Lies
Because You Don't Like

Everything's changing. Totally changed. This time is not just a pleasantries or ordinary changes. The situation of Raya and Karan seemed unusual. They shut themselves up all day. From morning until late afternoon. No one goes out of the room and no one wants to get out of bed if not to go to the toilet or to eat food. They are like sick people who are forbidden to leave the room by a doctor.

So, what did those two people do? Relax. Raya obviously only sleeps in bed while watching television or playing mobile phone. While Karan spent more time on the sofa while reading some books that he used to read often. It's really vacation time. They are like newlyweds on their honeymoon.

Is correct. Honeymoon. They had never been on a honeymoon before because Karan did not think that doing so was necessary. This marriage is just a game for her. So, a honeymoon is just a holiday that is a waste of his time. Karan is crazy at work. For him time is money, and honeymoon is the act of wasting money in an improper way.

But Karan changed his mind. Honeymoon is not a bad choice. Especially considering that his relationship with Raya has gotten better. Karan wants to take Raya to a place that the woman likes, then spend some time there. It can't take too long because Karan's work piles up, but Karan can skip his job for about a week. Of course after he told his father as the president of his family company.

“Do we need to go on honeymoon?” ask Karan to his wife. His hand was still holding the book, but his eyes now turned to the wife who was busy watching a movie.

Raya was silent for a moment. He was confused, but tried to digest it. Then he shrank the sound of the television. “Yes? What did you say just now?”

“Honeymoon Dear. Do you want a honeymoon?” Karan repeated his sentence.

“Where?”

Karan put his book on the table, walked up to the bed and sat down next to his wife. “To whichever you want. Do you remember what we talked about first? Go abroad not for work, but purely for a vacation.”

It wasn't a bad plan, but it was quite a surprise for Raya. Never once did Karan express his honeymoon intentions to her. After they get married and spend a hot night together, Karan goes to work the next day. Then the man went abroad or out of town several times. Let alone to go on vacation, spending time at home alone feels very difficult.

“Then what about your work?”

Karan responded, “I can ask Papa to handle the company temporarily. I'm sure Papa won't mind.”

“It's a family company. What about KR Watch?”

“You just calm down. I can still take care of it before we go. Maybe I should leave Ian for him to manage for a while.” Although Karan has said the solution, but the wife is still silent. The woman seemed reluctant to go with him. “If you don't want to, it's okay. I'm just proposing what I'm thinking.”

Indeed it was just a proposal, but Karan slipped hope there. And when Raya seems to not accept her proposal, Karan becomes disappointed. The disappointment then turned into anger. Perhaps it was due to the dominant blood boiling inside Karan's body that he accidentally clenched one of his hands.

Unfortunately Raya did not notice that. His mind was focused on what Karan said. Had nothing stuck in his mind, it was certain that Raya would have quickly agreed to Karan's proposal.

“Not that. I want to go on a honeymoon with you, but I can't right now. I want to do something.” Raya finally told me the truth.

“What do you want to do?”

“Work. If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to work. Perhaps as a judge of the 2023 Indonesian Princess Beauty contest. You know, I was a participant once and I wanted to be a judge there.”

Karan's mind is now branched. At first he just wanted to spend time with his wife for longer. That is why he proposed the option of honeymoon. It was unexpected that Raya asked permission to be a judge at the beauty contest. Had Raya asked for another job, Karan would have allowed it. The thing is, if Raya becomes a jury, that woman will be very busy. Or at worst, Raya would stay several times at the training ground so Karan would lose time with his wife.

“No. You can take any job, but not be a judge,” press Karan forbid.

“Raya, enough! You know very well I don't like to be disputed. We better stop our conversation here. And you'd better not talk about being a judge at that.”

Karan got out of bed. Not only did Karan get out of bed, he left Raya's room to go to her room. The man looked so angry that his eyes turned red. Raya once saw Karan who was angry. This happens when Karan accuses her of having an affair with his own co-worker.

*****

The conversation about being a jury stopped without a way out and Raya tried to negotiate with her husband the next day. He again asked permission, not as a jury but as a video model of a famous Indonesian band. Because the shoot was in Jabodetabek area and only took three days, Karan also allowed it.

“Raya, stop! Let me drive you,” Karan chirped when he saw Raya was about to board her manager's car. Raya does often travel with the manager and the car is the accommodation of the agency that overshadows Raya.

Raya broke her intention to get in the car. She faces her husband. “But, aren't you going to work?” he said while looking at Karan's look. The man looked so neat in a dark gray suit. Looks handsome and sexy especially with the hair that he combed neatly back.

“Introducing you won't take much time.” Karan immediately chimed in his words as Raya looked at him suspiciously. “I just want to drive you. Really am! I promise I won't get out of the car if you feel uncomfortable.”

Given how Karan's meeting with his coworkers last time must have made Raya feel uncomfortable. But Karan had promised not to bother him. It's best for Raya to give Karan a chance given how hard the man tried to allow him to work. Think of it as a form of appreciation and gratitude to the husband.

“Alright,” says Raya resigned. He breathed a long breath before speaking to his manager. “Kak, I'll go with Karan. Sister just go first.” Later, Raya steps into her husband's car where Ian is already waiting there.

“Good morning, Mom,” greet Ian sitting in the steering chair.

“Good morning,” Reply Kingdom. His eyes rolled, looking around the car.

“What are you looking for, Honey?” ask Karan who just got into the car. He was sitting next to Raya when she looked like she was looking for something.

“Cigarettes. I'm looking for your cigarette.”

Karan's eyes were wide. He stared at the place where he used to put ashtrays, cigarettes and lighters, but nothing. Karan glanced at Ian and smiled. It seemed like his assistant had already done a very good job of getting rid of the three objects from inside the car.

“No Kingdom. You won't find it,” Karan replied.

“Why are you hiding?”

“I'm not hiding. But I was trying to quit smoking,” he said honestly despite his difficulties several times. Karan is so arrogant as to say that he can get rid of that tobacco product easily. In fact, only one day Karan did not suck one stick, his lips were already numb. Karan seemed to have lost something.

“Why did you stop smoking?” tanya Raya again. Cigarettes are like a primary need for Karan. Raya had seen it everywhere during her stay in their house. There are at least three places where Karan often puts his cigarettes. In the living room, in the bedroom and in the car. Whenever there is a chance to find it, Raya will throw it away or give it to the gardener who works at her house. He doesn't like the smoke nearby, but Karan is smoking more and more inside the house.

“Because you don't like me to smoke,” said Karan who of course surprised his wife.