Arnav lay down his body on the only long sofa they had in the rented house out. Lova, who was the first to sit there, was annoyed and glared.
"Can you just look at me with a normal eyes? If you wasn't my big sister, I'd have plugged your eyes a long time ago."
Arnav's cry of pain ends his protest. His sister who is still beautiful at the age of almost 35 years is happy to hit his head as a gift.
Lova looked back at the television showing a program hosted by comedians Vincent and Desta. The show, for Lova, the most normal to watch. Arnav picked up the snack that was on Lova's lap.
"Aunt!" Arnav called out to Lova who just cleared her throat as a response. "Do you still remember Alder?"
Lova closed her eyes while biting her lower lip. "Oh God, how many times do I have to hear that child's name today?" Lova complained laying her head on the back of the sofa.
"You still remember, right? He's the child who used to come to our old boarding house often." Arnav clarified his description of Alder's figure.
Lova took a deep breath. Then looked at her brother with a sad look. "Yeah, why with him?"
"He came to the hospital where I did my internship. Surprisingly, the hospital belongs to his family."
Lova pinched her temples. Somehow Alder always managed to make her head dizzy.
"I don't expect he's rich. Maybe because he was a kid, huh? He also only use bicycles to our boarding house. And beyond my expectation again, he still remembers me, Aunt. Isn't it crazy? I've forgotten about him, he's so different from the boy before. You know? He's so handsome now."
Lova couldn't blame Arnav for talking so much. People must believe that they are brother and sister.
"Then why, Arnav? Why you told me about him so detailed?"
"Maybe you're curious about him." Arnav comes back with his snacks.
Lova took a deep breath. "He's my boss now."
"What? It's cool to have a handsome boss. Keep close to him, Aunty. Who knows, he will to be your mate."
"He proposed me a week ago."
Lova didn't tell Arnav about the incident. Because of what? Because Arnav's response was now what Lova could imagine. Her brother laughed, clutching his stomach and lying on the floor. Lova just snorted.
"Is that what you dream of? Don't be joking." Arnav's laughter exploded again.
"Give it up if you don't believe it." Lova gently kicked her brother who was still rolling on the floor.
"Then why don't you accept it?" Arnav had returned with his senses from the laughter that had taken him to another world.
"Think of it, Arnav. He's even younger than you."
"It's really bad, it's too old. Nowadays, it doesn't matter if you have a younger husband, Aunty. In fact, it's a trend."
"Yeah, but I'm not an artist who looking for a gossip by marrying a younger boy."
Arnav sat back down next to his sister. "You'll far from your soul mate if you refuse such an proposal."
"Do you really love me or not, Nav?"
"Of course I really love you, my dearest aunty. Very much. That's why I'm saying this, right? He proposed you. And so coincidentally he's your boss now."
"A deliberate coincidence. He knew I worked at the publishing house, and purposely bought the company so he could meet me."
"See? That means he's not playing. I'm willing to have a brother-in-law younger than me as long as he's rich. I can immediately become a permanent main doctor after my internship without an application letter."
Arnav smiled by raising and lowering his eyebrows which made Lova even more annoyed. Lova hit her brother's head again who just laughed.
"But, how pity brother Rizal, if you really are with Alder. He really looks like he likes you."
Lova is silent. Confirming Arnav's words in heart.
Oh right. About Rizal. The conversation she and Rizal had this afternoon would definitely make their meet even more awkward later.
~.~.~.~
"That's you, right?" Lova glanced at Rizal briefly.
"Wh-what do you mean, huh?" Lova stammered and it was her fault. Acting ignorant is the safest weapon to use right now.
That afternoon, Lova intended to go home with the taxi driver because Arnav couldn't pick her up. But Rizal came in his car and was kind enough to give Lova a ride.
Rizal smiled faintly. "A love song. Arlova Zemira. It must be you. The woman who the new boss means."
"Impossible, Zal." Lova chuckled awkwardly. "There must be other Arlovas in our building. We just don't know."
"But there is only one Zemira in our building." Rizal decisively made Lova silent. The sweet black man glanced at Lova. "You know the boss?"
Lova doesn't have to be this nervous just to talk to Rizal about Alder, right? If Alder openly said about who the woman he likes, at least Lova can also tell who Alder is. After all, Alder was still a boy in Lova's eyes.
Also, Rizal won't tell anyone else about him and Alder, right?
"I know him," answered Lova at last.
"How come?"
Lova knew that Rizal actually had a lot of questions for her about how she recognized Alder. The girl smiled looking at Rizal who looked at her several times and the streets took turns.
"Because something that will be difficult for you to understand, Zal. I know Alder, and that's enough for me to talk about him. You'll think I'm crazy if you know about Alder in my life. So you know enough, that Alder and I really know each other." Lova didn't want to give the impression of giving hope to her divisional friend.
Rizal was silent for a moment. "Alder is 22 years old, Lov."
"I know," said Lova quickly. "And I realized that I was just a woman who got married late."
"He actually proposed you?"
"As you heard directly from him, Zal."
"And you rejected him?" Lova just nodded. "Why?"
"Because he's Alder." Lova smiled back at Rizal who seemed curious about what had happened to her and Alder. "It's not that easy to accept a boy with an age difference of 12 years younger than me. I know, you know what I mean."
Rizal was silent again. Stopped the car right in front of the fence Lova and Arnav house had rented for the past five years.
"Do you like me, Zal?"
Lova did not want to mince words. And the question immediately made Rizal's face stiff. Lova smiled because there was no answer from Rizal who seemed surprised.
"But sorry, Zal. I'm not interested in having a relationship with anyone right now."
Lova was very aware of her words. Lova just doesn't want Rizal to continue to feel the hope that Lova gives when they look out for each other as friends in the same division.
Rizal chuckled. "So I got rejected before I said I liked it?" Lova just kept silent with a faint smile. "This is why I never want to express my feelings to you. Because I'm so sure that you'll refuse me."
"It's too much fun to have you as a co-worker, Zal. I think a relationship like that is much better than having a lover relation and end up breaking up. After all, we're not that young for a relationship that still has the potential to break up."
Lova felt a soft tap on her shoulder. Rizal's smile filled her vision at this moment.
"I know why. I don't want to lose you as a friend anyways."
They shared glances and giggled together. Lova is sure that Rizal is a grown man who can manage his own heart to act as usual after this incident.