The Love of Habib
Season II: Senandung Missing (5)

"These are still not soaked, ma'am." Gisel said as he pulled the basket.

"Where should I take hot water to soak it?"

The cook pointed at the back door. Outside there is a traditional stove used to cook a large pot of rice and hot water. Cooks do not want to use a gas stove to cook rice that much because it will require a lot of gas. But if cooking with traditional, wood can be found everywhere. Moreover, boarding houses never lack wood so they are not afraid to spend a lot of wood.

"Oh, then I'll take her away." Gisel raised alone a basket of vermicelli on the table.

The vermicelli was still dry but for the size of a large basket, Gisel was a bit overwhelmed carrying it. Just as he was just coming out of the back door, a strong arm took over the basket. Gisel was very helpful and immediately thanked him.

"Thank you-" His words were stifled, his eyes bulging in shock at who had taken over the basket in his hands.

Immediately, his heart began to beat rapidly spreading a warm, sweet nam sizzle that had recently never been felt again. The person he should have avoided and the person he should have stayed away from was now right in front of his eyes.

Those indifferent eyes stared at him, still with the same flat emotion. But for some reason, Gisel suddenly wanted to cry.

Why did they meet?

This is what he thought from now on.

"Either. The next time you carry a heavy load, do not try to lift it alone. But ask your other friends for help so you don't get overwhelmed." Danis advised Gisel.

After advising Gisel, Danis put a large basket of vermicelli into a container. First he poured cold water over it, then afterwards took a bucket of hot water from a large pot and poured it over the vermicelli.

"Wait 10 minutes. Confused it would have long ago softened." Danis said to Gisel.

There is not only one Danis. But also some men and women who occasionally chat. They talk without going beyond the boundaries and no one makes bad comments. This is purely an ordinary conversation and being in a public place.

So when Gisel and Danis spoke, no one made any comments. In addition, the distance between Gisel and Danis is quite far, so people do not bother with the interaction of the two of them.

Silence mute. A few minutes without talking. Gisel felt his heart stir. His head was bowed looking at the basket but his mind had wandered somewhere. Recalling the awkward times when he met Danis back then, recalling the green gloves of Danis that he still keeps today, and lastly recalling Danis' closeness with other women. The more Gisel remembered, the more confused he became. He felt heartbroken yet foolishly still floated hope just because they met again.

Very silly. Suddenly he thought that maybe this was God's destiny for both of them. Saying as if however much Gisel wanted to keep his distance, God always had a way to bring them together.

Silly right?

"You... Lately not seen. I feel like you're keeping your distance from me."

Danis suddenly started a topic of conversation and directly talked about the core points without needing to make small talk!

Gisel is almost a hanger. Among all the topics of conversation, isn't Danis too direct?

Besides of... What was the question, he must have realized that Gisel would never see him again. Gisel felt ashamed that he was easy to read and at the same time felt guilty for Danis.

Um, it's not Danis's personal problem, she shouldn't... angry?

"I... Not keeping distance from my sister. It's just a brother feeling. When do we meet?" Gisel almost bit his tongue out of nervousness.

He quibbled, not daring to admit that he indeed wanted to avoid it.

"really? We meet often. But every time we meet you turn away from me. Yes you do not squirm me and yes every time we meet you immediately turn, you do it not once, but many times. What's the name if you don't run away?" Danis directly attacked Gisel, exposing his lies without giving face.

His cold face was unhappy. Wondering what made Gisel avoid it all this time. Has he made a mistake?

He was clueless and confused at the same time.

"It's not like that..." Gisel bit his lips nervously and confusedly.

Very on target. What Danis said was all on target. And the most astonishing thing was that it turned out that Danis also saw it every time they would meet. On one hand Gisel was happy, but on the other hand Gisel had fear. Don't think anymore, don't expect too much.

"If not so then why?" Danis urged impatiently.

Gisel surprised. What kind of conversation are these two?

Why do they talk like... A couple in trouble?

"It's.... I can't explain it to brother." Gisel said carefully.

She was so jealous to see Danis walking with another woman, let alone chatting while laughing, she was jealous because when she was with him Danis never laughed. Besides Gisel also did not have high self-confidence, he felt inferior. Especially when the disgrace is widespread. No matter what others think when they hear her disgrace, she knows that santriwati do not like to gossip. Just what about Danis' opinion of him?

Does she not feel disappointed or does she feel that Gisel is a woman who can not take care of herself, even though she is a woman. Could it be that she still had some pride when her honor had been snatched away by another man. Not by force but by his own will.

Isn't that embarrassing?

"If you don't explain it to me, then how could I possibly know? Or does this have something to do with the woman I was with that day?" Danis remembers meeting Gisel in front of the library building.

At that time he was walking with Alisa, a santriwati who often helped in the library.

Still Danis clearly remembered Gisel's disappointed look that day. And after the events of that day, Gisel always dodged when he met her. Danis felt overwhelmed at the same time she was at a loss for what to do because every time they met, Gisel always turned around to avoid it.

"But why... Why should I explain to brother?" Don't we have any relationship? But these words could only be said through the heart. He did not dare to say it directly to Danis.

"These are still not soft?"

Gisel hurriedly checked the vermicelli in the basket. It is soft and can be fried directly on the pan.

