Mahabbah Love Khalisa

38

Khalisa noticed a pair of geese swimming in the UII campus lake cheerfully feeling the warmth of the lake water combined with a calm breeze blowing. Khalisa looked to the right and left hoping there were other students around here. Did it come too soon?

This afternoon after the final exam, HAWASI held a meeting on the edge of the lake before a long holiday. Usually they have meetings in the HAWASI secretariat room. But because today their discussion is not too serious, Hasan took the initiative to hold a meeting on the edge of this lake.

Khalisa stared at the red swarovski-studded digital prayer beads embedded in his index finger. Khalisa pressed the reset button because he had reached the 1000 mark since this morning. Khalisa left, he could not stand if he kept silent like this.

Khalisa walked across the bridge, spreading his gaze across the entire street. When his gaze turned to the chair under the trembesi tree, he accidentally saw Azfan.

"Why is he still there?" Khalisa raised his arm to look at the circular watch in his left hand, "it turns out I'm a tadpole." Hasan announced on grub chat that they should get together at 2 o'clock and it's still half an hour away.

Khalisa saw Azfan looking down focused on the small Qur'an in his hand. Since meeting at the store 2 Weeks ago, Khalisa never met Azfan again because they were both busy taking the exam.

Khalisa had forgotten his frustration even though sometimes from afar he saw Azfan chatting with some other students. Because that upset will only hurt Khalisa himself and it is not healthy for him.

"Khalisa, assalamualaikum."

"Mosur." Khalisa turned to see Levin standing behind him.

"Cock you're here alone?" Levin looked around to see if Khalisa was really alone as the girl was almost never seen alone. There must have been someone Khalisa was talking to.

"Yes I think now the gathering turns out to be still half an hour away so I walk around let's not be bored." Khalisa smiled widely, leaning his body on the bridge handle.

"Where if we come home from here we eat, take Rindang with Meylin he wants to meet you."

"Can." Khalisa nodded, "sorry Ko, our meal has been delayed a long time."

"It's okay." Levin was not at all a problem as he also had to focus on the exam. They can eat anytime because soon he will go to Banyuwangi for koas there.

One by one the members of HAWASI began to arrive, they sat on the grass that was deliberately planted on the edge of the lake. Their faces were exhausted after 2 weeks of taking the final exam. Now they can breathe a little.

Hasan opened the meeting that afternoon with greetings and asked them after taking the exam. Hasan said that after a long holiday later they should be prepared to welcome the arrival of new members for Maba UII.

Khalisa pulled out his vibrating phone while listening to Hasan. He got two messages from Rindang.

Khalisa set up an organization meeting, Azfan ngajak we eat bakmi. Can't refuse.

Khalisa frowned, why did Azfan suddenly invite them to eat together while he had made an appointment with Levin.

I promised Ko Levin I'd eat together. It's not good to be cancelled again.

Well, how dong he invited us to eat together two weeks ago fitting we abis make smoothies.

Khalisa remembered when they made smoothies, why Rindang just said now. But still Khalisa could not break his promise with Levin who first invited him to eat. Why among many days they should take Khalisa to eat today.

"So in addition to discussing that, even though 2 Weeks have passed but I still want to congratulate once again on Azfan and Syifa who have succeeded in ranking in this year's MTQ competition."

A boisterous applause was heard welcoming Hasan's words.

"We seniors deliberately collect a little sustenance to reward you two, can come forward here." Hasan stood up from a cross-legged position asking Azfan and Syifa to come forward.

"Thanks to you guys also the name HAWASI is increasingly known by many people because the participants of MTQ yesterday were not only followed by students but also high school students." Hasan gave a parcel to Azfan.

"Congratulations Syifa." Aliyah also gave a parcel to Syifa. It was a parcel containing the mushaf of the Qur'an and a prayer beads made of agarwood.

"We would not have reached this point without the help of senior brothers and friends who always give support and prayers." Azfan smiled, his eyes glazed because this was the first time he entered the race and got the champion because he never dared to do it.

"They look good." Kiara whispered in Khalisa's ear.

Khalisa smiled wryly at the sight ahead. Syifa does have everything, beautiful and smart plus the first title she got made Khalisa feel envious. Envy because he is still far below Syifa.

Azfan returned to his place carrying a paper bag in his arms because he knew it was the mushaf of the Qur'an. He peeked a little into the paper bag just now.

The meeting that day ended after a short talk. Azfan looked back at Khalisa sitting just now but the girl was no longer there. Azfan just wanted to invite Khalisa to eat together. Where's Khalisa? Did Rindang forget to tell Khalisa that they were going to eat outside. Or Khalisa already knows but he won't. There were too many questions in Azfan's mind right now.

Azfan pulled his phone out of his suit pocket, he saw two missed calls from Rindang. Azfan was afraid that the refusal to invite the two girls to eat together was not an easy thing for him. Azfan had to put aside a little money and find out what food would fit on their tongue. Azfan did it carefully.

