Saturday morning. Nine o'clock.
Arkana's apartment. Sunlight came through the window, but Arkana was still in bed. Not sleeping. Just lying there. Staring at the ceiling. Empty.
Arkana sighed. It had only been one night since the elevator incident. One night since he almost drove Rania home. One night since that hope died in the last second.
But it felt like a week.
Today was Saturday. No work. No Rania. No reason to go to the office.
*What should I do?*
He got up. Showered. Changed clothes. Still confused.
Finally, he decided to go out. Take a walk. Get some fresh air. Maybe so he wouldn't keep thinking about Rania.
---
City park. The morning sun was warm, but not too hot.
Kids were playing in the playground. Young couples sat on park benches, holding hands. A few people were jogging. Peaceful atmosphere.
Arkana sat on one of the benches. Alone. Quiet. His eyes wandered, watching the couples around him.
In front of him, a couple was sharing ice cream. The girl was feeding the guy. They were laughing.
Arkana stared at them for a long time.
*Is this what Rania would be like if she dated someone?*
He quickly shook his head. *Stop, Kana. Stop.*
But his mind had already wandered. Rania. Rania. Rania.
He stood up. Moved. Tried another place.
---
Mall, afternoon. Crowded.
People were passing by. Music from stores mixed with visitors' chatter. Bright lights. The smell of food from the food court.
Arkana walked without purpose. Passed clothing stores. Passed electronics stores. Passed toy stores.
At an accessories store, he saw another couple. They were picking out couple bracelets. The girl was excited. The guy was patiently accompanying her.
Arkana stopped. Watched from a distance.
*Does Rania like accessories? I once saw her wearing a simple bracelet. Simple. Like her.*
He wanted to go in. Wanted to buy something. But for who? Rania? Wrong. Rania belonged to someone.
*Him.*
Arkana's chest hurt again. He kept walking.
Throughout the mall, girls glanced at him. Some whispered. Once or twice, someone tried to approach, but seeing Arkana's cold expression and his "stay away" face, they backed off.
Cold face, empty stare, slightly furrowed brows. Not friendly. Not approachable. Like a warning sign: DO NOT APPROACH.
One girl gathered her courage. "Excuse me, Kak—"
Arkana turned. Looked at her. Briefly. Flat. Expressionless.
The girl immediately shrank back. Her face turned red.
"S-sorry! I meant Mas! Mas! Not Kak! Sorry!"
Arkana just raised an eyebrow slightly. Didn't speak. Didn't smile. Didn't show any reaction.
The girl quickly stepped aside. Ran away. Mortified.
Still flat. But inside his heart: *"Kak?"*
Arkana kept walking. Didn't really care. But at the corner of his lips, there was a slight twitch. Almost invisible. Could be a smile. Could just be a muscle movement.
---
Mall ground floor, near the exit. Arkana was about to leave. But his eyes caught something. He stopped.
No.
No way.
But it was him.
That man. The man who picked up Rania. The man with the black car.
And he wasn't alone.
The man was walking with a woman. The woman was holding his arm tightly. They were laughing. The woman tapped his shoulder. He responded by ruffling her hair—just like he did to Rania.
But this was different.
This... this looked like dating.
His eyes widened. His body froze in the middle of the crowded mall. People passed by around him, but he didn't see them. He only saw that man. And that woman.
*He... he...*
Arkana's thoughts were chaotic. Couldn't form words.
*He has Rania. Beautiful Rania. Kind Rania. Rania who always smiles every time she gets picked up.*
*And now he's walking with another girl?*
Arkana couldn't move. His hands clenched. His jaw tightened.
The man and the woman walked toward a restaurant. Went in. Disappeared from view.
Arkana still stood in the same spot. For a long time.
*Rania... Rania doesn't know.*
That's what he thought. Not about himself. Not about his jealousy. But about Rania. Rania who might be crushed if she found out.
*She doesn't know.*
---
Sunday night. Arkana's apartment.
He sat in the chair by the window. Not because of overthinking this time. Now because... he was worried.
Arkana stared at the night sky. His phone in his hand. Rania's contact open.
*Should I tell her?*
*But do I have the right?*
*If I tell her, she'll be sad.*
*But if I don't tell her, she'll stay with that guy.*
He sighed. Dozens of times.
*Tomorrow. I'll see tomorrow. If she gets picked up again... I have to tell her.*
---
Monday morning. Seven-thirty.
Office building parking lot. Arkana came earlier. Sat in his car. Waited. Watched.
