"Sorry, may I ask? Is it possible for me to bring the car inside to make it easier to load the stuff?", asked Izzati.
"Sorry, that's not possible. The parking inside is reserved for wardens only, and even if we allow it just for loading, other students' parents might question why only you are allowed.", replied the female dormitory committee member.
"Oh, hmm, it's okay then.", said Izzati.
"But if you're looking for a closer parking spot for loading, I suggest parking near the surau. There's a shortcut from the surau to here. Though, of course, it's still a bit farther compared to parking inside.", the committee member added.
"Thank goodness there's a spot that's a bit closer for loading stuff. Thanks, dorm committee sis—hahaa, what am I saying, calling her 'sis'? Obviously, she's older than me since she's been here before me and Nabila and is already part of the committee.", Izzati muttered to herself in the car after recalling her conversation with the committee member.
She then drove the rental car out of the parking area and headed toward the parking lot near the surau, as suggested by the committee member.
After parking the car near the surau, Izzati got out and tried to locate the shortcut the committee member had mentioned. When she couldn't find it, she decided to ask someone in the area.
"Excuse me, may I ask? Is there a shortcut from here to the female dorm?", asked Izzati.
"There is. It's at the back. You can take the pathway beside the surau to get there. You'll come across a small gate—just go through it. Once you're inside, you'll have reached the female dormitory.", said a woman who seemed to be the mother of a student there.
"Oh, thank you.", Izzati said to the woman, bowing slightly in respect.
"You're welcome.", the woman replied, returning the bow.
After that, Izzati walked toward the gate, and upon finding it, she decided to return to the car, grab some of Nabila's belongings, and head to her dorm room.
A knock was heard on Nabila's dorm room door.
Nabila, who was playing with her phone on the side of her bed, was startled and then got up to answer the door.
As she opened the door, Izzati asked, "Took you long enough to open the door."
Nabila replied, "Well, I got startled when you knocked, so I needed a moment to calm my heart down.", as she stepped aside to let Izzati in.
"Alright.", Izzati said as she placed Nabila's belongings on the floor beside the bed.
Nabila asked, "Wait, didn't you say you'd text or call me if you found parking nearby?"
"Oh, yeah. But when I asked the committee member, she said I couldn't park inside because it's reserved for wardens. So the closest parking for us is the one near the surau.", Izzati explained.
"Oh. Then why didn't you call or WhatsApp me to let me know? I could've come with you to carry my stuff instead of making you carry it alone.", Nabila questioned.
"Oh, it's fine. Explaining the way to you would've been a hassle, so I figured it'd be easier to just show you. And since I needed to show you, I had to come to your room anyway. So, I thought, instead of coming empty-handed, why not bring some stuff along? That way, we wouldn't have to make too many trips back and forth from the car to your room. See? Smart thinking! Hahaa.", Izzati said, laughing and making an exaggeratedly playful gesture in front of Nabila.
Nabila laughed at Izzati's antics and said, "Alright. But this is not 'some' stuff, this is a lot.", giving Izzati a side-eye.
Izzati shrugged, "It's fine. It's not that much."
"Yeah, right. 'Not that much'.", Nabila retorted, her face showing clear disbelief.
Izzati laughed and said, "Alright, come on. No need to sulk."
Nabila remained standing in place, still feigning dissatisfaction.
Without waiting, Izzati gently grabbed Nabila's hand and said, "Come on, let's go."
Nabila followed Izzati without protest but then suddenly stopped, "Oh, wait. My room key."
Izzati let go of Nabila's hand so she could grab the key from the table. Without hesitation, Izzati stepped out of the room and waited at the door.
After picking up her key, Nabila stepped out and locked the door.
"Alright, let's go.", Nabila said once she was done.
Izzati and Nabila made their way to the rental car, carrying more of Nabila's belongings back to her dorm room. They repeated this process multiple times until all of Nabila's belongings were fully moved into her dorm room.
At the same time...