Azfan dialed the number Rindang and then put the phone in his ear.

"Hello Azfan, sorry, today we can not eat together first."

Azfan's face was grim, but he tried to think positively because Rindang must have had a special reason to cancel their appointment.

"I don't want to, but Khalisa made a promise to Ko Levin first, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow we set it again."

Azfan spontaneously nodded even though his interlocutor was not here. "Yes it's okay Rin, anyways his bakmi stalls will not close really."

"Tomorrow we set ya."

"Thanks Fan." Rindang disconnected the connection.

Come on this is just a meal together, Azfan need not be so upset just because Khalisa has had an appointment with Levin first.

"Azfan, are you still here?" Syifa came to Azfan with a sweet smile adorning her lips.

"Yes." Yeah." Azfan looked up and moved from the grass.

"Bros I missed but where is it?" Syifa looked down to find a flower-shaped brooch that had been embedded in her hijab. He realized that the brooch did not exist after he walked far enough from here.

"How did it form?" Azfan went looking for the brooch.

"The flower is golden."

Azfan sharpened his eyesight should if it was golden it would be shiny and easy to find.

"It's not?" Azfan found it in the place where Syifa was sitting. He thrust the flower-shaped brooch of gold to Syifa.

"Yes, thank you Fan I was willing to sincerely because I thought I wouldn't meet."

"Sama-sama, if that's what I am first." Azfan stepped quickly to leave Syifa, he had to immediately go to Mangan Gelato to work with new employees. Azfan had to teach the employee before quitting because he wanted to focus on starting his own business making calligraphy and some handicrafts.

Actually Syifa still wanted to chat for a while with Azfan but the guy hurriedly left after finding his brooch. Syifa again pinned the brooch on the front of her hijab and then stepped away in the opposite direction to Azfan.

Azfan reached the parking lot, when he was about to get on his motorcycle he saw Khalisa get into Levin's car. Khalisa seemed to laugh as well as Levin. What is Azfan hoping for? Of course they are just ordinary friends like Khalisa treats other friends. Azfan had been over-thinking just because Khalisa gave him a Casey Avenue entry card or called him every time something precarious happened. It was only because Khalisa was too kind-hearted.

******

The aroma of grilled meat welcomes visitors who come to the restaurant with the classic Javanese interior. Some of the walls made of wood have many beautiful carvings make visitors feel at home for long there. In addition to the famous western menu is delicious, the interior design of the building becomes its own attraction. Enough to beautify your Instagram feed for those who love it.

"What message do you want?" Levin looked at Khalisa and Rindang sitting in front of him and Meylin beside him. "Meme must be Spaghetti Vongole, right?" Levin memorized on his sister's favorite menu at the restaurant because they often eat here.

"Yes." Yeah." Meylin nodded. "Ce Rindang with Ce Khalisa if confused by sirloin pesen, it's their flagship menu."

"Oh yeah?" Rindang's eyebrows raised, indeed he was bored with the steak menu of any part and he could guess that Khalisa must have felt the same but rather than confused he better order the menu that Meylin suggested. "Yes that is it."

"I am too." Khalisa followed up ordering the menu because he was also lazy to read the row of menu names in the book. Now Khalisa just imagine satay klatak with peanut and lontong seasoning and sambal a lot. Just thinking about it makes Khalisa mouth watery.

Their order came after waiting for quite a while because the restaurant was also full by other visitors coinciding with the dinner hour.

"I think you're here a lot because this restaurant is so famous." Tukas Levin's.

"I'm the same Khalisa emang often explore Jogja on weekends but we rarely eat in restaurants even almost never, huh Sha?" Rindang elbowed Khalisa's arm.

Khalisa nodded, "but I'm sure Ko Levin's choice of dining place won't be wrong." He said he was commenting on Khalisa's friendly smile that rubbed off on Levin.

"May you like it."

They devoured each other's food after reading the prayer.

Khalisa sliced the sirloin meat to remove the fatty liquid that will melt in the mouth when eaten. She remembers Azfan helping her cut a steak for her. It was a sweet thing that Khalisa often witnessed because Daniel always did it for Ica and sometimes also for her. But when Azfan did it there was a different sensation in Khalisa's chest.

"That's a piece of meat." Rindang again elbowed Khalisa because he saw Khalisa continued to cut the meat that had been cut perfectly, "for a long time the plate was split."

"Astaghfirullah." Khalisa realized his own stupidity, he blinked his eyes trying to return to the real world.

"Why you?" Levin asked because he saw Khalisa more silent than usual.

"It's okay."

"The stove's mind has not been killed yet." Rindang.

"Seriously? if it's mending me anterin y'all just go home, the food is wrapped."

"Oh my God, trust me the same way." Khalisa flicked his hand, he didn't even cook this morning.

"Bakmie's thoughts are you." Rindang whispered.

Khalisa belik spontaneously stepped on the foot of Rindang. Khalisa just needs to finish this delicious meat and go home.