Chapter 006: Arga's Request
As soon as she arrived at the hospital, Aruna headed straight for the ICU where her stepfather was being treated.
Ever since getting off the ride-hailing motorcycle, her fingers hadn't stopped tapping at her phone. She called Gavin again and again, but every attempt ended the same way.
"Gavin, you idiot... what the hell are you doing?" she muttered, keeping the phone pressed to her ear. "I've been calling forever, and you still won't pick up."
The ringing tone sounded once more.
"Gavin... come on, answer!"
The call disconnected again.
Aruna clicked her tongue in frustration. Her thumb stabbed at the screen again, faster than before, the tapping now loud enough to be heard.
"Gavin!" she shouted again, this time almost yelling. "What's the point of having a phone if nobody can reach you when it actually matters?!"
The elevator doors slid open.
Without taking her eyes off the screen, Aruna stepped inside.
Several passengers glanced her way. A man in a suit sighed quietly, while a mother took her child's hand and subtly moved farther away.
Aruna didn't care in the slightest.
There was only one thing on her mind.
Her step father.
As the elevator climbed, she continued grumbling under her breath while repeatedly trying to call Gavin.
The longer he failed to answer, the stronger the feeling of dread gnawed at her chest.
Knock.
Knock.
"Assalamu'alaikum..."
Aruna knocked on the ICU door before opening it after receiving permission from the nurse on duty.
"Dad... it's Runa."
Her steps slowed as she approached the bed.
Her chest tightened instantly.
The middle-aged man lying before her looked nothing like the person she knew.
Tubes and wires covered his body.
An oxygen mask concealed part of his face.
The machine beside his bed emitted a soft, steady rhythm, tracking every heartbeat.
Arga had only been her stepfather for four years.
But to Aruna...
He was the only father she had ever truly known.
Her biological father had died when she was only two years old. Aside from a few photographs her mother had kept, she didn't even have a single memory of the man.
Arga had filled that empty space.
He had never treated Aruna differently from Gavin, his own biological son.
Nor had the children treated each other any differently.
Aruna and Gavin had grown up like ordinary siblings.
Sometimes they got along.
Sometimes they fought.
But they always ended up laughing together again as though nothing had ever happened.
"Runa... you came, sweetheart..."
Arga's weak voice drifted from behind the oxygen mask.
Aruna immediately took his hand.
"Yes, Dad. It's me."
His hand felt cold.
Arga gently squeezed hers.
"Runa... I'm sorry..."
"I couldn't protect your mother..."
"I failed to save her..."
"Dad..."
Aruna's voice began to tremble.
"It's okay..."
She gently stroked the back of his hand.
"Mom's with Allah now. He loves her, so He called her home first."
Tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back.
"Please don't think like that, Dad."
"The only thing you need to do now is get better."
Her eyes wandered across his body once more.
The IV line.
The monitor cables.
The oxygen mask.
Every piece of equipment attached to him reminded her that his condition was far worse than she'd imagined.
"Forgive me, Run..."
"But..."
"I think I'll be following your mother soon..."
"Yes..."
Aruna quickly cut him off.
"But not now."
"Later."
"Not now."
Her voice rose before she even realized it.
"Please don't say things like that."
Arga smiled faintly.
"Not now..."
"But soon..."
"Once my final wish comes true."
"Yes..."
Aruna nodded quickly.
"Then focus on getting better first."
"We'll make it come true together."
Arga slowly shook his head.
"I can't, Run..."
"I want it now."
Aruna let out a long breath.
"What is it that you want?"
"I'll make it happen."
"No need."
Arga squeezed her hand a little tighter.
"The important thing..."
"...is that you're here."
He paused to catch his breath.
"Ardan's on his way here, right?"
"Yes."
Aruna nodded.
"You were the one who told him to bring someone."
"And Mang Tatang too."
"That's right..."
Arga took another breath.
"Run..."
"Listen to me."
"Yes, Dad."
Aruna was beginning to grow uneasy.
His condition was clearly worsening, yet he insisted on saying something.
"Run..."
Arga looked directly into her eyes.
"I want..."
