18.1 The Surprise Trip
Villa Parking Lot
Kak Ros had just returned to the villa after dropping Cindy and Nabila off at Selangor Airport. She walked briskly towards Rizky and Rayan's room, wanting to ensure everything was in order.
However, her steps came to a halt when she heard a voice coming from the pavilion.
"Kak Ros?" Rayan called out casually.
Turning her head, she spotted them lounging in the pavilion, enjoying the crisp morning air.
Wasting no time, she made her way towards them.
Villa Pavilion
"Eh, Rizky, aren't you leaving for Brunei? Your ticket has already been booked for this afternoon," Kak Ros said seriously.
Rizky let out a long sigh and pointed at the wooden splint still wrapped around his leg. "How am I supposed to go, Kak? My leg is still like this."
Kak Ros crossed her arms, staring at him intently. "Your leg is fine! Take that splint off and try walking."
Rizky blinked in shock. "How do you know?" he asked, full of suspicion.
"From Wak Saleh, of course. He already told me that your leg only needed the splint for two days. Actually, you could've taken it off yesterday." Kak Ros smirked knowingly.
Rizky's jaw dropped. "If that's true, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Kak Ros chuckled before answering, "That was Cindy's plan. She wanted you to arrive in Brunei unexpectedly and surprise Nabila."
Rizky shook his head, smiling in both annoyance and amusement. "Oh, Kak, you guys are unbelievable."
Kak Ros turned to Rayan, who was barely holding back his laughter. "Oi, Rayan, help take that splint off."
"Oh, got it, Kak! Leave it to me." Rayan eagerly stepped forward.
With a few quick movements, he carefully removed the wooden splint from Rizky's leg.
Kak Ros watched attentively. "Now, try standing up and walking slowly."
Rizky nodded and cautiously rose to his feet.
As his foot touched the ground, he hesitated for a moment before taking a few steps. His face lit up in amazement.
"Whoa, you're right! It doesn't hurt anymore!" he exclaimed, almost in disbelief.
Kak Ros gave an approving nod. "Good! Now hurry up and get ready. You too, Rayan, Zikri—don't miss your flight!"
Getting Ready for Departure
Just as they were about to head inside the villa, Rayan suddenly stopped.
"Eh, Kak Ros," he called out. "How many tickets were booked?"
Kak Ros glanced at him with a calm smile. "Five seats. Do you think Cindy would forget something like that? She planned everything down to the last detail."
Rayan scoffed. "Of course, she did. That girl has too much money," he muttered, turning his face away.
Kak Ros laughed at his reaction. "You're not wrong. But don't forget to call your friend—we don't want any chaos later!" she teased.
"Oh, right! I almost forgot!" Rayan chuckled sheepishly.
Kak Ros sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, hurry up and get ready. No more wasting time."
Without further delay, Rizky, Rayan, and Zikri rushed to their rooms to prepare.
Their faces clearly reflected excitement—though there was also a bit of nervousness about the surprise Cindy had carefully orchestrated.
Chapter 18.2: Reunion and a Mission
Villa Pavilion
Rizky, Rayan, and Zikri stood by their luggage in the villa's pavilion, casually chatting while waiting for their next journey. Though relaxed, there was a sense of excitement in the air.
Ahmad and Qadir had yet to arrive, so the three of them passed the time exchanging stories and jokes.
Just as they were mid-conversation, the two familiar figures finally emerged from the villa's courtyard.
"Ha! Speak of the devil! We were just talking about them, and here they are!" Rayan called out, grinning.
Ahmad smiled broadly, while Qadir simply shook his head at their antics.
Then, out of nowhere, Ahmad smirked mischievously and said, "Rizky, I heard you tried to peek at Nabila?"
Rizky immediately stiffened. "What?! Where did you hear that nonsense?!" he protested, his voice laced with exasperation.
Qadir, who usually kept his composure, chuckled lightly and added, "That's a sin, Rizky."
Rizky glared at him. "Oh, come on, Qadir! Don't join them in this nonsense!"
