Calibra: A Delayed Taste
CALIBRA | CHAPTER 03

"How are you?"

Audi confusion should behave how. Suddenly he regretted letting Jeno and Fariz in first. As a result, Audi itself faced Ibra.

Going back and forth like whatever their relationship is clearly no longer the same. There is a distance that raises awkwardness.

Three years Audi almost never met with Ibra. It feels strange that Audi is acting so pretentious while he is sure that the look on his face cannot lie. Audi is no longer the teenage girl who always bought Ibra. If not for family ties, they would be nothing more than strangers now.

"Alhamdulillah, fine. Is Ibra healthy? It's getting busy, right?" Audi is still being friendly.

Ibra commented on the warm smile that made Audi fixated for a moment. That expression, Audi often got it a few years ago. The man did not change, still friendly as usual. Only their relationship had changed, it was impossible for Ibra to not feel the clear gap.

"I guess you're the busier you are, Cla."

Clas.

Audi's heart rippled. It was a small call that only Ibra used on him.

"Every time you come home to Bandung you are definitely not home."

Audi may have mistakenly seen Ibra's faint look. Because a second later the eyeballs again shine bright.

Audi turned his gaze to look at his bare feet on the floor. His fingers moved randomly pressing against each other. He's cleared his throat. "Mas Ibra knows Audi's work."

Ibra nodded, her face looking forward at the fish pond under the stairs. "You go to Jakarta often, but we rarely meet."

Because I don't want to see Mas.

"Let's learn. Follow the President everywhere. Where could I meet."

"I was also there working, not playing" Audi added.

Ibra smile. "Yes know you're an artist. It's busy, huh?" he looked back at Audi.

Audi ticks small. "Who is the artist?"

Now Ibra is laughing. "Youtube Artist. Models too, maybe? I've seen you commercial Nivea. Glowing you there. Is it because of the effect, huh?"

"Yee .. I'm glowing, yeah. Without having to use the effect." Unknowingly Audi snatched an upset.

Ibra's smile softened. Without an Audi guess before suddenly the man's hand raised touching the Audi's head, rubbing slowly as he used to do. "Yes. The original is more glowing and beautiful. Especially if it's like this."

Audi silent sculpting. He still had trouble digesting Ibra's attitude. Moreover, the feeling of Audi as if swaying in the ship, swinging as if hit by a deadly wave that is ready to sink it at any time.

Audi brushed off Ibra's hand. "Mas Ibra what the hell, anyway?"

Audi looked away nervously at his head wrapped in hijab. Actually Audi is not the type of person who closes the aura perfectly. She wears a hijab during certain events only.

Ibra moved her hand slowly. He smiled faintly in response to the awkwardness that suddenly bewailed them. His breathing was long stifled as his hands rested on his knees.

Ibra slightly lowered her head to play her clenched finger. "It seems difficult, yes" he whispered almost inaudibly.

Audi itself frowned with the sudden change. Several times Audi found Ibra was breathing out. The atmosphere was again filled with silence, just like when Jeno and Fariz left them a moment ago.

I looked at Audi again. Spotlight eyes that were warm now mixed something that Audi did not understand. Like fret and .. regret?

I don't know, maybe it's just an Audi hallucination. What should Ibra regret? Their good relationship is now stretched? If you need to be reminded Ibra is the one who started first.

"Cla ..." Ibra folded her lips for a moment. "I guess we both understand what's going on between us."

"If Mas doesn't think wrong, these three years you've been deliberately avoiding?" ask the man very carefully.

Silent. The two stared at each other before Audi turned his eyes across the pond. "Avoiding what?"

Maybe Audi didn't realize his voice sounded a little flat.

"Avoiding the Mas."

Hearing Ibra's confident reply, Audi also grunted with a smile. "What makes Mas Ibra think so?"

"Why should I avoid Mas Ibra?" Audi looked at the man.

"You're not at Mas and Shireen's wedding."

Be ill. The word marriage makes the heart of Audi pulsate without being prevented.

Audi's stupid, what silliness are you doing? You promised to take off any rope associated with Ibra.

They looked at each other for a long time until Audi opened his mouth to speak. "A person is not obliged to attend when there is no official invitation," he said to make Ibra speechless.

"Mas didn't give me an invitation, so I thought Mas Ibra didn't want me to come." Audi shrugged his shoulders. His eyes scanned around.

The back porch seemed quiet there were only the two of them, until the silence gripped the obvious chaos that felt suffocating.

Ibra herself fluttered with a pensive look. The two silenced complete the greeting silence. The warmth that used to exist now seems to freeze.

"Mas is wrong" Ibra said suddenly. "Mas is wrong for ignoring you. I'm sorry."

"But, Cla. You should know I didn't mean that."

Audi smiled briefly playing his fingers on the clothes worn.

Then what's it like? Can Mas Ibra explain it? Explain why I'm the only one who didn't get the invitation?

Maybe Audi will ask so when his sanity is gone.

"Mas Ibra is not wrong. Just because of the matter of not giving an invitation is not then Mas Ibra must apologize."

"Some of that right Mas Ibra and his wife want to invite me or not. I should have been self-aware enough as a family that could come uninvited. Right, right?"

"But Audi was busy at the time. Salah Mas Ibra why is the wedding not on holiday? I couldn't resist when dosbing suddenly asked to meet."

Ibra looked closely at the woman next to him, looking for the flaming twinkle that was once common. Also the joy that Ibra likes, maybe even now still.

Unfortunately the highlight was no longer the same when looking at him, making Ibra feel foreign and empty.

God, what did he do before?

Audi stood patting his clothes slowly. He looked briefly at the faithful Ibra. "Maybe also Mas Ibra did not want me to come for fear of being troublesome. Isn't that what it is?"

"Actually Mas Ibra did not need to entertain just because he felt guilty about not inviting me. It would only corroborate the reason that I was deliberately uninvited."

"Invited or not for sure I keep praying and sending gifts for you."

"Maybe I haven't had time to say it in person. Congratulations on the wedding. May it be long and happy."

Audi left Ibra. The woman entered the house under Ibra's gaze which she had unknowingly shone on.