"What's wrong with you?" she asked, blinking her eyes.
"I'm... uh... fine, really." Ken was still embarrassed to admit what was stirring in his heart as he looked at this beautiful Lidya.
"Come on, you have to tell me the truth when I ask you. I'll go on strike if you don't tell me." Lidya deliberately put on a sullen face in front of Ken.
"Actually, just now, I... I was mesmerized by your face." Ken finally spoke frankly about what was churning inside his chest.
"Is that really what you were thinking earlier?" asked Lidya while looking questioningly at Ken.
"Yes, Lidya. That's what I was thinking earlier." Ken nodded.
"Then why is it that something that can make me happy, you don't want to tell me directly?" Lidya pretended to be annoyed and looked sharply at Ken.
"I didn't think it was appropriate for me to say it."
"What's inappropriate? Am I not worthy of your fascination?" Lidya urged.
"No, it's not. That's not it, Lidya. I mean, I was afraid of being considered a flirt, that's why I didn't say what I was thinking right away."
Lidya looked back at Ken and asked, "Were you being flippant when you told me you were fascinated with me?"
Ken immediately shook his head. "Of course not. Because that's how I feel. I'm really mesmerized by you," Ken emphasized.
"Then why be embarrassed? I'm even proud that I've fascinated you. I'm a straightforward person and I also like people who are straightforward with me."
Ken smiled and said, "I was truly mesmerized, Lidya and I continue to be even today."
Hearing Ken's words, Lidya became happy. She was very happy to hear Ken's words. "These are the words I've been waiting for. Let's go." Lidya immediately approached Ken's motorcycle.
Ken picked up a helmet that was hanging under the handlebar to give to Lidya.
"Put it on. It's rude to a girl to just give you that. Are you an online motorcycle taxi?" Lidya said spoiled.
Ken smiled. He lowered the standard of his motorcycle, then took the helmet and put it on Lidya's head. He also clicked the helmet strap to make sure she was wearing the helmet properly.
"That's right." Lidya smiled at Ken. For a moment, two pairs of eyes met.
Ken was the first to avert his eyes to get back on the bike.
Lidya got on the motorcycle and immediately hugged Ken's body tightly. "I'm afraid of falling off the bike, so I have to hug you tightly. Is that okay?"
"Of course it's okay." Ken cheered inwardly at Lidya's attitude. After that, Ken started the motorcycle and began to run the motorcycle.
"Take it slow. I'm afraid of falling, I'm not used to riding a motorcycle."
"I'm sorry, Lidya."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Because I only have this motorcycle. I don't have a car."
"That's okay, really. I don't mind. Tomorrow, if you pick me up by motorcycle, I'll still ride. It's just that I ask you not to go too fast, no need to speed up. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Oh yeah, where do you want to take me?"
"To a restaurant."
"Okay."
After that, the two of them fell silent as they both got out of Lidya's compound and started to enter the traffic and congested streets of Jakarta with so much noise that they didn't talk anymore.
Finally, Ken rode his motorcycle into the parking lot of a not-so-fancy restaurant.
As soon as the motorcycle stopped, Lidya released her embrace from Ken's body and got off Ken's motorcycle.
Ken took off his own helmet and put it on the handlebar.
"I haven't opened my helmet yet," Lidya said with a smile.
"Oh yes." Ken began to open the helmet worn by Lydia.
"I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you. I'm sorry if I'm a troublesome passenger for you, so you have to put on and take off your helmet."
"I like to put on and take off your helmet," Ken laughed.
"Like it because of what?"
"Because you have a pretty face."
Lidya immediately smiled at Ken's words.
After that, Ken put his helmet on his motorcycle, then the two of them started walking into the restaurant, which was simple but had quite a lot of customers on this Sunday night.
Lidya chose a seat on the far left in a rather quiet place compared to the rest of the restaurant.
They both sat a little far from the other diners. A waiter came to bring the menu for the two of them.
After ordering their food and after the waiter left with their food order, Lidya suddenly looked at Ken and asked, "Why just now?"
"You mean?"
"Why are you only now asking me out. Oh yeah. I can say it's a date, right?"
"Yes. It's a date. I've wanted to take you out for a long time, take you on a date like this."
"Then why now?" she asked curiously.
"Because I didn't have the courage before." Ken looked at Lidya. his words were the truth.
Because Ken was traumatized after being disappointed twice by two different women.
Since then, Ken had a tendency to be afraid of relationships with women, that's why even though he had realized since almost a year that he admired Lidya, he still didn't have the courage to approach Lidya.
Besides, Ken didn't have the courage because he didn't have much confidence in himself since right now, he was only working as a cleaning service, a job that was far inferior to Lidya's job.
It was only when Tony appeared in front of Ken with the latest developments about Ken's company and family, where Ken had to go home at the end of the year that Ken finally dared to approach Lidya, the girl who had been favored by Ken for several months.
"Then why do you have the courage to approach me now?" asked Lidya again.
After months, I finally managed to gather my courage, so I tried to ask you out and I'm very happy that you accepted my invitation."
"I think there are many girls who will be happy when you ask them out and I am one of those girls."
"I doubt your words. There can't be many girls who would be happy when I ask them out because my job is just like this, it doesn't reflect the figure of an established man that many women desire."
"Women's tastes are different. Although there may be some girls who won't accept you because of your job, there will be others who will accept you because you're nice, because you suit them, and because you're handsome."
Hearing Lidya's words, Ken, who was a bit insecure before, started to get brave and then he said...