Beautiful Monster
Short Call

"Walking around in a place that has memories of the past is indeed the best," Bahri pleased with his satisfaction.

The two were sitting on a park chair with a view of the city during the day. Clouds come to cover the sky from morning to make the city cooler. It looks like it's going to rain, but it's not a rain cloud coming.

"Rajendra what's going on there? Is he eating well? He wasn't hurt there, was he?"

Suddenly Ignacia's mind drifted on Rajendra. The man really did not give any news. Do you think there is no heart waiting for the news? Why did he have to be so busy that he didn't give a message?

Or is the signal there too bad?

"Ignacia," Bahri called for the umpteenth time.

Not knowing what this long haired girl was thinking, but it didn't seem like a light thing. His gaze was blank forward, the water his face was flat as if an evil spirit could take his body at any time.

"What?" Ignacia's response was quick once her consciousness returned.

"You can't daydream anywhere. What if you're possessed huh?" Bahri Canda. But his gaze was like worry on the thoughts of his friend. "You're thinking about Rajendra? Why don't you just call him? He's still your lover. You can call him as you like."

Ignacia lowered her head, smiling wryly. "I can be hostile to MPK members later if I continue to disturb the chairman. You know, sometimes I want to interrupt her on the phone. I really want to hear Rajendra's voice. Sound childish?"

"That's called miss. Its alright. Everyone must have felt longing. Your father and mother would have called each other if they were far apart when they were early married."

Bahri put her hands on the back of the chair, "it's okay to call your girlfriend. But send a message first. So Rajendra can get ready and not let you down."

"For him to choose the right time?" Bahri nodded to Ignacia's question.

Sending a message to ask for permission is the most important thing so that there is no misunderstanding. But Ignacia was too afraid to ask. Rajendra might refuse.

"You are," Bahri put his arm around Ignacia's shoulder, "the relationship is not as difficult as you think. You're too worried because of the son of a bitch you met in the past. Your ex is the worst person ever. Different from your lover. Rajendra likes you a lot, Ignacia. He's different from your ex."

Ignacia immediately distanced herself from Bahri's embrace. It's a little uncomfortable if this guy touches it.

"I tried to give all my heart to Rajendra. I've been a firm believer that he won't leave me like my ex. But why does Rajendra keep leaving me and making me lonely?"

"That's it. Once he's done, he'll come to you."

"When is this all over?"

...*****...

Bahri leaves Ignacia at a table. The two moved to a foothill restaurant. Both of them already want to be filled with a bowl of ramen that is famous for its perfect sauce. Of course it was Ignacia who recommended the place. He had come with Nesya before.

A day without a cell phone is fun. Ignacia doesn't have to check whether Rajendra sent the message or not. Carrying a cell phone is tantamount to finding trouble with the heart. The message from Rajendra did not come, there was only a sickening curiosity.

"From the smell alone it's delicious" whispered Bahri as she sat in front of Ignacia, "why don't you bring a cell phone with you? There's nothing you can do now."

"Here you go, I don't care. I told Athira to call you if there's anything."

"Basic troublesome," Bahri blatantly sneered.

Ramen both came after five minutes of waiting. Bahri ordered with a mild spicy taste because Ignacia said she wanted to eat spicy. Just be careful if you complain of stomach pain. Where ever this kid ate spicy food. Especially for ramen that still reflects smoke.

"Do you like the eggs?" Bahri asked while looking at Ignacia. His hand moved to give his egg to the girl before him as soon as he got the nod. "You look uncomfortable all day. I thought you were hungry and all that. Spend it. After this we go home."

Ignacia pegged at her position sipping noodles. He had no idea why Bahri was so considerate. Where was the wind until this man was sweet? Ignacia thinks that Bahri's lover can apparently change Bahri's attitude that was once rather ignorant to be softer.

"Why silence?"

Ignacia was caught in the middle of sculpting. Immediately continue eating activities as if nothing happened. He better not think. He just wanted to go with a friend. Bahri and herself had been close for a long time, there could be no feeling.

"Oh yeah how's Athira doing?"

The new chat came after the two had finished eating. Accompanied by a gelato dessert, the two throw questions at each other. It starts with Bahri on the topic of Ignacia's younger sister.

"He's fine. He drew and painted more than ever before. It seems like he will become a good painter later. Then how's your mom doing, Bahri? It's been a long time since I've heard from him."

"My mom is fine. But often go to work and such. After my grandmother died, my mother just wanted to make me happy by fulfilling all the needs I wanted. I don't need a lot of things."

Bahri's mother had long been abandoned by her husband. So losing a husband and a mother must have been hard for a woman who was the same age as Ignacia's mother. Bahri only lived alone with her mother after her grandmother died.

Ignacia clearly knew what it was like to be left alone by parents for work. Even left behind Rajendra alone has not counted how many times. In the past, Ignacia thought Rajendra was the answer to the question of why he always felt alone.

Ignacia began to guess whether leaving her mother to work was one of the things that made Bahri change partners after breaking up a few months. Think strange, where might Bahri be so.

"But from what I've seen on your social media, all you do is play with your friends, Bahri. If you don't have coffee together on the porch, maybe bike to places to eat and hang out."

"There was no one at home but me. So I better just go out. Looking for fresh air."

...*****...

Athira was already waiting at the door when Ignacia was about to put her motorcycle inside the house. He wanted to be escorted to his friend's house to pick up something. He said to prepare before their friend left. Ignacia did not refuse. Asking Athira to wait for a while until he finished removing the disguise.

"Sister enjoying a walk with Kak Bahri?" Athira idly asked when her sister's motorcycle stopped at a red light.

