SYAHDU (Contract Sleep Friends)
Engagement Invitations

Arga stood at the side of the bed looking at Syahdu's sleeping face. After bathing and taking medicine, the girl finally fell asleep with the rest of the tears on her face. Every now and then he moved uneasily and a small groan came out of his mouth. Syahdu is tormented, Arga knows it. Not only in the real world, even in the dream world Syahdu still feels his suffering.

Arga sat on the edge of the bed. He clasped Syahdu's hand, stroking his gloomy face like he saw something he didn't like. After Arga gave him a touch, Syahdu went back to sleep quietly.

Arga could not continue to see the woman he loved was suffering. He will make Syahdu back cheerful even though it may be heavy. Moreover, Syahdu like not think it exists. Syahdu was often silent and stared blankly ahead.

Even so, Arga will not give up. He will try his hardest, to turn Syahdu's gaze towards him.

Arga glanced at his mobile phone vibrating on the nightstand. She stood up and moved away to pick up the phone from Julia.

"Yes, mom."

'Alexander, where are you, huh? 2 Tonight you are not home. Mama Soraya came but you can't be contacted. You want to make my mom embarrassed. Huh yeah?'

Arga looked at Syahdu's face. Why can he forget, if he will get engaged and even promise this to Syahdu?

'Answer me, Alexander!'

"Yes, mi. Arga's there tomorrow."

'Semarin mami and mama Soraya have already dated and we agreed that your fiancee and Soraya will be held on the 29th. So, you have to be ready.'

Arga sighed. That means there are only 9 days left. Can he ruin this engagement?

"Yes, mi."

'good. Tomorrow morning we have to go to the house. Many people want to explain.'

Julia hung up. Arga still silently stared at the screen of his phone. It was hard for him to digest all of this. Syahdu is now very bad and he will also be engaged. Can he leave that woman? Is there another way to run? But he did not want to disappoint Margaret and Julia, for whom the two men's good names were at stake. But, did he have to sacrifice his feelings as well?

Syahdu returned. His eyes were closed but his shoulder was shaken.

Arga climbed onto the bed, pulling Syahdu in an embrace.

"Sst. I'm here. Don't be sad, Syahdu." His whisper while stroking Syahdu's head. The girl fell back asleep in Arga's arms which calmed her down.

...🍁...

Syahdu sat in front of an open glass door with the head he had leaned against the wall. He hugged his knees, letting his hair blow in the wind.

His gaze was empty, it had been 20 minutes since he woke up Syahdu chose to sit down and asked the wind to help refresh his mind.

"Breakfast, yuk." Arga sat next to her, taking the girl to eat together.

A few seconds, no answer. Syahdu was busy with his own thoughts.

"I want to go to the house of oma for a while, there is still one course as well. Aren't I gonna leave?"

Syahdu nodded small. He had no problem at all, because he just wanted to be alone.

"Syahdu, I'm sure you have a special menu, on the table. You eat, yes. Take the medicine later. Okay?"

Syahdu was still silent even though he understood what Arga said. But his heart and soul are not being disturbed by anyone including Arga, even though he knows, at this time only Arga cares about him.

Arga sighed softly. He knows this is hard for Syahdu. He will continue to encourage the woman to stay alive.

"I'm leaving, yeah." Heavily, Arga got up from his seat. He stood long enough to stare at Syahdu until he convinced himself that Syahdu would be fine while in his apartment. That girl won't kill herself.

Arga finally stepped out to meet his mother while looking for a way to continue to be with Syahdu.

~

Arga went inside the house and found Margaret sitting on the terrace drinking tea.

"Oma heard Syahdu's guy died yesterday."

Arga who had wanted to go in to see Julia was finally sitting next to Margaret.

"Pity, yes. His grandmother died not long ago, either. Now he's a kara." Margaret put down the glass she had held since.

"Bring him here. Let oma help him."

"He's in Arga's apartment."

"Huh? You take him to your apartment? So two days ain't coming home from sleeping with Syahdu?" Ask Margaret with glaring eyes.

