The Honorary Owner
117

Ruby had prepared herself after the dawn prayer, waiting for Aisyah to come pick her up. He is the youngest son of Kyai Anwar and nyai Halimah who had six years of lodging in Al Mukmin, five years younger than Ruby.

Ruby had already locked the door of her house and was sitting on the wooden chair on the terrace, waiting for Aisyah's arrival. Ruby bought this house from work in Japan. A typical residential modest house, only has a shady small garden in front of the house, there is a small pond with water that is always gurgling at the end of the park contains some koi fish, koi fish, which makes him always feel at home in his home.

The orange sky forced the stars into the contest because the sun would soon open in the morning. Ruby was already restless for fear of arriving late at Sunday morning classes which were always held at six in the morning.

A black car stops in front of Ruby's house, Aisyah gets out of the car. This is not the first time Aisyah came to Ruby's house, since knowing Ruby lived in Jogja, she often stayed at Ruby's house.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Mrs Ruby. Aisyah's car broke down earlier, so it's too late to pick up Ma'am, Ruby." Said Aisyah from behind the gate.

"Wa'alaikumsalam, Aisha." Ruby opened the gate and locked it from the outside. "Wish we could get there on time?"

"Yes, Mother. Come on!"

The two get into the car and Aisyah takes the car away from Ruby's house.

"Mas Habibie's been home since last night, Ma'am." Said Aisyah opening the conversation.

"What's he like, Aisyah?" ask Ruby.

"Santun, but it seems like Mas Habibie is a quiet person, Ma'am. He answered all Abi's questions as necessary, not too long."

Ruby breathed. From the short story Aisyah, she already felt that she did not fit with the man named Habibie. Ruby did not continue the question anymore, it was better to see directly what the man was like.

Ruby and Aisyah arrived late shortly after the study began. They immediately sat in the front row of the female shaf.

"The one at the very end, Ma'am. Black kopeyah's pake." Bisik Aisyah, pointing to the seat of the leaders and caregivers of the boarding school.

Ruby looked at the man Aisyah meant. Not much different from the photo on the CV. His face was shady, looking polite and friendly. Ruby hurriedly lowered her head as the man raised his head after getting a whisper from a man behind her. He knew if now it was his turn to be noticed, he chose to focus on studying alone.

Two hours of study was finally over. Jama'ah from the guardian santri putra/daughter, as well as the general congregation began to disperse. The pesantren men's courtyard slowly grew quieter, leaving several people who knew each other chatting at some point there.

Two men, one middle-aged and the other young came to Ruby Aisyah who was still greeting their acquaintances.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Ning Ayesha, Ning Ruby."

"Wa'alaikumsalam" replied the four women who were busy chatting.

"Ustadz Ilyas?" Greeting Ruby, He clenched his palms greeting his acquaintance Abinya.

"Ning Ruby, Ning Ayesha. We say yes, Assalamu'alaikum."

"Yes, Wa'alaikumsalam ..." Sahut Ruby and Aisyah, then they focus on the two men who are standing in front of them.

"Talk, this is Gus Habibie. Who intended to invite Ning Ruby ta'aruf."

Habibie and Ruby smiled and greeted each other.

"Assalamu'alaikum Ning Ruby. How are you?" Greetings Ruby.

"Wa'alaikumsalam, Gus Habibie. Alhamdulillah, fine. " Answer, Ruby.

"Call me Habibie, please,"

"If so, you can just call me Ruby."

Habibie nodded, "Have you read my CV in full? Should I introduce myself to you again, Ruby?"

Somehow he felt uneasy when the man called his short name.

"Let's, By. It doesn't take long, he replied. Just accept him as your husband. Abi and Ummimu agreed too."

The chubby old man could almost be heard on the field.

"Pakdhe Anwar, can everyone hear this?" Ruby Protest.

Kyai Anwar is a Kyai who despite his age has a lot but his style of speech is still very millennial and outspoken.

"Well, why? You have good intentions to get married, why should you be ashamed?"

Ruby grew increasingly confused, he circulated his gaze around seeing how many people heard Kyai Anwar's voice.

But the look in his eyes stopped at the figure of the man he knew so well with a boy. Staring at him with a surprised face and eyes of disappointment.

Hiko ma'am? What are you doing here? inner Ruby. He wanted to approach the man, but Kyai Anwar had told him to come in. While Hiko also quickly left the place.

During the meeting with Habibie, Ruby could not concentrate at all. His mind was wondering what Hiko was doing right now? How does that guy feel? Is he hurt and expecting an explanation from him?

