I was just about to protest the fact that the hotel only had one room available and ask Kala to find another place, but before I could say anything, he had already completed the payment, and the receptionist had handed him the key.
"But it's only one room," I whispered while we were in the elevator. Kala was carrying Arkan in his arms.
"You still want to look for another hotel?" he asked. I hesitated and shook my head. It would be such a hassle to keep searching, especially since Kala had already paid.
"I can sleep on the couch," he added.
"All right. Let's just stay here," I said, not because of what he said about sleeping on the couch, but because I felt bad seeing Arkan fast asleep while I was still debating about switching hotels.
I tapped the key card and opened the door. The room was quite spacious with one large bed. Thankfully, there was a long couch that looked comfortable enough to sleep on.
While I was laying Arkan down on the bed, Kala went into the bathroom. I was also feeling sweaty and wanted to shower, but I needed to take care of Arkan first. He probably wouldn't wake up anymore since he looked completely exhausted, but it was still better to wipe him down with a wet towel and change his clothes.
Arkan didn't stir even as I gently wiped his body with a warm damp towel and dried him off with a dry one. He remained fast asleep—maybe even more comfortably now that he was clean. Once I had dressed him in his pajamas, Kala came out of the bathroom. He looked much fresher, and his damp hair made my heart pound.
I quickly looked away and pretended to tidy up Arkan's dirty clothes. I felt so embarrassed by what I was feeling.
"You're done showering?" I asked awkwardly, even though it was obvious he had just come out of the bathroom.
"Yeah. You should shower now too—Arkan's already asleep," he said, and I hurried into the bathroom, hoping a shower would calm my racing heart.
Being in a hotel room like this made it feel like we were a real family. I froze for a moment and scolded myself for having such a ridiculous thought.
Fortunately, I had packed a change of clothes, so I didn't have to trouble Kala by asking to buy anything. Sharing a room with a man I had no romantic relationship with was a first for me—and it made me incredibly nervous.
"I'll stay here for now," Kala said when I came out of the bathroom. He was lying next to the sleeping Arkan. I nodded—there was no way I could tell him to move to the couch when it wasn't even bedtime yet.
"I'll move to the couch later when you want to sleep," he added, as if reading my mind. Honestly, I wished he would sleep in the bed first and I could take the couch instead. That way, I wouldn't feel so awkward, especially since he was the one who paid for the room. It didn't feel right for him to end up on the couch.
I took my time at the vanity table, going through an elaborate skincare routine I hadn't done in ages—all just to stall so Kala would fall asleep next to Arkan.
"Finished?" he asked when I finally wrapped up. My eyes widened in surprise—I thought he was already asleep after waiting so long.
"Yeah," I replied shyly.
"Come over here," he said, patting the bed while holding the TV remote in his other hand.
"Oh! I'll move to the couch then," he said when he saw how awkward I looked.
"It's okay. You're not planning to sleep yet, right?" I said as I slowly walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, trying my best to act casual so he wouldn't notice how nervous I was.
"You can sleep if you're tired. I usually can't fall asleep right away—I need to watch a movie first," he said.
"I'll keep you company, then," I replied. How could I possibly fall asleep with a man next to me in the same bed? Usually, it was just me and Arkan. Even though Kala said he'd move later, I still didn't feel completely at ease.
"What kind of movies do you watch?" he asked, turning to me.
"Anything, as long as it's not horror," I said.
"Not because I'm scared—I just don't like how I feel afterward," I added, making him chuckle.
"How about a family drama?" he suggested, and I nodded in agreement.
"Why are you sitting all the way over there?" Kala asked. I had been sitting on the edge of the bed because Arkan was sleeping so close to the edge that there was no room for me beside him. But I couldn't possibly sit next to Kala, could I?
"Sit next to me," he said. That was exactly what I'd been trying to avoid all along.
"You can sit by the wall so it's easier for you to get off the bed later," he added. I nodded hesitantly and moved to the other side of the bed.
Kala shifted slightly, making space for me to sit beside the sleeping Arkan. I held my breath and tried to stay as calm as possible.
"If Arkan were still awake, I would've taken you two to explore more of Bandung," Kala said.
"There's still tomorrow morning," I replied.
"Let's head home in the afternoon," he said.
"Do you have something you need to do tomorrow?" he asked. I thought for a moment and turned toward him.
"Just the usual work at the shop—checking new stock and the old inventory. But I can ask one of the staff to do it," I answered.
"Arkan rarely gets to travel out of town anyway, so it's okay if we leave a bit later," I added. My eyes drifted to the television, which was playing a family drama I couldn't follow at all. I was far too self-conscious sitting this close to Kala.
This time, I was truly hoping Kala would fall asleep so I could finally move away from the bed. Since there had been no sound other than the TV for a while, I turned to look at him.
"Is the movie not interesting?" he asked, turning to face me at the same time.
"It is. I thought you were already asleep," I replied, trying to act casually. As I turned my eyes back to the screen, Kala's hand suddenly touched my palm, making me look at him again. He didn't say anything—just held my hand and gently stroked it with his fingers. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart began pounding rapidly. This was the most intimate thing Kala had ever done to me. Until now, his touches were limited to a light tap on the shoulder or gently pulling my arm—and even those were always brief.
His hand felt warm, making me even more flustered. I should have pulled away, but instead, I let him hold it. He kept his eyes on the TV, holding my hand tightly, saying nothing at all.
"Why aren't you sleepy? Is something on your mind?" he suddenly asked. He turned to me with eyes so gentle, they made my stomach flutter and my chest pound wildly. That was a question he should've asked himself—how could I possibly feel sleepy when he was holding my hand like this?
"No, I'm not thinking about anything," I replied. But in truth, all I could think about was the man who was holding my hand so tightly. His eyes remained on me, and now his hand began to massage mine softly.
"Or maybe you're just tired?" he asked again.
"If we're talking about being tired, I'm sure you're way more exhausted than I am. I've just been sitting in the car all day," I said, and Kala smiled as he continued looking at me.
"I really am tired," he said.
"But it's all worth it, seeing you and Arkan so happy," he added, and then slowly released my hand. I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when, all of a sudden, Kala leaned his head on my shoulder, closing his eyes like he was completely at ease.
I wanted to push him away, but my heart told me otherwise—and I let him stay there. What was happening? Why was I allowing Kala to treat me like this?
With his eyes closed, I could see his face clearly. Something I often avoided doing because just looking into his eyes made my heart flutter uncontrollably. Now, he was so close I could clearly smell the shampoo he'd used earlier.
Kala had thick, dark eyebrows and eyelashes to match. His face was spotless, and I must've looked completely crazy as I stared at his jaw and chin, now slightly rough with stubble. It had been a long time since I admired a man in this much detail. I felt shy and awkward.
When his eyes suddenly opened, I quickly turned my face away. I would've been so embarrassed if he knew I'd just been silently admiring his features.
I could barely breathe as Kala leaned in closer without saying a single word. Everything happened so fast—suddenly, he gently kissed the corner of my lips. (*)