TIME (For A Taste )
CHAPTRE 87

Happy reading....

***

MALIA

“So where are you?.... Where have you been until you stop replying E-mail me and also never reply to messages on Messenger?”

“Trus suddenly Brother came to my office, and invited me to meet like this?...”

“What because we did not accidentally meet a few days ago in Groove?...”

“I mean, Brother's arrival in Jakarta is not likely to intentionally make me meet right?”

“And because we did not accidentally meet in Groove that day, Big Brother so the same bad taste with me, until belain came to my office to make up for the bad taste?”

In the end I asked Irsyad bluntly about the reason why he had stopped communicating with me all this time. About him not replying to my E-mail and messages in my Messenger for a long time. What I'm not sure is if he reads my E-mail-E-mail that may have been stacked with a line of other E-mails in his personal email.

Or maybe it was because Irsyad was too busy, like the reason he told me. Very busy, to reply to my E-mail even if only with emoticons can not. Hhh!.

I don't know. I'm obviously curious. Including curious about Irsyad's invitation to meet and he said he wanted ‘chat’ with me.

Where do I have prejudice over Irsyad's invitation to meet me at this time. Prejudice that I bluntly expressed to Irsyad.

Which was immediately refuted by Irsyad. And then Irsyad told me. The short story that ended up making me feel ambiguous.

There was a surprise that Irsyad prepared for me, after a decision he said he had taken after reading my last message on Messenger. I don't know what a surprise, because Irsyad didn't tell me.

As he refrained from telling me what surprise Irsyad meant, which he said he had prepared for me. Even Irsyad diverts by saying,

“But stop.... It is precisely I who got a surprise from you.”

And Irsyad seemed to be smiling bitterly in my sight.

Makes me wonder, guessing at the naivety of my guess.

Where I am, is trying to continue to dismiss my naive assumptions about the surprise and preparation that Irsyad had touched on.

But why is there a pinch of regret in my heart? ...

---

“Kak!”

I spoke first after the umpteenth time that I and Irsyad were both silent.

“Hm?..”

Irsyad, who seemed to be daydreaming like I was, gasped.

“Kok dumbly?”

I showed a cheerful attitude.

Irsyad smiled immediately.

And this smile of Irsyad, was no longer the bitter smile like before.

Except the typical Irsyad smile, which once made me melt often.

Ah shit!.

I swear too often today because of Irsyad.

Duh Lia's.... Remember that you are a married woman!.

So stop admiring the other beautiful creatures created by God in front of you besides Reiji!.

---

“So, how’s London? And that important job that Irsyad said was done?” I started asking Irsyad again.

“Udah...” replied Irsyad briefly, as he was bearded.

“Trus?. Success?...”

I asked again.

Irsyad smiled again.

“Lumayan, make added performance in CV.”

Irsyad answered my question with a small smile.

It makes me smile spontaneously too.

And as I smiled, my eyes saw Irsyad looking at me.

“Well, good enough to make a copy of CV Abang?..” said I to divert my awkwardness that is being noticed by Irsyad.

“.......”

“But the most Just so decoration is it an additional achievement in the job Brother made in CV?...” I continued my words before Irsyad could speak to respond to my words earlier.

Yeah, I would. The company that Irsyad works for in London is now the company of his dreams. He even left me to earn his undergraduate degree abroad to work at the Company where he works now.

Left me...

My heart feels sad when I say that word.

Heh, but it feels excessive if I say Irsyad ‘leave me’ which if the saying era now, ‘died fit again unfortunately’.

Damnit damnit! I'm getting pissed!.

---

Back to my talk to Irsyad about his work.

“Because Big Brother has got a dream to work there right?.... so it doesn't feel like it's not possible dong, it's an achievement in the taro on CV to apply at another workplace?..”

I'm talking again too.

“If you get an important job ration, it means that the position of the brother there is already quite okay dong ya?...”

