Life of a mother is not easy.
Eka had to wake up very early to prepare breakfast, and once she was done, she would go upstairs to wake her children and husband.
"Hurry up and come down, breakfast is ready!" Eka shouted from the bottom of the stairs.
Not long after, the sound of small footsteps was heard.
"Good morning, maa…"
"Hrmm…"
Her two daughters, both beautiful and adorable in their little pajamas, descended the stairs while rubbing their eyes and yawning.
"Hey, open your eyes properly, be careful not to fall," she scolded her six- and ten-year-old daughters.
"Good morning, sweetheart~"
A tall man, well over 180 cm, much taller than Eka, who was only about 150 cm, stretched his muscles as he walked down the stairs.
"Good morning… hey, don't get too close to me, your breath stinks, go brush your teeth!" Eka pushed her husband away as he tried to hug her.
"Really? What if I give you a kiss instead?" He pouted his lips like a fish.
"…." Eka, irritated, punched him in the stomach.
"Oof… hahaha, alright, alright."
"Hmph!"
After he properly brushed his teeth, he joined the family for breakfast.
Once Eka had seen her children off with their father to school, she went to the bathroom to freshen up and get ready for her day as well.
By a little past seven, she was already driving her car at a moderate speed toward the campus.
"Hmm~ hmm~ hm.." she hummed along to the song playing on the radio, tapping her fingers lightly on the steering wheel.
"Oh?" Her eyes caught something, and she immediately pressed the gas pedal to close the distance.
"Hey, Eka!"
"Huh?" Eka (M) was startled by the voice that sounded strangely close to her.
Turning around, she saw a car approaching. The window rolled down, and inside, she saw a face almost identical to hers.
"Ah, good morning, Mrs. Putri."
"Yep, it's kind of weird to be called 'Putri,'" Eka (F) laughed, "Anyway, come on, hop in!"
"Oh, it's okay, it's just a few meters away."
"Come on, it's fine!"
"But…"
At that moment, Eka (F), no, Putri clasped her hands together and looked at Yorian with puppy-eyes. "Please…?"
"…."
The next thing Yorian knew, he was sitting next to Putri, humming along to her favorite song.
"Hey, did you know? I heard the COVID spread is getting worse!"
"Yeah, but I'm not sure about Indonesia," Yorian answered, distracted by his own missteps, clearly enjoying the song.
"Well, I don't think so…" Putri opened her phone and showed Yorian a screenshot of an online news article. "Look? There are already ten cases in the capital, it's only a matter of time before we get hit too."
"Ugh, that's a red flag, a red flag!"
"Hahaha~"
"Hmm," Yorian rubbed his chin as he thought. "Does that mean the campus will close?"
"Of course."
"Hooray!" Yorian didn't even try to hide his childish excitement.
"Are you a primary school kid or what?" Putri laughed, her cheeks slightly flushed. "But don't get too happy, there'll probably be online classes or something. No matter what happens, you still need to study, young man!"
"…."
"Hahaha, you're so adorable!"
Yorian smiled shyly.
Before long, the campus buildings came into view. Putri greeted the security guard at the entrance before driving into the parking lot.
"Are you planning to walk to get here every day?"
"That's the plan," Yorian shrugged. "It's not too far anyway."
"Uh-huh, can't you ride a motorbike?"
"Sure, but…" Yorian scratched his head, though it wasn't itchy. "I'd rather save the gas money."
Putri asked as she turned the car around, "Are you having money problems?"
"Well, kind of. I'm not as rich as you."
It was strange. Normally, Yorian would feel awkward about his financial situation, but with Putri, he felt completely at ease. There was no discomfort at all.
"Want to work?"
"That's my plan, but it's hard to find something easy."
"Easy?"
"Look at me, who would hire a skinny guy like me?"
Putri burst out laughing, "Okay, okay, don't worry. I think my husband mentioned he's looking for someone to handle the files—"
Yorian, as though hearing the most shocking news, asked in disbelief, "—Husband?"
"…"
Putri paused for a moment. "What? Didn't you see my ring?" She proudly showed off her wedding ring.
"Well, I'm always paying attention to—"
"My boobs?"
"FACE! I'm always paying attention to your face!" Yorian said, blushing and emphasizing the statement with an expression that made Putri's heart skip a beat.
'How CUTE!'
Putri quickly parked the car.
The car had stopped but neither of them move, and the atmosphere inside gradually turned awkward.
Finally, staring at Yorian beside her, Putri smiled bitterly. "We can't, you know."
"You mean…"
"I read a lot of references last night… and many sources like myths or testimonies say that twins have a telepathic connection with each other. Like, if one is hurt, the other can feel it. Or how their feelings can affect each other." Putri paused for a moment. "Maybe… maybe two strangers who are even more similar than twins could have something like that…"
Yorian understood. "Like us…"
"Yeah, and…" Putri fell silent for a moment, trying to control her emotions. "Yesterday, I felt it—"
Yorian cut in, "I never believed in love at first sight. But yesterday, I felt it!" He looked at Putri intensely. "Love at first sight."
"…yeah…" blushing, embarrassed by his frankness and hot gaze, Putri continued, "Yesterday, I felt like "I had fallen in love with this adolescent boy" … I even felt butterflies in my stomach…"
"Then!"
"We can't!" Putri raised her voice. "Ah, sorry! I just, I… I'm already married, and you're still young and—"
"But I feel it too, Eka. I have butterflies in my stomach…" Yorian reached for Putri's hand.
Looking into the sincerity in the young man's eyes, Putri bit her lip, her expression complex.
"I… I really love you…"
As she said that, Yorian leaned in closer. But just as their lips were about to touch, Putri pulled her hand back and turned away from him, pointing at the door. "Get out, class is about to start."
"…."
Though reluctant, Yorian eventually got out of the car.
Outside, he clicked his tongue and walked away.
No need to be said, he felt so horrible he'd rather eat a ton of chilies; Like, Yorian never an active type. Clear reason why he never had a girlfriend over the years. But just now, he actually getting carried away in the heat of a moment, and guess what? He got rejected. The first advance he ever made—got rejected.
"..she keep thinking that I'm cute, I can feel it you know! Damnit, fuck!"
Punching the wall besides him, he leaves the parking area.
Meanwhile, inside the car, Putri had completely different mood from Yorian; her face was bright red, her heart pounding so fast it felt like it might jump out of her chest and run after Yorian.
"What… what was that…"
Putri truly had no idea.
This was love, she was sure of it. But why… was it so intense? She swore her love for her husband didn't feel like this. The most important thing was, it felt completely natural, without any external factors or time passage to make it bloom.
It was strange.
Very strange.
So strange that it made Putri feel like a teenager experiencing her first crush.
In fact, just now, she hadn't pulled away from Yorian's kiss because she didn't want to, but entirely because she felt too shy and awkward. Like a pure innocent girl afraid of her first kiss ever, even though it clearly wouldn't have been her first!