"...you to marry Ardan."
"...Will you?"
"Dad?!"
Aruna's eyes flew open.
She instinctively took half a step back.
It felt as though something had slammed into her chest.
What...
Did she hear that right?
Arga continued looking at her.
"I'm sorry, Run..."
"I know this sounds like I'm forcing you."
"But I can't leave in peace if there's no one to protect you."
His fingers still held hers.
"Dad..."
Aruna stepped closer again.
"What are you talking about?"
"Come on... just rest."
She tried convincing herself he was only saying strange things because he was seriously ill.
"Runa."
Arga's tone suddenly grew firmer.
"Listen to me."
His voice became strong enough that it strained him.
Pain immediately flashed across his face.
Aruna panicked.
"Dad..."
She quickly gripped his hand tighter.
"I don't have much time left..."
Mr. Arga drew a short breath.
"I know..."
"...what condition my body is in."
Aruna froze.
Her fingers began trembling.
She wanted to argue.
But the calm expression on his face only tightened her throat.
"Dad..."
Her voice became barely audible.
"Please..."
"Don't say things like that..."
"I'll cry..."
"Sweetheart."
Mr. Arga looked deeply into her eyes.
"My daughter."
"Listen."
"I promised I'd take care of both of you."
"But I failed."
"One of you..."
"...was your mother."
"I couldn't save her."
"Dad!"
Aruna interrupted him immediately.
"That was Allah's will!"
"You had no power to stop it!"
"Don't blame yourself..."
"That's a sin."
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
The tears she'd been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks.
Arga smiled gently.
"I know..."
"Thank you, Run..."
He slowly stroked the back of her hand.
"Now I have one more request."
"Runa..."
"Please marry Ardan."
"My younger brother."
"Dad!"
Panic filled Aruna's face.
"I know..."
Mr. Arga nodded weakly.
"I know what you're thinking."
"But this is how an old man thinks."
"You're an orphan now..."
"No, Dad!"
Aruna interrupted him immediately.
Her tears now flowed freely.
"I still have you!"
"Don't say I'm an orphan..."
Her sobs finally broke free.
Arga fell silent.
He gave her time to calm herself.
The room was once again filled only with the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.
After a while, he spoke again.
"Run..."
"Ardan told me..."
"Your mother is gone."
"But the two babies survived."
"They're still in critical condition in the incubator."
Aruna lowered her head.
Tears continued dripping onto the back of her hand.
"Run..."
"God willing, they'll live long lives."
"I only trust you."
"Only you can raise them."
"I know Ardan and Gavin will help."
"But it won't be the same..."
"...as if you were the one taking care of them."
Aruna took a long breath.
"But, Dad..."
"Even if I don't marry Mang Ardan..."
"I'll still take care of them."
"They're my younger siblings too."
Arga nodded slowly.
"Runa..."
"I'm sorry for bringing this up."
He paused to gather another breath.
"But..."
"Do you still remember..."
"...what your life was like before you became my daughter?"
"When Aisyah was still a widow?"
Aruna's entire body immediately stiffened.
Her gaze went blank.
Her chest tightened once more.
"Run..."
"My dear..."
"My beautiful daughter."
Arga tried to smile.
"Don't get upset just yet."
"Listen to my reason."
He slowly drew another breath.
"Run..."
"Do you remember what happened..."
"...right before you graduated from junior high?"
Those words instantly changed Aruna's expression.
The memories she had buried deep inside herself slowly began to resurface.
Aruna, still just a young girl at the time, could do nothing but stand there in silence as Karsih vented her fury.
The woman's eyes were filled with hatred, as though Aruna herself was the source of every evil.
Haunted by wounds from her own past, Karsih deeply despised women she considered shameless.
Whether the rumor was true or not didn't matter.
The moment she heard something about Aruna, she immediately placed the girl into that category.
Karsih never bothered to find out the truth.
To her, the rumor alone was enough to pass judgment.
It had all happened three years earlier.
Exactly one month before Aruna graduated from junior high school.
At the time, Aruna had been living in the house that had become her refuge for only three months—
three months after Aisyah married Arga.