Dusk At the End Please
Meeting (2)

Shared photos became the core end of that important event. As of tonight Akhtar officially became the chairman of the Bina Insani Kamil foundation owned by his family.

Accompanied by Father and Mother, sister and a woman who are predicted to be his future wife, they lined up to do family photos and received congratulations from invited guests.

Akhtar looked uncomfortable as Raina moved to the side. He seemed to show a less friendly face.

I don't know his heart can't accept this fact. Someone who is always in his heart the more difficult he is to forget.

He went down first from the stage, accompanied by Raina and her family.

Walking towards the toilet to slightly refresh the face ignored someone who was about to greet behind him.

During the time on stage Akhtar did not even glance at Raina, even when the girl approached him only received a cold reception, Akhtar took a little distance when taking pictures.

Washing his face and inhaling as much oxygen as Akhtar did, hoping by doing something that felt tight in his chest came off.

Ripping into the pocket of a suit, Akhtar took a device that had since been silent. Find someone's name and call them immediately.

“Wa’alaikumsalam”, he said answering greetings of people across the phone.

“Where?”, Akhtar asked where the person he contacted was.

“….”

“I need you, I wait in the garden beside the hall”, he said again.

“…”

“Wa’alaikumsalam”, he concluded ending the call.

Akhtar restores her hair, stared at by her reflection in the mirror in the toilet.

Music began to fill every corner of the building. The entertainment show has begun.

Akhtar moved from his position, walking towards the park beside the hall.

A song sung by the band that was asked to fill the entertainment show tonight sayup-sayup was heard by Akhtar,

Hm hm's…

If only I could turn back time

I don't want to know you

Why was there a meeting

Which makes me love you

What if I'm not okay

Keep remembering you

Thinks

All about you

What if I'm not okay

Not like you

Who can without me

How

Maybe you're with the others now

Even though your heart is for me

There is a chance for my love

Happy even though we are different

Uh oh uh oh uh oh oh

Hu uh oh oh

Maybe you're not for me

But you're always in my heart

Oh uh oh

How

Oh oh

What if I'm not okay

Keep remembering you

Thinks

All about you

What if I'm not okay

Not like you

Who can without me

Not like you

How

(What If I'm Not Alright (Judika)

Her heart rippled.Every lyric of the song seemed to represent her current feelings. Akhtar raised his head, holding back something that was about to fall from the corner of his eyes.

“Istighfar!”, exclaimed someone teasing his solitude.

“Bro..”, reply Akhtar.

“Control yourself, Brother. Slowly the situation will become a cure, and we are required to heal by itself.” Ahsan came to sit beside Akhtar, he understood the circumstances that his cousin was facing right now.

“When what's ahead scares you and behind makes you hurt, look up God never fails to help us”, Ahsan again advises his cousin.

“Whatever short story, forgetting is not an easy thing”, said Akhtar.

Ahsan hugged his cousin's shoulder tightly, trying to provide support. Convincing that he would be there for his cousin.

“The culmination of the pleasures of life is sincere with the decree of God. The culmination of the turmoil of life is not to accept the decree of God. Life is a choice, Bro.” ends his advice.

“Better now we go inside, Dad must be waiting for you.” Bring Ahsan.

Akhtar nodded, he took a breath in trying to stabilize his feelings.

They left the garden chair back in the hall.

Arriving at the hall Akhtar again showed his cold face, he did not care despite being the center of attention.

Akhtar only nodded his head with a slight smile as the guests greeted him. Choosing to sit at a separate table with his family, he still did not feel comfortable having to be close to Raina.

Raina approached, greeting Akhtar who was busy chatting with his friends while enjoying his dinner.

“Mas Akhtar...” Raina. Akhtar turned his head, he stopped his eating activities.

“Can we talk?” ask Raina.

“I'm eating, can you wait?” answer Akhtar.

“Oh yes, sorry...I will wait”, Raina returned to her seat with the Akhtar family.

Seeing that Akhtar's father just took a deep breath. In fact, he did not want to impose his will on Akhtar. He knows what it's like to be in Akhtar's position. The same thing he had experienced a few years ago.

The events he saw reminded him of someone he loved so much that he eventually left, and chose his second marriage.

Seeing that Akhtar was done, Raina returned to meet Akhtar. Feeling bad, Akhtar finally stood up and took Raina away from the table looking for a quieter place.

“What is it?”, asked Akhtar flatly.

“I just want to say hello to my future husband, don't blame?” raina replied with a slightly spoiled tone.

Akhtar was goosebumps to hear it, it was strange to hear Raina's call pinned on him, my future husband.

“I think we have not gone that far, there is still a lot of time to process” each other, Akhtar said.

“I understand, so I want to invite Mas to talk so that we can get closer and get to know each other” Raina is still trying to get close to Akhtar.

“Alright, I think our introduction tonight is enough. I want to go back, my friends are waiting. Assalamu’alakum”, Akhtar passed after saying hello.

Seeing Raina still fluttering in her place, Akhtar looked back.

“I first” he said, passing away leaving the grim-faced Raina holding back an upset.

“I won't give up, Mas Akhtar. Being your companion is a vision of my life, now that opportunity is getting wider. Our family is very supportive. There's no reason for you to reject me anymore.” Raina spoke for herself after Akhtar's departure.

Raina was Akhtar's younger sister when she was in college in Yogya, she was the son of my best friend. He had declared his love for Akhtar through a letter he sent. But Akhtar even ignored the letter without ever reading it.

