Under the dim lights of the magnificent hotel building, Karenina sat on the balcony of the hotel room holding a cigarette which she then lit. Slowly white smoke billowed into the sky. Karenina was really in a very difficult situation. On the one hand, he is grateful that the one who married him was his childhood best friend and on the other hand he is an actor from a woman.
Karenina smoked again and again white smoke billowed from her mouth. Alfredo leaned against the balcony door right behind where Karenina was currently.
A heavy sigh came from Alfredo's mouth, he understood what Karenina was feeling right now, but he also didn't want to tell Zarima's disgrace, just let time reveal everything. Even though he is currently labeled as an unfaithful man from a Karenina, it doesn't matter as long as he is never abandoned by a Karenina.
Alfredo slowly approached Karenina who was standing with her back to him. Alfredo hugged the slender body that is now legally his wife, then kissed the top of her head affectionately.
"Come on in, it's cold." Alfredo said right in Karenina's ear.
"You just come in, I want to finish this first." Said Karenina while holding her cigarette up right in front of her face.
"Since when did you start smoking, as far as I know you haven't smoked in the past, even though you work in a night club." Alfredo said as he smoothed Karenina's hair which was blowing in the wind.
Karenina took a deep breath, then looked at the flickering lights in the distance. "I don't know when exactly, but this is the only way I can get rid of the tightness and dizziness in my head." said Karen.
"Means that you are currently dizzy or your chest is feeling tight?" Alfredo asked while trying to hold Karenina's chest but was immediately pushed aside by Karenina.
"Ouch!" Alfredo pulled his hand and pinched Karenina's cheek in exasperation.
"Sick!" Said Karen.
"One is the same." Alfredo said then turned Karenina's body to face him.
"I don't want you to think about something you shouldn't, honey." Alfred said.
Karenina was silent, her face lowered, the cigarette she was holding and was about to put in her mouth was stopped because Alfredo had already taken it from Karenina's finger.
Alfredo smoked the cigarette that was stolen from Karenina's hand, but what happened?
"Uhukkk…uhukkk." Alfredo actually coughed because he was not used to smoking. Alfredo could drink bottles of alcohol but he couldn't even sip a cigarette.
"You stupid, already know you can't smoke, use a show pretending to want to join cigarettes." Karenina said by stroking Alfredo's chest and then fetching a glass of water which was available not far from the nightstand beside the bed.
"Drink." Karenina orders to Alfredo whose face is red from choking on cigarette smoke.
"Tomorrow, you don't have to go along with smoking at all." Karenina said annoyed.
"Thank you," said Alfred.
Karenina didn't answer, but the look in her eyes made Alfredo smile. He knew Karenina was very worried about him, but that worry was covered by the annoyed face that Karenina had.
Karenina stepped on the remnants of the cigarette that Alfredo had smoked, her face still looked annoyed, Alfredo smiled gently at the way Karenina vented her annoyance.
"Sorry." Said Alfred. Karenina was still silent and still stomping on the remaining cigarettes with her feet. His face was downcast, his heart was really confused to feel what and how he really felt for Alfredo.
"Karen." Call Alfredo. Karenina remained silent. Alfredo, who couldn't stand Karenina's attitude, then pulled his wife's slender waist to carry him in his arms.
"Sorry, I'm sorry I put you in a difficult position." Alfredo said while hugging Karenina's body tightly.
Karenina was still silent without returning the hug from Alfredo, Karenina's heart was in turmoil. And finally he gave up resting his head on Alfredo's chest with increasingly sobs without pause.
Alfredo tightened his embrace even more, his heart was sliced to feel how difficult it was for Karenina to accept this fact, even though Alfredo realized that he was the cause of Karenina to be like this. He's selfish but he can't even tell the truth about how Zarima really is.
"Sorry for my selfishness." Alfredo said then kissed the top of Karenina's head.
"I'm tired, can we sleep?" Said Karenina in between sobs. Alfredo immediately lifted Karenina's body like a baby kangaroo then stepped onto their king size bed which was still full of flowers.
Karenina was still leaning on Alfredo's chest until Alfredo lowered her onto the bed.
"Let us go to sleep." Alfredo said then lay down beside Karenina.
Alfredo hugged Karenina's sleeping body with her back to him. Even though they had slept together too many times, this time Alfredo and Karenina felt something different. A serenity. Yes, Karenina and Alfredo felt a calm in their hearts even though the tightness in Karenina's chest was thinking about her life, but on the other hand she couldn't deny that she also felt an extraordinary calm that she had never felt before.
Alfredo hugged Karenina's body even though his eyes couldn't close yet, as well as Karenina, whose eyes and mind didn't match.
"Al." Called Karenina still in the same position, her back to Alfredo.
"Hmm." Alfred replied.
"I want to visit Mom and Dad's dining." Said Karen.
"We'll be there whenever you want." Alfred replied.
"But they are in Bandung."
"Then we will go to Bandung."
"You are not afraid that your grandfather's family will see us."
"No, I'd be happy if they found out about our relationship."
"And I'll be branded as an actor, Al."
'Will not."
"Smart ass."
"Because I know better what my family is like."
Karenina turned around. That handsome face was looking at him with such a gentle gaze, then a small smile appeared there.
"I'm scared, Al."
"I told you, there's nothing for you to be afraid of as long as I'm here."
Alfredo pulled Karenina's head closer to him, then kissed the top of her head, long. Alfredo already knew that the family in Bandung had smelled Zarima's affair, but they just kept quiet, because they didn't want to interfere in Alfredo and Zarima's business.
One of her aunts who lives in Bandung once saw Zarima with her mistress in a villa. At that time they were afraid to tell Alfredo until Alfredo found out the truth about Tama's relationship with Zarima.
The family in Bandung wanted Alfredo to divorce Zarima, but they also knew that Alfredo's position was not that easy to leave Zarima.
In the end, all the families in Bandung were silent and resigned, but they always supported Alfredo to always be strong in facing all the realities of life that were not in line with his wishes.
Bandung is the only home for him to return to, only those who listen to Alfredo's complaints without any frills behind their kindness.