Knights For Mundika
24
“Until when should we like this Dalmouk?” A question posed by Artika stopped the eating movement carried out by Dalmouk. He is currently enjoying dinner with Artika in his study. Time has also shown at 9 pm where there are only the two of them and the clang of a wall clock inside the office building. The atmosphere is so dim and only the light of the skyscrapers that add to the dark flickers of the night in Dubai.
“Hum?” The look without any burden from Dalmouk made Artika sigh between sad and indecisive. The longer he was with Dalmouk, the more he felt that his feelings for him were deepening. If you recall this journey of love, it seems that it is increasingly passionate and Dalmouk is so flat as if he is satisfied with their current relationship. He actually began to feel an unreasonable fear when it comes to his relationship with Dalmouk who is based on stealth as it is now until it does not feel nearly two years they are together.
“It's been almost two years that we kept this relationship a secret and my parents kept asking me when I was going to get married because it's been almost six years I'm in Dubai but there's no sign of it coming soon request both my parents to immediately release the single period.” Artika play mug-shaped glass with a pattern of batik images typical of Indonesia which indicates that the owner of the item is his. “My age is close to three heads. Maybe for you a man is not too important because no matter how old you are you can choose any girl for you to marry but different from me Dalmouk, budayaku in Indonesia considers the age of women who almost stepped on the head of three is a stern warning that it is time not to focus on career and prioritizing household.”
“You don't have to worry about that,” Dalmouk smiled and gently rubbed dark hair as dark as night Artika tried to calm down Artika who looked so anxious. The very rare thing he encountered behind the high confidence Artika so far. “I will find time to talk to my parents and my family about our relationship. Now go ahead with your dinner because it looks like you didn't touch it at all.”
“Iya..,” Artika nodded and started taking the spoon that was on the right side of her desk. There was a slight sigh of relief in Artika's heart after Dalmouk promised her that this relationship had a clear end so that she could answer her parents' questions. But the relief has not been able to mask his anxiety until Dalmouk gives certainty to his status whether it continues or should be ended. Imagining that the love relationship he built with Dalmouk had ended suddenly caused pain and tightness as if his chest was hit by a stone. Is this the feeling experienced by Indra's former lover? Anxiety and worry because he did not also provide certainty to accept his application as a wife and chose to break their relationship that has been established since college and focus on his current career that he is very proud of because it managed to prove to his extended family that women can work no less than men without being limited by the family culture that still upholds Javanese customs to not be too prominent before men because of nature those who still have to put their small family first at home and let the man who makes a living. In his heart he regretted and apologized deeply to not heed the feelings of Indra who might have been more hurt by heartbreak after so long they were together but his heart did not tremble at all by great love from that guy. He only prayed that the man be given a surrogate partner who is much more appreciative and loves him sincerely.
***
“Hahahaha, you're finally desperate too right?” Hakeem laughed as he lifted the barbell he held. The atmosphere where the special gym owned by the Crown Prince of Dubai looks vacant because it is not arbitrary people who can penetrate the tight area. “I've warned you many times not to get in touch with a girl outside of Emirati like us. Didn't I tell you not to play with fire if you don't want to burn. Now the girl is holding you accountable because you have dared to knock her heart.”
“Then what is your next step Dalmouk?” Ask Maktoum who is still with his running track on one of the treadmills there. “Based on my family history, which is my grandparents, my, you know for yourself that my grandmother was the same nationality as your lover and she both needed an uphill battle full of tears and sacrifices to finally unite. It was also because it was helped with my grandmother's background which turned out and was unexpectedly still a descendant of nobles in her country. Well, although I do not deny, since my grandfather and grandmother united the atmosphere in the UAE is full of unrelenting happiness followed by abundance, prosperity and success flowing rapidly in Dubai in particular. Their love story like a television drama that transformed into real it really attracted the attention of foreign tourists who flocked here just want to know their story. There is even a special monument of the two of them as an icon of the union of two different cultures and never empty of visitors to immortalize them. What about your own girl? Does he also have a background like my grandmother who can at least help you negotiate with your extended family considering they are not less legs with my extended family?”
“You...,” Hakeem stood up from his seat in disbelief at what he heard from Dalmouk. “You're really serious about the girl?”
“....,” Dalmouk just fell silent on Hakeem's question.
“I'll help you Dalmouk,” Maktoum who saw the earnestness of his friend who never fell in love was down his treadmill and wiping the dripping sweat on his thin with a towel placed earlier on the treadmill. “But you also need to find other alternatives if your lover is an ordinary person without a strong background on his side.”
At first glance doubts spread in Dalmouk's heart but he tried to brush it away. At least so far he has been trying to fight for Artika to stay by his side. In his heart was also full of questions like Hakeem's question to him. Is this desperate act because he feels comfortable when Artika's love is owned so that it inflates his confidence considering how difficult he made her the girl as his lover? Or does he really love that girl? I don't know, he also felt that he had never taken actions outside his logic that he was very proud of long ago.
“Actually what is the privilege of the girl that makes you break the logic pack of intelligence that you are very proud of so far?” Hakeem shook his head full of annoyance and question marks. “Isn't she the same as the other girls who have been chasing you?”
“I understand why Dalmouk is like that Hakeem,” Maktoum sat next to Dalmouk and patted his best friend's left shoulder. “I who have already met him can easily catch the charm of the girl. I think you should meet with Artika and I make sure that your trivial view will turn into an immeasurable sense of awe.”
***