Ignacia nodded, but she seemed unsure. He just feels good, but something's up. The plan worked, but his heart hurt.

Athira is reading his brother's head?

"Yes, wrong. I won't repeat it again."

"Kak Rajendra sent a message. You better see it and reply later. I'll definitely like it."

The green back light. Ignacia's motorbike drove down the city streets to the sister's friend's house. What message will Ignacia receive? It just so happened that Athira brought her sister's phone before leaving earlier. So Ignacia could see the message that came while waiting.

...Rajendra ⁇ ◝ ⁇ ◜...

| I want to call you, I miss you

| If you can, I want to contact you

After so many days disappeared without news as if entering the cave to asceticism, Rajendra finally returned to world civilization. Sending messages with both fingers that may have been busy is used to do other things.

Boy's back. Ignacia's favorite man, he's back.

...*****...

Ignacia sat by the window of her room. Looking at the clear sky without clouds. His eyes could clearly capture the glowing powder that the horizon had around the Luna. Maybe because the feeling is so happy, so the sky seems to be happy for him.

"Hello" Rajendra's voice. The voice Ignacia missed.

Ignacia could not help but smile when she finally got Rajendra's attention. In the end he can get his girlfriend back from the busyness that will soon end. It's the sixth day. Rajendra will come home tomorrow and rest.

"Rajendra, how are you? Everything okay there?" Ignacia asked.

"I'm good. What about you, Ignacia? I'm not bothering you with all your novels, am I?" There's a joke from Rajendra. Apparently this guy still remembers her.

"Of course I'm fine. I finished my novel today. But soon I will defend another novel. Oh yeah, what time are you home tomorrow? You'll need a lot of sleep once you get home."

"looks like. I still don't know when I'm going home. But if you follow the schedule, about one o'clock the show is done. Ignacia, I hope you can be here now. Here you can see stars brighter and brighter."

Without even coming Ignacia could already feel it. Wasn't the view almost the same as it was looking through the bedroom window? His middle position was sitting on the carpet, facing the window, looking at the dominant black yet bright horizon.

"In the city it's also sunny, Rajendra. I hope to be able to tour the city tonight with you. Go home, stop being busy. I want to be with you longer."

Rajendra chuckles at the end of the call. Didn't expect such a spoiled attack from Ignacia tonight. "I'm sorry I'm too busy, Ignacia. Let's go next time. By the way tomorrow you will still go with your mama? Are you sure you can handle it? You never go alone."

"I'll try it. Even though I have never left, I will still try. You should be proud of me if I can get home safely."

Ignacia chuckled, stared at the clock on the wall and returned to the window. "You're not going to sleep? You'll need a lot of energy to get back to work tomorrow."

"I can't sleep if I don't hear your voice tonight. That week was long. Moreover, I'm really evil not sending any messages."

"It's okay. I'm a regular. Where are you at now, by the way? Your friends aren't listening to our conversation, are they?" It sounds lonely, but there could be someone in a corner.

"I'm outside the area. I'm looking for some fresh air. The signal is not so good in the ldks area. So I slipped away for a while to communicate well with you. It's okay, I'll be fine. Are you sleepy already? Sorry to call you all those nights. I wonder if you'll really leave tomorrow."

"I'll leave tomorrow, Rajendra. Don't worry."

"I can always trust you, Ignacia. If there's a problem, you should ask someone else for help, okay? Don't be too shy to be away from home. You won't see them again."

"You're worried because I usually only hang out with Nesya at school? I went with my mama, Rajendra. My mom is good at socializing and asking other people. There are many reasons why I chose my mother in the end."

"You are great."

The conversation continued until almost late. Rajendra forgot his tiredness after a day as a committee, on the other hand Ignacia was completely unaware of the clear details dripping from the right eye. Happy tears that have not come for a long time.

From behind the door, someone was hearing some of her brother's talk. His intention was to borrow a hair tie, but he should come again tomorrow. Should he withstand the discomfort of his hair that is left unraveled. Wrong itself for accidentally removing the hair tie belonging when outside.

"Sister is weird," the girl muttered before waltzing away.

"You haven't slept Athira?" His mother's voice shocked who was going back to his room. The sleepy woman walked up to her second child, "why wander at night? You should have slept since."

"I'd like to borrow a hairband on Sister Ignacia. But apparently Ignacia's sister is making a call with her boyfriend. Mama herself, why are you still awake?"

"Mama seemed to leave a cup on the terrace table. Just remember before going to bed. You better get some sleep, Athira. Girls can't get up late in the morning." The second child complies. Walk towards his room and immediately close the door perfectly.

Before going to the terrace to take the cup as he said, the sleepy woman approached the first child's room. It is true what Athira said. Her daughter is in romance dramas she made with her future favorite daughter-in-law.

"May they don't sleep too late." Mama Ignacia understood and understood what her son was doing. Let the lovers enjoy their time.

Ignacia must end the call before Rajendra sleeps late. He could not help his lover to rest and prepare for his last day tomorrow. Though Rajendra still does not want to be sure of the call.

"Once we go, we have to sleep. See you on school day, Rajendra. Go home safely," Ignacia breaks up and then turns off the call unilaterally. If not, Rajendra may still refuse.

Amidst the silence of her room, Ignacia's heart again felt uneasy. It's his guilt for already going with Bahri to go to the hill that time.

"If you knew what I was doing, you'd be very angry and not want to talk to me, Rajendra. But I want to make Bahri not lonely like me. I know what it's like to be left alone. I want to help her."

"Although that means I've disappointed you."