"Bu-not that sleep, oma. Shahdu, again sad. He ain't got nobody else, so..." Arga scratched his head, puzzled over how to explain it to Margaret.

But Margaret understood, especially she knew her grandson liked Syahdu. Of course the man did not want Syahdu why.

"Bring him here if he's better, yeah. Somebody wants oma obrolin."

"Alexander, here it seems." Julia emerged from the front door, sitting across from Margaret with some paper. "Here, the invitation is done. Then go to your friends, yeah. Papa also went to his colleagues."

Arga glanced at the invitation Julia placed on the table. His name and Soraya were there. Arga threw away his face, seeing the invitation made him realize that the engagement was getting harder to resist. Moreover, the invitation has been spread.

"Darling, all this time my mom has never asked for anything with you. This time, please, mommy, yeah. Please, don't do anything that's not good as long as you're in London. Next week I'll be back again, so don't get the family's good name ruined because of you. Mom knows, mom is very selfish. But mami sure, after this you must be happy. Soraya's a good boy, he-"

Arga standing. "If there's nothing to say, Arga's gone, yeah. There's class again." He said while glancing at his watch.

Julia looked at Margaret who was just casually drinking her tea. Margaret didn't seem to care, nor did she invite her colleague, for some reason, Julia didn't understand. Margaret was not opposed, but not supportive.

Julia nodded, and Arga left without the invitation card Julia gave to her friends.

"Ma, why are you quiet?" Julia asked after Arga disappeared from their sight.

"Mama agrees, right, the same question? Mama, I want to have a great-grandchild."

Margaret did want Arga to continue her descendants. But, he also realized that his grandson did not like Soraya. Then Syahdu, he also heavily accepts the background of the girl. It was wrong and confusing.

"Where is this invitation going to be sent? Let Julia help send it to mama's friends, yeah."

"Ngga. My mom is not going to invite anyone. Later, at Arga's wedding." He then leaves Julia.

...🍁...

Arga went into the apartment. Seen Syahdu still in the same position when he had been out for 2 hours, but the girl did not move at all.

Arga glanced at the kitchen. There was no sign of his cooking being touched. Syahdu has been there ever since.

Slowly Arga approached, he saw Syahdu closed his eyes with a face covered with his hair that softly blushed the wind.

Arga carried her, carried her up to the bed. Must be tired of sitting there for hours, but when lifted, it turns out Syahdu opened his eyes.

Arga stopped and looked at the girl's sad eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, I guess you slept."

Arga immediately sat Syahdu slowly on top of the bed.

"Lo hasn't eaten, yeah. Not taking medication?"

Syahdu did not. He pulled his leg and then hugged again.

"Gue takein, yeah." Arga headed for the kitchen, while Syahdu stared at his mobile phone vibrating on the nightstand. Several times he ignored a new number call, until a message entered to make him reach for the phone. It was Margaret's number. In his message, Margaret asked Syahdu to come when her feelings were calm.

Then he opened the group message. Syahdu silently stared at the screen, where an invitation card was sent by Adina and Arga's name was in it.

"Eat first, then take the medicine." Arga sat down and put a glass of water on the nightstand. He was preparing to feed Syahdu, but the girl just silently looked at him.

"Come, aaaa.."

Syahdu opened his mouth, making Arga smile happily.

"Gue bring something for you." Arga grabbed his bag, then took out a piece of paper and handed it to Syahdu.

"Lo's highest."

Syahdu saw the scores on his exam sheet back then.97 and it made him a little happy.

"It was lucky that we didn't bet." Arga shows his value, 95. He lost 2 digits to Syahdu. "If not, I'll lose." Connect with laughter.

"When you're ready, I'll help."

Syahdu. That value made his spirit rise. If there was a grandmother, she would be proud. His inner.

"Eat again, dong." Arga returned to the spoon and Syahdu opened his mouth.

After some time of silence, Syahdu finally opened his mouth.

"Congratulations, Ga."

Arga looked at him not understanding. Congratulations on what? Ask in the heart.

"Congratulations, next week you're engaged, right?"

Arga can't answer. Because he did not like the words that came out of Syahdu's mouth.

TB