As we grow older, life demands that we live more independently. Not because someone tells us to, but because circumstances force us to. Living independently doesn't just mean taking care of ourselves, but moving away from home and learning how to stand on our own.
Saka knew what that felt like. From studying abroad to finishing his master's degree, he had long been used to living alone. But this time felt different. There was something he couldn't quite explain—like an empty space that suddenly felt warm.
He never expected that a simple decision to move closer to his office would also bring him closer to Cayra.
Was this just a coincidence? Or a part of a plan carefully woven by the universe?
At first, Saka had no intention of moving. His parents' house was indeed far from Manterra's office, but it wasn't as if he urgently needed to find a new place. That changed the day he heard that one of his clients owned an empty house that would no longer be occupied.
The location was strategic. Not too far from the office, yet still within reach of his parents' home. Strangely enough, Saka was immediately drawn to it. Perhaps because he preferred a lively neighborhood. Apartments were too quiet. Too silent for someone who secretly liked helping others.
Behind his calm demeanor, Saka always wanted to feel useful. Helping people, no matter how small, gave meaning to his days.
Once the negotiation process was done and the house officially his, he planned to move in the next day. But because of his tight meeting schedule and an appointment with the Nebula Creatives team, he decided to move in that very night instead.
He didn't have many belongings. Just clothes and personal items, neatly packed into his car. The new furniture would be delivered directly from the store. Nobody accompanied him—his family was busy with their own matters. So tonight, it was just Saka and the silence.
His car stopped right in front of the neighborhood gate, following the address sent by his client. Saka checked Google Maps again, making sure the location matched. It did. But this was actually the first time he saw the house in person—until now, he had only seen photos.
He looked around him. The neighborhood was very lively. There was an angkringan stall outside the gate, where several people were sitting around enjoying the evening.
Then his eyes stopped. Locked on one figure.
A woman sat alone. Her face was familiar. Too familiar. Just earlier that afternoon, he had lent her an umbrella when the rain poured down.
Cayra.
She sat quietly, lost in thought. Saka froze for a moment, then quickly looked away. He shouldn't be staring.
Focus, he reminded himself. It's your first night in the new house. You can go to that angkringan another time.
Taking a deep breath, he drove into the neighborhood. The night buzzed with life. Children played. Mothers laughed on their porches. Fathers sipped coffee and chatted by the roadside. A warmth lingered in the air. Simple, yet filling the empty spaces within him.
Slowing his car, Saka stopped by a group of men and got out to ask for directions. They welcomed him warmly, one of them pointing out that his house was at the corner—the biggest one, right across from the neighborhood chief's house.
After thanking them and briefly introducing himself, Saka got back in his car and drove on. Minutes later, he arrived.
The gate was closed. The house was large, possibly the largest in the area. Opening the gate slowly, he parked inside so as not to block the road.
Not long after, a pickup truck arrived with the furniture—bed, frame, wardrobe, dining table, all brand-new from the store. A man confirmed the delivery was for Saka. He nodded and asked them to bring everything inside.
While the movers unloaded, Saka busied himself with unpacking his suitcases and boxes from his car. Books, clothes, work files. He carefully stacked them on the porch.
So focused was he on organizing, he didn't notice someone standing across the street.
Cayra.
The same woman from the angkringan. The woman he had given an umbrella. Now standing motionless, quietly watching him.
Saka remained unaware. Only when he heard the sound of a gate opening did he finally look up.
His heartbeat quickened.
Cayra stepped into the house across from his. No words. No lingering glance. Yet it was enough to make the world pause for a second.
Saka stood frozen, his eyes following her steps.
So they were neighbors now? After years of silence. After so much distance.
Was this coincidence?
Or… a small door opened quietly by the universe?
~~~
The universe seemed to never run out of ways to surprise Saka. The next morning, when he arrived at Nebula Creatives, his eyes caught a huge banner displayed in the lobby. On it was the photo of a woman—Cayra Ayudhia Astagina—along with her position.
Saka stood still. For a long time. His heart beat faster, like a teenager seeing his first love again.
Deep inside, he wondered. Was this another coincidence? Or had their lives been woven together once more—as neighbors, and now as colleagues?