But Ahmad and Qadir were already laughing, having heard the entire story from Rayan earlier. This was an opportunity they couldn't resist.
Finally giving up, Rizky sighed and explained with a mix of frustration and amusement.
"This is all Rayan's fault! He told me the room was empty. So I climbed in, and the moment I opened the door, BAM—Nabila started hitting me! Then, when I fell, guess what? Rayan ran away and left me there!"
The group burst Into loud laughter, the mental image of the incident proving too hilarious to ignore.
But their laughter came to a sudden halt when Kak Ros appeared in the pavilion.
"Alright, let's get going! We don't want to be late!" she instructed firmly.
Still chuckling from their earlier conversation, they quickly gathered their things and made their way toward the car park.
The Drive to Selangor Airport
Inside the car, the group continued chatting, their laughter filling the space.
"You should be grateful, Rizky," Zikri suddenly chimed in. "If it weren't for Rayan, you wouldn't have been fed by Nabila."
Rizky chuckled at the memory, while Ahmad and Qadir broke into fresh fits of laughter.
"Ah, you guys are getting too sentimental," Kak Ros teased from the front seat.
"Just a little bit, Kak," Rayan said, trying to keep a straight face.
Then, Kak Ros's tone turned more serious.
"Listen, Rayan. Don't do anything foolish once we get there. If you cause trouble, I swear you'll regret it when we get back!" she warned, though there was a playful edge to her voice.
Rayan chuckled nervously. "Of course not, Kak! I just want Rizky and Nabila to get closer, that's all."
Kak Ros raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That's actually a decent plan."
The entire car erupted in laughter as the journey continued toward the airport.
Selangor Airport
Upon arrival, the group continued joking and laughing as they made their way to the waiting area.
But just before they entered, Kak Ros called Rayan aside.
"Stay back for a moment. I need to talk to you."
Her voice carried a more serious weight this time.
Rayan felt a sudden pang of anxiety. Had he done something wrong?
Once the others were far enough away, Kak Ros fixed her gaze on Rayan and spoke in a firm tone.
"Listen carefully, Rayan. I won't repeat this twice."
Rayan swallowed hard, bracing himself for whatever was coming.
Then, Kak Ros dropped the bombshell.
"Rizky was arranged to marry Nabila."
Rayan's eyes widened in shock. "Wait… what?! So all this time—"
Kak Ros held up a hand to silence him. "Just listen first."
She continued, her tone steady but firm.
"Neither Rizky nor Nabila knows about it. Their parents agreed on this long ago, but they didn't want to rush into it. But thanks to that whole mix-up with the wedding of that old nenek (grandmother), things got more complicated."
Rayan furrowed his brows. "So, Kak, what do you need me to do?"
Kak Ros took a deep breath before speaking again.
"Help them get closer. Make sure they develop feelings for each other naturally. But whatever you do, don't let them find out about the arranged marriage. If they do, they might feel pressured. Let time reveal everything in its own way. Got it?"
Rayan nodded quickly. "Got it, Kak. I understand completely."
Kak Ros gave him a long, scrutinizing look, making sure he truly grasped the weight of the situation.
"You know I never support anything dishonest, right? If this wasn't for something good, I wouldn't be asking you to do this. But this is different. They're meant for each other. I just want you to help things along, that's all."
Rayan took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, Kak. I promise I won't mess this up."
Kak Ros finally relaxed. "Good." She gestured toward the terminal entrance.
"Now go. The others are waiting for you."
Rayan sighed with slight relief before heading toward the waiting lounge.
Selangor Airport – Waiting Lounge
As soon as Rayan rejoined the group, Zikri approached him curiously.
"Eh, what did Kak Ros say to you?" he asked.
Rayan shrugged casually. "Ah, nothing much. She just told me not to cause trouble, that's all."
"Oh, I see." Zikri nodded, dropping the subject.
With everything set, the group prepared for their flight to Brunei.
Light-hearted laughter and warm conversation filled the atmosphere, while Kak Ros simply shook her head, hoping everything would go according to plan.