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."

Part 2 – The New Figure, Setia

Anin stepped inside the house. In the garage, she noticed Mas Arvin's car, Wina's husband, parked. That meant her older sister, brother-in-law, and the adorable Chacha were still inside. Thinking about her cute and beautiful niece brought a smile to Anin's face.

With excitement, Anin hurriedly entered the house. "Hello everyone..." she exclaimed upon entering. She immediately noticed Chacha sitting on the couch near the entrance, enjoying her favorite snack – a black biscuit with cream in the middle. Chacha looked adorable with her hair styled in two braids.

Chacha, who was in the midst of biting her biscuit, was startled when someone hugged her and gave her a big kiss on her cheek. As a result, the biscuit ended up all over her face, causing her to pout in annoyance.

"Oh, my lovely niece," Anin said while pinching Chacha's chubby cheek. Chacha, in response, burst into laughter, delighted by the attention from her aunt.

"Ugh, my young lady finally decides to show up. And after knowing we've been waiting since this morning," Wina emerged from the kitchen with a tray of drinks.

Anin lifted her face from Chacha's cheek and surveyed her surroundings. Her parents were seated with smiles, and then she noticed Mas Arvin sitting not far from them, accompanied by someone else.

Oh, Anin just realized there was a stranger in the room besides her family. A man about Arvin's age was sitting not far from him, looking at her. Well, actually, he was staring at her. Anin quickly adjusted her seating position, feeling embarrassed.

Oh my goodness... why didn't I notice there was a guest earlier? Now I feel embarrassed, acting so barbaric. I didn't even greet them when I entered.

To ease her nervousness, Anin stood up and picked up Chacha. "Come on, Chacha, let's go to the room."

Wina swiftly took Chacha from Anin's arms. "Hey, Auntie, you can't just carry my child around like that. Hurry up and get married so you can carry your own child. Seriously, how can you be so comfortable being single?"

Wina seated her child back on the couch while Anin pouted.

Arvin cleared his throat before speaking. "Uh, Anin, let me introduce you to Arvin's friend."

Anin followed Arvin's lead. Oh, so this guest is Arvin's friend.

Anin shook hands with the man seated not far from Arvin. A well-dressed and tidy-looking man.

"Anin."

"Setia." The man, Arvin's friend, introduced himself as Setia.

Afterward, Anin excused herself to her room. She didn't want to disturb the conversation happening in the living room. She wasn't the nosy type.

As she was about to enter her room, she saw Fany reading a magazine.

Anin immediately lay down next to Fany, who was surprised by her sister's sudden presence. "Tired, sis?"

"Hmm." Anin kept her eyes closed.

"So, what's the progress with you and Juna? Are you in another long-distance relationship?"

Anin opened her eyes and turned to face her sister. "What do you mean?"

Fany sat facing Anin. "Yes, two years have gone by, but there hasn't been any progress. How's that?"

"What are you talking about? As long as Juna and I are okay, that's what matters."

Anin was getting more confused.

"Sis, have you ever talked about marriage with Juna?"

Hearing that, Anin sighed. She was puzzled by the question. If only Juna had finished his studies and had a stable job, she might ask him to propose.

Anin herself couldn't bring herself to force Juna into proposing. Not to mention marriage, even introducing him to her parents was something Juna always avoided. He claimed he wasn't ready yet to meet her father face-to-face, citing his current financial situation.

"Sis, I'm sorry if my question upset you."

Fany saw the sadness in Anin's face and felt bad for bringing it up.

"It's okay, Fany. To me, Juna and I aren't ready for that step yet, especially Juna. He's busy preparing his thesis and still trying to find a better job than the one he has now."

"Sis, if it's the right time, he'll come to propose."

Anin spoke with enthusiasm and put on a smile again. Fany nodded. She was relieved her sister wasn't the type to give up easily.

"Oh, by the way, have you met Arvin's friend downstairs?" Fany asked.

"Oh, you mean Setia? Yeah, I've met him."

"According to you, is he handsome?"

Fany's face was filled with hope.

Asked that way, Anin scrutinized her sister. "Don't tell me you're interested in Setia and want to leave Ridho?"

Fany was taken aback by that question. "Come on, sis, what are you talking about?"

"Don't be weird, just take a shower, okay?" Anin got up and left. Fany let out a sigh and lay down, covering her face with the magazine she was holding.

**Dinner at Anin's House: A New Figure Emerges**

Dinner at Anin's house was livelier than usual due to the presence of Wina's small family who were visiting her parents' house. Moreover, Ridho was there too, and Arvin's friend named Setia was also part of the dinner gathering.

Anin arrived a bit late. She had just finished tidying up her messy wardrobe. She scanned the dining area. Everyone was already seated at the dinner table. Her father sat next to her mother, Wina sat with Mas Arvin, and Chacha was nestled between them. Fany sat beside Ridho. There was only one seat left unoccupied. And for some reason, Anin felt like she had been arranged to sit next to Setia.

