SYAHDU (Contract Sleep Friends)
Last conversation with Arif

Syahdu sat in front of the closed shophouse. He sighed softly, because his body was tired after boarding the bus 4 hours from the airport. Now he is still in the city of Bebatu and must take the same time to go to the village. Unfortunately, the transportation to get there is no longer there.

Amidst the confusion, Syahdu opened the phone. He replies to Ibra's message sending him a photo of Arga. The girl smiled to herself seeing how handsome and cool Arga was in the photo. In stark contrast to the original that is very recognizable Syahdu, sometimes annoying.

Syahdu shut the phone. It had been half an hour that the girl was sitting waiting, no one seemed to be able to take her towards the village. He also dragged his suitcase, looking for people who would drive him with the large wages he would give.

"Shahdu!"

The girl looked back. He was silent stiff when he found Arif running small towards him. Syahdu immediately imagined the moment where he said a word that should not be said when his past was not resolved. Then now, how do I tell Arif?

"Just home?" Ask Arif when he was in front of Syahdu. He smiled happily welcoming the girl. He noticed the look of Syahdu from top to bottom. The girl had already returned to the look of the city and looked even more beautiful.

"Emm. yes."

The man glanced at the watch in his hand. "If it's this hour, there's no more vehicle to the village."

"D-yes."

"Want you to take me?"

Syahdu did not immediately answer, because he came with bad news for Arif. But he also needs a ride.

"Come, I parked there." Arif put his foot on his bike.

"But, Rif.." Syahdu. Would Arif be nice to her too if she knew what Syahdu would say later?

"Udah is almost dark. You want to stay here?"

The man smiled at Syahdu who looked down silently. Of course Arif knows, Syahdu feels bad for sure because he already has a lover now.

"If so, wait here. I'll get the bike first." He said, then ran small towards the direction where the motorbike was parked.

~

"Well, you're okay, right?" Ask Arif who remains focused ahead of the road.

"good. How're you?" Ask Syahdu back. Slightly hardened the sound so that Arif could hear it.

"Nice as well."

After Arif's reply, the two of them were silent to each other. No more Arif questions as usual, asking when Syahdu is empty.

After two and a half hours of travel, they finally arrived. Time is faster due to riding a motorcycle.

"Sister!" The dance that was sitting on the terrace also hugged Syahdu. So did Syahdu who felt homesick with his sister.

"Arif, thank you very much, yes."

Arif put the suitcase Syahdu. "Yes, you're welcome."

"Come, come in."

"Thank you. I'm going to RT's first." Answer the man.

Usually Arif never refused if invited to stop by. But today the man without a second thought immediately rejected her.

"Eem.. can chat no, after I'm from the house of RT sir. If you're tired, I understand. Tomorrow after school, I-"

"It could be, Rif. All right, there's something I want to talk about."

"I'll wait up the hill." Arif said, then pushed his motorbike out of the yard of Syahdu house.

The girl came in, overrun with many questions from Dari. Inside, Adit also hugged her. So did Nani. Syahdu gave them a gift from the city. Clothing, stationery, and packaged foods that of course they have never eaten before.

"Sir, this is so good!" Exciting Dance when tasting the food that Syahdu gave.

"Mother, thank you. Adit's got a new suit." Said Adit while attaching a new shirt to his body.

"Yes, baby."

"Good town huh, brother? Must be exciting, right there. There's a movie theater, brother. I've seen movies, dong." Tari chirps, and Nani just shook her head looking at the little girl.

"Dance, are you going to town?"

"You brother, mauuu.." Answer Dance with spirit.

"If you are, Dit?"

"You, bun. Said Temen Adit, the city is fun."

Syahdu was very happy to hear the answers of his sisters. "If so.. What if we move to the city??"

"Yahoo!!" Dance and Adit simultaneously. Hearing the spirit of his sisters, made Syahdu smile with satisfaction.

"Well, dance can't waitrr.."

While Nani, just silently looked at the three. Moving to town? Of course he never thought of it before.

...🍁...

Syahdu rode the high ground with Arif waiting on it. The strong wind up there did not make the man cold, instead he enjoyed it.

Arif smiled at the arrival of Syahdu. The girl felt a little awkward. His brain was turning, thinking of the right word to say it to Arif.

He then gave a photograph to Syahdu, confused that the girl received it.

"Congratulations, you're back in Arga."

Syahdu stared at the photo in his hand, the photo taken by Tari at that time. It turns out Arif still keeps it.

"Rif, sorry.." That's all that came out of Syahdu's mouth. She didn't think Arif had guessed that. Yes, Arif lives in the city of Bebatu. Surely he's been following Arga's news lately.

Arif just looked down with his little smile. The smile he had to show, the smile of disappointment.

"I shouldn't have given you that chance. I never thought that Arga was looking for me through the media and songs."

"That means he loves you very much, Syahdu." Sahut Arif with a bitter feeling.

Syahdu just looked down. He felt guilty for Arif. Moreover, the man had been expecting it since the past few years.

"I don't know what happened to you. But I could see the void through your eyes all this time, and the first time I saw you in town, I could think you were happier now."

Arif tilted his body, facing Syahdu. "I really love you, Syahdu. But after knowing how Arga struggles for you, I feel small."

The man took a breath. Then I looked at Syahdu. "Tomorrow I'll go back to my hometown. My work time is over here. So, maybe this is the last time I see you."

"Why tomorrow? Isn't there still two months left?"

The man laughed a little. "Actually yesterday's month was over. But...." Arif deliberately hung his sentence, he was sure Syahdu had understood and that he could see from the submissiveness of Syahdu.

"I'm really sorry, Rif. I didn't mean to play you."

"I understand, really. I'm so glad you found your happiness. Because I can't necessarily treat you like Arga did for you."

"So..you're going home tomorrow?"

"Yes. I take care of everything." Arif then heaved a heavy sigh. "Well, I don't know why I actually like it here. But I miss my hometown too." He said he was laughing.

"really. I feel that way too."

They also had a long conversation. After that, Arif said leave because tomorrow there is still something he has to take care of early in the morning.

Syahdu was still standing on the hill, watching Arif who began to advance his motorbike without looking back.

Syahdu was a little relieved despite the guilt in his heart. He did not need to explain many things because it turned out that Arif already knew about it.

Syahdu's phone vibrated in his pocket. He immediately took it.

'So long lift it!!'

Syahdu. It turns out that the hill above caught a signal even though several points.

'You if you're there, forget about me.'

Syahdu smiled at Arga.

"What are you doing again? No timetable, huh?" Ask Syahdu, ignoring Arga's annoyance which he considered excessive.

'Udah finished all. Can you video call, right? I'm kangennn.'

Syahdu nodded, he sat down and placed the camera close to his face. Arga's face is also visible on the screen of his phone.

"You just finished your shower?"

'yes. From the time I took a shower I called, but you didn't pick up!' Say it with a dirty face.

"I did, just to. This time I'm on a hill, so there's a signal."

'Hillbilly? You're climbing the gini night-night hill?'

"No. Emm. There's a little hill where I used to be. Play."

'Oh. When are you coming back? Tomorrow, right? Want me to pick it up?'

"I just got there, Gaa.."

'I missuu. I don't sleep on my own. Have you told your mother, not yet? Hurry up and say we're'

"RICEY!"

Syahdu almost dropped his phone because he was shocked by the scream of Dance behind Syahdu.

"That's Argaaa! That's Arga right, kaaakk!!" He shouted with an incredulous face. While Syahdu held his heart that was beating violently due to the sudden presence of Dance.

TB

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