PLEASE BESIDE ME

Part 1: LDR (Long Distance Relationship) Revisited

Anindya got ready, making herself look as beautiful as possible. She didn't want to waste any time in accompanying her beloved back to his hometown of Bandung. She would see him off at the train station. This week, Arjuna was visiting his relatives in Jakarta, giving him the opportunity to meet Anindya. Their infrequent meetings, due to being in a long-distance relationship, made Anindya cherish every moment when her partner came to visit, even if it meant meeting on the road. After all, when you're in love, everything feels wonderful, no matter where you meet.

It wasn't that Juna, as Arjuna was fondly called, was a bad guy; he just felt he wasn't ready or worthy enough to visit Anindya's parents' home, as was the norm for her.

Juna had been delayed in his studies, and he was still finishing up his final semester of college. In contrast, Anindya had already graduated with a degree in Marketing and worked for a company that produced various plastic products.

Juna was the eldest of four siblings and had lost his father after he graduated high school. This led him to work first and help his mother support his three younger siblings. Only after saving up a bit did Juna start studying while working. His busy job and packed study schedule sometimes made communication difficult for them. Whenever Juna had some time, he would try to visit Jakarta.

Despite their rare meetings, Anindya always trusted Juna. Their relationship had already entered its second year. Their journey had been quite long for them, especially since Juna was the silent type. Anindya, on the other hand, was curious about Juna's quiet demeanor.

As Anindya was leaving her room, she crossed paths with her younger sister, Fany.

"Hmm, getting all dressed up to meet your sweetheart?" Fany teased, knowing that Anindya was meeting Juna.

"Just jealous. For once, I'd like to see you mosquito-watching with Ridho on the weekend," Anindya said, putting on her sneakers. She wore a long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and a shoulder bag, her everyday attire when not working. It was a stark contrast to her two sisters, who always prioritized their appearance.

"Sister Wina is coming over this afternoon. Don't come back too late, okay?" Fany reminded her about the visit from their eldest sister. Wina had been married for four years and had an adorable daughter named Chacha.

Anindya didn't reply, she just waved her hand and hurried out because a motorcycle taxi was waiting.

That day was Sunday. Anindya's parents were attending an event in their local community. Her father was the head of the neighborhood, while her mother was a homemaker taking care of the household and her three daughters. Anindya had obtained permission from her mother beforehand, although she didn't reveal that she was meeting Juna. It was a secret between Anindya, Juna, and Fany.

After arriving at the destination, Gambir train station, Anindya looked around, searching for Juna. Fortunately, the station wasn't very crowded at that moment, so she wasn't struggling to find him.

Before long, she spotted Juna approaching. Anindya smiled with joy. Just meeting like this made her heart flutter with happiness.

"Sorry, I'm late," Juna said as he came over. Anindya smiled, unaffected by the delay.

"No worries, there's still plenty of time before the train. Let's sit over there!" Juna held Anindya's hand and led her to a seat in the waiting area.

They sat side by side, Juna's larger hand holding Anindya's smaller one. They watched a mother struggling with her young child. Juna smiled, and Anindya noticed.

"Why are you smiling to yourself?" Anindya asked, looking at her partner.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just imagining that a few years from now, you'll probably be like her. Waiting for me to arrive from Bandung, sitting there with our child," Juna said, looking intently at Anindya. Anindya blushed and smiled, Juna had a way of making her feel shy.

But then Anindya looked up.

"No, I don't want to."

"What? Why? You don't want to have a child with me?" Juna's words made her heart race. Imagining getting married and having a child with features resembling their own made her dreams soar.

Anindya playfully pinched Juna's stomach. Juna winced and held Anindya's hand, afraid she would pinch him again.

"That's not it, I just don't want to wait for you in Jakarta while you're in Bandung. I'd rather come with you to Bandung, so you won't cheat on me again." Anindya pouted, her lips forming a cute little pout. She wished Juna would kiss her, forgetting that he couldn't because they weren't yet "muhrim."

Juna hugged Anindya's shoulder. "Listen, I won't cheat on you. If you still love me, that means you'll be faithful to me. But if you turn away, it means you don't love me anymore. And I won't force you to stay with me. Even if you choose someone else as your partner, I'll accept it wholeheartedly."

