowsiness he opened the photo gallery on his phone. She really missed Julia tonight. He opened a wedding album that he deliberately kept. He smiled bitterly at the photo of two people who looked at each other covered in romance. Unknowingly her tears had melted to bear her nestapa.

Septian hit his chest tight. A piece of flesh within his chest cavity throbbed in pain. Love can make people go crazy. However, what kind of love can he offer while he is an immature cowardly man. The word love can be just nonsense.

Septian realized, if this test is not present in his life, he remains a spoiled child who is imperious not to be aware of his mistakes and shortcomings. And with all his soul he promised to change everything. He is determined to find Julia and become a responsible priest and mature for her.

***

Three weeks ago.

Julia spent the first three days in Bukittinggi City as a tourist. How happy he was to explore the city alone. On the first day with enthusiasm he woke up early and walked to the Sianok Gorge Panorama Park. His eyes enthusiastically ventured to enjoy the charm of the stretched greenish valley that nature has to offer.

Through the dhuha time he stepped towards Jam Gadang and sat in one corner of the park while enjoying satay Padang. Then he washed his eyes to the top and bottom markets. By noon Julia decided to have lunch with Nasi Kapau. He ventured his appetite, enjoying every Minang special treat he yearned for.

On the second day, Julia returned to the Jam Gadang and Panorama area. The place seems to have a special magnet to visit every day. After that he continued to travel history to the Birth House of Bung Hatta. However, his body felt so unhealthy that he did not linger there and returned home to the homestay.

On the third day, Julia decided to take a walk to Kinantan Wildlife and Cultural Park. Like a child, Julia was so enthusiastic to find the animals there. He was busy snapping the animals with his cell phone camera. By noon he was no longer able to step because his body felt so tired. Julia decided to return to the homestay. 

As he passed the Limpapeh Bridge connecting Kinantan Wildlife and Cultural Park with Fort de Kock. He heard someone calling him firmly with confidence from behind his body.

"I'm sorry if it's not your fault ... Julia, right?"

Julia brushes to hear the voice that once haunted her in the past. It was as if the voice was digging up a wound that he had once tightly sealed. Julia was fixated, she wanted to immediately continue her steps which somehow froze.

He heard footsteps approaching him. Julia squeezed the straps of her bag of shells, preparing the heart to confront the person whose shadow she had buried in her memories.

"God's Masya. It's really you Julia. You've changed a lot. Do you remember me?" Said the man lightly sliding off his lips.

The bespectacled man looked at Julia with a warm smile expanding. While Julia glanced at the glance and threw away her face, she felt her hot reddened eyes holding back tears of hatred. If he had no manners he would very much have slapped the man to avenge his past heartache. But he remembered, his hand was forbidden to touch which was not muhrim even though it was a slap accompanied by disgust.

"Of course I remember. How are you doing, Faqih?" Julia flat speech without expression.

The man looked at Julia with a triumphant satisfied smile as if he was proudly remembered by the figure of the woman in front of him. No need to talk people know if the man was observing Julia with a different eye flash, as if finding a precious object that had been lost.