"Hello, Mir." - Irman
"Hello. What's up?" - Zamir
"Are you free now? Or in an hour?" - Irman
"I'm free now. Why?" - Zamir
"Okay. I need a favor from you and Alif. I'll tell you what it is later. I'm calling Alif now, and if he's free too, I'll pick you guys up after I get ready." - Irman
"Ah, alright then." - Zamir
"Okay. I'll call Alif now and get back to you." - Irman
"Okay." - Zamir
"Hello, Lif." - Irman
"Hello. Yeah, what's up?" - Alif
"Are you free now? Or in an hour?" - Irman
"I'm free now. Why?" - Alif
"I need a favor from you and Zamir. But I'll tell you what it is later. Zamir said he's free now. You're free too. So, after I get ready, I'll pick you both up. Just dress casually." - Irman
"Ah, alright. Let me know when you're about to arrive." - Alif
"Okay. Bye." - Irman
"Bye." - Alif
"Hello, Mir." - Irman
"Hello." - Zamir
"Alif is free now. After I get ready, I'll pick you both up. Just wear something casual." - Irman
"Okay. I'm already ready if it's just casual wear. Just waiting on you now." - Zamir
"Hahaa, alright then. I'll get ready now. When I'm about to arrive, I'll call you. Don't fall asleep, okay?" - Irman
"If you take too long, I'll end up dozing off. Hahaa." - Zamir
"Ishh, you. Alright, I'm getting ready now. Bye." - Irman
"Okay. Bye." - Zamir
After finishing his calls with Zamir and Alif, Irman quickly got dressed in a simple outfit. Then, without wasting time, he made his way to his car, started the engine, and sped off to pick up his friends.
Once Zamir and Alif were inside the car, Zamir spoke up,
"Hey! Why are you driving so fast? What's the rush?", he asked, sounding anxious.
Irman replied, "What do you mean fast? I'm only going 80 km/h."
"That's fast. Faster than how you usually drive.", Zamir pointed out.
"I'll explain when we get there.", Irman said.
"Fine.", Zamir sighed.
Both Zamir and Alif were puzzled by Irman's behavior, but they decided to stay silent and occupied themselves with their phones.
Upon arriving at their destination…
Irman said, "We're here."
Zamir asked, "We're here?"
Alif asked, "Whose house is this, Man?"
Irman replied, "It's mine. Just finished. Come on in."
As they stepped out of the car, Zamir asked, "When did you buy a house? You never told us."
Irman answered, "I didn't buy a house. I bought land and hired people to build this house."
Zamir and Alif exchanged glances, and Alif asked, "Wait, do your parents know about this?"
Irman simply looked at them, giving them a knowing look, and they understood his response.
Zamir asked, "But do you plan to tell your parents?"
Irman replied, "Yeah, but not now."
Alif asked, "Then, when?"
Irman answered, "When I introduce my future wife to them, or when we're married and ready to move in here.", He spoke calmly, already picturing Nabila's face in his mind and heart.
Zamir and Alif were shocked and looked at each other. Then, at the same time, they asked, "Future wife? Do you already have someone in mind?"
Irman replied with a calm smile, "I have someone in my heart, but not in real life yet."
Alif said, "If it's who I think it is, I already know."
Zamir added, "Yeah, me too."
Irman grinned, and Alif asked, "But are you sure she's your destined one?"
Irman answered, "If you ask whether I'm sure, then yes, I am. But who knows, fate might have other plans. Still, this house is built for me and my future wife—whoever she may be."
'Siti Nabila'—Nabila's name surfaced in Irman's heart as he said those words.
Zamir and Alif sighed and said, "Alright then. It's up to you. Just don't end up heartbroken and miserable."
Irman laughed and said, "Okay. But if I do end up like that, I'll still come to you guys. Meaning, you'll have to deal with me in that state too. Haha."
Zamir and Alif shot him sharp glares and said in unison, "Yeah, no way are we dealing with you like that. You got yourself into it, so you deal with it on your own." They then made mock sulking faces.
Irman chuckled and said, "Don't be like that, my kind-hearted friends.", in a coaxing tone.
Zamir and Alif cringed, and Zamir said, "Ugh, you're gross. If you were my girlfriend, maybe I'd tolerate it."
Irman and Alif burst out laughing, and Irman said, "Alright, let's go inside."
Alif asked, "Do you already have the keys to this place?"