Apparently, it was true. Their paths had circled back together.
What puzzled Saka was that Cayra wasn't present at the office that day. Word was, she was sick. Yet that morning, he had seen her taking a motorbike taxi. Perhaps she was going to see a doctor, he thought. He didn't want to assume too much.
Besides, it wasn't his business. At least, not professionally. So Saka brushed it aside and simply told Tasha to ensure Cayra would be present the next day, since the upcoming presentation required her strategic role.
Still, a quiet curiosity lingered in his chest. Not just about work. But about how Cayra might look—up close.
After finishing his tasks at Nebula, Saka returned to Manterra's office for the rest of the day. Yet his mind kept drifting. Her name refused to leave his thoughts. Even as the evening came, her shadow remained in his heart.
That night, back at his new home, the feeling returned. Every time he entered the neighborhood, a subtle hope stirred inside him. Maybe this time, he would see Cayra again.
Choosing to sit on his porch, he waited quietly.
But it wasn't Cayra who appeared. It was her father, stepping out from their gate. Spotting Saka, the older man approached.
Saka stood politely, greeting him. Soon, a light conversation flowed between them.
Cayra's father invited him inside to handle some paperwork regarding his move. As the neighborhood chief, it was his duty to register new residents.
Inside, Saka also met Cayra's mother, who had just returned from work. The conversation between her husband and Saka was warm, natural. Not stiff, not awkward—almost fatherly.
Time passed quickly. Without realizing, it was half past six. Yet Cayra had not appeared. Only her parents moved in and out of the house.
Saka silently wondered. Was Cayra really sick, resting in her room? He wanted to ask, but it felt too forward.
It was only when he was about to leave that he heard Cayra's mother asking her husband if their daughter had come home yet. Both looked worried—they hadn't seen her since morning.
Saka stayed silent, but he could clearly see the concern on their faces.
After saying goodbye, he stepped outside. But before he could reach the gate, he bumped into someone.
Reflexively, his hand reached out to steady her.
Cayra.
The woman he had only watched from afar was now standing right before him. So close, he could feel her breath.
Her eyes were closed, whether from shock or simply not looking ahead. Saka looked at her quietly, his gaze brushing over the once-familiar face that now felt both distant and warm. Beautiful. More mature.
Something shifted inside his chest. Like an old door creaking open. No wind. No sound. But he knew—the feeling had never left.
Perhaps it never had.
He didn't know what to say. Even a simple greeting caught in his throat. All he could do was stand there. Silent.
There was a wound that had never healed. Only silence to cover it. And tonight, that wound stood breathing in front of him—unaware of how much he still carried.
Saka didn't know it yet, but that night would be the turning point. The moment that dragged them back to an unfinished past. A meeting that would open the door to a secret Cayra had long kept hidden.
And unknowingly, the bond he built that evening with Cayra's father was the very beginning.
The beginning of a wound that had finally found its way home.
~~~
EPILOGUE ✨
For some people, living in a big house sounds like luxury.
But there's one thing people often forget.
A big house doesn't guarantee there's life inside it.
That was what Saka had always felt. Since childhood, his family's house had only ever held silence. Quiet, as though no one really lived there—even though many did.
And now, even after buying a new house, that same emptiness returned. Like an old friend who never truly left.
After leaving the city park earlier that evening, Saka didn't know where else to go. So he went home. Sitting in the living room, accompanied by nothing but silence. No television yet. Only a book he had brought from his parents' house.
When the clock struck half past seven in the evening, her stomach finally protested. Closing her book, she decided to go out for dinner. For some reason, his mind immediately recalled the angkringan in front of his neighborhood gate-the place where he had seen Cayra sitting alone.
He left the house in just a plain t-shirt and knee-length shorts, sliding his wallet and phone into his pocket.
Walking down the street, Saka was greeted warmly by many residents. Some even asked where he was headed. For a moment, it felt like being a local celebrity strolling through the neighborhood.
When he reached the gate, his eyes fell on the angkringan. It was already crowded. Without thinking much, he walked closer and placed his order.
It wasn't his first time at a angkringan, but it had been years since his last visit. Tonight felt different.
