CRUEL ROMANCE

Author : Murti Widyaningsih

The most complicated love, not between me, you and him. But between me,
you and our Lord.

Joseph Rai Chirstie, or commonly called Rai. He is the eldest son of an Ex

Indonesian men's badminton athlete Leonardus Jonatan Chirstie and Josephine
Tata Chirstie. With a good looking face, a combination of the father's firm face and
a sweet smile from his mother, and a rising career as a junior badminton junior
athlete, many people want to get his heart but all of them was rejected by Rai.

Rai still doesn’t care, he is more interested in online games and playing badminton
than in pay attention of his love life. Many rumors circulating that Rai is gay, He
doesn’t like women. Though the real reason Rai is because he doesn’t want to
establish a relationship with someone who just loves his physical. He wants
someone who truly loves him completely, including all the weaknesses he has.

His reputation made him was known to be stone-hearted.

But do you know that stones can be eroded by tireless water and stop dripping?

For Rai, the water figure is Siti Aisyah Maulana, the neighbor and childhood
friend. The girl who is two years younger than him, always in his heart. They grew
up together, going to the same school, now Aga was in his second year of college
while Ais was in her last year in high school. Ais is so beautiful and gentle in
speech, graceful behavior. Many his friends asked Rai to arranged them up with
Ais, but of course Aga refused. No way He matched them with his own love isn’t
it?

"Dear, let's watch a movie this afternoon?" Rai said to Ais.

"Oh my God, Sorry I forgot. You have to evening pray when we’re dating"said the
young man.

Joseph Rai Chistie and Siti Aisyah Maulana have been in a dating for one year, but
no one knows, they are in dating. Actually Aga didn’t want to cover up their
relationship, but Ais felt unprepared for all the attention focused on her once the
world knew her status as Joseph Rai Chirstie's girl friend. Rai himself didn’t mind,
although he had to endure jealousy whenever a man tried to approach Ais. For the
sake of peace of his lover's heart, he is willing to sacrifice.

The film they were watching was taking place halfway through when Aisyah felt
the side chair was moving unnaturally.

"Astagfirullah" Ais said reflexively when she saw a pair of lovers making out a
chair from where she sat.

"Don’t look" Rai’s voice that firmly distracts her attention, Rai was also watching
the couple next to them.

"Come and sit, please?" Rai changed his seat with Ais. The young man finished his
popcorn and then casually threw the former popcorn container at the next perverted
pair, precisely on the man's head.

"Ouch" the man groaned, he turned his face to Rai.

"What are you doing? Don’t littering in cinema!”

"You don't know the position to do this pervert here. If you want to pervert in the
hotel, not in cinema"said Rai calmly. Ais's eyes rounded in surprise.

"Naughty boy" The pervert man was about to hit Rai, but was arrested by his
woman, as well as Sarah who immediately pulled Rai's arm.

"Honey. I don't like the movie, I wants out from here " Ais said while pulling Rai's
arm.

"By the way, Ais" Rai started the conversation when the two of them were outside
the theater.

"Why?"

"My hand doesn’t...?" Ais saw at her hand that still held Rai's arm and then Ais
loose Rai’s arm. Her cheeks flushed with shame. Rai laughed at Ais's adorable
behavior.
"Well, must you pray first. And I’ll wait at our favorite cafe, okay?"

After shehad finished her praying, she approached the Rai in their favorite cafe.
The handsome young man was seen chatting with a girl Sarah knew, Anthony
Elleanor Avigail Ginting. Sarah watched them closely. Avi was tall and slender,
her face beautiful with her black shoulder hair, so harmoniously next to the Rai.

Most importantly they are not 'different' They are ‘Same’ Ais think

"Aiiissss" Avi's face was so happy to see Ais, the girl hugged Ais tightly and was
immediately welcomed by the only daughter of the Maulana family.

"Hello Avi, what are you doing here?" Ais asked, after their hugs unraveled.

"just looking for a book. The new semester of the book must also be new, in fact,
Avi is afraid of entering high school, afraid of his seniors being fierce ”

"Don't worry Vi,"Ais calmed down.

"don’t worry Vi, I got your back" Rai chimed in, making Avi smile and then hug
Rai's arms.

"Thank you Rai" she said spoiled without knowing there was another girl who tried
to hold back jealousy.

"Hey, seditious sister. Your brother was left behind. Eh, there's Rai and Ais, ”Avi's
brother, Anthony Leonard Ginting, came with Avi's groceries.

"Poor you, here I help you" Rai took some shopping bags brought by Leo.

"It’s Ok Rai, I'm here to call Avi. Ours Dad has already picked up us, let's go home
Vi" Avi immediately hugged her brother

“Bey Rai and Ais. See you" Avi waved her hand to Rai and Ais

Ais could see the Rai laughing while looking at the siblings from the Ginting
family.
"Sit down first, Dear?" Rai asked. The Pink-veiled beautiful girl complied. They
took their seats near the window that showed the view of Jakarta, which was
pouring rain.

