LOVE THE EXPATRIATE

37. Faris and Furqan (3)

Not until fifteen minutes did they get to where they were headed.

Rais was amazed by the place. The coffee shop referred to by Furqan turned out to be a minimalist industrial concept cafe. The two-story box-shaped building has glass walls up to the ceiling of the room, so that the bright contents of the inside appear from the highway. A neon box banner bearing the Kupi Rangkat was designed in front of the building.

Like a cafe or restaurant with the same concept, the impression of industrialists can be felt from several room installations that use metallic materials. As on the bar table, pantry, chandelier, window frame, to the handle of the stairs and guardrail on the second floor. The use of this metallic material creates the impression of clean, sterile, and certainly futuristic.

Minimalist impression can also be felt from some furniture that uses wood elements such as table chairs and floors that are also patterned wood. The warm and homy impression that appears on the light brown wood element blends beautifully with the light gray inner wall. What a harmonious blend.

Furqan parked his bike on the side terrace of the cafe. He invited his guests in through the side door and let them sit at one of the tables in the middle of the room. Some tables were filled with visitors. The man stepped onto the bartender's desk to pick up two menu books.

“Please choose the menu first.” he said smiling while expanding the menu book for Sarah and Edward.

“Tengku Furqan is too low. Cafes as good as this are coffee shops.”

Rais rolled his gaze around the room. The man's eyes stopped on several black-and-white photographs of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, Tsunami Museum, and Iboih Beach on the wall.

"I don't deserve to elevate myself, Tengku. Because the Most Good, the Most High is only Allah who deserves it.” he said after sitting down.

“Also this place belongs to some people. So why am I showing off a place that doesn't belong to me entirely?”

Furqan was seen waving to the man sitting at the cashier table and the man inside the pantry.

“But since from the mosque my expectations about this place is a place like keude kupi owned by Nyak Li who was in front of the first dayah. I miss early in the morning drinking filtered coffee in his stall while enjoying the roasted pulp eaten with fried bananas.”

Furqan laughed with memories of their past. He wanted to comment on his best friend's words but the two men he had called had been standing next to him.

“Tengku Rais, Brother Salman, and Ukhti Sarah, introduce these my cousins" he said turning to them.

"The three of us built this place together.”

The two men Furqan introduced greeted Rais and Furqan and nodded at Sarah.

The first one was named Mirza. The 26-year-old black sweet man had studied business and management in this city. So he was asked to take care of the management of the cafe at all times as well as the cashier as tonight.

The second one is named Jefri. The man wearing the black apron on his waist looked more mature than Mirza. Just like Furqan, the man with yellow skin and bluish eyeballs also has sideburns and berewok. He is a culinary expert, so he was placed as the head chef of the cafe.

Sarah and Edward were still looking through the food list in the menu book. Some of them are the standard menu of a cafe. Sandwiches, toast, pasta, and also fried rice. But the interesting thing about this cafe, some of the recommended menus are traditional Acehnese cuisine. There are aceh noodles, rolled bread and martabak eggs aceh, ripe satay, and of course the famous sanger coffee in Aceh.

While waiting for the order to be delivered, they chatted. Furqan asked about Zafora's network and Edward's profession which was completely lay to him. While Edward prefers to ask about some science that he does not understand. Sometimes Rais chimed in. Sarah prefers to be quiet as a listener.

Rais looked at Edward and Furqan before him. Two men are different nations but both have charismatic personalities. Equally beautiful but with different charms. One thing that makes them different today is the level of scholarship and the level of faith in the Khalik. If one day Edward has enough knowledge of his religion and become a man who obeys and believes, it seems there is no longer a distance difference between them. Thinking of them felt a dilemma in Rais' heart.

Edward and Furqan smiled. They both feel like they're the most special guy tonight because they can be by Sarah's side. But the two men didn't know they liked the same person.

Moments later, two waiters delivered orders that filled their desks. Two dishes of aceh seafood noodles ordered by Edward and Sarah, a serving of cooked satay complete with rice, soup sauce, as well as sambal order Rais, and egg martabak order Edward. The third waiter came to deliver a tray of two sanger coffee cups, a gayo coffee espresso glass, as well as a glass of fresh hot tea, and three bottles of mineral water.

Furqan helps to disperse drinks in trays. Espresso gayo coffee for Edward, fresh hot tea for Sarah, and two sanger coffee cups for Rais and himself.

“ Is Tengku Furqan married?” edward asked in between his meals.

“Not yet. It's working on.” Furqan sipped his sanger.

“If Brother Salman himself how?”

“I am also working. Insha Allah asap.”

“There is a candidate?”