The black car didn't come.
Arkana waited. Five minutes. Ten minutes.
No black car. No that man.
Then he saw Rania. Coming from the bus stop. Taking public transportation. Her brown sling bag. Thin denim jacket. Shoulder-length hair half-tied.
Rania walked closer. Then saw Arkana's car. Smiled. Waved.
Bright. Warm smile. As usual. No sadness. No hurt.
"Mr. Arkana! Morning!"
Confused. But trying to smile back.
"Mo... morning."
*Why is she taking public transport?* Arkana thought. *Where's that man?*
But Rania was fine. Not sad. Not gloomy. Her smile was the same as always.
*Maybe she doesn't know yet.*
---
Office, 28th floor.
All day Arkana couldn't focus. Every time Rania passed by, every time Rania smiled, every time Rania laughed softly with her coworkers, Arkana watched.
Rania was normal. Worked as usual. Ate lunch as usual. Occasionally joked with other staff. No signs of someone heartbroken.
*She really doesn't know,* Arkana concluded. *She doesn't know that her boyfriend...*
The pain in Arkana's chest changed. Not jealousy anymore. But... a desire to protect. A desire to save Rania from that man.
But how? What right did he have?
---
Monday afternoon. Ten to five.
Rania tidied her desk. Time to go home. As usual, she walked to Arkana's room. Knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
Rania opened the door. "Sir, I'm going home now."
Arkana looked at her. For a long time.
Rania was confused. "Sir?"
*This is it. Can't back down now.*
Arkana stood up. Took his car keys.
"I'll take you home."
Shocked. Again.
"Sir—"
"I'll take you home." Arkana spoke firmly. No hesitation. "Let's go."
Rania looked at him. There was something in Arkana's eyes. Something different. Not cold like usual. Not nervous like last Friday. But... determination.
"O-okay, sir. Thank you."
---
Inside Arkana's car. The ride to Rania's house.
Traffic jam in some spots. City lights started turning on. Silence. Only the sound of the engine and distant honks.
They were quiet. Rania stared out the window. Arkana stared at the road. But his thoughts were chaotic.
*How do I say it? "Rania, your boyfriend is cheating"? Too harsh. "Rania, I saw him with another girl"? Also harsh. "Rania, you should break up"? Who am I?*
His hands gripped the steering wheel.
*But I have to. For her.*
Rania turned. "Sir, are you okay? Why are you so quiet?"
Arkana didn't answer. His eyes stayed forward.
Rania was confused. But didn't ask again.
The car kept going.
---
In front of Rania's house. A simple but tidy neighborhood. The porch light was on. Arkana's car stopped.
Rania unbuckled her seatbelt. "Thank you, sir, for—"
"Rania."
Rania stopped. Turned.
Arkana looked at her. His eyes were serious. His hands gripped the steering wheel. He looked tense.
Heavy. Like someone about to say something difficult.
"Sir? What's wrong?"
Arkana took a deep breath.
"I... I want to tell you something."
Rania was silent. Waiting.
Arkana looked away. Stared out the window. It was so hard.
"Saturday... I went to the mall."
Rania was confused. "Yes, sir?"
"And I saw... him."
Rania got even more confused. "Him?"
"That man. The one who usually picks you up."
Rania's eyes widened slightly. But not from shock. But because... she was starting to understand where this was going. And she almost laughed.
Arkana still hadn't dared to look at Rania.
"He... he was walking with another woman. At the mall. They... looked like a couple. Holding hands. Affectionate."
Rania was silent. Holding something back.
Arkana finally looked at Rania. His eyes full of concern. Full of worry.
"I don't know what your relationship is. I don't know how serious you two are. But... I saw it. And I thought... you should know."
Sincere. Sad for Rania. Angry for that man.
Rania was still silent.
Arkana continued, "That's why this morning you took public transport. Because he was with another woman. Right?"
---
Inside Arkana's car, in front of Rania's house.
The tense silence exploded into laughter.
Rania laughed uncontrollably. Her shoulders shook violently, tears started gathering at the corners of her eyes—not from sadness, but from how ridiculous this situation was.
"Sir... Mr. Arkana... oh no... I'm sorry... but... hahahaha!"
Frozen. His face was a mix of confusion, embarrassment, and a desire to disappear from the face of the earth.
"Rania? Why are you laughing? I'm serious!"
Rania wiped her tears, trying to calm her remaining laughter. She looked at Arkana with a very warm gaze, almost like she was looking at an adorable child.