Anindya sighed. Cheat? She was someone who found it hard to fall in love. The idea of cheating was beyond her logical thinking. She wasn't like her sister, Wina, or Fany. They were blessed with beautiful faces. Anindya was grateful for her appearance, which others considered sweet, but she had a keen mind. Her academic achievements were better than Wina and Fany's, but in matters of love? Anindya felt she was far behind.

Anindya was selective in choosing men; she liked intelligent, smart guys who seemed cool in her eyes. Cool guys were those who didn't pretend to be overly familiar when they first met. Anindya disliked that kind of behavior.

Their First Meeting

Anindya's first encounter with Arjuna happened when she visited Bandung during her vacation, staying at Aunt Nuri's, her mother's sister. That's where she got to know Juna, who happened to be Aunt Nuri's neighbor. Aunt Nuri frequently asked Juna for help with household issues, whether it was fixing the roof, replacing a broken faucet, or other tasks. In Anindya's eyes, Juna was a guy who never refused anyone in need. To her, that was already cool. What's more, Juna wasn't the type to flirt with girls. Even when he met Anindya's sisters, Wina and Fany, his demeanor remained unaffected. Unlike other guys who seemed to pounce like tigers when they saw Anindya's sisters.

Their first meeting didn't leave much of an impression, just an ordinary encounter. However, as Aunt Nuri constantly praised Juna's kindness, Anindya found herself curious to know more about him. Perhaps she was intrigued?

Through repeated meetings, as Anindya diligently visited her aunt, she eventually grew close to Juna and became his girlfriend. It took a year of building closeness before they officially labeled their relationship, and even that had to go through a series of events that made Anindya's heart race whenever she was near Juna.

And who could blame her? Anindya herself lacked experience in relationships, so suddenly having a chance to talk to Juna one-on-one was nerve-wracking. Her hands were sweaty, and she almost couldn't bring herself to look into Juna's eyes. Especially when the next day, Juna arranged to take Anindya on a tour around the city of Bandung. Anindya had spent the whole night unable to sleep. She cursed herself for previously making fun of Wina or Fany, who always seemed to blush whenever they talked about their new boyfriends. Anindya had mocked them, thinking they were being too dramatic. Now, experiencing it herself, she realized she was worse off than her two sisters. Well, it was her first experience, after all. Wina and Fany had gone through this a lot. Did this mean that every time you changed partners, it would feel like this?

No... Anindya couldn't imagine being with anyone other than Arjuna. Her curiosity had blossomed into a romantic relationship. It turned out that Juna was easy to talk to. He was only quiet around people he didn't know. Once he got to know Anindya better, she saw Juna as a good figure – an older brother, a boyfriend, and even a future husband? Anindya's thoughts wandered a bit too far.

The announcement for the train to Bandung could be heard. That meant Anindya had to part with Arjuna. Their grip tightened. It wasn't common for them to act like this, but Anindya looked at their intertwined hands. "Dear God, can I ask to stay like this with Juna?"

Juna noticed the expression on Anindya's face. He touched her cheek. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Anindya looked wistful, as if it was difficult for her to let go of her partner this time.

"Not... the train is coming soon." Anindya looked at Juna's hand on her cheek.

"Sure, take care of yourself, okay? Let me know if anything happens. Will you wait for me?"

Anindya nodded. "I will wait for you, like I've been doing all this time." They locked eyes for a few moments.

Until the final announcement sounded.

"I'm leaving now," Juna said, seeking Anindya's permission. Anindya found it even harder to let go of Juna. Her feelings were always like this, fearing that this might be their last meeting.

With a heavy heart, she nodded. "Where's your smile?" Arjuna tried to lighten the mood.

Anindya pinched her cheeks, resulting in a small smile. A smile that lifted Arjuna's spirits.

Juna walked away slowly, and their handhold eventually parted. Juna walked backward, keeping a smile on his face as he continued to look at Anindya, until he suddenly collided with someone. Only then did he turn around. Anindya laughed at Juna's antics. Throughout their time together, Juna had always treated Anindya well. They'd been in a relationship for just two years, limited to hugging and holding hands, and nothing more. Anindya felt Juna respected her greatly; his behavior was always sweet in her eyes. He didn't demand anything more than just hanging out like friends, unlike today's modern dating scene.

Juna looked back at Anindya, his lips mouthing the words "Love you." Anindya knew exactly what he said, even if she couldn't hear him. She replied with a lip movement, "Love you too."

"Take care of him for me, God, until the time comes when we can be together as we've dreamt. Until the day he has the courage to face my parents. Together, realizing our dreams and our love."