In the Name of a Mate
Chapter 30: The opportunity exists

Layla was still pensive thinking about what Qais was asking. True, their names are exactly the same as the tragic love story of hundreds of years ago, but with a different plot. Layla and Qais in the beautiful poem love each other, but that's not what happened between them. Or rather, Layla refused to believe her own feelings.

He stared at the ceiling of his room, which was dim yellow from the light of a sleeping lamp, with the mind drifting away from tomorrow. What would he tell Zara? What reason could he give Yasmin? Both of his cousins loved the same person, but now he was with that person.

If love and everything about feeling this uncomplicated, Layla believes the depressed human population must not be this short.

"Hahhhh," he unconsciously took a deep breath and turned to the right side. A moment later, he was surprised to see Qais staring at him. Reflexes, he retreated until he almost fell backward.

"What kind of men do you like?" ask him to Layla.

"Huh?"

"A man who prays? A njai? Worship time? Have a high level of religious knowledge?"

"Why are you asking like that?"

"Because I want to be the kind of guy you like."

"After that?" Qais furrowed his brows at the question.

"Otherwise? Falling in love and living happily," Layla focused on looking up at the ceiling of the room hearing Qais's answer, assuming it was that simple.

"We and other people have hearts. And that heart sometimes brazenly chooses the heart that belongs to others."

"meaning?" Qais asked with a frown next to his brows, making Layla take a deep breath and look at him.

"My cousin, Zara's sister and Yasmin's sister, like you."

They're speechless. Layla observed how the expression the man was about to give off. Quite unexpectedly, Qais laughed out loud, making Layla shudder.

"AHA."

"Why are you laughing?" tanyakanya.

"I don't even know them. Why are you afraid I like it?" Layla opened her mouth in disbelief hearing this man's level of confidence. So he thinks Layla's jealous?

"It's not like that I mean! Kak Qais will never know how crazy a woman who has fallen in love. And the most guilty thing here is me, because I indirectly hurt them." Layla kicked the blanket so bad.

"Ila, a relationship does not exist because of one heart. But because of two hearts and reciprocity. We cannot prevent people from liking us, but we can determine to whom we will give this heart. Do you understand?"

"That you like must be a lot out there, but in the end fate lines us together," continued Qais when Layla just fell silent.

"That's why you should never feel guilty about this. The business of another heartbroken man is his business with his own heart. God gave this life for us, why should we give it to others?"

"Do you regret marrying me? Are you sorry that I came to help you?" After a moment of silence, Qais again asked Layla who was still busy with her thoughts, staring at the ceiling of the room.

"Honestly, I'm not a good person, maybe even worse than you think. I may also be far from the criteria of the man you dreamt of." Layla was speechless when Qais said that.

"I did not know myself so much that I asked you to be my soul mate with God, even though I was covered in sin," Qais chuckled a little while remembering everything. He rarely faced the Power, but is not God too kind to him now?

"Everybody must have sin" Layla replied.

"You will never know how bad I am" Qais said sincerely.

"If someday you knew how bad I was, would you still accept me?"

"There's still time to change things for the better. All women would want a righteous man to be their priest and guide them to heaven. But that doesn't mean there's no chance to change," now Qais thought silently. Is that really so?

Early in the morning, Qais covered his mouth which was vaporizing wide. He needs to get used to all the new rules now. He who did not even know the tahajud prayer, now began to learn, although the overwhelming sleepiness attacked. At the dawn, he was even ashamed of Bilal who proclaimed the Adhan with his merdunya in the mosque complex. In fact, to the mosque alone may only be counted fingers in his life.

"You must be used to it. Men are better off praying in the mosque. The law of the sunnah is disgusted or approaching compulsory. His head was also greater, "the words of Naufal when they had just returned from the mosque. Qais nodded his head, usually he would still be comfortable with the bed at this kind of hour.

"You should be able to explain this misunderstanding to the extended family. I can't imagine their reaction, which must have been hard for them to accept this quickly." Naufal patted him on the shoulder several times. He suspected that the Bramadja family's reaction was most likely to be disappointed or even angry that no one had told him last night. He himself did not know what he was going to say, it was possible that they would be disappointed in him.

"I will speak to them and bear all the consequences. You don't have to be afraid." Layla shook her head, that was not what she was afraid of, but she felt very guilty towards Zara.

"HOW CAN YOU?!" It was a reaction Naufal had expected. They would be shocked because of this news.

"As said, this is a misunderstanding" Naufal said, still trying to explain calmly.

"How can you let this happen? Can't you take good care of Ila?" layla asked as she clasped her hands on each other. "It's not his father's fault, but who could have guessed that it would happen?"

"Sorry, but." replied Naufal, Ila's father.

"Naufal's father was not one who could predict the future. How did he know it was going to happen?" sela Qais's. He was not the type of person who could explain meekly after being accused or yelled at.

"Qais," Naufal scolded as he shook his head, warning the man to be silent.

"But..."

"This is not the time for you to talk. It's out of my control as a father and a man. I never knew it would happen, because a dozen years on that road, this is the first time something like this has happened" Naufal said

"Then, are you sure that he's a good man for Ila?" devano, father of Joseph

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Typo correction... 🤗 🙏<TAG1>