"Don't joke like that," I said, eyes wide. Did he really think Arkan's camping event was such a trivial matter that it could just fit into his daily schedule? What kind of company director would spend time accompanying a kindergartner on a camping trip?
"I'm serious," he replied in a relaxed tone. But now, I was the one who started feeling tense because of his words.
"No way. I can handle Arkan's stuff on my own," I said.
"Your time is too valuable to waste on a kid's camping trip," I added. Kala chuckled at my remark, even though I was dead serious.
"But I can still make a bit of time. It's not as tied up as you think," he said casually.
"The important thing is to ask Arkan. If he doesn't want me to come, then what's the point of us arguing about it?" he continued, and I fell silent.
"So, for the camping trip, would it be okay if Uncle Kala comes along instead?" Kala asked Arkan, his eyes so gentle that it made me feel awkward.
"Yes!" Arkan answered without any hesitation. My breath caught—honestly, I couldn't even afford to buy a fraction of Kala's time.
"Alright, then. High five!" And the two of them bumped hands like best friends.
"Kala," I called out, still uneasy about what he was offering to do for Arkan.
"What is it?" Kala turned to me, completely unbothered. How could a man I barely knew offer his time so easily for Arkan?
"I really don't think this is a good idea," I said honestly. I couldn't imagine a camping trip fitting into his packed schedule. It was just so unlikely—and weird.
"To me, it's a great idea. Arkan's happy, I'm happy. Only his mom is worried," Kala teased.
"But…" I trailed off, interrupted by the waiter arriving with our food—three plates of seafood fried noodles and garlic fried chicken. I momentarily forgot our conversation, my eyes drawn to Arkan who looked eager for his food.
"This restaurant has been my family's go-to since I was a kid," Kala shared, as I began cutting up the noodles so Arkan wouldn't struggle with long strands. I smiled seeing how delicious both mine and Arkan's plates looked.
"So this place has been around for a while, huh?" I replied.
"And the amazing thing is, the taste hasn't changed," Kala said.
As Arkan started digging into his fried noodles, I turned to mine. The portion was quite generous. For Arkan, I had asked for only half so he could finish it easily.
"Well, what do you think? Tasty, right?" Kala asked, as if he had cooked it himself.
"It's really good. The texture is perfect—not dry or soggy. The seasoning's just right, and the seafood's fresh," I commented.
"See? That's what happens when you ask someone who cooks. You get a full review," Kala teased, making me blush. Ah! Must be a habit from all the food endorsements I've done.
"Just a reflex," I replied, smiling. I glanced at Arkan again, who was eating with enthusiasm. Maybe it was because the food was really good—or he was just that hungry.
"Arkan, want some fried chicken?" Kala offered. Arkan nodded with his mouth full, looking absolutely adorable.
"Slow down, sweetheart," I said, gently rubbing his back. I reached out to take a piece of fried chicken for him—at the same time Kala also reached out and took one for Arkan.
Arkan's eyes sparkled at the delicious-looking piece of chicken. I let him take a bite. It seemed like he was eating quite a lot tonight.
"Arkan usually doesn't eat this much," I told Kala. Arkan's appetite was unpredictable—sometimes he would obsess over one dish and request it over and over, and other times he would refuse to eat anything I made.
"Must be the noodles—they're really tasty," I added.
"Next time, I'll take you both somewhere just as good as this place," Kala said, making me frown for a moment. Next time? So this wasn't the last?
I knew how busy this man was, yet here he was having dinner with me and Arkan. The sound of an empty juice glass caught my attention—Arkan had finished his mango juice, so I handed him a bottle of water.
"Make sure to drink lots of water too, okay?" I said as I opened the cap.
"I'm super full, Mom," he said, clearly satisfied.
"Let's eat somewhere next time that'll fill you up again, okay?" Kala chimed in. He had also finished his food and was sipping his drink. Seeing his relaxed demeanor made me wonder what he was like at the office. From his social media, Kala always seemed pretty laid-back—just like this.
"Why aren't you finishing your food?" Kala asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. Embarrassed, I realized I'd been too distracted to eat.
"I was just thinking about something," I said, trying to cover up my embarrassment in front of Kala.
"What is it?" he asked, curious.
"I'm thinking about trying to make homemade noodles using the flour sent by Boga Rasa," I blurted. I had no idea where that idea came from. Rather than let him know I'd been thinking about him, I figured a small lie would do less damage.
"That's a great idea," he replied enthusiastically. Oh no. I've never even made homemade noodles before.
"You're amazing—you can come up with such brilliant ideas even while eating," he praised me. He thought this was brilliant? Was he teasing me?
"It's not really anything amazing," I said, feeling flustered. Ugh, why did I get flustered over something so trivial?
"For someone like me who's rarely in the kitchen, that sounds amazing," he insisted.
"Just like how I thought it was amazing when I learned you were the youngest director at Boga Rasa," I replied. Kala tilted his head slightly, like he was thinking about something. Did I say something wrong?
"That's not really that impressive. Just imagine if Hendra Kusumaatmaja wasn't my father—there's no way I'd be in this position," he said.
"So, the truly amazing one is your father," I concluded.
"More or less, yeah. That's why I want to slowly step out of the shadow of Hendra Kusumaatmaja's name. Maybe by building something of my own," he explained.
"Looks like Arkan's getting sleepy from being so full," I said, noticing him whining and calling for me. That usually meant he was bored—or getting drowsy.
"You can take Arkan to the car. I'll pay the bill," he said, and I reached out to carry Arkan. He immediately clung to my shoulder as I lifted him. He felt heavier than usual, but I carried him toward Kala's car.
"Here, let me," Kala suddenly appeared behind me and held out his arms to take Arkan. For a moment, the whole scene made my heart race, though I quickly brushed it off. What was I thinking? Dewo used to do the same when Arkan got sleepy at restaurants—so why did it feel different with Kala?
"He's kinda heavy," I said, trying to act normal. With Arkan now in Kala's arms, my steps felt lighter. Kala gently laid him down on the back seat.
"Actually, I wanted to take you both somewhere else after this," he said.
"But maybe next time. Poor kid's already sleepy," he added. Honestly, I was glad Arkan had fallen asleep. If we stayed out with Kala any longer, my heart might have given out from all the fluttering.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon, okay?" he said as he started the car. Kala brought up a subject I didn't particularly like. I was used to doing things on my own, so having a man offer help made me a bit uncomfortable.
"Okay," I finally replied. It would've been tough to argue with someone like him.
"And about Arkan's camping trip—I'm really serious about going with him. Seeing Arkan reminds me of how much I missed having a mother figure as a kid. Maybe by being there for him, I can help ease the absence of a father figure in his life." I turned to look at Kala, deeply moved. He'd thought about Arkan so thoughtfully—even down to things like this.
"I can clear my schedule for that day. Besides, it's not like this happens every day."
And for some reason, in that moment, I really wanted to curse Axel—the man who called himself Arkan's father. A man so irresponsible, he probably didn't even remember he had a son this age.
"Are you okay?" Kala suddenly asked, snapping me out of the thoughts of Axel. I turned and looked at him seriously.
"Thank you, Kala," I said sincerely.
So… where was all that talk about work he mentioned on the phone? Come to think of it, we hadn't discussed anything remotely work-related all evening. (*)