"Sir... the man in the black car... he's my older brother. First child. I'm the second."
The world seemed to stop spinning for Arkana. All the oxygen in the car felt like it vanished.
"Brother...?"
"Yes. And the woman you saw at the mall? That's his fiancée. They're getting married next year." Rania smiled widely, showing her neat teeth. "I don't have a boyfriend, sir. I'm single."
Bright red. His ears felt burning hot. He looked down, covering his entire face with both palms. His voice was muffled, full of regret.
**"I want to die..."**
Rania laughed softly again, then said gently, "But... thank you, sir. Thank you for caring that much."
Arkana still covered his face. Still red. Still embarrassed.
Rania opened the car door. Got out. Before closing the door, she turned.
"Mr. Arkana."
"Yeah?"
Rania smiled. The same smile as always. Innocent. Warm.
"See you tomorrow, okay? Don't forget to sleep. Your panda eyes will get darker."
The car door closed. Rania walked toward her house. Gave a small wave before going inside.
Arkana sat in the car. Still frozen. Still red. But in his chest... something bloomed. Something warm.
*She doesn't have a boyfriend.*
*She doesn't have a boyfriend.*
*SHE DOESN'T HAVE A BOYFRIEND.*
Arkana covered his face again. But this time while smiling widely.
"Crazy..."
---
Tuesday morning. Seven-thirty.
Office building parking lot. Bright morning sun. Arkana arrived, got out of his car.
And he saw it.
The black car.
That man.
And Rania got out of the car. Smiled. Waved at that man.
The man waved back, then drove away.
Rania turned around. Saw Arkana. Smiled.
But Arkana... Arkana smiled too.
A wide smile. A smile he couldn't hold back. A smile that melted his cold face.
Wide smile. His eyes sparkled. His face bright. No cold. No reserved. Just... happy.
Rania walked closer. Saw Arkana's smile. She frowned slightly—curious.
"Sir, why are you smiling like that?"
Arkana tried to put on a cold face. Failed completely.
"Nothing... nothing."
"You've been smiling since earlier, you know. People are looking."
Arkana looked around. Some employees were indeed glancing curiously. Their cold boss suddenly smiling to himself.
Arkana cleared his throat. Tried to be cool.
"Nothing."
Rania tilted her head. Still curious. But didn't ask further.
"Okay, sir. Let's go in."
Rania walked toward the elevator. Arkana followed from behind.
---
Inside the elevator, just the two of them.
Rania pressed the button for the 28th floor. Arkana was quiet. But his smile still hadn't disappeared.
Rania looked at Arkana's reflection on the shiny elevator wall. Still smiling.
*Why is he smiling like that?* Rania thought. *He's been acting weird since this morning.*
But she didn't ask. Just stayed quiet. Observing.
The elevator kept going up. 5... 10... 15... 20...
And Arkana... Arkana was still smiling. Thinking about Rania's words last night. *"I don't have a boyfriend."*
*No boyfriend.*
*Still single.*
*Still...*
Arkana couldn't stop smiling.
Rania saw that from the reflection. Her eyebrows rose.
*Something's wrong with my boss,* she thought. *But... a good kind of wrong?*
The elevator kept going up. 22... 24... 26...
The elevator door closed tightly, locking them in silence.
Inside the elevator, just the two of them. He looked at his reflection on the shiny metal wall. His face was still cold as ice, but behind that mask, his heart was pounding wildly for a completely different reason.
The elevator kept going up. 15... 16... 17... 20... 28.
*I don't have a boyfriend.*
*Single.*
Arkana couldn't hold back his smile anymore. A wide smile, a sincere smile, a smile he'd never shown to anyone in this office before.
Rania observed that reflected smile. Suddenly, she whispered very softly, almost inaudibly, "Sir... you look much more handsome when you smile."
Silence. Arkana's heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment. Before he could react...
Arkana's ears: Suddenly turned bright red. The red color spread quickly, contrasting with his still stiff face. He looked down, not daring to look at Rania, not daring to look at his own reflection.
The elevator dinged.
The door opened. 28th floor. Empty. Rania stepped out casually, leaving Arkana frozen inside the metal box, with ears still burning and a heart that felt like it had just exploded for the second time today.
The elevator door slowly closed again, locking the image of Arkana still frozen, with red ears he couldn't hide. Neither of them knew—yet—that this was just the beginning.
--- End of Volume 1 ---