Well, whether she liked it or not, Anin was going to sit next to Setia. It wouldn't be appropriate to ask for a seat change, and besides, there was nothing wrong with being friendly – after all, Setia was both Mas Arvin's and Wina's friend.

After smiling at Setia, Anin started serving herself rice and various dishes. "Nin, could you please pass the fish to Setia?" Wina prompted Anin, who had just taken a bite of her food. Anin put her spoon down, seeing that Setia's plate only had white rice on it. She picked up a piece of fish and placed it on Setia's plate.

"Would you like some vegetables as well, sir?" Anin asked, seeing Setia nod before adding some vegetables to his plate.

"Thank you," Setia said politely.

"You're welcome," Anin replied before picking up her spoon again.

Just as she was about to take another bite, she suddenly realized that her interaction with Setia was being watched by everyone in the room. Anin returned their gazes, silently asking if something was wrong. But then she noticed that everyone who had been watching had gone back to their meals. Anin just sighed and resumed eating.

After dinner, Fany left the house with Ridho to visit a friend who had just given birth. Anin's parents chose to rest in their room. That left Anin, Wina's small family, and Setia in the living room.

Anin decided to play with Chacha while Wina flipped through TV channels. Arvin was engaged in a serious conversation with Setia.

"Anin, why are you so quiet when you're asked something?" Wina elbowed Anin. Anin lifted her face. "Huh, what?"

Anin had been busy teasing Chacha and hadn't heard the question.

"Setia asked you something, you know. He wanted to know where you work," Wina explained.

Mas Arvin chimed in. "Oh, I work at PT Gemilang Abadi Jaya in Central Jakarta. It's a company that produces plastic cabinets."

Anin smiled briefly and glanced at Setia. Somehow, she felt his gaze on her was a bit too intense. Her cheeks tended to turn red when someone looked at her, especially if she wasn't very familiar with them.

"Really? PT Gemilang? Isn't it owned by Mr. Hendar? And his wife's name is Vivian, right?" Setia asked.

"Why do you know that, Mr. Setia?" Anin asked in return.

"The company I work for supplies plastic beads to them, the raw material for their products, PT Sinar Baja Plastik."

"Oh, really?" Anin raised an eyebrow. Setia nodded.

"Wow, what a small world," Wina said with a mysterious smile. "By the way, Setia is a manager, Nin."

Anin just nodded. What else was she supposed to say?

"I often visit your office, but I've never seen you, Nin," Setia continued.

"Well, maybe because my office is in the far corner, so if you're meeting my boss, you don't necessarily pass by my room. Salespeople are the ones who often come to my office."

"But if I visit tomorrow, can I see you?" Setia asked.

"What for, Mr.?" Anin asked with a puzzled frown.

"Why do you need an excuse, Nin? Like you'd think he's arrogant if he visits your office and doesn't say hi to you," Wina explained, answering her sister's question.

"Oh, well, sure, you can drop by if you want," Anin replied and turned back to playing with her niece, Chacha. Meanwhile, the other three people in the room just shrugged.

You're not very perceptive, Anin, Wina thought to herself.

Part 3 - Loyalty is Indeed Admirable

At the end of the month, it was a busy day for Anindya. She had to close sales and calculate sales commissions for each salesperson. Until lunchtime arrived,

"Hey Nin, want to have lunch together?" Novi, Anin's colleague, entered her office.

"Just go ahead, I'm still caught up here." Anin didn't even look in Novi's direction, busy studying her computer screen.

"Alright then." Just as Novi was about to leave the room, she turned back to Anin.

"Hey, Nin, there's a handsome guy in Mr. Hendar's office. The sales promoter here has been going back and forth to check him out."

"Hmmm." Anin just cleared her throat. Novi shook her head, knowing that Anin was in her zone, and she wouldn't care even if there was a commotion outside, except maybe for an earthquake.

"Are you sure you don't want to leave a message?" Novi asked again. Anin simply waved her hand, signaling for Novi to leave immediately.

Anin was still busy cross-referencing data on the paper she held with her computer screen when she heard someone entering the room. Irritated, Anin complained,

"Oh, Nov, can't you just leave me alone!" Anin put down her files and looked towards the door.

"Oops, sorry, am I disturbing?" A well-dressed man smiled at Anin.

"Wait, Mr. Setia?" Anin hadn't anticipated at all that Setia would be the one entering her room.

Anin quickly tidied up the documents on her desk. When she worked like this, her desk was always full of papers, to the point where she sometimes struggled to find her pen that seemed to disappear somewhere.

"Busy as always, Nin?" Setia entered the room.

"Why is Mr. Setia here? Oops." Anin reflexively covered her mouth.

"Sorry. I mean, is Mr. Setia here for a meeting or..."

"Yes, I usually meet with your boss, but by the way, am I bothering you?" Setia glanced at Anin's desk, which had been a mess as if hit by a storm. Anin had a habit of not keeping her workspace tidy when working.