Akhtar returned to his desk, finding his cousin already on stage. He smiled towards Ahsan who waved at him and asked him to join.

Akhtar just shook his head, sat back down with his other friends. Enjoy the song Ahsan was singing.

“Alhamdulillah, Bro ..finally one of us otewe sold out”, Rahman who is one of Akhtar's friends started a chat.

“We are happy, hopefully we will soon be” too, Yusuf also chimed in.

Akhtar just smiled wryly in response to the chatter of his friends.

Looking towards the stage, Akhtar gave his thumbs up as Ahsan ended the stage and again he heard Ahsan making a female audience baper with his words before taking the stage.

After fighting five and praising Ahsan, Akhtar went to the toilet.

He walked to the side of the hall. At the same time, she saw a woman with a mocca hijab showing that she was the organizer of this event walking in the same direction, their distance was quite far but Akhtar could see it because he was walking alone.

Akhtar did not care about it, he walked straight to his destination. Until someone called a name that was familiar to him.

deg....

As soon as he stopped, his heart beat, turning to the source of the voice. He looked at the man who was running towards the woman he had seen.

The interaction of the two women did not escape his attention. He was curious about the girl called Shanum. He followed them both and …

“Assalamu’alaikum,” said.

“Wa’alaikumsalam”, Answer Shanum and Liani compact.

They looked at the source of the voice, looking like a dashing and handsome man standing before them.

Liani even rounded her eyes with her mouth open, knowing who the person in front of them was.

Akhtar did not take his eyes off the girl he believed was Shanum, examined every curve of the girl's face before him carefully. He was convinced that he was not wrong.

The girl in front of him was the one he had longed for, the girl who still occupied a special place in his heart. Although he knows now all the sense he has is a mistake, a beautiful mistake in his life. Loving someone who belongs to someone else.

“Can I join?”, Akhtar breaks the silence.

“Pa..Pa..Pak Akhtar!”, said Liani stammered, so surprised to be visited by someone as important as Akhtar. Shanum is still silent.

“Iya, introduce me Akhtar.” Akhtar cupped his hands together in front of his chest.

Liani greeted him by doing the same, she elbowed Shanum for still not reacting. Shanum glanced at Liani then did the same.

“How are you?”, Akhtar looked at Shanum more deeply, asking him a special question.

People who are asked in silence, confused should answer or not. Shanum turned to look at Liani, who was stared at as confused as the current state of affairs.

Akhtar did not let this situation drag on. He turned to look at Liani.

“Mother, can you leave us both?”, pinta Akhtar on Liani.

Liani could only nod obediently, she stepped away from Shanum and Akhtar without a word.

“How are you?”, Akhtar repeated his question.

Shanum exhaled his breath violently.

“Baik” , Shanum replied briefly. He lowered his head to hide his face as Akhtar continued to look at him. Shanum turned his back on Akhtar.

“I did not expect fate to bring us back together in this way, it turns out you are so close.” Akhtar spoke again as he stepped in alignment with Shanum.

“Sorry, I'm late.” Say again.

“For what?”, Shanum asked without turning his head.

“For a time that makes you tired of waiting, until finally choose to give up.” Answer Akhtar.

“I thought you were tough enough for that, capable like a fish guarding its coral reefs and a bee guarding its hive. But I realize, sometimes indeed we have to accept freely that for some people we are not important to them.” Akhtar continued full of emphasis and regret.

Shanum furrowed his brows, briefly looking at Akhtar's expression as he said that sentence. He has not been able to grasp the meaning of Akhtar's words. Soon he returned to look straight ahead.

“My perspective is too high, when expecting happiness from humans then leave one room to save disappointment is true, because it turns out my debt is not sought, my presence is not anticipated and my return is not expected. It turns out loving alone feels as painful as this.” Akhtar continued to speak without giving a pause.

Shanum was still silent, he permeated every word spoken from Akhtar's mouth. His heart rumbled, every word he heard seemed to corner him. Shanum took a deep breath before finally speaking.

“Don't come back by reason of asking for news. One thing's for sure, I'll still be fine even if you leave it unheard of. May you not pretend to forget about the taste I gave you completely, but only you reply as necessary.” Shanum Telak.

Akhtar was silent, Shanum's words were so poignant he did not know what to answer.

“Waiting for it there is art. Waiting requires patience, waiting requires skill in managing time and waiting requires courage to refuse anyone who comes. Until what I saw today was the reality that woke me up from a dream. I'm relieved, at least I've struggled with patience. Then beaten back with full consciousness” said Shanum no less firmly.

Akhtar still mute he still faithfully listened to Shanum's words, everything Shanum said as if attacking him back.

“Already.... everything has become the past. Thank you for stopping by to leave a lesson. That goals in life should be fought for in a trained way. Not just left, then drowned.”

"From you I learned, the matter of waiting and the pain of being patient."

“I don't want any more dreams, because I'm tired of my expectations. I'm just trying, let God rule my way.” Sneakily.

Shanum turned to face Akhtar calmly and firmly he said,

“Congratulations on his engagement and congratulations on his new post, Mr. Akhtar Farzan Wijaya. I am happy”, said Shanum sincerely.

“Sorry, the event will be over soon I say goodbye to the inside. Assalamu’alaikum” Shanum passed leaving Akhtar still unmoved in his position.

Akhtar was shrouded in curiosity, actually what had happened all along. His heart riled, staring at Shanum's increasingly distant departure.

He was fixated, even ignoring the device that kept vibrating in his pocket...