The Love of Habib
Chapters 4.7

Gisel saw all of Aish's weird demeanor. From his adoring gaze upon the habib Khalid to his disillusioned look at the habib Khalid close to Khalisa, Gisel had seen it. Then he remembered Aish's familiar call to habib Khalid. 'Sister Khalid', that's how Aish called habib Khalid. At first Gisel thought Aish and Habib Khalid might not know each other because they came from two different worlds. But looking at it now, Gisel somehow began to believe that Aish and Habib Khalid had once known each other.

His intuition says that Aish may have more feelings for Habib Khalid. Since when? Could it be that since Iyon was with his heart he had moved to the Habib Khalid?

However,

Gisel looked at Aish's face bowed languidly on the table.

Take a long breath. Gisel realizes that Aish has never had any feelings for Iyon. It was he who tricked himself into antagonizing Aish and blaming him. In fact, Aish never considered Iyon important. How stupid of him. He was willing to ruin their friendship just because of a jerk.

Thinking about it now, laughing alone was not enough because the past was really ridiculous. Very silly.

Thankfully though. Thank goodness God gave them a chance to get back together. Thank goodness God gave him the opportunity to make amends for his past mistakes. Mercifully.

"Food has come." Gisel told Aish.

Aish saw the plate. His dinner was simple but much better than he had imagined.

There is a parchment, sauteed vegetables, a chicken milk, and a glass of water. At each table there is also a bowl of warm soup.1 small bowl at a meal together. However since the three of them were not familiar with the others, then they decided to split one bowl into three.

Aish has no appetite tonight.

"Aish, eat. We should have the energy to wash this much dishes so don't waste this food." Dira helps Aish put the soup into her plate.

Aish nodded weakly. Stealing thousands more plates that used to eat all the santriwati, they had to be ready mentally and physically. Even if they did not want to, this punishment could not be avoided or eliminated. If they insist on escaping punishment, fearing that the master of thorny roses will punish them with another bloody punishment.

"Thank you." Aish's whisper was not excited.

He forced himself to eat a mouthful of rice into his mouth. It tastes so delicious, it has the aroma of home inside Aish's tongue. But because the mood is bad, this meal so unattractive.

He eats potluck and is not as enthusiastic as the santriwati around him.

Taking a mouthful of rice, Aish raised her head looking around her. The santriwati eat solemnly without speaking.

Don't talk, just eat the sound Aish can't hear it. Perhaps they were taught how to manners on the dining table so that no one would make a sound.

"Um, they're very good at eating." Gumam Aish assessed.

He turned his gaze forward intending to peek at the santri across the curtain. But strangely, why is the hole now blue?

A blue?

Aish immediately remembered the color of Habib Khalid's shirt. He shook his head quickly, expelling his ever-centered thoughts of Habib Khalid until his eyes unknowingly caught the owner of those warm eyes. Aish surprised. It turned out that the blue color was the clothing of Habib Khalid who was standing behind the curtains to cover the gap of the curtains. It just so happened that Aish's eyes met directly with the owner of those warm eyes. Unlike the previous one, this time habib Khalid had no smile on his face. His pitch-black eyes stared straight at Aish without blinking. Aish was terrified.

His heart was racing inside his chest. Embarrassed, he immediately threw his face to look at his plate which was left with a lot of food.

Dugs

Dugs

Dugs

The sound of his heart beating resounded within his head. Sends panic alarms to his body. Panicked, his lightly shaking right hand could not hold the spoon properly. What's he supposed to do?

"Sister Khalid.just recently." Mumbled Aish nervously.

"Aish, isn't your food finished yet?" Dira and Gisel see Aish's plate still intact.

Actually not really intact because Aish had time to eat it. But compared to their clean plates, Aish's is still too much.

"I'm full already." Aish said as she pushed her plate away.

"Eh, eat a little more. Later we don't want responsibility if you suddenly faint." Gisel said jokingly.

Aish shook her head firmly.

"I'm full already." His appetite instantly disappeared replaced by a nervous feeling in his heart.

He was really nervous because he had just met the owner of those dark eyes. The eyes that were always smiling earlier looked at him with strange emotions.

Makes Aish wonder if habib Khalid is angry with him?

Was habib Khalid not happy to see him?

"Well, the food is mubasir. Can I eat no?" Dira clucked hungry looking at Aish's plate.

He had a great appetite and was still not full because the cottage food was too good. In his home used to be more food wasted because he often ate alone on the dining table and his food did not have the taste of home. But the taste of food in the place of eating that has long made his tongue paralyzed.

Yet here, this simple meal was so special to him.

"Eat, rather than wasted." Aish said he didn't care.

"Eh, I'm dong too. I'm still hungry to know." Said Gisel.

Finally the food was split in two by Dira and Aish. They were not disgusted because the food was once eaten by Aish. Instead they bribed high-spirited food into the mouths of each one afraid of running out.

They are like children.

"He's gone." When Aish peered again at the curtains in front, Habib Khalid was no longer there.

I don't know where he's going because wherever Aish looks, he doesn't find the shadow of habib Khalid. Aish smiled a little. Maybe habib Khalid had some important business so he immediately left the food stand.

"Who are you looking for, Aish?" Gisel pretended not to know.

Aish smiled shyly.

"Not looking for anyone, I'm just squirming around the food booth." Aish lied to him.

Gisel nodded in understanding. He glanced at each other with a brief Dira before pretending to focus on eating again.

15 Minutes later one by one santriwati or santri began to leave the food booth. They must be ready to go to the mosque to perform congregational prayers. Aish, Gisel, and Dira cannot go to the mosque because they must be punished for washing dishes. Fortunately, the plate was not done by the three of them but also assisted by the general kitchen staff. Because if you only rely on the three of them, maybe all of these dishes will not be easily clean and done for long.

"Are you the town kids we've been talking about a lot lately?" Ms. Salma, the chairman of the general kitchen staff who helped wash the dishes suddenly brought up this problem.