"Mmm... no, not at all, Mr.. Besides, it's already lunchtime." Anin glanced at her watch.

"Well, that works out nicely then. How about having lunch together? Do you know a good place?"

Anin seemed to have misspoken. In this situation, she couldn't refuse, or she might come across as arrogant.

"I think I'll just eat near the office, Mr.. How about that?"

"Sure, that works, as long as I can be with you." Setia smiled.

Anin sighed as she walked out of the room, noticing that the area in front of the office was empty. If not, there might be gossip. She didn't like being the subject of gossip. If she joined in, who knows what might happen?

She chose a somewhat quiet cafeteria to avoid meeting her coworkers, especially Novi, who was overly curious.

They ordered grilled chicken, Anin's favorite dish.

"How long have you been working here, Nin?" Setia asked.

"Umm... it's been almost three years, Mr.. Luckily, my boss is nice, so I feel comfortable."

"Who picks you up when you work like this?" Setia asked.

"A Gojek driver, hehehe." Anin said while taking a bite of her chicken.

"If I pick you up later this afternoon, how about that?"

Anin struggled to swallow the chicken she was eating. She quickly grabbed her water. Did she hear correctly? Setia wanted to pick her up?

"Does Mr. Setia need something from Mr. Arvin or your dad? Or..."

"Mr. Setia's need is with you, that's why I'm picking you up. As for my dad, that might not be necessary yet, we're taking it step by step." Setia spoke while eating heartily.

Anin frowned. Now she was the one who lost focus. Was she slow to catch on, or was Setia's way of speaking just...

"Let me pay, Nin. After all, I'm the one who invited you to lunch." Setia said as Anin was about to take out her wallet.

Anin was getting ready to head back to the office.

"Is Mr. Setia still needed at the office, or are you heading back now?" Anin asked.

Anin secretly hoped that Setia would just go back to the office, rather than accompanying her.

"I still need to be at your office, there's something I need to discuss with your boss," Setia replied.

Anin swallowed hard, hoping that the office was still relatively empty.

They walked side by side into Anin's office. Anin noticed from a distance that the office was bustling with other employees. She walked a bit ahead, hoping that nobody would think anything of it. It would be disastrous if it got out that Anin returned to the office after having lunch with a man. She could still hope that she might run into Setia at a corner or while entering the office. Well, Anin could only hope.

Anin smiled at her colleagues who looked at her with questioning eyes, especially Novi. But Anin made sure there were no office gossips about her. She had to walk calmly, take slow breaths, and relax as she walked. However, when passing her boss's office,

"Nin, I'll pick you up later this afternoon, don't forget!" Setia called out to Anin from behind.

Anin immediately stood up straight and turned her body to face Setia.

"Y-yes, Mr.." Anin smiled as sweetly as she could manage.

It seemed Anin had to accept that the gossip about her was about to start. She dropped her head onto her desk.

"No, Nov, I don't have any kind of relationship with Mr. Setia."

"Mr.? Mr.? Everyone at the office calls him Mr. Setia, not Mr... SETIA," Novi said as if giving a speech.

Anin covered her face.

"Then what was that, huh? I heard him call you 'Nin.' It felt like you two are already close."

Anin was getting more frustrated with Novi, and she threw a pen in her friend's direction.

"Gossip, always gossip... They really love using me as the subject."

"Sweetie, who wouldn't get annoyed by that? Let me tell you. Everyone in this office, when Mr. Setia comes around, they all get curious, want to see him. He's young, good-looking, with a high position. I think I've chatted about him with you before, gossiping about him, and here you are, acting all clueless, surpassing even the most naive person, spending lunch together and leaving the office together. Oh my... I've been out of the loop on the gossip."

"Well, I didn't know that the person you were talking about was the same Setia." Anin muttered.

"By the way, where did you get to know Mr. Setia? Why didn't you ever mention it to me?" Novi chattered, emphasizing her words when saying 'Mr.'

"He's a friend of Mr. Arvin, Wina's husband. How would I know that he's the guy you like to gossip about? Besides, I can't even remember the names of the people you make a fuss about."

Anin never cared about office gossip, especially about guys. Because she had Arjuna in her heart, so why waste time gossiping about other guys? It's different with Novi since she's a true singleton.

"Are you trying to get close to Mr. Setia? What about your beloved Arjuna? Where does he fit into this?"

"Ugh, Novi, who's trying to get close? I'm still with Arjuna. He's just picking me up because there's something he needs to discuss with Mr. Arvin."

Novi looked at her friend skeptically.

"It's true!" Anin insisted, looking at Novi earnestly. She had to play it safe since Novi was the type to ask more and more bizarre questions.

Novi gave a sly smile, trying to believe Anin even though she still had her suspicions. On one hand, Novi was certain that Anindya wouldn't easily turn her heart away because Novi knew about Anin's feelings and hopes for Juna.