Romance In Makara Orange

Ta'aruf Proposal

Vira reads messages on her phone. His teaching schedule was changed to Monday morning before his lecture began when usually every Friday afternoon.

Third-year children like Vira usually start their lecture schedule at 11 pm because the schedule at eight in the morning is always taken by new students.

Vira said he could attend because Ratih said there were special talks with him. Vira attended a limited study with some friends at the Faculty. Only five students including herself participated in this small study.

Sometimes the recitation is held at the Salam Mosque and takes place in the corner of the left sidewalk near the exit, sometimes at the place of his friend's boarding house, or sometimes at the place of Kak Ratih.

Vira is not like other people, most of whom use a robe, long veil, and tend to be feminine. She is ordinary, sometimes wearing a skirt, sometimes wearing jeans combined with tunic clothes or loose shirts and a hijab to the chest.

His love of mountain climbing and traveling makes him flexible in dealing with many things including how to dress. Vira sometimes climbs the mountain only with his friends who are men, even traveling with people he just knew.

It does not matter because Vira can take good care of herself thanks to the advice her parents always give. In addition, Vira continued to study religion to increase her knowledge.

Finished the material and the shipping deposit, Vira is called Kak Ratih, his murobbi in particular.

Other friends are ready to go back to campus. There is still an hour before the lecture begins and the distance between the Mosque and its faculty is only about a ten-minute walk away.

A green map was placed in front of Vira by Kak Ratih.

“Bismillah, Vir, this is anyone want ta’aruf. The electro boy who again took his thesis was Gani. Yesterday it was an internship at an oil company and he said the thesis would probably go on to the same company. God willing his future is good, aamiin.”

Vira was silent for a moment. The green map was returned without opening it.

“Afwan Ratih's. I still want to go to college and I don't want to go home. Already twice this time I refused the request ta’aruf. Ratih must know why. I'm not like the others. I can't get close to people I didn't know before.” Vira gave a brief explanation.

“Not so Brother," elak Vira.

“Anti still remember Nugie? asked Ratih who hit Vira's chest. If anti use that way later there will be disappointed again.

Vira smiled softly. Remember when he fell in love with Nugie, a friend of another class of faculty. His close friend since high school. When he expressed his love, it turned out to be rejected. All of his study friends even knew of the rejection.

Inspired by Khadijah who approached the Prophet first, it turned out that it was not a good way in this patriarchal country like Indonesia. Not too embarrassed actually but did not expect Nugie who Vira thought the brother who was able to keep his feelings was quite the opposite.

Aaah, stop. It's been more than a year since he buried his joy from Nugie. It is not easy especially it is the first time he likes the opposite sex.

His Murobbi who had twice offered a request ta’aruf was rejected. Vira believes that her rejection is not because she still harbors feelings with Nugie but because she must feel love with the man who will be her partner.

“Alright then. Anti is different. Keep yourself safe and find someone who can make anti-happy,” Kak Ratih's message and then hug him tightly.

There is still about half an hour to class. From the direction of the mosque to the campus with orange bloom is close but so along the way Vira's head was filled with various questions why he was invited ta’aruf.

Does the man know who he is? Has the man ever seen himself? Why him and not another study friend who prayed?

With a slow step, Vira down the path through the Korean park, down the hall of the Kunkara building then pass in front of the Musholla and just entered the E building.

There are inter-prodi courses on gender that he took. Although the time had not shown eleven, Vira had deliberately come faster in order to be able to sit in front.

Vira did not know there was a man waiting for her in one corner of this orange makara campus.