LOVATY 1.0
Empathy and Competition

The tangled-looking man asked the intention of the woman's arrival, whether he realized or not who was now at his doorstep. His eyes were half-open, as if not fully conscious from the drink that made him sleep. “You what?” the tanya once again coincided with the aroma of the alcohol that burst forth. 

The aroma is very strong, making Calya unable to stand it. The woman held her breath, kept her usual attitude before saying “We should talk. I'm waiting at the cafe downstairs. Down in 30 minutes” and leave soon after. Not that he wanted to hurry, but his nose could no longer tolerate the strong smell of alcohol. 

In the corner of the apartment cafe, Calya sits alone. His fingers were busy dancing on the mobile phone screen, seeing the progress of work even though he was not in the office. He was so focused that he didn't realize how much time had passed. Thirty minutes he gave the man to come down. But it turned out that 1 hour and 30 minutes had passed after he left the man's house.

Calya contacts Arion's phone again, questioning his whereabouts or perhaps his circumstances. But now the man's phone can't be reached. Calya clucked in annoyance, realizing that the man had no intention of seeing her. Does that mean he was wasting his time?

***

Ting…

Today Arion's house bell rings again. Again, I don't know how many times. While the man still did not move from his king-size mattress, as if trapped there. But the echoes of his house bell were too strong for him to ignore, forcing him to move towards the front door.

Still, find the same person behind that door. The woman who was so persistent and stubborn as to not stop ringing the bell of the house. Until the owner shows himself. “You still look the same, very bad!” he said as soon as Arion opened the door.

“What else are you doing here?”

“We have unfinished business.”

The man sighed, “Then it's a work matter talk to the team from my office.”

“It's not about work.”

“Then it's none of my business.”

“What?”

“Go.”

Bruk!

The door was closed, right in front of Calya's face. For a moment the woman fell into disbelief. Cynical laughter rethought the treatment he got. His blood began to boil, it felt like he wanted to smash the door in front of him at this moment but fortunately his sanity could still master. Calya immediately left the place. “So he wants war? See who will win!”

The woman felt challenged, the empathy that had been the basis for meeting the man had now turned into a competition. Calya doesn't like to lose, especially in this situation. Following the man's will is tantamount to voluntarily handing over the project to an opposing company when we are already close to bankruptcy. “I'll make him follow my words, or I'm not Creative Director Parama Ad.” he said before planting gas deeper.

***

“KAU! THE MOST ANNOYING MAN IN THIS UNIVERSE. YOU THINK YOU CAN TREAT ME LIKE THIS? AFTER ALL THE COURAGE I GATHERED TO COME, WHAT? NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS? FROM THE START THIS WASN'T EVEN MY BUSINESS! IF NOT FOR YOU GETTING ME INVOLVED, YOU THINK I'M BOTHERING ABOUT YOU? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO GOT ME STUCK IN PITY! YOU ARE! AND NOW I WON'T STOP BEFORE YOU FOLLOW MY WORDS, UNDERSTAND?!”

“Why are you mad at me?” with a flat face, like a plain child staring at his interlocutor.

“Haaahhh...” Calya let out a long sigh, stabilizing back the outpouring of emotions she had deliberately spilled. It uses Keanu which looks similar to Arion as its growth. Now the woman can be a little relieved, but still with a cynical look at her interlocutor. “Who told you to look like him!” he said complete with a grouchy shout at the end.

“You mean your coworker from that game company?”

“Really! Arion Radhika's. The sole heir of Radhika Group. Extraordinary man whose scandal is as viral as his company's product.” His tone clearly illustrated how upset he was.

“Sounds like you guys are close enough?”

“What? On what basis do you talk like that?” Like fanning embers that are almost extinguished. Keanu's words made the woman's emotions start to overflow again.

“You may not have listened well to the beginning. GETTING ME INVOLVED is tantamount to him forcing me!” with affirmation in a few words as a form of rejection.

“But it doesn't change anything. In the end you pity him, think about it and know the details.”

“STOP! It's enough that he's pissing me off, you don't go along!”

“Alright... Then what did you call me for? Wreak your frustration on her through me?”

“You...” Calya fell silent for a moment of wonder, “since when can question the reason I called you. You're just a program, remember?” 

“Creating long and real conversations is also part of my program.”

The woman did not expect this virtual man to even now reply to her words like a real human “Haha...is it because you said it with that face? But you really sounded annoying just now.” he said again.

“Good.”

“All right?” ask Calya curiously.

“It looks like whatever I say will sound annoying to you.”

“Ya.. I think I'm too upset today.” The woman admitted she was very sensitive at the moment. Maybe if someone laughs happily near him at this time he will also feel upset.

“So what can I do?”

“Hmmmm..

***

Ting.. Vat..

The man's doorbell rang again today. Whether he had expected it or was expecting it, the man looked ready. Like a neat, trendy and handsome Arion. It seemed like he had returned to his original condition, or was probably pretending. Prejudice that was in the mind of Calya once she saw the figure of the man from behind the door.

“Come in.” a typical smile has returned to his face. Contrast that with what he saw yesterday. ‘Dia..really remarkable.’ the inner woman.

“You've had breakfast? I have bread and eggs, bread and jam, or coffee?” asked Arion kindly.

“No, thank you.” said the woman was as rough as she was. Actually the woman felt a bit awkward, the first time she entered into a man's house, alone. Moreover, this is not about work. Plus the guy's back to normal, not like yesterday. Although yesterday the man was so annoying that it made him upset, but his attitude managed to arouse the spirit of competition Calya. Arion being normal at the moment made him lose motivation. To create silence in the room.

“So? You said there's something we should talk about.” with a facial expression that confirms the question.

“Begini.. mmm.” Calya seems to have difficulty conveying her thoughts. Something that had never happened to that woman before.

“Let me guess, the incident the other day made you feel bad and now you want to apologize to me?” said the man full of confidence.

“No! This time you must come with me!”

Arion was surprised but still behaved naturally, “Oke.” the man complied with Calya and immediately prepared to leave.