With the beginning of March, the chill in the environment gradually faded. As the morning sun's rays fell softly on the ground, Anisa came to the studio as usual and began her work. Though her hands were busy, her mind was entirely elsewhere. š
What was deeply embedded in her mind was the message Hasan had sent last night:
"Shall we meet at the park tomorrow evening? At 5:30 PM, when we're both done with work."
Accordingly, they had agreed to meet after finishing their respective duties. Anisa's mind was completely preoccupied with that meetingā
What should I wear?
What will I talk to him about?
What should I say about what happened last night? š„
While lost in these thoughts, she heard a soft knock on the cabin door.
"Come in." š
With permission granted, it was Yugh who entered. He had a few files in his hand. He had come to discuss some of the studio's upcoming work plans with Anisa.
Though she nodded and said "Hmmā¦ alright" in response as he spoke, her eyes held not attention but a vacant darkness of swirling thoughts. That change was clearly noticeable to Yugh. Though she was physically present, her mind seemed to have traveled somewhere far away. š
But he didn't inquire about anything. Calmly discussing the task he came for, showing the files one by one, he explained the necessary points.
As he was about to finish the conversation and leave, Anisa suddenly addressed him again. š
"Heyā¦ Yughā¦"
He turned and looked at her.
"Today, I'm leaving at 4:00 PM. Is that a problem for you? You can handle the rest, right?" she asked, her voice carrying an unusual awkwardness. š£
Yugh immediately felt a sense of curiosity. Although there were days when Anisa left early normally, today felt different. But he kept his voice calm and asked her.
"Anisaā¦ why? Is something wrong? Or are you going home because you're tired?" š¤
With that question, Anisa fell silent for a moment. Her eyes briefly fell on the desk. Then, she took a breath and finally spoke the truth.
"I'm goingā¦ to meet my boyfriend. Actually, to be honestā¦ he's my fiancĆ©." š¤
The moment those words reached Yugh's ears, he felt as if his chest had tightened. It became difficult even to breathe. Though he himself couldn't understand why that feeling arose, it was something that struck deep within his heart.
But he didn't allow those emotions to show on his face. Regaining control of himself in an instant, he spoke in a low voice. š
"Ahā¦ so you've found a lover. Is heā¦ a sturdy guy?"
To that question, Anisa gave a slight smile and spoke.
"I didn't actually find him. This is something my parents arranged for me. You knowā¦ last time, I went against my parents and married Zayan. So this time, I gave them the chance." š
Saying this, she picked up her phone. Opening the screen and showing Yugh a photo of Hasan, she said,
"This is himā¦"
Yugh looked at that photo for a moment. That moment felt as if time had stopped for him. Though a deep pain was rising within his heart, he suppressed it and spoke. š
"Alrightā¦ you go. I'll handle the work. All the best."
While saying those words, he didn't even look at her. Gathering the files in his hand, he quickly left the room.
The moment he stepped out into the corridor, he stopped near the door and began to take a few deep breaths. The discomfort in his chest only increased. After standing there for a little while, he went back to his desk and began his work tasks, as if nothing had happened. š¬