**********

After praying the dhuhur congregated, Aisyah drove Ruby home. However, Ruby asks Aisyah to drive her to Hiko's house. After all, he had to explain his situation to Hiko.

"Aisha, I'm asking you for help. Don't tell anyone you're driving me here. If Abi and Umm you ask, just tell me you've been waiting for me. I'm sorry I asked you to lie." Pinta Ruby when she reached the gate of Hiko's house.

"Whose house is this, Mommy?" asked Aisyah, she spread her gaze behind the wooden fence painted white and not too high.

"Bak's making a deal with someone?" ask Aisyah again When looking at a cafe on the other side of the page.

Ruby Hany smiled, "Please do what I said earlier huh, Aisyah. Let's go first. Thanks though. Assalamu'alaikum,"

"Wa'alaikumsalam, Ma'am."

Ruby rushed down from the car and immediately headed to Hiko's house which was a good distance from the gate. Until Hiko's doorstep, he knocked several times and said hello until Inah opened the door.

"Eh, Non Ruby." Sapa Inah's.

"Mas Hiko is there, Bi?" ask Ruby.

"After a guest, Bi?"

Inah shook her head, "Den Hiko if Sunday does not accept the photo shoot, Non. I just didn't know it in the studio."

"Can I go there, Bi?" ask Ruby.

"I'm anther, Non?"

Ruby shook her head, "No need, Bi. I'll see him myself."

"Good, Non. Just come in, Non."

"Yes, Bi. Thanks."

Ruby left the house, walking through the crowded park with cafe visitors to quickly arrive at Hiko's studio.

He knocked several times on the studio door and went straight into the studio. A waiting room with a long table may be where the receptionist receives guests.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Mas ..." Ruby tries to find out Hiko's whereabouts.

He slowly walked into the room, quiet as if there was no one there. But he kept his feet going deeper.

"MasyaAllah." cried Ruby in surprise, she covered her mouth with both palms.

How not, one side of the shooting room wall that has a length of almost ten meters and a height of the meter is full of photos attached as wallpaper.

Ruby approached the wall, looking at the image of her standing self, closed her eyes enjoying the flowers of the Angsana tree that fell into the main photo on the wall. The other is the photos with various sizes, arranged original but looks very interesting. One by one he looked at his picture, he knew clearly everywhere the photo was taken, there were even some photos that he did not know when it was taken.

Seeing that, Ruby felt very happy as well as guilty. The man really loved her, maybe his love was less than his love for Hiko.

He turned around and saw Hiko asleep on the long sofa on the edge of the room. Slowly he approached the man who was sleeping. Hair with a hair cut style that is always combed towards the back it looks messy. He was eager to tidy it up with his fingers even he wanted to make a small fountain there. But his intentions were limited by their relationship status.

Ruby could only sit squat next to Hiko, propping up both chins and occasionally shading naturally Hiko namum did not touch her. The smile still continued to expand on Ruby's lips.

"Is that the reason you can't be with me?" ask Hiko suddenly.

His eyes were still closed, but his voice firmly asked, making Ruby's fingers playing on Hiko's face stop instantly. The woman hurriedly pulled her hand.

"You're up, Mom?" Ruby asked back.

Hiko opened her eyes and sat down right in front of Ruby, she propped her elbows up on her thighs, her eyes looking at Ruby sharply.

"I've told you that this time it's going to be hard for us to be together, Mom."

"But you love me, By? What makes you like this?"

Ruby stood up and shook her head, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Mas."

"Don't apologize, By! Like you want me to stop loving you! I can't do that."

Ruby looked at Hiko for a moment, she was also not willing to lose the man's love.

"I don't want to hurt anyone anymore, Mom."

"What do you mean, By?"

"I want to be devoted to both my parents, Mas. All this time I've always been stubborn and forced them to obey my will, I don't want God to be angry with me anymore because of my nature and attitude towards my parents, Mom."

Hiko frowned, "Abi and Ummi are the ones who betrothed you?" ask Hiko.

Ruby speechless.

"Abi and Ummi are the ones who know our feelings the most, By?"

"They don't know if we've met, Mas."

"I'll see them, I'll ask you back. I don't want to lose you a second time, By."

Ruby shook her head quickly, "Don't meet them, Mas."

"Why?"

Ruby just shook her head. "Don't meet them."

"Are you giving up, By?" ask Hiko.

Ruby speechless.

"By ..., can't we fight a little more? Just a little ..., because our story is almost perfect."

- Connected

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