After three days in Jakarta and he only spends his time to languish, finally Rifqo returned to Yogyakarta because he has to finish writing his thesis to pass quickly. While in Jakarta, maybe Rifqo's change in attitude looks very contrasting, so that makes almost everyone worried, because they saw Rifqo, who was usually so active at that time, seemed more reserved.
"Hi Alma, depart with Abyan ?" ask Rifqo, right in front of the lobby because at that time he was deliberately waiting for Alma who had just gotten off a car which Rifqo thought was Abyan's car, the figure of a man who has come to take Alma several times to campus.
Alma Qorri Aina, that's the name of the girl that Rifqo just greeted, the figure of a girl who managed to get Rifqo captivated after being put together several times in one group, the figure of a woman who managed to make Rifqo's defense collapse because in the end he fell and loved Alma. However, Rifqo prefers to hide his love, because that is Rifqo's way of keeping Alma. Because what Rifqo wants is not to make Alma his lover but he wants to make Alma his wife.
"Yes, by chance yesterday I came back here accompanied by him. Today, he's leaving for the airport, so he took me to college" said Alma, with a smile and then they walked hand in hand to a place they really like, but is very boring for some people.
"You go to the library, follow me, huh ?" said Alma, as the two of them turned towards the library, for they had not originally made an appointment to go there.
"No way, Remember, in a family the leader is a man with the status of a husband which a woman will obey and follow with the status of a wife, so it's clear that you as a wife follow me as a husband who wants to go to the library" Rifqo said, while holding back a smile, while Alma immediately stopped his steps while looking at Rifqo with a look that was difficult to define.
"Husband and wife, husband and wife" she said, then walked quickly to the library making Rifqo immediately laugh seeing Alma's behavior which he thought looked funny.
Then, Rifqo immediately ran after Alma who had entered the Library. So that when arrive at the library, The librarian could only shake his head seeing Rifqo who appeared last and it was very obvious that at that time he was after Alma.
"Hope you pass soon, so that the library is calm without you, and hopefully after graduation you and Alma are truly united by god in marriage" said the librarian, shaking his head, but at that moment both Alma and Rifqo knew he was only joking.
"Aamiin, Dear Allah" Rifqo said, in a voice loud enough to make several people in the library turn and stare at him at that time. Meanwhile, the librarian could only shake her head, because she was familiar with Rifqo's miraculous behavior.
After that, Rifqo immediately walked away following Alma who had been browsing the thick bookshelves, his feet trailed behind Alma. Silently, Rifqo looked at the girl's back, until finally Alma turned and looked at Rifqo with a look full of investigation.
"You following me, right ?" she ask, managed to make an annoying grin rise from Rifqo's face until the girl snorted in annoyance because she really couldn't understand Rifqo's nosy behavior.
"Aww, sick…." said Rifqo, when Alma gently slapped his arm using a thick book because she was really mad at Rifqo.
"Alright ah, don't bother me any more" said Alma, while refocusing on finding some books that she could use for the preparation of her thesis.
At that time, Rifqo was completely silent, he doesn't show any movement, all he did was stay silent while staring at the corner of the room with a blank stare. Then, he turned his gaze towards the visible Alma focus on reading a book.
"How far is your relationship with Abyan, what plans have you and him made for the future?" Rifqo ask, while grabbing the book Alma was reading at the time, so that it makes the girl's eyes look just focus on looking at him.
For a moment, Alma was silent while looking at Rifqo with a questioning look, because at that time she really didn't understand what Rifqo meant by suddenly asking that. Then, a smile emerged from Alma's lips which she showed while lowering her head.
"I don't know Qo, even now it feels like I have no way to escape from him" said Alma, succeeded in making Rifqo both silent hearing the meaning of Alma's words.
"I'm like already attached to him, sometimes it feels like my heart is always screaming, request the circumstances for make my simple wish come true, determine and loving the man I have chosen freely, because of my future, I will live, not my parents or anyone else" Alma said, smiling wryly at the end of his sentence.