"I'll bring him in now, Mom." Gisel used his small arms to lift the basket.

But the basket was heavy. He was about to shrug if not restrain himself immediately.

"Have a mouth, right? Is it hard to ask people around you for help?" Danis said with a sullen face while lifting the basket of vermicelli from the container.

Then he put it on the table, hit the side of the basket in some places to get the water out. Once enough was felt, Danis lifted the basket of vermicelli into the soup kitchen with Gisel behind her.

"Thank you, brother. I'm sorry to bother you again." Gisel is not feeling well.

Danis was silent at Gisel's thanks. Then he reached into his pocket and gave Gisel a neatly folded handkerchief. There's something in it. Rather heavy.

"Open up in your room. You're welcome." After that he left without waiting for Gisel to ask.

Gisel could not accept this gift. She had wanted to return this gift back to Danis, but she was hurriedly summoned by the others. He had to move the plate to the front desk because after the prayer isya, the santri and santriwati will have dinner.

Gisel looked at the handkerchief neatly folded in his hand, smiling, his face again showing a sweet red hue.

"Thank you." His whisper was embarrassed as he put the gift of Danis into his pocket.

He'll unfold this handkerchief in the room later. But for now he should focus on helping out in the kitchen because Laras says this is the exam part of the office for those who want to intern in the kitchen section.

Gisel mustn't waste this opportunity. He should make the most of this opportunity.

After dinner, all the santri and santriwati return to their respective dormitories. But he and Laras have to keep working. Collect all the dirty dishes and wash them immediately.

"Eh, Gisel. That's Danis. He also came here to help. Brother saw earlier in the kitchen you had to talk to him and given something. Don't you know what you're talking about and what Danis loves you." The souls of the rumors of Laras screaming wanted to hear something from Gisel's mouth straight away.

Because the women in the kitchen had wanted to scream hysterically at the arrival of Danis. The name Danis is no stranger to those santriwati. Many admired Danis secretly but could not express it directly because they lacked courage and were ashamed at the same time.

But there were still one or two people who dared to submit proposals. Only, they did not get anything in return until today.

Without asking any more they already knew that they had been rejected by Danis. Too bad.

Gisel shifted his gaze following Laras' index finger. Sure enough, Danis was also here to help. Danis and a few men helped collect the dishes. They stack the dishes into pieces and let them pile on the table. Later they are the women who will be in charge of taking him to the kitchen.

As if sensing Gisel's gaze, Danis turned her head and their eyes met. Embarrassed, Gisel instantly turned his face which was starting to heat up. Samar, his cheeks began to develop a red hue. Fortunately the Barrel passed through this view.

"Kok you shut up, Gis?" Urge Laras while collecting garbage on the table.

Gisel suppressed the nervousness in his heart.

His hand touched the pocket to make sure the handkerchief was still inside. Sighing softly, he was finally able to control his lousy self.

"We're not talking about anything important, brother. He just said next time I have to ask another friend for help lifting heavy weights and don't do it alone. He also helped bring the already soft vermicelli into the kitchen because I could not lift it. That's why I said thank you." Gisel explained half the truth and covered up the other truth again.

Where could he possibly be that careless revealed the contents of his conversation with Danis. He didn't dare to do that. Um, he doesn't want to stir up gossip.

"Oh.so so. What did he give you?" Baras was unsuspecting.

He also saw for himself that Danis helped Gisel carry the basket of vermicelli into the kitchen. They do not have strange and normal interactions.

Touching his game pocket,"That's handsaplast, brother. Earlier when I lifted the basket, my hand was slippery and almost dropped the basket. Fortunately, Danis helped me so that her hymn was saved. Brother Danis thought my hands were scratched so he gave me a handsaplast. My hands are fine, brother." His reply made a contrived excuse while glancing at Danis from the corner of his eye. Danis definitely did not listen to his conversation with Baras, because their distance was quite far.

Danis gave him a handkerchief. But he doesn't know what's in the handkerchief. Because it feels a bit heavy. Danis herself instructed her to open the fold after she reached the room. So from earlier he tried to refrain from opening his fold here even though he was very curious.

"Oh... Handsaplast. But it's worth it, deck. Your other friends are envious. They also want to talk to Danis hehe..." Said Laras while shaking his head helplessly.

Barrels have also been in these times. He also idolized his seniors, but now he is no longer, because the seniors he idolized have gone to several countries to continue their education. Not infrequently, some are married.

And one more. He again felt this euphoria when he saw Habib Khalid. But unfortunately, Habib Khalid turned out to have a wife and surprisingly his wife also went here. A transfer student who initially often makes trouble in boarding school. Laras would not want to feel heartbroken because the person he admired turned out to have someone in his heart. After the shocking news that Habib also made a statement that he would not be polygamous, the more dashed hope Laras pursue his love. Uh, wasn't Aish Gisel's best friend. You hear there are three names that often make trouble, first Aish, Dira and Gisel.

Could this Gisel be the same as that Gisel?

"Gis, are you Aish Habib Thalib's wife, yeah?" Baras has a guess.

Gisel smiled and nodded his head proudly.

"We're not ordinary friends, brother. But we've been in office, he and Dira treat me as their own little sister. Why is that, brother?"

Laras shook his head. It really is him.

"No, just the origin." He did not expect his roommate to be one of the legendary figures in the boarding house.