Marriage Proposal: Ben & Bima
20 - Caught I

(Five)

I put my bag on the chair and turned on the computer in front of me. While waiting for the computer to turn on completely, I went back to look at my online novel page which increased drastically. Since my novel was published, I have never read the comments in it. I don't know why I was tempted to read it this afternoon. Start with the first chapter.

“So the company has been taken over?” His voice boomed in the corner of the room near the long table.

I who was carrying a chin directly put on the ear.

“Iya, yesterday the transfer. Mr's son. Andri denger - the alternain. But our company will join the media company TV.” replied someone. The voice of a man who was not so heavy. I could hear that it was Bakry's voice. A metropolitan man whose job is to pursue famous writers.

“Our nearly bankrupt print book company is joining a TV media company? Which TV media?”

“Maybe as a subsidiary or group of that company.” Bakry replied again.

I was still busy reading reader comments and busy eavesdropping as well. Because there's no one in this office, probably because I came to coincide with lunch.

“Bim, want to eat?” ask Imah. Bakry followed from behind.

I'm shaking.

“Ngak. Still full.” reject me.

I was busy cleaning my bag and leaving.

“Bim, don't forget tomorrow the day after there are fans meeting.” Reminded me. “What do you want to prepare? Avoid personal answers.” The message was because Imah knew, after she had lunch back, I was no longer in the office.

“Iya.. yes...”.

Then I went back to the computer screen. Until the next few minutes, I was too solemn to read the reader's comments so that there were people talking behind my back I was not aware.

“Until when do I stand looking at you from behind with my chin up?” The heavy sound surprised me. I turned around, but he stopped me. I was stuck in my seat.

“Prof.” My heart started to beat. Why is he suddenly here? I looked here and there. There's no one. He pulled the chair from the table next to me.

“I called you many times.” Face flat.

“Oh yes?”

I haven't seen him since he was in my room and disappeared the day after.

“Let's eat.” take him. “Today you didn't call me to ask, did I have breakfast or not? And I'm waiting for you to ask if I'm having lunch with you or not?”

Yes, because I asked several times and always the answer he was still busy. She didn't come home last night anyway, so I think today I decided not to call her.

“What Prof is still busy?”

Prof Ben rolled his eyeballs. As if he was thinking.

“Busy anyway. Three o'clock I have to come back.” He saw his watch. “Are you busy now?”

I shook the mantab.

“Neg. Just read something.”

Then I closed my online novel page as soon as possible. Prof Ben stood up first and had already walked half the room to get to the elevator. The second floor below is the employee room and library. While on the third floor is, meeting room, some writer's desk remains company like me, some editor's desk, and the director's room. And on the 1st floor is the lobby and fan meeting room held by the writers who were hired by this company. Hence, why on the 3rd floor is quieter than on the 2nd floor.

“What did you do yesterday?”

“At home aja.”

Prof Ben looked straight ahead.

“You cook?”

“Ya.”

“You should have told me that you cooked. I'll go home.”

My heart felt pierced by a pointed bamboo. I was touched by Prof Ben's statement. This is why you have never heard romantic words from a man.

“Yayai?”

“Yes? Uh, I thought Prof was busy so I..”.

“Yayai, my ears are disturbed once with your call.”

I looked towards him.

“My call?” I frowned. Thinks. Which call?

I saw Prof Ben staring at the rearview mirror and put up a sign and then we arrived at a restaurant that was not too far from my office. Good though. We sat by the window, staring at the fish pond and the sound of the water behind the wall. It turned out that Prof Ben had already ordered food for us before. Maybe not to wait too long.

“Someone you want to talk about?” Prof Ben looked at me suspiciously. There's so much I want to ask. But I dare not ask. The main question I want to ask is what my relationship is with him. What status? Ever since that night, no, since these two days I've been thinking about what's on Prof's mind. Whether he really likes me or just playing around with a woman like me. Never been in love, never heard romantic words, never treated romantically, never kissed, not even…

“Yayai?”

I seem to be daydreaming too much. Prof Ben spoke to me and again I didn't notice.

“Ya?”

“What do you think?”

“No.” I nodded and lied.

Prof Ben's face was not like. He looked the other way while chewing. Looks like he's upset. I know his face when he's upset.

“Prof, is tonight home?” manyu timid.

“Not yet to know.” the answer is fast and ketus.

On the way, we did not speak in the least. When the car reached the office parking lot, Prof Ben was silent. Waiting for me to get out of the car, I just didn't get out of the car. My throat's choked. I looked towards him. Then I leaned my body on him. Both of my hands were holding her neck. I was just doing a hug scene against him. He didn't return my embrace.

“Thank you for lunch.” said I still hugged him. Prof Ben then let go of my embrace.

“Sama-sama. I have to go.” immediately he said.

Alright. I got out of the car quickly. She smiled at him and he didn't return my smile.

My alarm went off at half-time seven in the morning. I was too lazy to get out of bed. Ah, at least Prof didn't come home last night. Why do I wake up and make breakfast? I checked my phone for a second. There was no short message or phone call coming from him. I finally came out of the room and rubbed my eyes that were still painful because of sleepiness. I woke up last night not to sleep until late, if suddenly Prof will go home.