"Rai, can I ask something?"

Rai was drinking his coffee nodded.

"Why?" He said casually while putting the cake he had bought into his mouth.

"Don't you ever think to hold my hands, or kiss my lips like a pervert couple in the
cinema?"

Ais's innocent question successfully made Rai choke, he hurriedly drank his coffee
to relieve his cough. The young man then cleared his throat.

"As a normal man, of course I have," answered Rai honestly, from the beginning
they had promised to always say honesty.

"But human are can’t escape from lust, right? Just how we fight it. After all, I
really love and respect you. I know that in your religion dating is prohibited right?
I don’t want to make you sin even deeper, "continued Rai, making Ais stunned.

Indeed, during dating with Rai, Rai never touched her. They never even held
hands. This man is so gentle to tell when the sleeve she uses is exposed beyond the
wrist or when several strands of hair are visible.

"Then...have you ever thought bout praying with you little family in church?"

Rai was surprised to hear what Ais said.

"Why do you suddenly ask like that?"

"Because, I want someday worship lead by You. But it's impossible right? " Ais
interrupted quickly. Her heart was throbbing with pain, but Ais knew she had to do
this. She had understood about it for a long time. Her relationship with Rai is good,
Rai loves and appreciates her. But in the end there is a difference between them
that is impossible to put together without sacrifice that Ais believes neither she nor
Rai can do.

"So, what does Ais want to be like?"Rai asked, still with a warm smile.

They both knew that a decision had actually been made by Ais, just waiting to be
said.

"We’re done " said Ais "I cant leave my Lord. Sorry, if this is too painful for you.
But I have thought this decision carefully. Because we are not LDR (Long
Distance Relationship) fighters who compete with distance. We are two people
who fall in love but are blocked by our Lord. I can't leave My God, but I also don't
want loss You. I'm selfish, huh ” Ais held back all her emotions. And these
emotions have exploded in the form of crying. Ais immediately wiped her tears.

Rai had guessed but still, his heart ached to hear that. His tongue reflexively
wanted to argue but he was very familiar with Ais. Even though this girl looks
gentle, she always holds fast to her words. Ais isn’t a person who will make
decisions carelessly. Her decision today must have actually been that girl's mind
for a long time. He took a deep breath to normalize his feelings.

"I understand, it hard to Us staring Our relationship. From the beginning, we

related the sentence that I hate the most. But it all depends on time. We too, from
the beginning we knew wrong, but still forced. If that's the best in your opinion. I
accept"Rai whispered softly. With a heavy heart, he decided to respect Ais's
decision.

Silence surrounds them, only the faint sound of music coming from inside the cafe
mixed with the pouring rain outside.

"I'll go home by taxi" said Ais

"Don't, I'll take you home," Rai interrupted firmly "You are My responsibility,
allow your brother to take his sister home? You are still my sister, although you’re
not my girlfriend anymore " Ais nooded.
During the trip to the home filled with silence, Ais chose to look at the cloudy sky
outside the car during the trip. As much as possible ignore the young man beside
him.

Finally the black car stopped in front of the Maulana family's house

"Ais, wait. This is for you, I bought it when you were praying” Rai gave a gift to
Ais.

"Thank you, Rai," Ais said with a sweet smile.

Ais lay on her bed with her hand holding the gift from Rai just now. A blue hijab,
her favorite color. As soon as she touched the cloth, all the tears that she had
dammed had broken again.

"Ais, Mama, come in, please." Putri Mom of Ais knocked gently on Ais's room,
then opened it slowly. She had been worried about his daughter since she saw Ais
gloomy look when she entered the house. Mom took a place on the edge of Ais's
bed and then gently stroked Ais's hair.

"Ais, why? Tell Mama" she said softly. Ais turned to her with a swollen face. Ais
put her head on Mama's thigh.

"Mama, actually Ais and Rai have been in a relationship for the past year," Ais
began her story, Putri smiled at the daughter

"Mama knows," she said, shocking Ais.

"Do you know?"

"Yes, the way you look at Rai is the same as the way Papa looks at Mama"
Daughter chuckled, made Ais embarrassed and buried her face in the belly of the
woman who had given birth to her.

"So what?" Asked Putri.

"We just broke up Ma" continued Ais, Putri just smiled, told her daughter to
continue the story.

"The difference between Ais and Rai increasingly felt. Ais also wants to be like
Mama and Papa who can pray together, to the mosque together. I knew Rai would
never be able to leave his God, Ais also didn't want Rai to do it. On the other hand,
I also cannot leave God. We will always be 'different'." The girl told me in a
trembling voice, issuing all the complaints that she had endured alone. She hugged
his mother's body tightly.

"I knows this is the right decision, but it's still very painful, Ma." The girl's tears
broke out again. Putri replied hugging her tightly while kissing her daughter's hair.

"It's okay, dear. One heart later surely each of you will get better. Or indeed you
are destined somehow God will surely give way. Love is never wrong dear”

The End