Irman replied, "Not yet. The house isn't locked since it was just completed, and what's there to steal? There's nothing inside—no furniture, no belongings, nothing."
Zamir said, "No wonder you're so calm about it not being locked. But why were you in such a rush earlier, driving at 80km/h? You've never done that before. You're usually such a 'careful driver'."
Irman explained, "Because the guy I made the deal with for building this house has other commitments later. So, I had to come early to make sure we have enough time for him to give us a tour."
Zamir said, "Oh, so—"
Before Zamir could finish his sentence, Irman greeted a man standing at the main entrance of the house.
"Assalamualaikum (Peace be unto you)."
"Waalaikumussalam (and upon you be peace). You managed to get here early.", the man responded.
"Yes, alhamdulillah, I made it. Have you been waiting long?", Irman asked.
"Not really. I just finished checking inside, and right when I stepped out, you guys arrived. Sorry, Irman, for asking you to come earlier.", the man said.
"Oh, no worries. I understand. Here, let me introduce my best friends—Zamir and Alif.", Irman said as he introduced them.
"Eric.", the man introduced himself while shaking hands with Zamir and Alif.
"I wanted to get their opinions on the interior design before hiring a professional interior designer. You know how I am when it comes to handling things like this.", Irman explained.
"Yeah, I know. You're a perfectionist. It's actually a good idea to get your best friends' opinions. Who knows? Maybe there's something you might overlook, and your friends can point it out before it bothers you later.", Eric responded.
"Exactly. So, can we check it out now?", Irman asked.
"Of course. Let's go inside.", Eric replied.
Upon entering the house, Zamir and Alif were taken aback by the interior design.
"Wow!"
Zamir commented, "The interior of your house is pretty impressive. It looks great." Then he asked, "Did you design this yourself, Man?"
Irman replied, "Yeah. I designed it myself, with some help from the professionals."
Alif said, "Damn, that's impressive. You designed your own house. Hey, can you design mine too? Hehe."
Irman smirked and replied, "Sure, but there's a fee. No freebies.", then laughed.
Alif made a face of dissatisfaction, and Zamir asked, "Can you do mine too? I'm down to pay.", then laughed.
Irman grinned, "Alright, deal."
Eric chuckled, "Looks like you'll be the go-to guy for designing your friends' houses."
Zamir and Alif laughed along, and Irman smiled. "Seems like it.", he said.
"Alright, let's head over there.", Eric suggested.
After thoroughly inspecting both the interior and exterior of the house, Irman asked, "Mir, Lif, what do you guys think of the house overall—inside and out?"
Zamir responded, "It's solid. Everything looks great."
Alif replied, "I think it's great too. The only thing left is the interior decoration. You need to furnish the place properly to enhance the overall look. The layout is already good; now you just need to focus on things like wallpaper, furniture, and other decorations."
Zamir added, "Yeah, exactly. The layout and the garden outside are solid. You just need to furnish the inside with furniture that matches. I'd suggest getting something that suits both your taste and your future wife's."
Irman nodded, "Okay. I'll take note of everything you guys said."
Eric chimed in, "If you don't have any ideas for the decorations, I can recommend a professional interior designer I know. I've worked with him a lot. Whenever my clients need a pro to design their home or rooms, I always suggest this guy. It's like a package deal with me, haha. So far, everyone's been happy with his work. But if you're interested, I can give you his contact. If not, you're free to look for another designer—I'm not forcing you."
Irman replied, "Hmmm, let me think about it. But you can show me some of his previous projects later. Maybe that'll convince me more."
Eric said, "Sure, no problem."
Zamir smirked, "Didn't expect you to actually let someone else help you. You're always the type who wants to do things alone, not trusting others to meet your standards. So, I'm surprised you're considering asking for help this time."
Irman protested, "Hey! If I can do something myself, I'll do it. If I can't, of course, I'll ask for help. I'm not that selfish."
Alif laughed, "Ohhh, so you admit you're a little selfish?"
Zamir and Alif burst into laughter.
Irman's face turned red with embarrassment and irritation. "Ugh, you guys! I'm not asking for your help ever again!", he huffed, pretending to sulk.
Zamir and Alif laughed even harder.