I stopped in the middle of the TV room, I heard the sound of water gurgling from inside the bathroom. Then, I headed towards the door and revealed the curtains a little. Prof Ben's car is parked outside the yard. Not on the page. I hurried to get the groceries out of the refrigerator and thought for a moment what I was going to cook.

When the bathroom door opened, Prof Ben stopped in the kitchen and looked at me.

“When to go home, Prof?” my many. My smile.

“Newly. Before your alarm goes off.” he said.

“I want to sleep.” cut it. He ignored me. Back to his cold demeanor, indifferent, uncaring.

“Then I make warm tea. Want?”

“Nevent gone.”

Prof Ben walked away from the kitchen. I could hear the door of his room closing slowly. Suddenly my tears came out and dripped on my cheeks.

I sat in the meeting room alone and too quickly. Tapping the pen to the table while daydreaming. Ever since the kitchen scene, I kept thinking about some of the questions in my mind and the possibilities. To a conclusion, is this what it feels like to have a broken heart? Is this what it feels like to be rejected?

Meeting room door open. Imah and Karen enter together, Riko follows them from behind while carrying some papers and her ipad.

“Elo ready for fans meeting tomorrow?” ask Riko while sitting down. He opened his ipad and connected it to the projector.

“Tim Bima agreed to print post card cover novel lo tomorrow to sign.” tell Imah. He was seriously staring at his laptop screen.

“Team Milky?” I frowned her forehead.

“It is, indeed elo do not know the procedure of the fan meeting? Who wants to prepare everything?” chirp Karen. He's leaning on the chair. Look lazy. He looked at the projector screen.

“This is some question that will likely appear.” said Riko.

Meeting is nothing more than answering all the questions that will be asked later. There are some questions that lead to personal questions that I should avoid for the sake of my professionalism as a writer using a pen name. Only Riko and Tasya know that the story of my novel is the original story. Imah and Karen only know the rumors and do not ask for authenticity in my novel story. The most important thing for them is, my novel is in demand and profitable.

A burden to me. I wanted to stop writing the story and move on to another title or another novel idea. When the meeting was over, I walked to the kitchen. Sit down and pour a glass of water then gulp it down quickly. When I came out of the kitchen, I heard people in the building coming out of the elevator, some coming from the emergency stairs, some just passing me by.

“What's up?” let me intercept the OB that passed me.

“Oh no new Director comes.”

Oh, the incorporation of a new company that was talked about by Imah and Bakry yesterday. I'm not really interested. What if a new director comes, they announce it in the room?

My phone rang when I was about to walk down the hallway.

“Ya Bags?”

“Elo where the hell?” the panic.

“In office.”

“Cepet to here.”

“To here where?” confusedly.

“Ya to the room. Office lo.”

“Loh elo is in my office?”

“Gue told to come with Riko to intern here without pay.”

“Wah... wait for me to go to the toilet first deh.”.

“Sketan is urgent here. Do not use long.”

“Iya!”

Tasya disconnected her phone.

(Ben)

I stood behind Levi while watching everyone standing in front of me. Om Andri, Levi's father gave a brief announcement as to why he should withdraw from the company.

“Next, I will hand over this company to my son. Not only that, change after change I try to do so that this company continues to innovate and survive in the industrial revolution.”

Om Andri looked at his son, Levi who seemed reluctant to be introduced in front of many people.

“This is introducing, Levi Watucaksana, my third child and he is not married.” Om Andri explained and nudged Levi. The voices of the women began to be noisy.

Levi paid tribute to all the employees present.

“Good afternoon all. Please cooperate and work hard.” Her smile. I know full of emphasis and hope. “I don't actually have the passion to run my Father's company. Because I think there are my brothers who can take over. Just because I was complacent with my comfort zone, it seems that I have to change direction.”

The preambule that Levi gave was quite motivating.

“Well, because my Father wants innovation, then I have signed the cooperation and merger of this company with a new and larger company.” explained Levi. Everyone in front of him took it seriously.

I saw the figure of Yayai emerging from behind. He looked at me and Levi. When Yayai's eyes and eyes met, Yayai was immediately shocked and hid behind the person in front of her who was a big body.

“By my side, is my friend, best friend, and family Mr. Ben's. We worked together in Bangkok for a long time. Our field is the same in television. I was even forced to be dragged by Mr. Ben to go home and lead this company. Please Mr. Chai Prasert .. Hmmm Ratangarak.” Levi allowed me to speak and I glanced at him annoyed that he always forgot my name and his pronunciation was different.

“I Chai Prasert Nopadon Ratanarak, Mr. Levi. He always forgot my long name. I can call it Ben. I am the CEO and Executive Director of PT. Adytama Media invites Mr. Levi's company to join. My focus is on television, where I look for quality stories to air made movies of several novels that have been published from this company.”

I explained at length. Yayai saw me once in a while in the middle of me talking. I could see Riko and Tasya who were still gawking in disbelief.

“Thank you for the explanation, Mr. Ben's. Maybe now that our online writer viral, the Bima can be made mini series well?” ask Andri to me.

“Can be once, Sir.” I replied mantab.

“Nah, tuh Bima please approach Mr. Ben ya.” chirps Om Andri on Yayai. Everyone laughed, looked back and looked for Yayai.

Riko and Tasya also looked back to look for Yayai. I could see Yayai smiling bitterly at everyone.

***