After ordering a simple rice meal and sweet tea, Saka searched for a seat. Most were full—until his gaze landed on a middle-aged man sitting alone. Someone he recognized. Instinctively, he walked toward him.
At first, it was only to greet him. But as he drew closer, Saka realized the man looked lost in thought. His expression heavy, as if burdened by something he couldn't share.
"Good evening, Sir," Saka greeted softly.
The man turned. A faint smile appeared, but Saka knew—it was only a mask.
"Evening, Saka. All alone?"
"Yes, Sir. Should I have brought someone with me?"
The man chuckled lightly. "Maybe your girlfriend? Come, sit."
Saka obeyed, taking the seat across from him.
"I don't have a girlfriend, Sir."
"Really? You're handsome and successful. Don't tell me no one wants you?"
Saka smiled. "I just don't think I'm ready for a relationship yet."
"Young people these days… Cayra said the same thing when we tried to arrange a match for her."
That name slipped out so naturally. Immediately bringing back Saka's memory of the afternoon—of following Cayra to the city park.
Yes. The man before him was Cayra's father. Saka had been surprised at first to see him here, but considering they were neighbors, it wasn't strange at all.
"I think many of us hold back from relationships simply because we're not ready," Saka replied calmly. "Marriage isn't something light."
Cayra's father fell silent. His expression turned somber.
Moments later, a woman came over with Saka's order. Bu Rumiyem, the stall owner's wife.
"Here you go, handsome mas."
"Thank you, Bu."
She glanced at Cayra's father, then smiled mischievously.
"So this is Mbak Caca's fiancé, huh?"
Saka froze. Cayra's father looked at him, an amused smile tugging at his lips.
"Do you think they match?" he asked.
"Perfectly. Mbak Caca's beautiful, and he's handsome. Their children would be gorgeous too."
"Well, let's hope your wish comes true," Cayra's father replied lightly.
Saka glanced at him, unsure whether to laugh or panic.
After Bu Rumiyem left, silence returned. Then, Cayra's father spoke in a deeper tone.
"Don't mind what she said. Just a joke. But if you're serious… I wouldn't object either."
Saka forced a smile. His heart was beating faster.
"For some reason, I've never trusted the men around Caca. Even the one she ended up engaged to," he continued quietly.
Saka fell silent.
"That's why her mother and I tried to set her up. But she immediately refused. She even brought up something we thought she had long forgotten."
The air grew heavy. Laughter from other diners became nothing more than a backdrop to their serious conversation.
"Sir, may I give you some advice?" Saka finally asked.
"Go ahead."
Taking a breath, Saka said slowly, "I've been in Cayra's position before. And from what I learned, what people like us need most… is trust."
"Marriage is God's affair. Our job is only to prepare ourselves. If we must wait, then wait—with trust."
Cayra's father looked at him, something shifting in his gaze. As though hearing a truth for the first time.
"You're very mature, Saka. I hope Caca's husband will be someone like you."
Saka froze. His heartbeat thundered in his chest. He didn't know whether to feel honored—or terrified by such hope.
"Maybe if I'd thought like you earlier, today's fight wouldn't have happened," the man continued bitterly. "Caca wouldn't have brought up her old dream. She wouldn't be giving us the silent treatment now."
His voice thinned. Heavy with regret.
"There was an incident back then… one that forced her to bury her dream. It happened right after her high school graduation."
"She even gave us a large sum of money to help the family. We never knew where she got it. She never said a word."
Thump.
Saka's chest tightened.
Money? After graduation? Sacrificing her dream?
Something felt foreign. Yet familiar.
And then, without warning, a thought pierced through him.
Could it be… the reason Cayra left him all those years ago—
…was because of something far bigger?
Something he had never imagined.
And for the first time, Saka wondered: Had he been too selfish? Too caught up in his own pain to ever consider hers?
Had he been too cruel, treating Cayra with coldness these past few days… when perhaps, all along, she had been carrying a wound much deeper than his?
Maybe… he had been too quick to judge. Too quick to believe his pain was the only truth.
Maybe… he had only ever seen Cayra as his wound.
When in fact, she had long been the reason for his strength.
The reason he survived.