Zamir patted Irman on the shoulder, "Come on, don't be like that. We're just teasing you. We know you're stressed—with work, with your parents, with this house—so we just wanted to lighten the mood. Relax, and ask for our help anytime.", He said this in a tone that started friendly but then shifted to a playful, flirty tone as if he were comforting a girlfriend.
Irman scoffed, while Zamir, Alif, and Eric laughed at his reaction.
Then Irman turned to Eric and asked, "Hey, Eric, aren't you going to be late for your appointment?"
Eric glanced at his wristwatch and said, "Oh yeah, I should get going. If anything comes up, just let me know. Here, these are the keys to the house and the gate. For now, the gate isn't automated yet. That way, if you hire people to do the interior work, you won't waste the 'newness' of the gate. Once the interior is fully done, I'll help you set up the automation for the gate."
Irman replied, "Thanks, bro. I get what you mean. That actually makes sense. I'll let you know if anything comes up."
Eric nodded, "You're welcome. Alright, I'm off. Assalamualaikum. Bye." He extended his hand for a handshake with Irman.
Irman shook his hand and replied, "Okay. Waalaikumussalam. Bye."
Eric then shook hands with Zamir and Alif before waving goodbye to the three of them—Irman, Zamir, and Alif—and left.
Once Eric was gone, Zamir asked, "What did he mean about the gate? I didn't quite get it."
Irman explained, "He meant that while I'm working on the interior, I'll keep the gate manual, using a padlock. Then, once everything inside is completely done—no more changes or additions—only then will I get the gate automated. That way, when I finally move in, I can inaugurate everything at once, including the newly automated gate."
Alif asked, "Oh, so you're saying that on your first day living here, everything will be brand new, including the gate?"
Irman nodded, "Exactly."
Zamir said, "Oh, I see now. I was wondering why you had to wait until after everything was done to switch to an automated gate. If it was about security, you could've just installed the automated one from the start. But now I get it—it's more symbolic. That actually makes sense.", He laughed.
Alif added, "Yeah, I was confused about that too."
Irman smirked, "If it were just about security, I wouldn't mind installing the automated gate right away.", He shot a playful glare at Zamir and Alif.
Zamir hesitated, then asked, "Wait… are you still mad at us about earlier?"
Irman asked back, "About what?"
Zamir replied, "The whole 'selfish' thing."
Irman chuckled, "Nah, I'm not mad at all."
Alif said, "Yeah, right. If you're not mad, then why were you giving us side-eyes when we talked about safety?"
Irman replied, "I'm not mad. Just doing it for fun.", He then walked into the house with an expressionless face.
Zamir and Alif watched as Irman stepped inside, and Zamir whispered to Alif, "Yeah, he's definitely mad."
Alif nodded, "Yeah. Just let him be. He'll be fine in a bit."
Zamir added, "True. Alright, let's go in. Let's keep our 'girlfriend' company."
Alif chuckled and said, "Let's go."
Zamir and Alif entered and approached Irman.
Zamir asked, "Have you decided yet?"
Irman, confused, asked, "Decided on what?"
Zamir clarified, "About whether you'll go with the professional interior designer Eric suggested, find your own, or do the decorating yourself?"
Irman responded, "Oh, that. Not yet. Still thinking about it."
Alif suggested, "If you don't have any ideas yet and can't decide, why don't we order food first or eat out?"
Zamir agreed, "Yeah, good idea. I'm actually hungry right now. Man, what do you think?"
Irman replied, "Okay, let's just order. If possible, order with cutlery too. This house doesn't even have a single spoon yet."
Alif said, "Alright. I'll place the order now."
Zamir asked, "What should we get?"
Irman replied, "Anything. I don't have any cravings right now. You guys know my taste. Just pick something."
Alif said, "Okay. I'll just pick whatever's available nearby."
Zamir said, "In that case, let's order from this one place. It's a fast food spot I really like."
Alif asked, "McD?"
Zamir replied, "No. Their fast food is similar to McD—burgers, fries, all that. But it's not McD."
Irman asked, "If it's the same as McD, why not just get McD? Or are you specifically craving food from that place?"
Zamir grinned and admitted, "Yeah."
Irman and Alif exchanged glances and said, "Alright then."