Turning Hell into Heaven

51. Radit's Cry

Vega, Mami Radit clasped her husband's hand tightly. Mr. Kusnan, Papi Radit returned his wife's grasp by patting the delicate back of the hand that had raised their only child lovingly amid Kusnan's own authoritarian upbringing.

The grip between the two as a form of mutual strengthening after hearing a speech uttered after they shared eating lunch at the Dara residence.

"Father, Mother, thank you for opening my heart to make me the most important part of the family of Father and Mother," Dara bowed reverently in front of the beak man and woman who had proposed to her one week ago.

"And Radit, I'm flattered by your statement of love. Honestly, I feel happy being with you, and I didn't expect you to hold more affection for me,"

Dara and Radit looked at each other. Radit's heart rang loudly waiting for further sentences from Dara.

"But I don't want to hurt your heart because of this inability to make you happy. Because, I feel like I can't keep up with you as a lover,"

Serrr.

Radit's blood flow seemed to rush from the tip of his foot up the crown of his head. Stunned Radit heard Dara language whose direction anchored the muaranya still make ambiguous.

"Radit, thank you for your sincere feelings.

That feeling you declared to me . I would rather respond to it as a narration from a friend whose narrative has the word love. A holy love that is kept pure, without any hope of being passed on into another serious bond. In other words, that expression of your love for me, wants me to translate it as a feeling of friend to another friend. Sorry, I want to take it that way."

"Become,"

"Sir Dara,"

Different diction one goal. Radit, Papi and Mami simultaneously catapulted Dara's name. Before the three spoke up, Dara resumed her statement.

"For so long, I have considered you my best friend and it feels like whenever it will be like that. Radit, I'm sorry, I can't accept your proposal. To me you are like a brother. And I have no power to change the bond of our relationship that has been established like this. Radit, I beg of you to take it, I want us to be friends forever."

The end of Dara's sentence invites tears to be present in Radit's eyes. Seeing her only son being heartbroken, Vega and her husband's feelings also crumble.

"But why? why only friends? why is that Dara?" radit's voice choked, clear evidence that he was trying to hold back sobs. However, the tears that melted out from both Radit's eye beads could not be blocked. In his grief at the rejection of love, Radit cried.

Dara looked at Radit iba. Calmly, Dara tried to explain Radit's question.

"Maybe I have been cruel by rejecting your love. I don't understand what you're feeling. I think with us friends all this time would be better than putting forward more feelings,"

Hearing a few verses word by word from Dara, made Radit shake his head in a huff. Tears still drenched the handsome face of baby face Radit.

"Radit, understand, the feeling I have towards you is not as built up to a special opposite sex. To me, you are my best friend Dit. That's why I want our friendship to take precedence. I'm sure it'll be better than everything."

Radit just looked down, He let the tears accompany his misfortune.

"Sir Dara, what if the time of thinking about this proposal, we extend it again. Perhaps there are other things that have not been considered by Nak Dara in making a decision,"

With a twinkle of eyes hopefully in tune with her heart-wrenching tone, Mami Radit made a suggestion.

Dara responded with a smile, then shook her head slowly.

"From the first moment I met you, I fell in love with you. Then, how come after all this I can be your best friend" Radit spoke weakly. His head was getting deeper. A few tears touched the sofa on which he was sitting.

"sorry. I can only hope 'that time will make us able to go through all this without hurting each other more deeply" said Dara.

"Oh Dara, don't you know what I'm feeling right now?" Radit pressed his chest. Tears had completely washed his face.

"Radit, I really don't mean to hurt your feelings and bury your hopes and dreams. It's just, I can't lie let alone manipulate the circumstances. I beg of you to understand Radit," Dara seriously looked at Radit.

"Before deciding to ask for your hand, I have set my heart to be ready to accept rejection. But, it seems like my preparations are not yet ripe, hearing your rejection still makes me feel guilty. My heart is no longer in the shape of a Dara,"

Gently, Radit down the view to the face of Dara, a woman of his clan who has just spent his hopes of building a happy household with his beloved partner.

"Radit, sadness is definitely not easy to accept.You must be wise! instill sincerity in your heart so that you can understand its decision. Remember that! there's another day you have to keep going with your mind and heart calm."

Kusnan, Papi Radit who had been carefully observing the atmosphere that occurred, in order to calm his son's turmoil now joined the speaking voice.

"It's not that easy, Papi. Papi knew that Dara was the first woman I truly loved and cared for. How am I supposed to deal with all this Papi? isn't marriage a worship? is my desire to worship with a choice of heart too impossible to fulfill?"

Radit complained to the man he was sitting next to him beside the sofa he was sitting on.

Papi Radit who was still tightly grasping his wife's hand let out a long sigh then seriously focused on looking at his beloved son. Then he responded to the child's disobedience.

"Although marriage includes worship and because it is highly recommended, but in need of inner birth preparation from both parties to live it. Dara who can't accept you, doesn't have that readiness. Although in the name of worship, how can someone whose heart is not willing to marry be able to carry out the role of the household properly and correctly?"

"But all this feels too heavy for me. Dara's rejection did not make the feeling that lingered in my heart disappear, but now it was getting crowded by the taste of grief," Radit looked at his Papi with a look of despair.

"Son, we've done our job well. Our efforts are over and this is the end even though it is not in accordance with expectations and desires. Don't forget, we have a plan and God doesn't miss a decision." The Papi Radit.

"My feelings for Dara are huge and it's growing. I want to be able to stop time from needing me to go through the days ahead with feelings that continue to grow without this retribution. This kind of feeling was excruciating," Radit looked blankly at the living room tiles.

"That ends your journey of love not your life" Kusnan held Radit's chin, directing him to meet each other with his face.

"So soon, you're gonna have to destroy your love, son. It takes a strong heart to love, and you must have many times that power to continue to love after being hurt. Save your energy to live the other side of Nak's life," Vega helped calm his son.

Dara who had alternately looked in listening to the conversation of the children in front of her, felt bad. But how else. Decisions have been made and every effect of it must also be lived regardless of it inviting laughter also presents sorrow.

Dara looked at each of them in front of him, then with earnestness He said, "Sorry"

"Become, thank you for introducing the meaning of falling in love even if it has to end in a nelangsa. Be happy anywhere and , with anyone," Radit said sincerely.

Not long after, led by Papi Radit, those who had rejected his proposal after pleading with the host, left with a sense of disappointment that each of them felt.

...***...