Irsyad smiles. “Well that's how it is..” said later.

And then smile again. That smile....

Crap on! I can't keep admiring Irsyad's smile.

Because a good woman, a good wife, should not admire another man who is not her husband, right?.

That's what my brain should be like!.

And actually this is the dilemma for me to accept the invitation ‘chat’ Irsyad.

I'mscared....

I was afraid I could not control my heart.

I'mscared....

I'm afraid that the memories of the past will again take hold of my heart.

---

I'm back to start the conversation, because Irsyad is not talking today.

Looks awkward.

Well, just like me.

Whereas in the past if we were sitting together like this, we would be mutually ‘many talk’.

Joking and laughing.

Discussing something that is sometimes not important, then we will both laugh.

But what happens between me and Irsyad when we sit together like this is the opposite of what we used to feel when we were both like this, well even though the count back then wasn't a date either.

“When did Kak Irsyad come to Jakarta?...” I continued my words to ask Irsyad.

“Not too long, Lia...” replied Irsyad.

“For any work here, leave, or how?”

And that question, it does represent my curiosity about Irsyad here.

Irsyad did not answer my question.

He smiled again first.

“You could say I'm back home..” 

The words that Irsyad answered to my question, made me frown a little.

Then Irsyad smiled again, looking straight at me.

“Means?...”

I don't understand a little.

“I resigned from my job in London, Lia.”

Huh uh?! What's?! Did I not hear wrong?!.

“Kakk ... Resign from work Sister? ..”

Ah it feels so unbelievable! Brother Irsyad, resigned from his dream workplace?!.

The time?! ...

But why? ...

“Iya ..” replied Brother Irsyad.

He nodded in agreement.

I'm choked.

Really am.

“Kok---“

“Eh Li, you laper ga?”

Brother Irsyad snatched my words.

“Moving place yuk?...”. “I think I'm a little bit hungry...”.

“Iya can.” I'm asserting.

Then Brother Irsyad smiled again, then we both stood up from our seats.

“Where do you eat?..” said Brother Irsyad while asking me.

“Hard-of, Brother.”

I freed Mr. Irsyad to choose the restaurant that we would eat at later.

Because my brain is still busy thinking about why Sister Irsyad resigned from her dream workplace.

What because .... Me?.

---

I was quite shocked after seeing the time on the watch on my wrist.

It was quite late and I forgot to tell Reiji about this ‘acharaku’.

I've been trying to reach Reiji after the coffee shop.

But my call was missed. And when I wanted to send him a chat, the cab that drove me to the Mall Lobby where I met Irsyad.

And I stopped texting Reiji. And I thought, I'll try to call Reiji again or send him a chat when I meet Irsyad.

But in fact, when I met Irsyad, I seemed to have forgotten about Reiji.

I think later at the restaurant I'll try again to contact Reiji or send him a chat message, because Irsyad invited him to eat.

But it turns out, Irsyad who said a little hungry was actually inviting me to watch.

Nostalgia, says Irsyad.

Because I'm married, so maybe there's no chance to take me out to watch anything other than today.

And I, received Irsyad's invitation to watch at the Mall's cinema.

Calling Reiji too, I forgot.

But when I swiped my phone, there were no calls or chat messages from Reiji just asking me where I was.

Is Rei still at the airport?- I thought.

Since there was a little problem that Rei said earlier in his message that told him he couldn't seem to pick me up, in fact the trouble wasn't a little?.

Until Rei didn't even get to contact me.

Or him ....

Like me now?.

Medium little ‘terlena’ by ‘ past’ her.

Could it be that, just like I'm with Irsyad right now, Reiji is together, Shirly?.

****

Seriate....

Thank you to those of you who are still faithfully reading and waiting for updates of this work.

Sorry two days yesterday empty update, because it is focusing on other othor's work, which is still on going as well, in connection with ‘chase target’.

Thank you again, and please understand.

Loph Loph, loph,

Queen's Mother.