HATE Before LOVE
Laughter Feelings.

Dimas approached Yura and Mona who were busy enjoying their afternoon snacks; cakwe, cilok, batagor, siomay, and ice cendol were sweet and fresh when it was still cold. In one of the campus garden gazebos. The cool air because the gazebo was right under a shady tree made the heat of the afternoon not too pronounced.

Mona immediately turned super jutek, super fierce, once saw the male figure she had beaten.

"You want what you?!" Shoot Mona.

"Weis, relax dong." Dimas by not caring about Mona's bulging eyes. "I just want to say that it turns out that the best friend you're defending is not much different from me."

"Hey, what do you mean?" tanya Yura was not happy with Dimas's intonation that demeaned Elif.

"'You guys think Elif and I haven't had two months of break-ups, but now she's a future wife of a conglomerate! That's great, right!"

"Wife candidate?" Yura frowned, looking at Mona who also had the same expression as her.

"Don't worry about talking!" Mona's getting fierce.

"Who is angry. You guys don't know what it is? It was so viral on social media! My parents were so inexhaustible, they were convinced that Elif had been a mistress of the rich man, and after breaking up from me, only then was his relationship exposed to the media."

"Hey, you want me to kick it again?" Mona got up. Dimas also reflexes to stand. Yura also stood up to hold Mona. And some of the students in the other gazebo stood up because they wanted to watch. (Basic netizens offline.)

"You can find the news in the media, just write 'Young Businessman Ardan Mahesa Demir and Candidate Wife.'" said Dimas. "Well, don't tell me you don't know? Is it possible because you've become the future wife of a rich man your best friend forgot about your cocoon-like friendship?" His ledek then ran away as Mona was actually about to kick in with her boot.

Yura immediately opened the internet page on her phone. Write keywords to find the news that Dimas said while hoping that the Dimas was just making free and looking for it because of it.

But...

"Mona!" Yura screeched.

"What's? Don't tell me what Dimas said is true?!"

Yura nodded. Mona read the news tagline, quickly she read the content of the news.

"Wait, deh." Yura took back her phone from Mona's hand. "Ardan? Isn't that Elif's boss's name she said was so annoying?"

Mona squinted her eyes, a sign the tomboyish girl was remembering. "Ah, yes, yes, you're right. But why did Elif suddenly become his future wife?"

"And he didn't tell us anything. Hem, this is weird, isn't it?"

"Yes, like not Elif. Or maybe Elif was being threatened by his boss?"

"Diancam what do you mean? Don't be so scared!"

"Yes I don't know either. Because this news is so awkward that you know who Elif is, right?"

"Yes you're right."

"We're going to Elif's house now, we're asking him directly."

"Wait a minute, it's working hours, Elif must be in his office."

"Okay, we'll just go to his office."

"Okay, cuss!"

***

In the hospital elevator during visiting hours, five middle-aged mothers and one elderly woman still look fresh and healthy, heading to the VVIP room. Of course their trip was filled with very interesting chat material.

"So Oma actually met her future husband Elif who was on the news?" ask Ms. Tami.

"Yes, very handsome, like a bule artist." replied Oma.

"But isn't Elif still in college while working?" ask Mrs Oci.

"Yah Bu Oci is less updated, Elif is reportedly no longer in college, he works now" replied Bu Hani.

"Oh I think Elif left very early in the morning, came home really bad because he worked while in college that way" said Bu Oci innocently.

"Said Bu Zehra, Elif works as a secretary. But we also do not know what secretary works from morning blind until almost midnight that." said Bu Tami.

"Eh so, every day escorted by a luxury car, my son has seen the time again staying up late sripsi." said Bu Hani.

"It must be her future husband, yes" said Ms. Oci.

"Husband's candidate is probably the boss."

"It could be, Oma's car looks really good, like it's in those magazines, it's got wings in the back."

"The sports car is called Oma." said Bu Hani who was gripped with the oddity of the mothers.

"Well, hopefully it's a soul mate, pity Elif has always not been considered the same father."

"When his son is good."

"Yes." Yeah."

"Yes, good son."

"It looks like this is also the one who financed Mr. Yanuar's operation and everything is his future husband Elif deh" said Bu Hani.

"Surely."

"Why is that?" (Bu Oci is too plain sodara-sodara.)

"Yes, right, Mr. Yanuar just got a PHK, his food stall income is also, well, how much, it is. The Elif has been working not too long. The cost of where to get surgery and treated in an expensive hospital VVIP treatment room is like this, try." Ms. Retno explained briefly but made sense.

Ting!

The elevator doors open, they exit from inside the elevator looking for the VVIP space to be located.

"Wuih this hospital corridor decoration alone is like in a hotel ya." said Oma.

"It's lucky that Bu Zehra got a candidate for ex-wong sugih" said Bu Tami.

"That's the VVIP room, the mothers don't huddle anymore, it's not good if Ms. Zehra hears."

***

Elif chose to be alone in the office rooftop, only armed with a torn bread that nitip buy at an office boy. He had completely lost his appetite due to his meeting this morning with Ardan's parents. Mama Ardan is so fashionable as most socialite moms. Then Papa Ardan was so authoritative and very calm.

Elif still remembered the gaze full of judgment that Mama Ardan gave her when Ardan introduced Elif to Mama Ardan. The eyes are decorated with long and pliable eyelashes and eyeshadow color that matches the color of the dress she wears, see Elif from bottom to top. Grateful Elif he decided to dip his hair neatly, given hair gel and sprayed hair spray so as not to thrash. I don't know what Ardan's parents would think if they saw how beautiful Elif's hair was.

But really, it doesn't matter, should it? Whatever Ardan's parents' judgment on him should not need to give any side effects to him. Yeah, it should be like that.

But that morning, Mama Ardan always compared Elif with Marsha. Or with other girls he's tried to introduce to Ardan. Somehow her pride as a woman was hurt.

The conversation this morning was still echoing in his head, not leaving, and getting carried away.

"*When Marsha is very beautiful, classy, smart, well educated, but does not know why Ardan even wasted it. The other girls that Auntie had introduced to Ardan were also not from random classes" Mama Ardan said that morning at the dinner table when Elif was there with Ardan meeting the breakfast invitation.

"But yeah, this auntie's son is different, he's always never one frequency with aunt. Always have their own choice, and to make Auntie wonder, the choice is always the opposite of what Auntie wants."

"Ma, what the hell, from earlier comparing Elif alone with others" said Ardan reprimanding his mother.

"Ah You're like you don't know your mama. Let alone people, the clothes he bought were always compared to other clothes that he had bought as well." said Ardan Papa.

"Sorry, Elis, yes,"

"Elif, Ma, not Elis." Ardan corrected, the fourth time. But it seems like Madame Demir doesn't care.

"You're not offended, are you?" He continued*.

No, Elif should not be offended, no need to take heart whatever happens in this play. Because all this falsehood will end after five months. After all, it is only natural that Madame Demir wants her only son who is very successful, handsome and smart to get a companion whose social status is equal. Not a crack of a biscuit like him.

Drrta! Drrta!

Her phone vibrated, a short message notification from an app showing Yura sending her a message.

[Me and Mona are in your office lobby, we need to talk.

PS. Everyone who passes in front of me and Mona, they're all talking about you and the guy named Ardan.]

Elif sighed. He had to lie to his two best friends.

Oh my God, what will happen to me after all this ridiculous deal is over?