Rifqo was silent for a moment, his hand lightly patted Alma's shoulder as if that was the way Rifqo chose to strengthen Alma. Because as a man who loves Alma in silence, Rifqo really felt helpless to see the woman in a state which, according to Rifqo, was far from being cheerful as usual.
"You know, sometimes without you knowing it the smile that comes out of your lips will be a source of relief for other people, your comfort in living your day can be a source of relief to others, so always be happy not only for yourself but for those who love you too" Rifqo said, smiling with sincerity.
"You are real love Al for someone who really loves you, you are a priceless treasure for someone who really wants to be with you, you are a rare diamond that must be very guarded for someone who never wants you to get hurt" Rifqo said, smiling looking at Alma, making the girl also turn towards him.
"If only I could ask God for you to be the one who loves and wants me Qo, I will definitely feel very happy" Alma thought, looking at Rifqo, then turned him to another direction.
"There is one thing I want to ask from you, keep calm like Mother Fatimah, because later there will be a time for a man who loves you with all his heart, not just to offer a relationship that has no real point of certainty, but immediately offered a marriage bond, and during the wait promise that you will always take care of your heart" Rifqo said, with a smile that managed to make Alma silent for a while.
Rifqo's words, like a sign that a man gives to ask herself to be patient waiting for him to come to propose to her, and got that hint don't know why Alma feels relieved. Relieved for an uncertain reason, only after hearing Rifqos words, his heart is calm.
***
"Why do you like the lake so much, Qo ?" said Alma, when Rifqo took him to the valley lake of Gadjah Mada University.
At that time, Rifqo just smiled a little, his eyes look so calm staring at the middle of the lake which shows nothing but water, and according to Alma it is very unattractive. It's just that, as long as she knows Rifqo, don't know how many times she has come to that lake, just to just be quiet and enjoy the view.
"Sometimes, the quiet atmosphere of this place makes me feel like hugging my own body, when I'm sad I feel like I'm releasing my sadness without needing to do anything, when I feel my shoulders are very heavy, I feel like I'm letting go of that heavy feeling without having to speak" Rifqo said, looking at Alma with his trademark smile.
After that, now it was Alma's turn who seemed to be silent staring at the middle of the lake, as if at that time he was practicing what Rifqo had done. It managed to make Rifqo frown in confusion, because Alma suddenly fell silent.
"Why ?" Rifqo ask, for fear that one of his words hurt Alma.
"You said this place can make our sadness feel like it just lifts up, I want to try" said Alma, managed to make Rifqo silent for a while.
"Al, what's wrong?" Rifqo asked, touching Alma's shoulder who was still looking focused on the middle of the lake.
For a while Alma was silent, she is still mute with his gaze slowly dimming into a sad look, and that's when Rifqo realized something was up, and maybe she hasn't been able to tell anyone about the situation she has to face now.
"I'm tired, I'm tired of living in an endless demand, I want to live and enjoy it the way my heart wants, I want to live in a standard that makes me comfortable, I don't need the facilities luxurious but my heart doesn't feel happy to get it, I just want to feel what it's like to live as an Alma who can enjoy his life with comfort and a smile without a burden" she said, looking down with a small smile on his lips, but at that moment Rifqo realized that there was a sadness he was trying to contain.
"But it feels too hard to happen in my life" she said again, turning his head towards Rifqo, with a smile that looked more like a bitter smile.
"Be patient Al, because after this I will try to make your life the way you want it to be" Rifqo thought, stroking Alma's shoulder.
So far, even though Rifqo doesn't really know about Alma's real life, but through the stories Alma shared with him, Rifqo realized that everything the girl had to go through was not easy. Rifqo realized that Alma had a sadness that she couldn't even define, because in fact the sadness grows in every trace of his step, because of an inadvertence committed by the people she loves, namely his parents.