“Hmm. Already anyway.” Edward replied as if unsure while glancing at Sarah who had no response. He just stuck to his plate while looking down. Glanced at also Rais who was like indifferent to their chatter. Furqan had glanced at Edward's gelagat.

“If Tengku, there are candidates too?” edward immediately turned to Furqan.

“Ya, already.” Furqan said as she glanced at Sarah. He was a little disappointed to see that there was no particular expression Rais had shown towards his words. Now it was Edward's turn to discover Furqan's behavior.

“Hopefully we both facilitated the way, Tengku.” said Edward in prayer.

“Amiin.”

“Will I order more food to take home?”

Edward half whispered to Sarah after they finished eating. Rais just kept quiet while busy with his smartphone.

“No need, Sir. Thank you.”

Sarah smile. He knew the man was serious about offering him food. A typical person like Edward never wants to mince words. But to refuse his offer subtly felt it was better.

Edward also knows that in this country there are typical people like Sarah who reject a person's good offer just because of considerations that he thinks are irrational. Gumptuous. That is one of the traits that he does not like from Indonesians. Sometimes it is an ethic for one culture, just something that is considered impolite for another culture.

The man smiled looking at the girl. Subhanallah! You have created this world with different colors.

Edward called the waiter to take away order a serving of aceh seafood noodles and a portion of ripe satay. He ignored Sarah, who looked at him with a gaze as if to say; I said there was no need to order anymore. Do I look like a girl who still doesn't have enough to eat?

He thought it was more than enough to order two portions because the girl once told him that she lived with her cousin and his wife and a ballerina. So the food will only be enjoyed by his cousin's wife. If Rais wants to eat again at home, it is still enough for two people.

Edward asked the waiter who came to deliver the order to give the two boxes in the plastic bag to Sarah. He himself took out the master card from his wallet and gave it to the servant. But Furqan, who had just returned to the front, banned his employees from receiving the card.

“Sorry Brother Salman, no need to pay.” said the man firmly.

“I treat you guys tonight.”

Of course Edward disagreed with the man's words. He did not want his prestige to fall because he was paid to eat by people he had just known. After all, his heart was not happy if he had not bought Sarah a meal, after knowing the food last afternoon, the girl gave it to the lining service. Either way the man wants Sarah to be impressed with him tonight. He had to dominate the situation compared to Furqan, especially considering the man's attitude towards Sarah in the mosque. Your ego is too high, Edward!

“Thank you, Tengku Furqan. But it's best not to. Because from the beginning I was the one who invited me to eat.”

"But from yesterday I also had intended to invite Tengku Rais to come here.” Furqan said maintaining his opinion.

“Tak what. Maybe next time Tengku can treat Bang Rais and Sarah. This time let it be my turn first.”

Edward smiled while still asking the waiter who was still standing to bring his credit card to the cashier. Rais and Sarah are silent about their argument.

“Ya already if you want that brother. But if you go to Medan again, do not forget to stop again.” said Furqan can only give in.

“God willing, Tengku Furqan.”

After receiving his credit card back, Edward turned to Rais and Sarah while nodding. He got up from his seat and glanced at Furqan.

“Then we say goodbye, Tengku Furqan. Poor Sarah is almost midnight.”

“Iya, let me drop you to the front.” Furqan returned Edward's hand, also saluting Rais.

“We both said goodbye, Tengku Furqan. Thank you for being served with special”, Rais said after Sarah sat in her dead motorbike.

“Sama-sama, Tengku. If there is another stop here.” reply Furqan staring at Rais, at a glance he glanced at Sarah behind.

Rais nodded. The man also said goodbye to Edward who was still waiting for his online taxi to arrive.

“We're saying goodbye, Brother Salman. Thank you for being treated to a meal, and brought home food as well.”

“Sama-sama Bang Rais's. I'm sorry if we just met now.” said Edward smiled.

Before the bike actually left, Edward had a chance to look at Sarah who was replied with a thin smile. Shortly the taxi order arrived. Before entering, he once again shook hands with Furqan.

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Kupi Skirt

Rangkang in the Acehnese language means a wallless hut or hut to rest tired. The shells are usually built in rice fields, in gardens, or on roadside. The word cup means coffee. So literally, Rangkang Kupi can be interpreted as a cottage for drinking coffee.

Sanger

Sanger is a popular drink in Aceh that uses filter coffee, sugar, and a little milk. At first glance the sanger look is the same as milk coffee in general. But the right composition of coffee, sugar, and milk, and processed in a certain way make this drink has a distinctive taste.

The history of the word sanger which is an acronym of the phrase ‘sama-sama ngerti’, originated from the habits of students who pouch thin but still want to drink milk coffee. As a result they asked to add a little milk in their sweet coffee but still worth the sweet coffee. So the seller and the student both understand.